MarkusMatteo’s pacing the length of his office like a caged animal, muttering curses under his breath, his hands in his pockets, shoulders tense. Every so often, he runs a hand through his hair like it might do something to ease the frustration radiating off him. It doesn’t.“That cocky little shit,” he mutters for the tenth time, shaking his head. “Of all the people Dmitri could’ve left here, he had to pick him.”Dante, sitting in his usual spot behind the desk, leans back in his chair, looking far too amused for the situation. He watches Matteo with the kind of patience that only comes with age, like he’s seen this all before, like he expected this exact reaction. He probably did.“You were exactly like him,” Dante drawls, reaching for his glass of whiskey.Matteo stops pacing long enough to glare at him. “The fuck I was.”Dante’s smirk widens. “No? You sure about that?” He takes a slow sip of his drink, unbothered. “Because I seem to remember a certain cocky little shit at his age,
MarkusThe moment I step into Nadya’s room and see it fucking empty, a slow, dangerous heat rolls through me.I don’t move right away. Just stand there, jaw clenched, scanning the space like she might be hiding in the goddamn closet or under the bed. But no. She’s gone.I exhale sharply, dragging a hand down my face before spinning on my heel and yanking open the door. One of the guards standing post outside stiffens immediately.“Where is she?” My voice is calm. Too calm.The guy doesn’t hesitate. “She’s in the garden, boss.”I don’t bother responding. Just turn and head that way, my boots hitting the floor with sharp, deliberate steps. My fingers flex at my sides, my blood running hotter with every step I take. I know exactly who the fuck she’s with, and the thought of it has my vision tinting red at the edges.When I reach the back entrance, the cool night air does nothing to temper my mood. The garden is lit by dim lanterns lining the stone pathways, casting long shadows against t
MarkusDante calls the meeting in his office, which means shit just got serious. When I step inside, Matteo’s already there, standing near the bar, swirling a glass of whiskey like it holds the answers to his problems. Lukas leans against the far wall, looking like he’d rather be anywhere else, but there’s a sharpness in his eyes that tells me he’s paying attention.And then there’s Nikolai.The little fucker is sitting in one of the chairs across from Dante’s desk, his usual smirk absent, his jaw tight. His hands rest on his thighs, fingers curled just enough to show he’s wound up. Not cocky, not amused—just tense. It’s the first time I’ve seen him like this, and as much as I hate to admit it, it means something.Dante sits behind his desk, calm as ever, but I know him too well to mistake that calm for indifference. He’s assessing, calculating, deciding what moves to make before anyone else even realizes we’re playing. He leans back in his chair, fingers steepled, waiting until I cl
NadyaI find Markus in the training room, his back to me, fists slamming into the heavy bag with brutal precision. Each hit echoes through the space, a steady, punishing rhythm, like he’s trying to beat something out of himself.Or someone. Maybe me.I hesitate for half a second, my hands curling into fists at my sides. I don’t want to do this. I shouldn’t do this. But I have to. For my own sanity, if nothing else.I take a slow breath, then step forward. “Nikolai,” I say quietly, without turning.He tenses beside me, his body already coiled with distrust. He doesn’t like this, doesn’t like him, and I know he sure as hell doesn’t like the way Markus has been treating me.I finally glance at him, keeping my voice even. “Stay out of this.”Nikolai’s jaw tightens, but he nods once. He won’t like it. He won’t stay far, but he’ll give me space.I turn back toward Markus. He hasn’t stopped. If anything, he hits harder. The muscles in his back flex beneath the thin fabric of his shirt, his b
MarkusThree days.Three fucking days since Nikolai’s cryptic little smirk, since Nadya walked out of that training room with her head held high like my words hadn’t cut her. Three days of trying to push that entire conversation out of my head, of ignoring the way my body still reacts when she’s near.Now, we’re in Dante’s office, and no one is in a good mood.I lean against the far wall, arms crossed, watching as Matteo paces in front of the desk, muttering under his breath. Lukas is sprawled in one of the chairs, looking relaxed as usual, but I know better. His fingers drum idly against the armrest, his version of pacing.Dante, as always, is calm. Too fucking calm, which makes me more uneasy. He sits behind his desk, fingers steepled, gaze sharp as he watches Matteo wear a path into the floor.And then there’s Nadya.She sits stiffly in the chair beside Lukas, back straight, hands folded in her lap. She hasn’t said a word, but she doesn’t need to. Her tension bleeds into the room, a
NadyaI don’t remember walking out of Dante’s office.One second, I’m standing there, trying to process the fact that my father is dead. That the man I spent my entire life fearing is gone. That I won’t be married off to a monster who would have killed me on our wedding night.And the next, I’m outside, my body moving on autopilot as my uncle leads me toward the sleek black SUV waiting just beyond the warehouse doors.The air is crisp, biting at my skin, but I barely feel it. My mind is too clouded, my thoughts tangled in a mess I can’t seem to unravel.Dmitri opens the door for me himself, waiting patiently as I hesitate for half a second before sliding into the backseat. He follows, settling in beside me, while Nikolai takes his usual spot across from me. The moment the door shuts, the sound is final, like a steel gate slamming into place.A part of me feels like I should be relieved.I’m free. I won’t be forced into marriage with Theo Vasilakis. I won’t be used as leverage by my fa
MarkusI stare at the closed door, my jaw so tight it feels like my teeth might fucking crack.Dmitri is gone. Nadya is gone. Nikolai, that smug little shit, is gone. And I’m still standing here, fists clenched so tightly my knuckles ache, while Dante, Matteo, and Lukas sit around discussing the pros and cons of a deal I already know I’ll be forced to accept.I don’t need to be here to hear it. I don’t need to listen to them weigh the benefits of an alliance with the Mikhailovs like it’s a fucking business transaction instead of a noose being slipped around my neck. I already know how this ends.I know what I’ll be ordered to do.And I know I’ll have to do it.That doesn’t mean it doesn’t fucking piss me off.Matteo runs a hand through his hair, leaning back in his chair with a sigh. “Like it or not, this is a good deal.”I exhale sharply, forcing my voice to stay even. “For who?”Matteo lifts a brow. “All of us.”Lukas smirks, stretching his arms behind his head. “Well, mostly us.” He
MarkusThe meeting room at Dmitri’s estate feels too formal, the air heavy with anticipation. I’m sitting at the end of a long mahogany table, uncomfortable as fuck in my suit. Across from me, Nadya sits quietly, her hands folded neatly on the polished surface. She hasn’t looked at me properly since we entered the room, her gaze fixed on the stack of documents in front of her like they’re some kind of enemy. Dmitri and Dante are at the head of the table, already deep in discussion, their voices low and measured. I tune them out for a moment, my attention drawn back to Nadya.Her expression is guarded, mouth set in a careful line, but I know enough about her by now to recognize the tension hidden just beneath the surface. A week of distance hasn’t changed a fucking thing about how I react to her. One glance and all the frustration from the past days bubbles right back up. I shift slightly in my seat, annoyed at myself. I hate that I even give a shit how she feels right now.Dmitri’s
AmaraI wake up to the smell of Matteo.It’s warm linen and expensive cologne, but underneath all that, it’s just him. That familiar scent I’ve come to recognize even before I open my eyes—one that’s clung to me, comforted me, irritated me, consumed me for the past two years. It seeps into my skin the way his love does: all-encompassing, impossible to ignore, and addictive in a way that should probably be illegal.His arm is thrown over my waist, heavy and possessive, like I might slip away in the middle of the night if he doesn’t physically hold me down. Not much has changed there. Matteo Dragonetti is still Matteo—still insufferably bossy, still infuriatingly smug, still the most dangerous man in every room.But somehow, with me… he’s also this.Soft.I turn slightly, pressing my face into the crook of his neck. His bare chest rises and falls under my cheek, and the steady beat of his heart is enough to lull me back to sleep if I’m not careful.Instead, I close my eyes and smile. It’
NadyaThe sharp rip of fabric fills the room as Markus makes good on his promise. My dress gives way under his grip, the delicate material tearing apart like it’s nothing. A gasp escapes me as the cool air hits my bare skin, goosebumps rising in its wake.“You—” I start, my breath hitching as he yanks the remains of my dress off and tosses it to the floor.“I told you,” he murmurs, voice low and full of heat. “Gonna spread you out and claim every inch of you. Gonna make sure you never forget who you belong to.”I shudder, his words winding through me like a drug, settling deep in my gut where need burns hot. My nerves haven’t disappeared entirely—this is still new, still unfamiliar in ways that make my pulse skitter—but Markus doesn’t rush. He’s careful, even in his dominance, in the way his hands trace my skin like he’s mapping it out, memorizing every inch.He lifts me effortlessly, carrying me from the mirror to the bed like I weigh nothing. The mattress is cool against my heated s
NadyaThe car pulls up to the private jet, sleek and waiting under the soft glow of the tarmac lights. A few of Markus’s men are already there, loading the last of our luggage, making sure everything is in place. None of them look at me. They wouldn’t dare. They know who I belong to now.Markus steps out first, then turns to offer me his hand. I take it, letting him help me out of the SUV, and he doesn’t let go. He leads me toward the jet, and my pulse quickens when I step inside and he takes me to the private cabin, I see exactly what he’s done.The mirror is massive, taking up nearly the entire wall of the private cabin. It’s impossible to ignore. My reflection stares back at me, wide-eyed and breathless, my wedding dress still pristine, still perfect. For now.I don’t even get a chance to speak before Markus is behind me, his hands slipping around my waist, his lips pressing against the side of my neck.“Remember what I told you, baby?” he murmurs against my skin, his voice thick w
NadyaThe reception is in full swing, filled with laughter, music, and the clinking of crystal glasses, but my body still hums with leftover adrenaline. The shootout lingers in the back of my mind like an unshakable shadow, and no matter how many times I remind myself that we made it out unscathed, my heart refuses to slow completely. It’s not that I haven’t seen violence before—hell, I was raised in it—but something about today rattled me more than I expected. Maybe it’s because I finally had something to lose.I glance down at my wedding band, the cool weight of it resting against my skin like a silent promise. Markus is my husband now. That still feels surreal to even think. I expected this day to feel like a deal, an arrangement—something I had no real say in. But it doesn’t. Not anymore.I push the memories of the gunfire down as best I can and straighten my shoulders. This is my wedding day. I refuse to let bloodshed be what defines it.Markus hasn’t left my side, his hand rest
MarkusI stand at the altar, my hands clasped in front of me, trying to maintain some semblance of control. But the second the doors open and I see her—really see her—it’s fucking over for me.My heart slams against my ribs, my pulse roaring in my ears as Nadya steps into the aisle, bathed in the soft glow of candlelight. She looks like a dream, a vision wrapped in ivory silk and lace, her golden hair falling in soft waves around her face. I don’t take my eyes off her as she walks toward me, each step measured, her shoulders squared despite the nerves I can see in the slight tremble of her fingers. But her eyes—they don’t waver. Those blue depths lock onto mine, holding me there, grounding me in place. How did I ever believe this girl wouldn’t become everything? That she wouldn’t climb under my skin and settle there, wrapping herself around every thought until she’s all I fucking think about? From the moment I found her huddled in that room, scared and broken, to the woman standing
NadyaThe night air is cool against my skin as I step onto the small balcony of my bedroom, breathing in the crisp scent of the garden below. The estate is quiet, the sky a deep indigo scattered with stars, and for the first time in weeks, I feel a strange sense of peace settling inside me.Tomorrow, I will be Nadya Dragonetti.I never imagined feeling… calm about that. But here I am, standing on the edge of one life and stepping into another, and I don’t feel like I’m suffocating anymore. Things with Markus have improved, slowly but surely. He still gets frustrated too easily, still lets his temper flare before thinking things through. And I still hold back more than I should, scared of exposing too much of myself. But we’re trying. And that’s more than I thought we’d ever get to.A smile tugs at my lips as I wrap my arms around myself, the silk of my nightgown cool against my skin. A year ago, I wouldn’t have believed any of this.The soft creak of my bedroom door snapping shut mak
MarkusI stand there in front of her, my heart thundering like a beast trapped inside my chest. She looks fucking stunning in that dress—the kind of breathtaking that steals the air from my lungs. There’s no denying that seeing her like this, standing there bathed in the soft, flattering glow of the dressing room lights, has me questioning my own sanity for ever thinking I could deny myself this woman. She looks like a goddamn angel, and completely out of place standing next to a beast like me. And yet, this perfect creature is supposed to be mine. The thought sends a surge of all-consuming possessiveness tearing through me.Nadya meets my gaze cautiously, her blue eyes uncertain, the softness in them hitting me harder than any blow I’ve ever felt. I swallow tightly, my throat dry, knowing I need to make this right. She’s going to be mine—my wife—and I can’t let us go forward on shaky ground.“You look fucking breathtaking,” I say quietly, my voice rough with raw honesty. She blushes
NadyaI never thought dress fittings could be fun, yet here I am, standing in front of a floor-length mirror with the Dragonetti women fussing over me like I truly belong. There’s laughter, warmth, and teasing that I don’t always understand but appreciate anyway.For once, I’m not surrounded by cold stares, calculating eyes, or the hushed whispers of men who see me as nothing more than a bargaining chip. Instead, I hear soft murmurs about fabric choices, feel gentle hands smoothing the silk over my frame, and catch playful nudges about honeymoon plans.Serena and Amara take every opportunity to tease me, their easy smiles coaxing small, reluctant laughs from my lips.“I think lace,” Serena says, lifting a delicate ivory fabric and holding it up to my skin. “It brings out your eyes. And the way the silk moves when you walk? Markus will lose his mind.” She smirks, her voice filled with mischief.My face heats at the mention of his name, and I look away quickly, my throat suddenly dry.A
NadyaThe mirror in front of me shows a version of myself I barely recognize. Pale skin, dark circles under wide, nervous eyes, and lips bitten raw with anxiety. Today is the dress fitting. Just the thought of it makes my chest feel heavy, tightening painfully with each breath I take. A bride, yet I have no mother here to fuss over my hair or smile proudly when I finally slip into white silk. I have no sisters to giggle with as we admire lace and chiffon. There are no friends here to hold my hand and tell me everything will be fine, or to reassure me that Markus might not hate me quite as much as I fear. No—I’m alone, surrounded only by men who speak in clipped, gruff voices, men who can’t possibly understand the hollow ache in my chest or the nerves twisting deep in my stomach. I close my eyes tightly for a moment, forcing myself to breathe slowly, to calm the anxiety building inside me like a storm. I don’t even know how this is supposed to feel, how other women feel when they’r