Ninety Two

Cassandra stretched slowly under the silk sheets, her eyes still heavy with sleep, but the sticky sensation between her thighs snapped her into full awareness.

She opened her eyes slowly, only to find herself naked on a bed in complete disarray—evidence of last night’s passion still lingering in every corner of the room.

Fuck.

Her hands instinctively pulled the blanket up to cover her face, cursing herself for once again succumbing so easily to Antonio’s touch.

She could still feel the remnants of his bites and marks of possession burning on her skin, especially around her neck and chest.

This shouldn’t have happened… again. But before she could sink deeper into her regret, a deep, husky voice filled the room.

"Don't pretend to be shy now, my little Fox." Cassandra froze under the covers.

Shit.

He was already awake. Peeking from beneath the blanket, she found Antonio standing near the large window, wearing only a pair of loose sleep pants that hung dangerously low on his hips. The morning light cast a golden glow over his skin, highlighting the sculpted muscles of his back and chest.

He looked like a Greek god who had just descended from Olympus—and that only made Cassandra more frustrated. She tried to slip out of bed quietly, but before her feet could even touch the floor, Antonio turned to her with that infuriating smirk—the one she absolutely hated… or rather,

the one that made her soaking wet all over again.

"Where do you think you're going, huh?" His voice was low and teasing, making her traitorous body respond in ways she wished it wouldn’t.

"I just… I need to take a shower," she blurted out quickly, trying to sound normal despite the rasp in her voice, a telltale sign of all the moans and screams she had let out last night. Antonio chuckled, the deep, rich sound reverberating through the room.

"After last night, when you were screaming ‘deeper, Antonio’ like a thirsty little slut, now you’re trying to run away?" Cassandra’s face burned instantly.

"Shut up!"

She grabbed the pillow beside her and hurled it at Antonio, but he caught it effortlessly, then started moving toward the bed with a playful glint in his eyes.

"Don’t act like you didn’t enjoy it, Cass," he whispered, leaning down over the bed, positioning himself right above Cassandra, who was still wrapped in the blanket.

"I could feel how your body trembled every time I pushed deeper… How you clung to my shoulders like you never wanted to let me go." Cassandra bit her lip.

Damn it, why did this man have to read her so well? She tried to inch away, but Antonio was faster—yanking the blanket off her, leaving her completely exposed under his dark, heated gaze.

"Antonio!" Cassandra gasped, quickly covering her chest with both arms.

But he only looked at her with pure possession, his eyes tracing every mark he had left on her skin.

"Look at this… Proof that you’re mine, sweetheart."

"Stop talking like that," Cassandra hissed, her breath already becoming uneven. Antonio only smirked before pulling her into a searing, unstoppable morning kiss.

The moment their lips met, every ounce of resistance inside Cassandra burned away. His mouth moved over hers with a patience that was almost torturous, making her lose every last bit of her sanity. As Antonio dominated her tongue, his hands slid down her back, gripping her hips and pulling her flush against his body—and she could feel exactly how hard he was this morning. Cassandra let out a muffled whimper into his mouth.

"We… can’t… Antonio…" But the bastard only smirked against her lips, leaning in to whisper into her ear in a voice that sent shivers down her spine.

"Who said we can’t, Cass? I’m not done with you yet..." Cassandra instantly knew she was in deep trouble. She tried to catch her breath as Antonio finally pulled away from their heated kiss. Her chest rose and fell rapidly, her body weak and aching—not just from last night but from how effortlessly Antonio made her crave him all over again. But she had to control herself. She couldn’t keep letting this happen. With all the strength she could muster, Cassandra shoved against Antonio’s firm chest, forcing him back.

"Enough! I need to shower!" Antonio raised an eyebrow, his dark eyes still filled with hunger, but after a moment, he finally loosened his grip on her hips.

"Fine," he said with a slow, knowing smirk.

"But don’t take too long… or I might just come in and help you clean up." Fucking bastard.

Cassandra hurried toward the bathroom, refusing to look back at Antonio’s burning gaze on her skin. As soon as the door shut behind her, she leaned against it, pressing a hand against her pounding chest. What the hell am I doing? Cold water cascaded over her body, but it wasn’t enough to wash away the lingering sensation of Antonio’s touch. I need to stay away from him…

But when she stepped out of the bathroom, a towel wrapped around her damp body, Antonio was still there, lounging on the bed, casually scrolling through his phone. The moment he saw her, his gaze lifted—slowly raking over her barely covered, still-wet figure.

"Sweet as ever," he murmured, his eyes darkening as they trailed over every curve. Cassandra growled in frustration and stormed toward the closet, desperately searching for clothes—until her phone vibrated on the nearby table.

She glanced at it. Alexander. Her blood froze instantly.

Fuck!

Without thinking, she grabbed her phone and quickly pressed the mute button, hoping Antonio wouldn’t notice. But of course, the bastard was too sharp not to pick up on the sudden shift in her demeanor.

"You look tense, Cass," Antonio’s voice was casual, but there was a dangerous edge beneath it. Cassandra cleared her throat, forcing herself to sound indifferent.

"No, it’s just a regular message." Antonio stepped closer behind her, so close that she could feel the heat radiating off his body. His fingers brushed over her bare shoulder, tracing lazy circles over her skin. It looked like an innocent touch, but she knew damn well he was testing her.

"Then why aren’t you replying?" he whispered near her ear, his breath hot against her skin. Shit. I need to get out of here. Cassandra quickly put on her clothes, choosing a white blouse and a black pencil skirt, trying to look professional, unaffected by the man behind her who was still watching her like he was ready to rip her clothes off again. By the time she sat at the vanity to fix her hair, Antonio had pulled up a chair beside her, now dressed in a white shirt with the top few buttons undone. He took a slow sip of his coffee, then smirked.

"You look… beautiful today." Cassandra raised an eyebrow, wary.

"I should always look beautiful." Antonio chuckled softly.

"Oh, you are, Cass. But today… I can smell the lies on you from a mile away." Before she could respond, Antonio leaned back in his chair, sipping his coffee again, clearly enjoying how flustered she was. His smirk widened, and then he leaned in closer, whispering in a deep, torturous tone.

"You’re still thinking about last night, aren’t you?" Cassandra sucked in a sharp breath, her body going stiff.

"N–No!" she denied quickly, but Antonio only looked at her with a victorious glint in his eyes.

"Oh, really?" He trailed his fingers along her thigh, pressing lightly against the sensitive skin of her inner thigh. Fuck. Cassandra clamped her legs shut instantly, pushing his hand away, her face burning.

"Antonio!" He only chuckled, his dark eyes glinting with satisfaction.

"I didn’t even touch you, Cass… you’re just too sensitive."

Bastard, bastard, bastard!

Cassandra grabbed her bag and stood up, trying to steady her erratic heartbeat. Antonio raised an eyebrow, folding his arms across his chest.

"Where are you going?" She tried to sound normal.

"I just have some errands to run." Antonio studied her for a long moment before finally nodding.

"Alright." But just as Cassandra turned to leave, Antonio caught her wrist and yanked her back, pinning her against the wall.

"Can I ask you one thing, Cass?" he murmured. Cassandra swallowed hard, her body trembling from their proximity.

"What?" Antonio traced her lips with his thumb, his eyes dark and unreadable.

"Are you leaving for an errand… or for another man?" Cassandra froze. Shit, he suspects me. But before she could answer, Antonio suddenly crushed his lips against hers, making her melt into his grip all over again. The kiss was hot, possessive, completely obliterating any sense of logic she had left. He didn’t give her the chance to resist—he just deepened the kiss, sucking on her lips like he was reminding her exactly who she belonged to.

As he finally pulled away from the kiss, Antonio let out a small, knowing smile, pressing his forehead against Cassandra’s.

Then, in a voice so deep and piercing it sank right into her chest, he whispered:

"Go ahead and play outside, Cass… but don’t forget, only I can make you feel like this." Cassandra froze, her body trembling from a mixture of desire, frustration, and fear. Antonio kissed her again—this time slower, deeper—as if marking her, ensuring that no other man could ever touch her the way he did. And as he finally let her go, Cassandra knew she had already lost this game. Cassandra drove at a steady speed, her eyes flicking to the rearview mirror every now and then, making sure she wasn’t being followed. Her heart was still racing, but not from fear—something else entirely. Antonio’s words echoed in her mind.

"Go ahead and play outside, Cass… but don’t forget, only I can make you feel like this."

Fuck.

She shook her head slightly, trying to erase his gaze from her thoughts. Now was not the time to think about Antonio. Now, she had to focus on something bigger. Alexander. She finally arrived at a small café on the edge of the city—the place where she and Alexander used to meet in secret before everything changed. The moment she stepped inside, her eyes immediately landed on him, sitting near the window with a cup of coffee in front of him. He looked up the second he saw her, offering a small but warm smile.

"Cass," he greeted softly. Cassandra took a deep breath, trying to push aside the nervous energy in her chest, then slid into the seat across from him.

"What did you find?" she asked, skipping the pleasantries. Alexander sighed, then pulled out a few documents from his bag and placed them on the table.

"I found something about The Silver Thorn." Cassandra narrowed her eyes and immediately picked up the papers, scanning through them.

"The Silver Thorn is more than just a regular mafia group," Alexander murmured, his voice laced with caution.

"They don’t just control the underground world—they have deep connections within the government." Cassandra frowned, her eyes moving over the information.

"Their main business is illegal lending to wealthy officials who can’t secure funds legally," Alexander continued.

"But that’s not all—they also invest in off-the-books businesses that the government can’t track. And the most dangerous part…" Cassandra looked up sharply.

"Contract killings." Alexander gave her a slow nod.

"They don’t just operate like a mafia, Cass. They decide who lives and who dies in the world of power." Cassandra shut the documents carefully, her mind spinning. So this is what Antonio does? She had always known Antonio wasn’t just some ordinary businessman. But realizing how deep The Silver Thorn’s grip was within the government made her feel like she had been sleeping with the true king of the underworld.

Fuck.

"Do you know who’s in their network?" she asked quietly. Alexander exhaled.

"No names yet, but I’m certain Antonio is at the top of their hierarchy." Cassandra swallowed hard. Of course. Antonio wasn’t the kind of man to be a mere pawn in this game.

"Renjiro Takahashi and The Crimson Lotus have started moving against them," Alexander continued.

"If The Silver Thorn loses control over their financial network, this war is going to spiral completely out of control." Cassandra leaned back in her chair, trying to steady her thoughts. She was getting pulled deeper into two opposing worlds. If she stayed by Antonio’s side, she would sink further into this darkness. But if she left him…

Could she really walk away? Alexander studied her carefully, his expression unreadable.

"Cass…" He rubbed the back of his neck, looking hesitant, as if he was struggling with something inside him. Cassandra raised an eyebrow.

"What?" Alexander swallowed hard, his fists clenching slightly on the table.

"I just… I just want to make sure you’re okay." Cassandra froze for a second.

"Why are you always so worried about me, Alex?" she asked, her voice softer than she intended. Alexander let out a small, almost sad smile, but his eyes carried something deeper—something more than just concern.

"Because I care about you, Cass," he finally admitted, his voice quieter, uncertain… but sincere. Cassandra held her breath. Why did those words feel so heavy? Their eyes met, and she could see the raw honesty in his gaze. But she couldn’t give him the same answer. Alexander bit his lip, then quickly looked down at his coffee, as if regretting what he had just said.

"Forget it," he muttered, taking a sip without looking at her again. Cassandra remained silent. If things had been different…

if she were still the Cassandra she used to be…

Maybe she would’ve seen Alexander as the better option. Safer. More… logical. But there was only one man who dominated her mind now, and it wasn’t Alexander. Before she could say anything, the chime of the café door rang. She turned her head slightly—only for the blood in her veins to turn ice cold. Near the register, a man in a black suit was ordering coffee. Marcus. Antonio’s enforcer.

Fuck.

Cassandra immediately lowered her head, letting her long hair fall over her face.

"What is it?" Alexander whispered, sensing the tension in her body.

"Don’t turn around," she hissed under her breath, her tone urgent.

But it was too late. Marcus had already seen her. His sharp gaze locked onto Cassandra instantly, his eyes narrowing, his entire demeanor shifting. Shit, shit, shit. Cassandra already knew—Antonio was going to hear about this. And she wasn’t sure if she was ready to face the consequences. Marcus watched Cassandra from across the café, his cold, suspicious gaze never wavering. Cassandra felt her breath hitch.

Fuck.

If Marcus had seen her here with Alexander, that meant Antonio would know within hours—or even sooner. She tried to steady herself, taking a slow sip of her coffee, pretending to be unbothered. But Alexander, sitting across from her, could sense the sudden shift in her demeanor.

"What’s going on?" he asked in a low tone, his eyes flicking around the café. Cassandra bit her lip, debating whether she should tell Alexander who Marcus really was. But that would only invite more questions—questions she wasn’t ready to answer.

"It’s nothing," she finally said, forcing a small smile.

"I just don’t want to be recognized here." Alexander studied her for a moment, clearly unsatisfied with her response, but he chose not to push further.

"I’ll keep digging into The Silver Thorn," he said, returning to their original topic.

"If there’s more to this than we realize, I need to find out before it’s too late." Cassandra gave a small nod, but her mind was already elsewhere. On Antonio. And how he would react when he found out she had met Alexander in secret. Somewhere else, in a dimly lit meeting room, Antonio sat back in his chair, sipping bourbon as he waited. Across from him, Marcus stood with a grave expression.

"We found something interesting, boss," Marcus finally said. Antonio raised an eyebrow, his gaze calm, but there was always danger lurking beneath that composure.

"What is it?" Marcus handed him a brown envelope.

"Our sources confirm that The Crimson Lotus has been making more aggressive moves lately. They’re not just targeting our financial network—they’re also trying to build new alliances."

Antonio opened the envelope, pulling out a few photographs. In them, a blonde man with glasses sat in an upscale meeting room in France. Sebastian Leclair. Leader of The Ivory Daggers. Antonio tapped his fingers against the table, his eyes narrowing.

"So, Takahashi is trying to pull Sebastian to his side?" he muttered.

"Seems like it," Marcus confirmed.

"We have strong reason to believe Sebastian hasn’t given a final answer yet. But if we don’t act fast, we’ll lose our chance." Antonio smirked, taking another sip of his bourbon before speaking.

"Sebastian isn’t the type to be easily swayed."

"Exactly," Marcus nodded.

"He prefers to play both sides until he knows which one benefits him the most." Antonio let out a low chuckle, but beneath it, there was an unmistakable edge of tension.

"Then we’ll give him a reason to choose us." Marcus watched him expectantly, waiting for further instructions. Antonio set his glass down casually before locking eyes with Marcus, his expression dark and calculated.

"Set up a meeting with Sebastian," he said.

"And this time, we’ll give him something more valuable than money." Marcus raised an eyebrow.

"What are you planning?" Antonio smirked, his mind already working ahead.

"I’m bringing Cassandra with me." Marcus blinked, momentarily surprised, but then understanding flickered in his eyes.

"Sebastian has always been drawn to things he can’t have," Antonio continued, his voice dangerously smooth.

"And I want to see just how badly he wants the woman who made me soften." Marcus nodded.

"I’ll make the arrangements." Antonio leaned back in his chair, already picturing how Sebastian would react to Cassandra. But he also knew—no man could ever claim her.

And if Sebastian dared to cross the line… Antonio wouldn’t hesitate to put a bullet in his skull.