LUCAAlicia’s voice was quiet, but the words hit like a gunshot."I don’t remember betraying you, Luca. I don’t… remember any of it."My jaw tightened. “Convenient.”She flinched, but I didn’t give a damn. I wasn’t about to fall for this. Not after everything.Rafael exhaled sharply. “Luca, she’s not lying. She barely remembers anything from the last few years. Just… you.”My stomach twisted. “You expect me to believe that?”“I don’t expect anything,” Alicia cut in, voice hoarse but steady. “I just know that the last thing I remember is loving you. And now I wake up to find out that I betrayed you? That I—” She swallowed hard. “That I died?”I didn’t respond. What the fuck was I supposed to say to that?Rafael folded his arms. “She came here looking for you, not knowing you’d moved out. She thought you were still living at the old house. That says something.”It didn’t. It didn’t mean shit. I’d spent years dragging myself out of the wreckage Alicia left behind. I wasn’t about to let h
LUCAI should’ve walked out. I should’ve left her sitting there with her ghosts and her excuses. But instead, I stood there, staring at the woman I once called my wife, feeling nothing but the weight of a past I never wanted.Did I love her?No.Not the way a man should love his wife. Not the way I—I clenched my jaw, cutting that thought off before it could finish.Alicia was a duty, an expectation, a business move wrapped in the illusion of something real. She was never mine, not in the ways that mattered. And now, she was just another loose end.Her lip trembled, her gaze searching my face. “Luca, I swear—I don’t remember. But I know I wouldn’t have done that to you.”I let out a humorless laugh. “Wouldn’t you?”She flinched.Rafael shifted beside me, his face unreadable. “The doctor’s almost here. You want me to stay?”I shook my head. “No.” My eyes stayed on Alicia, my voice turning sharp. “You wanted to see me. You got what you wanted. Now you’ll stay here, under my watch, until
LUCARafael was waiting in my office when I got there, arms crossed, face unreadable.“She asleep?” I asked, grabbing the whiskey from my desk and pouring a glass.He nodded. “Doctor sedated her. Said she’s weak, malnourished. Looks like she’s been through hell.”I took a slow sip, letting the burn settle before answering. “She’s lucky I give a damn.”Rafael let out a low breath, leaning against the desk. “You don’t, though. Not really.”I met his gaze, waiting.“She was dead, Luca. You let yourself believe it because you wanted to.” His voice was calm, measured. “So why does this bother you so much?”I tilted my glass, watching the amber liquid catch the light. “Because someone played me.”That was the real issue. Not Alicia. Not her damn memory loss. But the fact that someone had orchestrated an entire fucking death, left me a body, faked the DNA results, and let me believe the lie.And now, after all these years, she was back.The question wasn’t just how.It was why now?Rafael st
LUCAI was still thinking about her when I left her room.She didn’t tell me to stop. She didn’t pull away. She’d been on the edge, just like I had. And I hated that I wanted to see just how far we could both go.But she didn’t trust me. Not yet. Not enough. And she shouldn’t.Because I didn’t trust myself either.I made my way back to the study, trying to push the weight of her out of my chest. But it wasn’t working.I sat at my desk, but I didn’t touch the papers in front of me. Instead, I grabbed the bottle of whiskey again, poured another drink, and took a long gulp.The burn felt good.I needed something to dull the ache, the pull, the need for something I shouldn’t have.And then there was Alicia.What the hell was I supposed to do with her?I’d been around long enough to know that nothing about her return was clean. Nothing was coincidental. She was back for a reason, and I wasn’t sure I wanted to find out why.But I was going to have to.I leaned back in my chair, rubbing a ha
ISADORAThe morning air was crisp when I stepped into the garden, carrying a book I had no intention of reading. The stone bench near the roses was my refuge, a place to clear my head, to push away the thoughts that had kept me awake all night.But Luca was still there. In my head. Under my skin.I hadn't seen him since that night-since his lips had ruined me, since I'd let myself get too close. And I didn't know what to do with the mess he'd left in my chest.I wasn't supposed to care.I wasn't supposed to feel anything at all.Yet, when I looked up from my book and saw Alicia standing with Rafael near the back entrance, something cold and sharp lodged itself in my ribs.She was laughing.Rafael stood close, his head tilted toward her, and she reached up, touching his arm like it was second nature. Like it wasn't strange.I didn't even know what they were talking about, but it didn't matter. The bitter taste was already in my mouth.Jealousy.I clenched my fingers around the edge of
ISADORAI felt his eyes on me, but I couldn’t look at him.My skin was still burning where his hands had been, my lips still tingling from his kiss, but all of it—every ounce of heat—was drowned out by the image of Alicia standing there. The hurt in her eyes.I shouldn’t care.But I did.I pressed my palm against my chest, trying to calm the frantic beat of my heart as I stepped out of his room. I needed space. Air. Distance from him.But his voice chased me.“Isadora.”I paused, fingers curling into fists, but I didn’t turn around.“What?” My voice came out sharper than I intended, laced with everything I was trying to bury.There was a beat of silence. Then, “Don’t run from me.”His words were low, rough—almost a warning.I forced a breath. “I’m not running. I just… need to think.”It was a lie.I was running. And we both knew it.I made it back to my room before the knot in my chest finally cracked.Because the truth was, it wasn’t just Alicia that rattled me.It was what I felt wi
ISADORAThe next morning, I barely slept. My chest was still tight, that image of Alicia and Luca burned into my mind like a scar. But I had a final paper to write, and I wasn’t about to let my heartache ruin my degree.I showed up on campus with Rafael like always, his eyes flicking to me every few minutes like he knew something was off. I kept my head down. Gave him short answers. Pretended I was fine.I wasn’t.Laura caught me in the hallway before I went in for the paper. Her gaze swept over me, eyes narrowing. “You good?”I forced a smile that even I knew was trash. “Yeah, just tired. Finals, you know?”She didn’t buy it.“You wanna talk later?”“Maybe… I just need some space right now.”She gave me that look—you know, the best friend look, the one that says I know you’re lying, but I’ll let you get away with it for now.“Okay,” she said, but her voice was soft, worried.I nodded and slipped into the exam hall.But afterward… I couldn’t go back.Not to Rafael. Not to the house. N
ISADORAI sat there by the river until the sky bled into night. The sun dipped below the skyline, and the city lights flickered on, glowing against the dark water. My chest felt heavy, my thoughts tangled—Luca, Alicia, the way he looked at me… like I was the only thing keeping him breathing.And yet, I saw him with her.Why did it hurt this much? Why did I care this deeply?I hated it. Hated that I felt like this—like I’d handed him every part of me, and he could crush it with one glance. I was stronger than this. I was supposed to be.I laughed under my breath, shaking my head.All this over a man. Me? Really?Pathetic.I leaned back against the bench, staring at the sky. What happened to the girl who swore she’d never let anyone own her heart? Who said she’d never let a man be the reason her chest felt like it was caving in?But here I was. A fool.And the worst part? I still wanted him.By the time the air cooled and the streetlights buzzed brighter, I knew I had to go back. I coul
LUCAI set the letter down, my grip tightening. My instincts screamed that this wasn’t just about Costa or the shipment.This was about me.Someone was watching. Waiting. Calculating every move I made.And I was done playing their game.I looked up at Rafael. “I want every single person in our circle checked. No one is above suspicion.”His jaw tightened. “Even our own men?”“Especially our own men.” I leaned forward, voice low and firm. “Someone tipped them off. I want to know who.”Rafael nodded, understanding the weight of what I was asking. It wasn’t just about loyalty—it was about survival.I exhaled sharply, my mind already racing ahead. “Send men to the docks. If they stole from us, they have to move it. I want eyes on every deal going down in the city. The Scorpions are selling to someone, and I want to know who.”Rafael didn’t hesitate. “I’ll handle it.”I pushed back from the table, my fingers curling into fists. “And Rafael?”He stopped
LUCAI didn't let go of Isadora's hand as we walked out of the clinic.Not when we reached the car. Not when I opened the door for her.Not even when we were halfway back to the house, silence stretching between us, thick with something unspoken.She shifted slightly in her seat, the movement drawing my attention. I glanced at her, catching the way her free hand rested on her stomach.Something in my chest tightened.The image from the ultrasound still burned in my mind. The rhythmic sound of our baby’s heartbeat. The small, undeniable proof of life.Mine.Ours.I had known, logically, that Isadora was pregnant. Had accepted it. But seeing it? Hearing it?It did something to me.Changed something.I wasn’t a man who loved easily. Hell, I wasn’t even sure if I knew how. But the possessive, protective instinct thrumming beneath my skin at that moment?It was the closest thing to love I had ever known.Isadora turned to me, her gaze soft but unreadable. “You haven’t said anything.”I kep
LUCACosta slumped forward in the chair, breathing ragged. Blood soaked the ropes around his wrists, dripping onto the concrete floor beneath him.Rafael stood by the table, shaking out his bruised knuckles. “He’s tougher than he looks,” he muttered.Costa let out a weak chuckle. “You’re just not as scary as you think.”I pulled up a chair in front of him, leaning in. “That so?”He gave me a lazy smirk, swollen lip splitting further. “I’ve met worse.”I hummed, tilting my head. “Have you?”Then, before he could blink, I drove my knife into his thigh.Costa screamed, body jerking violently against the chair.Rafael barely reacted.I twisted the blade, watching him writhe. “You’re going to tell me what I want to know.”Costa gasped, chest heaving. “I— I already did.”I yanked the knife out, blood pooling at his feet. “Not everything.”His good eye twitched.“I know Alicia gave the order,” I said, wiping the blade on his shirt. “I know she wanted Isadora dead.” My fingers flexed around t
ISADORALuca was getting stronger.Every day, I watched the color return to his face, the sharpness settle back into his gaze. His movements were steadier, his pain more manageable. He still hated being confined, but for once, he wasn’t fighting me on it.Not out loud, anyway.But as his body healed, mine stayed wound tight. Because while Luca was focused on his recovery, my phone wouldn’t stop ringing.My father.Every call, every voicemail, every text—all ignored.But that didn’t stop them from coming.At first, it was just desperate pleas."Isadora, I need your help.""Please, Isa. I’m in trouble.""You’re my daughter. Don’t you have any loyalty?"Then, the threats started."You think you can ignore me forever?""You owe me, Isadora. After everything I’ve done for you.""You think your little boyfriend can protect you?"My stomach curled in disgust every time his name flashed across the screen.He didn’t deserve my help.Not after what he had done.Not after the way he had betrayed
ISADORALuca’s reluctant surrender lasted all of ten minutes.The moment Rafael left the room, he shifted like he was testing the limits of his pain, his jaw clenched in quiet determination. I knew that look. It was the same one he wore before making a reckless decision.I exhaled sharply. “Luca—”“I need to see Costa myself.”I clenched my fists. “No, you need to heal.”His eyes, sharp despite the lingering haze of painkillers, locked onto mine. “I won’t sit here while someone else handles my problem.”I swallowed my frustration, trying to remain calm, but it was impossible. The past few days had been nothing but fear, watching him teeter between life and death, praying for just one more moment. And now, barely awake, he was ready to throw himself into the fire again.My hands curled into the sheets. “Do you even hear yourself? You almost died, Luca. Do you think that means nothing?”His jaw flexed, but he didn’t look away. “I think it means I have unfinished business.”Something sna
ISADORA The room was quiet except for the steady beep of Luca’s heart monitor and the low hum of Rafael’s breathing.I lay there for a while, watching Luca, tracing the shape of his fingers with my eyes, memorizing the slight movement of his chest. Every breath he took felt like borrowed time, a reminder that he was still here. That I hadn’t lost him.But sleep didn’t come easily.Every time I closed my eyes, I saw him—bleeding, gasping, slipping away. The metallic scent of blood clung to my memory, sharp and suffocating. I squeezed my eyes shut, forcing the images away, but they always lurked just beneath the surface.A rustling sound broke the silence.I turned my head slightly, expecting to see Rafael adjusting in his chair, but he was still, his arms crossed, eyes closed.The noise came again—this time from the bed.My breath caught.I pushed up onto my elbows, heart pounding as I focused on Luca. His fingers twitched slightly against the blanket, a small but unmistakable movemen
ISADORA “Come on. Let’s get you upstairs.”I hesitated, my gaze flickering back to Luca. He was still, but not in the way that had terrified me earlier. His chest rose and fell in steady rhythms, his pulse strong beneath my fingertips.Bianca reached for my arm. “Rafael’s staying here. He’ll call you the second anything changes.”The logic was there. But logic didn’t matter.What mattered was that Luca had almost died tonight. And I wasn’t sure I’d survive seeing it happen again.But I wasn’t given much of a choice. Bianca tugged gently, pulling me up from the chair. My legs protested the sudden movement, pins and needles prickling up my calves from standing for so long without rest.The walk to the grand staircase felt longer than it should have. The house was eerily quiet, the usual hum of distant voices absent. The only sound was the muffled press of our footsteps against the marble floor.Halfway up the stairs, a wave of dizziness hit me.I swayed, the edges of my vision tilting
ISADORA The clinic ward was eerily silent now, save for the steady beeping of monitors and the occasional murmur of the doctor’s assistant. But the stillness did nothing to calm me.Luca was too pale. His breathing, though steady, was still too shallow. I gripped his hand tightly, my fingers trembling against his skin. He was warm—too warm, fever still clinging to him. My stomach twisted.I hadn’t moved from his side.Not when the doctor finished tending to him. Not when Rafael tried to speak to me. Not even when my body screamed in protest, exhaustion weighing me down like lead.I wasn’t leaving.Rafael sighed from where he stood near the doorway, arms crossed. His sharp eyes, always unreadable, softened just slightly as he watched me.“Isadora,” he murmured, stepping closer. “You need to rest.”I shook my head, my grip on Luca tightening. “I’m not leaving him.”Rafael exhaled sharply, running a hand through his hair. “You’re pregnant.”The words hit like a quiet reminder, one I had
ISADORAI didn't even know there was a fucking clinic ward in this house.Rafael barreled through the halls, shouting orders, his grip on Luca unrelenting as he and another man hauled him toward a hidden wing of the estate. Blood trailed behind them, soaking into the expensive floors, but I couldn’t bring myself to care.Luca's weight sagged between them, his head lolling to the side, his breaths shallow. Too shallow.Panic choked me."Move!" Rafael barked, shoving through a set of double doors.The clinic was pristine, cold, too white. It smelled of antiseptic and something metallic—Luca’s blood. My stomach twisted as they laid him onto a surgical bed, hands working fast to strip away his blood-soaked shirt.I hovered, frozen, my heartbeat a frantic, unbearable rhythm in my ears.Luca was too pale. His eyes fluttered, unfocused, lips parted as though he was fighting to stay conscious.A doctor—where the hell did he even come from?—rushed in, a bag slung over his shoulder. "Get out of