LOGINChapter 16Elena's hands were pressed against the cold glass of the window.Across the street, Daniel was still there. His face was bruised, his white t-shirt stained with what looked like blood. He wasn't smoking anymore. He was holding his hands up, as if begging her.HELP ME. He mouthed it again.Behind her, the bedroom door was locked. Damien Vitale had locked her in to protect her. But protection felt like a cage when the man who once said he loved her was bleeding outside the gates of the man who now owned her.She ran to the door and pounded."Damien! DAMIEN VITALE!"No answer. Only the distant sound of men shouting orders downstairs.She grabbed her phone from the bedside table — the phone Damien had given her, with only one number saved: DAMIEN.He answered on the first ring."You should be resting.""He's here," Elena said, her voice shaking. "Daniel is here, outside the gate. Across the street."Silence on the other end. Then a low curse in Italian."Stay away from the wind
Chapter 15Damien Vitale didn't put her down until they were inside the car.The black SUV smelled like leather and gunpowder. Elena's white dress was ruined — black streaks of ash, a small burn mark on the hem where a spark had landed. Her hair smelled like smoke. Her hands were shaking so hard she couldn't even buckle the seatbelt.Damien reached over and buckled it for her. His hands were steady. Too steady. That was how she knew he was furious."Drive," he ordered his driver. The car sped away from the burning warehouse, sirens getting louder behind them.Elena stared out the window. The fire was reflecting in the glass, getting smaller and smaller until it was just an orange glow on the horizon. Ten minutes ago, she had been a girl who still believed her ex loved her. Now, she knew he had sold her twice."Daniel," she whispered.Damien's jaw tightened. He didn't look at her. He was looking at his phone, typing rapidly. The light from the screen illuminated the sharp cut of his fa
Chapter 14The warehouse smelled of gasoline and blood. Elena stood frozen in the middle of it, her white silk dress now stained with ash and soot. In front of her, the crates her father had hidden for Matteo were burning — ten years of secrets, of smuggling, of lies, all turning into smoke. Behind her, Matteo De Luca watched. Calm. Hands in his pockets. As if he was watching a sunset and not his entire northern empire on fire."You did this," she whispered, her voice barely audible over the crackle of flames.Matteo didn't answer immediately. He walked slowly around her, his expensive leather shoes echoing against the concrete floor. The fire cast shadows on his sharp jaw, on the scar that ran along his left eyebrow."No," he finally said. "You did."Elena spun to face him, anger finally breaking through her shock. "What are you talking about? I just got here! Your men dragged me out of the mansion! I didn't even know this place existed!""My men dragged you here because I needed yo
Chapter 13:The black Range Rover didn't stop for red lights in Palermo.Damien drove. One hand on the wheel, one hand on my thigh. Like I would fly out of the car if he let go. Luca was in the passenger seat, checking his gun, checking his phone, sweating even with the aircon on full blast."Don, De Luca brought six men. Maybe eight. All armed. Signor Rossi is inside the warehouse, tied to a chair. Not hurt, just scared. De Luca says if you don't bring Donna, he will—""He will what?" Damien's voice was ice. Don voice."He will burn Rossi warehouse with Rossi inside, Don."My hand flew to my mouth. "My father!""Elena." Damien squeezed my thigh, hard. "Look at me. Not at Luca. At me."I looked at him. His jaw was tight, his sunglasses hiding his eyes, but his hand on me was warm, steady."Your father sold you twice, Elena. Today, he learns what happens when you sell a Vitale.""But—""No buts. You are Donna Vitale. You don't beg for Rossi. Rossi begs for you. Capisce?"I swallowed ha
Chapter 12: Sicilian morning light was pouring through the floor-to-ceiling windows of the Vitale mansion. 6:18 AM. The light was golden, soft, cutting through the white curtains like it owned the place. In exactly 42 minutes, Luca would be banging on the heavy wooden door. He always did. Espresso, reports, guns, the list of who needs to die today — Don life starts early in Palermo. The mansion never sleeps, but for 42 minutes, the world outside that bedroom did not exist.For 42 minutes, he was just my husband. Not Don Vitale. Not the man who made Palermo kneel. Just Damien."You're awake," he murmured, his voice rough with sleep, thick, low, without even opening his eyes. His big hand tightened on my waist under the silk sheets, pulling me closer like I was going to vanish."How did you know I was awake? I didn't move.""Your breathing changed." He finally opened his eyes, slowly, lazily. Dark brown, sleepy, soft, no cold Don mask, just Damien, my husband. "You were thinking too lo
CHAPTER 11:The whole night, he said.And he kept his word.I woke up tangled. Not just in sheets. In him.Damien's arm was heavy over my waist, possessive even in sleep. His black shirt from last night was gone — thrown somewhere on the floor. My white t-shirt — his white t-shirt that I stole — was twisted up to my stomach. His face was buried in my neck, his breath warm against the ruby necklace he gave me. The one that used to feel like a collar. Now it felt like mine.Sicilian morning light was pouring through the floor-to-ceiling windows. 6:18 AM. Luca would be banging in exactly 42 minutes. He always did. Espresso, reports, guns — Don life starts early.But for 42 minutes, he was just my husband."You're awake," he murmured, voice rough with sleep, without opening his eyes. His hand tightened on my waist."How did you know?""Your breathing changed." He finally opened his eyes. Dark, sleepy, soft. No Don. Just Damien. "You were thinking too loud, Mrs. Vitale.""I wasn't thinking







