THE ORDER~LAUREN’S POV~Alexandro was sitting across from me. That fact alone had my thoughts spiraling. Had he gotten even hotter since the last time we spoke? The sharp cut of his jaw, the lazy confidence in the way he leaned back—it was as if the universe had carved him to drive me insane. But did that even matter? Of course, it didn’t. He was here as an important guest, and I needed to keep my calm. Avoiding his eyes, I turned to face Rosette, clinging to some pretense of calm. “Why was I called in here?” I asked, forcing my voice to remain steady, though my pulse was anything but. I could feel his gaze on me, cold yet burning, like a silent accusation. My heart pounded in my chest, every beat a reminder of my growing panic. Was he angry? Did it have to do with ‘that text’?Oh, God. The text. He’d seen it—he had to have. Read every single word. “Oh, Lauren,” Rosette’s voice interrupted my crazy thoughts, a wicked smile curling on her lips. “You must be happy to se
NOT HIS TYPE.~LAUREN’S POV~ I grabbed the door handle, my fingers tightening around it as anger steamed beneath my skin. No, I wasn’t just angry—I was furious. I paused, turning back to glance at Rosette and Alexandro one last time before yanking the door open and stepping out. My heels clicked against the floor as I marched back to my desk, my jaw clenched and my mind racing. Plopping into my chair, I let my head fall onto my desk, trying to calm the storm inside me. “Let me guess—Rosette was being a bitch again?” Vanessa’s voice chimed in from the desk beside me. I turned my face to look at her, still resting my head on the desk. “She never fails to show her true colors, even in front of strangers,” I replied with a forced smile. Lifting my head, I glanced back toward Rosette’s office door. Why was Alexandro still in there? I bit my lower lip nervously, my thoughts spinning. Why was I even nervous? It’s not like I cared if he spent an hour—or the whole damn day—in ther
I SET THE RULES.~ALEXANDRO’S POV~When my assistant, Hilda, mentioned the deal Storm Media was offering to cover my event, I hesitated. “It’s a good opportunity,” Mario had said, his tone firm. “A little publicity could go a long way.” I wasn’t convinced. The last thing I needed was cameras and microphones poking into my business, especially now. The timing couldn’t have been worse—not with the recent death of the Russian mafia lord hanging over us like a storm cloud. Antonio had called me the moment it happened. “He was assassinated,” he said flatly, no emotion in his voice. Assassinated. One bullet and everything could unravel. The Russians and Italians had always been at each other’s throats, but this? This could ignite something bigger. If the killer wasn’t found—and soon—everything I had built would crumble. My connections, my deals, my reputation. All of it was gone in the blink of an eye. The situation was already tense. Last month alone, there were multiple sh
PLAYING GAMES~ALEXANDRO’S POV~Lauren’s lips parted, but no words came out. Her chest rose and fell rapidly, her anger and nervousness radiating off her in waves. I could feel it, and it only made me press closer, pinning her more firmly against the cold, tiled wall.“You’re delusional,” she finally hissed, her voice trembling but laced with defiance. “You think you can just… dictate my life?”I tilted my head, a smirk pulling at the corners of my mouth. “I don’t think, mi amor. I know.”Her eyes burned with fury, her hands shoving weakly against my chest. “Let. Me. Go.”But I didn’t move. I couldn’t. Instead, I let my gaze linger on her flushed face, her lips, and the way her hair fell slightly over her eyes as she glared at me.“I’ve tried to let you go,” I murmured, the admission surprising even me. My voice dropped to something darker, and lower. “You have no idea how much I’ve tried, Lauren. But you make it… impossible.”Her breath hitched, just slightly, and her hands froze a
THE BLOODY MAN.~LAUREN’S POV~ I stared at the chaotic mess in my wardrobe, a sea of outdated clothes staring back at me like a cruel reminder. It had been months since I’d gone shopping, months since I’d felt the need to care about my appearance. I sighed, turning away, and running a hand through my tangled hair. I was tired—physically, mentally, emotionally. And I seriously didn’t want to attend this ball. But I had no choice. My camera and gear sat ready by the edge of my bed as if mocking me. The stress of work, the expectations, the ‘unavoidable’—all of it presses me down like a heavy cloak. Rosette’s words from earlier still played in my head, like a broken record I couldn’t turn off. “You don’t want Patrick as your escort?” she had repeated, her cold, cutting gaze fixed on me, as though daring me to argue further. I’d taken a breath, trying to steady my voice. “No matter what excuse you have, it’s just wrong, Rosette.” She’d laughed—a sharp, looking down-upon
OVERTHINKING.~LAUREN POV~I stood there like a statue, frozen. My mind is racing. The sight of Alexandro in this situation was shocking. Wasn't he supposed to be a trillionaire?Mr perfection.His sharp green eyes held mine and I could almost feel the tension in the air. The two men with him, glance at me, their weapons still in hand, but they don't move.“What are you doing here?”Alexandro's voice was calm but there was a harshness to it that made my skin crawl.I opened my mouth to speak but no words came out. My eyes darted to the man on the floor, his breathing shallow, the blood spreading around him. My stomach turned, and I felt like I might be sick.“I….I got lost,” I finally managed to say, my voice barely above a whisper.Alexandro’s expression didn't change. He took a step towards me, his movement slow and deliberate. I instinctively took a step back, my heart pounding in my chest.“You shouldn't be here,” he said, his voice low and dangerous.Well, he didn't need to tell
BLOOD & DESIRES ~ALEXANDRO’S POV~The look in Lauren’s eyes when she walked into that room. I had seen it before. Fear. Disgust. A silent accusation. It was the same look my mother used to give me whenever I came home covered in blood. My mother, the woman who gave me life, had looked at me as though I were something monstrous. Something unworthy. And now, Lauren had seen it too. How the hell had she even found that room? It was hidden, far from the public eye. A place meant for business, not for innocent eyes like hers. I never wanted her to see ‘this’ part of me. Not yet. This life—this world—I was proud of it. It was mine. I had built it from the ground up and earned my place through blood and power. But Lauren didn’t belong in this world. She wasn’t ready. Mario would lose his mind if he found out she’d seen what she shouldn’t have. But I wasn’t going to let one mistake ruin my fun. She would remember ‘nothing’ after tonight. The sharp chime of the doorbel
THE GAME WE PLAY~LAUREN’S POV~The moment I walked into the ballroom, I felt it. People are watching closely. They whisper. There is a mix of curiosity and judgment in the air.I tried not to let it show. I had stepped into an entirely different world—one of power, influence, and carefully crafted illusions. I had no business being here, yet here I was. Dressed in red. A statement in itself. My heart pounded as I forced myself to move forward, chin high, shoulders squared. But deep inside, a small voice whispered— “run.”I ignored it. But then, my eyes landed on him. Patrick. He stood near the bar, his gaze locked onto me with an admiration that made my breath hitch. For a split second, the past flooded forward, threatening to pull me under. The feelings I thought had died came rushing back. I wanted to move toward him, but then— “her.”Rosette. Her arm was coiled through Patrick’s, her grip possessive, her eyes sharp as they met mine. A silent warning. That witch.
MISSION IMPOSSIBLE.~LAUREN’S POV~“So, let me get this straight,” Sophia said, twisting toward me in the back seat like she had not just spent the last ten minutes making soulful eye contact with Luca through the rearview mirror. “We’re breaking into your ex’s office to look through his files. On a Friday night. Wearing lip gloss.”“Yes,” I said. “And for the record, we’re not breaking in. I have my access card. This is technically still above board.”“Right. Above board. Legal. Super classy,” she muttered, flicking a glance at Luca. “Just like your driver here. What's his name again? Luca? Or Tall, Dark, and Possibly Packing?”“I can hear you,” Luca said from the front, eyes still focused on the road….but the edge of his mouth twitched. I saw it.“Just making sure your ears work,” Sophia joked, crossing her legs like a Bond girl. “You do have nice ones, by the way.”Luca said nothing.But he adjusted the mirror, To look at her. I choked on air. Sophia gave me a little shrug like, o
SONG PLAYED: “Do It For Me” by Rosenfeld.BLOOD ON MY HANDS ~ALEXANDRO’S POV~FLASHBACK: The Castello mansion smelled like fresh lilies and betrayal the night Leonardo came home. A whole month away for business, and no one thought to clue me in on what kind of business needed my stepfather to disappear like a ghost and reemerge with an even darker flash in his eye.I was sixteen. Old enough to know how to cock a gun, but still too young to be trusted with the real kind of power…the type that ruined men, that turned blood into currency and truth into collateral.Leonardo said I had ambition. Said I had ‘the makings’. Said I reminded him of himself. That should’ve been the first red flag.The house was too quiet when we came back from boarding school. The kind of quiet that clings to your skin and whispers that something’s wrong, even if you can’t name it yet.I was halfway down the hall, steps light, heart unbothered, until I saw him. Standing outside the master bedroom. Watchi
SONG PLAYED: “Who Do You Want” by Ex habit.THE MONSTER YOU MADE.~ALEXANDRO’S POV~I made my way to the bar like a man with all the time in the world and none of the patience.The crystal decanter waited, filled with the kind of aged scotch that bit like betrayal and soothed like a lover’s lie. My fingers wrapped around the neck of the bottle. I poured two glasses like I had a goddamn degree in it.Behind me, Mario sank into the couch with the dramatic flair of a man who survived everything but therapy. Julio stood by the door like a statue carved from loyalty and nightmares.“Drink?” I offered, holding up the bottle.Mario flashed me a smirk that said fuck it and leaned back like he owned the room. “Pour away, Prince of Pain.”I chuckled under my breath. The bastard was insufferable. Still, I liked him better than most people I did not fantasize about strangling.I walked over with the glasses and handed him one. “Here, asshole.”He took it, eyes twinkling with mischief. A cigar al
SONG PLAYED: “We Can’t Be Friends” by Ariana GrandeTHE GOSSIP WE TALK ABOUT ~LAUREN’S POV~The door swung open like she had been waiting behind it all night, which, let’s be honest…she probably had.Sophia stood there in a faded band tee and leopard print boxers, holding a glass of wine like it was a weapon and I had just interrupted her murder documentary binge.“You look like you just escaped a rich person’s breakdown,” she said, eyeing me from head to toe.“Technically, I did,” I muttered, stepping inside. “Also, this apartment still smells like coconut and emotionally unavailable men.”She shut the door with her hip. “Thanks. It’s the candle and my taste in exes.”We made it to the couch before I collapsed like my bones were optional. She handed me a fresh glass of wine and a stare that said talk or I will make you.“So…” she dragged the word like a slow, sexy murder. “You slept with him, didn’t you?”I choked on the Merlot. “Can we at least say hi first?”“Oh, hi. Now tell me a
SONG PLAY: “28” by Ruthie B (Dawn Lewis)THIN ICE ~LAUREN’S POV~“Can we talk?”I didn’t look up right away. I knew that voice. I could pick it out in a room full of demons. Patrick.Slowly, I lifted my gaze from my laptop, arching one brow with all the grace of a woman who used to care, but now only keeps receipts.Vanessa paused mid-flirt on her call, eyes darting between us with that ‘what-the-hell-is-this’ look. I ignored her.Instead, I flicked my gaze to Luca.He was already moving, jaw set, posture rigid, like he was seconds away from turning Patrick into a lesson. I gave a quick shake of my head.Stand down.But the men Alexandro assigns to me? Yeah. They don’t exactly stand down. They loom. With guns. And bone-melting cheekbones.Patrick raised both hands, surrender style. “I just want to talk, Lauren. That’s it.”I stood up, straightening my skirt and pretending like I hadn’t just fantasized about drop-kicking him into next week.“I hope it’s something worth hearing,” I sna
THE ART OF BREAKING ~LAUREN’S POV~A normal person would’ve walked away. Heard what I heard, packed up their pride, and got the hell out.But I’ve never been good at walking away. Especially not when the wolves were circling. Especially not when I knew my name was already sitting pretty on Rosette Goldberg’s revenge list, underlined in red, probably scented with Chanel No. 5 and malice.Now here I was, stuck in the middle of a meeting that felt more like a firing squad.“Earth to Lauren,” Maryjane’s voice sliced through my thoughts like a scalpel.My eyes lifted from the notepad I’d been scribbling nonsense on. Loops. Crosses. A sketch of Rosette with devil horns.All eyes were on me.Of course, they were.Rosette sat at the head of the table like a queen drunk on her poison, the look in her eyes one part disdain, two parts ‘try me.’“You spaced out,” Vanessa whispered next to me, her voice low. “You okay?”Lie. Lie through your teeth, Lauren.“Yeah, fine,” I murmured, faking normal
INTERVIEW GONE WRONG~LAUREN’S POV~I blinked, not once, but twice. This was a scandal okay, maybe the biggest.Julian Moretti Blackwood, another top dog in the business world and Castello's biggest rival. Alexandro would freak out if he ever found out.Julian stood behind Heather as if he belonged there, smirking, calm like he was enjoying whatever chaos was going on in my head.He was supposed to be trouble, at least that's what I was told and what I had read.The kind Alexandro did not talk about, except in threats or warnings….always followed by: “If you ever see him, you run”I never dare to ask why I should run, all I know is that I trust him.And now I was standing in a hotel hallway…and Julian was practically naked, wearing nothing but a low-hanging pair of sweatpants and danger-like second skin.My heart stuttered.Vanessa’s grip tightened around her notepad. “Nope,” she muttered under her breath. “Nope. We are not doing this.” Heather leaned her head back toward Julian, giv
SCANDALOUS MORNING ~LAUREN’S POV~My body still ached in the best way. Last night with Alexandro was... memorable.I’d been nervous, it was my first time with him. But God, it was everything. The way he touched me, the way he owned me... I still had flashes of it when I closed my eyes. My body reacted like it was happening all over again.I was so lost in thought, that I barely noticed the elevator doors ding open.Antonio wasn’t around today, but Luca stood close behind me, unusually quiet. He said Antonio had something important to handle.I prayed it wasn’t what I was thinking.“Good morning, beautiful.”That voice. I turned quickly, and there he was. Ethan. Alive. Standing. Smiling.“You’re here,” I breathed, shocked. I shot a glance at Luca, whose jaw tightened as he glared at Ethan like he wanted to put him through the nearest wall.Ethan’s smile didn’t waver. “Where else would I be?”The elevator slid open. He stepped inside first, cool and calm, his eyes lingering on me like
DEVOTION.~ALEXANDRO’S POV~Lauren kicked off her shoes, “I still can’t believe you didn’t shoot him,” she said, pulling her hair out of its clip. “Or at least punch him.”I turned to her slowly. “Don’t tempt me. I’m still considering both.”She laughed softly, then walked past me into the kitchen like she’d always belonged here. I followed her, watching how comfortably she moved, how she opened the fridge and grabbed a bottle of water like this was hers.Maybe it was. Maybe that’s what scared me the most. “I want to take a shower,” she said, glancing back at me.“Use mine,” I replied. “You know where it is.”She disappeared down the hall, and I let out a breath I didn’t know I was holding. I poured myself a glass of whiskey and stared out the window, city lights twinkling like stars below.My mind was still racing. The stolen shipments. Ethan. Julian’s name stayed in the air like smoke I couldn’t shake off.Trouble was circling. And she, Lauren, was standing dead in the center of it