Lucia’s POVI could still feel Dante’s hand on my waist, even though he wasn’t anywhere near me now. The pressure and control lingered on my skin.The ball was suffocating. There were too many stares, the murmurs behind elaborate masks, the stench of power and corruption, it all made me sick in the stomach.I needed to get away, even if only for a few minutes. So I had excused myself to use the restroom. I leaned against the counter, tightening my fingers around the cool porcelain sink. Everything about this night was wrong.I hated the way some of the women looked at me.. was it pity? Envy? Disgust? I couldn’t tell, and I wasn’t sure I wanted to. And then there was the maid’s warning. I had no idea what she meant, but I wasn’t stupid enough to ignore the warning.Dante might think he owned me, that I was just some plaything to parade around, but I wasn’t going to sit back and let him decide my fate. If there was something—anything—that could give me an edge, I had to find it.Straig
Lucia’s POVI could feel my pulse racing as Dante pulled me away from the man who had just spoken Vincenzo’s name. My thoughts spiraled in a chaotic storm, but one thing was clear: I couldn’t leave without having a conversation with him.Vincenzo.I had seen him before, the night Dante took me to his meeting. His presence had been commanding, his gaze sharp, his aura one of quiet authority. But I hadn’t spoken to him then, there had been no reason to. I hadn’t known he was connected to the fire.But now, I did.And with him so close, I couldn’t let him slip away.“I left my purse back in the restroom,” I blurted out, keeping my voice steady and calculated.Dante’s gaze flicked to mine, eyes narrowing with barely restrained annoyance. “We’re leaving.”“I know, but it has valuables in it.” I met his gaze, hoping my urgency would be enough to sway him. “It’ll only take a minute.”His grip on my wrist tightened as if he were considering just dragging me out of here, but after a long, tens
Dante’s POVFive minutes. Then six. I checked my watch again, running a hand through my hair. Where the hell was she?With a tight jaw, I set my drink down and pushed off the counter. My eyes scanned the ballroom, the masked guests moving in a blur around me. Lucia was reckless, but she wasn’t stupid. She knew better than to test my limits.Another glance at my watch. I never should have let her go back for that damn purse. What if she had tried to run? The thought made my grip tighten around the gun at my side.No.She wouldn’t run. Not unless she was truly desperate. And if she was desperate, that meant something, or someone had given her the illusion of hope.I exhaled through my nose, jaw clenching. If she wasn’t coming to me, I’d go to her.I moved through the crowd, my patience wearing thin. The moment I stepped into the hallway, my eyes locked on her.Lucia.She stood frozen, her body stiff, but her lips parted just slightly told a different story. Her breath came unevenly, her
Lucia’s POV I had been standing by the window, staring at the moon’s glow against the darkened sky, trying to clear my head. My body still thrummed with nervous energy from the encounter with Vincenzo. I had barely changed into my nightgown, a loose silk dress that brushed against my thighs, when the door burst open. I turned sharply, my breath hitching in my throat. Dante. He stood in the doorway, shirtless, his powerful body bathed in the glow of the bedside lamp. As he stepped forward, the ridges of his abs flexed, the light flickering over his tattoos, tracing the sharp lines and dark ink winding over his muscles. But it wasn’t his bare chest that sent a chill racing down my spine. It was what he carried. A knife in his right hand. A pair of handcuffs in his left. My heart sank. I took an instinctive step back, my legs brushing against the edge of the bed. Run. The word echoed in my mind, but I didn’t move. Running would be pointless. And worse, it would only provok
Lucia’s POVThe night had been merciless. Sleep had taunted me, dancing just beyond my reach as I lay tangled in my sheets, my body still trembling from the encounter with Dante. My mind refused to settle, replaying every touch, every whispered word, every second leading up to the moment he had stopped.Why?Why had he left? Why had he unchained me when he had me exactly where he wanted?I had tossed and turned, my wrists still sore from the cuffs, my pulse still uneven from the way he had looked at me before walking out. Part of me had been grateful he hadn’t gone through with it. The other part… the other part was terrified by what it meant.What had stopped him?By the time the first rays of morning light spilled through my window, I had given up on the idea of rest. My body ached with exhaustion, but my mind refused to quiet. Every time I closed my eyes, I felt him… his heat, his breath, the weight of his touch. It unsettled me… terrified me. But what scared me most was that a par
Dante’s POV She didn’t trust me. Not that I blamed her. Lucia sat across from me, stiff as a board, her fingers curled so tightly around the fork that her knuckles turned white. Every inch of her screamed defiance, but beneath the surface, I saw the uncertainty, the questions swirling in her mind. She was trying to piece it all together, trying to understand why she was having breakfast with me, and why I had let her go last night. I hadn’t planned to stop. I had wanted to break her, to strip her of every ounce of defiance until all that was left was submission. And yet, when I had her beneath me, chained, breathless, and vulnerable, I had walked away. She was brave. I’d give her that. But she was also untouched. A fucking virgin. I had suspected it, but last night confirmed it. The way she tensed beneath me, every touch new, overwhelming. She wasn’t just resisting, she didn’t know how to handle the sensations coursing through her. The way she clung to control, as if sur
Lucia’s POVThe world had turned against my father. I couldn’t stop wondering what he was going through, or if he even knew what was happening.Every day, a new article came out, dragging Antonio Castellano’s name through the mud. Some called him a heartless criminal, a mentally deranged man who should be at rehab, others a coward who had run from his sins.Lies. All lies.I knew the truth. Or at least, part of it. Yes, my father worked for a front company, but he didn’t know. He struggled with PTSD, but he didn’t start that fire. And if anyone had a hand in the destruction of Dante’s warehouse, it was Vincenzo. I had no proof, just a strong gut feeling.But no one would listen.That’s why I decided to write my own article.I wasn’t naive enough to think the world would suddenly believe me. But I had to try, because if I didn’t, no one else would.Lucas had taken me to a secret location, as promised, and handed me a phone, warning me not to get caught.He didn’t need to tell me twice.
Lucia’s POVI barely slept.Every time I closed my eyes, I saw Dante’s stare, the unspoken warning in his gaze.Now, as I sat in front of the vanity, watching the news unfold, my stomach churned.The world was talking about it. About my father. About Dante. And I had started it.The article had gone viral overnight.‘Who Is the Mysterious Writer Exposing the Flaws in the Romano Case?’‘A New Perspective: Is Antonio Castellano Really Guilty?’‘Dante Romano: A Kingpin or a Man Caught in the Crossfire?’I could barely believe it. My words had shifted the narrative.My father wasn’t suddenly innocent in their eyes, but for the first time since the fire, the world wasn’t certain of his guilt either. And in a war like this, doubt was a powerful weapon. Yet, that uncertainty was dangerous. Because it meant someone, maybe even Dante, would start asking the wrong questions. Alina, the maid, who had been making my bed and was aware of the article I published glanced at me, a knowing smile tug
Dante’s POVLucia was lying to me.The second the words left her mouth, I caught it. Smooth delivery, steady eyes, calm voice. But that tiny flicker of tension in her jaw, the white-knuckled grip on her glass? Dead giveaways.And I knew.Because I had already been briefed. She had met with Daniel. Again.The little firefly thought she was clever, slipping out unnoticed, running straight into the arms of another man. But she wasn’t as invisible as she believed. I had eyes on her the moment she left the house, tracking her every step.I let the lie sit between us for a beat before I chuckled, low and slow. “Visiting your father? That’s sweet.” I swirled my glass lazily. “How is he?”She hesitated just for a fraction of a second. “He’s… fine.”Another lie.The temptation to push her, to let her know just how much I knew, was strong. But I had played this game far too long to move carelessly. No, it would be much more interesting to let her think she had fooled me.Because when she finall
Lucia’s POVI shook my head, trying to appear calm. “No… but I don’t like the way he’s watching us.”Daniel cursed under his breath. “You should leave. Now. I’ll cover you.”My heart thudded painfully as I stood and slipped out of the hotel through a side exit. I didn’t stop moving until I was blocks away, breathless and paranoid. Who was that guy? Was he working for Vincenzo? Or worse—Dante?Back on the street, I pulled my jacket tighter around me as the cold air bit into my skin. My mind was spinning, tangled with guilt and confusion. Daniel’s words echoed in my head, the accusation slicing deeper than I wanted to admit. Was he right? Had I let Dante get too far under my skin?I just felt… empty. It was like the warmth between us had faded into something distant and unfamiliar.I shook my head, forcing myself to focus. This wasn’t the time to fall apart. I needed to stay sharp, keep my head in the game. I couldn’t afford to let my emotions cloud my judgment—not when I was in deeper
Lucia’s POVI couldn’t shake the uneasy feeling gnawing at me after discovering the fake journalist. The question was whether I should tell Dante right away or dig deeper on my own. If I confronted him without solid proof, it might just make him suspicious of me instead. But keeping it to myself felt just as risky. Either way, I was stuck between a rock and a hard place.Reluctantly, I grabbed my phone and went to my call log. My thumb hovered over Daniel’s number. After everything, asking him for another favor felt like pushing my luck. But what choice did I have? He was the only one I could trust to dig deeper without tipping off the wrong people.Taking a deep breath, I hit the call button. It rang twice before he picked up.“Lucia,” he greeted flatly, his tone wary. “What’s going on?”I bit my lip, forcing myself to sound calm. “I need to meet with you. It’s important.”A sigh crackled through the line. “Now you want to meet?”“Please, Daniel. It’s urgent. Just give me a few minu
Lucia’s POV There was no way in hell I’d let him kill someone right in front of me.“Stop. Killing him won’t fix this.” He ripped his arm from my grip. “He fucked up. You want me to let that slide? “I forced myself to hold his glare, even though my knees felt like jelly. “Think about it. If he didn’t catch it, then maybe the fakes are good enough to fool anyone. Killing him won’t solve the problem—it’ll just leave you without someone who knows the books. You need him to help figure out how far this goes.” Dante stared at me for a long, tense moment, his jaw clenched so tight I thought it might shatter. Finally, he lowered the gun and let out a sharp breath.“Fine,” he ground out, his voice rough and lethal. He grabbed the accountant by the collar and yanked him close, practically snarling in his face. “Trace every single transaction from the last month. I want to know who’s been feeding us this garbage. You screw up one more time, and I’ll put a bullet between your eyes. Got it?”
Lucia’s POVDante’s introduction echoed in my mind like a sweet, unexpected melody. “She’s my girlfriend.”For some reason, it sounded different this time—better than when he’d introduced me as his girlfriend to Vincenzo.I shouldn’t have been flattered. It wasn’t like it meant anything, just a way to stop the man from asking questions. But even knowing that, a stupid warmth spread through my chest, and my stomach did a little flip.I was pathetic for feeling anything but resentment after everything he’d put me through. I also tried to ignore the fact that the man’s expression hadn’t been exactly pleasant. There had been something off in his reaction, something cold and calculating beneath his polite look.I pushed it aside, telling myself I was overthinking. After all, he was one of Dante’s trusted men. If he had an issue, it wasn’t my place to question it. Right now I had more important things to worry about, like the journalist and how Dante was fuming as he stalked out of his off
Dante’s POVI didn’t move from where I stood, my fists still clenched as Lucas stepped inside, his eyes darting around like he was searching for an exit. I gestured toward the armchair with a single jerk of my head.“Sit,” I ordered.He hesitated for just a fraction of a second before sinking down onto the chair, his hands clasped tightly in his lap. I moved around the desk slowly, dragging out the tension, letting him sweat.“When were you planning on telling me that Lucia knew the journalist?” I asked, my voice deceptively calm.Lucas’s eyes widened, confusion flickering over his face. “I—I didn’t know she knew him, boss.”I slammed my fist down on the desk, making him flinch. “Then why the fuck did she say she’d seen him leaving her father’s house? How long has that bastard been hanging around?”His mouth opened and closed like a fish gasping for air. “Boss, I swear I didn’t know. I thought he was just another reporter trying to dig up dirt. I didn’t think—”“That’s the problem, Lu
Lucia’s POVDante’s phone beeped before I could respond. He pulled it from his pocket, glancing at the screen before cursing under his breath.“What is it?” I asked, still breathless from his brutal kiss and the way his hands had branded my skin.He didn’t look at me, his jaw clenched tight. “Press interview,” he muttered. “Those vultures won’t stop digging. I have to handle it.”I let out a breath I didn’t realize I was holding. Part of me was glad for the distance, but another part still felt raw from his kiss and the way he’d just claimed me like a possession. Without another word, he stormed past me.I stayed frozen against the wall for a moment, catching my breath, before finally pushing myself to move. I needed to clear my head and shake off the way his touch made me feel both safe and suffocated.As I stepped out into the corridor, I heard faint voices coming from the lounge down the hall—the one Dante usually used for meetings and interviews. Curiosity got the better of me, an
Lucia’s POVI couldn’t stay in my room any longer. The walls felt like they were closing in on me, suffocating me with guilt and frustration. I needed air, so I slipped out into the hallway, and made my way toward the balcony at the end of the corridor.The cool breeze hit me as I stepped outside, and I gripped the railing, trying to steady my breathing. My mind was still spinning from the confrontation earlier. I couldn’t believe I’d just barged in like that or how angry Dante had been. I didn’t regret standing up for the maid. I’d wanted to handle it subtly, but when she told me it wasn’t the first time, and she wasn’t the only one, I couldn’t hold back any longer.“Lucia,” a familiar voice called from behind me.I turned to see Lucas approaching, his expression cautious. He gave me a small nod, like he wasn’t sure how to start.“Hey,” I said, forcing a smile. “Just needed some air.”“Yeah, figured.” He leaned against the railing beside me, eyes scanning the courtyard below. “You sh
Dante’s POVThe room was thick with tension. My men stood quietly, shoulders rigid, eyes shifting nervously as if one wrong move would bring down my wrath, waiting for me to address them. I stood at the front, my eyes cold and steady, studying their faces and trying to figure out who could be trusted and who needed to be weeded out. The recent attack had shaken my operations, and I wouldn’t stand for weakness or betrayal.My hand rested on the polished wood of the table before me, and I opened my mouth to speak, but before I could utter a word, the door swung open with a bang. Heads turned, and I found myself narrowing my eyes at the unexpected interruption.Lucia stormed in, her footsteps pounding against the floor. Anger radiated off her, practically nearly heating up the room. She didn’t look at me, no, her eyes were locked on one of my men standing near the back, an older, rough-looking bastard named Valentin.Valentin straightened up, trying to act unaffected by her approach, but