ELEANOR Armando finally left the house. I waited until the door shut behind him, listening to the sound of the cars driving off. This was the moment I had been waiting for—the opening I needed to get out of here for good. But I couldn’t just run out the door. I needed a distraction, something big enough to get everyone’s attention so they wouldn’t notice me slipping away.But what? How could I pull it off without raising suspicion?I paced back and forth, racking my brain. Then, it hit me—fire. I could set a fire. That would definitely get everyone running. The fire alarms would go off, and all the staff would be gathered in one spot, trying to handle the chaos. It was the perfect plan, but where could I start a fire without getting caught?Then I remembered the fireplace in the living room. I had always thought it was strange that Armando kept a fireplace in this huge mansion, especially since it was hardly ever used. But now, it seemed like it was there for a reason. It was my way
ELEANOR I woke up with a pounding headache, my body stiff and sore. My wrists and ankles were tied tight, the ropes cutting into my skin. I tried to move, but the chair creaked beneath me, the bonds holding me in place. The room was pitch black, and for a second, I couldn't remember how I'd gotten here. Everything felt like a fog. But then, it hit me all at once—my escape, the alley, the two men. My heart started racing again as the memories all came flooding back.I panicked, pulling at the ropes that kept me trapped in the chair. "Please, let me go!" My voice came out shaky, almost pleading. "I swear, I don't have anything! You've got the wrong person!"I could hear footsteps coming toward me, and my breath caught in my throat. One of the men, his face still masked, crouched down in front of me. "Don't start screaming again," he said, his voice low, threatening. "Remember what happened the last time? I'm sure you must be smarter by now."I nodded quickly, too terrified to speak. My
ELEANORArmando dragged me out of the car, gripping my wrist so tightly I thought my bones would snap. The pain shot up my arm, but I was too exhausted to fight back. My ankle throbbed, my wrists burned from the ropes, and every part of me ached from the blows I had taken. I tried to pull away, but it was useless. His grip only tightened."Please, Armando, let me go! You're hurting me!" I begged, my voice barely above a whisper.But my words seemed to fuel his anger. He yanked me harder, dragging me across the gravelled floor like I was nothing but dead weight. I stumbled behind him, trying to keep up, but every step felt like a thousand needles stabbing into my ankle. I cried out in pain, but he didn't even glance back. He didn't care. He kicked the door open and flung me inside like I weighed nothing, sending me crashing to the floor. The pain that shot through my body was unbearable, and I curled up, clutching my ankle, my wrists, everything that hurt.I couldn't stop crying. It wa
ARMANDOI slammed the door to Eleanor's room, her sobs still ringing in my ears as I walked down the hall. Her words replayed in my head, not because they meant anything, but because of how pathetic she sounded—begging, crying and ranting like that was going to change anything. There were more important things to worry about than her petty little tantrums so I couldn't care less.Fighting those two idiots had been easy but it left my knuckles sore—though this was nothing really new to me. I'd been fighting for as long as I could remember and being a mob boss meant you had to learn to live with pain. Fights happened all the time—bare fists, knives, guns. You name it, I’d seen it all, and most times, I won. So this wasn't a big deal. The real issue was the reason I left the mansion in the first place—that damn mole in my crew.Whoever he was, he continued feeding my enemies information. My drug deals had been hit twice in the past week, one of my weapon shipments got intercepted last mo
ELEANOR The evening was cool, almost too perfect for what I was about to face. The sun was setting, leaving behind streaks of gold and orange that faded into the night, allowing the stars a moment to shine brightly. I could hear the music from inside the venue even before we reached the gate. It was beautiful—violins and other instruments playing in perfect harmony. This wasn’t just any party and it was already clear from just the music alone. Only the elite—ones with unimaginable power, could attend something like this.When we got to the gate, the chauffeur rolled down his window and showed the security some kind of pass. They didn’t ask any questions; they just waved us in. I sat in the back of Armando’s limo, stiff and uncomfortable. The tension between us was thick, the same kind of silence that had filled the air the first time he brought me to his mansion. But this time, I was more afraid. I knew him now, or at least I thought I did. I knew what he was capable of.I couldn’t h
ARMANDO Faces I recognized were everywhere—some more familiar than I’d like. Most of them were my enemies, but that was the thing about the families—whenever we were called to gather, we all sat together until the goal was met, then we could go right back to killing each other another day. It was one of the unspoken rules, a part of the life we lived.Knowing that, and knowing I’d be surrounded by these same enemies, was exactly why I showed up tonight. I liked keeping my enemies close because watching and reading them always gave me an edge—that way there were no surprises. If I could find even the smallest clue as to who was sabotaging my business tonight, I’d be out of here the minute I got it.After Don Alessio greeted me and moved on, I started to make my way around the room with my head held high. I was a powerful man in a room full of powerful men, and I carried myself like it. Nothing about my demeanor would suggest I was worried or suspicious, even though I was watching ever
ELEANORThe night had been going smoothly, and to my surprise, I was actually starting to feel a little comfortable. The room was luxurious in a way that made you forget where you came from—the cool air, the fine tablecloths, the vibrant colors, and the guests who looked like they had never worked a day in their lives. It was overwhelming at first, but after sitting for a while, I let myself relax just a little.I shouldn’t have.Just when I thought I could breathe, the organizers announced a dance—a waltz, of all things. Tension gripped me instantly, I didn’t know how to waltz. Hell, I barely knew how to dance in general. My heart skipped a beat, and I silently prayed they wouldn’t ask us to join.But then, as if she had been waiting for the right moment, Don Fabio’s wife leaned over and smiled—the kind that said she was about to enjoy watching me squirm.“You two should dance,” she said, her voice sweet but full of intent. “You’d look lovely out there.”I forced a polite smile, sha
ARMANDOThe moment the music ended, I noticed Don Fabio shift in his seat. It wasn’t the kind of shift people made when they were settling back into their chairs. No, this was different. One of his men had leaned in, whispered something in his ear, and just like that, Fabio stood up. It was quick, almost too quick, like he didn’t want to be seen leaving the table.I didn’t hesitate to send Eleanor back to the table. She had served her purpose for the night, and I didn’t need her tagging along anymore. These parties weren’t just for appearances. I had long suspected that behind the music, food, and fake smiles, there was always something going on. The dons didn’t gather unless they had a reason. Most of them were too paranoid to be around each other just for social niceties.As soon as Fabio left, I maneuvered through the crowd, keeping my eyes on him. The lights were dim enough that I could slip through the hallways without drawing much attention. It didn’t take long to catch up wit