Maria's POV I didn’t wake until noon. The sun was high, slipping through the thin curtains and too bright for the heaviness in my head. My body still carried the weight of last night’s drinks with Liam.The dull ache pulsed at my temples, reminding me that wine had never been a friend to me.I pushed myself up slowly, groaning under my breath, and made my way down the hall. Louisa was in the kitchen, humming quietly as she arranged dishes on the counter.“Louisa,” I said, my voice rough, “do you have anything for headaches? My head feels like it’s going to split open.”She turned quickly, her eyes soft with concern. “Oh, sorry, madam. I think I have something. Wait here.” Without another word, she hurried into the kitchen.I leaned against the doorframe, pressing my palm to my forehead. A few minutes later, Louisa returned with a small pack of painkillers in hand. “Here,” she said, placing them gently in mine. “But have you eaten?”I shook my head. “Not yet.”“It wouldn’t be right to
Luca's POV Alex and I walked into the hotel lobby like we owned the place. If there's anything I like about having Alex around, it's this confidence that comes from having someone with me.It was quiet that afternoon. Few guests at the desk, low chatter from the bar. Alex started the talk with with the receptionist, smiling and making small talk with her as if she was someone important.I let him do the warm up. He liked that sort of thing. I didn’t.The woman at the desk looked young, tired. She gave our greetings the polite nod of someone who had practiced this face a thousand times. Alex chatted about the weather and the city. I watched her, counting the seconds until his small talk ran out. It didn’t take long.“Excuse me,” I said finally. My voice low, measured. The woman turned to me, eyes polite but guarded. “Do you remember me?”Her brows lowered for a second. “I’ve seen your face here before,” she said slowly. “But I can’t recall…”“I was in the hotel restaurant with a woma
Liam's POVI lay on the bed, trying not to think too much about the fact that Stephanie and I were laying right next to each other. I didn't want to make a big deal out of it. We were getting comfortable with each other.Or at least, we were trying to.She was right beside me. The room was quiet, yet my head was still loud. I tried thinking of Maria again. Just to have something to occupy my mind with.But this time, memories of us came rushing back in.How we used to cuddle after sex, even when things between us got a little wild. I laughed to myself quietly, remembering the times I handcuffed her, how we role-played.Maria always preferred the soft, romantic side of things. The kisses and the gentle sex. The eye contact and slow stroking with foreplay and teasings.But me? I had been too focused on dominating, on locking her up, on doing things my way.I hated that I didn’t give her more of what she wanted.
Liam’s POVIt was past midnight, and the house was dead quiet, but sleep refused to come to me. I had been lying on the couch for some time now, tossing from one side to the other, staring at the ceiling as though it held answers to questions I couldn’t even form.Maria.That girl just kept circling around my head like it was stitched into the night air. I kept wondering what she was doing right then. Was she asleep? Was she lying awake too, thinking of me the way I was thinking of her?I thought about the way she had pressed against me, the way she let me touch her but then pulled away. She had wanted me, I was certain of it. But perhaps fear had cut her short. Fear for me, maybe.What if she believed Luca would hurt me if he ever found out? She wasn’t wrong to think it. Luca had that kind of presence, the kind of power that could crush someone without even lifting a hand. Or maybe it wasn’t just about me. Maybe Maria herself was scared of what Luca would do to her if she didn’t r
Luca's POV The first thing I did once I sat in the station’s waiting area was pull out my phone and call Alex. I made sure my voice was low and sharp when I told him not to involve anyone, especially Maria.I told him I was in a police station outside our city and that I needed him to come help sort it out.He was silent for a while, I'm guessing he's trying to work his head around how I'm in a police station but I didn't have time for that. “Call the lawyer. Bring him here. That’s what I need from you right now.” And then I hung up.As soon as the screen went dark, I leaned back in the chair, dragging a hand over my face. I hated how this looked. I, sitting here like some reckless lowlife criminal after all I have and have built. Should someone who knew me see me here, I wouldn't even be able to guess what would be going on in their mind.I just hope this doesn't get out of hand than it should.All this because of a one night stand.But she isn't just a one night stand anymore. She
Luca's POV I’m driving alone again with the hum of the engine filling the silence inside the car. Again, no Alex beside me and no driver in front. Just me. It had been a long time since I’d done this but now I'm doing it again.But instead of being fully focused on my mission away from home, I'm worried about Maria.I could picture her face if she knew where I was heading. The way her eyes would narrow and the tremble in her voice just like when she asked me about the perfume. She’d know. She’d know exactly what I was doing. And maybe she already suspected.A low curse slipped from my lips as I held the driving wheel tighter. Guilt weighed heavy on me, but the pull to see this woman again was stronger. It burned inside me, like a hunger I just couldn’t shake off.The traffic light ahead shifted from green to yellow. I pressed harder on the gas. The car flew past the intersection just as the red lit up behind me. For a second, I thought I made it clean. I glanced in the mirror, hopin