Elena stirred slowly, her body still tangled in the lingering warmth of Damien’s sheets. For a fleeting moment, she allowed herself to exist in the illusion—wrapped in the scent of him, her skin still humming from the night before.The quiet before the storm.But reality crashed back in.Draco. The danger. The impossible situation she was trapped in.Her eyes fluttered open, and she turned her head slightly. Damien lay beside her, his bare chest rising and falling in steady breaths, his features relaxed in a way they never were when he was awake.She had seen him like this once before—before everything had shattered between them. Before betrayals and bloodshed. Before she had run.Her heart clenched.This wasn’t real.It couldn’t be.Carefully, she started to move, untangling herself from the sheets and from him. But the moment she shifted—Damien’s arm tightened around her waist.“Leaving already?” His voice was rough with sleep, his grip possessive even in half-consciousness.Elena
Elena didn’t hesitate.The moment Nico’s words settled in her mind—“Maybe you should be asking what else he’s hiding from you”—she turned on her heel and stormed toward Damien’s office.Her pulse was a steady drumbeat of anger and something else, something more dangerous. Doubt.She shoved open the heavy double doors without knocking.Damien sat behind his desk, a glass of whiskey in one hand, his other skimming over a stack of documents. He didn’t flinch at her abrupt entrance, nor did he glance up immediately. But the slight twitch in his jaw told her he was fully aware of her presence.Elena didn’t give him time to react.“What aren’t you telling me?”Damien finally lifted his gaze, his dark eyes locking onto hers. He was unreadable—calm, composed, dangerous.“You’re going to have to be more specific, tesoro,” he said smoothly, setting the whiskey down with an infuriating lack of urgency.Elena’s hands curled into fists at her sides.“Nico said I should be asking you that.” She too
The estate was in chaos.Damien’s men moved in a frenzied blur, their voices sharp with urgency as they barked orders into phones and scanned through security footage. The tension in the air was thick enough to choke on, swirling with a volatile mix of panic and rage. The dim glow of overhead lights cast long, restless shadows against the walls, amplifying the sense of impending disaster.Elena stood at the center of it all, frozen for a mere second—just a heartbeat—before her mind caught up with the nightmare unraveling before her. Then fear turned to action, to rage, to desperation.Mrs. Fletcher lay on the couch, her frail form barely propped up by the cushions. A deep gash marred her forehead, a crimson trail streaking down her temple. One of the medics worked swiftly, dabbing antiseptic over her wound, but her trembling hands grasped at Elena’s wrist with startling strength."He was crying for you, Elena," she whispered, her voice frail yet heavy with emotion. "I tried—I fought t
The night air was thick with the stench of salt and rust. The abandoned dockyard stretched before them like a graveyard of forgotten industry—crumbling warehouses, shattered windows, and the eerie creak of metal shifting in the wind. The moon hung low, casting long, distorted shadows across the wet pavement.Elena crouched in the stolen van, her fingers digging into the edge of the door as she peered through a crack in the rusted frame. Her heart pounded in her chest, each beat hammering against her ribs like a war drum. Ahead, Damien walked alone, his strides steady and unhurried, yet each movement radiated barely restrained violence.The warehouse loomed before him, its rusted doors ajar, as if the building itself were inhaling sharply, waiting for blood to be spilled.Inside, the air was damp and heavy with the scent of oil and decay. Flickering industrial lights barely pierced the darkness, casting sickly yellow pools on the cracked concrete floor. Wooden crates and rusted barrels
The convoy sped down an empty road, headlights slicing through the dense night. The tension inside the car was suffocating, pressing in on Elena like an invisible force. She cradled Draco in the backseat, feeling the soft rise and fall of his breath against her chest, a small comfort amid the chaos.Damien gripped the steering wheel with white-knuckled intensity, his jaw locked as he maneuvered the vehicle with ruthless efficiency. His focus remained on the road, but she could sense the storm brewing beneath his carefully restrained exterior. Behind them, Nico and Lorenzo followed closely in separate vehicles, their presence an unspoken reminder that this battle was far from over.The journey felt endless, the weight of everything they had endured settling heavily between them. When the car finally slowed, Elena lifted her gaze, taking in the secluded location before them. A towering estate stood in the moonlight, nestled deep within the countryside, its high fences and dense tree lin
The safehouse was quiet—too quiet. It was the eerie kind of silence that felt like the eye of a storm, the moment before everything shattered into chaos.Damien sat in his office, a glass of whiskey in one hand, the other clenched into a fist on the desk. The dim glow of the desk lamp cast shadows across his sharp features, his jaw tightening as his mind worked through the tangled web of danger surrounding them.His phone buzzed.Without hesitation, he answered."It’s done, boss. DeLuca opened the storage locker."Matteo’s voice was steady, but Damien could hear the weight behind it.Damien’s grip tightened on the glass. "And?""You’re not gonna like this."A slow exhale. "Tell me."Matteo hesitated for half a second, then dropped the bomb. "It’s a ledger. A massive one. Every corrupt official, every money trail, every deal made under the table. But this isn’t just any ledger. It’s the kind that could burn down entire governments."The words settled like lead in Damien’s gut. He had e
The night was eerily silent in the safehouse, but Elena couldn’t sleep.She lay in bed, Draco curled against her, his small body rising and falling in deep sleep. She brushed a hand through his curls, whispering a silent promise."I won’t let them take you again."In the other room, Damien, Nico, and Lorenzo were deep in discussion, their voices low and tense.Lorenzo crossed his arms, his expression dark. "You think DeLuca is just going to sit on the ledger? He’s planning something."Nico, leaning against the wall, smirked. "The real question is—how did he find us last time?"Damien’s jaw tightened. The thought had been gnawing at him. "There’s a mole in my organization."Just as he said it, his phone buzzed on the table.It was Matteo.Matteo’s voice was urgent, barely above a whisper. "Boss. You need to move. Now."Damien stood up, already on alert. "Talk.""Someone inside your circle sold you out. DeLuca’s men are coming—tonight."Damien didn’t hesitate. "Get everyone up. We’re le
The convoy sliced through the darkened streets, moving like a phantom in the night. The hum of the engine was steady, a stark contrast to the turmoil inside Elena’s chest. She sat in the backseat of Damien’s car, Draco curled against her, his small body radiating warmth. His fever had broken, exhaustion pulling him into a deep sleep, but Elena was wide awake.Damien’s hands gripped the steering wheel, his fingers tightening every so often as if he were holding back unspoken words. In the passenger seat, Nico lounged with deceptive ease, his gaze flicking to the side mirror every few minutes, always watching. Behind them, Lorenzo followed in another vehicle, his presence an unspoken challenge in the fragile balance between them all.Elena turned toward the window, watching the city lights blur past, her reflection a ghost in the glass. Her mind wouldn’t stop racing—not just from the attack at the gala, not just from the blood spilled on the marble floors—but from the impossible decisio
The car cut through the night, leaving blood and betrayal in its wake.Elena sat in the backseat, Draco curled against her, his small arms wrapped around her waist as though he could sense her turmoil. His warmth should have soothed her, but it only made the knot in her chest tighten.Damien drove, his grip on the wheel tight enough to crack bone. His knuckles were bloodless, his body a taut coil of barely restrained fury.Nico sat in the passenger seat, silent but alert, his fingers drumming against his thigh in a rare display of agitation.Lorenzo followed in another car, keeping a measured distance.The silence in the vehicle was suffocating, thick with unspoken words and unresolved betrayals.Damien glanced at the rearview mirror again, his gaze flickering between Elena and Draco.She didn’t look at him.She couldn’t.He had saved Draco. She wouldn’t forget that.But trust? That was something else entirely.Draco stirred, his soft, sleepy voice breaking the heavy silence."Mama...
The tension in the safehouse was suffocating.Elena sat on the edge of the bed, the dim glow of her phone screen illuminating her trembling fingers. The messages stared back at her, their meaning sinking in like ice through her veins.Unknown Number: I was loyal to Emilio Devereaux. And he died for secrets you were never supposed to uncover.Unknown Number: Meet me. Alone. I’ll tell you everything.Elena's grip tightened around the device, her mind racing.She knew it was reckless. She knew Damien would never let her go, not now, not when war was brewing on all sides.But she also knew one undeniable truth—if she didn’t get ahead of this, if she didn’t figure out what her father had been hiding, she and Draco would never be safe.She couldn’t keep running.She took a deep breath, forcing herself to steady her shaking hands."This ends tonight," she whispered to herself.And then she moved. Elena waited until the house was quiet. Until exhaustion claimed Damien, Nico, and Lorenzo, the
The convoy sliced through the darkened streets, moving like a phantom in the night. The hum of the engine was steady, a stark contrast to the turmoil inside Elena’s chest. She sat in the backseat of Damien’s car, Draco curled against her, his small body radiating warmth. His fever had broken, exhaustion pulling him into a deep sleep, but Elena was wide awake.Damien’s hands gripped the steering wheel, his fingers tightening every so often as if he were holding back unspoken words. In the passenger seat, Nico lounged with deceptive ease, his gaze flicking to the side mirror every few minutes, always watching. Behind them, Lorenzo followed in another vehicle, his presence an unspoken challenge in the fragile balance between them all.Elena turned toward the window, watching the city lights blur past, her reflection a ghost in the glass. Her mind wouldn’t stop racing—not just from the attack at the gala, not just from the blood spilled on the marble floors—but from the impossible decisio
The night was eerily silent in the safehouse, but Elena couldn’t sleep.She lay in bed, Draco curled against her, his small body rising and falling in deep sleep. She brushed a hand through his curls, whispering a silent promise."I won’t let them take you again."In the other room, Damien, Nico, and Lorenzo were deep in discussion, their voices low and tense.Lorenzo crossed his arms, his expression dark. "You think DeLuca is just going to sit on the ledger? He’s planning something."Nico, leaning against the wall, smirked. "The real question is—how did he find us last time?"Damien’s jaw tightened. The thought had been gnawing at him. "There’s a mole in my organization."Just as he said it, his phone buzzed on the table.It was Matteo.Matteo’s voice was urgent, barely above a whisper. "Boss. You need to move. Now."Damien stood up, already on alert. "Talk.""Someone inside your circle sold you out. DeLuca’s men are coming—tonight."Damien didn’t hesitate. "Get everyone up. We’re le
The safehouse was quiet—too quiet. It was the eerie kind of silence that felt like the eye of a storm, the moment before everything shattered into chaos.Damien sat in his office, a glass of whiskey in one hand, the other clenched into a fist on the desk. The dim glow of the desk lamp cast shadows across his sharp features, his jaw tightening as his mind worked through the tangled web of danger surrounding them.His phone buzzed.Without hesitation, he answered."It’s done, boss. DeLuca opened the storage locker."Matteo’s voice was steady, but Damien could hear the weight behind it.Damien’s grip tightened on the glass. "And?""You’re not gonna like this."A slow exhale. "Tell me."Matteo hesitated for half a second, then dropped the bomb. "It’s a ledger. A massive one. Every corrupt official, every money trail, every deal made under the table. But this isn’t just any ledger. It’s the kind that could burn down entire governments."The words settled like lead in Damien’s gut. He had e
The convoy sped down an empty road, headlights slicing through the dense night. The tension inside the car was suffocating, pressing in on Elena like an invisible force. She cradled Draco in the backseat, feeling the soft rise and fall of his breath against her chest, a small comfort amid the chaos.Damien gripped the steering wheel with white-knuckled intensity, his jaw locked as he maneuvered the vehicle with ruthless efficiency. His focus remained on the road, but she could sense the storm brewing beneath his carefully restrained exterior. Behind them, Nico and Lorenzo followed closely in separate vehicles, their presence an unspoken reminder that this battle was far from over.The journey felt endless, the weight of everything they had endured settling heavily between them. When the car finally slowed, Elena lifted her gaze, taking in the secluded location before them. A towering estate stood in the moonlight, nestled deep within the countryside, its high fences and dense tree lin
The night air was thick with the stench of salt and rust. The abandoned dockyard stretched before them like a graveyard of forgotten industry—crumbling warehouses, shattered windows, and the eerie creak of metal shifting in the wind. The moon hung low, casting long, distorted shadows across the wet pavement.Elena crouched in the stolen van, her fingers digging into the edge of the door as she peered through a crack in the rusted frame. Her heart pounded in her chest, each beat hammering against her ribs like a war drum. Ahead, Damien walked alone, his strides steady and unhurried, yet each movement radiated barely restrained violence.The warehouse loomed before him, its rusted doors ajar, as if the building itself were inhaling sharply, waiting for blood to be spilled.Inside, the air was damp and heavy with the scent of oil and decay. Flickering industrial lights barely pierced the darkness, casting sickly yellow pools on the cracked concrete floor. Wooden crates and rusted barrels
The estate was in chaos.Damien’s men moved in a frenzied blur, their voices sharp with urgency as they barked orders into phones and scanned through security footage. The tension in the air was thick enough to choke on, swirling with a volatile mix of panic and rage. The dim glow of overhead lights cast long, restless shadows against the walls, amplifying the sense of impending disaster.Elena stood at the center of it all, frozen for a mere second—just a heartbeat—before her mind caught up with the nightmare unraveling before her. Then fear turned to action, to rage, to desperation.Mrs. Fletcher lay on the couch, her frail form barely propped up by the cushions. A deep gash marred her forehead, a crimson trail streaking down her temple. One of the medics worked swiftly, dabbing antiseptic over her wound, but her trembling hands grasped at Elena’s wrist with startling strength."He was crying for you, Elena," she whispered, her voice frail yet heavy with emotion. "I tried—I fought t
Elena didn’t hesitate.The moment Nico’s words settled in her mind—“Maybe you should be asking what else he’s hiding from you”—she turned on her heel and stormed toward Damien’s office.Her pulse was a steady drumbeat of anger and something else, something more dangerous. Doubt.She shoved open the heavy double doors without knocking.Damien sat behind his desk, a glass of whiskey in one hand, his other skimming over a stack of documents. He didn’t flinch at her abrupt entrance, nor did he glance up immediately. But the slight twitch in his jaw told her he was fully aware of her presence.Elena didn’t give him time to react.“What aren’t you telling me?”Damien finally lifted his gaze, his dark eyes locking onto hers. He was unreadable—calm, composed, dangerous.“You’re going to have to be more specific, tesoro,” he said smoothly, setting the whiskey down with an infuriating lack of urgency.Elena’s hands curled into fists at her sides.“Nico said I should be asking you that.” She too