로그인DentonAbout four hours later I returned. My hands were full of bags now. Takeaway. Burgers. Chips. Milkshakes. Groceries for a week.And a duffel with her clothes from the penthouse. The letter sat safely in the inside pocket of my jacket.I locked the door behind me. She was sitting exactly where I had left her. Curled up on the couch, with an abandoned packet of Doritos. Watching television but not really paying attention.Her face brightened slightly when she saw me. “You came back. I missed you.”The words were simple. But something about them hit me square in the chest. “Of course I did.”I set the food down on the counter. “Dinner.”Her eyes widened at the bags. “Milkshakes?”I chuckled. “Figured you could use one.”We ate quietly at the small kitchen table. She barely touched the burger but finished most of the milkshake.When we finished, she looked at me nervously. “Will you stay?”“For a while sweetheart.” Relief flooded her face.We moved back to the couch and turned on a
Denton The phone call ended and I kept driving for a few seconds in silence. The city lights streaked past the windshield in long blurred lines. In the rearview mirror, she was still asleep. Curled on the back seat like a child who had simply run out of energy. Which wasn’t too far off from the truth. My jaw tightened. Adriano’s voice had been cold. Controlled. The kind of cold that meant he was running on anger instead of reason. Which meant things were about to get messy. I slowed slightly and shifted lanes, steering the car away from the route back to Manhattan. Arianna stirred a moment later. Her brows knitted together as she slowly woke. “Denton?” Her voice was hoarse from crying. She pushed herself up slightly and looked around. Then she noticed the highway signs. “This isn’t the way home.” I exhaled slowly. “We’re not going back to the penthouse. And can you hand me your phone?” That woke her properly. “What?” She leaned forward, worry flashing across her face. “Why
I kept my face void of emotion, tried to just look supportive and encouraging. But this whole afternoon had rewired my thinking. First and foremost, the girl in the backseat was not Liana Cooper but in fact Arianna O' Connelly, adopted daughter of the former Don of the Irish Mafia.Second, her brothers were Remington and Liam, the biggest rivals of my current employers.Third, she was on the run from the current Don who also happened to be her adopted eldest brother. Talk about a shit fest.Fourth, their location had now been revealed meaning both she and Remi were exposed and at risk.Fifth, she had sacrificed herself to save Remi. I had seen their connection for myself, that was love in its truest form.Sixth, she was only seventeen. Somehow I needed to both protect her while not compromising my loyalty to the Morettis.She looked up, meeting my eyes. "Are you disappointed in me Denton? Do you think I am a gold digger?" she asked worriedly.No...I thought...you are brave, strong,
DentonThe drive back from the hospital was quiet. Too quiet.I kept my eyes on the road, the late afternoon traffic moving steadily around us, but my attention drifted to the rearview mirror every few seconds.She sat curled up in the back seat. Arms wrapped around herself. Staring out the window. Every now and then her shoulders trembled slightly, and I knew she was crying again.Poor kid.I had watched hardened soldiers handle emotional stress better than she was right now—but then again, most soldiers hadn’t just been told their psychotic brother had finally found them after two years on the run.And I thought of that motel room in a shady dangerous part of town. Thought how I had packed up for her and how all their combined possessions barely filled three boxes.How it must have been to go from a pampered princess to fending for herself. It just tore at my heart...because no matter how her life had taken drastic turn...her sweetness and attitude remained untouched.I cleared my t
AdrianoMy mind replayed every moment with Liana since the day she asked me to watch her cart. Her nervous smile. Her shy blushes. The way she looked at me like I hung the stars in the sky. All of it. A lie. Or worse. A calculated act.My jaw tightened. Had she been gathering information? Watching us? Learning our weaknesses? Had I really been stupid enough to let the enemy walk into my life so easily?Beside me Luca shifted slightly but kept his face neutral. He knew better than to voice the conclusion we had both reached.Rage surged through me so fast it made my vision blur.Liana…That little fucking liar. That manipulative little bitch… She had never needed me, the funds…Remington O’ Connelly would be a billionaire in his own right. My thoughts were cut off when Luca spoke. “So what’s the plan until then?” he asked. My eyes turned cold. “Remi isn’t going anywhere. We know exactly where he is” Luca nodded in agreement. “But Liana…” I bit out, “She’s the loose cannon. She needs
LucaTuesday morning a car bomb had gone off outside on my street. Not close enough to kill me. But close enough to shatter the windows of my Penthouse and send a very clear message.Adriano had insisted I stay at his place that night. We had arrived at his Penthouse to find Liana preparing dinner. She was her normal sweet self and excited to have a guest.We had tried to keep things normal but both of us were feeling the strain of the day and told her we would work out at his home gym while she finished up.After a gruelling workout, we showered and came downstairs to find Liana finishing dinner. I could still see the moment clearly. She had turned around holding a plate. Then suddenly froze.I was in a tank and sweats. Her eyes had dropped to my chest. Specifically…To the birthmark on my left pec. A small crescent shaped mark I had carried since birth. Same as my dad’s and Zio Stefano.She had stared at it. Not casually. Not curiously. But like she had just seen a ghost. At the ti
Adriano Denton pulls the car around just after eight. As I slide into the back seat, adjusting my cuffs, I say it like it’s a business instruction—precise, unemotional. “Please pick up Liana at 1pm and take her to the hospital. She wants to catch the doctors after rounds.” Denton nods. “Of cou
Adriano Luca and Dev were adjusting the table to accommodate an extra person and pulling her up a chair, seating her between Lemar and Luca.Lemar was staring at her like he’d just discovered gold. “How,” he said slowly, “are you not signed?” “Every fuckin gendre nailed. I have never heard anythi
Liana I had just finished making take-away bags for all the guys and putting away the balance of the food. I entered the Den and it was already humming with anticipation, laughter and cigar smoke in the air. Cards were being shuffled, chips stacked with ritualistic precision, voices overlapping
Liana Adriano called after 5pm to let me know he and Luca would be a bit late. A last minute emergency came up. It shouldn’t have bothered me. It absolutely did. “How could he leave me alone to welcome his guests?” I checked the spread on the kitchen island for the third time, nudging bowls i







