LOGINNERO POVElara bites her lower lip, hesitation flickering before she finally whispers, “Yes.”A slow smirk tugs at the corner of my mouth. Oh, my. Oh, my. Something dark and primal unfurls in my chest, stretching and clawing.I tilt my head, studying her flushed cheeks and the way she can’t quite meet my eyes. “But that day—”“I lied,” she blurts. “I… I was embarrassed.”Of course she was. A low, rough chuckle rumbles out of me. Out of everything she could possibly be shy about, it’s this. Her innocence. She hates to appear weak that she considers her virginity to be embarrassing. Oh my sweet uccellina.“Are you mad?” she asks, lifting those green eyes to me and searching my face as if afraid of what she’ll find there.I scoff softly and lean in until my breath grazes her mouth. “Mad? It makes me want you even more, uccellina.”The knowledge that I’ll be her first and the only one who has ever had her like this is like a spark on dry tinder. A fierce, possessive satisfaction rolls thr
NERO POVI swallow her sigh, diving back in to show her exactly how much I like the taste.I deepen the kiss, punishing and perfect. I feed on her soft whimpers and drink them down like the finest whiskey. She tastes of rebellion crumbling into submission, and I love every bit of it.My hands roam, needing to map every inch of her that I’ve been denied. I slide my palms down the curve of her spine, gripping her hips and digging my fingers into the soft flesh there.Fuck me. She gasps into my mouth, her nails digging into my shoulders through my shirt, holding on for dear life.I lift her off from the floor, and she yelps as her legs go around my waist. I continue to kiss her wild and hungrily because I can’t have enough as I walk us to the mattress. I don’t bother being gentle as I put her on the bed, following her down and caging her body beneath me.I break the kiss, pulling back just enough to look at her. Her lips are swollen, red, and thoroughly kissed. Her pupils are blown wide,
NERO POVAfter suffering an hour of Luca informing me of the unfinished business I should have handled when I was with Elara, I finally step into the room. I don’t regret my action, staying beside Elara, and I’ll do it in a heartbeat again. I belong by her side, and she belongs by my side. She just has a little catching up to do.The room is shrouded in darkness, split only by the filtering beam of moonlight through the cracks of the curtain. I’m halfway the room when a prickle of awareness teases my back. Immediately, I spin around just as I draw my gun out, pointing it in the direction of the threat.My grip falters and my brows furrow at a disturbed looking Elara with the moonlight illuminating half of her face.The gun in my hand drops to my side, and I take a step forward, concern overriding instinct. “Elara, what is it?”Elara raises a gun, aiming it straight at my chest. “Don’t come closer.” Her hands are trembling around the grip, and her lips are doing the same.My feet halt.
NERO POVI anticipated Elara’s answer before the words tumble out of her sassy pouty lips. “I’m not leaving with you.”I knew she wasn’t going to come with me willingly with a smile on her face. But I don’t care. I’ll drag her back with me if I have to. She belongs by my side. With me. Ever since the night I stumbled upon her, something in me refused to let her go. And I’m not starting now.Vivienne attempts to step between us, but Renzo catches her arm, dragging her down the hall and out of sight. Smart. This isn’t a storm she wants to stand in.“I gave you a closure with your sister, Little Bird.” The words grit through my teeth. “Don’t fight this. It’ll only drain you.”She snaps. “I’m not your prisoner, Nero. I belong here.”My hand curls around her jaw, tilting her head up to meet my gaze. In the depths of her green eyes burn ferv
ELARA POVMy legs bounce uncontrollably on the floor as we await Dr. Kabir.My anxiety has been running high since the dawn of today, and it just keeps going up. My heart is stuck in a perpetual, violent thudding and I can’t stop gasping, no matter how hard I try to calm myself.And there’s a repeated pounding in my head like a hammer.Something grips my shoulder from behind. A callous hand, yet soft on my skin.“Don’t run yourself into a coma before the doctor comes in.” His deep, gravelly voice brushes against my ear.“I can’t help myself.” It’s like there’s a large lump in my throat blocking my airway, causing me to keep gasping.“Shhh.” His hand caresses my jaw. “Breathe.”My eyes shut briefly, drawing in a deep breath.“That’s it.” His voice coaxes me as his hand continue moving around my jaw, my neck, my collarbone
NERO POVMoments later, Elara and her friend are seated in the backseat while Renzo is behind the wheel, driving down the road of Upper East side. Imagine the frenzy of panic I feel when I got home with Renzo to see they are both gone. My first thought was that they have been kidnapped by one of my countless enemies. But a quick check at the tracking chip in Elara’s friend bracelet indicates that it isn’t so and they were just holed up in a club downtown.Then my panic compounded into fury, knowing one of them it the mastermind of this, and it isn’t my Uccellina. Judging by how only one of them dares to look remorse, my guess is right.I scowl at Elara through the rearview mirror and she bites down on that plush lips of hers as if she knows it’ll disarray my train of thoughts. Though I sure that was intentional. I just find every she does very attractive. “What were you thinking?” I bite out.Elara opens h







