All Chapters of The Don's Late-Night Texts: Chapter 1 - Chapter 9

The days that followed, I turned myself into a work machine. First one in the office, last one out, crunching spreadsheets until three in the morning. Annie said it was post-breakup syndrome, using work to numb myself. I didn't argue.But what hurt worse was having to face Vito's face every single day."Bella, these numbers are off. Redo them.""Bella, working this weekend.""Bella, you haven't smiled lately. You used to look pretty when you smiled."He stood next to my cubicle, that infuriating smirk on his lips, handing me coffee while his fingers brushed deliberately against the back of my hand. I pulled back and grabbed my own cup, the black coffee that had gone cold hours ago."Boss, I'll handle my work. Save the extra effort."Vito raised an eyebrow but said nothing, turning to walk away. Still, I felt his gaze linger on my back long after he'd left.Friday night, the quarterly celebration was held at the top floor of the Palma Hotel. All management had to attend. Vito personally

Vito's office was spotless today. The liquor-stained white suit was gone. He sat in his leather chair, dark circles under his eyes, stubble rough on his jaw."Sit." He pointed at the chair across from him."Bella, I can let Friday night slide. But—" He leaned back. "The Colombo family deal. Dominic specifically requested that you go to his office alone to present.""Alone?" I frowned."Alone." A smirk tugged at his lips. "He said he admires you. Wants to have a deeper conversation. Bella, you know what that means."Of course I knew. Dominic Colombo, that greasy smiling snake. A man in his forties who wore three rings on his fingers and had wandering eyes."Boss, I'm a strategist, not a PR girl.""Bella." Vito stood up too, his voice turning cold. "You didn't think about consequences when you dumped that drink on me. I'm giving you an out here. Don't be ungrateful.""Are you serious?"Vito avoided my gaze, flipping through papers with forced nonchalance. "Dead serious. Tomorrow afternoo

"A month." Luca's voice came through the phone, rough at the edges. "Twenty-three days left.""You're counting every day?""Of course I am." He said. "Bella, every word I say is serious. Including the countdown."I leaned against my headboard, pressing the phone close to my ear. One in the morning. He'd just finished up family business and called me like he always did. After the mixer, he'd gone back to messaging me every night, just like Gravano used to, but now there was something new. He called.Sometimes just three or five minutes. Sometimes we talked until two or three in the morning."I went to see my grandmother today." I said."How is she?""Fine. She asked if I had a boyfriend."A pause on the other end. Two seconds. "What did you say?""I said... there's someone I'm considering."Another pause. Two seconds. Then I heard him take a soft breath, his voice a little unsteady. "Bella, you're doing that on purpose, aren't you?"I laughed. It was the first time I'd laughed in a whil

Life after we got together was calmer than I'd imagined.During the day at the office, he was still that cold, quiet Luca Castellano. At night on the phone, he turned back into Gravano, the one who'd call me "sweetheart" online, his voice low and husky through the receiver, making my heart race.But one thing I never fully got used to was his world.He never volunteered details about Castellano family business, but news trickled through anyway. The person who'd shattered my window that night had been dealt with. I didn't ask how. He didn't tell me. But the wound on his arm took three dressing changes to heal."Are you scared?" One night he walked me home and stopped at the curb, asking out of nowhere."Scared of what?""Of me. Of who I am." He looked at me. "You said you never wanted to get involved with dangerous people."I thought about it. "Are you dangerous?"He was quiet for a moment. "Not to you.""Then that's enough."He leaned down and kissed me. The streetlight cast a warm yel