āđāļāđāļēāļŠāļđāđāļĢāļ°āļāļāđāļāļĢāđ
Chapter 39: The Edge of Temptation
āļāļĢāļąāļāļāļĢāļļāļāļĨāđāļēāļŠāļļāļ:
2025-04-22 17:57:54
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The Lie that Binds   Chapter 40: Blood and Betrayal
Stefano.The morning heat clung to the Milanese countryside like a shroud. It was thick with tension and the smell of gunpowder enveloped the field. Stefano stood over the body, his jaw tight, his pistol still raised. Smoke curled from the barrel, disappearing into the warm breeze.The manâs blood darkened the dirt beneath him.He had been one of Stefano's own. Trusted. Loyal. Or so he thought.âSelling our weapons to our enemies?â Stefano muttered to himself, fury darkening his features. âAnd skimming off the top for your own pocket?âThe betrayal sliced deep.This wasnât the first. And wouldnât be the last.âIâve buried more of my men this year than I can count,â he said bitterly, addressing the two soldiers standing behind him, both pale, both silent. âEvery time I look into one of their eyes, I wonder whoâs next.âHe stared down at the corpse for a long moment before glancing up. âClear this mess.ââYes, Don De Ricco,â they said in unison, dragging the body away without question.
āļāļĢāļąāļāļāļĢāļļāļāļĨāđāļēāļŠāļļāļ : 2025-04-24The Lie that Binds   Chapter 41: The Consigliere
Marco.Through the hidden door he had installed during the latest round of upgrades to the house, Marco slipped out of her room like a shadow fleeing daylight. His breath caught in his throat, each exhale shaky, his pulse thudding like a war drum in his ears. The hallway was quietâtoo quietâbut he didnât dare slow down. Guilt clawed at his chest with every step as he moved swiftly toward the east wing of the manor, to his private suite tucked far from hers.When he finally pushed open the glass doors to his veranda, the cool night air slapped against his face, awakening his senses with a jolt. He leaned over the railing, gripping it until his knuckles turned white once again, his chest rising and falling in short, sharp bursts.What the hell are you doing, Marco?His reflection in the glass door behind him stared back at him like a silent accusation. This wasnât just a lapse in judgmentâit was betrayal. Not just in thought, but in actionâĶ He had touched her, kissed her with a roughn
āļāļĢāļąāļāļāļĢāļļāļāļĨāđāļēāļŠāļļāļ : 2025-04-24The Lie that Binds   Chapter 42: The Neverland Tour
Serena. She had to act like everything was fineâperfect even. Her smile was light, her posture poised, and her voice delicately threaded with warmth. But beneath the charm, Serenaâs pulse fluttered like a bird trapped in a gilded cage.Stefanoâs eyes were sharp, watching her every expression.âBut why do you look so worried?â she asked, her voice laced with gentle curiosity as she crossed the room toward him.âI had some intense business matters, that's all.â He brushed it off with practiced ease, a ghost of tension still shadowing his words. It was a lieâshe could see it in the flicker behind his dark gaze. But he was alsoâĶ afraid. Not of her. Of something else. Something that might have happened to her. The idea lingered between them unspoken.But just when she thought she had escaped his scrutinizing gaze, she heard him ask. âYour lipsâĶ what happened?â Fuck! That bastard, Marco, had bit me. She shrugged it off, âI dunnoâĶ probably brushed too hard or bit too hard, I don't remembe
āļāļĢāļąāļāļāļĢāļļāļāļĨāđāļēāļŠāļļāļ : 2025-04-25The Lie that Binds   Chapter 44: The De Ricco Armoury
Off to another one.The car sped down a gravel path carved into the mountain's edge, flanked by olive trees and thick wild grass, their leaves rustling softly in the breeze as the wheels kicked up small rocks and dust. The scenery was peacefulâdeceivingly so. Serena sat in the passenger seat as usual, trying to still her hands in her lap. The flower Stefano had bought her earlier still lay on the dashboard, its petals soft and delicate against the cold reality of where they were headed next.Stefano had said little since they left the winery. But the look in his eyesâthe way it had burned when he showed her that hidden world below the vineyardâhad stayed with her. A part of her wondered if she had seen too much. But another partâĶ wanted more.About ten minutes later. "Weâre here," Stefano said, his voice slicing through the quiet.They pulled up to what looked like an abandoned stone chapel nestled into a clearing, its rustic facade blending seamlessly into the surrounding landscape.
āļāļĢāļąāļāļāļĢāļļāļāļĨāđāļēāļŠāļļāļ : 2025-04-26The Lie that Binds   Chapter 43: The Wine That Bleeds Red
Stefano and Serena. The duo got into the car and embarked on a journey to see the source of Stefano's wealth and powerâhis âestablishments.â Legitimate and Illicit included. It was the most delicate moment of Serenaâs mission. Any slip, one wrong look, or one misplaced word, would make him suspicious, crumbling everything immediately.The air between them was thick,tense yet intimate, charged with everything left unsaid. Stefano said nothing, his fingers tapping the wheel in quiet rhythm, his presence a force on its own.Serena sat composed, but inside, her heart raced each time his gaze lingered. The silence, broken only by the hum of the engine, only deepened the pull between them.This silence was no awkward accident. It was more like a warning and a promise that what was to come was dangerous. The winding road eventually opened up to a sweeping estate nestled between the gentle rise of vineyards. Row upon row of lush, deep-green vines stretched across the horizon like veins p
āļāļĢāļąāļāļāļĢāļļāļāļĨāđāļēāļŠāļļāļ : 2025-04-26The Lie that Binds   Chapter 44: The De Ricco Armoury
Off to another one.The car sped down a gravel path carved into the mountain's edge, flanked by olive trees and thick wild grass, their leaves rustling softly in the breeze as the wheels kicked up small rocks and dust. The scenery was peacefulâdeceivingly so. Serena sat in the passenger seat as usual, trying to still her hands in her lap. The flower Stefano had bought her earlier still lay on the dashboard, its petals soft and delicate against the cold reality of where they were headed next.Stefano had said little since they left the winery. But the look in his eyesâthe way it had burned when he showed her that hidden world below the vineyardâhad stayed with her. A part of her wondered if she had seen too much. But another partâĶ wanted more.About ten minutes later. "Weâre here," Stefano said, his voice slicing through the quiet.They pulled up to what looked like an abandoned stone chapel nestled into a clearing, its rustic facade blending seamlessly into the surrounding landscape.
āļāļĢāļąāļāļāļĢāļļāļāļĨāđāļēāļŠāļļāļ : 2025-04-29The Lie that Binds   Chapter 45: The De Ricco Club
The third one was next.They were leaving the countryside now. The city shimmered in the late evening light, buildings painted gold by the setting sun. Stefanoâs car cut through the streets like a sleek panther, and Serenaâs heart beat with an odd blend of anticipation and adrenaline. The farther they got from the countryside, the more she sensed a shift in his energy. He was less guarded now, more primal.It seemed like he tended to enjoy the silence more during the drive. Because he still didnât speak much, but his hand rested on her thigh, thumb brushing slow circles over the fabric of her dress. Possessive. Teasing. As though silently reminding her who she belonged to.After what seemed like forever, they pulled up in front of a building with mirrored glass windows and black marble walls. âDe Ricco Noir,â the silver sign above read. The entrance was velvet-roped and guarded, but as soon as Stefano stepped out, doors opened and heads bowed.This club was nothing like the one theyâd
āļāļĢāļąāļāļāļĢāļļāļāļĨāđāļēāļŠāļļāļ : 2025-04-29The Lie that Binds   Chapter 46: A Dangerous Alliance
The lovebirds went back to the countrysideâStefanoâs hidden territory. Neverland looked the same. Quiet, dreamy and deceptively innocent.But Serena was a mess inside.As Stefanoâs car curved around the final bend to his secret decadent abode, she stared out at the endless, rolling green hills. They looked so serene it made her want to scream. Like the universe itself was mocking herâbeautiful, peaceful, while inside her chest, a hurricane was tearing her apart.She pressed her forehead to the glass, watching droplets of last nightâs rain race across it.God. What was she doing?It wasn't just the intense sexual attraction anymore. Honestly, it never had been, but thats if she'll admit itFalling madly in love with Stefano De Ricco had not been part of the mission objectives. It hadnât even been in the fine print. And yet here she was: heart dangling like a bloody carcass, right over the mouth of a wolf."Talk to me," Stefano broke the silence, his voice low, pulling her from her spir
āļāļĢāļąāļāļāļĢāļļāļāļĨāđāļēāļŠāļļāļ : 2025-04-29
āļāļāļĨāđāļēāļŠāļļāļ
The Lie that Binds   Chapter 48: The Frenemies
MarcoSitting alone in the car garage, Marco leaned back against the hood of the black Maserati and stared at the cracked white ceiling for a while, his mind running circles around itself.What the hell was Stefano thinking?Entrusting delicate, multi-million-dollar business to a woman he'd only just brought into the fold? A woman who was gorgeous enough to scramble any manâs brain at twenty pacesâand who, Marco knew, wasnât just the shy, sweet little thing she pretended to be.No. Serena was something else entirely.Smart. Sharp. Dangerous, if she wanted to be. He could sense it.And Stefanoâthe damn foolâhad paired them together.Trouble. It spelled trouble for him. Big, flashing neon kind.Marco scrubbed a hand down his face, letting out a long sigh. He already knew the fight ahead wasnât just about recovering the stolen RH-57s. No, his real battle was going to be keeping his eyesâand his damn handsâoff her.Focus. Just focus.Maybe...maybe he could make her forgive him. Maybe they
The Lie that Binds   Chapter 47: The Empty House with Heavy Secrets
Still in the diner room.The clink of cutlery and the low hum of morning faded quickly once Stefano left. He kissed Serena goodbye like she was porcelain, with whispered promises heâd be back the next dayâjust needed to âsmooth out some tensionâ with an associate in Palermo.Translation: Someone would either end up dead, paid off, or buried beneath wine barrels.Marco watched the entire thing from behind his coffee, silent. When Stefano left, the entire manor felt like it exhaled with him.Susan had taken the car to the market. The guards, as always, werenât allowed to linger in the estate when Stefano wasnât home. That left her and Marco. Alone. In a house too damn big, too damn quiet, and too full of unspoken history.Serena stood up from the dining table first, scooping up their empty plates and heading toward the kitchen. Her fingers trembled slightly, but she clenched them tight until the trembling stopped.Behind her, she heard Marco push back his chair slowly. The long scrape o
The Lie that Binds   Chapter 46: A Dangerous Alliance
The lovebirds went back to the countrysideâStefanoâs hidden territory. Neverland looked the same. Quiet, dreamy and deceptively innocent.But Serena was a mess inside.As Stefanoâs car curved around the final bend to his secret decadent abode, she stared out at the endless, rolling green hills. They looked so serene it made her want to scream. Like the universe itself was mocking herâbeautiful, peaceful, while inside her chest, a hurricane was tearing her apart.She pressed her forehead to the glass, watching droplets of last nightâs rain race across it.God. What was she doing?It wasn't just the intense sexual attraction anymore. Honestly, it never had been, but thats if she'll admit itFalling madly in love with Stefano De Ricco had not been part of the mission objectives. It hadnât even been in the fine print. And yet here she was: heart dangling like a bloody carcass, right over the mouth of a wolf."Talk to me," Stefano broke the silence, his voice low, pulling her from her spir
The Lie that Binds   Chapter 45: The De Ricco Club
The third one was next.They were leaving the countryside now. The city shimmered in the late evening light, buildings painted gold by the setting sun. Stefanoâs car cut through the streets like a sleek panther, and Serenaâs heart beat with an odd blend of anticipation and adrenaline. The farther they got from the countryside, the more she sensed a shift in his energy. He was less guarded now, more primal.It seemed like he tended to enjoy the silence more during the drive. Because he still didnât speak much, but his hand rested on her thigh, thumb brushing slow circles over the fabric of her dress. Possessive. Teasing. As though silently reminding her who she belonged to.After what seemed like forever, they pulled up in front of a building with mirrored glass windows and black marble walls. âDe Ricco Noir,â the silver sign above read. The entrance was velvet-roped and guarded, but as soon as Stefano stepped out, doors opened and heads bowed.This club was nothing like the one theyâd
The Lie that Binds   Chapter 44: The De Ricco Armoury
Off to another one.The car sped down a gravel path carved into the mountain's edge, flanked by olive trees and thick wild grass, their leaves rustling softly in the breeze as the wheels kicked up small rocks and dust. The scenery was peacefulâdeceivingly so. Serena sat in the passenger seat as usual, trying to still her hands in her lap. The flower Stefano had bought her earlier still lay on the dashboard, its petals soft and delicate against the cold reality of where they were headed next.Stefano had said little since they left the winery. But the look in his eyesâthe way it had burned when he showed her that hidden world below the vineyardâhad stayed with her. A part of her wondered if she had seen too much. But another partâĶ wanted more.About ten minutes later. "Weâre here," Stefano said, his voice slicing through the quiet.They pulled up to what looked like an abandoned stone chapel nestled into a clearing, its rustic facade blending seamlessly into the surrounding landscape.
The Lie that Binds   Chapter 43: The Wine That Bleeds Red
Stefano and Serena. The duo got into the car and embarked on a journey to see the source of Stefano's wealth and powerâhis âestablishments.â Legitimate and Illicit included. It was the most delicate moment of Serenaâs mission. Any slip, one wrong look, or one misplaced word, would make him suspicious, crumbling everything immediately.The air between them was thick,tense yet intimate, charged with everything left unsaid. Stefano said nothing, his fingers tapping the wheel in quiet rhythm, his presence a force on its own.Serena sat composed, but inside, her heart raced each time his gaze lingered. The silence, broken only by the hum of the engine, only deepened the pull between them.This silence was no awkward accident. It was more like a warning and a promise that what was to come was dangerous. The winding road eventually opened up to a sweeping estate nestled between the gentle rise of vineyards. Row upon row of lush, deep-green vines stretched across the horizon like veins p
The Lie that Binds   Chapter 44: The De Ricco Armoury
Off to another one.The car sped down a gravel path carved into the mountain's edge, flanked by olive trees and thick wild grass, their leaves rustling softly in the breeze as the wheels kicked up small rocks and dust. The scenery was peacefulâdeceivingly so. Serena sat in the passenger seat as usual, trying to still her hands in her lap. The flower Stefano had bought her earlier still lay on the dashboard, its petals soft and delicate against the cold reality of where they were headed next.Stefano had said little since they left the winery. But the look in his eyesâthe way it had burned when he showed her that hidden world below the vineyardâhad stayed with her. A part of her wondered if she had seen too much. But another partâĶ wanted more.About ten minutes later. "Weâre here," Stefano said, his voice slicing through the quiet.They pulled up to what looked like an abandoned stone chapel nestled into a clearing, its rustic facade blending seamlessly into the surrounding landscape.
The Lie that Binds   Chapter 42: The Neverland Tour
Serena. She had to act like everything was fineâperfect even. Her smile was light, her posture poised, and her voice delicately threaded with warmth. But beneath the charm, Serenaâs pulse fluttered like a bird trapped in a gilded cage.Stefanoâs eyes were sharp, watching her every expression.âBut why do you look so worried?â she asked, her voice laced with gentle curiosity as she crossed the room toward him.âI had some intense business matters, that's all.â He brushed it off with practiced ease, a ghost of tension still shadowing his words. It was a lieâshe could see it in the flicker behind his dark gaze. But he was alsoâĶ afraid. Not of her. Of something else. Something that might have happened to her. The idea lingered between them unspoken.But just when she thought she had escaped his scrutinizing gaze, she heard him ask. âYour lipsâĶ what happened?â Fuck! That bastard, Marco, had bit me. She shrugged it off, âI dunnoâĶ probably brushed too hard or bit too hard, I don't remembe
The Lie that Binds   Chapter 41: The Consigliere
Marco.Through the hidden door he had installed during the latest round of upgrades to the house, Marco slipped out of her room like a shadow fleeing daylight. His breath caught in his throat, each exhale shaky, his pulse thudding like a war drum in his ears. The hallway was quietâtoo quietâbut he didnât dare slow down. Guilt clawed at his chest with every step as he moved swiftly toward the east wing of the manor, to his private suite tucked far from hers.When he finally pushed open the glass doors to his veranda, the cool night air slapped against his face, awakening his senses with a jolt. He leaned over the railing, gripping it until his knuckles turned white once again, his chest rising and falling in short, sharp bursts.What the hell are you doing, Marco?His reflection in the glass door behind him stared back at him like a silent accusation. This wasnât just a lapse in judgmentâit was betrayal. Not just in thought, but in actionâĶ He had touched her, kissed her with a roughn
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