All Chapters of Stripper by Night, Doctor by Deception : Chapter 41 - Chapter 50

BELLAThe shaman's eyes found me.And everything stopped.He didn’t smile. Didn’t blink. Just stared. Like he was looking through me, into every lie I’d ever told, every secret I was keeping, every breath I shouldn't have taken.My feet felt glued to the floor, my body screaming to run, but it was useless. I couldn’t even twitch.He stepped forward.No words. Just that unreadable expression as he extended his hand toward mine.This was it.I closed my eyes, willing myself not to cry. If I was going to die, I’d at least do it with some dignity.My fingers twitched toward his, and…A loud crash echoed from the second floor, followed by hurried footsteps and a voice shouting, “Ryan just woke up! Something’s wrong with him!”My eyes flew open.Every head in the hall turned toward the sound.Ricardo’s did too. His entire face changed. A young guard, wide-eyed and breathless, pushed through the crowd. “He’s awake, sir. But he’s… he's not right. He's shaking. Speaking gibberish.”Ricardo di

LUCASFuck. Fuck. Fuck!I scattered everything off the desk with a loud crash. Papers flew everywhere as I roared out in rage, the veins on my neck threatening to burst.I could barely think.What the hell was Matteo thinking?I spun around, my chest heaving, rage boiling through every vein. “Why the hell would you try to kill Ryan, huh?! Why?!”Matteo didn’t even flinch. The bastard was sitting there on my couch. Calm. Relaxed. Smirking.“Wasn’t that the deal?” he said, tilting his head. “I handle Ryan. You go after Ricardo. What’s with all the yelling?”I took a step closer, my jaw clenched so tight I thought I’d break a tooth. “You don’t get it, do you? Now Ricardo’s going to come at us with everything he’s got. You think he’s just gonna let this go? He’s gonna kill us, Matteo. All of us.”Matteo laughed.The sound was slow. Calm. Way too fucking confident for someone who’d just started a war.“You really need to chill,” he said, still smiling. “I know Ricardo better than anyone. I

RYANRicardo didn’t take his eyes off her. His jaw clenched slightly as he gestured toward me.“Yeah,” he responded. “Ryan was just about to tell me something about you.”Bella arched a brow, strolling in. “Oh? Really?” she said, folding her arms across her chest. “Funny. Because I’ve got something to tell you about him too.”Oh, fuck.This woman…It’s the way she always walks in thinking she’s one step ahead. Like she’s got all the cards and she’s playing poker with two aces tucked in her sleeve.But I knew how to hold her. I wasn’t ready for her. Or maybe I didn’t just want to hurt her.“Go ahead then,” Bella said, flicking her eyes back to me. “Say what you wanted to say before I say mine.”I leaned back against the pillows and gave her a slow, tired smile. “Sure.” I turned to Ricardo.“You shouldn’t worry,” I told him calmly. “I didn’t plant any camera in your room. I would never do that. And maybe… just maybe… Michael was lying.”Ricardo reached for my hand again, gripping it tig

DETECTIVE JOHNI rubbed a hand down my face and leaned back in my chair, staring at the wall in front of me like it might start talking.The board was a mess.Photos. Notes. Red strings connecting people who shouldn't have ever crossed paths. And in the middle of it… Bella.What the hell was she doing in that building?I reached for the file again, flipping it open like I hadn’t already read it five times tonight. My coffee had gone cold. It was already late. But sleep wasn’t happening… not with this puzzle jabbing at my brain like a thorn under skin.Bella. Ryan. Ricardo.What was the connection?Bella was supposed to be Ryan’s girlfriend, right? That’s what I’d heard. But then I found out Ryan used to strip at a club Lena managed. Why was he in that building posing as a damn doctor?I dragged a hand through my hair, sighing.None of it made sense.Ryan’s mother had died in the crossfire of a gang clash between Ricardo’s crew and their rivals, the Cortega family. That much I’d confi

RYAN“Where are we going?” I asked, watching the city lights blur past the windows.Ricardo’s grip on the wheel was steady. “Chill,” he said smoothly. “We’ll be there soon.”He reached over with one hand and took mine, his thumb rubbing small circles into my palm. The tension that had been coiled tight in my chest since Lena showed up slowly began to unwind. I exhaled and leaned back against the seat, letting the hum of the car and the feel of his touch calm me.“I’m glad you’re here with me now,” Ricardo said after a pause. “I’ve waited a long time for this.”“For what?” I asked.“For you to stop running,” he replied. “To stop hiding from who you are. From what you could be.” He glanced at me briefly, a gentle smile playing on his lips. “And I can’t wait to teach you everything.”I didn’t respond. Just stared out the window, wondering what the hell I’d gotten myself into.Minutes later, we pulled into a wide, gated compound. No sign on the outside. Just a tall concrete wall and a st