CHAPTER FORTYBELLAThe floor felt like it dropped beneath me.My throat went dry. “W-what? A camera?”Marco nodded. “Yeah. Hidden in the wall behind the bookshelf. He’s pissed. Wants everyone in the main hall.”I swallowed, my mind scrambling for a way out. “Do… do we know who put it there?”Marco gave a humorless smile. “That’s what he’s trying to find out.”And just like that, my legs moved on their own, dragging me down the hall beside Marco, my heart pounding so hard I thought it might crack a rib.He found the camera.He found it.And if anyone even suspected it was me… I was done.Dead.Finished.I kept my face composed, but inside, I was spiraling. I needed a plan.Fast.And for the first time tonight, I wondered if maybe… just maybe… playing with Ricardo’s mind was a game I wasn’t equipped to win.We reached the main hall, and sure enough, everyone was already gathered… bodyguards, associates, maids, even a few of the drivers.I slipped away from Marco’s side and positioned
RYANI caused this.The thought twisted in my mind as I stood before Ricardo, the man I had spent years hunting.Four months of watching him lose his mind over his own body’s betrayal. He had no idea that his impotence was my doing.To get close to him, I had conspired with his private doctor, slipping a drug into his system that slowly wrecked his ability to have sex. Every failed attempt, every frustrated outburst… it was all orchestrated by me. And now, standing here in front of him, I was about to undo it.Not out of mercy. Not out of guilt.I was going to fix him so that I could kill him.I’d kill him. Just like he killed my mother.Ricardo sat on the couch, legs spread, his fingers tapping against his knee. His dark eyes were locked onto mine. "You really think you can fix this?”I forced a neutral expression, keeping my posture relaxed. "I wouldn't be here if I couldn't."Reaching into my medical bag, I pulled out a syringe filled with the antidote. A mixture designed to counte
RYANI was so shocked I couldn't move.The man standing in the doorway looked exactly like Ricardo.No. That wasn’t possible.My heart raced as I stared at him, my mind trying so hard to make sense of what I was seeing. A twin? Ricardo had a fucking twin?What the fuck?My pulse pounded in my ears, drowning out every other sound in the room. This wasn’t part of the plan. I came here to kill the man who murdered my mother. But now… now I didn’t even know if I had the right one.Why the hell didn’t Lucas tell me about this? Why…"Ryan!"Ricardo’s sharp voice snapped me out of my spiraling thoughts.I blinked, refocusing on him, but his gaze was already locked onto the syringe still clutched in my hand."What the fuck are you holding, Doc?" His voice was lower now.My grip tightened around the syringe. My mind scrambled for a response. "It's a booster," I said smoothly. "It helps speed up the effect of the antidote."Ricardo laughed, shaking his head as he turned toward the man standing
RICARDOI couldn’t remember the last time I felt this fucking good.Last night was a blur of pleasure and euphoria, and this morning? Damn. I hadn’t felt this alive in years. The second I woke up, hard as a rock, I knew something had changed. And it was all thanks to the man currently standing in front of me, looking like he wanted to disappear into the floor.I grinned at him, my good mood making me almost giddy. “You’re a fucking genius, you know that?” I clapped a hand on Ryan’s shoulder, giving it a firm squeeze. “Not only are you good with a syringe, but damn… you were pretty damn good in bed too.” I smirked. “Can’t remember the last time I felt that way.”I let the words hang for a moment before my expression darkened."And about yesterday," I said, my voice dropping just enough to make my point clear."You should never try that kind of stunt with me again. Because, Doc, the next time you pull some sneaky shit like that, I won’t just be giving you a friendly wake-up punch."I le
RAFAELWho the hell was this guy?I couldn't shake the image from my mind… the one that hit me the second I barged into Ricardo's room. I hadn't meant to walk in at that exact moment, but damn. The sight of him standing there, naked, his cock hard and unapologetic…Hell.I wasn’t into men. Never had been. But for some goddamn reason, my mind refused to settle.I exhaled sharply, rubbing my jaw as I signaled one of my most trusted men. He stepped forward, waiting for my order."Follow the doctor," I murmured, keeping my voice low. "Stay out of sight. Make sure he doesn’t suspect anything."The man nodded and slipped away without another word.I sat down, exhaling slowly. My body felt tense… more tense than it should be. I ran a hand down my face, willing my thoughts to move on, but it was no use.Because now, as I sat there thinking about the damn doctor, my cock was already hard again.Damn it.My hand moved almost on its own, slipping beneath the waistband of my trousers.My fingers
RYAN "You want me to do what?"Lucas leaned against his desk. "You heard me. I want you to get close to Rafael. Learn about him. And when the time is right, come back and tell me how to win his heart."I blinked, waiting for him to say he was joking. When he didn’t, I let out a sharp laugh. "Yeah, no. That’s not happening. Why the hell would I do that?"Lucas exhaled, his fingers drumming against the desk. "Because I’ve been secretly in love with Rafael for years, although he wasn't into guys. And for a long time, no one heard a damn thing about him. People thought he was dead. But now, he’s back."I shook my head. "That’s your problem, not mine."Lucas narrowed his eyes. "It is your problem, Ryan. Because this might be your one chance to find out the truth about your mother’s murder."That made me freeze."What?"Lucas stepped forward, his voice dropping to a whisper. "Ricardo and Rafael know something. One of them ordered the hit. If it was Ricardo, I’ll handle it. But if it was Ra
RYAN“No! Stop!” I roared, stepping in front of Bella before any of Ricardo’s men could make a move. “She didn’t do anything wrong.”Ricardo arched a brow. “She’s a doctor,” I continued. “You said I needed to recruit someone for the hospital, right? That’s exactly what I was doing.”Ricardo lifted his head slightly, then, without a word, he started walking toward me with slow, calculated steps that sent my pulse hammering.Closer.Too close.I clenched my jaw as he stopped just inches away, so near that I could feel his breath ghosting over my face. My heart pounded, not out of fear, but something else. Something I couldn’t even name.Ricardo chuckled lowly. “You’ve got balls, Ryan. You think you’re smart, don’t you?”My throat tightened.Oh, God.Had he figured it out? Did he know the real reason I was here?The silence stretched between us, and I was waiting for the worse to happen.But then, Ricardo smirked. “I know you’re just trying to recruit your little girlfriend to work for m
RYANThe smirk vanished.The air in the room shifted, thick with tension.Ricardo wiped the corner of his mouth, checking for blood. Then, slowly, he looked up at me.And then, he grinned.“Well,” he mused, cracking his knuckles. “Now we’re talking.”I clenched my fists at my sides, my pulse hammering. Every instinct screamed at me to stay on guard, to be ready for whatever he had planned next. But instead of lunging at me, Ricardo leaned back against his desk, “I like it,” he said, lifting his head. “Didn’t know you had that in you.”I gritted my teeth. “Don’t try that stunt with me again,” I snapped, my voice sharper than I intended. “I’m here to help, not to be your damn punching bag. I’m your damn doctor, and you need me.”Ricardo’s smirk didn’t waver. If anything, it widened. “Need, huh? That’s a strong word.”I rolled my shoulders, pushing down the frustration bubbling inside me. “Well, if you don’t, why did you ask me to stay?”Ricardo didn’t reply, instead he studied me for a
CHAPTER FORTYBELLAThe floor felt like it dropped beneath me.My throat went dry. “W-what? A camera?”Marco nodded. “Yeah. Hidden in the wall behind the bookshelf. He’s pissed. Wants everyone in the main hall.”I swallowed, my mind scrambling for a way out. “Do… do we know who put it there?”Marco gave a humorless smile. “That’s what he’s trying to find out.”And just like that, my legs moved on their own, dragging me down the hall beside Marco, my heart pounding so hard I thought it might crack a rib.He found the camera.He found it.And if anyone even suspected it was me… I was done.Dead.Finished.I kept my face composed, but inside, I was spiraling. I needed a plan.Fast.And for the first time tonight, I wondered if maybe… just maybe… playing with Ricardo’s mind was a game I wasn’t equipped to win.We reached the main hall, and sure enough, everyone was already gathered… bodyguards, associates, maids, even a few of the drivers.I slipped away from Marco’s side and positioned
BELLA“I think Ricardo has powers.”Michael blinked. “Come again?”I leaned back against the chair in his room, arms folded, my heart still racing from everything that had happened. “I said… I think he has powers. Like, actual powers. Like stopping-time kind of powers.”Michael stared at me like I had grown a third eye. “What the hell are you talking about?”I turned my gaze to the floor, chewing the inside of my cheek before sighing. “Remember that camera you gave me? The one I planted in Ricardo’s room?”His brows drew together. “Yeah…”“Well,” I said, voice lower now, “I watched the footage. All of it. Even the parts after… the threesome.”Michael gave me a look. “Really didn't need the reminder.”I rolled my eyes. “Get over it.”He said nothing.I continued. “I saw Ricardo talking to himself… not like ‘talking in the mirror’ kind of way, but like he was fighting something inside. He said he had powers. That he could’ve saved Ryan. That he… stopped time before. He was pissed that h
RAFAELI hurried my footsteps, ignoring the ache in my legs, the burning in my chest. The sound of that flatline echoed in my skull like a siren screaming death.No.No, no, no…I reached the room and my heart nearly came out of my mouth. My knees buckled the moment I saw it.That white sheet.Pulled up over a still body.No movement. No beeping machines. Just… silence.I stumbled to the ground, my palms hitting the cold, sterile tiles, my breath catching in my throat like a noose. Tears welled up fast. One fell. Then another. Then they all came crashing down.He can’t be dead.He can’t be.“Ryan,” I gasped out. “No… please… God, no…”I crawled closer, like if I just got a little nearer I’d find out it wasn’t true. That maybe I was wrong. That maybe it was someone else.But the blood.The silence.The goddamn sheet.My hand shook as I reached out, not even sure what I was doing. Just needing something. A touch. A sign. Anything.My chest ached so hard I thought I’d throw up. I couldn’
RAFAELI stood frozen behind the half-transparent glass, my hands clenched into fists at my sides as I watched Bella and the other doctors battling to keep Ryan alive.He looked lifeless.Machines beeped frantically. One of the nurses barked an order. Bella’s face was tight with panic, but her hands moved with the sharp precision of someone refusing to lose. Still, I could see the fear in her eyes.Ryan’s chest barely moved. There were tubes everywhere. Blood.God.I pressed my forehead against the cool surface of the glass and shut my eyes for a split second. Don’t die… please don’t die. I didn’t care who was listening… I prayed. I begged. I would’ve made deals with the damn devil if it meant hearing him laugh again.I couldn’t take it anymore.I spun around and stormed down the corridor, barely registering the people I passed. My blood was boiling, my vision tunneling.Ricardo.He was in his room. Comfortable. Alive. Breathing. While Ryan was fighting for every second.I didn’t even
RAFAELI stood at the edge of the dock, the wind biting through my coat as I checked my watch again. The ocean was calm tonight, but my gut wasn’t. I didn’t like this kind of silence, it always meant something was coming. And not always a shipment.We were early. I didn’t believe in being late to things that could cost me my life or millions of dollars.A few headlights blinked in the distance, bouncing off the stacked containers, and I tensed. But then I saw him.Alessio.I glanced sideways… Bella was walking toward him. I matched her pace as we made our way to him.Alessio didn’t wait for pleasantries."What do you want from me again?" he snapped as soon as we were within range, his voice echoing slightly against the metal around us.Then he turned to Bella, eyes narrowing."You," he said, with a short laugh. "I trusted you. I actually thought you were depressed, genuinely spiraling." He shook his head and scoffed. "And then you used it. Played the poor broken girl card on me. Wicke
RICARDO"I should’ve fucking used it!" I roared, slamming my fist into the wall so hard the plaster cracked beneath my knuckles. "I should’ve stopped the goddamn time!"The rage in my chest was a wildfire, my breathing came in sharp bursts, my vision red with fury and self-loathing. I could still see it… Ryan collapsing into my arms, the life draining from his eyes, his blood warm and sticky on my hands.I had the power to change that. I could’ve changed it.I should’ve.I paced the length of the room like a madman, fists clenched, every nerve in my body shaking with guilt.Why didn’t I use it? Why the fuck didn’t I just use it?Because every time I did, a part of me broke. My health spiraled. The nosebleeds, the migraines, the tremors… they got worse with each use. And the last time… the last time almost killed me.But so what?I clenched my jaw and slammed my fist against the wall again, harder this time. A small streak of blood bloomed on my skin, but I didn’t care. The pain was t
RYANI closed my eyes, waiting for the inevitable. I could feel the cold steel of the gun still pressed against my forehead, and my breath hitched as I prepared for the end. This was it. After everything, this was how it would all go down.But just as Matteo's finger tightened on the trigger, a voice rang out from behind me."Don’t do it."It was Ricardo.Matteo stilled for a moment, his eyes narrowing as he turned toward the sound of the command. But the smirk never left his face. He shifted his weight slightly, keeping the gun locked on me but still facing the voice that threatened him.Ricardo stepped into view, and he wasn’t alone. Behind him, Lucas stood, his arms pinned tightly at his sides, a gun pressed to his temple. Ricardo’s eyes locked onto Matteo’s with a cold stare."If you try anything, I’ll shoot him," Ricardo said, his voice calm, unbothered. Matteo’s lips curled up into that wicked smile again, but his laugh was darker this time. "Does it look like I care? You s
RYANJust like Rafael predicted, I got the call.I was going out with them tonight.I stood by the entrance, adjusting the sleeves of my jacket, when Rafael strolled in casually like we were headed to a beach bar and not a war zone. A loose black shirt, baggy brown trousers that fitted him perfectly.I blinked at him. “You sure you’re dressed for a fight?”He shrugged. “Comfort over chaos, my friend.”I couldn’t help the snort that escaped. Then I leaned in. “Did you talk to Ricardo? About Bella?”“Yeah, sure. He agreed,” Rafael said, brushing invisible lint off his shirt. “She should be here any…”Before Rafael could even finish his sentence, the doors swung open.Ricardo stepped out, his boots hitting the marble. He was followed by five of his men, all suited, armed, and cold-eyed. His gaze landed on me. “Since you're going to be my underboss soon,” he said, voice sharp and commanding, “you start earning that title. From tonight, you follow us out on every mission. No more sitting
RICARDO I kept knocking. Three times. Then four. I didn’t even know why I was still standing there. Maybe I wanted to fix it. Maybe I just needed to see him. Needed to apologize, even though I knew words weren’t enough. Why the hell did I think it was a good idea? A threesome? With her? His girlfriend… or should I say ex. God. What the hell was wrong with me? "Ryan," I called again, softer this time. “Come on, man. Please… open the door.” The silence on the other side stretched, after a few seconds the door creaked open. Ryan stood there, arm crossed. “What do you want?” he asked flatly. I opened my mouth, but the words caught in my throat. Then I saw him. Rafael. Lying on the bed. Something inside me cracked. My stomach twisted, but I kept my face still. “What are you doing here?” I asked, even though I already knew. I just… needed to hear him say it. Rafael tilted his head. “I don’t understand the question,” he said. “Am I not allowed in this room?” That was it. That t