Semua Bab Blood and Oath (A Valente Dynasty Romance) Book1: Bab 41 - Bab 50

CHAPTER FORTY-ONEJuliana.Pain.It was the first thing I registered, a dull, throbbing ache spreading through my body like a slow-burning fire. My head pounded, my throat was dry, and every muscle screamed in protest as I shifted against the soft sheets beneath me.I forced my eyes open, blinking against the dim light.Where…?The smell of antiseptic and faint traces of cologne hit me all at once.Alexander.I wasn’t dead.I was in a clinic. His clinic.Memories rushed back like a crashing wave, the explosion, Kai pushing me to the ground, the deafening roar of flames, the suffocating smoke.Kai.Panic surged through me, my heart rate spiking as I tried to sit up.A firm, warm hand immediately pressed against my shoulder, keeping me in place.“Easy,” Alexander’s voice was rough, like he hadn’t spoken in hours.“You're safe. Don’t move too fast.”His face came into focus, hovering over me, and my chest tightened at the sight.He looked wrecked.Dark circles shadowed his eyes, his hair

CHAPTER FORTY-THREEJuliana.The bed was empty when I woke up.For a moment, I lay there, my body still warm from the night before, my fingers grazing the space where Alexander had been. The sheets were cool now.I knew he was gone before I even opened my eyes.A familiar ache settled in my chest.I shouldn’t have been surprised. Alexander was always the first to leave, always moving, always planning, always preparing for war.But last night had been different.Last night, he had let go.Not just of control. Not just of the walls he kept so tightly locked. But of the fear. The guilt. The weight he carried alone.And I knew it wouldn’t last.I sighed, stretching before sitting up. The soreness in my muscles was a reminder of just how wild things had gotten, and heat curled low in my stomach at the memory.But I wasn’t in the mood to bask in it.Not when I knew where he had gone.The house was eerily quiet as I made my way downstairs, the faint morning light spilling through the tall wi

CHAPTER FORTY-FIVEAlexander.Marco held the knife too damn close to Sofia’s throat.His fingers curled around her hair, yanking her head back slightly, but her eyes, her sharp, fearless eyes, never wavered.She wasn’t afraid.Even as blood trickled from the thin line he had already drawn across her skin.My eyes narrowed to that single moment.The moment I realized I couldn’t take the shot.“Let her go,” I ordered, my gun never wavering.Marco laughed. “Oh, Alexander. You know how this works.”I gritted my teeth. “I don’t negotiate.”“You don’t have a choice.” His smirk widened. “I wonder, how many people do you have left before you break?”I took a slow step forward. “You think you have the upper hand?”Marco pressed the blade harder against Sofia’s throat.“I know I do.”I didn’t hear Juliana move.Didn’t realize she had stepped beside me until she spoke.“You’re bluffing, Marco.”My heart stopped.Marco’s eyes flicked to her, surprise flashing for just a second before he grinned.

CHAPTER FORTY-SEVENJuliana.The first thing I felt was warmth. Solid.Unyielding. A steady heartbeat beneath my cheek. I blinked against the soft morning light, my mind still caught between dreams and reality. Then I realized, I wasn’t dreaming. Alexander was still here. For the past few weeks, he never stayed in bed long. Sleep was something he treated like an inconvenience. A weakness. Even on the nights he let me pull him into bed, he was always gone before morning. But today… He was here. Still sleeping.Still holding me. His arms were wrapped securely around me, one hand resting over my stomach like it belonged there. Like he wasn’t just protecting me, but the life growing inside me. I shifted slightly, looking up at him. His face was different when he slept. Less guarded.Less controlled. The sharp edges of Ale

CHAPTER FORTY-NINEJuliana.The last time I had stepped foot outside this estate, I had nearly died.The explosion, the gunfire, the blood, it was all burned into my memory.So when Alexander told me we were going into town, my first reaction was,“Are you insane?”He smirked. “You’ve been trapped in here for weeks. I figured you’d want some fresh air.”“Fresh air?” I raised an eyebrow. “Or a chance to show off your scary bodyguards in broad daylight?”“Both.” He grinned.I sighed, but the truth was… I did want to go.I missed normal things.Coffee shops, bookstores, walking through the streets without feeling like I had a target on my back.I missed the outside world.And maybe just maybe it was time to take it back. An hour later, we were in the car, heading into the city.I was dressed in a simple but elegant black dress, one that Alexander had picked out himself.Not because he didn’t trust my fashion choices.But because he liked owning me in little ways.And honestly?