Lucia’s POVThe sharp voice of the news anchor startled me awake, pulling me out of my restless sleep. I must have dozed off watching the news, but as my eyes opened, the screen was still filled with the same harsh accusation.My hands clenched into fists as rage filled my chest.“This is how they do it,” i muttered under her breath. “They don’t need facts. They just twist words until people believe the worst.”I suddenly felt sick. The media didn’t know my father, they didn’t know the man who had worked tirelessly to provide for his family, who had built his reputation through sweat and sacrifice. He wasn’t perfect, but he wasn’t reckless.. at least, not intentionally.I grabbed the remote and shut off the TV, breathing heavily. The more they dragged my father’s name through the mud, the more certain i became that this wasn’t just about the fire. Someone wanted him ruined to cover up their tracks. And I had a pretty good idea who.No.I wouldn’t let them do this.Throwing off the bla
Dante’s POV“The Romano warehouse fire continues to make headlines, drawing comparisons to the tragic Romano estate fire years ago. In both cases, lives were lost, and in both cases, questions remain unanswered...”My jaw clenched.The media loved to stir up ghosts that should have stayed buried. They didn’t know what the hell they were talking about. The fire that took my family hadn’t been an accident or some careless mistake. It had been a goddamn execution, a message from men who thought they could erase the Romano name from history.They had failed.I drained my whiskey in one swallow, the burn doing nothing to calm the fire raging inside me. I poured another, barely paying attention to the news playing in the background. The comparisons to my past were nothing more than fuel to the fire… a reminder that some wounds never fucking heal.I had intended to see Lucia, maybe even explain why I had missed the date I planned.What was I even thinking? I brought her here to suffer for wh
Lucia’s POVMy breath stilled as the detective’s gaze settled on me. His presence alone made the air feel heavier. I hadn’t expected to walk into this—to see him standing there, looking at me like I was a puzzle he was trying to solve.The worst part? He was close. Too close.I forced myself to relax, to smooth out my expression, but it was too late. He had seen my hesitation, and now he was interested.He smiled. “And who might you be?”Dante didn’t move, but I felt his presence shift like a predator sensing an approaching threat. His body was a barrier between me and the detective, but it wasn’t enough to stop the weight of the man’s scrutiny.I swallowed. “Lucia,” I said evenly.The detective’s eyes flickered, something unreadable flashing across his face before he nodded. “Lucia… You match a description I was given.”Dante’s posture stiffened. “That so?” His voice was smooth, but I could hear the lethal edge beneath it.The detective ignored him, keeping his focus on me. “I receiv
Dante’s POVThe cemetery was quiet.I never stayed long when I visited. Not because I didn’t want to—I just never knew what to say. What could I say? Apologies meant nothing to the dead.I crouched beside the headstone, my fingers brushing against the engraved marble. My father’s name stood out in bold lettering. Leandro Romano. It had been sixteen years since he was gunned down in the streets, sixteen years since I’d taken over.But the guilt that settled in my chest didn’t belong to him.It belonged to them.I stood, shifting my gaze to the graves beside his. Elena Romano. Sofia Romano. Two names carved into stone, both stolen from me in the fire that burned our home to the ground. Ten years had passed, yet the flames still danced in my nightmares, licking at my skin, and filling my lungs with smoke.I could still hear Sofia screaming for me, her hands gripping at the locked door. I could still see my mother’s terrified eyes, the moment she realized I wouldn’t reach them in time.I
Lucia’s POV The hours turned into days, but I stayed in my room. Not because I was still in pain, I had already healed from the bruises. But because I didn’t know what else to do. This estate felt like a golden cage, and even though no one had locked me inside, I wasn’t exactly free. The maids came and went, bringing food I barely touched. One of them, a young woman around my age, maybe twenty-three or twenty-four, stayed longer than the others. Her name was Alina. At first, she didn’t say much, just tidying my things, folding and refolding my clothes like she wasn’t sure what to say. But after a while, she spoke. “I know things have been hard for you,” she said, smoothing out a dress. Her voice sounded calm, but with a hidden warning. “This house is safe, but only if you know where you stand.” I turned to her, my arms crossed. “And where do I stand?” She met my eyes, her expression unreadable. “That depends. Are you smart enough to survive?” A cold chill settled in my ches
Dante’s POV Lucia stood in the center of the room, arms crossed tightly over her chest, fire burning in her eyes. I had expected resistance, but she was far more stubborn than I had anticipated. “Where are we going?” she demanded, her voice sharp with anger. I adjusted the cuffs of my suit, not bothering to look at her. “No questions.” “No questions? After what I’ve heard about the so-called Ball? I’m not going anywhere.” A sigh left my lips as I pinched the bridge of my nose. This woman. She had a way of testing my patience like no other. I had taken many women to this event before—some trembling with fear, others eager to be paraded like trophies—but never had one refused. Never had one looked me in the eyes like they had a choice. “Lucia,” I said, stepping toward her, my voice calm. “You still don’t understand that I own you. Your body, your choices—” “You don’t own me,” she snapped, stepping closer, her chin lifted in defiance. “I’m not some object you can parade a
Lucia’s POVI could still feel Dante’s hand on my waist, even though he wasn’t anywhere near me now. The pressure and control lingered on my skin.The ball was suffocating. There were too many stares, the murmurs behind elaborate masks, the stench of power and corruption, it all made me sick in the stomach.I needed to get away, even if only for a few minutes. So I had excused myself to use the restroom. I leaned against the counter, tightening my fingers around the cool porcelain sink. Everything about this night was wrong.I hated the way some of the women looked at me.. was it pity? Envy? Disgust? I couldn’t tell, and I wasn’t sure I wanted to. And then there was the maid’s warning. I had no idea what she meant, but I wasn’t stupid enough to ignore the warning.Dante might think he owned me, that I was just some plaything to parade around, but I wasn’t going to sit back and let him decide my fate. If there was something—anything—that could give me an edge, I had to find it.Straig
Lucia’s POVI could feel my pulse racing as Dante pulled me away from the man who had just spoken Vincenzo’s name. My thoughts spiraled in a chaotic storm, but one thing was clear: I couldn’t leave without having a conversation with him.Vincenzo.I had seen him before, the night Dante took me to his meeting. His presence had been commanding, his gaze sharp, his aura one of quiet authority. But I hadn’t spoken to him then, there had been no reason to. I hadn’t known he was connected to the fire.But now, I did.And with him so close, I couldn’t let him slip away.“I left my purse back in the restroom,” I blurted out, keeping my voice steady and calculated.Dante’s gaze flicked to mine, eyes narrowing with barely restrained annoyance. “We’re leaving.”“I know, but it has valuables in it.” I met his gaze, hoping my urgency would be enough to sway him. “It’ll only take a minute.”His grip on my wrist tightened as if he were considering just dragging me out of here, but after a long, tens
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
Lucia’s POVThe message came at 5:13 a.m., the screen lightening up in the early dawn light like a warning I should’ve taken more seriously.“Meet me at 8. It’s urgent. I wouldn’t ask if it wasn’t. Same spot as before. – D”I stared at it longer than I should have, my thumb hovering over the keyboard, then pulling back. My stomach coiled with uncertainty.After a long time, I decided I had to see him.I didn’t tell anyone I was leaving. Not Dante. Not Lucas. Not even the maid who always insisted on bringing me coffee and watching for the slightest crack in my expression. I slipped out of the mansion before the sun could fully rise, a scarf wrapped around my neck and a hoodie pulled over my head like I was trying to disappear.Dante had paid me generously for my work as his accountant, so I had more than enough to get a cab now. The air outside bit at my skin. Chicago was never gentle, not even in April. I decided to take the train instead of calling a car, it was safer that way. No t
Dante’s POV The cigarette burned between my fingers, the nicotine barely touching the storm inside me. I stared at Gabriel like I was trying to piece together a puzzle I never asked for. He looked the same. Dark trench coat, polished shoes, and a smugness that could outlast the cold wind slapping Chicago’s streets. Always watching. Always waiting. “What the hell are you doing here?” I asked, flicking ash onto the sidewalk. He straightened, stepped forward with a relaxed elegance that only made me more paranoid. “Looking out for you.” I narrowed my eyes. “You following me now?” “No.” He shrugged. “Just… keeping tabs. There’s a difference.” My jaw tensed. “I don’t need babysitting.” Gabriel chuckled. “You always say that. Even when your world’s on fire.” “I’ve got it under control.” “Do you?” he asked, voice dipping low with implication. “Because from where I’m standing, it looks like your kingdom’s got more than a few cracks.” My spine went rigid. He raised his h