(Alessio's POV) Her eyes were shut as I stared at her sleeping on the bed. She looked so innocent and fragile when she sleeps, as if she isn't afraid of anything. But when she looked at me, she always appeared terrified, as though I was her worst nightmare that came to life. Am I that scary? The question surged through me as I continued staring at her. She lay on my bed, still asleep. I must have scared her to the point of making her pass out. I didn’t even do anything. I only asked why she was trying to escape. Did I ask her those questions in a harsh tone? Was my voice too deep? Is that why she got scared and fainted? Or were my eyes too cold for her? I wondered to myself, trying to figure out where I went wrong to frighten her so much. This was how I was raised—to always be in control, to always be in charge so no one could step on my toes. Maybe that’s why I can’t interact with her in a way that wouldn’t make her scared. I stood up from the couch and moved to sit on th
(Lisa's POV) I tried figuring out the structure of his house so I could find where the exit leads to. If I can figure out the exit of this maze-like house, I will finally be able to escape. But it was futile because no matter how hard I tried, I couldn't. My head was spinning as a result of it, and it made me wonder if it took hundreds of years to build such a house. It was so confusing. He must’ve structured his house like this because of his enemies. I haven’t encountered a mafia boss before, but from the stories I’ve heard, they’re surrounded by webs of enemies. That’s why I need to escape from this place before he drags me into his blood-soaked world. I’m not a warrior princess or Wonder Woman to be dragged into the chaotic world he lives in. “We are here, madame,” Ivan said to me when we got to the doorstep of my room. I forced a smile since he was smiling at me. He wasn’t like Alessio, who never smiles yet still wants me not to be afraid of him. I don’t want to see what
(Lisa's POV) "My woman?" The words echoed in my mind, its weight unsettling. No man had ever said that to me before. Even Nathan, my ex-boyfriend, never referred me with such possessiveness. Yet, hearing Alessio call me his woman sent an inexplicable flutter through my chest. "Should I bathe you?" Alessio’s deep voice pulled me back to reality. He leaned closer, his fresh breath brushing against my face, making me freeze in place. "If you don’t say something, I might take your silence as a yes," he added, as he reached down as if to lift me off the bed. "I can bathe on my own," I managed to say, my voice barely above a whisper. He chuckled—low and brief—but it disappeared so quickly that I questioned if I’d imagined it. Without another word, he strode back to the couch, lighting a cigarette with a calm demeanor that contrasted sharply with the storm of emotions swirling inside me. "Aren't you going to leave?" I asked, and he exhaled a plume of smoke, his sharp eyes locking onto
(Alessio's POV) I caught him staring at Lisa—his eyes shamelessly roaming over her breasts, lingering on her curves as if he had any right to desire what wasn’t his. A surge of uncontrollable rage coursed through me. I had uprooted her from her peaceful life in California to keep her safe, under my protection, away from the lustful gazes of men like him. And yet here he was, crossing the line I had silently drawn. Before I could process my actions, I was on him. My hands locked around his throat like a vice, squeezing as if I could snap his neck with sheer willpower. My anger boiled over when he dared to call Lisa a call girl—a disgusting insult to the woman who never laid on bed with any man until she met me. How dare he? "Give me a knife. Someone’s eyes need to be plucked out," I commanded, my voice cold and unforgiving. The menace in my tone was undeniable—I meant every word. Ivan, ever loyal and efficient, handed me a knife without a moment’s hesitation. In one swift motion,
(Alessio's POV) In the VIP room of a nightclub, women presented themselves to me, stripping naked in front of me while dancing and twisting to the slow music in the background. They were doing their best to seduce me, going so far as to spread their thighs apart, giving me a clear view of their pussy. But I stayed emotionless as I watched them, with the smoke from the weed I was smoking drifting around my face. No matter how seductive they looked, I wasn’t moved by it. All that kept replaying in my mind was Lisa—the night I met her, and also the same night I explored her body and made her mine. I always come to the nightclub to watch strippers dance for me in a VIP room, and afterward, I'd take them to bed and fuck them however I wanted. But after that night with Lisa, it’s hard to get any woman in bed. She stirred something in me, such that my cock refuses to erect at the sight of a woman who isn’t her. I’m a sex addict. Since women at the clubhouse were easy to buy with mone
(Lisa's POV) Waking up the following morning, I saw the duvet wrapped around me. I don’t sleep with a duvet wrapped around my body, so I knew he was here last night. He must’ve been the one who covered my body with a duvet. It’s a good thing I didn’t see him last night. He isn’t human but a monster. How could he gouge out a man's eye without a second thought? It came so easily to him, which meant killing someone would be just as effortless. This wasn’t the first time he had done it, either. It felt so terrifying to see how the man’s blood splashed out from his eye. It felt like I was watching a real live brutal movie. I am not a fan of bloodshed movies. I prefer lighthearted movies that had to do with romance, but yesterday, I witnessed blood splashing out from someone’s eye. The thought of it made me want to puke, but the knock on the door distracted me. My heart raced, thinking he was the one at the door, but on second thought, Alessio isn’t the type to knock before coming
(Alessio's POV) I stormed into my room, fists clenched in rage and my heart pounding with fury. Why is she so fucking stubborn? I warned her. I fucking warned her not to try to escape again, but she took my words for granted. If I hadn’t been home on time, she'd have died from the smoke and the traps. My house isn’t like the typical house you see every day; it’s not just a maze-like structure, it’s filled with so many hidden dangers that if you're not cautious, you’ll fall right into them. My enemies don't dare to attack me from the inside because they know what will happen if they do—what will befall them if they try. "Tie her up and lock her in the cold room," my order from earlier echoed in my mind, fueling my anger even further. If she had just listened to me, I wouldn’t have had to issue that command. The way I treat her is different from how I treat everyone else, yet all she thinks about is escaping from me. Why can’t she fucking understand that she is mine and I won’t le
(Alessio's POV) All heads bowed to me as I arrived at the clan. They were all shivering at the sight of me—just the way I wanted it. Ivan was beside me; he’s my right-hand man, so he is often everywhere I go. "Good evening, Don," they all greeted in unison, their heads bowed horizontally in front of me. In the DeLuca empire, I’m referred to as Don by everyone who works under me. "Have all the drugs been packaged well for shipping?" I asked, my face cold as ice. It had always been that way, but tonight was worse, and it was all because of Lisa. My mind kept drifting back to her being in the cold room alone with every second that passed. "Yes, we did, Don. But one of the mobsters tried to escape with a drug." My face tightened at the words I just heard. Just when I was thirsty for blood, someone had offered himself. "Where is he?" I asked, my voice laced with fury. I was led to the dungeon of the clan, and the man who had tried to run away with one of my drugs was sitting o
Isabella groaned in pain as Vanessa stabbed the knife into her back. Vanessa pulled the knife out and tried to stab her again, but despite the pain, Isabella grabbed the blade. The sharp edge cut through her palm, drawing blood. Vanessa, determined to kill her, struggled to overpower her. All she wanted was to eliminate Isabella so no one would suspect her. "Who are you?" Isabella winced in pain, but Vanessa remained silent, knowing Isabella might recognize her voice. Desperate, Isabella tried to remove the mask Vanessa was wearing, but Vanessa fought to keep it on. Their struggle continued until Vanessa finally overpowered her. Vanessa stabbed Isabella again, this time in her stomach, then kicked her hard. Isabella screamed in agony as she crashed to the ground, landing in a pool of her own blood. But Vanessa didn’t care—her only goal was to ensure Isabella didn’t leave this fight alive. She raised the knife to strike again, but then she heard the pounding footsteps of Ales
(Writer's POV) Ivan's eyes slowly opened when he heard a knock on the door. He stretched his whole body, blinking sleepily, before getting up to open the door for whoever was outside. "Isabella?" he yawned, trying to see her clearly. "Can we talk for a few minutes?" she whispered. "Let it wait until tomorrow morning," he replied, attempting to shut the door in her face, but Isabella held it, preventing him from slamming it. "I thought you said you were on your monthly flow. Don’t tell me you changed your mind and want to have sex with me," he said, and Isabella kicked his knee. Ivan pressed his lips together to suppress the pain. "I know I agreed to be friends with benefits with you, but I am not here for sex. It's about Vanessa." "Vanessa?" Ivan uttered, sounding serious. Isabella nodded. "What about her?" he questioned. "Can we talk inside your room? Or should we find a safe place to talk?" she asked, and Ivan opened the door wider, allowing her to enter. "So,
(Writer's POV) "You should have been careful, Vanessa!" Enzo scolded her loudly. Vanessa had managed to escape from Alessio's house to meet up with Enzo. "I have always been careful, Enzo. I didn’t know Alessio would be awake at that time. I thought he would have been tired after having sex with Lisa, which was why I snuck into the kitchen to call you and inform you about Lisa winning over Salvatore," Vanessa explained. "But still, you should have been more careful!" he scolded again and took in a deep breath. "How were you able to survive? Alessio kills his enemies without thinking twice." Vanessa smirked and crossed one leg over the other, picking up a cigarette from an ashtray. She was wearing a black jumpsuit, which made her look younger than her age. "Lisa was able to bail me out. She used her relationship with Alessio to blackmail him." "And that devil complied?" Enzo asked, sounding surprised. "Yeah, he did. He's head over heels for her. And as for Lisa, I have
(Lisa's POV) The sickening sound of something I couldn't quite describe penetrated my ears. My eyelashes fluttered before I slowly opened my eyes. My head hurt, and for a moment, everything around me was dark. It wasn't until I regained my sight that I saw the clan's doctor packing syringes into a plastic box. She didn't seem to notice me, so I intentionally cleared my throat. Her eyes instantly shifted from her work, and when she realized I was awake, she rushed to my side. "Thank God you're finally awake," she said with relief. I tried to sit up in bed, but I was too weak, so she helped me. "Thank you," I muttered, and she beamed at me. "It's nothing, Lisa. What matters most is that you're awake." "What happened to me? All I remember is passing out after I drank the pineapple juice Nadia gave me," I murmured. "The drink was spiked with barbiturates." "Barbiturates?" I furrowed my brows. "Yes. It's a dangerous drug when taken excessively. But what matters right now is that
(Alessio's POV) "Bianca was the one who spiked Lisa's drink with barbiturates?" I asked, and she slowly nodded her head. "Yes. I'm sure of it, Don Alessio. She asked me once about a poison that could kill someone. I wasn't sure what she was up to, so I lied to her, telling her that barbiturates are dangerous." "Why didn’t you tell me about this?" I fumed. "I wasn't sure what she was up to, which is why I lied to her," she replied, and I harshly choked her neck. "What difference does it make now?! Lisa is unconscious! The least you could have done was tell me when you found her suspicious!" I snapped. "I'm sorry, Don Alessio. I never thought she would use the drugs on Lisa," she pleaded, but I added pressure to her neck. "Your mind didn’t tell you Bianca would use the drugs on Lisa, but it could whisper to you to take your phone and call Salvatore, right?" I growled. "I'm a doctor, Don Alessio. I couldn't watch Bianca die when I knew I could treat her; that's why I call
(Alessio's POV) "Where did she go?" I muttered to myself as I entered the shooting range and couldn't find her there. The moment we arrived at the clan, she had told me she wanted to go to the shooting range. I had agreed, but upon arriving at the shooting range, I couldn't find her anywhere. The guns were still intact, meaning she hadn't been here. Did she lie to me? Jealousy flared in me as I sensed she must've gone to see Angelo. I left the shooting range and went to his room inside the clan—he was the only one who didn’t have a condo of his own aside from the room he had in the clan, which was why he was mostly here. Arriving at his room, my brows furrowed when I didn’t find him there. "Where's Angelo?" I asked a mobster I came across. "He's in the power room, Don Alessio," she replied with a bow. Right. For a moment, I had forgotten he normally spent half of his day there since it was his job. Before I could get to the doorstep of the power room, I heard his voice. He w
(Lisa's POV) "They're... they're what?" I stuttered, surprised by what Alessio had just said. He stuck his hands into his pants pockets, giving me a mocking look. "They're fake, Lisa," he replied with a smirk. "If they were real, do you think you would have still been alive after you stepped on it the first time?" he asked in a mocking tone. "So you mean you left me standing for hours in the rain, believing they were real landmines?" I asked, and he gladly nodded his head. "It was a way to punish you for trying to escape from me." "Alessio!!!" I yelled at him, unaware that I had stepped away from the landmine. I gasped, but when I didn't see myself explode, I calmed my nerves. "See? I told you they were fake," he mocked. "Why did you do that to me, Alessio? Do you know how terrified I was that day? I thought I was going to die!" I yelled at him. "You wouldn't have stepped on it if you weren't trying to escape from me," he sneered. "You're a jerk!" I thundered, aimi
(Alessio's POV) I read her text over and over again, but I was too angry to reply. She had no right to threaten me the way she did, and a part of me still hurt, knowing she was using my relationship as leverage to bail Vanessa out of my hell. I wasn't done with Vanessa. I was determined to fish out the truth from her. I just needed to catch her red-handed so she wouldn't have anything to say when I did. I glanced at the cellphone in my hand, which belonged to Vanessa. It wasn't a smartphone. I dialed the number she had called last night, but whoever it was didn't answer. What made me suspicious was when I glanced through the phone and discovered there were no other numbers apart from the one Vanessa claimed was her sister's. It was impossible to have just a single number on your phone. Even I, who hate keeping friends like kids loathe medicine, have plenty of contacts. I became suspicious of her. She better be ready for me, if my suspicions turned out to be true, not ev
(Lisa's POV) "Good morning," I greeted him when I woke up the following morning and discovered he was back in his suite. He didn't answer. He was focused on buttoning the buttons of his black shirt. Didn't he hear me? "Good morning, Alessio," I greeted again with a cheerful smile, but he still didn't reply. That was when I realized he had actually heard me but was pretending not to. I got down from the bed and strode toward him. "Let me help you with that," I smiled, reaching out to help him button his shirt, but he held my hand. "I can do it. I don't need your help," he said, his tone different from the way he usually spoke to me. Was he mad at me? Yeah, he should be. What I said to him last night was really uncalled for, just like Isabella had said. I shouldn't be the only one ignoring him whenever I was upset with him. I guess this time around, it's my turn to apologize. "Alessio, about last night..." I began, but he cut me short. "I have something important to do," h