Chapter 11

The light that filtered through the curtains was not bright. It was a soft, heavy gray that lay over the bedroom like a wet blanket, keeping the corners of the room in deep shadow.Luca woke up slowly.For the first time since he had been brought to this penthouse, he did not wake up to cold sheets. Instead, there was a heavy, radiating warmth pressed against his back. A large, solid arm was draped over his waist, the heavy palm resting flat against his stomach. Adrian’s chest was pressed to Luca’s shoulder blades, rise and fall of his breathing slow, steady, and warm against the back of Luca’s neck.Luca lay perfectly still. He didn't even dare to breathe too deeply, terrified that any movement would shatter the heavy, quiet peace of the moment.His body was incredibly sore. When he tried to shift his legs, a sharp, dull ache pulsed through his hips and lower back, a physical reminder of the relentless, possessive way Adrian had claimed him hours before. His neck was tender, and his

Chapter 12

The hum of the air conditioning was the only constant sound in the penthouse. It was a low, steady vibration that seemed to seep into Luca’s bones, keeping the air freezing and thin.After Adrian left, Luca stayed in the kitchen for a long time. He stared at his empty glass, his body still aching from the night before, his neck hot and tender under the thick collar of his oversized hoodie. The silence of the apartment felt different today. It didn't feel empty anymore. It felt heavy, like a hand pressing down on his chest, keeping him from taking a full breath.Slowly, Luca walked back toward the foyer.He wanted to see the truth for himself.When he reached the private elevator, his breath caught. The glass doors were dark, reflecting his own swallowed, gray silhouette. He reached out and pressed the call button. Nothing happened. The small digital screen next to the doors didn't light up with its usual soft green glow. Instead, a tiny red lock icon blinked steadily.Luca pressed it

Chapter 13

The morning brought no relief. The light that filled the bedroom was cold and gray, throwing sharp shadows across the floor. Luca lay in the center of the vast bed, his body aching with a deep, heavy exhaustion. He hadn't slept. Every time he closed his eyes, he heard the red lock on the elevator blinking, or he saw his father’s weeping face, or he felt the heavy, suffocating warmth of Adrian’s body holding him in the dark. The memory of his begging from the night before sat like a stone in his throat. He had dropped to his knees. He had grabbed Adrian’s suit jacket, crying and sobbing, offering up every shred of his pride just for a single hour with his family. And Adrian had said no. The word had been flat, cold, and final. It had cut through Luca’s desperation like a knife, leaving him alone in the dark to realize the terrifying truth: there was no mercy in this penthouse. The heavy door of his bedroom opened without a knock. Luca flinched, pulling the silk sheets tighter

Chapter 14

The ride back from Voss Industries was even worse than the ride there. Luca sat with his face pressed against the cold glass of the window, his chest still aching from his crying fit in Adrian’s office. He felt hollow, his throat raw and dry. Beside him, Adrian was completely silent. The only sound in the car was the quiet hum of the tires on the asphalt. Adrian didn't look at his tablet this time. He just stared straight ahead, his jaw locked tight, his broad shoulders tense and rigid.When the car finally pulled into the dark underground garage of the penthouse, Luca got out quickly. He wanted to run to his room and hide under the sheets, but his body felt incredibly heavy and tired.He walked into the penthouse foyer, the bright lights making his eyes sting. He didn't want to look at Adrian, so he headed straight for the kitchen to get a glass of water. His hands were still shaking so much the glass clinked against the marble counter as he set it down.Suddenly, the air in the roo

Chapter 15

The kitchen table was filled with the familiar clutter of the Moretti home, but Luca felt like a ghost sitting among the living. As the initial euphoria of the hug faded, the reality of his situation set in. His body still ached, a constant, throbbing reminder of the night before beneath his beautiful cream sweater. Every time he shifted on the wooden chair, a dull pulse of pain radiated through his hips, forcing him to keep his posture rigidly straight so his family wouldn't notice."You look thin, Lu," his father, Lorenzo, said, his sharp eyes scanning Luca’s face. The patriarch’s gaze was legendary for cutting through deception, and Luca felt exposed under it. Lorenzo reached over, his heavy, scarred hand covering Luca’s smaller one. "Are they feeding you over there? Is Voss treating you like a husband, or a prisoner?"Luca forced a bright, easy smile that didn't reach his eyes. He practiced this look in the car, smoothing out the tension in his forehead. "He treats me well, Papa.

Chapter 16

The penthouse in New York was blindingly corporate, a sterile expanse of glass and steel that overlooked a foggy Manhattan skyline. It lacked the distinct, heavy warmth of his estate and the suffocating, intense atmosphere of his penthouse back home.But Adrian hadn't come to New York for the view. He had come to escape.He stood by the floor-to-ceiling windows, a glass of amber bourbon swirling in his right hand. The liquid caught the sharp, cold light of the morning sun, mirroring the freezing numbness that had settled deep into his chest. He hadn't slept. Not last night, and certainly not the night before. Every time he closed his eyes, the quiet, terrifying echo of a wet sob rung in his ears, followed by the definitive, agonizing clink of a glass against a marble counter.His hands, usually steady enough to sign away millions or pull a trigger without a single tremor, shook slightly as he took a slow sip. The burn of the alcohol did nothing to dull the memory.He had lost control.