LOGINAlma’s POVThe pen feels heavy in my hand, heavier than it ever should. My fingers tremble as I scrawl the last lines of the letter. The words blur together because of how weak I’ve gotten.My body doesn’t obey me like it used to; even lifting my wrist feels like dragging chains. But I keep writing. I need to finish.Ricardo said he’d read every letter before I send them out. He smirked when he told me that, like he already knew nothing I wrote could save me. And maybe he’s right. Still, I write them. To my mother, to Charles… even to someone who will probably curse my name.And that one letter, I won’t let him see. It’s the one addressed to Lana. Every stroke of her name on the page feels like a wound reopening. I betrayed her. I betrayed my own conscience. If only I had told Charles the truth, told him Ricardo had Lana all along, maybe none of this would be happening.Maybe she wouldn’t be stuck in Ricardo’s twisted world. Maybe I wouldn’t be here, in this locked room with death clo
Lana’s POVAll eyes are on me, even in the private, VIP area. I see their eyes looking up to me as I’m sitting close to Angelo. From time to time, Angelo checks up on me. His dark eyes flick towards me and soften in a way I didn’t expect from him.His hand brushes my knee briefly as he leans back into conversation with Adrian, a man I’ve just learned is their loan shark. Angelo’s demeanor is at ease, like there’s no impending doom looming. He’s not scared or nervous.Me? My nerves are everywhere. I sit trying not to fidget. I nod, sip my drink and pretend like I’m following what Angelo and Adrian are talking about, but really, I’m somewhere else. Somewhere full of dread.That dread intensifies suddenly when Angelo stiffens. His hand goes to his ear, and his fingers brush the comms device hidden there. His expression changes in an instant. Gone is the easygoing grin and in with a grim alertness.“It’s Ricardo,” Angelo mutters. “Antonella’s here. And she’s coming our way.”My blood runs
Ricardo’s POVI can hear the bass from the loud music as soon as I descend the stairs. Down here, the chaos is alive. For a second, I pause at the bottom of the steps, rolling my shoulders back and adjusting the tiny communication device tucked in my ear.I hear it hiss faintly with static before settling. That’s my lifeline to Angelo and the rest of my men scattered across the club. It’s also a reminder that I am in control of this entire spectacle.I move through the crowd, scanning faces, in search of my Lana. A couple of punks lean against a rail with smoke curling from their lips as they watch half-dressed girls dance on tables. I stop in front of them.“Hey,” I call sharply. “Have you seen Angelo? Birthday boy?”They stiffen when they register who I am and their cigarettes pause midair. “Yes, capo,” one of them nods eagerly, pointing with two fingers towards the back.His friend mimics the gesture, like a pair of nervous parrots. I follow the direction, weaving through the bodie
Lana’s POVAll eyes are on me. The second Angelo and I step deeper into the club, I can feel the stares, like a spotlight I never asked for. I immediately become the center of attention.I lower my gaze, clutching the strap of my little red dress as though it could shield me from the attention. My cheeks are already warm, and my palms are clammy. I don’t belong here. I know it. They know it.But Angelo, he’s laughing, smiling, moving across the floor like he was born in the center of it. He dances with a couple of his men and teases the girls carrying neon signs or drinks in their hands.It’s almost like it’s his kingdom. For a moment, he forgets about me. Then he notices my loneliness even though he is having fun a distance from me.He strides towards me with a confidence I wish I could borrow. “Hey,” he calls over the bass of the music. “What’s happening? You’re not dancing.”I hug myself, rubbing one arm with my other hand, and forcing a smile without teeth. “I feel uncomfortable!”
Lana’s POVWalking beside Angelo feels… strange. Not bad, not good. Just strange. He doesn’t touch me the way Ricardo does, doesn’t burn me with his eyes, nor does he consume me like I’m his oxygen.None of that. Angelo is calm, almost careful. His person is steady, respectful, and for some reason, that unsettles me more than being devoured whole.He opens the car door for me, bowing his head slightly like some old-fashioned gentleman. I blink at him, caught off guard, but I step in anyway. It’s either his playing this couple thing too well, or this is just how he is.The leather interior smells of expensive cologne. He closes the door after me, circles the car, and joins me in the back seat.There’s a respectable distance between us. Enough space that our arms don’t brush, enough space that it almost feels like we’re strangers sharing a ride. And maybe that’s why I can’t shake the thought nagging at me: that he’s only being this respectful because he knows. Because he knows I’m his b
Ricardo’s POVI can't take my eyes off Lana as she slides into the backseat of the car. Her curves are hugged by a little red dress that leaves little to the imagination. The driver starts the engine, and we're off, but neither of us cares about the destination. The only place we want to be is lost in each other."You look very sexy, Lana," I say with desire.She smiles. "You're not so bad yourself, Ricardo," she purrs with her hand sliding up my thigh.I can feel the heat of her touch through my pants, and I groan as my dick strain against my pants.Lana leans in and her lips brush against my ear. "I want to taste you," she whispers with her breath hot against my skin.I exhale from too much adrenaline coursing through me. “Remember I told you I was gonna fuck you in the car?”She bites her lips with sultry and purrs, “I know, that’s why I didn’t bother styling my hair now.”I chuckle, caressing her thighs. Then I watch as she unbuckles my belt. She pulls down my zipper, and my hard
Ricardo’s POVI watch as Lana's eyes dart around the private plane. She's a beautiful woman, there's no denying that. But there's also no denying the disdain in her eyes, like she's plotting her escape as we speak. I smirk as I take a sip of my whiskey still staring her down. She sat opposite me wi
Charles’ POVDavida Gonzalez doesn’t let me have Alma next to me as we talk. He barely acknowledges my request before shaking his head, waving her off like she’s a piece of furniture that doesn’t belong. I don’t argue. I need this conversation to happen, and fighting over a seat at the table isn’t
Richard’s POV The moment I step into my mansion, I feel it; the storm brewing, waiting for me. Antonella stands in the middle of the room, with her arms folded, and fire burning in her eyes. She’s not holding Isabella this time, which means she has both hands free to throw at me if she gets rec
Charles’s POV Lana is gone. Vanished into thin air, like she never existed. I’ve turned over every rock, searched every lead, and I still have nothing. It’s like she disappeared off the face of the earth. I lean back in my chair, rubbing my temples. I can’t keep obsessing over this. Days have







