MasukCHAPTER THIRTEEN — AFTER THE KISS
For a long moment, Amara couldn’t breathe.Not because she lacked air—but because Dante’s lips were still ghosting over hers, a warm memory that refused to fade. The world around them felt suspended, like even the rain outside the window had paused just to watch.Her heart slammed against her ribs.Dante slowly pulled back, his breath unsteady. His hand was still cupping her cheek, thumb brushing her skin like he was memorizing her.Their eyes met.For the first time since she met him, Dante didn’t look intimidating, powerful, or distant.He looked… human.And confused.Very, very confused.Amara swallowed hard. “Dante… why did you—”He stood abruptly, running a hand through his hair. “I don’t know.”But he did know. She could see it on his face, in the way he refused to look at her.He was fighting himself.Dante Valerio—theCHAPTER TWENTY-ONE — THE WATCHER IN THE DARKNight settled heavy over the mansion, but sleep did not come.Not for Amara.Not for Dante.And not for the shadow waiting outside.Dante ordered double security. Every guard on shift. Every camera updated. Every entrance locked.But even with all that, he kept Amara close—so close their shoulders brushed as they walked down the hall.“Stay in my room tonight,” he said simply.Amara’s breath caught.Not because of the room…But because he didn’t ask.He needed her near.“Dante, I—”“It’s not optional,” he added quietly. “Someone broke into my penthouse searching for you. I’m not letting anything happen to you.”His voice held something she rarely heard—fear.Not for himself.For her.She swallowed and nodded.---THE ROOMDante’s bedroom was enormous—dark walls,
CHAPTER TWENTY — THE PRICE OF TRUTHThe night felt too quiet.Too controlled.Too unnatural.Dante’s private mansion—usually a fortress of glass, steel, and silent security—felt like it was holding its breath as Amara walked through the halls beside him. Guards in black moved like shadows, their faces tight, their hands on their earpieces.Someone had broken into the penthouse.Someone who came looking for her.Amara’s heart thudded in her ears.“Dante…” she whispered.He didn’t slow down. His jaw was locked, steps sharp and lethal. “You’re safe now. That’s all that matters.”But Amara wasn’t convinced.Not when she’d seen the security footage.Not when she’d seen the intruder’s blurred figure moving with chilling precision through Dante’s private floor—her floor now.And not when she realized the person didn’t take money, files, or valuables.They searc
CHAPTER NINETEEN — BLOOD ON THE FLOOR** The front door shuddered under a powerful hit. Once. Twice. A third time—hard enough to shake dust from the ceiling. Amara clutched the back of Dante’s shirt, her breath trembling against his shoulder. He didn’t look back at her, but the way his fingers tightened around his gun told her everything: He was ready to kill for her. And die for her. **CRACK.** The doorframe splintered. Dante shifted his stance, positioning himself slightly in front of her so that his body covered hers completely. “Keep your head down,” he whispered. Amara nodded, sinking lower behind him. Her heart hammered so loudly she could barely hear anything else. Another hit. Another. Then— **The door crashed inward.** But the man who stepped through wasn’t wearing the rough mask of a street criminal. He wor
CHAPTER EIGHTEEN — THE SHADOW IN THE TREESThe alarm beeped again, louder this time.MOTION DETECTED — NORTH SIDEAmara’s heart slammed against her ribs.Dante moved immediately, pulling her behind him, his entire body coiled tight like a predator ready to strike.“Stay here,” he whispered.“No,” she whispered back, grabbing his arm. “I’m not letting you go out there alone.”For a moment, Dante looked torn—between the man who guarded his world with violence, and the man who wanted to shield her from everything ugly inside it.Then he reached out, cupped her face gently, and pressed his forehead to hers.“I can’t protect you if you’re in danger,” he murmured.“And I can’t breathe if I don’t know you’re safe,” she whispered back.Their breaths mingled in the dark.He closed his eyes, his voice breaking with something raw.“Amara…”A sound cracked outside—a
CHAPTER SEVENTEEN — THE SAFEHOUSE AT MIDNIGHTThe drive out of the city was silent.Not cold.Not awkward.Just… charged.Dante kept one hand on the steering wheel and the other resting close to Amara’s seat, as if ready to shield her at any second. His eyes stayed on the road, but Amara could feel it—his attention was wrapped around her like an invisible armor.“Where are we going?” she finally asked.“To a place no one knows exists,” Dante said quietly.“And why take me there?” she whispered.He didn’t answer immediately.His jaw flexed. His grip tightened slightly.“Because I won’t risk losing you,” he said at last.Not as a boss.Not as a benefactor.But as something more.Amara’s heart beat unevenly.They drove for nearly an hour, leaving behind the bright city lights and trading them for winding roads thick with trees. Finally, Dante turned into a se
CHAPTER SIXTEEN — THE INTRUDER’S MESSAGEAmara stood alone in the surveillance room long after Dante left. The lights hummed softly above her, but the chill in her bones had nothing to do with the air conditioning.Someone broke into the penthouse for her.Not Dante.Not the company.Not money.Her.She wrapped her arms around herself, suddenly wishing Dante had stayed. His presence had become something she relied on without realizing it—his steadiness, his warmth, his certainty.Before she could gather her breath, the door slid open.It wasn’t Dante.It was Verena.Her heels clicked sharply on the floor as she stepped inside, arms crossed, red lips curved in something like satisfaction.“So,” Verena drawled, “you’ve caused quite the disaster, haven’t you?”Amara stiffened. “This isn’t the time.”“Oh, I think it’s the perfect time.” Verena leaned against the







