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Chapter 15: The Roman Masquerade

Author: Sally Blue
last update publish date: 2026-01-18 18:31:10

The island was a ghost in our rearview mirror. Within forty-eight hours, Malakai had us off the coast of Italy and submerged in the chaotic, opulent pulse of Rome. We weren't hiding in the shadows anymore; we were hiding in plain sight, draped in the kind of wealth that acted as a cloak.

​"Walk like you own the street, Leona," Malakai murmured.

​He looked lethal in a bespoke charcoal suit, his tattoos hidden beneath fine Italian wool. He looked like a billionaire, but the way his eyes scanned t
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    The first night in the fortress didn't bring the peace I expected. Instead, it brought a heavy, restless energy that seemed to vibrate through the very walls of the estate. I lay in the center of the massive bed, the silk sheets cool against my skin, watching the shadows of the clouds chase each ot

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    The transition from the abyssal darkness of the sea to the artificial hum of the submarine’s docking bay was jarring. As the vessel groaned against the magnetic rollers, the vibrations traveled through the soles of my feet, reminding me that we were no longer drifting. We were anchored. ​Malakai m

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