"Change of Plans"AntonioThe look in Elisa’s eyes the last time I saw her in my office, lingered in my mind like an uninvited guest, its piercing intensity refusing to fade, even after days of seeing her.I still couldn't forget that she spat in my face, an act of blatant disrespect that warranted harsher punishment. Yet, strangely, her stubbornness had brought about a reluctant admiration in me. There was a rawness to her courage, a refusal to crumble that was… quite enticing.I paced the length of my office, my shoes tapping against the floor in a rhythm that showed my restlessness. Matteo, my right-hand man who had being one of my friend and close confidant since childhood, stood near the window. His posture relaxed but his eyes sharp, tracking my every move. “She’s a liability, Antonio,” Matteo finally says, his voice practical. “Marco Bianchi’s people will come for her, remember you killed his brother and took his supposed niece. Keeping her alive will only invites complicati
"Reckoning"ElisaThe door creaked open again, my muscles tensed instantly. I was already sitting up, back pressed against the wall, every nerve on edge. Bianca had left hours ago, maybe longer, and I wasn’t sure if she’d be the one to return, but it wasn’t her.Two men walked in first,these were soldiers. I knew this by the way they moved, controlled, deadly, faces blank, eyes cold like they’d long forgotten how to feel anything.Then he walked in behind them, he didn’t speak, he just stood in the doorway, his eyes locked on mine.The guards stepped aside, flanking the door while Antonio slowly entered the cell. His expression was unreadable, it wasn't cruel, neither was it kind, it was just… still, observant.I stayed where I was, watching him. Refusing to show any emotions, even as my heart pounded, there was no fear in me, only rage and confusion. A creepily sense that whatever was happening now would change everything. “You’re tougher than I expected,” he said finally, his voi
“The Handler”ElisaI was waiting for someone or Bianca to come take me to the place I will be staying for my training, since the guards that came with Antonio, left with him.I wasn't surprised when the dungeon door creaked open again, heavy and slow. I stayed seated on the ground, back straight, shoulders tense, I suspected that it was Bianca.But it wasn’t her. A man stepped into the cell, backlit by the dim light behind him. He was tall, broad shouldered, and his steps were quiet, too quiet for someone his size.His eyes swept the room, then landed on me. I recognized him from a distance, once, standing near Antonio, silent but alert. Now, up close, he looked even more dangerous. His face was weathered, jaw tight, nose slightly crooked like it had been broken more than once, his eyes were dark, unreadable.“Hello, failed assassin,” he said, voice low and rough, it wasn’t a greeting, he said it like he was stating a fact.I said nothing, keeping my eyes on him, my body coiled and
“The Planned Party”AntonioThe aftermath of Pietro Bianchi’s death had settled across the mafia world heavy, silent, and suffocating.His brother, didn’t lash out like I'd expected, he didn’t retaliate with reckless fury like Pietro might’ve. No, Marco was quiet, patient and calculating, That made him dangerous. I sat at the head of the long mahogany table in the meeting room. The air was thick with tension, it curled like cigar smoke above our heads. Matteo sat on my right, his hands laced together, expression carved from stone. David on my left flipped through intelligence reports, all the precise movements of our shipments in the last few weeks, with a thoughtful frown on his face.Ricardo, or Ricky as everyone called him, leaned against the wall, chewing the end of a toothpick, the usual glint of mischief in his eyes, dimmed by the weight of recent days. Marcelo stood behind him, tall and silent, the ever-watchful shadow. He rarely spoke, but when he did, it mattered.“The Bia
"The Party"ElisaThe Romano estate was a palace built in blood, from the balcony of my temporary prison, because that’s what this room truly was. I could see the sprawling gardens, the marble fountains, the massive iron gates that kept people out, Or in.I wasn’t naïve enough to believe I was anything but a prisoner.It had been weeks since Antonio dragged me into this world, forcing me to fight, to adapt. My body ached from the brutal training I have been doing with Matteo, but my mind churned with something worse, uncertainty.I had lived my life with one purpose, serve the Bianchi family, kill for them, and die for them.And now, that Pietro is dead, betraying me, and Leaving me at the mercy of a man who had every reason to put a bullet in my skull, but instead had chosen something far worse, keeping me alive. I didn't know how to move forward.A knock sounded at the door pulling me from my thoughts, There was no key in the room to lock it, that alone was a message, they knew I ha
“The Game”AntonioI let the glass hover in my hand, not because I was thirsty, but because I needed to control the moment. The room was full of dangerous men and women, all with their own agendas, and I was their ticket to getting what they want.The tension in the air was palpable, the crowd had fallen into conversations, some polite, others less so, the usual dance of politics and power.But beneath it all, there was an undercurrent. Elisa was here now, she was watching, listening, and whether she realized it or not she was being studied.I didn’t move as I caught her eyes, they were cold and calculating, just like I had expected. She wasn’t fooled by this charade, she wasn’t here to be one of my trophies. Good.I raised my glass, just a slight tilt of the wrist, acknowledging the toast. Matteo stood beside me, silent as always, his expression was unreadable, but his presence was constant.“You look bored, Matteo,” I said under my breath, knowing he’d catch it.He glanced at me, t
Orders and ObedienceElisaThe house still stank of smoke, spilled liquor, and perfume from the party. Staff hustled through the halls, collecting broken glass and dragging trash bags outside, they were moving really fast.The party was over, but the damage it had done to me wasn’t something they could sweep away. I'd spent hours being paraded around like I was a prize they didn't know whether to claim or break.When Marcello found me, I was still burning with the aftertaste of the event. "Antonio wants you," he said, voice short, already turning away. I wiped the sweat from my face with the hem of my shirt and followed. The estate was quieter now, but no less heavy, cold marble floors stretched in front of me. Oil paintings stared down from high ceiling, clean, rich, suffocating. I hated every step. Antonio was at his desk, sleeves rolled up, a mess of papers spread out in front of him. He looked up the second I entered, his stare pinning me in place. "You behaved at the party
"The New Face"AntonioThe courtyard was alive with movements, guards were patrolling the ground, staffs were moving from one destination to the other. And the occasional clink of glasses from some of my men hanging out at the far side of the courtyard. And now it seems someone had arrived, I could hear the steady tapping of Lorenzo’s shoes as he crossed the stone path toward me. As long as I've known him, he had always been unhurried, always too comfortable, like the world belonged to him. "Boss," he greeted, arms slightly spread, grin fixed in place. "Missed me?"I took a slow sip of my whiskey. "Should I have?" Lorenzo chuckled, sliding into the seat across from me without invitation. "That’s cold, see as I came all this way to see you." "You don’t do anything without reason Lorenzo, you've forgotten I've known you for a long time."He smirked, pulling out a cigarette and lighting it with a flick of his lighter. "And here I thought you’d appreciate a friendly face." I didn’t a
“Judgment Hour”AntonioThe knock on my door came before sunrise, two sharp taps, followed by silence. Matteo never knocked unless it was serious.I pushed the sheets off my body and stood up, barefoot against the cold marble floor and walked to the door. When I opened it, the expression on his face said everything I needed to know, this was definitely an emergency.He didn’t need an invitation, he stepped in and closed it quietly behind him.“What is it?” I asked, already bracing myself.He held up his phone, “Lorenzo moved a shipment through Lucio's port last night.”That woke me up faster than a slap, I stared at him. “Lucio’s port? You’re sure?”Matteo nodded once, “Confirmed, one of our guys on surveillance caught it, there were trucks, cargo, and Lorenzo himself, on-site.”He turned the phone toward me, the screen showed images of last night, three trucks lined up under the cover of night, and the next photo had Lorenzo, his face partially visible, standing near the containe
“Uncovering the Truth”ElisaThe dream had plagued me again, it was the same voice, hoarse, terrified and full of love that was echoing in my ears. “Elisa… run.”Every time I heard it, something in me twisted, it wasn’t just a dream anymore, it was Something real, and it was digging its way out of my memory, piece by piece.The De Luca name, once foreign and meaningless, had started to feel like a coat I was finally learning how to wear. I didn’t know the whole story yet, but I could feel the truth pressing against the surface of my mind, waiting for the right moment to break through.Antonio’s office was always locked, and I knew for a fact that it held answers.That morning, Matteo pushed me harder than usual in training, the secluded courtyard was quiet except for the sound of fists hitting pads and shoes scraping stone. The sun was already hot, but Matteo didn’t ease up, his blows were sharp and fast, and forced me to respond faster. I welcomed the pain, the ache in my arms,
"Her Bloodline"AntonioThe door to the meeting room shut behind me with a soft thud. Inside, the room was quiet but tense, nothing unusual. My capos and senior associates sat around the long polished table, each man alert, waiting for my cue to begin. The scent of strong coffee lingered, mixed with faint traces of leather and paper.This meeting wasn’t just about business, it was about the preparation for the upcoming shipment through Calabria, and it was high-value and high-risked.I stood at the head of the table and got straight to it.“Lorenzo,” I said, eyes meeting him across the table, “Report on the Calabrian arrangements.”He leaned forward, easy confidence on his face. “We’re in good shape, the route’s clear, our contacts have confirmed passage. Local authorities have been... handled, quietly.”His voice was casual, as always, but I watched him closely. Matteo had shared a few things with me recently, I wasn’t jumping to conclusions, but I was listening with sharper ears n
"Heretic Blood"ElisaThe name De Luca no longer felt like a distant curiosity, It had weight now. It was real, heavy, and impossible to ignore. The photograph and the ring weren’t just random things I’d stumbled on, they were pieces of a puzzle I didn’t even know I’d been solving.They were mine, somehow, they were part of me.And if I couldn't get answers from anyone here, it would be Bianca. I’d seen her father in that photograph, the first one I had received, that meant something I was sure. There was a crack in the wall of lies I had lived in all my life, I just needed to keep chipping away at it.I found her in the greenhouse, It was late afternoon, the sky outside glowing with a soft golden hue that filtered through the glass ceiling. The scent of flowers wrapped around me, there were lavender, orchids, something citrusy and wild. The greenhouse was warm, calm, and nothing like the rest of this estate.Bianca stood near the far corner, misting a delicate orchid, her hands mo
"Hunter's Calm"AntonioI couldn’t shake the memory of the kiss off, It had come out of nowhere, and I had responded in a way I hadn’t expected. Elisa’s reaction to the kiss, sharp and full of fire, had surprised me. There was something about the way she resisted, about the way she pushed back, that intrigues me. It wasn’t just about the kiss, It was about the challenge she gave.But I wasn’t in the mood for challenges right now.I walked down the hallway from my suite, my mind still clouded, I’d just dealt with the scene of Elisa in my study. She’d been searching through my things, trying to piece together something I didn’t want her to know, that pissed me off more than I cared to admit. But I couldn’t ignore the spark that had flown between us, but I needed to regain control fast, and I needed to focus.I crossed the corridor, ignoring the guards stationed by the stairs. They stood straighter when they saw me, but I didn’t acknowledge them. My mood right now was too volatile t
"Fangs Beneath Skin"ElisaHis kiss wasn’t gentle, it wasn’t romantic. It was hard and demanding, like he was trying to prove something, it shocked me, but I didn’t back down.I wasn’t going to be the girl who melted into his arms, I wasn’t going to be his prisoner or his plaything.So I fought him.I kissed him back not because I wanted to surrender, but because I wanted to show him I could match his fire. My hands gripped his arms tightly, my nails digging through the fabric of his jacket. Our mouths clashed like two forces unwilling to yield, each trying to dominate the other, his control met my resistance, and the air between us sparked with something dark and tangled.The taste of him, clean, sharp and familiar coated my lips. I hated that it stirred something in me, a heat, a flicker of want I refuse to admit.Then reality came rushing back.What the hell was I doing, this was Antonio, the man who is holding me against my will, the man who killed Pietro, the man I tried to kil
"Fangs Beneath Skin"ElisaHis kiss wasn’t gentle, it wasn’t romantic. It was hard and demanding, like he was trying to prove something, it shocked me, but I didn’t back down.I wasn’t going to be the girl who melted into his arms, I wasn’t going to be his prisoner or his plaything.So I fought him.I kissed him back not because I wanted to surrender, but because I wanted to show him I could match his fire. My hands gripped his arms tightly, my nails digging through the fabric of his jacket. Our mouths clashed like two forces unwilling to yield, each trying to dominate the other, his control met my resistance, and the air between us sparked with something dark and tangled.The taste of him, clean, sharp and familiar coated my lips. I hated that it stirred something in me, a heat, a flicker of want I refuse to admit.Then reality came rushing back.What the hell was I doing, this was Antonio, the man who is holding me against my will, the man who killed Pietro, the man I tried to kil
"The Storm Between Us" AntonioThe drive back from the warehouse felt like it took an eternity, the tension in the air still clung to me, it was thick and suffocating. The breach was more than just a problem, it was a message. Someone was testing us, pushing us, and I wasn’t in the mood for games. The moment I had cleared the scene, I could feel the weight of it all pressing in, the pressure to react.I let out a slow breath as the car pulled into the driveway of the estate. This place should have felt like a refuge to me, but tonight it was just another battleground in my mind. The house was quiet, too quiet for my liking. The staff had likely gone home, leaving me to face the remnants of the mess in peace or in solitude, as I preferred.I pushed open the front door, the familiar scent of leather and old wood immediately filling my senses, but even as I stepped inside, the comfort of the house could not wipe away the unease from the warehouse, it lingered like a shadow. I made m
"The Locked Drawer"ElisaAntonio had left the estate the day before, called away on urgent business at one of his warehouses, whatever had happened was serious enough for him to leave without much explanation. I had overheard Matteo say something about sabotage and missing shipments.But all I could think about right now, was what the note that was left outside my door said, “They’ve lied to you, look deeper.” And also the photograph, of the man with the ring that matched mine.I hadn’t slept properly the nights before, the images wouldn’t stop replaying in my mind. And now, with Antonio gone, the silence of the estate tauted at me like an opportunity.Today was the only window I might get.I moved carefully through the hallways, keeping to blind spots I’d memorized over weeks of observation, the Romano estate was a fortress, but like any fortress, it had cracks. I didn’t need to go far, the offices weren't my destination, neither was the basement or the weapons rooms. I was going