Sylvia’s POVI exhaled slowly, staring at the door as if my mind alone could force it open. It didn’t move. Didn’t creak. Didn’t even have the decency to pretend it might give way if we pushed hard enough."We’re locked in," Isabel said, her voice a little too breathy, like she was trying not to panic.She rattled the handle again, pushing against the door with her shoulder this time. It didn’t budge. From the other side, there was nothing but silence, whoever locked us in was totally gone.Panic was eating at my stomach."We should look for another exit," I said, stepping away from the door. "There has to be one."Isabel hesitated. "Or we could just... stay here? Maybe they’ll open the door eventually."I gave her a look. "Yeah, sure. Let’s just sit down, hold hands, and hope for the best. Maybe they’ll even send snacks."She pursed her lips. "Okay, okay. No need to be mean about it."I exhaled sharply, rubbing a hand down my face as I paced in front of the door. This was bad. Worse
SYLVIA'S povI walked up the stairs and down the hallway that led to my room. That’s when I saw her, Jasmine perfume lady stepping out of Mario’s room like she belonged there.She wore his shirt, the fabric hanging loosely over a skimpy skirt that barely counted as clothing. My chest tightened, but I said nothing. I kept walking, turning my face away.But her voice, sweet and artificial, stopped me."Wait, aren’t you Mario's wife?"I inhaled slowly before turning, arching a brow. "I am. Do you have a problem with that?"She laughed, a sound so fakely sweet it made my teeth clench. "No, of course not. It’s just... I didn’t expect you to be so okay with Mario still being with me. You know, I heard a lot about you from him when you two were just dating."I stared at her, unimpressed. I knew exactly what she was doing, baiting me with lies, testing how much she could get under my skin."Must’ve been nice," I said flatly. "Anything else? Or do you have another client waiting?"The smile dr
SYLVIA'S POVI don’t know how long I cried. Time blurred as I sat there, my back against the door, my arms wrapped around my knees. I hated the way I felt, how vulnerable I was. My eyes burned, my chest ached, but eventually, exhaustion won.I forced myself up and crawled into bed, my body heavy with weariness. Sleep pulled me under, but somewhere in the haze, I heard a knock. Distant.I couldn't bring myself to move.I let it go unanswered.By the time I woke up again, another knock echoed through the room. Groggy, I blinked at the clock—1 PM. Almost three hours had passed.Dragging myself out of bed, I rubbed my eyes and made my way to the door, yanking it open.No one was there.Just a package. And a bunch of lilac roses resting on top.I stared at them for a moment, my stomach twisting with unease. The hallway was empty, not a single soul lingering. I bent down, picked up the package, and shut my door.The scent of the flowers was soft, and sweet. But the moment I spotted the sma
SYLVIA'S POV The stuffed elephant sat on my bed taunting me. I had listened to the record player, just once. It had been a song. A stupid, sentimental, apology song that had made me smile.I hated that.I hated that he was getting to me, that despite everything, a part of me still reacted to his gestures. It wasn’t fair. He didn’t get to show up with gifts, with flowers, and stupid hand written letters and expect me to just forgive him.But they were working, weren’t they?I let out a frustrated breath, running a hand through my hair as I paced my room. The hours had blurred together, my entire day wasted waiting for packages I swore I didn’t care about. It was pathetic. I was pathetic.And I was done.I wasn’t going to sit here like some trained pet, waiting for the next knock, the next delivery, the next carefully placed attempt to get under my skin.No.This time, I was going to be at the door first.So I stood there, arms crossed, heart pounding. And when the footsteps came, foll
Sylvia’s POVI should have been happy.I was getting my freedom, walking away from this mess of a marriage, and on top of that, I was leaving with a whole million dollars. No strings. No Mario. No fights.I should have been relieved. But I wasn’t.I stood there, arms wrapped around myself, an ache settling deep in my chest. Why did it hurt? Why did the thought of him letting me go so easily feel like a punch to the gut?A knock came, and before I could respond, the door swung open. Two of Mario’s men walked in, their faces blank, unreadable. They didn’t even glance at me as they went straight to my closet and started pulling everything out. Clothes, shoes, whatever they could grab, stuffing it into the suitcases without care.I just stood there, watching.The novels on my bedside table? Tossed in. The stuffed elephant? Thrown on top like it was just another object.When they zipped up the suitcases and turned to me, I already knew what was coming next."Mario has asked us to escort yo
Sylvia’s POVI had made plans.I was going to move out of my mother’s apartment, leave this city behind, and start over somewhere new. A fresh beginning, away from all the chaos, away from Mario, and away from everything that reminded me of this life. I just had to wait.Mario had promised the money, and once it arrived, I’d pack my things, book a bus ticket, and never look back.When I got home last night, I ignored my mother’s prying questions, brushing her off with a simple, “Mario and I are getting a divorce.” That was all she needed to know.I ignored my stepbrother. Ignored his cigarette smoke clouding the already suffocating air, his grumbling about something I didn’t care enough to listen to. None of it mattered. All I needed was that money.Then, minutes later, I heard it.My mother’s scream of joy.“Keep it down, woman,” my stepbrother had yelled from the couch.“Oh, shut up!” she snapped, already dialing a number. A moment later, I heard her voice again, this time softer, d
Sylvia’s POVBy noon, my mother was gone. Every last piece of her clothing, every trace of her couch boyfriend, gone. The house felt hollow.For a moment, I just stood there, taking it in. The silence. The emptiness. The temporary calm before the storm.By 5 p.m., that storm arrived.The front door swung open with a loud thud, followed by the unmistakable sound of stumbling footsteps. The stench of alcohol hit me before I even saw him. My stepbrother. He barely looked at me before he stumbled into the kitchen, and after a while, stumbled back out."Why the hell is there no food? Where’s Mom?" he slurred, his words thick but still loud enough to grate on my nerves.I didn’t answer. I didn’t even look at him. Instead, I turned on my heel and made my way upstairs, shutting my door behind me and locking it.A few minutes later, the banging started."Sylvia!" His voice was an ugly mix of anger and intoxication. "Open this damn door!"I didn’t.Instead, I grabbed my headphones, shoved them
Sylvia's POV I was in flight mode, crawling away, half-running, half-clawing on the floor as the sharp whip of leather cracked against my back. The pain stung deep, but I didn’t stop. I didn’t dare stop. My hands caught on the edge of the coffee table as I stumbled forward, nearly knocking over a lamp in my rush. My stepbrother was right behind me, his footsteps pounding against the wooden floors, his breath heavy with rage and alcohol.I darted into the kitchen, slamming the door shut and locking it just as he reached it. The knob rattled violently. Then came the pounding.“Sylvia! Open this goddamn door!” His voice was a raw snarl, filled with something dark and ugly. “You think you can fucking run from me? You think locking a damn door will stop me? Did it ever stop me?”I squeezed my eyes shut, my body trembling as I pressed myself against the counter. My chest was heaving, lungs working double just to keep me from passing out. My hands fumbled for my phone in my pocket, and the
SYLVIA'S POV I was still panting, trying to catch my breath when Mario wrapped his arm around my waist, lifting me like I weighed nothing. My legs dangled as he carried me out of the kitchen, up the stairs, and into our new bedroom.When we got inside, he set me down gently on the bed. His eyes never left mine as he stripped off his pants and briefs, letting his cock spring free, thick, hard, and already dripping. My breath caught, my thighs pressing together as I took him in. He was big, almost too big, and the thought sent a shiver down my spine.Mario climbed onto the bed, settling between my legs. He leaned over me, bracing himself with one arm while the other hand trailed down my body, brushing over my sensitive nipples before cupping my ass. His lips met mine in a slow, drugging kiss, his tongue coaxing mine as his fingers slid back between my thighs, dipping into my slick wet folds.I moaned into his mouth, hips arching off the bed as he rubbed slow, teasing circles against my
SYLVIA’S POVMario’s thumb stayed pressed against my soaked panties the entire drive. I was burning up by the time we reached the front porch of our new place. He barely got the car into the garage before he jumped out, rounding to my side.He opened my door, and instead of waiting for me to step out, he pulled me to him, lifted me effortlessly, and pressed me up against the side of the car. My legs wrapped around his waist, and the kiss he gave me wasn’t gentle, it was rough, starved.By the time we stumbled to the front door, he was fumbling with the keys, growling under his breath in frustration as our mouths refused to part. When the lock finally clicked, we all but tumbled inside, heat, hands, mouths.He didn’t take me to the bedroom.He set me down on the kitchen counter, tearing his shirt over his head and unbuckling his belt in one swift motion. His eyes devoured me as his hands yanked my dress up.“Rip it off,” I gasped, breathless and aching.He didn’t hesitate. The sound of
SYLVIA'S POVWhen I was done dressing, I took one last look at myself in the mirror. The red dress clung to my body perfectly, the fabric soft but tight where it needed to be, accentuating my curves in all the right places.It was backless, showing off just enough of my skin to be enticing without giving everything away. The hem hit mid-thigh, just enough to leave a little mystery while still being bold.I paired it with simple black heels and a matching black handbag, completing the look. There was something about the dress, something that made me feel... powerful.Walking down the stairs, I found Mario waiting at the bottom. His eyes snapped to me the moment he saw me. His mouth opened, but no words came out at first. He stared, almost in disbelief, as if I’d stepped out of a dream.“You look…” He took a deep breath, his voice thick with awe. “So... ravishing. That red dress… it’s everything. The way it hugs your body... it’s like it was made just for you. And your legs, god, they g
Mario's POV Sylvia worked quietly as she cleaned the cuts on my face and arm, her fingers light but firm as she applied the plaster. I winced once or twice, but she didn’t say anything. Her attention was all on my injuries, and I couldn’t help but notice how gentle she was.“You smell like burnt grass,” she muttered, wrinkling her nose,“Go shower. I can’t stand it anymore.”I leaned against the doorframe for a second, watching her as she shuffled around the room, arranging the first aid kit before I slipped into the bathroom.The water was hot, almost scalding, I took my time scrubbing and washing, and when I finally stepped out, the bathroom mirror was fogged up, so I couldn’t really see myself. But I knew what I looked like; rough, tired, a mess. I wrapped the towel around my waist and headed back into the bedroom, not bothering to dry off completely.Sylvia was still sitting on the bed, her back to me, not even bothering to look.“Hurry up and put your clothes on,” she said, her v
Mario’s POVThe windows were cranked just enough to let the smoke out, but not enough to let the cold in. The joint burned low between my fingers, the ash too long but I didn’t flick it. I just stared at it, letting the silence settle. Darren sat beside me, legs stretched out, one hand resting on his thigh, the other playing with his lighter.We hadn’t spoken in a few minutes, just smoked and let the night carry our thoughts. That kind of silence only comes when two people have seen some shit together.“I’ve been hearing things, you know, inside information.” Darren finally said, voice low. “High-level stuff. Intel moving around fast”I looked at him. “Police?”He nodded. “And feds. People getting picked off left and right. Quietly. Like shadows in the dark. Someone’s leaking info. Inside info. Names, dates, drop points... all of it. And Mario...” — he paused, looked at me sideways “you’re on their list.”I didn’t move. Didn’t even flinch. Just took a slow drag and let it sit in my lu
Mario's POV I had turned away from the others, not wanting to be part of the tense silence that followed the fight. My knuckles were still itching, adrenaline humming beneath my skin. I made my way toward one of the crates lined up near the back wall and yanked off the tarp covering it.Cocaine. Weed. Pills. Everything you’d need to forget the world for a few hours, or ruin your life completely.I reached in and pulled out a tightly packed brick of weed, stuffing it under my jacket. Just as I was letting the tarp fall back into place, I heard it, crack. Footsteps behind me. Too light to be cautious, too fast to be innocent.Then came the whoosh of metal slicing the air.I ducked on instinct.The edge of the iron plank grazed the side of my face, and agonizing pain tearing across my cheek. I stumbled back, touching my face, there was blood.Enzo.The bastard stood above me, panting like an animal. His hands gripped a jagged iron plank, and his face was twisted in rage and humiliatio
Mario’s POV“What are kids doing here?” I asked, my voice low, tight with confusion as I turned to face my men. “You said you found one of the men who did it, right?”A slow grin spread across Matteo’s face, cocky, pleased with himself like he was delivering a gift I’d begged for.“We didn’t want you to get too excited, so we lied,” he said with a smug little laugh. “Figured it was better if you saw it for yourself.”The grin on his face was like gasoline on a fire already burning in my chest.“What the hell are you talking about?” I growled. “This better not be a damn joke, Matteo. I’m not in the mood.”He stepped forward, brushing imaginary dust from his shoulder like he was some kind of genius in a movie scene. “We didn’t find the men,” he said casually. “I mean, we found one of them, he's from the Serpent gang. But instead of taking him, we grabbed his kids. A boy and a girl. Figured they’d be better leverage.”My breath caught. My fists curled.Matteo’s voice dropped, pride coati
Mario's pov It wasn’t that I didn’t want her. I wanted her more than I could stand. Every inch of my body had been screaming for her from the moment her lips brushed mine. The soft sounds she made, the way her hands clutched at me, how she moaned my name like a prayer, every bit of it had me hanging by a thread.But I couldn’t let it snap. Not right now.There were too many things hanging in the air between us, things we hadn’t said, things we hadn’t fixed. What happened between us last night still lingered and it made me wonder, if maybe that was why she was suddenly ready.And as much as I wanted to make love to her, to make her forget all the pain I caused… I didn’t want her to give herself to me just to cover the cracks I’d left.So instead of giving in, I cupped her ass gently and kissed her. Not rushed. Not lust-driven. Just… slow. Like an apology.“We can’t have sex right now, Sylvia,” I whispered against her lips.The second the words left me, I felt her body still.She pulle
SYLVIA'S POVThat same day, Mario made an offer on the apartment. After some back and forth, they finally settled on a price. We were told it would take two business days to get everything processed, so the lawyers could meet and set the deal fully in motion.“I still can’t believe we’re moving,” I turned to Mario, barely able to contain the excitement buzzing through me. “Who’s going to pick the colors for the furniture? Or the curtains? Or the kitchen theme?”“You are,” Mario said simply, flashing me a boyish grin. “It’s your house. I’m just going to be Ken while you’re Barbie.”I laughed, rolling my eyes. “That’s a dangerous amount of power you’re handing me.”“I’ll drop my interior decor contact with strict instructions that you’re in charge,” he added, taking my hand. “That okay with you?”“It would be perfect,” I smiled, leaning over to press a quick kiss to his cheek.“Careful,” he chuckled. “You trying to get us into an accident?”When we got back to the house, it was quiet. M