LOGINNIKITA’S POVRage surged through me, hot and pure.How dare she speak to me like that? Me? Nikita Salvatore.Even when she was still in her prime and popularly known as Valentino’s pathetic cousin, she wouldn’t have dared open her mouth in my presence.I could feel the scream building in my throat. I wanted to lunge at her, wrap my hands around that smug neck, and squeeze until the light left her eyes.But instead, I inhaled deeply and smiled wider, even though it felt sickeningly fake.After she served her purpose, I’d find a way to erase her from the earth.There could only be one most feared woman in Italy.And it sure as hell wasn’t going to be her.“You’re overthinking,” I said smoothly. “I’m not trying to sweet-talk you. I’m just stating facts.”She sneered. “Boring.”I ignored her and went on. “I need your help. The coronation as the new Donna is two months away. I’ve failed to win Valentino Romano’s heart or loyalty. You know what that will cost me.”“Of course I do, Nikita.”
NIKITA’S POVBianca tilted her head, eyes cold and deadly.“Welcome, Nikita,” she said softly. “You’d better have a damn good reason for showing up unannounced.”I straightened, forcing the fear down.“Oh, cara mia,” I said, smiling softly. “Trust me. I do.”She gave me a slow, lazy once-over, lips curling like she’d just smelled something rotten. Then she scoffed and turned toward the heavy door behind her.“Let her in!”“Yes, Master!”One of the masked hounds stepped forward and clamped his huge palm over my face, plunging me into total darkness.The second one grabbed my arms in a bruising grip.I did not resist.This was one of their rules. And beyond that, these people were trained killing machines. If I moved the wrong way, if I twitched even slightly, a dagger would be buried in my chest before their master could even think to stop them.So I followed like a lost sheep, my feet dragging as they hauled me behind Bianca.They dragged me forward like a lamb to slaughter. Then I he
~Nikita’s POV~I kicked the door open so hard it banged against the wall and bounced back.Pain shot through my throat every time I swallowed, sharp and raw, like someone had scraped it with broken glass.My stomach throbbed where I’d slammed into the railing, ribs aching with every breath.The anger burned through my body hotter than any bruise.I wanted to tear something apart, anything, to make the humiliation stop screaming inside my head.“Decimus!” I screamed, my voice hoarse and ugly.“Decimus, where the hell are you?”Nothing. Just silence.The chamber was dark except for the low lamp by the bed.I stormed toward the closet door just as it swung open.He hurried out with his shirt unbuttoned and hair messy.I let him sleep in the closet, because that’s the room befitting a dog.He dropped to his knees the second he saw my face.“My lady, I’m here.”I paced in front of him angrily.“You won’t believe what just happened,” I spat.“You will not believe what just happened,” I hiss
Valentino’s POVI ignored her, refusing to give her the attention she was seeking so desperately.She went on, circling me and at the same time toying with the hem of her lingerie, flashing her thighs at me.“But look at what she’s done to you. The whole castle has heard about it. She locked you out of your own bedroom. Threw you out like yesterday’s trash. What kind of wife does that to her husband?”My knuckles cracked and whitened around the glass.Bitch.I was dead certain she was behind whatever the hell was happening to my wife right now.If I dug into this and found out she was the one pulling strings, planting poison, turning Alina against me, she would wish she had never set foot in this castle.I promised her that.Nikita finally stopped beside my chair, close enough that her robe brushed my bare arm.“She doesn’t appreciate you,” she murmured in the most seductive voice I had ever heard.My hand tightened around the rum bottle until the glass almost creaked.“You deserve be
Valentino’s POVThe door slammed in my face, and something inside my chest just… broke.Like glass shattering under my ribs, its sharp edges cutting through my skin every time I tried to breathe.I banged on the wood, fist after fist, until my knuckles split open and blood smeared the dark panels.I kept going anyway, kept calling her name until my throat felt dry and my voice weakened into nothing.When the strength finally ran out, I just slid down the door with my forehead pressed to the cold surface and sobbed like a fucking kid.Quiet, ugly sobs that shook my whole body.This wasn’t my Alina.My wife would never look at me like I was nothing, like I was her enemy.She would never lock me out of our room, never scream that she would kill me, kill herself, if I came near her again.Something was wrong. Someone had gotten to her.They definitely threatened her, or blackmailed her.I didn’t know what, but I knew my woman. This wasn’t her.I stayed there a long time, long enough for
Alina’s POVThe silence that followed was worse than any shout. It pressed in, heavy and cold, wrapping around us until the only sound left was our ragged breathing and the faint drip of melting snow from the window ledge outside.Valentino stared at me like I’d just driven a knife into his chest. His eyes, those golden, fierce eyes that usually burned with possession, with love, with fire, went wide, then glassy.I wanted to take it back.Wanted to tell him I didn’t mean any of those words. Wanted to tell him I had my reasons.But I couldn’t.I didn’t.My throat burned and tears kept falling, hot and fast, dripping off my chin onto the floor.Val took one staggering step back, like my words had physical weight. His bare back hit the wall again, harder this time, the thud echoing in the quiet room.“Why?” His voice cracked on the single word.“Alina… why would you say that to me?”He dragged a hand through his hair, fingers trembling. Blood from earlier, still crusted on his knuckle







