Librairie
Rechercher
Accueil / Mafia / SUBSTITUTE BRIDE FOR THE MAFIA DON / CHAPTER 18

Share

CHAPTER 18

Auteur: Nancy Grey
last update Dernière mise à jour: 2025-09-06 00:18:38

Dahlia’s POV

When she finally stepped back, I almost didn’t recognize the reflection staring back at me. My lips were painted a soft, glowing red that made them look fuller than they really were. My lashes were long and dark, brushing lightly against my skin each time I blinked, and my face looked smooth and flawless, like the makeup had erased every trace of the sleepless night I had. The red gown hugged me perfectly, clinging to my body in ways that made me nervous. It shimmered faintly under the lights, catching every movement. I looked… exquisite. Too exquisite. Like someone else entirely.

For a second, I didn’t know whether to smile or cry.

The door opened suddenly, the sound echoing in the quiet bedroom, and my heart jumped into my throat. I turned quickly, clutching my hands together, and there he was—Luca Romano.

Mrs. Cruz gave him a polite greeting, then she leaned closer to me and whispered, “Good luck,” before slipping out quickly, almost as if she didn’t want to linger in
Continuez à lire ce livre gratuitement
Scanner le code pour télécharger l'application
Chapitre verrouillé
Previous Chapter Next Chapter

Latest chapter

  • SUBSTITUTE BRIDE FOR THE MAFIA DON   CHAPTER 63

    Dahlia’s POVHe didn’t talk much, just the occasional hum or the clink of his spoon as he stirred his coffee. The silence between us wasn’t uncomfortable though. It was… nice. Safe. I felt my chest tighten a little at that thought. For a long time, I had eaten breakfast alone, in silence. But now, sitting across from him—even if we weren’t talking—it felt different. It felt like I wasn’t alone anymore.I took a sip of my tea, pretending to study the steam rising from it while sneaking another glance at him. His lips moved slightly as he read something, and when he frowned, I noticed the small line that appeared between his eyebrows. My stomach flipped again, and I quickly looked down at my plate, hoping he didn’t notice me staring.But then, like he could sense it, Luca looked up from his tablet. Our eyes met for just a second—long enough for my heart to skip a beat. His dark eyes seemed to hold mine, curious, steady. I panicked a little and looked away immediately, pretending to foc

  • SUBSTITUTE BRIDE FOR THE MAFIA DON   CHAPTER 62

    Dahlia’s POVIt had been a week since the attack, and every day since then felt like I was slowly finding my footing again. The memory of that afternoon still came back to me sometimes—especially when things got too quiet—but now, instead of freezing in fear, I used that memory as motivation. I refused to ever feel that helpless again. That’s why I threw myself into my self-defense training with Bjorn.The first few days were rough. My body wasn’t used to all that movement. Every muscle ached, every stretch burned, and my arms shook every time I tried to block or punch. I’d go to bed sore and exhausted, but no matter how much it hurt, I showed up again the next day. Bjorn wasn’t the type to go easy on anyone. He was this tall, serious man with broad shoulders and a voice that could make you straighten up even when you were half-dead from training. But he was good at what he did. He didn’t just bark orders—he explained why each move mattered, why I had to react fast, why I had to trust

  • SUBSTITUTE BRIDE FOR THE MAFIA DON   CHAPTER 61

    Dahlia’s POVHe didn’t say anything as he walked around the room, his movements calm but purposeful. The scent of his cologne—clean and warm with a faint hint of spice—mixed with the soft smell of soap, filling the air around me. I heard him open a drawer and pull something out, then the quiet sound of a bottle cap twisting open. I frowned and lifted my head a little to see what he was doing.A moment later, he came to my side of the bed. “Sit up,” he said quietly. His voice wasn’t demanding—it was steady, firm, and gentle at the same time.I blinked up at him, a little confused. “Why?” I asked softly. My voice came out small, almost uncertain.He didn’t answer right away. Instead, he just waited, his eyes meeting mine. There was something in his gaze that made me obey without thinking. I sat up slowly, my blanket pooling around my waist, and that’s when I saw the sma

  • SUBSTITUTE BRIDE FOR THE MAFIA DON   CHAPTER 60

    Dahlia’s POVLuca had gone out for business earlier that afternoon, and by the time the sun went down, he still hadn’t returned. I tried to distract myself by reading, but the words on the page just blurred together. I even went to the kitchen and sat at the dining table, hoping that eating would help me relax. It didn’t. The house was too quiet without him. Even the clinking sound of my spoon against the plate echoed through the space.After dinner, I made my way upstairs. My whole body ached from the self-defense session with Bjorn earlier. He had been ruthless, showing me move after move, correcting my stance, and making me repeat them until my arms and legs felt like jelly. He kept saying things like “again” and “don’t stop” in that low, gravelly voice of his. By the time the session ended, I could barely lift my arms.I ran a warm shower and stood under it for a long time, letting the hot water wash away the ache in my muscles. Steam filled the bathroom, wrapping around me like a

  • SUBSTITUTE BRIDE FOR THE MAFIA DON   CHAPTER 59

    Dahlia’s POVThe self-defense instructor arrived later that afternoon, just like Luca had promised. I was sitting on the couch, nervously twisting my fingers together when Mrs. Cruz came to tell me he was waiting for me in the training room. My stomach twisted a little. I wasn’t sure what to expect — I’d never done anything like this before. But after what happened on the road, I knew I couldn’t let fear control me anymore.When I entered the training room, the first thing I noticed was how big it was. It had tall ceilings, wide open space, and padded floors that stretched from one wall to the other. There were mirrors, punching bags, weights, and even a rack of what looked like wooden practice weapons. The air smelled faintly of leather and disinfectant.And standing in the middle of the room was a man who looked like he could snap a door in half with his bare hands.He was tall and muscular, with short dark hair and tattoos that crawled up his arms and disappeared under his black sh

  • SUBSTITUTE BRIDE FOR THE MAFIA DON   CHAPTER 58

    Dahlia’s POVLuca looked up from behind his desk, his expression unreadable for a moment. Then, without saying a word, he nodded at Dante. Dante understood immediately, closing the laptop in front of him and standing up. He gave me a polite nod before walking out of the office, leaving Luca and me alone. The door shut quietly behind him, and suddenly the air felt thicker. The room was filled with silence, the only sound coming from the faint ticking of the clock on the wall and the soft hum of the air conditioner.Luca rose from his chair slowly, his movements calm and collected, but his eyes never left me. There was something about the way he looked at me — controlled but curious, like he was trying to figure out what I needed before I even said it. He came around the desk, stopping just a few feet in front of me. Up close, I could see how sharp and tired his features looked in the morning light. His white shirt sleeves were rolled up, showing the veins on his forearms, and I realize

Plus de chapitres

Vous vous intéresseriez aussi à

Découvrez et lisez de bons romans gratuitement
Accédez gratuitement à un grand nombre de bons romans sur GoodNovel. Téléchargez les livres que vous aimez et lisez où et quand vous voulez.
Lisez des livres gratuitement sur l'APP
Scanner le code pour lire sur l'application
DMCA.com Protection Status