Chapter 7 – The Devil’s Bargain

The night air was thick with tension as Isabella stood in the center of Alexander’s hidden mansion, her heart pounding against her ribs. Jason’s arrival had confirmed what she feared—Dante’s disappearance wasn’t random. It was calculated. And whoever took him wanted to send a message.

But that wasn’t the only thing haunting her.

Her father’s sins were creeping into the light, forcing her to face a past she never understood. Alexander had known the truth all along. He had married her with secrets buried deep beneath his cold exterior, and now, she was tangled in a world where trust was a luxury she could no longer afford.

Alexander paced the room, his presence commanding, his sharp mind already calculating their next move. His men stood around him like shadows—Marcus, Damien, and Nikolai—all waiting for orders.

Jason crossed his arms, eyes locked onto Alex. “We need to move fast. If James Michelle was Dante’s last contact, then he’s already a target. If Callum gets to him first, we lose our only lead.”

Alexander’s gaze darkened. “Then we find him first.”

Jason smirked. “Already working on it. But there’s a problem.”

Of course, there was.

Isabella clenched her fists. “What problem?”

Jason sighed, rubbing the back of his neck. “James isn’t just some guy. He’s protected. High-security, underground networks—he only deals with people who can pay a price.”

Alexander’s jaw ticked. “What kind of price?”

Jason hesitated. Then, he looked at Isabella.

Her stomach twisted. “No.”

Jason exhaled sharply. “He won’t meet with us. Not with guns and threats. But he’ll meet with her.”

A heavy silence filled the room.

Alexander’s expression hardened instantly. “Absolutely not.”

Jason leaned against the desk, unfazed by the murderous look Alex was giving him. “You think I like this idea? James is paranoid as hell. But the second he finds out Isabella is involved, he’ll be curious. He’ll want to know why.”

Alexander’s fists curled. “You want to use her as bait?”

Jason shrugged. “I prefer to call it leverage.”

Before Alex could respond, Isabella stepped forward, her pulse racing. “I’ll do it.”

Alexander turned to her sharply. “No.”

She met his gaze, her own burning with determination. “I don’t need your permission, Alexander.”

His jaw tightened, his blue eyes locking onto hers like a storm ready to break. “You don’t know what James Michelle is capable of.”

“I know what I’m capable of.” She lifted her chin. “And I’m tired of being protected. This is my fight, too.”

Jason let out a low whistle. “Damn. I like her.”

Alexander shot him a glare so sharp it could kill. Jason simply smirked.

But Isabella wasn’t backing down. Not this time.

Her life had been a series of lies—her father’s, Alexander’s, even her own. But standing here, in the middle of a war she never chose, she realized something.

If she wanted to survive, she had to start making her own choices.

Alexander ran a hand through his hair, exhaling sharply. “Fine.” His voice was clipped, controlled—but she saw it. The flicker of something deeper in his gaze. Something raw. “But you do exactly what I say.”

Isabella crossed her arms. “I’m not your prisoner, Alexander.”

His eyes darkened. “No. You’re my wife.”

A shiver ran down her spine.

A dangerous reminder.

Jason clapped his hands. “Alright, lovebirds, save the tension for later. We’ve got a meeting to set up.”

Isabella ignored the heat in her cheeks and turned toward Jason. “Where is James?”

Jason nodded toward a private club downtown.

Her heart pounded.

This was it.

Alexander’s gaze never left hers. And for the first time, she wondered…

Was she stepping into the lion’s den?

Or had she been in it all along?

Digging Into the Past

Before they left for the meeting, Alexander pulled Jason aside. His voice was low, deadly.

“I need a background check on Elias Moretti.”

Jason arched a brow. “Dante’s ‘problematic’ associate?”

Alexander nodded. “Dante wanted him dead for a reason. But before we agree to anything with Dante missing, I need to know exactly what we’re dealing with.”

Jason rubbed his chin. “Moretti’s got a reputation, that’s for sure. Arms deals, smuggling, offshore accounts—he plays in the big leagues. But something tells me that’s not why you’re interested.”

Alexander’s jaw tightened. “Find out if he has any connections to Raúl Vásquez.”

Jason’s expression darkened. “You think he’s tied to the man who took down her family?

“I think we don’t know nearly enough.”

Jason exhaled. “I’ll get on it.”

Alexander’s gaze flickered toward Isabella, who was adjusting the strap of her dress. His stomach twisted.

If Moretti was connected to Raúl… then Isabella wasn’t just in danger.

She was a target.

And Alexander would burn the world down before he let that happen.

A Game of Power

The club was everything Isabella expected—dark, exclusive, filled with people who thrived in the underbelly of society.

Alexander’s grip on her waist was firm as they stepped inside, his presence commanding instant attention.

Jason was already waiting at the bar, his usual smirk in place. “Right on time.”

Isabella exhaled, steadying herself. “Where’s James?”

Jason nodded toward a private booth in the back.

Her heart pounded.

This was it.

Alexander leaned in, his voice low. “Whatever he says, whatever he offers—you don’t agree to anything. Understand?”

She met his gaze. “Yes.”

He studied her for a second longer. Then, with a slow nod, he led her forward.

James Michelle was waiting.

The devil in a perfectly tailored suit.

And as his piercing gaze locked onto Isabella, a slow, knowing smirk spread across his lips.

“Ah,” James murmured. “The hidden bride herself.”

Isabella’s stomach twisted.

He knew.

And that meant one thing.

She was already in too deep.

A Dangerous Proposition

James Michelle’s smirk lingered as he leaned back in his chair, his sharp eyes raking over Isabella like he was peeling back her layers, one by one.

Isabella kept her expression neutral, even as unease curled in her stomach. This man wasn’t just dangerous—he was calculating. The kind of man who didn’t make deals without stacking the odds in his favor.

Alexander’s grip on her waist tightened, his body tense beside her. Protective. Territorial.

She wasn’t sure if that reassured her or terrified her more.

Jason took the lead, sliding into the seat across from James. “You already know who we are,” he said coolly. “So let’s skip the small talk.”

James chuckled, his fingers drumming lazily against the table. “Impatient, are we?” His gaze flickered back to Isabella. “But I suppose you’re right. After all, I’ve been dying to meet the hidden bride.”

She clenched her jaw. “Is that what they’re calling me now?”

His smirk widened. “Oh, sweetheart, they’ve been calling you much worse.”

A muscle ticked in Alexander’s jaw, his body vibrating with barely restrained fury.

“Say her name like that again,” he said, voice low, deadly, “and I’ll make sure you never say anything again.”

James didn’t even flinch. If anything, he looked amused.

“Relax, Kingston,” he drawled. “I have no interest in your wife. But I do have an interest in what she can offer.”

Isabella tensed. “What do you mean?”

James tilted his head. “You’re looking for Dante. I know things. But information like that doesn’t come for free.”

Jason exhaled sharply. “Of course it doesn’t.”

James leaned forward, his smirk fading. “I need something in return.”

Isabella swallowed hard. “What?”

His gaze darkened. “Elias Moretti.”

A beat of silence.

Alexander’s fingers twitched against her waist. Jason’s smirk disappeared.

“Moretti?” Jason echoed, his voice tight. “Why?”

James took a slow sip of his drink, eyes never leaving Isabella. “Let’s just say he and I have unfinished business.”

Isabella exchanged a glance with Alexander. They were already digging into Moretti’s past. If he had a connection to Raúl Vásquez, this could be the missing piece of the puzzle.

But James Michelle wasn’t the type to hand out favors.

She narrowed her eyes. “You want him dead?”

James chuckled, swirling the amber liquid in his glass. “I don’t care how you deal with him. But if you want my help finding Dante, you’ll bring me something valuable on Moretti.”

A dangerous silence settled between them.

Alexander was the first to break it. “We need time.”

James shrugged. “You have forty-eight hours.”

Jason cursed under his breath. “That’s not much time to get intel on a ghost, Michelle.”

James smirked. “Then I suggest you start working fast.”

He stood, buttoning his suit jacket. “I’ll be waiting.”

Without another word, he walked out of the booth, disappearing into the crowd.

Isabella let out a slow breath, the tension in her body refusing to fade.

Jason ran a hand through his hair. “Well. That went great.”

Alexander’s grip on her tightened, his breath warm against her ear as he whispered, “You’re not meeting him alone again.”

She shivered, though not from fear. “I didn’t plan on it.”

Jason sighed. “We need to move. If Moretti is our next step, we have to find him before Michelle loses patience.”

Alexander nodded, his expression unreadable. “We’ll split up. Jason, get our best contacts working on Moretti. Isabella and I will handle another angle.”

Jason arched a brow. “And what angle is that?”

Alexander’s lips curled slightly, but there was no humor in his expression.

“We pay Raúl Vásquez a visit.”

The Past is Never Buried

The ride back to the estate was silent, tension thick in the air. Isabella stared out the window, her mind spinning.

Moretti. Raúl. Her father’s lies.

Everything was connected.

And yet, she felt more lost than ever.

Alexander didn’t speak until they pulled into the private driveway of his hidden estate.

“You shouldn’t have come tonight,” he said quietly.

She turned to him. “I had to.”

He exhaled sharply, gripping the steering wheel. “James Michelle is dangerous, Isabella.”

“So are you,” she shot back.

A slow smirk tugged at his lips. “And yet, you’re still here.”

Her heart pounded, but she refused to let him distract her. “What’s your real issue, Alexander? That I was in danger, or that I was in control?”

His expression darkened. “I don’t like people looking at what’s mine.”

Her breath hitched.

Mine.

The word sent heat spiraling through her, even as her mind rebelled against it.

She lifted her chin. “I don’t belong to anyone.”

He studied her, his gaze like fire against her skin. “You belong to yourself,” he murmured. “But you chose me.”

Her stomach twisted. She had.

But what did that really mean?

Before she could answer, his phone buzzed.

Alexander glanced at the screen, his face going unreadable.

Then, without a word, he answered. “Talk.”

She watched as his expression shifted from irritation to something darker.

“Where?” he asked, voice clipped.

A pause.

“Understood.”

He hung up and turned to her. “We found Moretti.” Her breath caught. “Where?”

His jaw tightened. “Not where. Who.”

Isabella’s pulse pounded. “What do you mean?”

Alexander’s blue eyes burned into hers. “Elias Moretti isn’t just some arms dealer, Isabella.”

Her throat tightened.

Jason had said Moretti played in the big leagues. That he was powerful. But she hadn’t realized—

Alexander exhaled sharply. “He’s the man who ordered the hit on your father.”

Silence.

The world around her blurred.

A chill crawled down her spine as she whispered, “He’s the reason my father is dead?”

Alexander nodded once. “Yes.”

Her breath came in sharp, uneven bursts.

She had spent years believing her father’s death was a tragic consequence of the life he led. That it was unavoidable.

But now—

Now, she had a name. A face. A target.

Her hands curled into fists.

Alexander’s gaze softened, just slightly. “We don’t have to do this tonight. You need time—”

“No.” Her voice was firm, stronger than she felt. “I want to see him.”

Alexander studied her, something unreadable in his eyes. Then, slowly, he nodded.

“Then we leave now.”

The Monster Behind the Curtain

The air was thick with tension as they entered the warehouse. The space was dimly lit, the scent of oil and metal clinging to the air.

At the center of the room, bound to a chair, was a man Isabella had never seen before.

Elias Moretti.

He wasn’t what she expected. He wasn’t some scarred, ruthless monster. He looked… normal. Older, sharp-eyed, calm despite his situation.

His gaze flickered to her, and something like recognition sparked.

“You must be Isabella Romano.”

Her stomach twisted. “You know me?”

Moretti smirked. “Oh, sweetheart. I’ve known about you since the day you were born.”

A cold chill ran down her spine.

Alexander stepped forward. “Why did you have her father killed?”

Moretti sighed, shaking his head. “Because he took something that wasn’t his.” His gaze darkened. “And now, it seems history is repeating itself.”

Isabella’s pulse pounded.

“What does that mean?” she demanded.

Moretti smiled.

“It means, little bride, that you have no idea who your husband really is.”

Her blood ran cold.

Alexander stiffened beside her.

And in that moment, she realized—

She wasn’t just searching for answers.

She was standing right in the middle of them.

The Truth Beneath the Lies

Isabella’s heart pounded as Elias Moretti’s words echoed in her mind.

You have no idea who your husband really is.

She turned to Alexander, searching his face for any flicker of emotion, any confirmation or denial. But his expression was unreadable—his blue eyes cold and calculating, as if he had expected this moment.

That only made her pulse race faster.

She clenched her fists. “What does that mean?” she demanded.

Moretti chuckled, leaning back in his chair despite the ropes binding him. “You think your husband is a billionaire businessman, don’t you?” His gaze flicked to Alexander. “Tell her the truth, Kingston. tell her what you really are.”

Alexander exhaled through his nose, slow and measured. “You talk too much, Moretti.”

Isabella’s stomach twisted. “Alex,” she pressed, her voice sharp. “Tell me what he’s talking about.”

Alexander turned to her, his gaze steady. “I told you before, Isabella. I don’t just run a business. I run an empire.”

Her breath caught. “And what kind of empire is that?”

A dangerous silence filled the room.

Then, Moretti smirked. “Let me make it simple for you, little bride.” His voice was smooth, laced with amusement. “Your husband didn’t just steal from me. He stole my entire network. Every deal, every connection, every piece of power I built—he took it.”

Isabella’s stomach lurched.

She turned to Alexander, her mind spinning. “Is that true?”

Alexander held her gaze. “Yes.”

A sharp exhale left her lips.

Moretti’s smirk widened. “And do you know why he did it?”

She swallowed. “Why?”

Moretti tilted his head. “Because of you.”

Her breath caught.

“That’s a lie,” Alexander said coldly, his voice carrying a warning.

Moretti chuckled. “Is it? Tell me, Kingston, would you have destroyed my empire if it weren’t for her?”

Alexander didn’t answer.

And that was enough.

isabella’s body stiffened.

This wasn’t just business.

This was personal.

Her entire world tilted. “What did you do, Alex?”

He exhaled, rubbing a hand over his jaw. “I made sure you would never have to live under Moretti’s shadow. I took away his power so he could never come for you.”

Her pulse pounded. “And what did it cost?”

Alexander’s gaze darkened. “Everything.”

Moretti chuckled. “You see, little bride, your husband isn’t the hero you think he is. He’s just a man who plays a better game.”

A heavy silence stretched between them.

Then Alexander moved.

Fast.

Before Isabella could react, he drew his gun and pressed it against Moretti’s forehead.

“You’re done talking,” Alexander said smoothly.

Moretti smirked, unfazed. “You won’t kill me, Kingston.”

Alexander cocked the gun. “Why not?”

Moretti’s smile widened. “Because I know something you don’t.”

A flicker of hesitation crossed Alexander’s face.

Moretti leaned forward, his tone quiet but deadly. “Dante isn’t missing. He’s being hunted.”

Isabella’s stomach dropped. “What?”

Moretti’s smirk faded. “Callum doesn’t want him alive. He wants him erased.”

Jason tensed. “That doesn’t make sense. Callum wanted Dante as leverage.”

Moretti tilted his head. “Not anymore. He found out Dante was playing both sides.”

Alexander lowered the gun slightly. “Both sides?”

Moretti exhaled, amusement vanishing. “Dante made a deal with someone even more dangerous than Callum.” His eyes flicked to Isabella. “Someone who has a vested interest in her.”

Ice crawled down her spine.

She barely whispered, “Who?”

Moretti smirked. “You’ll find out soon enough.”

A heavy silence filled the room.

Alexander glanced at Jason, his voice tight. “Get more men on Dante. Now.”

Jason nodded, already pulling out his phone.

Moretti sighed. “And here I was hoping we could talk a little longer.”

Alexander’s grip tightened around his gun. “You’ve already said too much.”

Moretti grinned. “Oh, Kingston, I’ve barely started.”

Unraveling the Pieces

The drive back to the estate was suffocatingly silent.

Isabella sat in the passenger seat, staring out the window, her mind in chaos.

Everything was a lie.

Her father’s past. Alexander’s empire. Moretti’s connection to her.

She turned to Alexander. “How long?”

He didn’t look at her. “How long what?”

“How long have you known that my father was involved in all of this?”

A muscle ticked in his jaw. “Since before we got married.”

Her stomach twisted. “And you didn’t tell me?”

His grip tightened on the wheel. “I was protecting you.”

She let out a hollow laugh. “You were controlling me.”

He exhaled sharply. “You don’t understand, Isabella. If I had told you the truth, you wouldn’t have believed me. You weren’t ready.”

Her throat tightened. “And you thought marrying me would fix that?”

His knuckles turned white on the steering wheel. “I married you to keep you alive.”

Silence.

She swallowed hard. “And what if I don’t want this life, Alexander?”

He finally turned to her, his blue eyes burning. “You don’t have a choice anymore.”

Her breath hitched.

She wanted to argue. She wanted to fight back.

But deep down, she knew he was right.

This wasn’t just about her anymore.

She was already in too deep.

The Calm Before the Storm

Later that night, Isabella sat on the balcony of Alexander’s estate, staring out at the city lights below.

Her mind was still spinning, her chest tight with emotions she couldn’t name.

She barely registered the sound of footsteps behind her.

Then—

Warm hands slid over her shoulders.

Her body tensed. “Alex.”

He didn’t speak. He simply stood behind her, his presence overwhelming.

She swallowed. “What happens now?”

His breath brushed against her ear. “Now, we prepare for war.”

A shiver ran down her spine.

She turned to him, searching his face. “And us?”

His jaw clenched. “We survive.”

Her chest ached.

She should pull away.

She should walk away.

But instead, she turned fully, facing him.

His gaze dropped to her lips.

Her breath caught.

Slowly, carefully, she reached up, fingers grazing his jaw. “Tell me one thing,” she whispered.

His voice was rough. “What?”

“Was any of it real?”

For the first time, something flickered in his eyes.

Something raw.

He reached for her, fingers brushing against her skin. “All of it was real.”

Then, before she could stop herself, she closed the distance between them.

And Alexander Kingston kissed her like he was claiming her soul.