LOGIN"Alright," I said quietly, rubbing the back of my neck. "As long as it's safe.""Driver, turn the vehicle around," Emily instructed crisply. "Take the outer ring road to my new address."The van reversed, navigated a tight side street, and began the long drive toward the opposite side of town. Twenty minutes later, the vehicle slowed to a smooth stop outside a sleek residential complex. The driver hopped out, grabbed my small overnight bag from the trunk, and handed it to me through the sliding door."I'll be back at seven sharp tomorrow morning to pick you up," the driver said, nodding before heading back to the driver's seat and pulling away into the night.I stood on the pavement, staring up at the building, and immediately frowned. Emily’s old apartment had been a cramped, peeling-paint box above a noisy Laundromat….the kind of place regular police salaries could barely afford after bills and groceries. But this? This was a high-end luxury complex with manicured lawns, floor-to-ce
The dark van tore through the darkened winding roads, the tires humming a low tune against the asphalt. Inside, the cabin was dim, illuminated only by the faint blinking light of the dashboard lights and the occasional streak of passing headlights.“...on our way…”Emily's voice was a distant hum in my ears as I sat huddled in the corner of the back seat, staring blankly out the window as the shadowy fences of the Giordano estate vanished completely into the distance.My fingers were buried deep in my jacket pocket, curled so tightly around the hard edge of the flash drive that the corners bit painfully into my palm.“It’s real,” I told myself, the words echoing numbly in the hollow pits of my chest. “It’s finally over.”Once our superiors decrypted that drive and plugged the contents into their base data and used everything as evidence, Dante’s empire of blood, silk, and everything he stands for would crumble. His safehouses would be raided, the accounts frozen, and the man who had
My jaw was locked so tight my teeth ached. Every step I took down the long, carpeted corridor felt like walking barefoot over broken glass. My earbuds were pressed deep into my ears, feeding me the low, nervous static of Emily’s breathing on the other end of the line.Because of Dante’s blatant, possessive claim over me, the guards and enforcers patrolling the mansion didn’t give me a second glance. They stepped aside, offering stiff nods as I walked by. They all saw me as Dante's new boy toy so no one asked me any questions. I forced my face into a neutral mask, swallowing the bile rising in my throat every time I looked at them. They were all complicit and every one of them were going to be punished by the law. "Liam, status," Emily’s voice hissed in my ear, cutting through my racing thoughts. "You're dragging your feet. Move quickly.""I'm moving," I muttered under my breath, my hands shoved deep into my pockets to hide their violent shaking.I was halfway down the hall, just a f
“Delivery for you,” the guard said as he handed me my takeout.“Thanks.” I forced a smile as I grabbed it from him and went straight to my room. My face hardened as I shut the door behind me. I knew for a fact that nothing could just easily come in or out of this house. So I had Emily send me what I needed along with a food order. Since the guards think it's something I would be eating, they wouldn't be strict with searching it.“Okay, let's get to work.” I breathed as I grabbed the deactivation device hidden in the bag of chips. It would blind the internal cameras for exactly twelve minutes.Twelve minutes. That was all the universe was giving me to tear down a lifetime of lies.I locked myself back in my room, staring at the flashing red light on the device. Once I turned it on, there was no going back now. Every tick of the clock felt like a hammer blow against my skull. My skin crawled, hot and prickly, because all I could remember was the weight of Dante’s hands on my hips mak
I practically sprinted back to my room, the heavy oak door clicking shut behind me. Once the latch was secure, I checked every corner, the dresser, the light fixtures, and the ventilation. I was ensuring I was out of the line of sight of any hidden eyes. When I saw I was completely alone, I pulled my burner phone from my pocket again. My fingers trembled as I pressed the call button to return Emily's call. She picked up immediately."Liam? Is that you?" Emily’s voice was urgent, cutting through the silence of the room. "Are you alright? You haven't checked in for forty eight hours.""I’m fine," I whispered, my voice thick. "I had to be careful. You know the house is… it’s not safe to be talking with you every time."She sighed, "I know that, but the higher ups are getting impatient, Liam," she snapped, her tone fraying at the edges. "They think you’re losing your nerve and there's talk about sending another team to replace you in the field. They want the files, and they want them yest
I looked at Dante, really looked at him, and the chilling admission of his numbness didn't repel me, it broke my heart. Seeing how vulnerable he is, how he's hurting…I couldn't imagine how painful it must have been to live as a Giordano all those years, the kind of life that made him into what he was today, and now…looking at his face only broke my heart. The monster I had been sent to destroy was just a patchwork of scars and childhood trauma, a man who had been hollowed out by the very person who was supposed to protect him. “I don't see a broken toy.” I whispered. “I only see a man who had survived a war no one else could have endured.”I wrapped my arms around him, pulling him into a hug. "I accept all of it, Dante. Every scar, every piece of missing bone, every bit of damage. I don't care about the rest of the world. I accept you."Dante went still, then let out a low, trembling breath, sinking into my hold as if he were finally putting down a weight he’d carried for decades.
"It’s really going to be a bloodbath," I muttered. "I hope your Angel has insurance, because Rocco doesn't just get angry, he levels buildings. If he finds out he was lusting after a man, he’ll burn this club to the ground just to wash the memory from his brain."Eve just leaned back, blowing a per
Liam was finally all better and could be discharged. Marco had handled the discharge with his usual efficiency. He didn’t say much as he stood by the hospital bed, watching me carefully fold Liam’s few belongings into a duffel bag."I can do that, Dante," Liam had muttered, his voice stronger now b
It had been more than a week that I've been awake in this hospital and the mind numbing beep-beep-beep sound of the heart monitor was driving me partially insane. The smell of antiseptic was making me nauseous too and it was fucking hard to even move my body.But through every single second of it,
I stared at Marco, the silence between us heavy enough to crush diamond into powder. But I didn't explode. I didn't even growl. I just sat there, feeling the cold weight of his words sink in."My fault?" I asked, my voice barely a whisper, devoid of its usual predatory edge. "How is it my fault tha







