HELENA’S POV“Mama said the wedding should be in three weeks, it’s only logical” my sister said to me at lunch in downtown restaurant just across from the dance studio I had just registered in. It was a breath of fresh air, being able to raise my legs above my head with other people who understand the arts of dance and not spank me afterwards for it.“Mama always wants everything to be logical” I said back to her, taking a sip from my chocolate milkshake and still side eyeing the diamond ring Dante had slipped on my finger earlier, it still felt like a blinding shock to me and I couldn’t understand why.“According to her, she doesn’t think it’s quite logical for you to be living with a man you’re not married to”“I was once married to him”“And divorced – brutally” she added the last part like an adlib to a song and I snickered, I should’ve been offended but Vivianna could be effortlessly funny when she didn’t mean to. Then she took a bite from her greasy burger and my picked my hand
DANTE’S POVAfter I had left the house after giving Helena the ring, the next agenda on my mind was to deal personally with Tony Anotti, of course he knew Helena was engaged to me, the only reason he had decided to pull the stunt with me and that was why I decided to give her the ring. I had rushed earlier that morning before she woke up, pulled up at the nearest jeweler and purchased the one that caught my eye, I didn’t care how expensive it was – it was my claim on her, to prove to everyone in Algreen Cove that she was mine now.I arrived at the warehouse where we’d been keeping Tony Anotti to find Paulo was already there, but he looked a tad bit disheveled with his normally crisp shirt untucked and his brow furrowed with worry."Dante," he said, his voice low and urgent, "Tony... he’s gone."The words barely registered for a second, and when they did, the rage simmering just beneath my skin flared up. "What do you mean he’s gone?" I barked, stepping closer to him but Paulo held my
HELENA’S POVI was so goddamn furiousThe whole ride back had been unbearable, the tension that brewed within us, Dante had his jaw set, not saying a word, while I sat beside him, my fists clenched in my lap, trembling from the whirlwind of emotions that swirled inside of me.He had swooped me off the ground so easily; it had been so effortless, like I weighed nothing in his arms. Despite the anger boiling inside me, there had been a split second where I felt... helpless. The way his grip was so firm, the way he just tossed me over his shoulder like I was some package he had to deliver. I hated that feeling—like he had control, like I was powerless. It made the fury burn even hotter.We didn’t exchange a single word as we walked into the house. I stormed past him, heading straight for the bedroom, slamming the door behind me. I needed space. I needed air. I needed anything but him that moment.The next morning, I woke up still angry. The ache in my chest lingered, and my head thrummed
HELENA’S POVI remember Dante’s gaze when I saw him standing outside the dance studio – it was warm, dark and every emotion in between. I felt a shiver dance across my spine and I hadn’t even realized it when I walked towards him. I didn’t expect him to cup my face with the roughness of his palms and my heart soared.I heard a tiny groan from his throat, a quiet noise of satisfaction boomed from him when I pressed my face on his chest. His fingers slid from my cheek to the back of my head and his fingers threading through my hair. I inhaled deeply, feeling every ounce of touch he gave me, and I was on the verge of melting like candy in his hands.He smelled so good, felt so good – like I everything I needed and craved, comfort, security.“I – I – don’t know what to say” I breathed.“Shhh” he shushed me with his head resting atop mine “Don’t ruin it”He had done everything I should hate and resent him for but here I was finding comfort in his arms and doing everything my mind screamed
DANTE’S POVHer lips, the swirl of her tongue in my mouth, the slight sight that escaped her lips when I pulled her tender frame towards my hardened body, the mixture of feelings even I was yet to understand, everything came to a sudden halt when that call from Paulo came through.“Everything is gone”It was a turmoil in my head even after I had dropped Helena at the house, it was hard enough to push her out of my head and concentrate on the disaster that was going on in my turf.“I just need to sort this out – I’ll be back” I said to her, softly caressing her face and nearly kissing her but I didn’t want to get a hard on from just kissing her alone, I needed to focus.I gripped the wheel, my jaw clenched so tight it hurt.The drive to the warehouse was a blur. My foot pressed hard on the gas pedal, the engine roaring as I sped through the streets, adrenaline pumping in my veins. By the time I arrived, Paulo was already standing there, his face pale as he stared at the empty shell of
HELENA’S POVMy breath grew heavier with each passing second, and a certain heat seemed to envelope us – binding us together.“I’m going to count to ten, Helena. If you’re still here by then – I’m fucking you”I didn’t say anything, just the heaviness of my breath echoed back to him.“One, two, three – ” his counts were slow, measured and calculated but the fire inside me was more intense – and I wasn’t going anywhere. My need for him was greater than any goddamn rule I had created.“Four – five –”“I’m not going anywhere” I breathed, then I brushed a hand across his neck and into his thick hair at his nape, he let out a quiet, tense breath at my touch.“Six Helena” he counted but I had slipped my hands under his shirt, feeling the warmth radiate from him and I absorbed it like an addict“Seven”My breast were bare beneath my night gown and my nipples poked through the fabric, heavy and tight and so close to his face. He only had to lift his head to put his mouth on them, to relieve t
I had a fever, it was hot, itchy and my temperature ran increasingly high I might have shivered a bit. It was too late to turn back now and it wasn’t possible to stop. I rolled my hips against him, rubbing my wetness on his throbbing length.I could barely contain myself, and then it happened. I had ground down hard enough on the head of his erection that it had slowly slipped inside of me. He was so big, it stung and I trembled. Then he grabbed my hands and held them above my head and he let his dick slide further into me. We both watched it happen, my breaths coming out erratic.“Can you take all of me, principessa” I was so filled, it burned and I nodded. He looked down at where we were joined with a look that bordered on insanity and then with a growl he thrust all the way inside of me.I cried out and arched my back off the bed. I was so full, too full that I could feel him deep in my stomach. His body felt so heavy as he lay on top of me.“I’m afraid you’re creating a monster ou
DANTE’S POVIt was that particular morning when the sunlight filtered through the silk curtains, and Helena beside me on the sofa chair that was as large as a bed, her hands strewn lazily across my chest. I had woken up first, my eyes focused on her face as she snored lightly. It was at that moment I realized, I was threading on dangerous waters, I realized she was clouding my head more hours of the day than I needed her to be.Her porcelain skin reflected the sunlight with a luminous grace that could bring a man to his knees, and suddenly her fluttered open and I shut mine immediately, pretending to be asleep. I couldn’t let her know I had been watching her sleep and when I saw she was standing up to leave, I grabbed her wrist pulling her back to me, I still wanted to revel in her raspberry and honey scent with a hint of coconut in her hair and hold her for as long as she was willing to allow.“Coffee?” she drawled lazily at me and unknowingly my hands went to touch her face, drawin
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