Elena's POV."Eat up," Carla said, giving me a measured look as she placed the tray on the small table in the corner of the room. "Boss’s orders."I forced my voice to stay steady. “He’s… feeding me?” The disbelief in my tone was hard to mask.Carla shrugged, giving me a small, almost sympathetic smile. “Let’s just say he doesn’t like loose ends.”Right. That sounded about right. Feed me before he kills me.As soon as Carla left, I slid the door shut, taking a long moment to stare at the feast in front of me. Roast chicken with crispy, golden skin that looked like it’d crack under a knife. Fresh vegetables, sautéed with garlic and butter. A warm roll, straight from the oven, with a small pad of melting butter on top. And a chocolate dessert that gleamed under the lighting, like it belonged in some five-star restaurant I’d never step foot in.My stomach roared, and I couldn’t stop myself. I dug in, tearing at the bread like it was the only thing holding me together. The warm, flaky cru
Dante's POV.The lights were low, has shadows across the room, turning every curve, every movement, into something primal. The air was thick with the scent of perfume and sweat, a blend of desperation and desire. Around me, my men were lost in pleasure, tangled in limbs, mouths locked in passion, oblivious to the world. Women spread themselves over them, a mess of silk, skin, and sin. They were exactly where they wanted to be, and yet, I stood there, fully dressed, in the middle of an orgy.A brunette with a sharp jawline slid up to me, pressing her bare body against my side. Her hands trailed down my chest, teasing, challenging. “Dante,” she whispered, lips brushing against my ear. “Don’t you want to play?”I stared ahead, ignoring her, my jaw clenched. She pulled back, her eyes searching mine with a small pout, clearly not used to being dismissed. I saw the confusion flash across her face before she turned away, off to find someone who would appreciate her offer. Around me, women vi
Elena's POV I was deep in a dream, laughing with my older brother, Marcus, as we threw rocks into the lake. He looked so real, his face full of joy like when we were kids, and I felt... safe. Then, a sharp knock pulled me from that warmth. My eyes shot open, heart pounding, and I realized the laughter, the lake…all of it was just a dream. The knock came again, louder, more insistent. "Miss Elena?" A soft voice came from the other side of the door. I sat up, blinking, still a bit dazed. No one ever called me “Miss” here. It didn’t feel like an endearment; it felt... unsettling. “Who is it?” I managed, my voice harsh and wary. The door creaked open, and two young women slipped inside. They looked like servants, dressed in crisp uniforms, faces calm but unreadable. “We’ve come to assist you, Miss Elena,” the first one said with a slight bow. “On the master’s orders.” The master’s orders? I stiffened, feeling the pit of unease grow in my stomach. Why would Dante send maids
Dante's POV. The early morning sun filtered through the blinds, had lines of light across my office. I sat behind the heavy mahogany desk, fingers drumming, lost in thoughts that no amount of coffee could shake loose. Beside me stood Enzo, my most trusted man. He waited, arms crossed, his face impassive as always. But there was something different in his gaze…something that told me he had news, and that I probably wouldn’t like it. He cleared his throat, breaking the silence. “Boss, we’ve got a situation,” he started, keeping his tone as neutral as possible. “Angelo’s back in town.” The name hit me like a shot, my fingers stilling on the desk. Angelo. Once, he’d been more than just an ally; he’d been a brother. We built this empire together, clawed our way up through blood, grit, and back-alley deals. But that all ended the night he betrayed me, the night he thought he could take everything I’d built and call it his own. “Where is he?” I asked, my voice cold and sharp, laced with a
Elena's POV.I was escorted, my wrists still sore from the earlier restraints, into another part of the mansion. The air felt thick, a strange chill wrapping around me, and my heart pounded, not just from fear, but from frustration. The maids had done their job well, dressing me up in that ridiculous dress, twisting my hair and slathering on makeup. The last thing I needed was to look like some doll on display, but it seemed that was exactly what Dante had in mind.The heavy doors slammed shut behind me as I stepped into the room. The atmosphere was... different. There was a haze of smoke, the kind you’d find in some nightclub. It moved, swirling around, thick and suffocating. And then, like the scene from some twisted fantasy, sultry music began to play. The beat was slow, deliberate, as if it was meant to seduce and control. I hated it. Every second of it.The smoke parted slowly, like curtains drawing back to reveal a performance I hadn’t asked for, and there he was.Dante.He was
Elena's POV The words were coarse, brutal, leaving no room for misunderstanding. I could feel the heat of his breath against my skin, his hand coming up to brush my cheek with a strange, almost mocking gentleness. His fingers lingered, trailing down my face, as if savoring the defiance that tightened my jaw and the fury in my glare.Every instinct in me screamed to back away, to run. But there was nowhere to go, no chance of escape. I forced myself to stand my ground, heart pounding as he stared at me down, his intentions clear, his gaze dark and firm.The moment his fingers reached for the neckline of my dress, I felt rage surge through me…hot and fierce. This was my last straw. I couldn’t stand here, a mere object for him to discard when he’d had his fill. I didn’t think; I just acted. My hand flew up, smacking him hard across the cheek.He went absolutely still.“That’s right, Dante!” I shouted, my voice shaking with anger. “You don’t own me. I am not here for your entertainment!”
Dante's POV.I watched her walk away, that small, defiant firebrand of a girl, clutching her torn dress like it was her shield. My cheek still stung from her slap, the sting sharper than any knife wound I’d taken. I raised a hand to touch where she’d hit me, half-expecting to feel blood, though that would have been less humiliating. A slap from a petite, twenty-one-year-old woman. Me, Dante Moretti, one of the most feared men in this damned city, slapped by a woman who should have been too scared to breathe in my presence.I couldn't wrap my mind around it. None of my men would dare raise a hand to me. Hell, even my so-called friends know better than to cross me like that. And here she was…Elena. Thrown into my life by her bastard brother, who’d all but served her up on a silver platter. And somehow, in the days she’d been here, she’d managed to set something loose in me that I hadn’t felt in years. It wasn’t just lust. No, that would’ve been easier to control. She’d gotten under my s
Elena's POV.I sat at the edge of the bed, clutching my knees to my chest as the room spun in dizzying circles. The air felt heavy, thick with the smell of my own fear. My heart hammered in my chest, an endless drumbeat that never seemed to stop. I knew Dante would storm in at any moment. I could feel his presence hovering like a shadow over me, suffocating me with each breath I took.I’d expected it…him barging in, furious, and probably ending me right then and there. The slap. The defiance. He wouldn’t let it go. It was a matter of pride for him. A dangerous man, one who had made a reputation for destroying everything in his path. And I had dared to defy him.But nothing happened. Hours had passed. Time stretched on, thick and oppressive, and yet no footsteps came to my door. No shout, no knock, no angry command. I couldn’t stop myself from waiting, though. Waiting for the sound of his boots against the floor, the door slamming open, his cold, venomous eyes locking onto mine.But th
Elena's POVPain. It ripped through me like a storm, raw and merciless. My body was drenched in sweat, my fingers clutching the hospital bed as another contraction tore through me. I screamed, my throat burning, my mind barely able to hold on.“Push, Elena!” the doctor urged, his voice was firm but encouraging.I gasped, my chest heaving. Dante’s hand was in mine, his grip strong but gentle, his lips pressed in a firm line as he watched me struggle. His other hand brushed damp strands of hair from my forehead, his eyes dark with worry and something deeper…something I couldn't name.“You’re doing so good, baby,” he murmured, his voice softer than I’d ever heard it.I met his gaze, searching for something, anything…to hold onto. But all I found was pain, exhaustion, and a terrifying sense of being lost. I still didn’t remember. Seven months, and I still didn’t know the man beside me, the man who loved me, the man whose child I was bringing into the world.Another contraction hit, and I
Elena’s POVSeven months. Seven months had passed since I woke up in that hospital bed, broken, confused, and pregnant with a child I didn’t remember making. Seven months since I was told that Dante, an intense, dangerous man I still couldn’t recall…was the father.And now, here I was. Heavily pregnant. Nearing nine months. Carrying the child of a Mafia lord.I stood by the tall window, my hands resting on my belly, feeling the tiny kicks beneath my skin. My body had healed, no more wheelchairs, no more braces, no more bandages. Just me, standing on my own two feet again. But my mind? That was another story.I still didn’t remember anything. Not Dante. Not Marcus. Not the accident. Nothing.Dante had tried everything. He showed me pictures, told me stories, brought me to places we had been together. But no matter how hard he tried, my mind remained a blank slate. It frustrated him…I could see it in his eyes. But he never forced me. Never pressured me. He just… stayed. Protecting me.A
Dante's POV.The hospital room was quiet, but my mind was chaos. The steady beeping of the machines monitoring Elena’s vitals was the only sound. It was maddening. I sat by her bed, staring at her pale face, waiting for her to wake up. I didn’t know how long I’d been there, but it felt like an eternity. My chest ached with every breath I took, each second dragging me deeper into my own torment.She stirred, her lashes fluttering against her cheeks. Relief flooded through me like a tidal wave, and I leaned closer, gripping her hand.“Elena?” I said softly, my voice raw. “It’s me, Dante. You’re safe now.”Her eyes opened slowly, hazy and unfocused at first. Then they locked onto mine, and for a moment, I thought everything would be okay. But her brows furrowed, confusion clouding her expression.“Who... who are you?” she whispered, her voice weak but sharp enough to cut through me like a knife.My heart stopped.“Elena, it’s me,” I said, trying to keep my voice steady. “Dante. Don’t you
Elena's POV.Pain. That’s the first thing I noticed. A dull, throbbing ache that stretched across my entire body. My head pounded like a drum, every beat sharp and non-stop. My elbow felt like it had been smashed with a hammer, and my knee…God, my knee, burned as if someone had ripped it apart and stitched it back together with fire.I blinked, my eyelids heavy as though they were made of lead. The light above me was too bright, piercing my vision and making my head hurt worse. I wanted to scream, but my throat was dry, raw. I groaned instead, barely able to move.Where was I?I glanced around, squinting through the brightness. The room was white…clinical. Machines beeped softly beside me, wires snaking from them to my body. Bandages wrapped around my arms, my chest, even my leg, which was propped up on some kind of support.A hospital. I was in a hospital. But why?I tried to move, but pain shot through my body like lightning. I gasped, gripping the sides of the bed with weak hands.
Dante's POV.The room was cold, damp, and reeked of fear. It was exactly how I wanted it. I stood just inside the doorway, staring at the woman tied to the chair in the center of the room. Carina. Isabella’s little sister.She had the same dark hair, the same sharp features, but there was none of the kindness Isabella had once carried in her eyes. Carina’s gaze was filled with nothing but venom, even as her lips curled into a defiant smirk.“Well,” she said, her voice dripping with mockery. “If it isn’t the grieving lover. Come to avenge your little damsel in distress?”I didn’t answer. My silence made her smirk falter, just for a second.Enzo stood by the wall, his arms crossed, watching silently. He knew better than to interfere. This was personal.I stepped forward slowly, each step deliberate. My boots sounded against the concrete floor. Carina’s smirk returned, but there was unease behind it now.“You think you’re untouchable because of who you are,” I said, my voice low and stea
Dante's POV.The hours felt endless, a slow, agonizing stretch of time where every second clawed at my sanity. I paced the hospital hallway, my fists clenched so tight my nails bit into my palms. My men stood at a distance, quiet, not daring to say a word. Marcus was slumped on the floor against the wall, his face buried in his hands, his shoulders shaking with silent sobs.Every once in a while, his muffled cries broke through the sterile silence. It was unbearable.“Why hasn’t anyone come out yet?” I growled, slamming my fist into the wall. The thud echoed down the corridor, but it didn’t ease the rage boiling inside me. “They’ve been in there for hours!”Enzo placed a hand on my shoulder, his voice steady but cautious. “Boss, they’ll come. She’s strong. You know that.”I turned on him, my eyes blazing. “Strong? You think strength matters right now? A damn car hit her, Enzo. She’s pregnant, and I…” My voice cracked, and I had to look away.I couldn’t break, not here. Not now. But th
Dante's POV.The scene felt like a nightmare that had come to life, a cruelty of the past I thought I’d buried deep.From the moment Enzo’s phone call came through, my blood ran cold. “Boss, we’ve got her location. Carina’s behind this. She tricked Elena with that lottery scam,” he said. His voice was steady, but I could hear the edge of urgency underneath.I clenched the wheel so tight my knuckles turned white, trying to stay focused as we sped toward the address Enzo had sent. The thought of Elena being in Carina’s grasp churned my stomach. I’d underestimated Carina’s hatred…her obsession. And now, I was the one who had failed to protect the woman I loved.As we approached the building, I saw her. Elena stood outside, her hoodie pulled up as if it could shield her from the world. For a second, relief washed over me. She was free. Carina had released her. But something didn’t sit right. My gut told me this wasn’t over.Then I saw it. The headlights. A car barreling down the road stra
Elena's POV.My head pounded as I came to. My arms felt like they were being yanked out of their sockets, tied tightly behind me. My legs were bound to the chair, and the air smelled of something metallic and sharp. I blinked, trying to clear the fog in my head.The room was cold, empty except for me and the chair I was tied to. The walls were a dull gray, and the only light came from a single bulb hanging overhead.Then I saw her.Carina.The same girl who had tried to kill me in Dante’s apartment. Her face was just as I remembered it, sharp, angry, filled with hate. Her long dark hair was pulled back in a ponytail, and she was dressed in black leather, like she was ready for war."Finally awake," she sneered, crossing her arms. "I thought they’d given you too much."I clenched my jaw, refusing to show any fear. "Carina. Back to finish what you started?"Her lips curled into a smirk, but her eyes were full of anger. "You have no idea how much I hate you," she hissed, stepping closer.
Elena's POVI hated sneaking out of the house. It felt childish, but what else could I do? Dante’s men followed me everywhere, acting like I couldn’t breathe without his approval. The constant presence of those suited-up bodyguards was suffocating. At first, I told myself it was because he cared, but now? It felt like a leash I couldn’t shake off.I glanced over my shoulder as I slipped through the side gate. No one had seen me, not yet. I had timed everything perfectly. Enzo was too busy barking orders to notice, and the guards stationed near the front were far enough away. I let out a breath of relief, pulling my hoodie tighter over my head.The message about the lottery win had been sitting in my inbox for days, and though I didn’t remember entering, curiosity got the better of me. The prizes were too good to ignore: a luxury vacation, shopping vouchers, and a brand-new car. It all sounded like a dream. Too good to be true, maybe, but after the past few weeks, I needed something to