INICIAR SESIÓNLeandro’s POVThe city passed in streaks of gold and shadow as the car cut through the night.Marco didn’t speak.None of my men did.They could feel the shift. The moment something personal crossed into my world and became a problem that required erasure.I loosened my cufflinks slowly.“Double the security rotation,”I said at last. “Starting tonight.”Marco glanced at me through the rearview mirror. “Around the house?”“Around her,” I corrected.His jaw tightened. “Understood.”“Anyone who’s asked questions recently,” I continued. “Anyone who’s watched too closely. I want names.”“We already have a short list.”“Make it shorter.”“Yes, boss.”The car slowed as we approached the gates. The iron doors parted smoothly, welcoming us into territory I owned down to the soil.Home.But tonight, it didn’t feel like it.I exited the car without waiting for the door to be fully opened and headed inside. The house staff froze briefly before resuming their movements trained, quiet, invisible.
Leandro’s POVI didn’t look back after I closed Delia’s office door.If I had, I would’ve lost control.That single second of hesitation the way her voice cracked when she asked about the words I used was already more than I could afford. Feelings were leveraged. And leverage got people killed.I adjusted my cufflinks as I walked down the corridor, face set back into stone. The guards fell into step behind me without a word. They’d seen that look before.It meant business.Outside, the engine of my car was already running. Marco opened the door, eyes flicking to my face.“Where to, boss?”“The Belvedere,” I said. “Private room.”Marco nodded once. No questions.As the car pulled away from the building, I leaned back against the leather seat and closed my eyes briefly.Camilla’s voice echoed faintly in my head.You think she’ll stay? He’ll break you just like he did me.I pushed the thought aside.I had more pressing matters.The politician had been persistent. Too persistent. Men like
DeliaThe door swung open.Leandro stepped in.The room seemed to tighten around him instantly, like the air itself recognized his presence. He wore a dark suit, jacket unbuttoned, expression carved from stone. His eyes swept the room in one sharp glance taking in the overturned tension, the faint red mark on my cheek, Camilla sitting far too comfortably behind my desk.Camilla rose immediately.Her entire demeanor changed in a heartbeat.“Leandro,” she purred, moving toward him with practiced confidence. “There you are.”She slipped into his space and wrapped her arms around him as if it were the most natural thing in the world. Her fingers slid over his shoulders, her body pressing close.I didn’t move.Didn’t breathe.Camilla turned her head slightly, still clinging to him, and glanced back at me with a victorious smile.“You should tell her to leave,” she said sweetly. “This office belongs to me.”Leandro didn’t return the embrace.Slowly deliberately he removed her arms from hi
Delia’s POVThe next morning, Leandro didn’t summon me for breakfast.That alone told me everything.Still, I went anyway dressed neatly for work, spine straight, chin lifted, pretending the silence didn’t claw at my insides. The dining hall was unusually quiet, the long table almost echoing with the absence of conversation. Leandro sat at the head as always, posture perfect, expression unreadable.“Good morning,” I said softly.He didn’t respond.I waited a bit too long, then sat down in the chair across from him. The chair’s wood scraped the marble, and the sound seemed very loud in the quiet room. The silence felt sharp and uncomfortable. I stared at my plate, but the food didn’t taste like anything. My fork hovered over it, then set down again without taking a bite..A maid approached my side of the table.“Would you like some juice?” she asked in a low, respectful tone.“Yes,” I said quietly. “Thank you.”She poured orange juice into my glass, the steady stream the only sound i
Delia“Where are you?”His voice was calm.Too calm.I swallowed, my fingers tightening around the phone. Rafael stood a few feet away, watching me with a puzzled expression, unaware that my entire world had just tilted.“At home,” I lied.The silence that followed was heavy. Dangerous.“Look at me when you lie, Delia,” Leandro said softly.My heart slammed against my ribs.“I am tired,” I snapped, the alcohol in my system giving me courage I knew I’d regret. “You’re not even here, so why does it matter?”Another pause.Then…“You have thirty seconds to tell me the truth.”Something inside me snapped.“I’m out,” I said sharply. “I’m with my friends. I’m not a prisoner, Leandro.”“You are under my protection,” he replied, his tone hardening. “And you know exactly what that means.”“No,” I shot back. “What it means is that you control everything, and I’m done letting you.”“Delia—”I ended the call.My chest heaved as I stared at my phone, my hands shaking. The rush of defiance was into
DeliaI didn’t know what I was thinking, but I felt I needed to move on from my stupid feelings for Leandro.I followed him as he led me through the mass of people to a quiet place upstairs where there wasn’t a lot of noise or people.“Are you okay?” he asked me as he gestured for me to sit down where I could see the view of the city.“Isn’t it a nice view?”I nodded as I looked out at the black night sky. “It’s beautiful.”He sat beside me, and I realized how close we were when my hand brushed his.I pretended to be busy as I stared at the night sky. My heart raced as I glanced at him.But I quickly turned away when he turned and noticed I was staring at him.“You can look at me, you know; I don’t bite,” his voice deep.I didn’t say anything as I wondered what I was doing here with him. I had agreed to loosen up a bit and stop thinking about my feelings for him, but I couldn't, and being with this guy here, I felt really uncomfortable.“What’s your name, love?” He asked and darted hi







