تسجيل الدخولVICKY’S POVMy heart did a violent flip-flop.“Why the fuck is Cindy callin’ you at three in the mornin’? Oh God, did someone see me leave the fourth floor?”Leo swiped the screen and put it on speaker, his voice instantly shiftin’ back to that authoritative tone.“Cindy? Are you okay?”A loud panicked voice of Damian cracked through the phone’s speaker, completely bustin’ the romantic bubble we’d been floatin’ in.“Oh thank God you picked up!” He gasped, soundin’ like he’d just run a marathon.“Damian?!”“Where are you?! You need to get down to the hospital wing right now! Cindy’s water just broke, she’s in labor!”My eyes went wide as saucers. I clamped a hand over my mouth to keep from lettin’ out a screech that would’ve given the whole game away.“I’m on my way,” Leo said calmly, though his eyes flared with a sudden rush of adrenaline.“And please get Vicky. She’s not in her suite, and she’s not picking up her damn phone.”Oh shit! I left it in the suite.“Sure, we will be on our
VICKY’S POVIts been seven absolute, mind-fuckin’ months and we were still holed up in Athens.Cindy was currently in her third trimester, or whatever the hell doctors call the final stage of pregnancy when you look like you swallowed a beach ball.The doc said she was already a few days past her due date, but everything was trackin’ fine.Meanwhile, here I was curled up against the chest of a man who was off-limits in every single way the world could count.But honestly? Too bad for the world, because I fuckin’ love forbidden.“Stop wrigglin’, ice-tongue,” Leo rumbled, his voice thick with sleep as his massive arms tightened around my waist, pullin’ me back against his heat.“I ain’t wrigglin’, old man,” I shot back, rollin’ my eyes even though he couldn’t see me. I traced a finger down the hard line of his jaw.“Besides, you’re hoggin’ all the pillows. Billionaire my ass. You’re a blanket thief.”He let out a low chuckle that rumbled right through my back. It was crazy. To the res
LEO’S POVExactly three seconds after my thumb hit send, the door at the entrance of the restaurant swung open.I leaned back in my chair, swirling the remaining champagne in my glass, a wicked satisfaction settling into my bones.The real show was about to begin.A trio of stylishly dressed women marched inside. They didn’t look like a chaotic rabble… not yet, anyway.I had hand-picked them, after all. They were career women, corporate executives, and heiresses.As they stormed toward our table, the woman in the lead, a brunette in an emerald blazer, cleared her throat. Behind her, two men who had slipped into the restaurant right behind them raised recording rigs.The flashes of cameras cut through the moody ambiance of the restaurant.“Mr. Verilli?” Manon blinked, her forehead creasing as she looked up from her tablet.“Who are they? Are those colleagues of yours?”I shook my head innocently. “I don’t know them.”“Oh, young lady, I think the man beside you knows exactly who we are,
LEO’S POV The moment David saw me, his entire posture changed. He straightened up so fast he nearly knocked his water glass over, his shoulders squaring as he plastered on a desperate, eager-to-please grin. I didn’t even give him a glance, completely freezing him out as I slid back into my leather seat. If the idiot knew this entire dinner was a staged execution for his social and financial life, he wouldn’t be here smiling like an asshart. “Oh, not at all, Mr. Verilli,” Manon breathed, leaning forward with her tablet already in hand. “We were just reviewing the regional projections you forwarded.” “Excellent. So, what have you decided regarding the entry-tier logistics?” I asked, completely ignoring the fool beside her. “Well, we believe that launching through your luxury sectors in Milan and Paris simultaneously gives us the prestige baseline we need,” Manon began, her eyes bright with ambition. “However—” “Actually, if I could just jump in there,” David chimed in, his voic
LEO’S POVWalking out of that restroom, I adjusted my cuffs and let out a breath that still tasted like her. Any normal father would be drowning in guilt right now. I’d just bent my son’s girlfriend over a countertop in the restroom and wrecked her in the best way possible. For weeks, I’d tried to be the good guy. I’d told myself she belonged to Alaric. I’d reminded myself of the lines I shouldn’t cross. But sitting in the back of my mind was a reality I’d finally stopped fighting: I didn’t feel a single shred of remorse. Not anymore. Ever since Rosie died, my world had been a monotonous blur of grey. I hadn’t cared about a single woman who crossed my path. Half the time, I realized I was just subconsciously looking for ghosts, searching for pieces of my late wife in every face I met. But women like Rosie don’t just grow on trees. She was a hurricane—stubborn as a bull, sharp-tongued, and entirely immune to my money or my power. She challenged me. Every woman I had met after h
VICKY’S POV My mouth opened to spit somethin’ sharp back at him, but all that came out was a moan as he thrust those damned fingers deeper, curlin’ them just right. I hated how easily he played me, like he already had the damn manual to my body. “You talk a real big game for a man who shouldn’t even be lookin’ at me,” I shot back, my voice shakin’ as he continued stroking. “Your son is sittin’ right out there, Mr. Verilli, and don’t forget I’m your daughter’s bestie. This is fucked up, even for you.” He didn’t seem bothered, and that was the worst part. He just watched me with those eyes as he kept pumpin’ and rubbin’ his fingers against that spot that made my toes curl in my heels. The wet, filthy sound of it echoed off the restroom. “Fucked up?” He chuckled low, the sound vibratin’ through his chest. “You’re dripping down my hand, sweetheart. Doesn’t feel fucked up to me.” I tried to form a comeback, but he added a third finger, stretchin’ me wider, and my head fell back w
꧁꧂PROLOGUE꧁꧂Flashback: First Night on the CruiseVICKY’S POVI’ve never been the type to sit around moonin’ over some guy.Hell, after I finally booted my ex-husband outta my life two years ago, I swore off the whole damn species.Marriage? Kids? No thanks.I was wicked happy runnin’ that cozy lit
CINDY’S POVThe cruise was all fun and games until it had to end two days early because of me.The seasickness came on suddenly, waves of nausea that left me pale and trembling, clinging to the railing while the Mediterranean sparkled mockingly below.Damian was getting better.He barely needed ban
CINDY’S POV I paced the elegant lounge just inside the ship, my heels sinking into the plush carpet with every anxious step. My mind was out on that deck with Damian and my father, imagining every possible outcome. What if he decided Damian wasn’t worthy? What if he’d hurt him worse? The tho
DAMIAN’S POV“We’re beginning our descent into Athens,” the flight attendant’s gentle voice announced, waking us.I blinked awake, groggy, and looked across the aisle.Alaric and Vicky were stirring too, both looking like they’d dozed off mid-conversation, Vicky’s head still resting on his shoulder







