LOGINThe black circle of the rifle barrel pointed directly at my forehead.
My lungs locked. In that split second, my whole life flashed past my eyes. I was going to die here, Mrs moretti would blow my head off and that's it, tears welled up in his eyes I saw my mother’s tired smile before she passed away. I saw the endless nights I spent working two jobs, scrubbing floors until my palms ached just to buy Chloe’s medicine. I remembered the heavy smell of flowers at tThe black circle of the rifle barrel pointed directly at my forehead. My lungs locked. In that split second, my whole life flashed past my eyes. I was going to die here, Mrs moretti would blow my head off and that's it, tears welled up in his eyes I saw my mother’s tired smile before she passed away. I saw the endless nights I spent working two jobs, scrubbing floors until my palms ached just to buy Chloe’s medicine. I remembered the heavy smell of flowers at the altar four years ago, the terrifying silence of the church when I walked away from Liam, and the cold leather belt my father used to break my spirit. I was going to die here, in a concrete cellar, completely unloved and discarded like trash. Then Camila burst into a sharp, hysterical laugh. She lowered the rifle, resting the barrel against her knee as she shook her head. "I really wish you could see your face, right now, you stupid cow."
The door flew open, and I scrambled backward across the mattress, pulling the top sheet with me to furiously wipe the sticky mess off my inner thighs. My skin was still flushed, my chest heaving, and my dress completely ruined.A man stepped into the room, holding a silenced pistol. I did not recognize him. He was tall, wearing a clean gray suit, with disheveled hair and a sharp jawline. He paused in the doorway, his eyes taking in my exposed chest, the rucked up dress, and the disheveled bed."I.... I what are you...." I tried to speak, clutching the sheet against my bare breasts."I am Marcus," he said, his voice completely calm despite the chaos downstairs. "Lorenzo's personal assistant. We are under attack by a rival....., gang. I need to take you to the shelter right now.""An attack?" I stammered, my heart slamming against my ribs. "Where is Lia... I mean Lorenzo?""Handling it," Marcus replied smoothly. He looked at my bare shoulders, then down at my trembling legs. He did not
I stared at him. The words hung between us. His fingers stayed firm on the back of my neck. The pressure increased just enough that I felt the warning in it. “Get up,” he said. I rose on shaky legs. My injured foot protested. He kept hold of my wrist and tugged me forward until I stood between his knees. Then he pulled harder. I lost balance and landed across his lap, one thigh on either side of his. The short dress rode higher. His hands settled on my waist and held me there. He leaned in and ran his tongue slowly up the side of my neck. The wet heat made me shiver. I pulled back a fraction. “Stay,” he murmured against my skin. The scolding was soft but absolute. His mouth returned to the same path, licking again, then closing over the pulse point and sucking. One hand slid up and closed over my breast through the thin fabric. He squeezed hard enough that I felt it deep. His thumb found the nipple and circled it until it s
I let go of his hair as if it burned. My fingers opened one by one. Fear had stolen the air from my lungs. I could not speak. The cold metal of the gun still pressed against the small of my back, and every muscle in my body locked. Lorenzo lifted his head from my breast. His mouth was wet. He looked straight into my eyes. The hardness in his face softened for half a second, almost gentle, before it disappeared again. His hands moved to my waist. He lifted me off his lap and set me on my feet in front of him. I stood there shaking. My skin still felt too sensitive. The cool air of the lounge touched the wet places his mouth had left and made me colder. I kept my gaze on the floor. He started unbuttoning his shirt. One button at a time. Slow. Deliberate. His eyes never left my face. I refused to meet them. I watched the fabric part instead. His chest came into view, hard muscle under warm skin, a thin scar near his collarbone I had never se
Lorenzo continued to tend to my injured foot in silence. As his thick fingers spread the cool ointment over my swollen skin, his eyes drifted higher up my legs. He noticed the yellow and purple marks left by my father's belt, along with the bloody scrapes on my wrist from Camila's nails. His face remained hard as a rock, but his jaw clenched tightly. "What are these?" he asked, his voice low and dangerous. "My father," I whispered, keeping my gaze locked on the floor. "He was angry when I did not bring home enough money last week. And the wrist... that was Camila." Lorenzo did not say a word. He reached into the small kit, scooped up more balm, and began to apply it to the other wounds on my legs and arms. His touch was firm, almost mechanical, yet he did not press hard enough to make me flinch. The contrast between his cold eyes and his attentive hands sent a confusing shiver down my spine. Once he finished wrapping a clean white bandage around my foot, he stood up, wiping his h
I stood in the doorway holding the black box long after the guard left. The silk ribbon felt soft under my fingers, almost too nice for whatever waited inside. My foot throbbed with every small shift of weight. The purple swelling had already started to darken around my toes.I carried the box to the narrow bed and set it down. The lid lifted with a quiet creak. Inside lay a short black dress. Thin straps. Soft fabric that clung when I touched it. It covered more than the strings from the club, but not by much. The neckline dipped low. The hem would sit high on my thighs.My stomach turned.I limped into the small bathroom and turned on the shower. Hot water hit my skin and made every bruise sting. I washed carefully around the marks on my wrist and the swollen foot. Soap ran pink over the raw places where Camila’s nails had broken skin. I stayed under the spray longer than I needed, letting the heat loosen the tight knots in my shoulders.Oh God,







