The clock on the wall ticked steadily, marking the passage of time with a quiet menace. Camilla stood by the window, her gaze sweeping over the city below, but her thoughts were elsewhere—on the betrayal that had been unearthed.Riccardo had led them to the small, isolated building on the outskirts of the city. The moment he received the information, everything else had ceased to matter. The mole had been found. But it wasn’t just anyone. It was someone within Riccardo’s closest circle, someone who had been feeding information to the Council for months.“Are you ready?” Riccardo’s voice broke through her thoughts, low and steady.She turned to find him standing in the doorway, his expression unreadable. The sharpness in his eyes told her everything she needed to know—this wasn’t going to be easy, and it wasn’t going to be clean.“Who is it?” Camilla asked, her voice steady, though her heart was pounding.Riccardo hesitated, his lips curling into a slight grimace. “Isadora.”Camilla fe
The heavy scent of leather and whiskey lingered in the air as Camilla leaned back in the plush chair, her eyes never leaving Dante. His dark presence filled the room like a storm waiting to break. It had been hours since the confrontation with Isadora, but the silence between them was thick with unspoken words.Riccardostood by the window, staring out at the skyline, his expression unreadable. The moonlight bathed his face in a soft, pale glow, highlighting the hard lines of his jaw, the sharp angles of his face. He was a man made of contradictions—unbreakable yet haunted, ruthless yet strangely protective.“I never thought I’d be here,” Camilla said softly, breaking the silence. Her voice was steady, but there was a tinge of uncertainty beneath the surface. “I never thought I’d be standing here, in this world… with you.”Dante’s eyes flicked to hers, his gaze sharp and assessing. “And yet, here you are. You’ve come this far, Camilla. Don’t question it now.”She felt a pang in her che
The city outside the penthouse window gleamed with cold lights, the shadows long and stretching, like the dark tendrils of the life Camilla was slowly growing accustomed to. Riccardo stood beside her, his presence as heavy as the night air itself. He had remained mostly silent since their conversation earlier, but Camilla could feel the shift in the room—a tension that buzzed like static, threatening to overwhelm them both.She stood by the window, her gaze fixed on the skyline, though her mind was elsewhere. Riccardo’s words still echoed in her head. This world, his world, was now her world too. And the more she learned, the more she saw the fine line between surviving and thriving in it.“You look lost in thought,” Riccardo’s voice broke the silence, sharp and commanding as always. His tone didn’t carry any warmth, but it didn’t need to. In this world, it was the silence that spoke the loudest.“I’m thinking,” Camilla replied, her voice steady, though her insides were a storm of que
The room was suffocating. It wasn’t the weight of the air or the dim, artificial lighting, but the tension that seemed to wrap around Camilla like a vice. Riccardo had warned her—the game was changing, and now she could feel the shift in the very marrow of her bones.They had moved past small tests and petty challenges. This was no longer about securing a seat at the table—it was about taking the throne. And Camilla was beginning to realize just how dangerous the climb would be.She sat at the head of a long, polished table in the private conference room, surrounded by Riccardo’s inner circle. Seven men and one woman were gathered in the room, each of them watching her with a mix of respect and calculation. It was the same look they had given her during her first meeting, but this time, it was different. She wasn’t just a newcomer anymore. She was a force to be reckoned with.Riccardo stood beside her, his presence towering over the rest. His stoic expression gave nothing away, but Ca
Camilla stood at the balcony of their penthouse later that night, the cool breeze brushing against her skin. The city stretched out below her like a glittering battlefield, every light a reminder of the war she had just declared. Inside, she could hear the faint murmurs of Riccardo on a call, likely dealing with the inevitable fallout of today’s meeting.For a moment, she allowed herself a breath—a single heartbeat of vulnerability. Then the door behind her clicked open.She didn’t turn, but she felt Riccardo’s presence immediately, electric and magnetic. He didn’t say anything right away, just stood there, watching her.“You made waves today,” he said finally, voice low.“That was the point.”A beat of silence stretched between them. Then he stepped forward, coming to stand beside her. His hand brushed her waist, possessive but steady.“They’ll test you harder now,” Riccardo said. “Mateo, Sabrina, the rest. You challenged their loyalty to me by standing as my equal.”“I didn’t challe
The Falcone estate buzzed with an energy that was almost feral. Security doubled at every entrance. Armed guards posted at the gates. Every servant and staff member was vetted, cleared, and watched.Camilla stepped into the grand hall with Riccardo by her side, her heels clicking against the marble floor. Tonight was more than a social gathering. It was a show of force.A reminder to everyone that Camilla Knight was no pawn.The room was filled with powerful figures—captains, lieutenants, allies who controlled entire slices of the underworld. Men and women who had built empires from blood and ruin. And every single one of them turned to look at her the moment she entered.Some with curiosity.Some with calculation.And some with barely veiled hostility.Riccardo’s fingers brushed the small of her back—silent encouragement. Camilla straightened her shoulders, lifted her chin, and let the silence stretch for one heavy, dangerous beat.Then she moved forward, owning the room like it had
Morning came cloaked in a heavy, gray mist that curled along the edges of the Falcone estate. Camilla stood by the tall windows of the bedroom, watching as the sun fought a losing battle against the clouds.It matched her mood perfectly.She hadn’t slept much. Every creak of the old house, every whisper of the wind against the windows, kept her on edge. The anonymous note replayed in her mind again and again.We know your secrets. You can’t hide behind him forever.Someone was targeting her specifically—not just Riccardo. And she needed to figure out who before they made their next move.Behind her, the door creaked open, and Riccardo stepped in, his shirt unbuttoned, his hair still damp from the shower.“They’ll regret putting you on edge,” he said, voice rough from sleep but edged with violence.She turned to face him, arms crossed. “We can’t just react. We need to be smarter than them.”A slow, proud smile curved Riccardo’s mouth. “Already ahead of you, angel.”He crossed the room,
The night air was thick with the salt of the nearby ocean as Camilla and Riccardo pulled up to the abandoned docks. Warehouse Twelve loomed ahead of them, a crumbling skeleton of rusted metal and broken glass.It felt like walking straight into the jaws of a beast.But Camilla didn’t flinch.She had Riccardo at her side—and more importantly, she had a mission.The black SUV came to a smooth stop a few blocks away. Marco was behind the wheel, stone-faced as ever. Luca sat in the passenger seat, double-checking his gun.“Radio check,” Luca said. “You’re both wired. We’ll be listening.”Camilla nodded, adjusting the tiny earpiece in her ear. Her fingers brushed the sleek black holster hidden beneath her leather jacket, the weight of her pistol a familiar comfort.“Try not to get killed,” Marco said gruffly, eyes flicking to the rearview mirror to meet Camilla’s gaze.She smirked. “No promises.”Riccardo opened the door and stepped out, hand instinctively reaching for Camilla’s as she fol
The air inside the Bellamy Estate crackled with a strange kind of electricity.Every polished laugh, every whispered deal was a layer of deceit stretched taut over a powder keg—and Camilla could feel it ready to blow.Riccardo moved through the crowd with predator-like precision, while Camilla, poised and deadly, made her way toward the back of the ballroom where the private auctions were taking place.Her heartbeat thundered in her ears as she slipped into character.Not Camilla the pawn.Not even Camilla the survivor.No.Tonight, she was Camilla Falcone.A queen.And she would burn anyone who thought they could use her.She flashed a smile at a passing security guard, her presence so disarming he barely noticed when she palmed the access card from his jacket.She made her way to the staff corridors, heels clicking sharply on marble, adrenaline sharpening her senses.She wasn’t just part of Riccardo’s plan.She was the plan.Meanwhile, Riccardo cornered a man near the open bar—a wea
Camilla stared into the darkness long after the Broker’s car disappeared into the night.The cold wind sliced through her jacket, but she barely felt it. Her mind was racing, struggling to process what she had just seen.It couldn’t be him.It shouldn’t be him.But it was.Someone she thought had vanished from her life—someone she never wanted to see again.Her hands trembled slightly as she touched the transmitter hidden under her shirt.“Riccardo,” she whispered, voice tight. “It’s someone I know.”“We’re coming to you,” his voice snapped through the earpiece. “Stay put.”Seconds later, headlights flooded the parking lot. Riccardo’s black SUV screeched to a halt, the door flying open as he jumped out, gun in hand, eyes scanning the empty space around her.He was at her side in an instant, gripping her arms.“Are you hurt?” he demanded.She shook her head numbly.Marco and Luca flanked them, weapons raised, covering the perimeter.But the threat was already gone.“He knew me, Riccard
The night air was thick with the salt of the nearby ocean as Camilla and Riccardo pulled up to the abandoned docks. Warehouse Twelve loomed ahead of them, a crumbling skeleton of rusted metal and broken glass.It felt like walking straight into the jaws of a beast.But Camilla didn’t flinch.She had Riccardo at her side—and more importantly, she had a mission.The black SUV came to a smooth stop a few blocks away. Marco was behind the wheel, stone-faced as ever. Luca sat in the passenger seat, double-checking his gun.“Radio check,” Luca said. “You’re both wired. We’ll be listening.”Camilla nodded, adjusting the tiny earpiece in her ear. Her fingers brushed the sleek black holster hidden beneath her leather jacket, the weight of her pistol a familiar comfort.“Try not to get killed,” Marco said gruffly, eyes flicking to the rearview mirror to meet Camilla’s gaze.She smirked. “No promises.”Riccardo opened the door and stepped out, hand instinctively reaching for Camilla’s as she fol
Morning came cloaked in a heavy, gray mist that curled along the edges of the Falcone estate. Camilla stood by the tall windows of the bedroom, watching as the sun fought a losing battle against the clouds.It matched her mood perfectly.She hadn’t slept much. Every creak of the old house, every whisper of the wind against the windows, kept her on edge. The anonymous note replayed in her mind again and again.We know your secrets. You can’t hide behind him forever.Someone was targeting her specifically—not just Riccardo. And she needed to figure out who before they made their next move.Behind her, the door creaked open, and Riccardo stepped in, his shirt unbuttoned, his hair still damp from the shower.“They’ll regret putting you on edge,” he said, voice rough from sleep but edged with violence.She turned to face him, arms crossed. “We can’t just react. We need to be smarter than them.”A slow, proud smile curved Riccardo’s mouth. “Already ahead of you, angel.”He crossed the room,
The Falcone estate buzzed with an energy that was almost feral. Security doubled at every entrance. Armed guards posted at the gates. Every servant and staff member was vetted, cleared, and watched.Camilla stepped into the grand hall with Riccardo by her side, her heels clicking against the marble floor. Tonight was more than a social gathering. It was a show of force.A reminder to everyone that Camilla Knight was no pawn.The room was filled with powerful figures—captains, lieutenants, allies who controlled entire slices of the underworld. Men and women who had built empires from blood and ruin. And every single one of them turned to look at her the moment she entered.Some with curiosity.Some with calculation.And some with barely veiled hostility.Riccardo’s fingers brushed the small of her back—silent encouragement. Camilla straightened her shoulders, lifted her chin, and let the silence stretch for one heavy, dangerous beat.Then she moved forward, owning the room like it had
Camilla stood at the balcony of their penthouse later that night, the cool breeze brushing against her skin. The city stretched out below her like a glittering battlefield, every light a reminder of the war she had just declared. Inside, she could hear the faint murmurs of Riccardo on a call, likely dealing with the inevitable fallout of today’s meeting.For a moment, she allowed herself a breath—a single heartbeat of vulnerability. Then the door behind her clicked open.She didn’t turn, but she felt Riccardo’s presence immediately, electric and magnetic. He didn’t say anything right away, just stood there, watching her.“You made waves today,” he said finally, voice low.“That was the point.”A beat of silence stretched between them. Then he stepped forward, coming to stand beside her. His hand brushed her waist, possessive but steady.“They’ll test you harder now,” Riccardo said. “Mateo, Sabrina, the rest. You challenged their loyalty to me by standing as my equal.”“I didn’t challe
The room was suffocating. It wasn’t the weight of the air or the dim, artificial lighting, but the tension that seemed to wrap around Camilla like a vice. Riccardo had warned her—the game was changing, and now she could feel the shift in the very marrow of her bones.They had moved past small tests and petty challenges. This was no longer about securing a seat at the table—it was about taking the throne. And Camilla was beginning to realize just how dangerous the climb would be.She sat at the head of a long, polished table in the private conference room, surrounded by Riccardo’s inner circle. Seven men and one woman were gathered in the room, each of them watching her with a mix of respect and calculation. It was the same look they had given her during her first meeting, but this time, it was different. She wasn’t just a newcomer anymore. She was a force to be reckoned with.Riccardo stood beside her, his presence towering over the rest. His stoic expression gave nothing away, but Ca
The city outside the penthouse window gleamed with cold lights, the shadows long and stretching, like the dark tendrils of the life Camilla was slowly growing accustomed to. Riccardo stood beside her, his presence as heavy as the night air itself. He had remained mostly silent since their conversation earlier, but Camilla could feel the shift in the room—a tension that buzzed like static, threatening to overwhelm them both.She stood by the window, her gaze fixed on the skyline, though her mind was elsewhere. Riccardo’s words still echoed in her head. This world, his world, was now her world too. And the more she learned, the more she saw the fine line between surviving and thriving in it.“You look lost in thought,” Riccardo’s voice broke the silence, sharp and commanding as always. His tone didn’t carry any warmth, but it didn’t need to. In this world, it was the silence that spoke the loudest.“I’m thinking,” Camilla replied, her voice steady, though her insides were a storm of que
The heavy scent of leather and whiskey lingered in the air as Camilla leaned back in the plush chair, her eyes never leaving Dante. His dark presence filled the room like a storm waiting to break. It had been hours since the confrontation with Isadora, but the silence between them was thick with unspoken words.Riccardostood by the window, staring out at the skyline, his expression unreadable. The moonlight bathed his face in a soft, pale glow, highlighting the hard lines of his jaw, the sharp angles of his face. He was a man made of contradictions—unbreakable yet haunted, ruthless yet strangely protective.“I never thought I’d be here,” Camilla said softly, breaking the silence. Her voice was steady, but there was a tinge of uncertainty beneath the surface. “I never thought I’d be standing here, in this world… with you.”Dante’s eyes flicked to hers, his gaze sharp and assessing. “And yet, here you are. You’ve come this far, Camilla. Don’t question it now.”She felt a pang in her che