LOGINCHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHTROSARIE'S POVThe first thing I noticed was the smell. Leather, expensive cologne, and a woody scent. The second thing was the steady vibration beneath me.I shifted, feeling something warm under my cheek, and forced my eyes open. Blurry lights flashed past tinted windows.A car. I was in a car.Trying to lift my head, I realized I was resting on someone's lap. I jerked upright so violently that my head collided with something hard, sending a sharp pain through my skull."Careful," a deep voice said from beside me.I turned my head. A man in a tailored black suit, crisp white shirt, and expensive watch sat watching me. His dark hair was combed back, and his expression revealed nothing."What the hell?" I muttered, looking around."An interesting way to greet someone who spent the last twenty minutes keeping you from hitting your head," he replied smoothly.I shifted away, putting as much distance between us as possible. My ankle throbbed. "Who are you? Where am I?
CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVENKYLIANO'S POV"Lock the fucking place down!" My voice thundered through the security room. "Seal every exit. Nobody gets in or out without my authorization. I want armed men at every entrance, every fucking corridor, and every possible escape route. Search the grounds, check the vehicles, and make sure nobody leaves this property.""Already on it," Angelo responded, his phone pressed against his ear, barking orders at the men responsible for securing the perimeter with a murderous expression.Around us, the entire security room had turned into a war zone of its own. Men moved between surveillance monitors, radios crackled with updates, and our soldiers communicated through their earpieces as they secured the premises. Some of our men were injured, while others were still dealing with the bodies of the attackers. But I couldn't give a damn about any of that—not until I knew where Rosarie was."Get me the fucking footage," I ordered.One of the men immediately pull
CHAPTER TWENTY SIXROSARIE'S POVThe moment Kyliano disappeared from sight, I dropped as a gunshot exploded through the air, followed immediately by another.I scrambled behind the glass, practically throwing myself against the floor with my knees folded against my chest and both hands pressed over my head, trying to make myself as small as possible.The smell hit me almost immediately: gunpowder filled the air, thick and suffocating, mixing with the sharp metallic stench of blood.Another gunshot cracked through the room, making me flinch."Please, God..." The words barely made it past my lips as I pressed myself harder against the glass, my fingers digging into my arms.Please let this be over; please let me survive this.But even as I prayed, my mind kept returning to one person: Kyliano. Was he safe, had he found somewhere to take cover, and was he still fighting?I squeezed my eyes shut. He is a made man, my subconscious whispered, as though that was supposed to make me feel bett
CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVEKYLIANO’S POVThe gunshot rang out, shattering the music and instantly plunging the ballroom into sheer hell.Moving purely on instinct, I threw myself in front of Rosarie as a deafening volley of fire sent guests screaming for cover, her fingers clutching frantically at my jacket as she stumbled into my chest. My hand went straight to the gun beneath my suit, the conflicting emotions from earlier burning away beneath the ice-cold, familiar urge to slaughter anyone who dared attack my family’s manor. Pulling her tight against my side to shield her from the stray rounds ripping through the air, I forced us away from the open floor, muttering, “Stay with me.”Two armed men breached the chaos with weapons raised, but before they could squeeze their triggers, I put two rounds into them, dropping one over a glass-strewn table and sending the other crashing through a heavy decorative stand.“Move!” I barked, hustling her toward a thick marble pillar near the western cor
CHAPTER TWENTY-FOURKYLIANO'S POVI had killed men for less. That was what I kept telling myself as I stood on the private balcony, gripping the marble railing so tightly my knuckles had turned white.The problem wasn't that I had killed Lovato Baguette's brother—the bastard had deserved every second of the terror that flashed across his face before the bullet entered his skull. No, the problem was that I had done it in front of half the criminal underworld because he had insulted a woman who wasn't even mine.Fuck.I dragged a hand down my face and stared into the darkness beyond the balcony. My father would have my head, the Baguettes would demand blood for blood, and every rival syndicate present at the gala would be discussing the incident before the night was over. I had practically announced to the world that the Russo family could be provoked into a war by a single insult.And I didn't regret it—not one fucking bit.I could still hear the bastard's voice mocking Rosarie, asking
CHAPTER TWENTY-THREEROSARIE'S POVThe dress arrived a few hours before the gala. I was sitting on my bed, wondering whether attending the damn thing was worth the headache, when someone knocked on my door."Come in."A maid stepped inside carrying a large garment box."Miss Rosarie, this was delivered for you.""Who sent it?""I'm not sure, miss. I was only instructed to bring it to your room."I thanked her and waited until she left before turning my attention to the box. Angelo had promised to send me a dress when we spoke at the lounge, and considering how cold and unapproachable the man was, I hadn't expected him to forget his promise.I opened the box, and for a moment, I forgot about the gala and the wealthy criminals I'd be forced to endure all evening. The gown was beautiful. Deep burgundy fabric flowed from its fitted bodice, with delicate detailing around the waist that made it look even more expensive. It was elegant without being excessively revealing, the sort of dress I







