Novels by SydneyElla

Seraphina's POV "Significant other?" The words hung in the air between us, sharp and impossible. "What the hell are you talking about?" Rafael's smirk widened, satisfaction gleaming in his dark eyes. He pocketed his phone and the gun with casual ease, as if he hadn't just threatened my life seconds ago. "Your father and I have come to an... arrangement." My stomach dropped. The way he said "arrangement" made my skin crawl. I backed away until my legs hit the edge of the bed. "What kind of arrangement?" Rafael moved to the window, pulling back the curtain to gaze out at the grounds. The evening moon cast half his face in shadow, making him look more dangerous than usual. "Dante Moreau is many things," he said, his voice deceptively calm. "But above all, he's a businessman. And when faced with losing everything..." He turned to me, his eyes cold. "Even he knows when to make a deal." "Stop talking in riddles," I snapped. My patience had evaporated. "Tell me what's happening." H

Seraphina's POVThe mansion was quiet, too quiet. Like the whole bullet spraying did not just happen a few hours ago. However the air was heavy—thick with something unseen, carrying a certain energy. I was heading back to my room when I heard his voice. Rafael. I should’ve kept walking. I should’ve. But something about his tone made my steps halt. I leaned against the doorframe, careful to stay hidden.“…Dante already made his move. He must really love the girl.”My stomach dropped. My father had something to do with the sporadic gunshots earlier. He launched an attack on the biggest mafia in Italy. The realization hit me hard. I clutched my chest, trying to steady my breathing. My father had sent men to shoot up the mansion for me. A part of me had hoped he would come for me. That he wouldn’t just let this happen.But what if someone had died? What if I had died? I swallowed, turned, and left before I could hear anything else.I slammed my door shut and threw myself onto the bed. Th

Chapter 4Seraphina's POVI didn’t have to turn around to know it was him. His voice alone was word: the command, the highest authority in the DeLuca mansion. The entire kitchen froze. Adrian straightened slightly, his posture losing its casual edge. The other chefs avoided looking directly at Rafael, suddenly very interested in their tasks.I, on the other hand, kept chewing my spring roll. Rafael’s footsteps were slow, deliberate, predatory. Then he was beside me. I turned my head just enough to meet his gaze. His expression was blank, but his eyes—dark and unreadable—were locked onto me like I was something he needed to fix, or destroy, or both. I swallowed my food, unbothered.“Want one?” I offered the bowl of spring rolls to him however he didn’t move, neither did he act like I existed. Instead, his voice came out low.“You are not a guest here, Seraphina.”The weight of his presence pressed down on me, suffocating and possessive.“You don’t get to wander around like you own the

Seraphina's POVI woke up to the scent of the ocean, salt and something deeply unfamiliar—the smell of someone else's home. If wishes were granted the moment they were made, this would have been a dream and I'd have been in London, with my students. My body ached, a dull throb lingering in my wrists where Rafael had gripped me the a few days ago. The weight of exhaustion pressed down on my chest, but I knew lying in bed wouldn’t do me any good.I wasn’t safe here. My father had to come for me.The thought sent a sharp wave of nausea through me. He had sworn—sworn—on my mother’s grave that he would never pull me back into his world, but his word meant nothing now. Not when Rafael DeLuca had me trapped under his roof, under his control.I sat up, my limbs stiff as I scanned the dimly lit room. It was far too luxurious compared to what I’ve lived with—a soft mattress, silk sheets, an antique chandelier casting golden light across the walls. It wasn’t a prison, but it wasn’t freedom eit

Seraphina's POVI didn't flinch when his fingers brushed my jaw, but it took everything in me to stay still. To not let him see the way my skin crawled under his touch.Raphael Deluca, I'd be stupid if I claimed I didn't know that name.Every whisper of his empire, every bloody rumor attached to it-it all came crashing into my mind like a violent wave. My father's sworn enemy. The man who ruled the underworld with an iron grip, and now, the man who had me trapped in his grasp.My heart pounded, but I forced my expression to remain blank. "If you think you can use me against my father, you're wasting your time."His lips curved into something that wasn't quite a smile. More like a predator baring its teeth. "Oh, I disagree. See, Dante Moreau may have let you go, however, you are his flesh and blood. He won't let you rot in my hands, no matter how far you've tried to run."I swallowed hard, my stomach twisting. He was not wrong. My father would come for me and that's what I feared: he w

Seraphina's POVThe final note lingered in the air, delicate yet powerful, the last whisper of a story told through my fingertips to the crowd. My hands rested on the piano keys, my chest rising and falling as the thunderous applause filled the concert hall. I was content.I stood, offering a small bow, my face carefully composed despite the rush of emotions beneath my skin. This was my world now—music, art, creation. Not the shadows I was born into.I stepped off the stage, my black satin dress flowing with each movement, and made my way toward the side exit for a breath of fresh air. The look in the eyes of the people I came across gladdened my heart. They looked like they were proud of me, like I was a star. The air outside was crisp, a contrast to the warmth of the hall, and I let out a slow exhale, the tension melting from my shoulders.Tonight had been perfect. Almost surreal.As I leaned against the cool stone wall, my phone buzzed in my clutch. A message from Ava, one of my yo