LOGINGIANNA'S POV Two days had passed since the shooting. Dante had been unconscious, and my heart hadn't been able to leave his side. My hand remained wrapped around his, fingers interlaced with his unresponsive ones. "I'm so sorry." My voice cracked. "Dante, I'm so sorry for everything." The words tumbled out, barely louder than a whisper. His face stayed peaceful, untouched by my confession. "I should have told you about my father. I should have trusted you." My thumb traced circles against his palm. "I never meant for this to happen. I never wanted you to get hurt because of me." My vision blurred. I blinked, and tears spilled down my cheeks. "Please forgive me." I leaned closer, my forehead nearly touching his shoulder. "Please, Dante. I can't lose you. Not like this. Not because of my mistakes." The machines beeped their steady rhythm. His chest rose, fell, and rose again. "I love you." The admission came easier now. "I know I haven't said it enough. I know I've been guarded
GIANNA'S POVBruno studied me for a long moment. Then he nodded, turning toward the stairs.He'd barely taken two steps when we heard footsteps echoing.We both turned.Selene appeared at the top of the stairs, her face pale and twisted with fury."What am I hearing?" Her voice was shrill, cutting through the large hall wall. "That Dante has been shot?"She took the stairs two at a time, her gaze locked on me. The look in her eyes was pure venom."You." She pointed at me, her hand shaking. "This is all your fault."I opened my mouth, but nothing came out. The guilt was too heavy, pressing down on my chest until I couldn't breathe."You stupid bitch." Selene lunged for me, her hands reaching for my throat.Bruno stepped between us, catching her wrists before she could make contact."Selene." His voice was commanding. "Get it together.""Get it together?" She tried to wrench free, her face flushing red. "Dante is in there. He's been shot. And it's all because of her."She spat the last
GIANNA'S POVThe blood wouldn't stop.I pressed my hands harder against his chest, feeling the warmth seep through my fingers. Too much. There was too much of it.The white shirt he'd been wearing was completely soaked through, crimson spreading across the fabric like spilled wine."Dante." My voice came out strangled. "Dante, please."His eyes were closed. His face had gone pale, all that life draining away until he looked like a cold beautiful marble."Move aside, Mrs. De Luca." One of the nurses, a woman with graying hair pulled back in a tight bun, gently tried to pull me away. "We need space to work.""No." I shook my head, keeping my hands pressed to the wound. "I need to stop the bleeding. I can't... I can't...""Gianna." Bruno's voice came from somewhere behind me. "Please let them do their job."The estate had an emergency ward. I'd had no idea it even existed until Bruno had rushed us through a hidden door in the east wing, down a flight of stairs, into what looked like a fu
DANTE'S POVThe trust in her eyes broke my insides and mended it at the same time."You think you have this figured out." I took a slow step forward. "You think holding her makes you safe. But you're wrong.""Am I?" Lorenzo's laugh was nervous. "Then go ahead. Take the shot. See what happens. See if you're fast enough to hit me without hitting her. Are you willing to take that risk?""Dad, stop this." Gianna's voice was hoarse and breaking. "This isn't... you don't have to do this. Please. If you ever loved me, if any of it was real, just stop.""I'm doing this because I love you!" Lorenzo shouted, his composure shifting. "To save you from him! Why can't you see that? Why can't you understand?""Because you're not saving me!" Tears streamed down her face, her voice rising with each word. "You're using me! Just like you've always used me! I'm not your daughter, I'm just a tool to you. A bargaining chip. Something to hide behind when you're scared!"The words provoked Lorenzo even furth
DANTE'S POVMy heart had been ripped out of my chest the moment Bruno called.Gianna ditched security. The words had sent every worst fear crashing through me. But even in my darkest imaginings, I'd never expected to find her here, in a meeting with her father. The betrayal cut deep, a wound that would scar. But I couldn't focus on that. Not when the man who'd destroyed my entire world, the ghost I'd hunted for years, was standing across the room with his hands on my wife.I raised my gun, aiming directly at Lorenzo's head."Dante." She gasped my name like salvation.She's relieved to see me. After running from my protection. After meeting with him behind my back.The thought burned through me, but I shoved it down. Later. I'd deal with the betrayal later.Lorenzo's grip tightened on her arm as a slow, cruel smile spread across his face."De Luca." His voice dripped with dark amusement. "We finally meet again.""The coward who faked his own death." My finger tightened on the trigger.
GIANNA'S POVI was doing exactly what Dante feared most. And the realization made me hate myself more than I'd ever thought possible."So you lied." The betrayal cut through whatever remained of my hope that he might have changed. "You made me think you were dying just to manipulate me into coming here.""We had to do what was necessary." My father said it so simply, as if lying and manipulation were just tools in his arsenal. As if my feelings didn't matter at all."No." I shook my head, backing toward the door, my hands trembling. "You didn't have to do anything.""Gigi, sweetheart." His voice softened, turning gentle, coaxing. He stepped closer, his hand reaching out to brush my hair back from my face with a tenderness that I'd once longed for but now didn't need. "I know you're upset, but this is for your own good. For your future. Our future. You're my daughter. My blood. That has to mean something."I jerked away from his touch, my skin crawling where his fingers had been. "This
Gianna’s POVOur tongues met, and he thrust into my mouth with slow, hungry strokes, tasting me like he’d been waiting for it. He kissed me deeper, his tongue sliding and playing with mine, teasing, taking control. He nibbled on my bottom lip, then soothed it with another kiss, his breath warm agai
Gianna’s POV Dante's hand moved faster, rougher now, veins straining as he pumped his cock with furious precision. “You like this, don’t you?” His words came broken, ragged with lust. “You like watching me stroke it, imagining how deep I’ll fuck you with it. Look at you… writhing like my little m
Gianna’s POV A cocky grin spread across Dante’s face as he withdrew his hand from my dress, fingers dragging against my skin like he wanted me to feel every inch of his retreat. When his grip loosened on my wrists the sudden absence of pressure made me sway, dizzy from the force he’d held me with
Gianna’s POV Marriage? To Dante De Luca? It would be an absolute nightmare. The thought alone made my stomach turn in different directions, fury tearing through me like fire in my veins. The last thing I wanted was to be bound to that man, as his wife, as anything permanent. And yet here we were







