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
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 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 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 POV“Kneel!” His voice echoed through the hall. My entire body shook in fear as tears stung my eyes, but I bit down hard on my lower lip, refusing to let them fall. The sharp taste of blood only reminded me of how real this nightmare was.Laughter erupted from the men around him. They all mocked me. My shoulders slumped in defeat as Dante moved to pick up the heavy chains lying in the corner of the room.The air reeked of alcohol and cigarettes. Soft Latino music played from the speakers, creating a bizarre contrast to the suffocating tension. To them, it was a paradise, but for me, it felt like hell.“I said kneel, you crazy bitch.” His voice was colder this time. Before I could react, he stormed toward me and yanked my hair, forcing me down.I yelped in pain, gritting my teeth as his grip tightened. The men laughed harder, their amusement feeding his cruelty.The saddest part was that it wasn’t always like this. Just yesterday, I was the happiest woman alive. My boyfriend of
Lucia's POV After humiliating me, Dante dismissed me immediately. He ordered a maid to escort me to my room. My head hung low as I slowly followed the maid down the hall.I was naked, exposed, and ashamed. My body stiffened, and this time, the tears kept flowing down my cheeks like an uncontrollable river.The maid halted in front of a wooden door at the end of the hallway. She turned to gaze at me, and I could have sworn I heard her sigh.“This is your room. Master Dante has ordered me to bring you a new set of clothes and food.”The mention of food made me scoff bitterly. Was he offering me food after embarrassing me in front of his men? Did he truly think I would have any appetite after what had just happened? After the way he had treated me?Shaking my head, I replied, my voice quiet but filled with disdain, “Keep the food, I won’t be needing it.” My hand gripped the doorknob, and I twisted it, trying to escape the weight of the humiliation. But the maid’s hand reached out and st
Lucia's POV As expected, Dante’s meeting had turned out to be more than just a meeting. It involved a shady deal regarding illegal drugs. I had been prepared for something like this. Everything about him screamed danger, from the sharp edge of his presence to the piercing intensity of his gaze.He had to be at least 12 years older than me, based on the rumors I’d heard, yet he still looked youthful—and undeniably handsome.I caught myself, mentally scolding myself for even entertaining such a thought. What was I thinking? Dante was nothing but a cold-blooded jerk—a man who made it clear that no one crossed him and lived to tell the tale.After the meeting, he took me to a small warehouse where I witnessed something that solidified my fear of him. He interrogated a man with a ferocity that left no room for mercy. I stood frozen, unsure of how to react. When we left the warehouse, I couldn’t stop thinking about the man he’d left behind in a pool of blood.My instincts told me to turn b
Lucia’s POVDante stuck to his promise, but not without conditions. He assigned one of his men to escort me. As we approached the house I once shared with my father, a wave of anxiety washed over me. My steps faltered in front of the door, and I hesitated.This wasn’t just a house—it was a graveyard of memories.I glanced back briefly, my mind flashing to Dante’s warehouse. The fire, the gunshots, and the chaotic night that changed my life played in my head like a cursed film reel. The night that turned me into Dante’s captive.I clenched my fists and forced myself to focus. Knocking seemed almost absurd—it was my home once, but now, I wasn’t sure where I belonged. Just as I raised my hand, the door opened, revealing my father.“Lucia.”His voice trembled, barely above a whisper. He looked at me like I was a ghost. His face was worn, his eyes shadowed with exhaustion, and the lines on his forehead seemed deeper than I remembered.“Dad,” I said, my voice cracking. I couldn’t stop mysel
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
Lucia’s POVI was lucky. Too lucky.Escaping that night had been a miracle, but I couldn’t shake the feeling that the worst was yet to come. Every step of my investigation had led me down the same road, and now, all signs pointed to one person—Vincenzo.I still couldn’t understand his motivation. He was smart, calculating, but to orchestrate something of this scale? To have the nerve to challenge Dante like this? It was a dangerous game, and if I was right, then I wasn’t just dealing with betrayal. I was dealing with a war.Dante had refused to tell me what actually happened. I needed answers.And there was only one person I could think of who might have them.My father.As I stepped out of the building, the cool evening air hit my skin, but it did nothing to ease the heaviness in my chest. My thoughts raced, tangled with the weight of everything I had learned and everything I still didn’t know.I didn’t even make it far before I heard a familiar voice behind me.“Lucia?”I turned to