Semua Bab Bound by blood and lies: Bab 71 - Bab 80

I kept my face calm, even as my mind ran through every possible way to escape. Every breath I took felt like I was inhaling poison—thick with tension and with fear I’d buried but never truly outrun.“I’m not yours,” I said quietly, jaw clenched. “I never was.”Matteo’s smile faded just slightly, the flicker of irritation showing like a crack in stone. “Then why are you here, Elias?”I didn’t answer.Instead, I looked past him. My eyes scanning the shadows behind the platform, the corners of the station, the windows above—anything. Nathan had to be nearby. They don't want me to see him yet. They wanted me to feel the consequences of disobedience.Luca circled me slowly now, like a wolf circling around the prey to be its next meal. “You always had that fire,” he murmured. “Even when we broke you in.”“You tried to break me.”“Hmm. We did more than try.” He leaned in close to my ear. “But

The sun was beginning to dip below the valley when I returned to the villa, the warm golden rays bathed the villa making it even more breathtaking.The issue has turned out to be a minor one but took over a day to resolve and I was more than happy to be home and soon to be in Eli's arms.It was quiet— the type of peace and quiet that I usually craved and cherished after all the blood, movie and chaos but today, something felt different.It was too quiet.Off.Too still.As I stepped into the grand entryway, I called out. “Eli?”Nothing.My pulse kicks up.“Eli?” I say again, louder now.Still nothing.Where’s Eli? I wondered.Pulling off my gloves, I walked into the living room but there was still no sign of Eli. The bedroom? Empty. Bathroom — untouched. The sheets were still rumpled from the previous morning, the pil

I woke up the next morning to the smell of something familiar.Bacon.And not just any kind, it was the thick-cut kind Luca always insisted on ordering from that small butcher outside Brooklyn. I didn’t move at first, just laid in bed and let the scent drift around me, half-convinced it was a dream. But then came the sizzle of eggs and the faint clang of a pan being moved around from downstairs. My eyes opened.It wasn’t a dream.I got up, showered quickly, and threw on a black T-shirt and joggers. The silence in the hallways was different this morning—lighter. I didn’t trust it.When I walked into the kitchen, I froze.Luca stood at the stove, sleeves rolled up, brow slightly furrowed as he flipped pancakes like it was the most natural thing in the world. Like he hadn't thrown me into a dungeon not long ago. Like we hadn’t broken each other in every possible way.He turned when he hear

The moment the jet’s wheels hit the tarmac, a slow burn ignited in my chest. It was as if the rumble beneath us matched the pounding behind my ribs, growing hotter, heavier, the longer I sat still. I didn’t wait for the pilot’s clearance or the steps to fully descend. I rose from my seat, brushed off the invisible dirt on my coat and headed to the door.America.The air was different here—colder, even though the night was warm. Maybe it was just the absence of him. Eli.I walked down the stairs, boots hitting the metal stairs in steady thuds, each step filled with a silent fury. My men flanked me without needing instruction. I didn’t have to speak. They knew. You don’t take from Ricci and expect a thank-you.The black SUV was already waiting, sleek and armored. I climbed in, settling into the back seat like a king in a war chariot. One of my men passed me a tablet.“Surveillance footage,” he said. “From the villa’s perimeter. We caught th

The door clicked shut behind me as I left Luca’s office, and I pressed my back against it, squeezing my eyes shut.Damn him.Damn them.I wasn’t supposed to feel anything. I wasn't supposed to want to feel anything. But that kiss... it had cracked the armor I'd worked so hard to forge around my heart. And no matter how much I tried, I couldn't shove those pieces back into place.I spent the next few hours in my room, pacing, thinking, fighting myself. Every knock on my door went unanswered. I needed space. Time.Or maybe I needed something else entirely.When the sun began to dip, painting the sky in beautiful shades of gold and pink, there was a soft knock again. I ignored it, expecting them to give up like they had earlier.But this time, there was a muffled voice. Luca's."Eli. Please."Something in his tone made me hesitate.Another moment p