Cross’ POVI woke up with a pounding headache, my body sore and my mind clouded.Something felt off.The second I turned; I felt warmth beside me. A body. A naked body.Mira.My stomach twisted in disgust as I stared at her, sprawled on my sheets with a satisfied smirk on her lips.What the fuck had I done?I sat up instantly, running a hand over my face. My head was hazy, but memories of the night before came back in flashes—drinking too much, Mira teasing me, her hands all over me. I clenched my jaw, fists tightening.I was a fucking idiot.I turned to her, my voice sharp. “Get up.”Mira stretched lazily; eyes still closed. “Mmm… good morning my sweet mafia lord.”I gritted my teeth. “Mira. I said, get up.”She opened her eyes then, looking at me with amusement. “Oh, come on, Cross. Don’t tell me you regret it already.”I swung my legs off the bed, gripping the edge tightly. “It shouldn’t have happened.”Mira laughed softly. “But it did.”I inhaled sharply, trying to control my rage
Cross’ POVI couldn't stop thinking about Ari after all that we have been through together. She just left me for that half a man called Jonathan. I was deeply hurt and pained. I wanted revenge.I wanted her to feel this pain that I'm going through, fucking betrayed by a girl I never really liked in the first place; and yet, somehow, she just got to steal my soul away.“Damn it!” I yelled out loud.I almost forgot that Mira was all over me. She stopped for a second admiring the frustrated look on my face.“Do you know what's best for you, Cross?” Mira asked.“What's that?” I asked. I kept a poker face all along, trying my best not to show any other emotions other than being nonchalant.Mira giggled and teased around with her hands, spinning and circling around me. She then turned side ways, raising her heels up to display the full size of her ass.“I'm what's best for you, so fuck me and stop whining about that bitch.” Mira gave me a cold stare as if she was actually jealous. I never
Ari’s POVJonathan was making my life a living hell.It was worse than I imagined. Worse than I could have ever thought possible. Every day, every second, every breath I took was dictated by him. At first, I thought maybe he would get bored, that the satisfaction of having power over me would wear off. But I was wrong. Jonathan thrived on control. He enjoyed watching me squirm, knowing I was helpless.And I had to smile through it all.***“Morning, sweetheart.”I felt the familiar shiver of disgust crawl up my spine as Jonathan placed a possessive hand on my waist, pulling me in for a kiss on the temple. I forced my muscles to stay still. I couldn’t flinch. That would only make things worse.“Morning,” I murmured, keeping my voice neutral.Across the room, Gina gave me a suspicious look, but the rest of the precinct was eating it up.“You two are really back together, huh?” One of the officers grinned, sipping his coffee.Jonathan smirked, rubbing his hand along my lower back. “Like
Ari’s POVThat night, I lay in bed beside Jonathan, trapped under his arm.I felt suffocated.I waited until his breathing evened out before carefully slipping out of bed and rushing to the bathroom.The second I shut the door behind me, my chest collapsed in on itself.Tears spilled down my cheeks as I gripped the sink, staring at my reflection in the mirror.I didn’t recognize the woman staring back at me.Her eyes were empty.Her skin was pale.Her soul was gone.I couldn’t do this anymore.I wouldn’t.Cross had disappeared and left me to drown in this mess.But if no one was coming to save me…Then I would save myself.I had to find him.No matter what it took.***If I couldn’t escape Jonathan, I would find Cross. That was the way.I didn’t know why I needed to find him so badly. Maybe it was for answers. Maybe it was for help. Or maybe… I just needed to see him one last time before I completely lost myself in this nightmare.So, I started digging.Tracking a mafia lord wasn’t ea
Ari’s POVI stood there frozen, shock gripping every part of me as I heard Cross mention some other girl's name. I peeled my eyes off of them and stared directly at the ground as a million questions ran through my head. One standing out and echoing off the walls of my mind. Why?Why would Cross leave me? Why would he disappear for so long without even saying anything or reaching out to me? Why did Cross feel the need to vanish into thin air and not say anything? After everything we've been through? Why the fuck is Cross having sex with someone else?I looked back at them, taking in the sight again, seeing Cross' erect cock disappearing into the girl he was fucking over and over again. His hands moving up to cup and squeeze her breasts.I felt tears pricking at the side of my eyes but I held it, long enough to regret the decision I made to find Cross. In the next moment, I ran out, evading every security and their checkpoint as I made my way out of his house.I felt betrayed, sad
Ari’s POV I stood there frozen, shock gripping every part of me as I heard Cross mention some other girl's name. I peeled my eyes off of them and stared directly at the ground as a million questions ran through my head. One standing out and echoing off the walls of my mind. Why? Why would Cross leave me? Why would he disappear for so long without even saying anything or reaching out to me? Why did Cross feel the need to vanish into thin air and not say anything? After everything we've been through? Why the fuck is Cross having sex with someone else? I looked back at them, taking in the sight again, seeing Cross' erect cock disappearing into the girl he was fucking over and over again. His hands moving up to cup and squeeze her breasts. I felt tears pricking at the side of my eyes but I held it, long enough to regret the decision I made to find Cross. In the next moment, I ran out, evading every security and their checkpoint as I made my way out of his house. I felt betr
Ari’s POVI felt hollow.The weight of what had happened last night — Jonathan on top of me, the way I had mistaken him for Cross, the disgust that curdled in my stomach — it all made me want to crawl into a hole and never come out.But life didn’t give me that luxury. At first, I didn’t even think much about where Jonathan could have stomped out to. For me, he could die for all I cared. I refused to just have him play with me whichever way he wished. Yes, there was a time I really loved him more than anything else. But now, I was not sure it meant anything. I just wanted him out of my life.I needed a distraction.I had work.And even though my heart was in tatters and my mind a chaotic storm, I forced myself up, showered, dressed, and dragged my empty shell of a body to the precinct.It was a mistake.The second I walked through the doors, I knew something was wrong.The air was thick with hostility.Everyone stared at me — not with curiosity or concern — but with unmistakable hatre
Ari’s POVI didn’t answer.He clicked his tongue. “This is what happens when you don’t listen to me, Ari.”I felt a tear slip down my cheek.Jonathan grinned wider.“Don’t worry, baby. I’ll get you out of this… eventually. But I think you’ll need to be a little more… grateful next time.”I closed my eyes, willing myself not to scream.I was trapped.And for the first time… I wasn’t sure how I was going to survive this. I watched him leave before crumpling into the silence of the cell room.***I stayed the night before being pulled out the next day again for interrogation.The interrogation room smelled of sweat and stale coffee. I sat in the cold metal chair, wrists cuffed to the table. The fluorescent lights above buzzed faintly, adding to the pounding ache in my head.The door creaked open.Lady Smith strode in, a legal pad tucked under her arm, her heels clicking sharply against the tile. She didn’t sit right away. Instead, she paced slowly around the room, like a lion circling wo
Cross' POVI thought it was over. I mean, she should have gotten the message clearly. Yeah, she had held my dick and I still didn’t give in. So screw her. I was sure it was just a matter of time before she gave up on everything.However, the night was far from peaceful. I had barely settled into bed when I heard it—the unmistakable sound of retching echoing from down the hall. For a moment, I considered ignoring it. Whatever Mira was doing, it wasn’t my problem. But then came the sound of something heavy hitting the floor.A loud thud.My instincts kicked in again. I wanted to hesitate. I wanted to ignore her to the last but Mira was goddamned desperate. She could implicate me. I bolted upright, throwing the covers aside and rushing toward the source. My stomach clenched as I reached her doorway and saw her slumped on the floor, her body trembling, her breaths shallow.“Shit,” I muttered under my breath as I crouched beside her.Her skin was cold, damp with sweat. Her lips were pale,
Cross' POVI hated this place.The house was too big, too extravagant, too cold. It wasn’t mine. It wasn’t home. Nothing about it felt real, except for the chains wrapped around me in the form of a marriage contract I never wanted.Mira had wasted no time making herself comfortable, treating our forced arrangement like some fairy tale. She paraded around the house, making calls about floral arrangements and dress fittings, while I sat in silence, drowning in my own rage.The first night had been the worst.She had come to my room, barely dressed, feigning innocence as she climbed into my bed. I hadn’t spoken. Hadn’t looked at her. I had simply grabbed her by the arm and shoved her away.“Cross,” she had pouted, voice laced with honey and venom. “We’re getting married. We should at least—”“No.”“Why are you being like this?” She reached for me again, but I caught her wrist before she could touch me.I turned my head, locking eyes with her. “You’re not her.”Her face twisted. Anger. Pa
Mira’s POVAfternoon, just after the fight. And I was all in the mood to celebrate my dear lover. My mafia lord. My daddy. I chuckled to myself.The ride was silent, but in my head, there was music.A melody of victory.Cross sat beside me, rigid, staring out the window like he was somewhere else. He hadn’t spoken a word to me since we left The Don’s estate, hadn’t even looked at me. But I didn’t care. I had won. He was mine now.I crossed my legs, adjusting the hem of my dress, letting my eyes flicker to him. He looked rough—his knuckles still raw, bruises painting his face, his lips slightly cracked. But he was still the Cross Margiello I had always wanted. Strong. Untamed.And now, he belonged to me.I fought back a smile, tilting my head. Time for some tease. "You’ve been awfully quiet, husband."His jaw clenched. "Don’t call me that."I smirked, unfazed. "Why not? It’s what you are now."He didn’t reply. Just stared harder out the window, his body a wall of tension.My fingers tr
Cross' POVI leaned forward slightly. My voice came low. Controlled. “I killed them.”A beat of silence.Then—“Why?”I took a slow breath. “They crossed my line. They tampered with my business. They touched what wasn’t theirs to touch.”A long, cold pause.Then—a slow, measured step.And finally—The Don emerged from the shadows.He was huge. Plump, but strong. His frame exuded power, but his movements were light, controlled. His suit was crisp, expensive. His eyes? Black. Unreadable.He stopped inches from me, staring down.Then, in a voice softer than before—“And now, your life will be the price.”I didn’t move.Didn’t flinch.Didn’t fucking blink.The Don tilted his head. “You’re not afraid.”I smirked. “I’ve never been afraid of men who hide in the dark.”A flicker of something—annoyance? Amusement?—crossed his face.Then, he turned to his men. “End this.”The moment they stepped forward, I spoke.“Or we make a deal.”The Don’s expression didn’t change. “I don’t make deals with dea
Cross' POVI and Mira moved the next day.No, we weren’t moving together. I wasn’t moving with her, just to be clear. I was made to go on this uncertain journey. I had not been to the North Bay, not in a very long time as a child.And for me, it held terrible memories.So I never wanted to come back, not for anything. And yet, here we were – me with my wrecked body in a tinted car with strangely suited men with a car moving ahead and another behind. Mira was in one of the other cars and now, we were going to meet one of my worst nightmares.In no time, we arrived at the mansion. I expected them to tie up my eyes or something but nothing of such took place. I could see everything as I was led in. The house was old. Classical. The kind of place that had witnessed centuries of power, corruption, and death.I walked in slow, deliberate steps, my bare feet pressing against the cold marble floor. The scent of aged wood and faded cigar smoke clung to the air. Dim chandeliers hung from the hi
Cross’ POV Glitch… Blur… Ari… The first thing I noticed was the pain. A dull, pounding ache that spread through my ribs, my legs, my fucking skull—like my whole body had been through a meat grinder. The second thing I noticed was the beeping. A steady, rhythmic sound, soft but persistent. Then came the weight. Something tugged at my arm—no, inside my arm. A drip. IV fluids. That’s when the panic hit. My eyes snapped open. The ceiling above me was unfamiliar. Not the cold, gray stone of a prison cell. Not the dark, high-rise walls of my penthouse. Where the hell was I? I tried to move, but my body resisted. My wrists—strapped down. I gritted my teeth, yanking against the restraints. No. No, no, no. Flashes of memory crashed into me. The van. The sudden jolt. The tires screeching. Gunfire. The ground disappearing beneath me. Falling. Tumbling. The pain. And then— Figures in the dark. A faceless silhouette pulling me out of the wreckage. The weight of hands drag
Cross’ POVGlitch… Blur…Ari…The first thing I noticed was the pain. A dull, pounding ache that spread through my ribs, my legs, my fucking skull—like my whole body had been through a meat grinder.The second thing I noticed was the beeping.A steady, rhythmic sound, soft but persistent.Then came the weight.Something tugged at my arm—no, inside my arm.A drip.IV fluids.That’s when the panic hit.My eyes snapped open.The ceiling above me was unfamiliar. Not the cold, gray stone of a prison cell. Not the dark, high-rise walls of my penthouse.Where the hell was I?I tried to move, but my body resisted.My wrists—strapped down.I gritted my teeth, yanking against the restraints.No. No, no, no.Flashes of memory crashed into me.The van. The sudden jolt. The tires screeching.Gunfire.The ground disappearing beneath me.Falling. Tumbling.The pain.And then—Figures in the dark.A faceless silhouette pulling me out of the wreckage. The weight of hands dragging me. I sucked in a bre
Ari’s POVWait…Someone had to explain to me how you could be with one person one minute and the other, they were…They were…Everything was a blur.The days after the accident felt like they barely existed, passing in a haze of grief, exhaustion, and an unbearable hollowness in my chest.I barely ate.I barely slept.I barely breathed.I waited for confirmation, but it was true. A body was found. Retrieved. Everything had burned to crisp. But it was true.It was him.Cross Margiello.Deceased.The news had already spread through the precinct, and even though no one dared to say it out loud, I could feel the looks. The silent whispers. The pity. I hated it. I hated that I had let myself believe, even for a second, that Cross could have made it out alive.Because he didn’t.And now, all I had left was this crushing emptiness. And how did I pour it out? Pretending I was fine while I ran into the field screaming and weeping, while I crashed in the bathtub sobbing, while I hated myself in
Ari’s POVFirst, Cross.Betrayal, and still, he could not leave my mind.But I had left him.I had walked away, leaving him behind, knowing this was the last time I would see him. And yet, my hands had shaken as I turned the doorknob, my heart twisting painfully in my chest as I forced myself not to look back. Because if I did, if I saw the way Cross was looking at me—pleading, desperate, raw—I would break.I had already broken.But this was how it had to be. I kept telling myself that. Over and over. There was never a version of this story where Cross and I had a happy ending. This was always where it was going to end.I wiped my face roughly, steeling myself. You did the right thing, Ari.I had to believe that. I needed to believe that.***As I made my way to the scene where I was to get Kaelie back, I remembered Cross’ advice for me.Get as close as possible.I had told Lady Smith already; I didn’t want the men around. Anyway, they were all too busy feigning and creating distracti