LOGINTheo's POVThe gunshot still echoed through the house and for a few seconds after Roberto pulled the trigger, neither of us moved.The scream that followed was what finally snapped me out of my shock.Someone had definitely been hit."Shit," Roberto cursed, already moving toward the door.I was right behind him.My injuries protested immediately, sending pain through my side and leg, but I ignored it. Right now, I needed to know who had been outside my room.Roberto pulled open the door and the hallway lights illuminated a figure collapsed against the wall.There was blood everywhere and my eyes widened."What the hell?" I thundered. Roberto looked just as shocked as I felt because neither of us had expected to see the person lying there."Carlos?"The man groaned. His expensive designer jacket was stained red and one hand was clutching his upper arm where blood was steadily pouring through his fingers.His face was pale, his makeup was slightly smudged. Yet despite everything, he st
Fernando’s POVThe moment Nick walked out of the room, I felt two completely different emotions at the same time.Relief because Nick had finally left us alone. Fear because Michael had specifically asked for a private conversation.That was rarely a good sign, especially not after everything that had happened lately.I stood near the bed, watching as the door clicked shut behind Nick. The room immediately became quiet but Michael remained standing near the door, his arms were folded tightly across his chest.His expression was serious and somehow that worried me even more.Finally, I broke the silence."What is it?" I asked.Michael inhaled deeply then slowly released the breath. I immediately knew I wasn't going to like whatever came next."Fernando..."The sound of my name on his lips should have made me happy. Instead, it made my chest tighten.I forced myself to remain calm."What happened?"Michael looked down briefly before looking back at me."I've been thinking.....about us"
Theo’s POVThe security footage had become an obsession.Hell, if Michael ever found out, he would definitely know it too but that didn't stop me.I sat alone in my bedroom, laptop balanced on my legs as dozens of tiny camera feeds filled the screen.Most of them showed Michael's empty bedroom then I leaned forward and rubbed my tired eyes."Come on..."The timestamp crawled forward but there was, nothing, just an empty room.My jaw tightened.I hated not knowing what was happening. I hated being stuck here while Fernando was living under Michael's roof.The thought alone made my stomach twist.The nurse Roberto had hired had already gone downstairs for the evening, leaving me alone with my thoughts.I clicked through another camera angle but there was still nothing."Where are you, Michael?"I muttered the words under my breath then leaned back against the pillows.Maybe he was downstairs.Maybe he was talking to Fernando.Maybe—I immediately shut down that thought.No, Michael woul
Michael’s POV The conversation with Ashley stayed in my mind long after she left. I remained seated in the kitchen for several minutes, staring at nothing in particular while her words replayed over and over again inside my head. I rubbed my face tiredly. The house was unusually quiet and that made me suspicious, especially considering who was currently living under my roof. Fernando barely kept silent for this long and a quiet house was rarely a good sign. I finally stood up from my chair. Maybe getting some rest would help clear my head. Though I doubted it. I left the kitchen and started walking upstairs. The hallway lights cast soft golden shadows across the walls. As I approached the guest room Fernando was using, I noticed something strange. The door wasn't fully closed and voices drifted through the opening. I slowed down just enough to recognize who was talking. It was Fernando and Nick. I frowned. What were they doing together? Those two rarely spent
Fernando’s POVThe moment Nick stepped fully into the room and quietly closed the door behind him, I knew this wasn't going to be a pleasant conversation.The guest room suddenly felt smaller.I folded my arms across my chest."What do you want, Nick?" I asked.Nick stared at me but his expression wasn't angry."I should be asking you that" he said.I sighed."You're going to have to be more specific" I replied. "Oh, I don't think I do" he countered. His voice remained calm then my jaw tightened as he took a few steps into the room."I heard enough" he said.I said nothing."Luca wasn't supposed to come through the front door, was he? He came through the window, almost like you didn't want anyone knowing he was here" he continued. I leaned against the dresser."And?"Nick laughed humorlessly."You seriously want me to pretend I didn't hear that conversation?" He asked.I rubbed my temple. This was exactly what I didn't need, not tonight.Nick raised his chin."Let's not play games"
Michael’s POVThe house was finally quiet.No glaring contests between Fernando and Theo that made me feel like I was supervising two dangerous children instead of two grown men.Just silence.I stood alone in the kitchen, staring at the sink. The last plate had already been washed, the counters had been cleaned, the floor was spotless and yet I still found myself wiping the same section of the countertop over and over again.Mostly because it gave me something to do, something to focus on, something other than my thoughts.Unfortunately, my thoughts refused to cooperate.I leaned both hands against the counter and exhaled heavily.My life had become ridiculous.I had an mafia husband sleeping in my guest room and my current boyfriend was recovering from an assassination attempt.I groaned."You're talking to yourself again."I nearly jumped. Turning around, I found Ashley standing in the doorway, a teasing smile sat on her face.I pointed at her."One day you're going to give me a he
Michael’s POVThe room was still, not the kind of still that feels safe, but the kind that presses down on your chest, makes your lungs feel heavy and your ribs tight.I lay on the bed, sweat plastering my shirt to my body, my muscles trembling, every breath shallow and painful. My leg throbbed vi
Michael’s POVFor a second, everything ceased to exist like reality had been violently cut away and I had been left standing in the hole aftermath. My arm remained extended, frozen in the exact position it had been in when the trigger gave way beneath my finger. The gun trembled uncontrollably in
Marlo’s POVThe sound Michael made when I pressed his leg did something to me.It was not satisfaction or relief. It was frustration because even through that level of pain, he still didn’t break.He screamed, he cried, but he did not talk and that made me angrier than if he had insulted me.He lay
Michael’s POVI woke up to the sound of breathing that wasn’t mine and for a terrifying second, I didn’t know where I was.My eyes snapped open, my heart slamming hard enough to hurt, and the ceiling above me looked unfamiliar. I stared at it, confused then the pain returned.It crept back into me







