GIOVANNI'S POV The lingering scent of gunpowder and cheap cologne clung to the air, a grim reminder of the ambush. Not that I needed reminding. The dull throb of the bullet graze on my shoulder was enough. But the physical discomfort was nothing compared to the gnawing anticipation that had been building since dusk. Tristan.Being Giovanni Sokolov, and I get what I want. And what I wanted, needed, was Tristan Hayes. I practically tasted the victory tonight after securing the Feng Chu deal despite the small hiccups. Another piece of the puzzle locked into place, solidifying my family's grip. But all I could think about was sinking my teeth into Tristan.Dmitri's footsteps faded down the hall, and my muscles tightened. "Dmitri, take Tristan from his room and bring him to me," I'd commanded, and now I was a goddamn predator, pacing my gilded cage, waiting for my prey.I envisioned him, Tristan, stripped bare under my command. The image was a vibrant masterpiece painted on the back of my
TRISTAN'S POVThe sting of it was still there, a phantom burn on my lips. Giovanni. Just the thought of his name sent a tremor through me, a ridiculous, unwanted tremor. Just minutes ago, he’d had me pinned against the wall, his mouth a wildfire on mine, his body a hard promise against my own. Then, just as I was about to lose myself in the sensation, he’d pulled away. Snapped back to reality, leaving me gasping for air and… wanting."We will continue this when I return tonight. And until then, you are not allowed to touch yourself. You need to wait for me." he’d said, his voice a low growl against my ear. And then he was gone, leaving me standing there, a mess of confused frustration and something terrifyingly close to… anticipation.Now, alone in my room, I paced like a caged animal. I scrubbed a hand over my face, trying to erase the memory of his touch, the taste of him. "You fucking idiot!" I hissed at my reflection. "Don't fall for his trick!"It was a tri
GIOVANNI'S POVThe salt spray stung my face as I stood at the edge of Pier 13, the reek of diesel and decay thick in the air. My fingers drummed a restless rhythm against the cold glass of the armored car window. Impatience gnawed at me, a familiar pang that had little to do with the high-powered firearms about to be unloaded from that rust-bucket freighter looming before us.My thoughts kept drifting back to Tristan. The image of him naked... sprawled across my silk sheets, eyes wide and pleading, a blush high on his cheekbones… the memory was a potent distraction. A low growl rumbled in my chest. I wanted this deal done, the loose ends tied, so I could get back to the things that truly mattered."We're here, boss," Dmitri's voice, steady and reliable as ever, cut through the haze of my thoughts. "Are we going inside?"I consciously banked down the heat, replacing it with the cold, calculating mask I wore for business. The ruthlessness that had carved my place in th
GIOVANNI'S POVMy blood was boiling. The audacity! Tristan, that… that ingrate, had just walked out on me. In front of Alexei and Sergei, no less. No one, and I mean no one, had ever dared to disrespect me like that. My playthings, my possessions, they all craved my attention, begged for a sliver of my time. They’d swallow any insult, endure any whim, as long as I showered them with affection, showered them with money, and most importantly, showered them with my touch. But Tristan? He actually took my words to heart. He actually cared that I called him a plaything. The others didn't mind the label, not when it came with the perks.The sting of his rejection was a new sensation, a burning coal in my gut. My gaze, still fixed on the doorway Tristan had so brazenly disappeared through, was interrupted by Alexei's obnoxious laughter. He was my friend, I suppose, so trading barbs and insults was par for the course. But right now, his mirth grated on my nerves."Well, well, well," Alexei ch
TRISTAN'S POV The hot afternoon air nipped at my skin as I lingered outside the monstrous Sokolov mansion. Sergei and Alexei had finally departed, their armored cars disappearing down the long, winding driveway. A tense silence settled, thick and heavy with unspoken threats and simmering resentment. I knew Giovanni was inside, waiting. I could practically feel his dark gaze boring into the back of my skull.Sergei and Alexei's departure a small victory in the twisted game I was playing. Now, for the main event.I leaned against the door, forcing myself to take a slow, deliberate breath. My heart hammered against my ribs, a frantic drumbeat of anxiety and a strange, uncomfortable thrill. What I was about to do was reckless, bordering on insane.Before facing him, I needed to plant a seed. A seed of doubt, of anger, of something potent enough to disrupt his meticulously constructed world. He’d humiliated me in front of his friends, dismissing me as a mere plaything, a disposable toy. I
TRISTAN'S POV My heart hammered against my ribs, a frantic bird trapped in a cage. Dmitri. What was he doing here? Of all people, it had to be him, the quiet, observant shadow who seemed to know more than he let on. "Dmitri," I managed, my voice a strained whisper. "What are you doing here?" His dark eyes, usually so veiled, seemed to bore into me. "I saw you leave the house. You looked…distressed." Distressed was an understatement. I felt like I'd been run over by a truck, then had salt rubbed into the wounds. "I needed some air," I said, trying to sound nonchalant, as if I routinely took solitary walks in the Sokolov family's ridiculously oversized maze after being publicly debased by the head of the household. Dmitri didn't seem convinced. He stepped closer, the space between us shrinking. It made my breath catch. There was something unsettlingly perceptive about Dmitri, a silent understanding that made me feel exposed. "Giovanni…he can be cruel," Dmitri said, his voice low
TRISTAN'S POV The air in the dining room had been thick enough to choke on. Giovanni's accusations, though delivered with a chilling calm, had felt like a physical blow. I told him the truth about Alexei... a fleeting encounter in the estate's gym, but I knew he didn't believe me. What could I do? It was the truth. So I just shrugged, a gesture that probably infuriated him more.I was ready to finally unwind, maybe find a quiet corner to read, when his clipped voice sliced through my momentary relief. "Follow me to the office. I want you to be present in the meeting. Maybe you can suggest something helpful. Keep your focus the whole time.""Focus" was a thinly veiled threat. Stay away from Alexei. As if I even want to interact with him after that unsettling encounter in the gym."Why would I be needed there?" I blurted out, the words sharper than intended. "It's not my turf. I’m a surgeon, for Pete's sake, not a damn mafia pawn."Giovanni stopped dead, his back to me. The air crackl
TRISTAN'S POVThe lukewarm water had done little to wash away the grime of that encounter. I collapsed onto the bed, the faint scent of sandalwood and something vaguely floral clinging to my skin. The workout had been cut short, a paltry forty-five minutes instead of the usual hour, all thanks to him. That stranger. The memory still made my skin crawl.His words, thick with insinuation, echoed in my head. The way he’d cornered me, the blatant proposition hanging in the air like cheap cologne. "You smell good, real good." And the promise, or was it a threat, whispered as I’d wrenched myself free. "I'll find you, and when I do, we'll settle this score."I hadn’t wanted to think about it, hadn’t wanted to acknowledge the unsettling mix of disgust and… something else, something I refused to name, that his brazen advance had stirred within me. But now, here I was, replaying the scene like a broken record.The insistent rapping on the door snapped me back to reality. "Come in," I grumbl
TRISTAN'S POV My blood simmered, a low, angry hum thrumming beneath my skin. Giovanni's words echoed in my head, each syllable a tiny, stinging barb."A plaything," he'd sneered, his eyes cold and dismissive. "Just a sex toy."Just.The word felt like a brand, searing itself onto my soul. How dare he? How dare he reduce me to nothing more than a body to be used and discarded at his whim? It wasn't like I had asked for this. He was the one who pulled me into this gilded cage, this life of luxury and servitude, and now he acted as if I was the one clinging on for dear life.The hypocrisy was suffocating. He couldn't stand the thought of me being with anyone else, the possessive rage that flared in his eyes whenever the topic was even broached was terrifying. And yet, he had the audacity to look down on me, to treat me like I was beneath him. As if I was the one who benefited the most in this twisted arrangement. I needed to get out of the penthouse right now.I stormed out of his bedr