Lahat ng Kabanata ng Claimed By The Don: Kabanata 11 - Kabanata 20

**DANTE** Six weeks until the wedding. Alessandro was in the shower when I woke up, and the apartment felt wrong without him in bed next to me. That realization should have terrified me more than it did. He came out with wet hair, wearing only a towel. Water dripped down his chest and I forgot how to think. "You're staring," he said. "You're half-naked in my bedroom." "Our bedroom. You said I could stay." He moved closer, deliberately testing boundaries. "Problem?" I pulled him down onto the bed, towel and all. "You know exactly what you're doing." "Do I?" His hands found my shirt, fingers working the buttons slowly. "Tell me to stop if you want." I didn't want him to stop. I wanted the opposite of stopping. "I want this. I want you." The admission felt like surrender. "That's the problem." "Stop thinking so much." He pulled my shirt off completely. "Just feel." His mouth was on mine, demanding and perfect. I flipped us over, pinning him beneath me. The towel fell away and t

** TOMMY **I drove off with some of Marco’s men, just as Dante had instructed. The engine roared beneath me, tires screeching as we tore onto the road.As I drove, I prayed.Prayed that crazy Nico and his men hadn’t reached her first. Prayed we weren’t already too late.Because if they got to her before we did… I didn’t know how I’d face Dante. I didn’t know how I’d tell him I failed.Lucia once showed me a kindness I didn’t deserve. A softness in a world that has never been soft to me. I owe her for that.She isn’t just important to Dante.She’s important to me too.There’s something about her — the way she smiles even when she’s worried, the way she fusses over everyone like it’s her responsibility to keep the world stitched together.She reminds me so much of my mum.And I’ve already lost one person like that.I’m not losing another.The moment I pulled up in front of her bakery, my heart stopped.The door was hanging off its hinges. Glass littered the pavement like shattered ice.

** ALESSANDRO **The estate was a mansion, but it felt like a prison. Three days of lockdown and I was already on the verge of giving up. Dante barely left my side, which should have been comforting but instead felt suffocating."You need to breathe," I told him on the third night. "I'm fine. You don't have to watch me every second.""Nico's put two million on your head. I absolutely have to watch you every second.""Even in the shower?""Especially in the shower. That's when people let their guard down."I pulled him toward the bathroom. "Then come with me.""Alessandro….""I'm serious. You haven't slept in three days. You're running on coffee and paranoia." I started unbuttoning his shirt. "Shower. Sleep. In that order."He caught my hands. "This isn't about sex.""I know. It's about taking care of you for once." I kissed him softly. "Let me."The shower was huge, all marble and steam. I washed his hair while he stood there, finally letting his guard down. His hands found my waist,

**DANTE**The meeting was at Sofia's casino again. Every major family in the region filled the main room, all watching as we entered. Alessandro walked beside me, head high despite the fear I knew he was feeling.Nico sat at the center table, looking like he'd already won."The prodigal brother returns. How brave." His smile was predatory. "Or how stupid.""I'm here to defend the alliance," Alessandro said clearly. "And to answer any accusations you want to make."Sofia called the meeting to order. "Nico Santoro has claimed that Alessandro violated alliance terms by sabotaging a neutral supplier. Alessandro, how do you respond?""Viktor wasn't neutral. He exclusively supplied the Santoro family with illegal weapons. I simply informed his wife of his infidelity. What she chose to do with that information was her decision, not mine."Murmurs rippled through the room."You destroyed my supply chain," Nico snarled."I exposed a man's lies to his wife. If your entire operation collapsed be

** Dante **Nico had gone quiet, which made me more nervous than his threats ever did."You're spiraling," Alessandro said from the kitchen. "I can hear you thinking from here.""Something's wrong. Nico doesn't just give up.""Maybe he accepted defeat. The families backed us, he lost support." Alessandro brought me coffee. "Or maybe you're paranoid.""Paranoia keeps people alive.""So does living. Actually living, not just surviving." He sat next to me. "The wedding planner called again. We still need to finalize the ceremony details.""I don't care about details. Whatever you want is fine.""Dante, it's our wedding. You should care at least a little."I looked at him properly. He was wearing one of my shirts, hair still messy from sleep, and I wanted to freeze this moment forever."I care that you'll be there. The rest doesn't matter.""Romantic and avoidant. Very on brand." But he smiled. "Fine. I'll handle the details. You just show up and say 'I do.'""I can manage that."Marco ca