RICARDOI cracked my eyes open and stared at the ceiling, feeling... good.Better than good.For the first time in what felt like forever, there was no fever crawling under my skin, no fog clouding my head.Just... me.Me, and this ridiculous, giddy feeling fluttering in my chest like a damn teenager.I grinned to myself, stretching lazily across the bed.Today was the day.Ryan had promised… a real show.And God, after everything, I couldn't wait to see him strip just for me.I grabbed my phone off the nightstand, my thumbs fumbling a little with excitement as I pulled up Ryan’s contact and hit call.It barely rang once before he picked up."Morning, pretty boy," Ryan's voice came through the speaker, still thick with sleep and low enough to make my toes curl. "You okay?""Better than okay," I said, my grin widening. "Feel like a goddamn superhero."Ryan chuckled, and the sound sent a shiver down my spine."I'll be there in a few minutes," he responded. "Sit tight for me.""Wasn’t pl
RYANI shifted onto my elbow, smirking down at him."You know what would really even the score, pretty boy?"Ricardo raised an eyebrow, still catching his breath."Oh yeah? What’s that?"I grinned slow and wicked."You. Naked."His eyes widened… just for a second, before he gave a low chuckle, like he hadn't expected me to say that out loud.Like he should’ve known better."Strip for me," I said, voice dropping to a growl. "Now."Ricardo’s mouth parted slightly, surprised, but the spark in his eyes said he wasn’t about to say no.He held my gaze as he hooked his thumbs into the waistband of his pants and slid them down, revealing everything.I sat back, savoring every damn second.God, he was gorgeous.Ricardo, the fucking Mafia boss, all ruthless and cold outside these walls, but here…with me…he was pliant.I reached over to the nightstand, pulling out the black silk rope I’d hidden there earlier… a little surprise I hadn't been sure I'd get to use tonight.Ricardo’s eyes moved to
LUCAS"WHAT THE FUCK HAPPENED?!" I roared, sweeping my arm across the table and sending everything crashing to the ground… glasses, plates, bottles, papers… all of it. Shattering, splintering.I grabbed the edge of the table, slamming it again, my chest heaving like I couldn't fucking breathe.How?How the fuck did this happen?We were ready. We had the numbers. We had the fucking plan.And still...Dead.Most of them fucking dead.The ones that survived? Barely breathing.Matteo...Matteo was hanging by a fucking thread in some hospital bed, and I didn’t even know if he was going to wake up.My fists smashed into the wall before I could stop myself.A loud crack.Pain shot up my arm, but I welcomed it. Needed it.Blood ran down my knuckles, dripping onto the floor, but it barely registered.Where the fuck do I start?Where the fuck do I even start picking up the pieces?I pressed my forehead to the cold, cracked wall, my chest shaking, rage burning a hole straight through me.And th
RYAN"Marco," I said, "I don't trust him."Ricardo frowned, looking confused. "What are you talking about?"I sat up a little, rubbing the back of my neck. "I don't know exactly. It's just... I've been seeing some weird behavior lately. Feels off."Ricardo let out a short laugh, shaking his head like I was being ridiculous. "You're overthinking it, pretty boy. Marco’s been with me for years. Him and Matteo... before Matteo decided to be a backstabbing little shit."He chuckled again, but softer this time. "I can vouch for Marco. Or maybe it’s just his cold-ass demeanor. He’s always been like that. Makes you feel like he's planning to kill you in your sleep when he’s really just deciding what sandwich he wants."I gave a tight smile, but inside, my stomach twisted.Oh, if only you knew, I thought grimly.If only you knew who Marco really is… what he really wants from you."Alright," I said, forcing lightness into my voice as I stretched my arms overhead. "If you say so, bossman. But I
RYANThe shrill ring of my phone jolted me out of sleep.Groaning, I slapped around blindly on the nightstand, knocking over a half-empty water bottle and a pack of gum before finally snagging the vibrating device.I squinted at the screen, my brain still foggy.Elena.Who the hell is Elena?Oh. Right.The doctor.The pretty lady with perfect aim who I somehow convinced yesterday to work for me.I thumbed the green button and pressed the phone to my ear."Yeah?" My voice came out rough and groggy."Hey," Elena said brightly. "I’m at the gate."For a second, my brain struggled to compute what she meant.Gate? What gate?Then it clicked.The building."Shit. Uh… right," I mumbled, sitting up and scrubbing a hand over my face. "Give me a sec. I’m coming."I ended the call and let the phone fall onto the bed beside me.For a moment, I just sat there, blinking into the dim light of my room, still half-asleep and fully stunned.She actually came.She actually agreed.Even after I told her s
RYANThe crack of it echoed off the sterile walls.My head snapped to the side from the force of the slap.I let out a low whistle under my breath, slowly turning my face back toward her."What the hell do you take me for, Ryan?" she spat, her chest heaving."You think I'm some replaceable toy you can just toss aside when you're bored? You dare bring a replacement for me right under my nose?"Her voice was shaking with anger, I kept my face unreadable, even as my jaw tensed.She jabbed a finger into my chest. "I’m done playing by your rules. You hear me? I'm going to Ricardo. I'm telling him everything I know."A slow, dangerous smile crept across my lips."Okay, you're free to do that.” I said casually.Bella’s eyes widened, thrown by how calm I was."Yeah," I said, leaning down a little so we were eye-level. "Go ahead, Bella. Run to Ricardo. Tell him everything."I let the words hang for a beat, then added. "And when you do, I'll make sure he knows that you were the one who installe
RYANRicardo didn’t answer me.Instead, he turned slightly and snapped his fingers at one of the guards standing by the door."Bring in the chef," he barked, and that made my stomach twist tighter.A few seconds later, the door swung open again and in rushed a woman in a white chef's jacket, her hands trembling, her eyes darting between me and Ricardo like she already knew she was standing in the middle of a war zone."Tell him," Ricardo growled. "Tell Ryan exactly what you told me."The chef swallowed hard, wringing her hands."I…" she squeaked, then cleared her throat and tried again."Yesterday, while I was taking Ricardo's dinner up to his room... Ryan stopped me in the hallway."I stiffened."What?" I said sharply, but she didn’t even glance at me."He said..." she continued, voice shaking, "he said Ricardo had ordered something special for the night. That he… Ryan… had made changes to the meal based on Ricardo's new preference."She squeezed her eyes shut for half a second, as i
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
RYANRicardo didn’t answer me.Instead, he turned slightly and snapped his fingers at one of the guards standing by the door."Bring in the chef," he barked, and that made my stomach twist tighter.A few seconds later, the door swung open again and in rushed a woman in a white chef's jacket, her hands trembling, her eyes darting between me and Ricardo like she already knew she was standing in the middle of a war zone."Tell him," Ricardo growled. "Tell Ryan exactly what you told me."The chef swallowed hard, wringing her hands."I…" she squeaked, then cleared her throat and tried again."Yesterday, while I was taking Ricardo's dinner up to his room... Ryan stopped me in the hallway."I stiffened."What?" I said sharply, but she didn’t even glance at me."He said..." she continued, voice shaking, "he said Ricardo had ordered something special for the night. That he… Ryan… had made changes to the meal based on Ricardo's new preference."She squeezed her eyes shut for half a second, as i
RYANThe crack of it echoed off the sterile walls.My head snapped to the side from the force of the slap.I let out a low whistle under my breath, slowly turning my face back toward her."What the hell do you take me for, Ryan?" she spat, her chest heaving."You think I'm some replaceable toy you can just toss aside when you're bored? You dare bring a replacement for me right under my nose?"Her voice was shaking with anger, I kept my face unreadable, even as my jaw tensed.She jabbed a finger into my chest. "I’m done playing by your rules. You hear me? I'm going to Ricardo. I'm telling him everything I know."A slow, dangerous smile crept across my lips."Okay, you're free to do that.” I said casually.Bella’s eyes widened, thrown by how calm I was."Yeah," I said, leaning down a little so we were eye-level. "Go ahead, Bella. Run to Ricardo. Tell him everything."I let the words hang for a beat, then added. "And when you do, I'll make sure he knows that you were the one who installe
RYANThe shrill ring of my phone jolted me out of sleep.Groaning, I slapped around blindly on the nightstand, knocking over a half-empty water bottle and a pack of gum before finally snagging the vibrating device.I squinted at the screen, my brain still foggy.Elena.Who the hell is Elena?Oh. Right.The doctor.The pretty lady with perfect aim who I somehow convinced yesterday to work for me.I thumbed the green button and pressed the phone to my ear."Yeah?" My voice came out rough and groggy."Hey," Elena said brightly. "I’m at the gate."For a second, my brain struggled to compute what she meant.Gate? What gate?Then it clicked.The building."Shit. Uh… right," I mumbled, sitting up and scrubbing a hand over my face. "Give me a sec. I’m coming."I ended the call and let the phone fall onto the bed beside me.For a moment, I just sat there, blinking into the dim light of my room, still half-asleep and fully stunned.She actually came.She actually agreed.Even after I told her s
RYAN"Marco," I said, "I don't trust him."Ricardo frowned, looking confused. "What are you talking about?"I sat up a little, rubbing the back of my neck. "I don't know exactly. It's just... I've been seeing some weird behavior lately. Feels off."Ricardo let out a short laugh, shaking his head like I was being ridiculous. "You're overthinking it, pretty boy. Marco’s been with me for years. Him and Matteo... before Matteo decided to be a backstabbing little shit."He chuckled again, but softer this time. "I can vouch for Marco. Or maybe it’s just his cold-ass demeanor. He’s always been like that. Makes you feel like he's planning to kill you in your sleep when he’s really just deciding what sandwich he wants."I gave a tight smile, but inside, my stomach twisted.Oh, if only you knew, I thought grimly.If only you knew who Marco really is… what he really wants from you."Alright," I said, forcing lightness into my voice as I stretched my arms overhead. "If you say so, bossman. But I
LUCAS"WHAT THE FUCK HAPPENED?!" I roared, sweeping my arm across the table and sending everything crashing to the ground… glasses, plates, bottles, papers… all of it. Shattering, splintering.I grabbed the edge of the table, slamming it again, my chest heaving like I couldn't fucking breathe.How?How the fuck did this happen?We were ready. We had the numbers. We had the fucking plan.And still...Dead.Most of them fucking dead.The ones that survived? Barely breathing.Matteo...Matteo was hanging by a fucking thread in some hospital bed, and I didn’t even know if he was going to wake up.My fists smashed into the wall before I could stop myself.A loud crack.Pain shot up my arm, but I welcomed it. Needed it.Blood ran down my knuckles, dripping onto the floor, but it barely registered.Where the fuck do I start?Where the fuck do I even start picking up the pieces?I pressed my forehead to the cold, cracked wall, my chest shaking, rage burning a hole straight through me.And th
RYANI shifted onto my elbow, smirking down at him."You know what would really even the score, pretty boy?"Ricardo raised an eyebrow, still catching his breath."Oh yeah? What’s that?"I grinned slow and wicked."You. Naked."His eyes widened… just for a second, before he gave a low chuckle, like he hadn't expected me to say that out loud.Like he should’ve known better."Strip for me," I said, voice dropping to a growl. "Now."Ricardo’s mouth parted slightly, surprised, but the spark in his eyes said he wasn’t about to say no.He held my gaze as he hooked his thumbs into the waistband of his pants and slid them down, revealing everything.I sat back, savoring every damn second.God, he was gorgeous.Ricardo, the fucking Mafia boss, all ruthless and cold outside these walls, but here…with me…he was pliant.I reached over to the nightstand, pulling out the black silk rope I’d hidden there earlier… a little surprise I hadn't been sure I'd get to use tonight.Ricardo’s eyes moved to
RICARDOI cracked my eyes open and stared at the ceiling, feeling... good.Better than good.For the first time in what felt like forever, there was no fever crawling under my skin, no fog clouding my head.Just... me.Me, and this ridiculous, giddy feeling fluttering in my chest like a damn teenager.I grinned to myself, stretching lazily across the bed.Today was the day.Ryan had promised… a real show.And God, after everything, I couldn't wait to see him strip just for me.I grabbed my phone off the nightstand, my thumbs fumbling a little with excitement as I pulled up Ryan’s contact and hit call.It barely rang once before he picked up."Morning, pretty boy," Ryan's voice came through the speaker, still thick with sleep and low enough to make my toes curl. "You okay?""Better than okay," I said, my grin widening. "Feel like a goddamn superhero."Ryan chuckled, and the sound sent a shiver down my spine."I'll be there in a few minutes," he responded. "Sit tight for me.""Wasn’t pl
RYANHe was still burning up when I slipped my arm under his back and gently lifted him.Ricardo didn’t fight me.He just let out a weak sound, his head tipping onto my shoulder like he couldn’t hold it up anymore."Easy," I murmured against his hair, feeling the heat rolling off him in waves. "I got you."I carried him across the room, careful not to jostle him too much, and pushed open the bathroom door with my foot.Inside, the cool air hit us, and for a second Ricardo shivered against me.I shifted my grip, holding him tighter, grounding him against my chest.The bathtub was already big enough to hold both of us if we needed.I set him down on the edge carefully and reached over to turn the water on, letting it run lukewarm… cool enough to fight the fever without shocking his system.Ricardo leaned heavily against the wall, his breaths coming in slow, shallow pulls.I knelt in front of him again, sliding my hands up his thighs."Can you lift your hips for me?" I asked softly.He g
RYANWe got back from the meeting, and the weirdest part wasn’t the silence.It was the looks.Everyone was still shell-shocked, glancing at each other like they were all waiting for someone else to explain what the hell had happened back there.But no one could.It was like they all knew they had witnessed something... wrong.Something that bent the rules of reality itself.But trying to put it into words?Impossible.So they didn’t.Nobody asked questions.Nobody spoke.We just walked.Straight into the house.Straight past the guards who pretended like they didn't notice the blood still drying on our clothes.And honestly?There was something almost... fun about it.Knowing it was just me and Ricardo who actually knew what had happened out there.Everyone else was left in the dark, fumbling for answers they'd never find.I was halfway down the hall, about to reach my room, when I felt a hand close around my wrist.I turned sharply.Ricardo."Come with me," he whispered.I didn’t he