All Chapters of Forbidden Never Felt This Good: Chapter 1 - Chapter 10

0003 ~ Aria ~ I woke to an empty bed and the sound of the shower running.For a moment, I let myself savor the pleasant ache in my muscles, the memory of Luca's hands on my body, his mouth trailing fire across my skin. Then reality crashed back in, cold and unforgiving.What had I done?I sat up, pulling the sheet around myself, and spotted my clothes folded neatly on the chair. My sweater, my jeans… everything I'd torn off in desperation last night. The careful organization felt like a rebuke.The shower cut off. My stomach tightened.Luca emerged moments later, fully dressed in a fresh suit, his dark hair damp and slicked back. He looked every inch the consigliere again: composed, controlled, untouchable.He didn't quite meet my eyes. "The jet is ready. We leave in forty minutes."That was it? That was all he had to say?"Luca…""Get dressed." His voice was flat, professional. "We're on a schedule."Something cold settled in my chest. "Are we really going to pretend last night didn

0005 ~ Aria ~ The conference room of Santoro Hotels' Paris headquarters was all glass and steel, thirty floors above the city. I sat at the head of the table in a black sheath dress that was perfectly professional—and absolutely not.The hem hit just above my knee. The neckline was a shade too low. And when I leaned forward to review the quarterly reports, I knew exactly what angle Luca had from his position by the door.I could feel his eyes on me like a physical touch."As you can see, Monsieur Beaumont," I said to the hotel manager across from me, "occupancy rates have dropped three percent over the last quarter. That's unacceptable."Beaumont shifted uncomfortably. He was fifty, experienced, and clearly didn't appreciate being lectured by a twenty-two-year-old woman, mafia princess or not."The market has been challenging, Mademoiselle Santoro. Tourism is…""Tourism to Paris is up seven percent." I tapped the report with one manicured nail. "Which means we're losing guests to com

0007 ~ Luca ~In my adjoining room, I paced like a caged animal.This was insane. All of it. I was supposed to be controlled, professional, above base urges.Instead, I was completely obsessed with my boss's daughter. Couldn't think straight when she was near. And tomorrow night, I'd have to watch another entitled coglione try to win her over.I wanted to kill something.My phone buzzed. A text from Vittorio: How is she settling in?I stared at the message, guilt twisting in my gut like a knife. What was I supposed to say? She's fine, boss. Also, I'm sleeping with her and losing my mind. Also, I just marked her throat like an animal and came inside her for the third time in as many days.I typed back: She's adjusting. Strong-willed. She'll do well.The response came immediately: Good. Keep her safe. That's all that matters.I closed my eyes, the weight of those words crushing. Keep her safe. That was my job. My only job. The oath I'd sworn fifteen years ago when Vittorio pulled me ou

0009 ~ Aria ~ I woke to the sound of Luca's voice—low, urgent, coming from the bathroom. For a moment, I lay there in the tangled sheets, still deliciously sore from last night. The memories came flooding back: his hands on me, his mouth, the way he'd made me scream his name against the mirror. I could still feel the phantom ache of him inside me, still feel the bite marks he'd left on my neck and shoulders. But something about his tone pulled me from my satisfied haze. He was whispering. Urgently. Like he didn't want to be overheard. I sat up slowly, the sheet falling away from my naked body. Through the crack in the bathroom door, I could see his silhouette—back tense, one hand braced against the sink like he needed the support. "I can't... not now," he was saying, voice barely audible. "I told you I'd handle it... it's complicated..." My stomach twisted. Who was he talking to? I pushed back the sheets and crossed to the bathroom, my bare feet silent on the cold floor. M