DANTE’S POV“What the fuck happened Helena?”She drew a deep breath, and rested her head against the seat “I really just want to go home Dante?”I grabbed her face, forcing her to look at me where my eyes could drill into hers “We’re not leaving until you tell me what got you so tensed up?”“I really don’t want to make a fuss about anything, you’re quite reckless D’angelo”“I won’t” well, it depends.“Then promise me you won’t do anything rash”“I promise” it was a bold faced lie.Then she sighed, her fingers intertwining together as she prepared herself to speak, her soft green eyes working their way into my chest “The worker – or cashier, I don’t know – ” her voice trailed off “Well, I bought a couple of things and he said he didn’t have any change so I turned around – ” she hesitated.“Jesus Christ, Helena – speak” I was growing impatient. Anger crept underneath my skin, it was slow but burning “Did he touch you?”“No” she said back a little too quickly “It wasn’t that big of a dea
HELENA’S POV“You didn’t” I whispered, more to myself than to him “You said you wouldn’t do anything”The air in the car was thick with tension, a suffocating silence filling the space between us. I stared out the window, watching the city lights blur as we sped down the road, trying to process what had just happened. My mind kept replaying the image of the flames licking up the side of the convenience store, the sharp crackle of fire as it devoured everything in its path. I hadn’t seen Dante light the match—only the aftermath. But I knew. God, I knew.“He touched you, Helena,” Dante said finally, his voice cold, measured. "He deserved worse.""That’s not how you handle things," I murmured, still staring out the window, refusing to meet his gaze. "You can’t just burn everything down."His response was immediate, sharp. "I can, and I did, and I’ll do it again if I have to. You might as well get used to it principessa"I forgot how ruthless he could be, how arrogant and how daunting his
DANTE’S POVI knew sleeping in a different room from Helena had to be one of the smartest decision I had made. As I laid there, staring at the ceiling of one of the numerous rooms I had in my house, I couldn’t shake off the images of her from my mind – her wide innocent eyes when I’d cornered her against the wall, the way her breath hitched when I leaned in close. She didn’t realize the power she still had over me, how every glance, every soft, hesitant movement was enough to drive me to the edge. If I had to share that bed with her… if I had to smell her—God, that scent of hers, sweet and delicate, like vanilla with a hint of something floral—it would’ve been over. I would’ve broken her damn rules and taken her, rules be damned. And it wasn’t just the scent or her softness. It was everything. The way she made me feel like I was coming undone, unraveling with a single look.I wanted her, I wanted her so bad it was nearly driving me to near insanity, but if I wanted to keep her, I need
HELENA’S POVI heard Dante’s accompanied footsteps long before the door to his large board room pushed open, and immediately it felt like the room exploded with tension. His expression darkened instantly, his jaw tightening, his eyes flashing with a mix of fury and something else – something else that I couldn’t quite put my hands on and satisfaction spread in my belly from the darkened expression on his face.I slowed my movements, turning to face him fully. I didn’t say a word, just kept my gaze steady, daring him to do something, to react. My chest rose and fell with each breath, and I could feel the adrenaline coursing through me. His hands clenched into fists at his sides, his eyes trailing down my body, lingering on every exposed inch of skin. I could see it—the internal battle waging inside him. He wanted to be furious, but he couldn’t look away. He wanted to control me, but in this moment, I held all the power.A slow, subtle smile crept across my lips. I knew exactly what I w
I stood in front of the mirror in the master’s bedroom, slipping into a gown that clung to my body in all the right places. It was deep red, a color that demanded attention, with thin straps that barely held it up. The neckline plunged just enough to tease without being too revealing, but the thigh-high slit on the side left no room for modesty. It was silky, soft against my skin, flowing down to my ankles but offering a tantalizing glimpse of my legs when I moved. I paired it with my highest heels, black with thin straps that wrapped around my ankles, adding a few inches to my height.I took my time with my makeup, darkening my eyes with smoky shadow, painting my lips a deep crimson to match the gown. The woman staring back at me in the mirror looked confident, but underneath the façade, my heart was still racing from the encounter with Dante, my butt still sore and tingling. The tension between us wasn’t something I could easily shake off.“Okay Helena, you can do this, you can be a
DANTE’S POVThe music from the club thumped through the walls as I made my way to the back room, after I left Helena alone. I wasn’t going to be long, I just needed to settle some quick shit since Paulo had called me about some problems with Tony Anotti and from the sound of his voice, it seemed urgent.When I walked into the room, a low-lit space with dark wooden walls, thick leather chairs, and a large round table at the center, far away from the vibrations of the club. Tony Anotti was seated on a leather chair at the far end of the room, a dirty smirk on his face like he owned the place and I wanted nothing more than to smack the cockiness of him. My eyes travelled down to his knee, still bandaged and busted from where I had shot him at the funeral, I could see that he still hadn’t learnt his lesson.Paulo, was already there too, leaning against the wall with a cigarette in hand, his eyes cold. Armed men stood at the corners, men that moved only on my command, each one of them pack
DANTE’S POVPanic gripped me instantly, my stomach twisting into knots, My eyes scanned the crowd, searching for any sign of her, but I couldn’t catch a glimpse of her menacing red gown and her long flowing hair anywhere and my vision seemed to fizzle out a bit as I clenched my fist into tight balls beside me, someone was going to die tonight if anything had happened to her.“Fucking Tony” I cursed under my breath, my heart thundering in my chest. Tony’s grin haunted me, the way he hinted that he’d already made his move. I couldn’t even lie to myself, the Anotti’s were ruthless bastards and they were known for playing dirty in everything they did, what was Anthonio thinking getting involved with them, now he was dead and his daughters were a target but not on my watch, they were part of the D’angelos and it was my duty to protect them.Anger surged through me like wildfire, threatening to blind me as I made my way towards the dj booth shoving through the crowd without hesitation and a
DANTE’S POVBy the time I carried Helena to the bedroom, she was practically melting in my arms, her body trembling with the drugs that still coursed through her veins. She clung to me, her lips brushing against my neck, soft, breathy pleads spilling out."Dante... please... I need you. I need you so bad."Her voice was so quiet, so full of raw desire, that it nearly shattered my resolve. Every instinct inside me was screaming to take her, but I couldn't. Not like this.I had thrown her over my shoulder and carried her to the bedroom, gently setting her on the bed but she wouldn’t let me go for the love of God. Her red gown was bunched up around her hips, revealing smooth, exposed thighs that made my pulse quicken. She looked up at me through half-lidded eyes, her pupils dilated, swirling with need, and lust. Her dark hair spilled over her face, framing her flushed cheeks. God, she was a vision.Suddenly, her hand reached for mine, her fingers brushing my wrist."Are you... gonna puni
Chapter: The Weight of Leaving“Leave?” I repeated, my voice barely above a whisper. The word tasted foreign on my tongue. “What do you mean, leave?”Matteo stood in the doorway, his tall frame silhouetted by the dim light filtering in from the living room. His expression was guarded, but I could see the tension in the way his hand repeatedly ran through his hair. “It’s not safe here anymore. Not for us. Not for Ava. The leaks, the attempts on my life… it’s escalating. There’s someone behind it, and I don’t think this is a war I’m ready to take. Not anymore.” He paused, his voice softening. “Especially now that I have people to consider—you and Ava.”The words hung in the air like a weight pressing down on my chest. I gripped the edge of the kitchen counter for support, feeling as though the ground beneath me had shifted. “Matteo, this is our home,” I said, my voice cracking. “It’s Ava’s home. We can’t just—”“We can,” he interrupted, his tone firm but not cruel. His dark eyes locked
HELENA’S POVFEW YEARS LATERIt was more than two years later, and I was still married to Matteo D’angelo, in fact we had a little girl now – Ava D’angelo and she was a splitting image of her father, they had the same piercing look, beautiful clear blue eyes but at least she had my hair.It was almost peaceful these past years, although I spent half of it looking over my shoulder thinking someone was going to sneak up behind me and press a cold hard pistol to my back, of course that never happened, apart from the few hiccups with the cartel and the company which by the way Matteo shielded me from – like I said it was almost peaceful but I could feel it in the air, like a smoke without fire, something was brewing and I could sense it. Matteo seemed more tense than usual, sometimes he went to bed still fully clothed, he mumbled in his sleep which wasn’t unusual but this time was different, he kept saying a name – Venza.The sky was a soft watercolor of blues and whites, with the occasio
Leadership wasn’t something you chose—it was something thrust upon you. After Dante’s death, it became clear who the next king of Algreen Cove was. The whispers had already started during the wedding reception, even as the gunfire echoed and the blood of Dante's last ploy stained the marble floors.Paulo had made his stance clear long ago. “I’m not cut out to lead,” he’d told me. And I believed him. Paulo was loyal, ruthless when necessary, and dependable in the trenches, but he didn’t have the vision or the temperament to run the cartel. That left the mantle of leadership squarely on my shoulders, a weight I had carried before I even realized I was strong enough to bear it.Two days had passed since the wedding. Two days of waking up beside Helena, the woman who had brought light back into my life in ways I hadn’t thought possible. She was mine now—my wife, the mother of the child growing inside her. I had her in my arms every morning, her soft brown eyes meeting mine as sunlight spi
HELENA’S POVA month later, it was my wedding day—a day I once thought I’d never experience again. Yet here I was, standing in the grand chapel with its towering stone walls, ancient wooden pews, and arched ceilings that seemed to stretch toward the heavens. The air was thick with the scent of lilies, and the soft hum of the organ echoed through the sacred space.Despite the joy and the wealth surrounding me, the past weeks had been tense. Every moment felt borrowed, every shadow held the potential for danger. Dante’s ghost lingered, not in whispers or memories, but in the palpable fear that someone, somewhere, was still following his orders. And yet, amidst it all, Matteo remained steadfast, his presence like a beacon guiding me through the storm.The flowing wedding dress hugged my body, a delicate lace overlay cascading down to the floor. Pearls lined my hair, glimmering like tiny moons against the soft waves. My hand instinctively rested on my abdomen, where a barely-there bump he
Two weeks passed since the night I stared at that little plus sign, and my world tilted on its axis. I'd managed to keep it to myself, burying the secret beneath a mask of normalcy. But today, as I stood in Vivianna’s hospital room, staring at her tiny, pink-faced daughter lying peacefully in the cot, I felt the weight of my silence crushing me.The words tumbled out before I could stop them. “I think I’m pregnant.”Vivianna whipped her head around, eyes wide in disbelief. “What do you mean you think you’re pregnant?”I sighed, wringing my hands together. “I am pregnant.”“For Dante?” she asked, her voice sharp and her gaze piercing.“No,” I whispered, my voice barely audible. “Matteo.”The name felt fragile in my mouth, as if saying it out loud might shatter something. Vivianna’s shock melted into something softer, though her brows still knit together.“And you ended things with him again because...?”“It’s complicated,” I said, pacing the room on quiet, restless steps. “Do you think
HELENA’S POVThe letter felt heavier in my trembling hands than it had any right to. I unfolded it slowly, the familiar scent of Dante—smoky, musky, and utterly suffocating—seeping out from the paper as if he had intended for it to linger. His handwriting sprawled across the page in bold, unapologetic strokes, commanding attention even in death.Helena,If you’re reading this, it means I’m dead.Congratulations. Or condolences. Whichever fits your mood better. If it’s Matteo who pulled the trigger—or ordered it—then he’s as much a fool as I’ve always thought him to be. But don’t think for a second that my death gives you freedom. You’ll never have freedom, not from me.Do you really think I’d allow you to be with him? Not in life, and certainly not in death. No, my darling, I’ve thought this through. I’ve ensured that if you ever dare to pursue a life with Matteo, there will be consequences. Dead men don’t just roll over, Helena, especially not me.I hired someone—a shadow, let’s call
HELENA’S POVThe city felt strange tonight—unusually quiet, like it knew what had happened. Even as I drove down the winding streets, tears streaking my face and my dress stiff with Dante’s blood, there was a hush that sat heavy in the air. It wasn’t peaceful, though. No, it was eerie, like the city itself mourned the life that had been snuffed out.Paulo had insisted I leave the hospital, promising me that Matteo would pull through. “Go home, rest,” he had said. “He’s going to be fine, I promise.”I wanted to believe him. I had to believe him.But Dante was dead. That fact alone had unraveled me.The man who had once held my heart so effortlessly and crushed it just as easily was gone. Dead. It didn’t feel real. He was larger than life, impossible to defeat, and yet, I’d seen his body sprawled on the ground. Despite everything he’d done—every cruel, merciless act—I couldn’t stop the ache that pulsed in my chest. A life had been lost, and no amount of hatred could erase the part of me
HELENA’S POVThe world had gone silent around me. My ears rang with the deafening echo of the gunshot, but my mind refused to process it. I crumpled to the floor, the weight of dread pinning me down. I couldn’t open my eyes. I didn’t want to.What if he was gone?What if Dante had finally done it?My heart pounded erratically, each beat clawing at my ribs as if it wanted to burst free. Somewhere in the haze, I expected Dante’s taunting voice—his self-assured arrogance slicing through the tension like it always did. But there was nothing. Just an eerie, suffocating quiet.My hands trembled as I forced my eyes open, and when I did, the sight before me turned my blood to ice.Dante was sprawled on the ground, a crimson pool spreading beneath him, staining the earth like a macabre halo. His lifeless eyes stared at nothing, the usual malice in them extinguished. I blinked rapidly, trying to piece together what I was seeing.“W-What…” My voice cracked as I struggled to comprehend.Then I sa
MATTEO’S POVHelena didn’t look back.She gave me a single glance as she stepped through the grand entrance of the masked ball, her red dress shimmering under the low lights like spilled wine. It was a glance meant to reassure, but all it did was tighten the knot in my stomach. As she disappeared into the crowd, I stayed behind, lingering by the car, letting the cool night air ground me.There was a heaviness to the night, a thickness in the air that clung to my skin like smoke. People filed into the hall, their laughter and idle chatter masking the tension beneath their ornate feathers and flashy masks. They came here to escape, to lose themselves in the decadence and mystery of the night.But I had no intention of hiding.My mask was a reflection of who I truly was—dark, daunting, and utterly unafraid. It wasn’t meant to conceal but to intimidate, to remind anyone who dared look too long that I wasn’t here to play their games. I was here for one thing, and one thing only.To kill Da