Azzurra I was grateful—grateful to God, to fate, to whatever force had given me the strength to push him away before I lost myself. Before I surrendered to the temptation of his lips, his touch, his presence that made it impossible to think straight. My heart pounded, my breath uneven as I pushed him away with all the strength I could muster. Adriano barely moved, his body solid like a damn wall, but he let me go, his dark eyes watching me with something between amusement and frustration. I took a shaky breath, gripping the edge of the nearby table to steady myself. My pulse was still racing, but not entirely from fear. That was the problem. I clenched my fists and glared at him. “What the hell do you think you’re doing?” My voice came out sharper than I intended, but I didn’t care. Adriano tilted his head slightly, looking at me like the answer was obvious. “What does it look like?” I swallowed hard, my skin still tingling from where his hands had been. He made it sound so
Azzurra Adriano didn’t say a word as the car pulled into the driveway of his estate. His grip on my waist remained firm, his dark eyes locked on mine as if daring me to break the silence. I didn’t. I didn’t trust my voice, didn’t trust myself not to say something I’d regret—something that would only push him further. The driver stepped out first, but Adriano didn’t let me move. Instead, his fingers traced the curve of my jaw, his touch light but possessive. “You’re coming with me.” Not a question. A command. I exhaled sharply. “Like I have a choice?” His lips curled at the edges, amused by my defiance. “You always have a choice, Azzurra. You just never make the right one.” Before I could respond, he opened the door and stepped out, pulling me with him. His grip on my wrist never loosened as he led me inside. The house was quiet, the dim lighting casting shadows against the sleek marble floors. It felt too intimate, too dangerous, like I was walking into something I
ADRIANO I ran a hand down my face, exhaling sharply as I watched Azzurra bolt out of my room like the damn house was on fire. My mother, meanwhile, stood in the doorway with the same infuriatingly calm expression she always wore; cool, composed, and completely fucking unreadable. I clenched my jaw. "Did you have to do that?" Luna Vienna lifted an elegant brow. "Do what?" I let out a humorless laugh. "Really? You barge into my room, unannounced, scare the shit out of Azzurra, and now you're playing dumb?" She stepped inside like she owned the place, which, technically, she did. She smoothed a hand over the sleeve of her dress, gaze flicking over my still-unbuttoned shirt with a look of mild disapproval. "You should be thanking me." "For what?" I snapped. "For stopping you from making a mistake," she said simply. "That girl isn’t worth the trouble, Adriano." My fists clenched. "You don’t get to decide that." Her lips twitched slightly, like she was amused by my defian
AZZURRA If there was one thing I had learned since stepping into Adriano’s world, it was that Luna Vienna was a force to be reckoned with. A woman like her didn’t need to raise her voice or throw tantrums to make her presence known, one sharp look, one carefully chosen word, and she could bring anyone to their knees. I didn’t want to be one of those people. Which meant I had to find a way to get on her good side. If Adriano, with all his power and control, couldn’t say no to his mother, then what chance did I have? Fighting her would be a losing battle. So, I made a decision, one that felt like swallowing glass. I would try to befriend Luna Vienna. The problem was, how did you make friends with a woman who seemed determined to make your life as difficult as possible? It was like trying to befriend a mother-in-law who had already decided you weren’t good enough for her son. And worse, she enjoyed making that clear. I spent the next few days trying to navigate her presenc
Azzurra The baby’s wail pulled my attention like a fishhook. It was constant, sharp, and so goddessdamned insistent. I glanced up from the register, eyeing the little girl as she squirmed in her mother’s arms. She was red-faced, her tiny fists flailing in frustration while the mother, barely sparing her a glance, bounced her absentmindedly. I wondered how it felt to have someone depend on you like that, and I didn’t envy it.The clock on the wall behind them caught my eye—9:58 p.m. Relief coursed through me. Almost there. Just two more minutes and I’d be free from this badly lit hellhole for the night.I handed the woman her bags with a tight smile, her child’s cries still ringing in my ears. As she shuffled away, I slipped off my name badge and tossed it onto the counter. My shift was over. Finally.I made my way to the back room, the hum of the blinking lights overhead grating against my nerves. The locker door creaked as I opened it, grabbing my scuffed leather bag. Slinging it
Azzura. Adriano led me out of the club, and my heart pounded in my chest like a drum. The bass from the music faded behind us as we stepped into the cool night air. I felt a mix of excitement and nerves.As he maneuvered through the crowd, it was as if the throng of bodies parted like the sea for him. I couldn’t help but wonder if they all recognized him, if they knew the power he held.As we approached the front, I spotted a man in dark sunglasses and a sharp suit standing next to the bouncer I knew from previous nights. The moment this man turned and saw Adriano, he put a phone to his ear and barked out orders that I couldn’t hear over the noise of the street. Then, just like that, he walked away, leaving me feeling even more curious about the man I’d chosen as my hit for the night.When we got outside, I wasn’t surprised to see the man in the suit holding open the door of a sleek Range Rover. It looked expensive, just like everything else about Adriano.His hand slid to the small
Adriano. The little rat thought she was clever.No, she must have assumed she was a damn genius to have actually had the pair on her to pull of such a stunt. In my house. With my presence just mere inches away from her at the time. I remained in bed, alone now.I rested on my back, staring at the ceiling as I let my breathing even out. Everything seemed calm, but my mind was racing, thinking back to this morning. If I could even call it morning. Thinking back to her. The best goddessdamned lay I’d gotten in a long, long time.Because when I’d opened my eyes earlier today, seeing a half naked little vixen tiptoeing through my room, it was barely dawn at the time.But it wasn’t surprising to see that the best fuck I’d had in a damn long time had a different agenda as she pranced around my room. Rummaging through my things like a little thief. And she was a thief, in fact.I’d watched her through half lidded eyes as she immersed herself in filling her pockets.She went through my
ADRIANOI was on a warpath, and I knew it. Every ounce of logic told me I had better things to do, bigger enemies to conquer, and borders to protect. Yet here I was, burning through resources and time, obsessing over a woman who wasn’t even half my size.But it wasn’t just about the woman. It was about what she took from me.And I had an inkling feeling that there was a damn good amount of transfer of aggression bleeding into my desperate need to find this woman. But it was an aggression that she caused.My fingers drummed against the polished table in the conference room as I tried—and failed—to focus on the discussion unfolding before me. A group of us sat around, discussing the Bratva and Cosa Nostra trade routes. A delicate subject, one requiring my full attention. But my mind wasn’t on the maps spread out before me or the stiff suits droning on about logistics.It was on her.Azzura.She’d been a distraction from the start, the type of woman who looked like sin wrapped in silk
AZZURRA If there was one thing I had learned since stepping into Adriano’s world, it was that Luna Vienna was a force to be reckoned with. A woman like her didn’t need to raise her voice or throw tantrums to make her presence known, one sharp look, one carefully chosen word, and she could bring anyone to their knees. I didn’t want to be one of those people. Which meant I had to find a way to get on her good side. If Adriano, with all his power and control, couldn’t say no to his mother, then what chance did I have? Fighting her would be a losing battle. So, I made a decision, one that felt like swallowing glass. I would try to befriend Luna Vienna. The problem was, how did you make friends with a woman who seemed determined to make your life as difficult as possible? It was like trying to befriend a mother-in-law who had already decided you weren’t good enough for her son. And worse, she enjoyed making that clear. I spent the next few days trying to navigate her presenc
ADRIANO I ran a hand down my face, exhaling sharply as I watched Azzurra bolt out of my room like the damn house was on fire. My mother, meanwhile, stood in the doorway with the same infuriatingly calm expression she always wore; cool, composed, and completely fucking unreadable. I clenched my jaw. "Did you have to do that?" Luna Vienna lifted an elegant brow. "Do what?" I let out a humorless laugh. "Really? You barge into my room, unannounced, scare the shit out of Azzurra, and now you're playing dumb?" She stepped inside like she owned the place, which, technically, she did. She smoothed a hand over the sleeve of her dress, gaze flicking over my still-unbuttoned shirt with a look of mild disapproval. "You should be thanking me." "For what?" I snapped. "For stopping you from making a mistake," she said simply. "That girl isn’t worth the trouble, Adriano." My fists clenched. "You don’t get to decide that." Her lips twitched slightly, like she was amused by my defian
Azzurra Adriano didn’t say a word as the car pulled into the driveway of his estate. His grip on my waist remained firm, his dark eyes locked on mine as if daring me to break the silence. I didn’t. I didn’t trust my voice, didn’t trust myself not to say something I’d regret—something that would only push him further. The driver stepped out first, but Adriano didn’t let me move. Instead, his fingers traced the curve of my jaw, his touch light but possessive. “You’re coming with me.” Not a question. A command. I exhaled sharply. “Like I have a choice?” His lips curled at the edges, amused by my defiance. “You always have a choice, Azzurra. You just never make the right one.” Before I could respond, he opened the door and stepped out, pulling me with him. His grip on my wrist never loosened as he led me inside. The house was quiet, the dim lighting casting shadows against the sleek marble floors. It felt too intimate, too dangerous, like I was walking into something I
Azzurra I was grateful—grateful to God, to fate, to whatever force had given me the strength to push him away before I lost myself. Before I surrendered to the temptation of his lips, his touch, his presence that made it impossible to think straight. My heart pounded, my breath uneven as I pushed him away with all the strength I could muster. Adriano barely moved, his body solid like a damn wall, but he let me go, his dark eyes watching me with something between amusement and frustration. I took a shaky breath, gripping the edge of the nearby table to steady myself. My pulse was still racing, but not entirely from fear. That was the problem. I clenched my fists and glared at him. “What the hell do you think you’re doing?” My voice came out sharper than I intended, but I didn’t care. Adriano tilted his head slightly, looking at me like the answer was obvious. “What does it look like?” I swallowed hard, my skin still tingling from where his hands had been. He made it sound so
Azzurra A chance? I clenched my jaw, hating that I even considered it. But what choice did I have? I exhaled sharply, forcing my shoulders to stay steady. “Fine. I’ll do it.” Adriano smirked like he had expected my answer all along. Like he knew I was predictable. It pissed me off. “Good girl.” I scowled, crossing my arms over my chest. “Fuck off.” His chuckle was low, full of amusement, like he found my irritation entertaining. “Such a mouth on you.” “Yeah? Well, you bring it out of me,” I shot back, not bothering to soften the edge in my voice. He tilted his head, studying me. “Is that so?” I lifted my chin. “You’re insufferable.” “And yet, here you are.” He stepped past me, reaching for the door. “Come with me.” I hesitated for a second, my instincts screaming at me to be careful. But in the end, I followed. The hallways were dimly lit, lined with aged wooden panels that made the space feel even more suffocating. Adriano walked ahead, his posture easy, confident. Contr
Azzurra The next morning, I woke up with Luna Vienna’s words still ringing in my head. "Be careful. In a world ruled by men, a woman must be twice as ruthless to survive." I didn’t know if she meant it as a warning, a lesson, or both. But one thing was clear, Luna Vienna wasn’t a woman to underestimate. And neither was Andrea. As I made my way through the servants' quarters, I caught sight of her down the hall, speaking in hushed tones with a few of the other high-ranking women. Her expression was poised, her laughter soft and deceptive. But when her gaze flicked to me, the amusement disappeared. For a moment, we just stared at each other. A silent challenge. I didn’t look away first. With a small smirk, Andrea turned back to her conversation, but I knew she hadn’t forgotten about yesterday. Neither had I. I kept my head down and continued walking, gripping my cleaning supplies a little tighter. I had just finished my morning tasks when a maid rushed in, breathle
Azzurra I swore to myself that I would never, ever cross paths with any of the Giordanos. They all hated me. The house was big enough to avoid them for about a month. But like all the other wishes I had ever had, this one never came true. Because that morning, I found myself in the worst possible situation. I was supposed to clean the Beta’s room, just like I did every morning. It was supposed to be an easy task, change the sheets, dust the furniture, mop the floor, and leave. No drama. No trouble. But of course, trouble found me anyway. As I walked into the Beta’s room, bucket and mop in hand, I froze. Andrea was there. Not just standing in the middle of the room but crouched near the bathroom door, her body pressed close to the wooden frame as she peeked inside. At first, I had no idea what she was doing. But then I heard the sound of running water, followed by the unmistakable hum of a man’s voice. Realization hit me like a slap to the face. Andrea was spying
Adriano I should have been furious. I should have shut her up the second she started screaming at me, the second she threw my own fucking actions back in my face. But instead, I just stood there, letting Azzurra’s rage crash over me. Because for the first time in my life, I felt something I had never expected to feel. Guilt. I had put her on that damn table, made her a fucking bet, as if she was nothing more than a pile of chips. And even though I knew I was going to win, even though there had never been a chance in hell that Marcello would walk away with her, I had still done it. I had made her feel like she was nothing and that was a mistake. Azzurra wasn’t nothing. She was fire. She was fury. She was the only person who had ever looked me in the eye and called me out on my shit. I let out a sharp breath, dragging a hand through my hair. I needed to put this out of my mind. Guilt was a fucking useless emotion. In my world, it had no place. Just as I turned toward
Azzurra The room smelled of cigars and whiskey, the air thick with tension and the weight of too many secrets. A velvet-topped card table stood between them, the final hands played with measured precision. Marcello leaned back in his chair, a smirk curving his lips as he dragged a cigar between his fingers, tapping the ash into the tray without a care in the world. “Last round,” Adriano said, voice low and cold, like he already knew how this was going to end. Marcello chuckled, the sound grating and full of cocky bravado. “Afraid to lose, capo?” His dark eyes flicked toward Adriano, sharp with amusement, almost daring him to react. Adriano didn’t take the bait. He just exhaled slowly, fingers drumming once on the table before settling back into that unreadable stillness of his. His control had always been a dangerous thing, a weapon as sharp as the gun tucked beneath his suit. Marcello’s fingers curled around his cards, lifting them just enough to see. I caught the flicker of