~Vicenzo's POV~The drive back from the old port was tense. The meeting with Sofia had given us the breakthrough we needed, and now, we finally had Margot within our grasp. Hayden sat beside me in the passenger seat, staring out the window with that quiet intensity he always carried when he was deep in thought. The dim glow of streetlights cast shifting shadows across his face, highlighting the sharp angles of his features. I could tell he was restless. He wanted action. So did I. Armano’s safe house was nestled in a secluded part of the city, a place only a select few knew about. It wasn’t flashy or grand like the De Luca estate—it was practical. High fences, surveillance cameras, reinforced doors. A place meant to hide, regroup, and plan. When we pulled into the driveway, Armano was already waiting for us, leaning against the doorway, arms crossed over his chest. His dark eyes flickered toward me first, then settled on Hayden. “Took you long enough,” he muttered before stepp
~Margot Christopher's POV~"You're the most desperate, pathetic woman I've ever known in my entire life, Margot," Vincenzo spat at me. The words hit like a slap across my face, and I could feel the anger rising in me, but I fought it down. His cold, venomous tone only served to remind me of how deep the wound he left on me had gone. But I wasn’t about to let him see how much it affected me. He chuckled, low and dark, a sound that sent a chill down my spine. "Selling off classified info. That's really low, even for you." His laughter filled the room, and I felt like I was suffocating in it. I’d been the one pulling the strings, controlling everything, but now, sitting here, tied to this chair, it felt like I was the one being played. The anger bubbled inside me, pushing its way through the cracks in my composure. "You know nothing about me," I snapped back at him, my voice fierce. The words were shaky, but I needed him to hear me. I wasn’t the weak woman he wanted me to be. "You'r
~Vincenzo’s POV~I dragged my fingers slowly down Hayden’s back, feeling the way his body reacted beneath my touch. The soft, shuddering breaths, the way his muscles tensed and then relaxed—he was already melting under my hands. A smirk played on my lips as I let my gaze flick toward Margot. She was fuming and it emboldened me further. The chair she was tied to creaked under her desperate attempts to break free. Her wrists strained against the restraints, her knuckles white with the effort. But it was the expression on her face that amused me the most—rage, frustration, and something else she would never admit to. Envy. I leaned down, pressing my lips against Hayden’s throat, feeling his pulse race beneath his skin as I grabbed his dick stroking it. A low sound escaped him, something between a sigh and a moan, and I made sure Margot heard it. “Are you enjoying this?” I murmured, dragging my lips just below his ear, my voice loud enough for her to catch every word. Hayden c
~Vincenzo’s pov~The drive back to the safe house was quiet, almost too quiet. Hayden sat beside me, his arms crossed, his gaze locked on the window, watching the darkened streets pass by. He hadn’t spoken a word since we left the hotel, and I wasn’t about to be the first to break the silence.The air between us was charged with something unspoken, a weight neither of us acknowledged. I could still feel the ghost of my fingers on his skin, the way his breath hitched when I had pulled him close. He was getting to me in ways I didn’t like—in ways I didn’t understand.By the time we reached Armano’s safe house, I was grateful for the distraction. As soon as I stepped inside, the men acknowledged my presence with respectful nods."Capo," they greeted, their eyes sharp with anticipation. The safe house was a fortified estate in its own right, tucked away in the outskirts of the city, shielded by thick concrete walls and heavy surveillance. I ignored the pleasantries and went straight t
Hayden's POVMy heart raced with excitement as I pushed the door of my apartment open. Jason would be home. After weeks of business trips and hurried phone calls, I couldn't wait to see him, sit across from him at the dinner table, and watch him complain about putting too much basil in the pasta.My hands were moving fast as my brain whirled over the meal I would cook. It had been ages since we sat down to a decent dinner together. Fast food and quick take-outs had been a ruler in his life while traveling, and it would be different for tonight.Just as I reached for the cutting board, a muffled noise stopped me dead in my tracks. I froze, tensing to listen. Whatever it was that made the sound was softly guttural and much too intimate to be a sound that would be innocent.My stomach twisted to hear it, and I glanced down the hall in time to hear the bed creaking at a rhythmic pace.No… no, it wasn't that, I muttered, hanging onto the countertop.Perhaps he was watching a movie on his
Hayden's POVWeak. Pathetic. Nothing.My fists clenched, my nails biting into my palms. I let the hot, unstoppable tears fall without resisting. It wasn't a place I'd usually go, but I entered the bar nonetheless..I slid down onto a stool at the bar and let my body sink into the old, worn-out leather. A bearded middle-aged man waited on me as he approached; his face showed no expression. "What's your pleasure?" he said."Whiskey," I rasped. "Straight."The bartender raised an eyebrow. "You sure about that, kid?""Do I look like I don't know?" I barked, the sudden rage pumping through me. He didn't bat an eyelid, just shrugged, and poured, holding the drink out in my direction.I poured it into my mouth in a single motion. It set something on fire inside of me, some parts scorching me on its way down. But it would not matter—nothing did."Another," I snarled, slamming the glass on the counter.The bartender hesitated this time. "Maybe you should—""Another," I said, overriding him, sq
Vincenzo's POVThe moment he sat on my lap and then kissed me, I could already feel my dick twitch. I hope he doesn't regret it, but even if he did, it's too late.There was no going back.Ten minutes later, we were in my private hotel room. I unlocked the door with my card and then carried him in. As I used a leg to lock the door behind me, I pressed him against it, and, not giving him time to breathe, I smashed my lips on his.I entered his mouth by sucking on his lips and biting his tongue, which caused me to gasp.My tongue swept across his mouth as if I were inspecting my territory, and he tasted like whisky. Then I took hold of his tongue and sucked and played with it, making him groan, turning me on.Slowly I left his mouth and kissed his neck; then, my hand impatiently opened his shirt to reveal his chest. I looked at him with a smirk, then bit his nipple, making him yelp in pain.I stepped back up to give him another kiss, but this time with more force. I smirkd as I felt his
Hayden's POV~I woke in a strange surroundings, my head throbbing and my throat parched. Above me, the ceiling was high and ornate with accents of gold, catching the sun through the windows. Last night's events rolled back into place.Jason. Marcus. Betrayal.The bar.And then him.A heat wave blasted through me as fragmented images of the night flooded my mind. My face burned with shame. I could see myself climbing onto his lap, pressing my lips against his. I could feel his hands gripping my waist, hear the low groan he'd made when I—I groaned, burying my face in my hands. "What the hell did I do?”My body ached in places it never had ached before. A dull throbbing between my legs made it painful to sit up with. I shifted just a little and felt another flash of sharper pain. "Ow! Damn it!" I hissed and let myself drop onto the bed.That was when I saw the note.The note was folded in half on the bedside table. I hesitated for a moment before picking it up, my heart pounding in my
~Vincenzo’s pov~The drive back to the safe house was quiet, almost too quiet. Hayden sat beside me, his arms crossed, his gaze locked on the window, watching the darkened streets pass by. He hadn’t spoken a word since we left the hotel, and I wasn’t about to be the first to break the silence.The air between us was charged with something unspoken, a weight neither of us acknowledged. I could still feel the ghost of my fingers on his skin, the way his breath hitched when I had pulled him close. He was getting to me in ways I didn’t like—in ways I didn’t understand.By the time we reached Armano’s safe house, I was grateful for the distraction. As soon as I stepped inside, the men acknowledged my presence with respectful nods."Capo," they greeted, their eyes sharp with anticipation. The safe house was a fortified estate in its own right, tucked away in the outskirts of the city, shielded by thick concrete walls and heavy surveillance. I ignored the pleasantries and went straight t
~Vincenzo’s POV~I dragged my fingers slowly down Hayden’s back, feeling the way his body reacted beneath my touch. The soft, shuddering breaths, the way his muscles tensed and then relaxed—he was already melting under my hands. A smirk played on my lips as I let my gaze flick toward Margot. She was fuming and it emboldened me further. The chair she was tied to creaked under her desperate attempts to break free. Her wrists strained against the restraints, her knuckles white with the effort. But it was the expression on her face that amused me the most—rage, frustration, and something else she would never admit to. Envy. I leaned down, pressing my lips against Hayden’s throat, feeling his pulse race beneath his skin as I grabbed his dick stroking it. A low sound escaped him, something between a sigh and a moan, and I made sure Margot heard it. “Are you enjoying this?” I murmured, dragging my lips just below his ear, my voice loud enough for her to catch every word. Hayden c
~Margot Christopher's POV~"You're the most desperate, pathetic woman I've ever known in my entire life, Margot," Vincenzo spat at me. The words hit like a slap across my face, and I could feel the anger rising in me, but I fought it down. His cold, venomous tone only served to remind me of how deep the wound he left on me had gone. But I wasn’t about to let him see how much it affected me. He chuckled, low and dark, a sound that sent a chill down my spine. "Selling off classified info. That's really low, even for you." His laughter filled the room, and I felt like I was suffocating in it. I’d been the one pulling the strings, controlling everything, but now, sitting here, tied to this chair, it felt like I was the one being played. The anger bubbled inside me, pushing its way through the cracks in my composure. "You know nothing about me," I snapped back at him, my voice fierce. The words were shaky, but I needed him to hear me. I wasn’t the weak woman he wanted me to be. "You'r
~Vicenzo's POV~The drive back from the old port was tense. The meeting with Sofia had given us the breakthrough we needed, and now, we finally had Margot within our grasp. Hayden sat beside me in the passenger seat, staring out the window with that quiet intensity he always carried when he was deep in thought. The dim glow of streetlights cast shifting shadows across his face, highlighting the sharp angles of his features. I could tell he was restless. He wanted action. So did I. Armano’s safe house was nestled in a secluded part of the city, a place only a select few knew about. It wasn’t flashy or grand like the De Luca estate—it was practical. High fences, surveillance cameras, reinforced doors. A place meant to hide, regroup, and plan. When we pulled into the driveway, Armano was already waiting for us, leaning against the doorway, arms crossed over his chest. His dark eyes flickered toward me first, then settled on Hayden. “Took you long enough,” he muttered before stepp
*Eight years ago, Italy *The night was thick with smoke and the pungent scent of expensive liquor, the streets alive with neon lights and the heavy bass of rap music vibrating through the air. I stood outside Luciano's Lounge, a notorious club that served as more than just a place for nightlife—it was the beating heart of the Luciano mafia’s operations. This was where I needed to be. I adjusted my coat, straightened my shoulders, and let my heels click sharply against the pavement as I approached the entrance. Two guards stood on either side of the club doors, their postures stiff, hands resting against their holsters. Their sharp eyes took me in—long dark hair, tailored dress, unshaken confidence—and yet, I could already see the sneers forming on their lips. “Would you look at that,” one of them muttered, his voice laced with mockery. “She wants to speak to the boss.” His partner chuckled, folding his arms. I didn’t falter. Instead, I leveled them both with a sharp stare.
~Margot Christopher's POV~*Eight Years Ago – Hotel Room*He didn’t. He didn’t just leave me here. That bastard—how dare he? I wouldn’t accept this. Not from anyone. My breath came in sharp, ragged inhales as I sat on the cold hotel room floor, my body still trembling from what had just transpired. My hands clenched into fists against my thighs, my nails digging into my skin as anger and humiliation churned inside me. My legs ached, my lips were swollen, and my body bore the marks of his roughness. The pain was there, undeniable, but I pushed it aside. It wasn’t important. None of it mattered—not the bruises, not the soreness, not the fact that my body still throbbed in places I didn’t want to acknowledge. What mattered was that he had walked away from me.I had been lying there for nearly an hour, lost in my own thoughts, trying to make sense of it all. I thought he would stay. I thought he would want to stay. But instead, he had brushed me off like I was nothing. I sucked
~Vincenzo’s POV~My siblings and I left the club that night, the weight of alcohol and laughter still lingering in the air as we stepped out onto the dimly lit streets. The cool night breeze hit my face, sobering me slightly, but my thoughts were already drifting elsewhere. I didn’t spare another thought for Margot. To me, she was just another fleeting presence, another name that would eventually fade into the background like so many before her. At least, that’s what I thought. But I had underestimated her persistence. Somehow, she managed to get a hold of me. I don’t know if it was through connections or sheer determination, but she kept finding ways to appear in my orbit. At first, it was subtle—casual encounters at restaurants, bars, and events that felt too coincidental to be chance. Then, she became more direct. She approached me, started conversations, and made it painfully clear that she wasn’t just going to disappear like the others. I ignored her at first. I had no pa
~Vincenzo POV~I walked off, heading back to the car where Hayden was seated, waiting for me. For some reason, I didn’t want him to meet Sofia. I couldn’t even explain why—it wasn’t about trust, not entirely, at least. Maybe it was just a gut feeling, an instinct I couldn’t shake. I opened the driver’s seat and slid in, letting out a slow exhale. "How’d it go?" Hayden’s voice snapped me back to reality. I glanced at him briefly before gripping the steering wheel. "She was my girlfriend," I said, deciding to tell him the truth. There was a beat of silence before he spoke again. "What?" His tone carried unmistakable surprise. "It was eight years ago," I began, shifting my gaze forward as memories started to surface—memories I hadn’t revisited in years. ---**Eight Years Ago** "Cheers!" Our voices echoed through the dimly lit bar, the clinking of glasses ringing through the space as we celebrated. The round table was packed with bottles, some half-empty, others untouched, bu
~Sofia Esposito's POV~It had been a few days since the attack, but the weight of it still pressed down on my chest like a boulder. My father had been killed, along with nearly everyone that day. The blood, the gunfire, the chaos—it all replayed in my mind like a nightmare I couldn’t wake up from. But there was no time to grieve, no moment to catch my breath. My family’s name, our legacy, now rested on my shoulders, and I couldn’t afford to let it crumble. I had managed to make it out alive, a stroke of luck I didn’t take for granted. But surviving wasn’t enough. I had to lead. I had to keep the Esposito name from being wiped off the map, and that meant taking control—no matter how unsteady I felt inside. These last few days had been nothing short of exhausting. Running the family’s operations had never been my role before, but now, it was my responsibility. Every decision I made could be the difference between survival and annihilation. I had no choice but to adapt quickly. The