LOGIN~~Kai’s POV~~The twin turbochargers of the Bugatti roared through the empty Roman streets, the digital speedometer hovering dangerously high as I tore through every red light between Lake Albano and the city center.Beside me, Hazel kept glancing at me from where she sat in the passenger seat, her hands tightly clutched around her seatbelt. The peaceful, starlit glow from the lake was completely gone, replaced by a sharp, suffocating silence inside the cabin."Kai, please talk to me," Hazel begged softly, her dark eyes wide with mounting concern. "What is going on? What happened on that call? You're driving like we're running for our lives.""Nothing you need to worry about right now, bellisima," I said, forcing my voice to remain even and smooth, though my knuckles were turning bone-white against the leather steering wheel. "Reed called because an issue came up at one of my properties. I just need to get you home safely." I lied, but it wasn't entirely a lie if you looked closely be
~~Kai’s POV~~The soft, rhythmic lapping of Lake Albano against the shore was the only sound keeping us anchored to reality.I had Hazel tucked beneath my heavy arm, her head resting over the steady, comforting beat of my chest. We were stretched out on the soft velvet blanket, watching the stars twinkling through the golden canopy of fairy lights. The air smelled of burnt vanilla candles, fresh crimson roses, and the clean scent of the lake."I don't think I want to go back to the city," Hazel murmured softly, tracing mindless circles over the soft cotton of my dress shirt with her fingertips. "We could just stay here forever. No E&H, no Moretti Group, no meetings."I let out a low, breathless laugh, my fingers gently tangling in her hair. "Don't tempt me, bellisima. I'll buy this entire glade tomorrow and build a cute beach house here for us."She smiled, leaning up to press a quick, sweet kiss against my jaw. "You would, wouldn't you?""In a heartbeat," I murmured, my eyes locking
The world beyond our glowing ring of candlelight completely faded away.It was just the cool night breeze rustling through the cypress trees, the quiet, rhythmic lap of Lake Albano against the shore below, and Kai holding me as if I were the only precious thing left in the world.I leaned back against his chest, feeling the deep, steady rise and fall of his breathing beneath my cheek. Kai’s left arm was wrapped snugly around my waist, pulling me flush into his warmth, while his right hand held a strawberry dipped in dark chocolate."Open up, bellisima," he murmured, his deep baritone vibrating through my back.I turned my head slightly, looking up at his sharp jawline and the soft, rare tenderness in his dark eyes. I parted my lips, taking a bite of the strawberry right from his fingers. The rich dark chocolate combined with the sweet berry burst on my tongue, and I let out an appreciative hum, closing my eyes."Mmm…delicious," I whispered, turning around on the velvet blanket so I wa
~~Hazel’s POV~~The crimson glow of the late afternoon sun began to bleed into deep violet as Kai drove us further out of the dense center of Rome.I couldn't sit still. I kept shifting in the leather passenger seat, my eyes darting between the dark window and the dashboard navigation screen—which Kai had intentionally switched off before we even left E&H headquarters."Kai," I said for the fifth time, raising a suspicious eyebrow at him. "Where are we going? We’ve been driving for over forty minutes, and this definitely isn't the road back to the penthouse.""Calm down, bellisima," Kai said smoothly, keeping his left hand on the steering wheel while reaching out with his right to lace his fingers through mine. He rested our joined hands over his knee, his thumb lightly stroking my knuckles. "We're almost there. Trust me."I let out a dramatic, long sigh, though the small smile tugging at the corners of my lips betrayed my attempt to look annoyed. "You know I hate not knowing things.
~~Kai’s POV~~I was sitting in my office, staring blankly at three different syndicate security reports spread across my heavy mahogany desk. My mind wasn't on the numbers or the territory expansion. It has been a busy day today and I was completely exhausted but I still had a few technical software expansions to work on before the close of the day. My phone chimed against the polished wood.I picked it up, expecting an update from one of my underbosses, but the caller ID showed Sophia. I slid the phone to my ear."Sophia," I answered, leaning back in my leather chair. "What’s up girl? Are you good?""I’m doing perfectly fine, Boss Man," Sophia’s sharp, confident voice echoed through the speaker. "I’m just calling to make sure you actually have your life together. I hope you have something grand planned out for next week."I pinched the bridge of my nose, frowning. "What are you talking about? My next week's schedule is still on, I have several meetings and appointments next week.A
~~Hazel’s POV~~The smooth hum of the air conditioning was the only sound echoing through my top-floor corner office.After the boardroom session wrapped up, I didn't spend another second dwelling on Damon or Melissa. They were trapped in the net I had cast, and the clock was ticking down. E&H Investments had dozens of multimillion-euro real estate portfolios across Europe that required my attention, and I threw myself into the work for the next eight hours.By half-past four in the afternoon, the bright Roman sun was still pouring through the floor-to-ceiling glass windows. I was reviewing an acquisition contract for a luxury resort property in Amalfi when a soft knock sounded at my door.Lisa pushed the door open, a wide, sly grin playing on her lips."Miss Sinclair," Lisa said, leaning against the doorframe. "You're still working overtime?""Just finishing the Amalfi risk assessments," I replied without looking up from my screen, my fingers tapping against the keyboard. "Is everyth
Damon left early in the morning.He didn't tell me where he was going or when he would be back. He just kissed Melissa goodbye at the kitchen table while I was making breakfast, and then he was gone. Gone to handle the Moretti family business. Gone to do whatever it was that men like him did when th
I couldn't sleep.I lay in the guest bedroom for hours, staring at the ceiling, listening to the sounds of the house. At some point around 2am, I gave up pretending and went downstairs to the living room. I curled up on one of the couches with a blanket, my mind racing with everything I had heard at
I didn't sleep that night. I lay in the guest bedroom, which had become my usual bedroom even though I was supposed to be married, and I listened to the sounds of the mansion settling around me. I listened to Damon's footsteps as he moved through the house. I listened to him talking on the phone to
***** ~~ Hazel's POV ~~ ***** I had been planning this day for weeks. Three years. Today marked exactly three years since I became Mrs. Damon Moretti. Three years of a marriage that was supposed to change everything and instead had slowly, quietly, broken me in ways I didn't know a person could







