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CHAPTER 16: A Reckoning in the Shadows
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2025-04-01 17:03:00Marco’s entire demeanor shifted in an instant. The composed, enigmatic man I had seen moments ago was gone—replaced by someone colder, sharper. His jaw tightened, his hands curling into fists at his sides as his gaze swept across the ballroom.
Something was wrong.I took a hesitant step forward, but before I could call his name, he turned, barking out orders to the men stationed discreetly around the room.“Lock down the exits. No one leaves until I say so.”A shiver ran down my spine. The air grew heavy with tension as the guards moved swiftly, their expressions grim.People in the ballroom were oblivious for now, laughing, drinking, swirling across the dance floor. But I could feel it—the shift in the atmosphere, the weight of something unseen pressing in.Marco’s head snapped toward one of his men, who had just rushed up to him. They exchanged a few hushed words, and whatever he was told made his already sharp expression darke
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The Mafia Man wants my Heart CHAPTER 17: The Silence Between Us
MIA CRUZI tossed and turned, my sheets tangled around my legs, my mind refusing to give me peace.No matter how many times I shut my eyes, the scene played on repeat—the gunshot, the screams, the way Marco’s arms had caged me against him as he rushed me out the back door.The way blood had spread across the pristine floor, staining the elegance of the night with something raw and violent.I squeezed my eyes shut, willing sleep to take me, but it never came.And then—BEEP! BEEP! BEEP!My alarm blared through the room, dragging me into the present. I groaned, pressing my hands over my face. The sharp ring was an unwelcome reminder that life didn’t pause just because my world had been turned upside down.I forced myself to sit up, my body feeling heavier than usual. My heart was still racing from memories I couldn’t shake, my hands curling into fists in my lap.Everything had changed last night.
Terakhir Diperbarui : 2025-04-01The Mafia Man wants my Heart CHAPTER 18: Beneath the Surface
Mia Cruz The rest of the day passed in a blur. I tried to focus, tried to drown myself in work, but my thoughts kept circling back to Marco. To the attack. To the way he stood on that stage, commanding the world’s attention while I sat at my desk, feeling like nothing more than a forgotten spectator in his carefully controlled world. He hadn’t reached out. Not last night. Not this morning. I told myself I didn’t care. That I didn’t need him to check on me. But the truth? It hurt. “Earth to Mia.” I blinked and looked up to see Mr. Gravitas standing beside my desk, arms crossed. His sharp gaze studied me with quiet scrutiny. “You’ve been staring at that same email for the past five minutes.” Shit. “I—uh, just lost track of time,” I said, forcing a tight-lipped smile. He didn’t look convinced.
Terakhir Diperbarui : 2025-04-02The Mafia Man wants my Heart CHAPTER 19: Caught in the Storm
The city lights flickered past as the car glided smoothly through the streets. The tension between us had lessened, but something still lingered beneath the surface—unspoken words, unanswered questions. Marco sat beside me, his elbow resting against the door, fingers lightly tapping against his knee. His gaze was fixed ahead, but I could feel his attention on me, like a gravitational pull I couldn’t escape. “You barely ate today, did you?” His voice was quiet, but there was an edge of certainty to it. I hesitated before admitting, “I wasn’t really hungry.” His jaw twitched. “You need to take care of yourself, Mia.” I let out a soft laugh, though there was no humor in it. “Says the man who probably hasn’t had a full meal in days.” Marco smirked, finally turning to face me. “Touché.” The car slowed as we neared a sleek, high-end restaurant. The kind of place where the we
Terakhir Diperbarui : 2025-04-02The Mafia Man wants my Heart CHAPTER 20: Shelter From the Storm
The rain blurred my vision, turning the city lights into hazy streaks of gold and red. I could still see him, though—Marco, striding through the storm like it belonged to him.My fingers curled around the damp fabric of my dress, a strange tightness in my chest as I waited.A sleek black car pulled up moments later, its tires slicing through puddles on the asphalt. The door swung open, and Marco stepped out, water dripping from his hair onto his sharp cheekbones. Even drenched, he was devastating.“Come on,” he called, his voice cutting through the rain.I hesitated for only a second before hurrying toward him. The moment I slid into the car, warmth enveloped me. The contrast was jarring—cold rain still clinging to my skin, heat seeping from the plush leather seats.Marco followed, shutting the door behind him. The scent of rain and his cologne filled the spaceMarco ran a hand through his wet hair, then shifted his gaze to
Terakhir Diperbarui : 2025-04-03The Mafia Man wants my Heart CHAPTER 21: Between Restraint and Desire
Mia stepped back into her bedroom, her heart knocking against her ribs. The air between them was thick—charged with something unspoken, something heavy. Marco stood near the window, his broad frame silhouetted against the flashes of lightning outside. He had rolled up the sleeves of her father’s pajama shirt, exposing his forearms, the fabric slightly loose on his powerful build. She swallowed hard, hugging her own arms as another loud clap of thunder shook the apartment. The storm had grown worse—angrier, more relentless. Marco turned at the sound, his eyes flickering to her. “You alright?” She nodded, though her pulse was anything but steady. “Just… the thunder.” His gaze lingered for a moment before he gestured to the bed. “You should sleep.” Mia hesitated, glancing at the large bed, then at him. The room was warm, but not enough to chase away the chill that clung to her skin. Maybe it was t
Terakhir Diperbarui : 2025-04-03The Mafia Man wants my Heart CHAPTER 1: Shadows in the Wind
The moment I stepped off the train and into the cool Chicago air, a shiver ran down my spine. The city was alive—too alive. Streetlights flickered in the fading evening light, illuminating the busy sidewalks where businessmen hurried past, laughter spilled from a nearby bar, and the faint scent of roasted chestnuts lingered in the air. Yet, beneath the surface, something felt… off. I pulled my coat tighter around me and shifted my overnight bag higher onto my shoulder. I wasn’t here for sightseeing. I was here because my mother, Emily Cruz, practically forced me to attend a book club event in her place. The thought made me sigh. “Mia, it’s important to keep connections alive,” she had said. “You never know when you’ll need them.” As the owner of Cruz’s Bookstore—one of New Orleans’ oldest independent bookstores—my mother was obsessed with building literary networks. I, on the other hand, had no such ambitions. I just wanted to survive the night and catch my flight home in the m
Terakhir Diperbarui : 2025-03-20The Mafia Man wants my Heart Chapter 2: The Intruder
The sharp sound of shattering glass jolted me awake.My heart slammed against my ribcage, a frantic rhythm that echoed in my ears as I jolted upright. The once quiet room was now thick with an unsettling stillness, the kind that made the hairs on the back of my neck rise. Shadows stretched across the walls, shifting with the faint flicker of the streetlights filtering through the partially drawn curtains. Each breath I took was uneven, shuddering past my lips as my chest rose and fell in rapid succession.Disoriented, my mind struggled to piece together the moments leading up to this instant—what had disturbed my sleep? A noise? A presence? Or just the lingering tendrils of an anxious dream?I swallowed hard, willing myself to steady the erratic pounding in my chest, but a gnawing sense of unease curled deep in my stomach. Something wasn’t right.The broken window.The realization sent a shiver down my spine.Had the wind knocked it loose? Or—A groan.Low, pained.Not from me.My hea
Terakhir Diperbarui : 2025-03-20The Mafia Man wants my Heart Chapter 3: Vanished
I jolted awake, a shudder ripping through me before I could fully process why. The room was dark, but something felt… off. My breath came in uneven gasps as I scanned my surroundings, my mind still groggy with sleep. The bed beneath me was slightly rumpled, the blankets twisted from restless tossing. But that wasn’t what sent ice trickling down my spine. The silence. It was too still. I turned my head toward the spot where he had been slumped against the wall. Empty. My pulse kicked up. I scrambled upright, my bare feet hitting the cold wooden floor as I stumbled toward the window. It was slightly ajar, the cracked pane allowing a thin breeze to snake through. I pressed my fingertips to the glass. Still cool. He was gone. A part of me had expected this, but now that it was real, I felt an odd mix of relief and unease. He had been injured—badly. And yet, he had vanished into the night like a phantom, leaving nothing behind except a smear of dried blood on the floorboards. I sw
Terakhir Diperbarui : 2025-03-20
Bab terbaru
The Mafia Man wants my Heart CHAPTER 21: Between Restraint and Desire
Mia stepped back into her bedroom, her heart knocking against her ribs. The air between them was thick—charged with something unspoken, something heavy. Marco stood near the window, his broad frame silhouetted against the flashes of lightning outside. He had rolled up the sleeves of her father’s pajama shirt, exposing his forearms, the fabric slightly loose on his powerful build. She swallowed hard, hugging her own arms as another loud clap of thunder shook the apartment. The storm had grown worse—angrier, more relentless. Marco turned at the sound, his eyes flickering to her. “You alright?” She nodded, though her pulse was anything but steady. “Just… the thunder.” His gaze lingered for a moment before he gestured to the bed. “You should sleep.” Mia hesitated, glancing at the large bed, then at him. The room was warm, but not enough to chase away the chill that clung to her skin. Maybe it was t
The Mafia Man wants my Heart CHAPTER 20: Shelter From the Storm
The rain blurred my vision, turning the city lights into hazy streaks of gold and red. I could still see him, though—Marco, striding through the storm like it belonged to him.My fingers curled around the damp fabric of my dress, a strange tightness in my chest as I waited.A sleek black car pulled up moments later, its tires slicing through puddles on the asphalt. The door swung open, and Marco stepped out, water dripping from his hair onto his sharp cheekbones. Even drenched, he was devastating.“Come on,” he called, his voice cutting through the rain.I hesitated for only a second before hurrying toward him. The moment I slid into the car, warmth enveloped me. The contrast was jarring—cold rain still clinging to my skin, heat seeping from the plush leather seats.Marco followed, shutting the door behind him. The scent of rain and his cologne filled the spaceMarco ran a hand through his wet hair, then shifted his gaze to
The Mafia Man wants my Heart CHAPTER 19: Caught in the Storm
The city lights flickered past as the car glided smoothly through the streets. The tension between us had lessened, but something still lingered beneath the surface—unspoken words, unanswered questions. Marco sat beside me, his elbow resting against the door, fingers lightly tapping against his knee. His gaze was fixed ahead, but I could feel his attention on me, like a gravitational pull I couldn’t escape. “You barely ate today, did you?” His voice was quiet, but there was an edge of certainty to it. I hesitated before admitting, “I wasn’t really hungry.” His jaw twitched. “You need to take care of yourself, Mia.” I let out a soft laugh, though there was no humor in it. “Says the man who probably hasn’t had a full meal in days.” Marco smirked, finally turning to face me. “Touché.” The car slowed as we neared a sleek, high-end restaurant. The kind of place where the we
The Mafia Man wants my Heart CHAPTER 18: Beneath the Surface
Mia Cruz The rest of the day passed in a blur. I tried to focus, tried to drown myself in work, but my thoughts kept circling back to Marco. To the attack. To the way he stood on that stage, commanding the world’s attention while I sat at my desk, feeling like nothing more than a forgotten spectator in his carefully controlled world. He hadn’t reached out. Not last night. Not this morning. I told myself I didn’t care. That I didn’t need him to check on me. But the truth? It hurt. “Earth to Mia.” I blinked and looked up to see Mr. Gravitas standing beside my desk, arms crossed. His sharp gaze studied me with quiet scrutiny. “You’ve been staring at that same email for the past five minutes.” Shit. “I—uh, just lost track of time,” I said, forcing a tight-lipped smile. He didn’t look convinced.
The Mafia Man wants my Heart CHAPTER 17: The Silence Between Us
MIA CRUZI tossed and turned, my sheets tangled around my legs, my mind refusing to give me peace.No matter how many times I shut my eyes, the scene played on repeat—the gunshot, the screams, the way Marco’s arms had caged me against him as he rushed me out the back door.The way blood had spread across the pristine floor, staining the elegance of the night with something raw and violent.I squeezed my eyes shut, willing sleep to take me, but it never came.And then—BEEP! BEEP! BEEP!My alarm blared through the room, dragging me into the present. I groaned, pressing my hands over my face. The sharp ring was an unwelcome reminder that life didn’t pause just because my world had been turned upside down.I forced myself to sit up, my body feeling heavier than usual. My heart was still racing from memories I couldn’t shake, my hands curling into fists in my lap.Everything had changed last night.
The Mafia Man wants my Heart CHAPTER 16: A Reckoning in the Shadows
Marco’s entire demeanor shifted in an instant. The composed, enigmatic man I had seen moments ago was gone—replaced by someone colder, sharper. His jaw tightened, his hands curling into fists at his sides as his gaze swept across the ballroom.Something was wrong.I took a hesitant step forward, but before I could call his name, he turned, barking out orders to the men stationed discreetly around the room.“Lock down the exits. No one leaves until I say so.”A shiver ran down my spine. The air grew heavy with tension as the guards moved swiftly, their expressions grim.People in the ballroom were oblivious for now, laughing, drinking, swirling across the dance floor. But I could feel it—the shift in the atmosphere, the weight of something unseen pressing in.Marco’s head snapped toward one of his men, who had just rushed up to him. They exchanged a few hushed words, and whatever he was told made his already sharp expression darke
The Mafia Man wants my Heart CHAPTER 15: A Dance With Temptation
Marco leaned in, his nose brushing against mine, his breath warm and intoxicating. My own breath hitched, my lips parting instinctively.And then—He pulled away.A slow, deliberate retreat, his lips curving into something smug, something wicked.Heat flared in my cheeks as frustration tangled with the ache in my chest.“Are you—” I swallowed, gripping the fabric of my dress. “Are you teasing me?”Marco smirked. “Maybe.”I narrowed my eyes, but before I could retort, he leaned in again, his fingers brushing against my wrist, his voice a low murmur against my ear.“But when I finally take what I want, Mia,” he whispered, “you won’t be questioning anything.”My stomach flipped, my skin burning where he touched me.And just like that, he straightened, composed as ever, like he hadn’t just turned my entire world upside down.I exhaled shakily, my heart still racing as he walked ahead, effo
The Mafia Man wants my Heart Chapter 14: A Dance with the Devil
The moment I stepped out of the car, the cool evening air kissed my skin, sending a slight shiver down my spine. The entrance to the gala was nothing short of breathtaking—golden lights illuminated the grand building, luxury cars lined the driveway, and men in sharp tuxedos escorted women draped in elegance. But none of it compared to the man walking toward me. Marco Valentino. His presence commanded attention, his dark eyes locked onto me with an intensity that made my breath hitch. He looked effortlessly powerful in his tailored suit, the crisp black fabric molding to his frame in a way that was both refined and utterly sinful. A slow smirk tugged at his lips as he reached me, his gaze roaming over my figure in a way that sent warmth pooling in my stomach. “You wear it well,” he murmured, voice smooth as silk. I swallowed, heart racing. “Thank you… for the dress.” His smirk dee
The Mafia Man wants my Heart CHAPTER 13: Three days Longing
MIA CRUZ Three days. Three days, and I hadn’t seen Marco. I told myself I didn’t care. I told myself I had more important things to focus on—work, my bookstore, my life. But my mind had other plans. Sitting at my desk, I tapped my pen against my notepad, staring blankly at the emails I was supposed to be responding to. The words blurred together, my focus slipping every time I remembered the way his lips had lingered just inches from mine. The way he pulled away like he was testing me, teasing me. The way I had wanted him to stay. I groaned under my breath and squeezed my eyes shut. Get a grip, Mia. “You okay?” I snapped out of my daze, looking up to see my co-worker, Naomi, peering at me from across the desk. She raised a brow, eyes full of suspicion. “Yeah. Fine,” I lied, sitting up straighter and forcing my attention back to my laptop. She smirked
