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CHAPTER 18: Beneath the Surface
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2025-04-02 17:06:00Mia 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.
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Mia sighed, running a hand through her hair as she stepped into her bedroom. As much as she wanted to linger in the quiet morning with Marco, today was still a workday. Reality was waiting.She pulled open her wardrobe, grabbing a fresh outfit. Behind her, she could hear Marco moving around the living room.By the time she emerged, dressed in a fitted blouse and tailored pants, he was standing by the window, phone pressed to his ear. His voice was low and steady as he spoke.“Come back now,” he told the driver. A brief pause. Then, “Yeah, the rain’s lighter. Just be careful.”Mia glanced outside. The heavy storm had passed, leaving behind a soft drizzle. The streets glistened under the muted morning light, damp but no longer flooded.Marco ended the call and turned toward her, his sharp gaze raking over her appearance. Something flickered in his eyes, but he didn’t comment.“You’re heading to work,” he stated rather than ask
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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.
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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.
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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
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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
