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Too Weak
Last Updated:
2025-02-18 21:13:12
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Beneath The Mask Unexpected
Ghost POVI can’t calm down, no matter how much I try, I fucking can’t. My father is apparently working on finding out what’s going on inside the De Luca estate, but it doesn’t do shit to settle me. It just leaves me pacing, burning with a restless rage I don’t know how to contain.He’s fine. He has to be fine. He took over from his father, he’s in charge now. But power only means something if the ones under you listen. And Giovanni—fucking Giovanni—I know he’s not the type to just step aside.I keep telling myself it’s nothing, that I’m overthinking, but I know I’m not. Something is wrong. It’s like this instinct, this fucking weight pressing against my ribs, warning me. The only thing stopping me from storming that estate is the slim chance that I’m wrong—because if I go there and I’m not? I might as well put the gun to Prince’s head myself.But fuck, he could at least call. Just a single message. A simple I’m okay.I down another drink, but it doesn’t help. The office is pointless.
Last Updated : 2025-02-18Beneath The Mask Waiting
Ghost POVI should be relieved that he’s sleeping, right? It means the pain isn’t unbearable, that his body is shutting down to heal. But I’m not. Every now and then, I nudge him, waiting for something—anything. When he mutters fuck off under his breath, I should take that as reassurance, but until he fully wakes, until I see his eyes open and hear him speak properly, I won’t relax.A knock at the door snaps me out of my thoughts. My body tenses as I pull it open, and the moment I see who’s standing there, rage ignites in my veins.“No.” My voice is sharp, cold.“Son, she had no knowledge.” My father steps forward, his voice calm, but I’m not listening. My focus is locked on the woman behind him.I laugh bitterly. “That’s bullshit. She knew.” My voice rises, and her eyes widen. “You knew he was sent to Ivorygate, didn’t you?” I shout, my chest heaving.Prince’s mother doesn’t say a word.“You don’t give a shit, so don’t stand there and act like you care now. The only reason you’re her
Last Updated : 2025-02-18Beneath The Mask Agreeing
Prince POVI don’t know what to say. I wasn’t expecting that question—not now, not ever. Yet Ghost is standing there, watching me, waiting for an answer like this is something I should have already decided.He’s right. If I marry within the week, I take over. I secure my position. My father loses any power to stop me. It’s a simple solution.But it’s not simple at all.The ice-cold water isn’t helping. My thoughts are sluggish, numb, like my body is still trying to process the beating I took. I can’t focus on the weight of his question when all I feel is the cold sinking into my bones.“Can I get out?” My voice comes out rough, the words barely forming through the haze in my head. “The cold isn’t helping me think.”Ghost nods and grabs a towel. “Yeah, sure.”I step out of the bath, and the relief is instant. My muscles ache, but at least I’m free from that freezing hell. How the fuck he does this regularly, I don’t know. Then again, Ghost has been fighting his entire life. Boxing, str
Last Updated : 2025-02-18Beneath The Mask My Mother
Prince POVHe helps me toward the couch, lowering me down before taking a seat beside me, his body rigid, his arms crossed like he’s physically restraining himself from tearing into her.My mother hesitates before leaning forward slightly. “How are you?”Ghost erupts. “Are you fucking joking?”I close my eyes, exhaling through my teeth. “Not even ten seconds, Ghost. You realize that, right?”His arms tighten across his chest, but at least he shuts up. For now.I turn back to my mother. “I’m fine. Nothing too serious. I’ll survive.”She nods, but there’s something uneasy in her expression. “I should have warned you,” she whispers. “When we were supposed to leave for the holiday, your father made us stay in the guest house instead. He ordered me and Lucy to stay inside. I thought it was strange, but I assumed he was just keeping an eye on you. He was sitting by the window with binoculars, watching.”Ghost leans forward instantly, his whole body tensing like a coiled spring. My hand flie
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Ghost POVHe said yes.He actually fucking said yes.My mind barely registers the conversation happening around me. My father is speaking, Josie is watching me with that knowing smirk, but all I can focus on is the fact that he said yes.Fuck business. Fuck family politics. Fuck the power plays, the alliances, the deals that have been the center of our world for so long. None of it matters—not right now.Because he agreed to marry me.A raw, consuming heat coils in my chest, a mix of possessiveness and something deeper that I can’t even begin to name. He’s mine. Fully, undeniably mine. And in five days, the entire world will know it.My father’s voice pulls me back. “We need to move carefully. Giovanni is going to retaliate when he finds out.”Prince shifts beside me, his body still tense from the pain, but his presence is strong. “He already started retaliating when he had me chained up in that cellar,” he mutters. “This just solidifies the war.”His words should have me thinking str
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Ghost POVPrince’s sharp gaze fixes on me. “You’re not going there to fuck someone, right?”I let out a short laugh. “Not this time, I promise.”Josie chuckles. “That makes a change.”My eyes snap to her, a warning glare settling on my face. “Don’t start.”She grins, unapologetic. “I wasn’t. I was just stating a fact. We all knew you fucked a lot. Granted, we thought it was women.”My teeth grind, and my fingers curl into fists.“Enough, Josie,” my father says sternly.She rolls her eyes but doesn’t push further. “I’m just saying, I’m really glad you refused to even kiss me,” she mutters, glancing at Prince.“Sorry,” Prince says quietly, his voice laced with guilt. “I should never have agreed to marry you.”Josie waves a hand. “That’s the past. The engagement barely lasted a week, so it’s not that big of a deal.”My father nods. “Still, Josie, I need you to do a news appearance with Prince and Ghost. We need to set the narrative before Giovanni can twist it. You’ll say the engagement
Last Updated : 2025-02-18Beneath The Mask Working
Prince POVSitting across from Salvatore is unsettling. I’m used to my father, to his methods, his cold control, the way he wields power like a scalpel. Salvatore is nothing like him.I expected the ruthless crime lord Ghost always described—the man who pushed him too hard, who blamed him for everything, who forced him to be stronger than any son should have to be. I expected cruelty hidden behind a polished exterior, the same way my father operates.But I’m not seeing that.Ghost’s father isn’t anything like mine, and that confuses the hell out of me. He doesn’t carry the same kind of quiet malice, the undercurrent of barely contained rage. He doesn’t wield fear like a weapon, doesn’t make me feel like I need to watch every move I make in case I slip up.It’s strange. Because despite everything, my father always presented himself as supportive. He pretended to understand me, to care about what I wanted—even as he sent me to be broken and rebuilt into his perfect heir. And yet here si
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Prince POVThis isn’t just about me anymore. This isn’t just about my father trying to control me, about Ghost and I fighting for something real. This is about power, about survival, about making sure no one gets the chance to bury me before I’ve even had a chance to live.And if war is coming…Then I’m ready for it.There’s one thing I can’t ignore, one thing I need to be sure of before we move forward. “My mother and sister,” I say, my voice steady despite the war waging in my head.Salvatore looks at me, studying me like he already knows where this is going. “What about them?”“I don’t want them caught in this war,” I explain. “I don’t want them hurt. I need to find a way to keep them out of it, to keep them neutral.”He exhales, leaning back slightly. “Your sister, I can ensure none of my men touch. She’s innocent in this, that won’t change.” His gaze sharpens. “As for your mother? I get it. She doesn’t hold the power to make decisions, but she’s not powerless. She has a voice. Do
Last Updated : 2025-02-18
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Beneath The Mask Happy
Ghost’s POVThe estate hums with a quiet, controlled energy. It’s not like before, not the constant shifting of power, the tension of men waiting for orders, unsure of where their loyalty should fall. No, this is different. This is stability, control. The kind of power that comes when every loose end has been tied, every move made with precision.Six months ago, the chaos of merging two families under one name seemed impossible, but here we are. There was bloodshed, betrayal, battles fought in the dark, but in the end, the Moretti name swallowed everything whole.And Lorenzo stands at the center of it all, like he was always meant to.It still feels strange sometimes, calling him that. For so long, he was Prince—an untouchable force of nature that crashed through my life and ruined me in the best fucking way. But he doesn’t go by that anymore. He stripped that name from himself the same way he burned away everything tied to his past.Prince was the name his father put on him, and it t
Beneath The Mask Strange
Prince POVThe hum of the jet is steady, almost soothing, and for the first time in a long time, my body doesn’t feel weighed down by expectation or responsibility. I should be thinking about everything we left behind, the work waiting for us when we return, but all I can focus on is Ghost’s warmth pressed against my side.I swirl the whiskey in my glass, watching the amber liquid catch the soft lighting. My head is clearer than it’s been in weeks, and maybe it’s the altitude or the silence between us, but I know this is the moment to say what’s been lingering in my mind.“I forgive you.”Ghost stills beside me. His arm, draped lazily over my shoulders, tenses. He doesn’t speak right away, just tilts his head slightly to look at me.“You forgive me,” he repeats, as if testing the words, trying to make sense of them.I nod, setting my glass down. “Yeah. For the kidnapping, for everything. I hated you for it, Ghost. I wanted to fucking kill you for it, and I won’t pretend I didn’t. But
Beneath The Mask For Him
Ghost POVThe past few weeks have been hell. Chaos, tension, and the never-ending grind of fixing what was broken. Prince has spent every second of the last week since we married solidifying his hold, making sure his men follow him, and reclaiming what was his. At the same time, my father has been preparing to hand everything over to me.There’s one thing we haven’t spoken about, though. Something I’ve already discussed with my father. Even though I’ll be taking over soon, his opinion still holds weight.Running two separate families, keeping our business dealings apart like we’re enemies, seems fucking stupid. We’re married, we live together, and our men are already working alongside each other. Keeping it divided is like clinging to something outdated, something that doesn’t fit the reality of what we are now.It’s a conversation I need to have with Prince, and now, with the meal winding down and everyone moving into the other room to drink, it’s time.I place a hand on his arm, sto
Beneath The Mask Showing My Strength
Prince POVIf I’m going to lead, if I’m going to secure my place, I need to make sure there’s no doubt about where I stand. And I need to make damn sure everyone else knows it too.The man shifts in his seat, trying to keep his posture straight despite the way his arms are bound behind the chair. His lip is swollen, blood smeared across his jaw, but his eyes—they’re what piss me off the most. He isn’t scared. He should be.I exhale slowly, my fingers flexing at my sides. “Let’s skip the bullshit. You don’t like me. I get it. You wanted someone else to take over, and now you’re sitting here bleeding while I stand in front of you.” I tilt my head. “Tell me, how do you think this ends?”His jaw tightens, but he doesn’t answer.Ghost leans against the wall, arms crossed, watching. He’s letting me handle this, letting me take the lead. I can feel his gaze on me, assessing, waiting to see what I’ll do.I crouch down in front of the man, resting my elbows on my knees. “Loyalty,” I say, watch
Beneath The Mask Focusing On Work
Prince POVA week has passed since the meeting where the men accepted me as their boss. The tension that had been thick in the air that day has finally settled, and everything seems to be running smoothly. No one is openly challenging my authority anymore, and while there are still some lingering doubts in certain circles, no one dares to act on them. Not yet, at least.Ash has been on top of things, making sure operations are running like clockwork. The businesses are stable, the money is flowing, and the ports are secure. The men who had hesitated before have either fallen in line or disappeared quietly, knowing that their loyalty isn’t up for debate.I should feel accomplished. I should feel like I’ve won. But the truth is, I don’t feel much of anything.My mind is still scattered, still tangled in everything that’s happened. I haven’t touched alcohol since the poisoning, though the urge is there. Not because I need it to function, but because I need something to dull the thoughts
Beneath The Mask His Strength
Ghost POVPrince stands at the head of the table, his face unreadable, his hands resting lightly against the dark wood. He’s composed, but I can see the way his fingers tighten slightly, the only sign of the exhaustion clinging to him. This isn’t about cigars. It’s about control. Power. The future of his leadership.I stay just behind him, watching, listening. This is his moment. I won’t interfere unless I have to.“You all know why we’re here,” Prince starts, his voice steady, controlled. “Giovanni is dead. I’ve taken over, and I have no interest in forcing anyone to stay who doesn’t want to. But if you do stay, things will be different.”Some of them exchange glances, but no one speaks yet. They’re waiting, listening.“I’m offering each of you more than you had under Giovanni. Five percent of the profits from the territories you oversee. It’s not just a paycheck—it’s a direct stake in what you build, a reason to keep this family strong. That is what I’m offering.”His words settle o
Beneath The Mask His Men
Ghost POVPrince is useless right now, as bad as it sounds. He stuck around, tried to help, but every time he spoke, he made things worse. His Capo kept looking at him like he had lost his damn mind, caught between respecting him as their boss and questioning if he was in any state to be leading them.So now, he’s asleep again. And honestly, it’s for the best. He needs to be sharp when he meets with the men later. I’m trying not to overstep, just handling the basics and making sure everything runs smoothly. Any requests for meetings, deals, or negotiations have been pushed back a few days.His men were standing around like they had no fucking clue what to do. It makes me wonder how Giovanni handled them. If this happened on my side, my Capo would have been quick to clean up the mess, eliminate any threats, and get everything back in order before anyone even had a chance to notice.The De Luca Capo, on the other hand, just stood there dumbfounded. It took me outright ordering them to g
Beneath The Mask Letting Him DO IT
Prince POVMind is useless as I scramble for an answer.“The arms dealer,” I continue, my voice flat. “He’s got direct supply lines to some of the best weapons in the country. Losing him doesn’t just mean weaker defenses, it means weaker offense. If a war starts and he’s not backing me, I’m going in blind while the other side is stocked.”Ghost nods again, like he already expected that answer.“Then the street boss,” I mutter, rubbing my forehead. “He manages all the foot soldiers. If he doesn’t pledge to me, I lose bodies. Numbers. Without him, I’ll have the higher-ups but no one left to actually enforce my rule.”I exhale, my fingers pressing against my temples. “And then there’s the club owner. He’s the one who controls the places where all these deals go down. The meetings, the payments, the contracts. If he refuses to align with me, I lose neutral ground. I lose the space to negotiate, to work things out before they turn bloody.”Ghost watches me, waiting for more, but my mind is
Beneath The Mask Main men
Prince POVWaking up feels disorienting, my body lighter than before, but my mind sluggish, struggling to piece together how I even got here. The last thing I remember was leaning into Ghost, his warmth steady against mine. Did I really fall asleep on him? That doesn’t feel like something I’d let myself do, not after everything. Yet, here I am, lying in bed with no memory of moving.Sitting up, I drag a hand down my face, trying to shake off the remnants of exhaustion. My limbs feel less like dead weight, but there’s still a heaviness in my chest, an ache deep in my muscles that refuses to fade completely. The poison may be wearing off, but the effects still linger beneath my skin.I push the blankets back and move to the bathroom, needing something to ground me. The hot water pelts against my skin, steam curling around me as I let the shower rinse away the last dregs of weakness. By the time I step out and dress, the fog in my mind has lifted slightly, but the weight of everything st
