ELENAI looked at Rafael, and for a split second, the disgust Iโd been suppressing twisted inside me like bile rising up my throat.Almost everyone in this godforsaken house reeked of secretsโฆ rotten motives, false loyalties, and buried truths so deep they thought no one would dig them up. Ricardo with his obsession for control. Marco, pretending to be harmless while cloaked in shadows. Bella, hiding behind silence and feigned concern. Even Rafael wasnโt left out.I forced a breath, composing myself before the emotions showed on my face. I had to stay sharp.Rafael was still staring at me, waiting.โItโs Marco,โ I said flatly.His eyes widened. โWhat?โHis thoughts screamed louder than his voice;Who the hell was this girl, and how did she know it was him? See her here spouting nonsense.I almost laughed. Idiot. He didnโt even try to hide his disbelief.I forced a small smile instead. โYes. Marco. Itโs him.โHe opened his mouth, probably to challenge me again, but I turned away. โCom
RYANI caused this.The thought twisted in my mind as I stood before Ricardo, the man I had spent years hunting.Four months of watching him lose his mind over his own bodyโs betrayal. He had no idea that his impotence was my doing.To get close to him, I had conspired with his private doctor, slipping a drug into his system that slowly wrecked his ability to have sex. Every failed attempt, every frustrated outburstโฆ it was all orchestrated by me. And now, standing here in front of him, I was about to undo it.Not out of mercy. Not out of guilt.I was going to fix him so that I could kill him.Iโd kill him. Just like he killed my mother.Ricardo sat on the couch, legs spread, his fingers tapping against his knee. His dark eyes were locked onto mine. "You really think you can fix this?โI forced a neutral expression, keeping my posture relaxed. "I wouldn't be here if I couldn't."Reaching into my medical bag, I pulled out a syringe filled with the antidote. A mixture designed to counte
RYANI was so shocked I couldn't move.The man standing in the doorway looked exactly like Ricardo.No. That wasnโt possible.My heart raced as I stared at him, my mind trying so hard to make sense of what I was seeing. A twin? Ricardo had a fucking twin?What the fuck?My pulse pounded in my ears, drowning out every other sound in the room. This wasnโt part of the plan. I came here to kill the man who murdered my mother. But nowโฆ now I didnโt even know if I had the right one.Why the hell didnโt Lucas tell me about this? Whyโฆ"Ryan!"Ricardoโs sharp voice snapped me out of my spiraling thoughts.I blinked, refocusing on him, but his gaze was already locked onto the syringe still clutched in my hand."What the fuck are you holding, Doc?" His voice was lower now.My grip tightened around the syringe. My mind scrambled for a response. "It's a booster," I said smoothly. "It helps speed up the effect of the antidote."Ricardo laughed, shaking his head as he turned toward the man standing
RICARDOI couldnโt remember the last time I felt this fucking good.Last night was a blur of pleasure and euphoria, and this morning? Damn. I hadnโt felt this alive in years. The second I woke up, hard as a rock, I knew something had changed. And it was all thanks to the man currently standing in front of me, looking like he wanted to disappear into the floor.I grinned at him, my good mood making me almost giddy. โYouโre a fucking genius, you know that?โ I clapped a hand on Ryanโs shoulder, giving it a firm squeeze. โNot only are you good with a syringe, but damnโฆ you were pretty damn good in bed too.โ I smirked. โCanโt remember the last time I felt that way.โI let the words hang for a moment before my expression darkened."And about yesterday," I said, my voice dropping just enough to make my point clear."You should never try that kind of stunt with me again. Because, Doc, the next time you pull some sneaky shit like that, I wonโt just be giving you a friendly wake-up punch."I le
RAFAELWho the hell was this guy?I couldn't shake the image from my mindโฆ the one that hit me the second I barged into Ricardo's room. I hadn't meant to walk in at that exact moment, but damn. The sight of him standing there, naked, his cock hard and unapologeticโฆHell.I wasnโt into men. Never had been. But for some goddamn reason, my mind refused to settle.I exhaled sharply, rubbing my jaw as I signaled one of my most trusted men. He stepped forward, waiting for my order."Follow the doctor," I murmured, keeping my voice low. "Stay out of sight. Make sure he doesnโt suspect anything."The man nodded and slipped away without another word.I sat down, exhaling slowly. My body felt tenseโฆ more tense than it should be. I ran a hand down my face, willing my thoughts to move on, but it was no use.Because now, as I sat there thinking about the damn doctor, my cock was already hard again.Damn it.My hand moved almost on its own, slipping beneath the waistband of my trousers.My fingers
RYAN "You want me to do what?"Lucas leaned against his desk. "You heard me. I want you to get close to Rafael. Learn about him. And when the time is right, come back and tell me how to win his heart."I blinked, waiting for him to say he was joking. When he didnโt, I let out a sharp laugh. "Yeah, no. Thatโs not happening. Why the hell would I do that?"Lucas exhaled, his fingers drumming against the desk. "Because Iโve been secretly in love with Rafael for years, although he wasn't into guys. And for a long time, no one heard a damn thing about him. People thought he was dead. But now, heโs back."I shook my head. "Thatโs your problem, not mine."Lucas narrowed his eyes. "It is your problem, Ryan. Because this might be your one chance to find out the truth about your motherโs murder."That made me freeze."What?"Lucas stepped forward, his voice dropping to a whisper. "Ricardo and Rafael know something. One of them ordered the hit. If it was Ricardo, Iโll handle it. But if it was Ra
RYANโNo! Stop!โ I roared, stepping in front of Bella before any of Ricardoโs men could make a move. โShe didnโt do anything wrong.โRicardo arched a brow. โSheโs a doctor,โ I continued. โYou said I needed to recruit someone for the hospital, right? Thatโs exactly what I was doing.โRicardo lifted his head slightly, then, without a word, he started walking toward me with slow, calculated steps that sent my pulse hammering.Closer.Too close.I clenched my jaw as he stopped just inches away, so near that I could feel his breath ghosting over my face. My heart pounded, not out of fear, but something else. Something I couldnโt even name.Ricardo chuckled lowly. โYouโve got balls, Ryan. You think youโre smart, donโt you?โMy throat tightened.Oh, God.Had he figured it out? Did he know the real reason I was here?The silence stretched between us, and I was waiting for the worse to happen.But then, Ricardo smirked. โI know youโre just trying to recruit your little girlfriend to work for m
RYANThe smirk vanished.The air in the room shifted, thick with tension.Ricardo wiped the corner of his mouth, checking for blood. Then, slowly, he looked up at me.And then, he grinned.โWell,โ he mused, cracking his knuckles. โNow weโre talking.โI clenched my fists at my sides, my pulse hammering. Every instinct screamed at me to stay on guard, to be ready for whatever he had planned next. But instead of lunging at me, Ricardo leaned back against his desk, โI like it,โ he said, lifting his head. โDidnโt know you had that in you.โI gritted my teeth. โDonโt try that stunt with me again,โ I snapped, my voice sharper than I intended. โIโm here to help, not to be your damn punching bag. Iโm your damn doctor, and you need me.โRicardoโs smirk didnโt waver. If anything, it widened. โNeed, huh? Thatโs a strong word.โI rolled my shoulders, pushing down the frustration bubbling inside me. โWell, if you donโt, why did you ask me to stay?โRicardo didnโt reply, instead he studied me for a
ELENAI looked at Rafael, and for a split second, the disgust Iโd been suppressing twisted inside me like bile rising up my throat.Almost everyone in this godforsaken house reeked of secretsโฆ rotten motives, false loyalties, and buried truths so deep they thought no one would dig them up. Ricardo with his obsession for control. Marco, pretending to be harmless while cloaked in shadows. Bella, hiding behind silence and feigned concern. Even Rafael wasnโt left out.I forced a breath, composing myself before the emotions showed on my face. I had to stay sharp.Rafael was still staring at me, waiting.โItโs Marco,โ I said flatly.His eyes widened. โWhat?โHis thoughts screamed louder than his voice;Who the hell was this girl, and how did she know it was him? See her here spouting nonsense.I almost laughed. Idiot. He didnโt even try to hide his disbelief.I forced a small smile instead. โYes. Marco. Itโs him.โHe opened his mouth, probably to challenge me again, but I turned away. โCom
RAFAELI tried to stand up, but the room tilted violently around me."Damn it," I muttered, clutching my head as a wave of dizziness nearly knocked me over. I collapsed back onto the mattress, groaning as a sharp pain exploded at the back of my skull.What the hell?I sat up slowly this time, blinking through the blur in my vision until the outlines of my room came into focus.Waitโฆ this is my bed.How did I get here?And then it hit me.Ricardo.His men.He really ordered them to knock me out?What the actual hell is wrong with him?I reached back and touched the throbbing spot behind my head, my fingers coming away sticky with half-dried blood. A growl rumbled in my throat.Ryan.My heart leapt.Shitโฆ Ryan.I swung my legs off the bed, ready to jump up and storm outโฆAnd froze.There was someone sitting by the window.A woman.She was perched on the armrest of the sofa, legs crossed, staring out into the garden โWho the hell are you?โ I snapped, still too disoriented to filter my to
RYANRicardo didnโt answer me.Instead, he turned slightly and snapped his fingers at one of the guards standing by the door."Bring in the chef," he barked, and that made my stomach twist tighter.A few seconds later, the door swung open again and in rushed a woman in a white chef's jacket, her hands trembling, her eyes darting between me and Ricardo like she already knew she was standing in the middle of a war zone."Tell him," Ricardo growled. "Tell Ryan exactly what you told me."The chef swallowed hard, wringing her hands."Iโฆ" she squeaked, then cleared her throat and tried again."Yesterday, while I was taking Ricardo's dinner up to his room... Ryan stopped me in the hallway."I stiffened."What?" I said sharply, but she didnโt even glance at me."He said..." she continued, voice shaking, "he said Ricardo had ordered something special for the night. That heโฆ Ryanโฆ had made changes to the meal based on Ricardo's new preference."She squeezed her eyes shut for half a second, as i
RYANThe crack of it echoed off the sterile walls.My head snapped to the side from the force of the slap.I let out a low whistle under my breath, slowly turning my face back toward her."What the hell do you take me for, Ryan?" she spat, her chest heaving."You think I'm some replaceable toy you can just toss aside when you're bored? You dare bring a replacement for me right under my nose?"Her voice was shaking with anger, I kept my face unreadable, even as my jaw tensed.She jabbed a finger into my chest. "Iโm done playing by your rules. You hear me? I'm going to Ricardo. I'm telling him everything I know."A slow, dangerous smile crept across my lips."Okay, you're free to do that.โ I said casually.Bellaโs eyes widened, thrown by how calm I was."Yeah," I said, leaning down a little so we were eye-level. "Go ahead, Bella. Run to Ricardo. Tell him everything."I let the words hang for a beat, then added. "And when you do, I'll make sure he knows that you were the one who installe
RYANThe shrill ring of my phone jolted me out of sleep.Groaning, I slapped around blindly on the nightstand, knocking over a half-empty water bottle and a pack of gum before finally snagging the vibrating device.I squinted at the screen, my brain still foggy.Elena.Who the hell is Elena?Oh. Right.The doctor.The pretty lady with perfect aim who I somehow convinced yesterday to work for me.I thumbed the green button and pressed the phone to my ear."Yeah?" My voice came out rough and groggy."Hey," Elena said brightly. "Iโm at the gate."For a second, my brain struggled to compute what she meant.Gate? What gate?Then it clicked.The building."Shit. Uhโฆ right," I mumbled, sitting up and scrubbing a hand over my face. "Give me a sec. Iโm coming."I ended the call and let the phone fall onto the bed beside me.For a moment, I just sat there, blinking into the dim light of my room, still half-asleep and fully stunned.She actually came.She actually agreed.Even after I told her s
RYAN"Marco," I said, "I don't trust him."Ricardo frowned, looking confused. "What are you talking about?"I sat up a little, rubbing the back of my neck. "I don't know exactly. It's just... I've been seeing some weird behavior lately. Feels off."Ricardo let out a short laugh, shaking his head like I was being ridiculous. "You're overthinking it, pretty boy. Marcoโs been with me for years. Him and Matteo... before Matteo decided to be a backstabbing little shit."He chuckled again, but softer this time. "I can vouch for Marco. Or maybe itโs just his cold-ass demeanor. Heโs always been like that. Makes you feel like he's planning to kill you in your sleep when heโs really just deciding what sandwich he wants."I gave a tight smile, but inside, my stomach twisted.Oh, if only you knew, I thought grimly.If only you knew who Marco really isโฆ what he really wants from you."Alright," I said, forcing lightness into my voice as I stretched my arms overhead. "If you say so, bossman. But I
LUCAS"WHAT THE FUCK HAPPENED?!" I roared, sweeping my arm across the table and sending everything crashing to the groundโฆ glasses, plates, bottles, papersโฆ all of it. Shattering, splintering.I grabbed the edge of the table, slamming it again, my chest heaving like I couldn't fucking breathe.How?How the fuck did this happen?We were ready. We had the numbers. We had the fucking plan.And still...Dead.Most of them fucking dead.The ones that survived? Barely breathing.Matteo...Matteo was hanging by a fucking thread in some hospital bed, and I didnโt even know if he was going to wake up.My fists smashed into the wall before I could stop myself.A loud crack.Pain shot up my arm, but I welcomed it. Needed it.Blood ran down my knuckles, dripping onto the floor, but it barely registered.Where the fuck do I start?Where the fuck do I even start picking up the pieces?I pressed my forehead to the cold, cracked wall, my chest shaking, rage burning a hole straight through me.And th
RYANI shifted onto my elbow, smirking down at him."You know what would really even the score, pretty boy?"Ricardo raised an eyebrow, still catching his breath."Oh yeah? Whatโs that?"I grinned slow and wicked."You. Naked."His eyes widenedโฆ just for a second, before he gave a low chuckle, like he hadn't expected me to say that out loud.Like he shouldโve known better."Strip for me," I said, voice dropping to a growl. "Now."Ricardoโs mouth parted slightly, surprised, but the spark in his eyes said he wasnโt about to say no.He held my gaze as he hooked his thumbs into the waistband of his pants and slid them down, revealing everything.I sat back, savoring every damn second.God, he was gorgeous.Ricardo, the fucking Mafia boss, all ruthless and cold outside these walls, but hereโฆwith meโฆhe was pliant.I reached over to the nightstand, pulling out the black silk rope Iโd hidden there earlierโฆ a little surprise I hadn't been sure I'd get to use tonight.Ricardoโs eyes moved to
RICARDOI cracked my eyes open and stared at the ceiling, feeling... good.Better than good.For the first time in what felt like forever, there was no fever crawling under my skin, no fog clouding my head.Just... me.Me, and this ridiculous, giddy feeling fluttering in my chest like a damn teenager.I grinned to myself, stretching lazily across the bed.Today was the day.Ryan had promisedโฆ a real show.And God, after everything, I couldn't wait to see him strip just for me.I grabbed my phone off the nightstand, my thumbs fumbling a little with excitement as I pulled up Ryanโs contact and hit call.It barely rang once before he picked up."Morning, pretty boy," Ryan's voice came through the speaker, still thick with sleep and low enough to make my toes curl. "You okay?""Better than okay," I said, my grin widening. "Feel like a goddamn superhero."Ryan chuckled, and the sound sent a shiver down my spine."I'll be there in a few minutes," he responded. "Sit tight for me.""Wasnโt pl