LOGINViola’s POVThen I lifted the cigar to my mouth again, refusing to let him see how deeply his words had landed.“I'm alive and well, aren't I?”“Yes.” His gaze travelled over my face, lingering on the places where the past had left its marks. “Alive, but damaged.”The word cut through me.Damaged.As if he had any right to judge what I had survived.I slid off his lap and stood before him, the shirt hanging loosely around my thighs.“You know, you were such a fool to give Roman that flash drive,” he continued. “You were so in love with him that you were willing to do anything for him.”“You betrayed people, risked your life, and handed him information that could have destroyed you.”“He was worth it.”“Was he?”I said nothing.Xavier leaned back, watching me with the cold patience of a man who had spent his entire life studying other people's weaknesses.“That's the problem with women,” he said. “You let love make decisions for you. You let lust blind you, and when your heart gets inv
Viola POV“No, we're not, Viola. Like I said, I'm old, and I don't have the energy for your shenanigans.”I stared at Xavier Bellini, sprawled comfortably beside me as though he hadn't just left me frustrated and unsatisfied.“Oh, please. Don't give me that bullshit. I know you, Xavier.”“I've seen you hold a gun to someone's head without blinking, and I've watched you hunt down men who betrayed you like the devil himself was chasing you.”I propped myself up on one elbow, giving him a pointed look.“You have all the energy in the world when you're tracking down someone you want to kill, but you can't fuck me a second time? That's ridiculous.”His mouth twitched.“You have a sharp mouth, don't you?”“And you have one hell of a big cock that you can't seem to use.”His eyebrows shot up. “Careful, viola.”“Or what? You'll give me another lecture about how old you are?”He let out a low, disbelieving laugh before shaking his head.“Having a big cock and having the stamina to use it are t
Viola POVI reached for the bottle resting between us, the glass cool against my palm. He took it first, brought it to his lips, and took a slow sip. Then he held it to my mouth, tilting it gently. I parted my lips and gulped it down, the whole thing, the burn sliding down my throat, warm and sharp."That's a lot, Viola." His voice was low, the corner of his mouth lifting. "You don't want to get knocked out, do you?"I wiped my lip with the back of my hand. "Maybe while you're inside me, you can knock me out, I'll take that."He hummed, the sound rolling from somewhere deep in his chest. "Are you sure about that?""Very much."I pulled from his lap, his hands releasing me without resistance. I moved back a step, putting just enough distance between us. My fingers found the edge of my panties first, and I slid them down slowly, over my thighs, past my knees, stepping out of them. Then the long zipper at the front of my dress. I pulled it down, inch by inch, and let the fabric fall t
Roman’s POVMy words came out cold and her brows drew together. “Yes. I meant it. What about it?”“I can make that happen now, if you're still willing to go.”“Wait, like now?” She stared at me. “Roman, why the rush? Tell me what happened. Is it my father?”“No. It's Charles.”Her expression changed immediately.“He has Gianna.”Raina went still, her arms tightening around the baby. “Gianna? Your girlfriend?”I hesitated for a moment before nodding.“Yes. My girlfriend.” The words felt strange in my mouth, not because they weren't true, but because I had no idea whether Gianna would still want to be called that after everything that had happened between us. “Charles is holding her hostage. I don't know where he's keeping her yet, but he called and demanded that I bring you and the baby to him.”“He wants both of you, and he believes I have no right to claim what isn't mine.”“Oh my God.”Raina covered her mouth, and tears immediately filled her eyes.“I'm so sorry, Roman. I never wan
Gianna’s POVVoices.That was the first thing I heard when consciousness slowly returned to me. Two men were talking somewhere nearby, their voices low but heated enough to cut through the pounding in my head.“How are you damn sure she's the one? You can't just go around kidnapping people, Charles, for fuck's sake! Your brother is a detective!”“I don't care, Nathan. Now listen to me. I don't want to hurt her. I just want to get Raina back.”I tried to move, but something stopped me.My eyes flew open.I was tied to a chair, my wrists bound tightly behind my back, and a cloth gag was secured over my mouth. Panic shot through me as I struggled against the ropes, trying to make sense of where I was and how I had ended up there.Another kidnapping?Was this some kind of sick joke?“How jealous can you possibly be?” the second man demanded. “Raina is with another man who can take care of her. Why can't you leave her alone?”“No! No, you don't understand. Roman Bellini is not that man,
Gianna’s POV“You see, all these years, I had to lay low.”Viola crossed her long legs and reached for the glass of wine sitting on the small table beside her. She swirled the red liquid slowly, watching it stain the sides of the glass before bringing it to her lips.“There were times I wanted to walk straight up to Roman and demand answers for what he did to me.”“There were nights I dreamed about standing in front of him and watching the expression on his face when he realized I was still alive.” Her lips twisted into a bitter smile. “But I couldn't. Not until I was ready.”I watched her carefully, trying to understand how a woman who had supposedly been dead for years could sit in front of me with so much hatred in her eyes and speak about Roman as though she still had a claim over him.“Did he tell you?” she suddenly asked.“Tell me what?”“That he tried to kill me?” Her voice sharpened. “That he killed my family, too?”My stomach tightened.I had heard pieces of Roman's past, b







