All Chapters of The Mafia Debt: Chapter 61 - Chapter 70

AriaViktor gestured for me to follow him down a long hallway that led to double doors I had never seen before."He's in here," Viktor said.The doors open, and there he was. Cassian stood by the floor-to-ceiling window as he barked orders into his phone. He was dressed in a white button-down and dark slacks. He didn't look anything like someone who had been shot a week ago. No, in fact, he looked quite well and capable—powerful, even.I froze in the doorway, my breath catching in my throat. How could he be so composed after everything that had happened? How could he look so... unaffected?He must have sensed our presence because he abruptly ended his call. "Listen, I've got to go. Someone just came in. I'll call you back," hCassian turned to face us, his eyes locking onto mine for a split second before quickly sliding away. For that brief moment, time seemed to stand still. I searched his face desperately for any sign of the man who had whispered "I love you" to me as he bled in my

ARIAMy nerves are unsettled at the thought of seeing him again. I need some courage. My feelings for him haven't changed. Call me stupid, but I still love him. What the heart desires, the heart wants. Hopefully, he hasn't moved on.I take another swig from the small flask I brought with me, the vodka burning down my throat. Liquid courage, isn't that what they call it? Three weeks of silence. Three weeks of crying myself to sleep. Three weeks of wondering what the hell went wrong.I'm done waiting for answers. I'm done with the voicemails that go unreturned and the texts that remain unread. Tonight, I'm getting answers, even if I have to break into his house to get them.The security is laughable—clearly, Cassian hasn't been thinking straight. The guard at the gate was easily distracted by a fake delivery call, and the side entrance was unlocked. Either he's gotten sloppy, or part of him wants me to find my way back to him.I stand at the edge of the property, staring up at the house

I stepped onto the stage, immediately blinded by spotlights. For a terrifying moment, I froze, overwhelmed by the sea of faces turned toward me. A murmur rippled through the crowd—a new girl was always an event.Move, I commanded myself. Just move.The bass dropped, and something shifted inside me. My body responded before my mind could catch up—hips swaying, hands trailing over my skin. I closed my eyes, letting the music take over. The sequined outfit Vivienne had chosen caught the lights, throwing prisms across my skin.The song built, and so did my confidence. I made eye contact with an older man sitting alone in the front row with an expensive whiskey—watching me with unmasked desire. There was power in his gaze, but not his power—mine. He couldn't touch me. Could only watch, want, pay.I moved to the pole, remembering the basic turns Vivienne had shown me. My body flowed around it naturally, as if I'd been doing this for years instead of minutes. The crowd's response was immedia

Twenty minutes later, I stood outside VIP room three, my hand trembling on the doorknob. I'd changed into a different outfit—a deep burgundy two-piece that made my skin look luminous. No body glitter this time. No mask of makeup. Just me, stripped down to the bare essentials.Taking a deep breath, I opened the door.The private room was filled with plush velvet couches arranged around a small center stage. A bottle of champagne chilled in an ice bucket, two crystal flutes waiting beside it. The music was softer here, just background to whatever would unfold.Cassian sat on the main couch. He'd removed his suit jacket, his white shirt rolled up at the sleeves to reveal powerful forearms. He looked like sin incarnate—dangerous and tempting."You're the client," I said flatly, letting the door close behind me.He said nothing."Fine," I muttered, crossing to the farthest corner of the room. I sat down, arms crossed tightly over my chest. "Your money. Your time. But I'm not dancing."Stil

Cassian stood when I entered. He looked different tonight—his usual perfect composure slightly rumpled, as if he'd spent the day running his hands through his hair."What do you want from me?" I demanded, skipping the pleasantries. "This cat-and-mouse game is getting old.""You," he replied without hesitation. "That hasn't changed."I barked out a laugh. "Right. When it's convenient for you. When it fits into your perfect little control freak world.""There's nothing perfect about my world." He moved closer, his eyes never leaving mine. "Especially not since you walked out of it.""I didn't walk out," I hissed. "You kicked me out. You looked me in the eye and told me to leave.""I was wrong.""No shit." I crossed my arms. "You know what's funny? I actually believed we had something real. That you—the great Cassian Romano—might actually care about the girl you kidnapped to settle a debt."His jaw tightened. "I never saw you as a debt.""No?" I stepped closer, anger making me reckless.