All Chapters of His Possession: Don’s Reluctant Bride : Chapter 11 - Chapter 20

The sound of the front door slamming echoed through the villa, and Elana flinched instinctively. Luca’s footsteps followed—measured, heavy, and filled with an energy she couldn’t decipher. Rage? Frustration? Something darker? She sat in the lounge, curled into one corner of the massive velvet couch, pretending to read a book she hadn’t even turned a page of in an hour. Every nerve in her body buzzed with tension. Every second since their encounter in the car had been heavy, charged, and confusing. Luca appeared at the archway, jacket gone, sleeves rolled up to his elbows. His hair was mussed like he’d dragged his hands through it a thousand times. He looked at her, and Elana felt like she was standing at the edge of a cliff. “We need to talk,” he said, his voice low and controlled. Elana slowly closed the book. “About what? The way you keep treating me like I’m your prisoner?” Something flickered in his eyes. Guilt? No—he crushed it before she could be sure. “I don’t expec

The night air hung heavy, thick with the scent of rain and something else—something electric, volatile. Elana pressed herself deeper into the seat of Luca’s sleek black car, her heart hammering as the city lights blurred by the tinted window. The silence between them was a living, breathing thing. Luca’s hand was clenched on the steering wheel, his knuckles pale, his jaw set like stone. She could feel the anger radiating off him, each second sharpening the tension. She knew better than to speak first. They had just left a tense meeting with some of Luca’s inner circle—a meeting where Elana had seen, for the first time, the full extent of the world she had been thrust into. Men with dead eyes, women who smiled too easily, deals sealed with blood and oaths whispered like prayers to the dark. “You disobeyed me.” Luca’s voice finally sliced through the heavy air, low and lethal. Elana stiffened. “I didn’t—” “You did.” He pulled the car sharply into a secluded street, the tires

Dawn broke in pale pinks and grays over the estate, but Elana felt none of its promise. Instead, her stomach knotted as she reviewed the roster Luca had left on her desk—names of key Moretti lieutenants, rival contacts, payment schedules. Today, she had to sit at Luigi DeMarco’s table, shaking hands with men who made their fortunes in fear and blood. She straightened her blouse, smoothing invisible wrinkles from her nerves rather than the fabric. When Luca appeared in the doorway—tailored suit, unreadable expression—her chest tightened. “Ready?” he asked quietly. Elana nodded, gathering the folders. “As ready as I’ll ever be.” He came around, offering his arm with a soft, almost fond smile that surprised her. “Then let’s show them what the Romano daughter can do.” ⸻ The conference room was the size of a ballroom—long table of dark mahogany, ten high-backed chairs, oil paintings of stern-faced ancestors glaring down. Seated around it were Luigi DeMarco (senior consigliere

The grand hall of the Palazzo Moretti buzzed with polite conversation and clinking glasses. Crystal chandeliers scattered light across marble floors, gilded columns, and patrons draped in midnight silks. It was the kind of event designed to showcase power and elegance—exactly why Bianca Moretti had insisted Elana attend. Elana stood near the edge of the room, clutching a flute of champagne, watching Luca move effortlessly from group to group. He was in his element: commanding respect, exchanging brief nods and warm smiles. She could almost forget the darkness that lurked beyond these walls. Almost. A gentle hand on her elbow made her turn. Bianca stood there, her icy blond hair piled high, a practiced smile on her lips. “Elana, so glad you could join us.” She tilted her head. “I assume you’ll be representing our family’s charitable interests tonight?” Elana forced a smile that masked the tension stringing through her shoulders. “Of course. It’s important to show unity, espec

Elana sat by the window of the grand study, her gaze unfocused as dusk poured gold across the marble floors. The manor, for all its opulence, felt like a cage tonight. Every room whispered of betrayal. Bianca’s recovery had been swift, but her silence was even more unnerving. She hadn’t confessed, hadn’t denied. Just lay there, eyes half-lidded, watching Elana like a snake too weak to strike—but not harmless. Luca hadn’t left Elana’s side since the attack, but words between them were few. Tension laced the air, heavy and unspoken. “Elana,” Luca finally said, his voice quiet but sharp as a blade. “We need to talk.” She turned, folding her arms. “About Bianca?” “No.” He stepped forward, his eyes locked onto hers. “About us.” Her breath hitched. “There’s an ‘us’ now?” He flinched, just slightly, but recovered. “Don’t do that.” “Don’t what? Call out the fact that I’ve been strung along? Used as bait, shielded from truths?” “Elana, I’ve protected you.” She stood, fury igniting. “