Lucia’s POVI had never been so aware of silence until the ride back.Dante didn’t speak. Not once.He kept his eyes fixed on the road, his expression like it was carved from stone. The only sound was the occasional turn of the signal and the low hum of the engine, but each passing second made my skin itch, the weight of what I’d done pressing down like fog between us.Fiancée.Had I gone too far?The moment I’d said it, I saw something flicker in his eyes. Shock, yes—but underneath it, something possessive and dangerous. But now… all I could feel was distance. And it scared me more than his anger ever could.When we pulled up to the mansion, he didn’t wait for me. No parting glance. No words. He just stepped out of the car and disappeared into the house like I was nothing.I stood there for a long second before dragging myself inside.My feet took me to my room on autopilot, but sleep didn’t come. I lay there, staring at the ceiling, my chest tightening with every passing minute. Had
Dante’s POVTrust was a currency more dangerous than blood in this business. And right now, I was running short on both.I stared at the burner phone in my hand, the screen still lit from the last call. The guy on the other end had sounded too sure of himself. He promised the new route was safe, hidden behind fake businesses and paid-off border guards.“Nothing will go wrong this time, Signor Romano,” he’d said.I believed him.But I wasn’t fucking stupid.Last time, I trusted the wrong man and lost an entire shipment. That cost me more than money. It cost me power. It made me look weak. I wouldn’t survive another mistake like that.So I set up a test run. An empty truck. An unmarked driver. I kept everything secret, no records, no paperwork.Three hours later, I got a call that the cops had intercepted it.They didn’t find anything, but that didn’t matter. They were waiting for me. Again. And it wasn’t Lucia, obviously.I slammed the glass in my hand onto the desk, sending shards eve
Lucia’s POVHospitals always smelled the same: bleach, sadness, and something too clean to feel normal. I hated it.The white walls felt like they were closing in as I rushed past the nurses’ station, Rico just a few steps behind me.A nurse with tired eyes stopped me at the door to my father’s room. “You’re his daughter?”I nodded quickly, my heart stuck somewhere between my throat and stomach.“He was found unconscious on his porch,” she said. “We believe he fell down a short flight of stairs. The damage is minor—bruised ribs, slight concussion. He’s lucky. A little more force and—” she stopped herself. “He’s awake now. Confused, but awake.”My fingers tightened around the edge of my coat. “Thank you.”She smiled and stepped aside.I walked into the room.My father looked smaller. Thinner. His bones pressed against the sheets, and his face looked pale under the harsh lights. Tubes ran from his arms, and a dark bruise covered his temple like a shadow.“Dad,” I breathed.He stirred, e
Dante’s POVShe pushed me away again.I should’ve been used to it by now. But every time she flinched from my touch or caught my wrist with those trembling fingers, it hit harder than I ever let on.I could’ve taken her that night. She was right there. Breathing heavy under my mouth, hands trembling like she didn’t know what she wanted. The way she closed her eyes when I kissed her… it wasn’t fear of me. It was fear of herself.And ever since I found out she was a virgin, everything shifted. It wasn’t just about claiming her anymore. It was about doing it right. I’d never waited on a woman before—not for anything—but with Lucia every instinct told me not to rush, that she wasn’t like the others. She wasn’t truly mine yet. But she would be.I had to show her the side of me no one else had seen—the part of me that wasn’t all rage and control. She had to feel it, even if she didn’t know it yet.Starting with her birthday.She never mentioned it, but I’m not stupid. A date like that does
Dante’s POV“Just stay put, Lucia,” I snapped, cutting her off. My voice softened slightly, but there was no mistaking the edge of command. “Please. For now, stay in here.”Her gaze flickered between me and the door, the tension between us thickening as I hit the call button.I waited, the seconds feeling like hours, until Lucas answered on the third ring. “Boss?”“Get to the beach house. Now,” I barked. “Pick up Lucia and take her home. Don’t let her out of your sight. Got it?”There was a pause on the other end. “Understood. We’ll be there in ten.”I hung up without another word. Turning back to Lucia, I made sure she saw the seriousness in my eyes. “I’m leaving someone here to watch you,” I added, grabbing my coat off the chair. “Just stay in the room. Don’t open the door for anyone except Lucas or me.”She took a step back, still processing. “You’re not telling me what’s going on,” she said, a trace of frustration creeping into her voice.“I can’t explain right now,” I said, not a
Lucia’s POVThe soft murmur of the television stirred me awake before the sunlight did. My eyes were still heavy with sleep, but the voice coming from the screen made my stomach twist before I even understood the words.“…a once-promising businessman turned thief, Antonio Castellano’s fall from grace is not only a personal tragedy but a reflection of deeper corruption in Chicago…”I shot up in bed, every trace of sleep gone. My father’s name blared from the television like an alarm bell.“…rumored ties to Romano Enterprises raise eyebrows, especially in light of the fire that claimed the lives of Dante Romano’s family. Some sources suggest the fire wasn’t accidental…”What?I blinked at the screen, stunned as the report claimed my father might’ve been involved in both fires—the one that destroyed Dante’s family home, and the recent warehouse blaze.My heart hammered against my ribs. My hands trembled as I grabbed the remote and turned up the volume.“…anonymous sources believe the bla
Lucia’s POVI ran out of the room and down the hallway, ignoring the nurse calling after me. My flat shoes slapped against the floor as I pushed through the care home’s front doors into the cool afternoon air. My heart was racing as I looked around the sidewalk, the curb, and the street.Nothing.The man had vanished.I turned in a full circle, biting my lip. Had I imagined him? Was I just being paranoid? After everything that had happened—the fire, the article, the accusations—it wouldn’t be a stretch.But no… I saw him. And I knew that face.I needed answers.Back inside, I approached the front desk where a nurse sat typing. She looked up with polite curiosity.“Hi,” I said, trying to keep my voice steady. “I need to see today’s visitor log.”She blinked, unsure. “Is there a problem?”“No. I just… I think someone came to see my father without permission. I need to check.”Her brows furrowed, but after a moment, she turned the screen. “It’s mostly regulars. Here.”My eyes scanned the
Dante’s POVShe wasn’t supposed to see that. Not again.The gunshot still echoed in my mind—not because I regretted pulling the trigger, but because of who had been watching.Her gasp. Her eyes. The way she ran from me like I was the devil himself.I’ve heard that sound before—bones snapping, air leaving lungs, the final sputter before silence—but none of it ever made me flinch. Not until I saw her standing there.Now? Now I can’t get the image out of my head: her wide eyes, pale face, hand clutched over her mouth like she might vomit. She looked at me like I was unrecognizable.I knocked on her door three times. Nothing. I knocked again. Still nothing.Behind me, one of the guards shifted. “Boss,” he said lowly. “Do you want us to break it down?”The suggestion should’ve rolled right off my back. But it didn’t.I stared at the door handle. My hand itched to grip it, twist it, and walk in like it was still my home—like she was still mine to command.But that wasn’t how this worked. No
Dante’s POV“What’s wrong?”Her face had gone pale, her hand frozen around her phone. Lucia didn’t speak for a heartbeat. Then another. I moved toward her slowly, my pulse already shifting into that dangerous rhythm I’d come to know too well—the one that meant someone had dared to threaten what was mine.She looked up at me. “I got a text.”I took the phone from her hand gently and read the message.I didn’t speak right away.I stared at the screen, memorizing the words, tasting the venom behind them. My hands curled into fists. Someone had reached past the walls I’d built, past the guards I’d posted, and touched her. Not physically—but it was close enough.Lucia was watching me closely. Brave, despite the fear in her eyes. “I didn’t reply,” she said quietly.“Good,” I said. My voice was low but I felt the violence rising inside me. “I’ll find out who sent this. And when I do…” I paused, leaned in, and kissed her forehead. “…they’ll wish they’d never learned your name.”She didn’t fli
Lucia’s POVHis voice snaked through the phone like a knife. Familiar, but wrong in every way. I froze. Not from fear, but disgust.“I didn’t just think it,” I said, my voice low. “I did leave you, Daniel.”Silence. Then a cold laugh, bitter and sharp.“You were never meant to belong to him. You belong to me. You always have.”“Daniel,” I hissed, heart racing, “you’re insane.”“You gave yourself to him, didn’t you?” His voice dipped darker, uglier. “Did you think I wouldn’t know? You let him touch you. Take you. Like you’re his. But you’re not. You’re mine, Lucia.”My hand trembled so hard I nearly dropped the phone. The urge to tell Dante, to scream for him, gripped me like a vice. But I didn’t. Not yet.“Don’t call me again,” I said through gritted teeth.“Or what?” His voice dipped with menace. “You’ll send him after me? That killer you sleep beside now? You think he can protect you from what’s coming?”I ended the call not wanting to hear more.I stood frozen, breath hitching. Wha
Lucia’s POVHis hand tightened in my hair—not harshly, just enough to guide me. Then he started moving my head for me slowly, setting the pace. I relaxed, letting him lead, and finally I felt it. The tension in his body. The soft sound that escaped his throat. I was doing it right.And this time, I didn’t stop.I glanced up through my lashes. His jaw was tight, hand clenched at his side, and his eyes had gone darker, more focused. Still calm, still in control but barely.I sucked in my cheeks, taking him deeper, my hands pressing against his thighs for balance. His fingers tightened, hips giving a slow, involuntary thrust into my mouth. A quiet groan rumbled from his chest, like it had slipped out against his will.“Just like that,” he muttered, voice tight. “Don’t stop.”I didn’t.His breathing turned heavier, shoulders rigid now. I felt the way his body coiled, straining like he was holding back something primal.“You want to take it?” he asked, voice rough, breathless. “Or do I pul
Lucia’s POVThe second I heard the door click open, I straightened from where I’d been curled up by the window. Dante stepped in, his eyes scanning the room before settling on me. Something shifted in his face when he saw me waiting.Like I was his reward.Without a word, he locked the door and began to unbutton his shirt, his eyes never leaving mine. I swallowed thickly, my breath caught somewhere between anticipation and awe.“You’re quiet,” he said, voice low.“I was waiting.”“For what?”“For you.”A muscle ticked in his jaw. “Say that again.”“I was waiting for you, Dante.”He crossed the room in two strides, yanking me into his arms before I could take another breath. His mouth crashed onto mine, demanding, unrelenting, like the night before hadn’t been enough.It hadn’t been. Not for either of us.This time, he was rougher. His hands greedy, his grip tighter. He pulled me to the bed, turned me around, and bent me over the edge, my gasp swallowed by the mattress as his palm pres
Lucia’s POVSomething warm and delicious filled the air, nudging me awake. I blinked slowly, sunlight pooling through the sheer curtains like warm silk across my bare skin.I shifted slightly and winced, a soft soreness pulsing between my thighs. My muscles were stiff, hips sore from how he’d held me, pinned me, claimed me. Even the skin at my neck throbbed faintly where his mouth had been.I reached for the edge of the sheet and wrapped it tightly around my chest before sitting up, my body slow to obey. The cotton scraped over sensitized skin, and I flinched—then stilled as I turned, expecting to find cold sheets and an empty bed, but instead—There he was.Dante.In nothing but black slacks, barefoot, holding a silver tray in his hands like he wasn’t one of the most dangerous man in Chicago.“You brought me breakfast?” I asked, my voice still thick with sleep and disbelief.“I wasn’t sure what you liked,” he said, setting the tray on the nightstand with surprising care. “I’ve never
Dante’s POVI stood there, frozen, my hand still cupping her delicate face. Her words replayed in my head like a song I never wanted to end.“I want this. With you, Dante.”Her voice was soft, but there was no mistaking the determination in it. She wasn’t asking. She wasn’t second-guessing herself. She was choosing me. And it scared the hell out of me because I knew once I touched her, once I took her… there would be no going back.I searched her eyes for hesitation, for a crack, for even the faintest tremor of uncertainty. I found none. Just that steady, aching need—mirroring my own.“Lucia…” I breathed out, almost brokenly.She didn’t wait for me to finish. Her fingers, trembling but insistent, returned to my belt. I caught her hands briefly, giving her one last chance to change her mind. She shook her head once, a small but powerful gesture, before she worked my belt open and tugged at my trousers, letting them fall to the floor with a soft thud.She stepped back toward the bed, he
Dante’s POV She swallowed hard, her jaw trembling as she closed her eyes. I moved closer and sat on the edge her bed. “He… he betrayed me,” she whispered, her voice barely audible. “He was using me. I was just… I wonder if he even loves me. He’s been lying to me.” Her hands clenched around the fabric of her dress, and I could see her fighting back tears. I hated seeing her like this. It was like watching someone lose themselves. But she wasn’t ready to let go completely yet. “I ended it with him,” she added, her words heavy with finality, but there was pain behind them. “I couldn’t… I couldn’t let him do this to me anymore.” I watched her, processing what she said. Then my gaze dropped to her left hand, and I saw the absence of the ring. She really wasn’t wearing it anymore. I moved closer, keeping my tone soft. “You ended it with him,” I repeated, almost to myself. She nodded, her eyes finally meeting mine, but she didn’t offer more. I exhaled slowly, trying to keep my emotio
Dante’s POV The moment the car rolled back into the estate and Lucia wasn’t in it with me, I felt that gnawing undercurrent of something not right. It wasn’t just her pale face or the way her voice had lost its edge. It was the way she looked at me like she was drowning and didn’t want to be saved. Something happened tonight. And I was going to find out what. The second I stepped into the mansion, I found Lucas waiting in the hall and I didn’t waste time. I slammed him against the wall. “What the fuck has she been doing the past few days?” He didn’t even flinch, which pissed me off more. “Sir—she hasn’t gone anywhere without clearance. She only visited her father once. That’s all. I swear it.” My hand tightened on his collar. “You’re sure?” Lucas nodded, voice flat. “She’s under constant surveillance, Dante. We’d know if something was wrong.” I stared into his eyes for another long second before shoving him back. He straightened his jacket like I hadn’t just manhandled him,
Lucia’s POV The venue glimmered like something out of a dream or a very well-funded lie. Crystal chandeliers hung from ceilings so high they could scrape heaven. Women in fancy dresses moved through the room like ghosts dipped in gold, while men in dark suits stood around the edges with whiskey in one hand, secrets in the other. Soft buzzes from security earpieces filled the air.I stood near the bar, pretending to sip champagne. I hadn’t taken more than two mouthfuls. My stomach was still knotted from what I’d learned days ago.Betrayal tasted like blood at the back of my throat and no matter how much champagne I drank, I couldn’t get rid of it. It ruined everything, turning something sweet into something so bitter and rotten.Dante was busy speaking to a cluster of high-ranking Mafia associates near the grand piano, his jaw tight and gestures sharp. His dark eyes scanned the room constantly, every movement like a predator calculating its next strike. I watched him and couldn’t help