Chapter 2

MARCO

The ride back to the estate was silent. My men knew better than to question me right now, not when I was deep in thought. “Sarah..” I muttered to myself. , seeing her action at the bakery, had been an unexpected surprise. I hadn’t planned on her—hadn’t planned on any of this, really. But sometimes, life throws curveballs.

I leaned back in my seat, closing my eyes for a moment. Her face flashed before me: bold, fierce, and simply captivating. There was something about her that stirred something wild within me. I loved breaking the wills of stern girls, and Sarah just had “challenge” written all over her.

When we finally pulled up to the estate, I got out of the car and motioned for my men to follow me into my office. Once we were all inside, I closed the door and turned to face them.

“Change of plans,” I announced, my voice steady. “We’re not touching Santiago. Not yet, anyway.”

Tony, my younger brother and second-in-command, looked confused. “But boss, I thought the plan was to rough up the old fool, make him understand why he should never take the De Luca name for granted?.”

I shook my head. “Sarah.. The girl at the bakery today was definitely his daughter. There’s something about her. Seeing her in action at the bakery… it aroused something in me.”

Tony raised an eyebrow. “And that changes our plans how?”

I took a deep breath, trying to put my thoughts into words. “I love breaking the wills of stern girls. There’s a fire in Sarah that I want to extinguish, a strength I want to bend to my will. Roughing up Santiago might get us what we want in the short term, but if we play this right, we can get much more.”

One of my other men, Carlos, chimed in. “So, what do we do instead Boss?”

“Lay off Santiago for now. He can can continue playing bakery man for the little time he's got. I want you to focus on keeping tabs on Sarah. Follow her, learn her routines, understand her every move.”

Tony nodded slowly, processing my words. “You want us to stalk her?”

“Not stalk,” I corrected, though the word didn’t bother me. “Just keep an eye on her. I want to know everything. Where she goes, who she talks to, what she likes, what she fears.”

Another man, Luis, spoke up. “Boss, this sounds risky. What if she finds out?”

I met his gaze, my expression hard. “You know better than slipping up. You make sure does the find out. You’ll be careful. We need to gather information before I make our my move.”

Tony glanced around at the other men, then back at me. “Alright, boss. We’ll keep an eye on her.”

“Good,” I said, feeling a strange mix of excitement and anticipation. “This isn’t just about power. It’s about control. And I intend to control Sarah.”

“Good,” I said, satisfied. “I want regular updates. And remember, no one touches her. She’s mine to deal with.”

The men nodded, and I could see the loyalty in their eyes. They knew better than to question my decisions, especially when it came to matters of my interest.

“Now get out of here,” I ordered, waving them away. “I need to think.”

They filed out of the office, leaving me alone with my thoughts. I poured myself a drink and sat down at the desk, staring into the amber liquid. Sarah was a complication, but she was also an opportunity. Breaking her would be a challenge, and I loved challenges.

I took a sip of my drink, savoring the burn as it went down. The memory of Sarah’s defiant gaze lingered in my mind. She was strong, but strength could be broken. It was just a matter of finding the right pressure points.

My thoughts were interrupted by a knock at the door. “Come in,” I called, already knowing who it would be.

Tony stepped inside, closing the door behind him. “Boss, there’s something else. While we were at the bakery, I noticed a couple of guys hanging around outside. They didn’t look like locals.”

“Go on,” I said, intrigued.

“I did some digging. Turns out, they’re connected to the Rossi family. Seems like they’ve got an interest in Santiago too.”

I frowned, my mind racing. The Rossi family was a problem. They were our biggest rivals, always looking for ways to undermine us. If they were interested in Santiago, it could complicate things.

“Keep an eye on them,” I ordered. “I don’t want any surprises.”

Tony nodded and left, leaving me alone once more. I drained my glass and set it down with a decisive thud. This was getting more complicated by the minute, but I thrived on complications. They kept things interesting.

I leaned back in my chair, closing my eyes. Sarah’s face appeared once more, her eyes blazing with defiance.

“Yes, she would be a challenge. But she would also be mine. It was only a matter of time.” I said out loud.

SARAH

After Marco and his men left, the bakery felt oddly quiet. I locked the door behind them, my hands still shaking. I took a deep breath and went to find Papa in the back.

“Papa,” I called, my voice shaky. “We need to talk.”

He turned around, concern etched on his face. “What is it, Sarah? You look pale.”

“Some men came in today,” I began, trying to keep my voice steady. “They were rough, making a mess, and harassing me. One of them even grabbed Mr. Morales’s wallet.”

Papa’s eyes widened. “Are you okay? Did they hurt you?”

I shook my head. “No, but it was close. Then, a strange man showed up. He stopped them and made them apologize, he seemed to be their boss.”

Papa’s face tightened, a nervous glint in his eyes. “Strange, you say?”

“Yes. Tall, dark eyes, commanding presence. Seemed like a really shady man, Papa?”

Papa hesitated, then shook his head. “Just be careful, Sarah. Men like that can be dangerous.”

I frowned. “It’s funny, though. You didn’t hear any of the racket? The shouting? The displays getting knocked over?”

He looked away, wiping his hands on a towel. “I was busy in the back. Sometimes I don’t hear everything.”

I didn’t believe him, but I let it go. “Okay, but promise me you’ll be careful too.”

He nodded, but there was something in his eyes, a worry he couldn’t hide. “Let’s lock up and head home.”

We locked the doors and set everything for the night. As we walked home, I couldn’t shake the feeling that something was off. Papa seemed more uneasy than I’d ever seen him.

“Papa,” I said softly, “is there something you’re not telling me?”

He sighed deeply, avoiding my gaze. “Just be careful, Sarah. There are things you don’t need to worry about.”

His words only made me more anxious. What was he hiding? And why did Marco’s presence affect him so much?