INICIAR SESIÓN"You're keeping me company," Sebastian said simply.He walked to the center of the rubber mats. Without another word, he reached down, grabbed the hem of his black T-shirt with both hands, and pulled it over his head in one fluid motion, tossing it casually onto a nearby bench.Viola’s entire body locked up.The temperature in the room plummeted and soared all at once. Her breath caught hard in her throat, her mouth drying out until she couldn't even swallow.He was massive. Every single inch of his upper body looked like it had been carved out of stone. Thick, corded muscle wrapped around his wide shoulders and arms, tapering down into razor-sharp abdominal lines and a lean waist. On his ribs, a vicious black serpent tattoo twisted across his skin. Across the broad, scarred expanse of his back, bold Spanish script stood out in dark ink: La lealtad se paga con sangre.Viola stood completely rooted to the floor, her cheeks burning with an intense, humiliating heat.Look away, her brain
Sebastian patted Bear’s thick flank. "You've met Bear."He nodded toward the massive, pitch-black dog standing rigidly a few feet away, watching them with cold intelligence. "That one is Tank. He doesn't trust anyone easily."Tank let out a low, quiet breath, turned on his heel, and walked slowly toward the towering glass wall, settling down alone to keep watch over the wilderness.Sebastian ran his hand down the golden dog leaning against his thigh. "The one with the torn ear is Moose. He creates trouble whenever he gets bored. And the one by your feet is Duke."Viola looked down. Duke had quietly sat himself beside her bare toes, looking up at her with calm, warm brown eyes."Where did you get them?" she asked softly.Sebastian’s hand rested on Moose's neck. "Rescued them five years ago from an illegal dog-fighting ring near the border. They were barely pups. Beaten and starving."A quiet, profound warmth softened Viola’s violet eyes. The last trace of fear evaporated from her chest
She gripped the banister until her knuckles turned bone-white, completely unable to move. Her heart began to hammer violently against her ribs, the sheer size of the beasts pinning her in place. She was alone in this cavernous lobby, separated from four giant predators by barely twenty feet of open marble.One of the largest dogs slowly pushed its massive frame up from the floor.It shook its heavy brindle coat, stretched its muscular legs, and began walking directly toward her.Viola squeezed her eyes shut, her fingers curling into tight, trembling fists. Oh God. Oh God, please. I'm dead. It's going to attack me.She held her breath, bracing for the impact.The beast stopped right in front of her. It lowered its broad snout, sniffing her trembling fingers.Viola didn't dare breathe.Then, the dog tilted its heavy head and gave the back of her hand a slow, warm lick.Viola’s eyes snapped open in utter shock.The massive beast stood right before her, its broad head tilted slightly as i
Viola paced the length of the bedroom floor, her bare feet tracing the dark grain of the wood over and over again.If she stayed locked inside these four walls for another single hour, she was going to lose her mind.For the past few days, Sebastian had kept her under a watch so thick it felt like an iron cage. Every single morning, the heavy doors would open, and he would sit quietly near her bed while Rosa served breakfast. Every evening, he was right there in that armchair, his amber eyes pinned to her with that unblinking, predatory focus until she swallowed the very last bite of her dinner. He barely let her put her feet on the floor, treating her as if she were still on the verge of collapsing.She looked down at her hands.The bandages had been taken off this morning. The raw red scrapes on her wrists were fading into light pink marks, almost completely healed. Her bare feet didn't sting anymore when she walked. Her body wasn't trembling from hunger or terror.And yet, the sile
The twelve-year-old boy dragged his aching feet over the cold marble floor. Every step sent a sharp, throbbing ache radiating through his bruised ribs and battered shins. His white shirt was rumpled, the seam along his right shoulder torn open from the ruthless training session in the courtyard. His lower lip was split in the corner, tasting of copper and salt, and dark purple bruises were already blooming across his cheekbone and jaw. Yet, despite the throbbing pain in his body, a faint smile tugged at the corner of his swollen mouth. He slid his hand deep into his pocket, his scraped fingers checking to make sure the small, foil-wrapped pieces of chocolate were still safe. His mother loved chocolate. But in this house, under the suffocating rules of the estate, she was never allowed to have it. She was never allowed anything that brought her genuine joy. So after his brutal sparring session had ended and the instructors had turned their backs, he had slipped quietly into the pan
"You're still not answering me," she whispered softly.Sebastian lowered the spoon back into the bowl. He looked up at her, the amber in his eyes softening just a fraction."This fortress is my real world, Viola," Sebastian explained, his voice low and steady. "This is the heart of my cartel. This is where I truly rule. Out there, in the city, I wear a mask for high society. But this place is mine. No one enters without my permission, and no one leaves."Viola stared at him, her heart thumping softly."I had men watching, but by the time I got the word that you ran away from the estate, I was in Mexico," Sebastian continued, his jaw tightening slightly. "The second I found out, I took my jet straight back. But before my men could intercept you on the road, David got to you first. It took hours to track his car down in the storm."Viola watched him closely, searching his sharp features for any sign of a lie.She found none.A heavy breath escaped her lips, the suffocating knot of betra
The study in the Hierro estate always smelled the same. Old leather, expensive scotch, and decaying power.Sebastian stood near the massive mahogany desk, looking out the large window that overlooked the manicured gardens. He wasn’t wearing a suit jacket, just his dark shirt, unbuttoned at the coll
Viola stood in front of the small mirror in her bedroom, her fingers gently touching her jaw.Yesterday, right after her mother’s hand had cracked across her face, Viola had run to the bathroom and desperately covered the angry red mark with cheap foundation. Now, with the makeup washed off, a fain
Dinner ended exactly as it began—stiff, quiet, and suffocating.Viola didn’t wait for Vanessa or her mother to stand up. The moment Rafael pushed his chair back, she slipped away from the table. She kept her head down, tracing the edge of the hallway until she found the heavy glass doors leading to
The heavy oak doors of the Hierro estate always felt too tall, like they were designed to make whoever walked through them feel small.Viola pulled the sleeves of her oversized sweater over her knuckles. She kept her head down, hoping her hair would fall over the sides of her face. Maybe if she sta







