Lana’s POVI stir awake, blinking past the fog in my eyes. The white ceiling above me is unfamiliar, and the lights are too bright. My body aches everywhere. There’s something in my nose; tubes.Wires cling to my skin, beeping sounds echo softly in the background. My heart skips when I turn my head and see him.Ricardo.He’s seated in the chair beside my bed, with his arms folded, staring at me like a storm about to break. The moment he notices I’m awake, he stands. And in three quick strides, he's at my side.I panic, trying to shift away from him, but the wires hinders my movements and pain shoots up my arm. I’m trapped, helpless and exposed. My breathing turns ragged. “What the actual fuck is wrong with you, Lana?” he snaps as he crouches beside me. His voice is filled with fury and his eyes are dark and wild. “You almost got yourself killed.”I swallow hard and I begin to tremble as his anger coils around me. Tears threaten to spill, but I blink rapidly, willing them away.“What
Charles’ POVRicardo’s gotten the letter by now. I know it. He’s read every goddamn word, and he’s probably pacing in some huge mansion, fuming like a cornered animal.Good. Let him stew. Let him know I’m not afraid. Let him know that I’m not just coming for his empire, I’m coming for his fucking soul.But it still leaves the one question that eats at me like acid.How?How do I burn him down without burning myself with him? How do I destroy Ricardo Borrelli when every law I once trusted is either scared shitless of him… or bought by him?Then my mind wanders where it always does when I can’t sleep. Lana.She’s the key. She always has been. She was my weapon. My ace. My everything. No one gets in Ricardo’s world like she does. No one can read or get information from monsters like her.She doesn’t just survive evil, she adapts to it. But now she’s stuck inside his walls, in his grip, and I hate myself for letting it happen.I hit the desk before me once, twice, and then I lose count.
Lana’s POV“Golden cop dies today."His words repeat like a curse in my head. I hear them over and over. Ricardo meant it. He doesn’t bluff. He doesn’t warn. When he says he’s going to kill someone, he does it.Charles is going to die. No. No, I’m not going to let that happen. I can’t.Even after everything, even after the betrayal I saw with my own eyes; Charles kissing Alma outside that damn casino in Mexico, breaking whatever was left of my heart, I still can’t let him die.I won’t lose him. He was the first man who ever gave a damn about me. The first one who looked past what I was and saw someone worth saving. He took me in, gave me a second chance, a home, a reason to survive. Ricardo’s gone. It’s just me here. Alone in this damn mansion. I pace the room as my mind races. I need to send a warning. I need to get out. But how?I clutch my hair, tugging at the roots as I slide down the wall with a beating heart. I begin to panic. My breaths are short and my thoughts are wild. I a
Ricardo’s POVI know Lana really hates me now. I don’t need her words, her silence is louder. The way she gripped me, tugging at me for answers, screaming and trembling with tears she thought I didn’t notice. Maria.The girl whose death still gets under their skin, not mine. Never mine. I don’t do guilt or regret. Murder is just what happens when you have ultimate power and the right to decide who lives and who dies. Maria’s death is simply a result of my authority, and I won't apologize for exercising it.Angelo hadn’t liked the order either. He’s currently not speaking to me because of it. Now Lana was just like him, disappointed and disgusted. But I don't care. I can’t afford to care. What's done is done, and there's no bringing back the dead.After a long, scalding shower, I walk out of the bathroom with my towel slung low on my hips, watching Lana as she sleeps. Her back is bare, and the sheet is only covering her waist. She looks like sin and salvation all in one breath. She
Lana’s POVI look into Ricardo's eyes as my heart races with anticipation. His dark hair begs for my hand to run through it, and his lips grovel for me to bury mine in. I run my fingers through his hair, pulling him closer to me. We kiss passionately, but my body begs for more."Fuck, Lana," he murmurs against my neck. "I want you so bad."I smile as my fingers work quickly to unbutton his shirt. I push it off his shoulders, revealing his toned chest. I can't help but stare for a moment, admiring his body."I’m glad you came back," I whisper as my fingers trace the lines of his muscles.He grabs my hand to a halt, and I look up at him with wide eyes. He lowers his gaze to his pants, and I understand his unspoken message.I bite my lip as I reach down to unbutton his pants and pull them down. His cock springs free, hard and ready for me. I wrap my hand around it, stroking it gently."Mmm, you like that?" I ask, looking up at him.He nods as his breath comes in short gasps. "Fuck, yes."
Ricardo’s POVThe morning sunlight barely rose when I slide out of bed. Antonella is still asleep, tangled in the silk sheets, with her mouth slightly parted, and one arm stretched towards where I used to be. I don’t look back. I leave the house before the rest of the estate fully wakes. The guards outside are already alert. A few guards nod as I pass by, murmuring “sir,” but I give them nothing. My driver, a scrawny man with jittery eyes, pulls up just in time.“Sir,” he says breathlessly, stepping out of the car. “I came as soon as I could.”“Good,” I reply, already heading for the vehicle. “I need you to drive me somewhere.”“Where to, sir?”“My secret mansion.”He gives a tight nod. “Alright, sir,” and moves quickly to ready the car.Before I can reach it, one of the security guards rushes up to me, holding something out. An envelope. His face is pale, like he’s unsure if he should even be handing it to me.“Sir,” he calls out, slowing as he reaches me. “This was dropped at the f