Novels by Elodie

Gabriella's PovThe car ride back to the mansion was unusually quiet. Paul’s eyes were glued to the road, hands gripped firm around the steering wheel, his jaw locked like he was chewing on a million thoughts he refused to spit out.But me? My mind was racing.Just before Paul interrupted earlier, she slid a paper into my hand. Quiet, quick, unnoticed.I waited until we were clear. I shifted slightly in my seat, making sure Paul’s eyes stayed ahead, and with a racing heart and trembling fingers, I unfolded the little piece of paper.It was a phone number. No name. Just digits.I glanced at Paul again. He was still focused on the road. A slow, strange smile tugged at the corner of my lips. The moment we pulled into the long driveway and the mansion came into view, I practically flew out of the car the second we stopped. I didn’t wait for Paul to open my door. I didn’t even say a word. My heels clicked sharply against the marble floor as I bolted through the grand hallway, ignoring th

Gabriella's Pov The house felt like a damn museum, big, cold but lifeless. I wandered through the long hallways with no real direction, just bare feet against polished floors and boredom clinging to me like perfume.I had already counted the columns in the hallway twice. There were Twenty-eight in total. The exact number of minutes I’d been pacing. I muttered to myself, “I’m going crazy.”No one answered. Obviously.I made my way to the front of the house, hoping, praying, for some reason to go out. Maybe a fire. An earthquake. A scandal. Anything.Two guards stood at the entrance like they were a statue. One of them, the bald one in sunglasses, turned his head as I approached.“I want to head out,” I said, already bracing for the worst. To my surprise the bald guy grunted. “Can’t let you do that, ma’am.”I crossed my arms. “Excuse me?”“Don’s orders. You're to stay inside.”I blinked. “Are you hearing yourself? Am I a prisoner now?”“No one said that,” he replied calmly. Too calml

Alessio's Pov The warehouse reeked of dust, coil, blood too, maybe. The kind of place which was forbidden to people who didn't deal with guns. I stepped out of the SUV, the gravel stones crunching beneath my boots. I looked around taking in the view. No signs of life, except the figure leaning against the barrel near the far end of the building. Pablo.His arms were crossed, his body relaxed. That alone made my skin itch.I didn’t say anything at first. Just walked. Each step echoing as I moved. Two of my men Carlo and Ricci stood beside me. The tension between all could’ve cracked a concrete wall. “You picked a hell of a place for a meeting,” I muttered when I got close enough to see the sweat on Pablo’s brow.He smirked, his eyes hidden behind those damn mirrored shades. “You’re late.”“Traffic,” I said dryly. “Let’s not waste more time.”He shifted, finally standing up straight. “I got news. But you’re not gonna like it.”I narrowed my eyes. “I haven’t liked much of anything la

Third person pov The dimly lit room smelled of blood and sweat, the air thick with tension. A single flickering bulb hung from the ceiling, casting eerie shadows on the cracked concrete walls. The metallic scent of iron clung to the atmosphere, mixing with the stale odor of cigarette smoke.Victor knelt on the cold floor, his face battered and swollen, blood trickling from his split lip. His left eye was nearly swollen shut, a deep purple bruise forming around it. His hands trembled slightly as he kept them pressed against his sides, barely able to lift his gaze to the imposing figure seated before him.The man in the chair was silent for a long moment, merely observing Victor with cold, calculating eyes. His fingers tapped rhythmically against the armrest, a patient yet ominous gesture. Behind him, two guards stood motionless, their expressions unreadable, their presence filed with a silent warning. Finally, he spoke, his voice calm but laced with danger."Tell me, Victor. Why didn'

Gabriella's Pov I woke up feeling light, like I was floating. My eyes fluttered open, and the first thing I saw was Alessio’s face, his features looking soft as the dim light of the plane cabin reflected on him. His arms were wrapped securely around me, holding me close to his chest as he carried me effortlessly.“Finally awake,” he murmured, his voice deep yet soft but there was something else beneath it, relief? Concern?I blinked, trying to shake the drowsiness from my mind. “What… happened?” My voice came out hoarse, and my throat felt dry. I struggled to recall the last moments before I drifted it to sleep. “We landed,” he said simply. “You were exhausted, so I let you rest.”I swallowed hard and slowly became aware of the hum of the plane’s engines winding down. The scent of Alessio’s cologne wrapped around me, it was woodsy, rich, and something undeniably him. I should have pulled away, but his warmth was comforting, and my body refused to fight against the ease of his grip

Gabriella's Pov “You’re awake,” Alessio says, his voice softer than I expected as he rubs my arm lightly. His touch is warm, almost… gentle. I blink a few times, trying to shake off the lingering haze in my mind.“Here, sit up straight,” he adds, handing me a bottle of water.I stare at him for a moment, my mind struggling to process the situation. Alessio… being nice? Is this a dream? I shake my head slightly, pushing the thought away, and take the water from him. The cool liquid soothes my dry throat as I gulp it down in one go.“Where am I?” I ask, furrowing my brows as I take in my surroundings. The bright hospital lights, the scent of antiseptic, the stiff sheets under my fingers, it all starts to make sense.“You’re in the hospital, Bella,” he replies, his voice low and steady. His hand continues rubbing slow, comforting circles on my arm, sending an unfamiliar warmth through me.I don’t know what shocks me more, the fact that I’m here or the fact that Alessio is being… tender.