ELENA I refused to regret not taking the car—or Mr. Leo—along. I could’ve made a quick change and saved time, but the truth was, I had achieved my mission. That alone made it worth it.I’d helped DeLuca.Now, he owes me.But my small victory was short-lived. My smile faded the moment I saw a figure standing at the entrance, arms folded. As I got closer, I recognized her.Sarah.Thankfully, I’d already taken off the mask I used earlier.“It’s about time,” she said, voice flat.I ignored her tone, parked the bike in a hurry, and rushed past her, heading upstairs to my room for a quick shower.“Please inform Mr. Leo to get the car ready,” I tossed over my shoulder without slowing down.To my surprise, Sarah didn’t argue. She just watched me go, silent.~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Ten minutes later…I stepped out of the house and Sarah was nowhere in sight. Relief washed over me. Maybe she was letting me off the hook—for now. I didn’t have the time or energy for one of her lectures tonight
DELUCA Waltzing into the arena, my body smeared with blood and my confidence soaring—perhaps for the first time in my life—stares and murmurs followed my every move. Everyone was either curious or, more likely, terrified of whose blood I wore like a trophy.I felt better. Two down, two to go.And Lucas had finally freed himself from that bloodsucking leech, Madeline.I coolly pulled out a chair in the VIP section and sat down, not caring in the slightest whom it was reserved for. I crossed my legs, clasped my hands together, and watched as the show began.The first models came and went, each exuding a kind of elegance that captivated the crowd. But I was growing impatient.Then, the curtains drew back—and out walked the only person I was certain everyone had come to see.She embodied elegance. She didn’t just walk the runway—she owned it. She moved with a confidence most women could only dream of. The sparkle in her eyes made one thing clear: she loved the attention. Everyone was ent
ELENA My hands tightened around the gun in my purse. I had Sarah behind me as I led her out of the backstage. My white dress was splattered with blood—it looked like something out of a horror movie. I probably looked just like Deluca had when he waltzed into the place with confidence, despite being stained from head to toe in blood.I had just finished changing when I heard the gunshots. My heart pounded with fear—fear for the life of my best friend, who had stubbornly followed me to the show.I came across a dead makeup artist with a gunshot wound to her head. I sidestepped her body and rushed to my purse, pulling out the gun.I turned down the hallway that led in and out and heard another shot go off. Blood splattered onto me, but I didn’t hesitate—I fired two quick shots.I had found Sarah being held at gunpoint and had shot the man before dragging her out to the stage.But I was confused by the chaos unfolding in the venue. Every dignitary was running, as though they had no train
DELUCA I stared straight at Elena whose eyes held a faraway look in them and briefly began to wonder what was going through her head.She gave a soft undetectable sigh before turning to glance at her still in a trance friend, curled up right into Lucas who held her to him as her eyes dropped with exhaustion."Someone tried to kill you once again today" I began, taking my eyes off of her friend and back to her and she sniffed before responding."Obviously""That doesn't bother you?" I probed with curiosity."Should it?" She sent back with a cold stare and I shrugged slowly, she was acting as though this was now normal occurrence for her and from the tabs I'd been keeping on her, it would seem so."You know, my offer still sta-""You owe me a favor Mr Deluca. Instead of selling your market, why don't you focus on paying back huh..?" She fixed me with a fake sweet smile just as the car came to a stop and she tapped her friend while pushing open the door.I didn't go after her, not this
ELENA I never imagined the day would come when the man I loved would be reduced to nothing more than a memory, his presence fading into the cold stone of his tomb. My knees ached from kneeling on the cold ground for so long, but the pain was nothing compared to the emptiness his sudden death had left in my heart. As I closed my eyes and ran my fingers lightly over his tomb, a part of me clung to the impossible hope that he would respond—that he would reach out, just as he always did, and gently pull me into his arms, lulling me to sleep like before. But the silence was deafening, and the cold stone beneath my touch only reminded me of the cruel reality—Lorenzo Russo—my husband, the powerful mafia don whose double life I barely understood—is gone. I felt someone gently pulling me by the shoulder. But, I remain rooted in my spot. “Elena, it’s time,” my father said, his voice firm yet laced with the quiet comfort only he could offer. It was time to lay my husband to rest. As the w
DELUCA The drive back to the estate was shorter than I had anticipated—or perhaps I had been too lost in my thoughts to notice the distance from the cemetery to Lake Michigan.Elena.I muttered her name under my breath, the sound barely audible over the hum of the engine. Seeing her reaction at the cemetery had been... unexpected. Surprising, even, compared to everything I had heard about her.I leaned back in my seat, closing my eyes for a moment as her image flashed before me—young, bold, fierce, and simply captivating. For years, I had seen her face on the front pages of Chicago’s magazines, always untouchable, always out of reach. I had known there was something about her that intrigued me. But seeing her up close? That was different.A sudden surge of anger made me tightened my grip on the armrest."That son of a bitch!" I growled, my voice sharper than I intended.Lucas, seated across from me, raised an eyebrow. He had been my childhood friend, my business partner—the only man
ELENA The moment we arrived at Lorenzo’s mansion, my mind was fixated on the not-so-tiny box in my hands.Lorenzo had always been generous with gifts, often surprising me with presents whenever he returned from a business trip. But this one was different. Why? Because it could either hold the answers I desperately sought—or something far more dangerous.As soon as I stepped out of the car, I ignored the staff’s greetings and headed straight to my room, my pulse quickening with every step.Inside the master bedroom I once shared with Lorenzo, I swiftly locked the door and tore the box open with urgency.A small note fluttered to the floor."Be careful. They are watching your every move."My breath hitched. My gaze snapped back to the box, and my stomach dropped when I saw what lay inside—a pistol.A sudden knock on the door nearly made me jump out of my skin.Heart pounding, I realized I was still wearing my heels. I quickly slipped them off and shoved the box’s contents under my pill
DELUCAAs I stepped into the office that morning, my mind was set on one thing—something I needed to handle before attending to any other business."Good morning, sir. I brought your coffee," Nicole, my secretary, said, placing the cup on my desk.As she leaned forward, the neckline of her dress dipped just enough to offer a tempting view. She was petite, her curves more pronounced than her frame suggested. Her face wasn’t striking, but those curves? They more than made up for it.I didn’t bother looking away. I knew she wanted me—her lingering glances, the way she always found reasons to be close. All it would take was a few words from me.I cleared my throat, a silent reminder that the show was over. She straightened, adjusting her dress with a knowing smirk."I'll be at my desk, sir."I gave a curt nod.But she wasn’t the one I wanted. The only woman I wanted to hear screaming my name while I was fucking her probably hated me right now. And that was the real problem.Back to the ma
DELUCA I stared straight at Elena whose eyes held a faraway look in them and briefly began to wonder what was going through her head.She gave a soft undetectable sigh before turning to glance at her still in a trance friend, curled up right into Lucas who held her to him as her eyes dropped with exhaustion."Someone tried to kill you once again today" I began, taking my eyes off of her friend and back to her and she sniffed before responding."Obviously""That doesn't bother you?" I probed with curiosity."Should it?" She sent back with a cold stare and I shrugged slowly, she was acting as though this was now normal occurrence for her and from the tabs I'd been keeping on her, it would seem so."You know, my offer still sta-""You owe me a favor Mr Deluca. Instead of selling your market, why don't you focus on paying back huh..?" She fixed me with a fake sweet smile just as the car came to a stop and she tapped her friend while pushing open the door.I didn't go after her, not this
ELENA My hands tightened around the gun in my purse. I had Sarah behind me as I led her out of the backstage. My white dress was splattered with blood—it looked like something out of a horror movie. I probably looked just like Deluca had when he waltzed into the place with confidence, despite being stained from head to toe in blood.I had just finished changing when I heard the gunshots. My heart pounded with fear—fear for the life of my best friend, who had stubbornly followed me to the show.I came across a dead makeup artist with a gunshot wound to her head. I sidestepped her body and rushed to my purse, pulling out the gun.I turned down the hallway that led in and out and heard another shot go off. Blood splattered onto me, but I didn’t hesitate—I fired two quick shots.I had found Sarah being held at gunpoint and had shot the man before dragging her out to the stage.But I was confused by the chaos unfolding in the venue. Every dignitary was running, as though they had no train
DELUCA Waltzing into the arena, my body smeared with blood and my confidence soaring—perhaps for the first time in my life—stares and murmurs followed my every move. Everyone was either curious or, more likely, terrified of whose blood I wore like a trophy.I felt better. Two down, two to go.And Lucas had finally freed himself from that bloodsucking leech, Madeline.I coolly pulled out a chair in the VIP section and sat down, not caring in the slightest whom it was reserved for. I crossed my legs, clasped my hands together, and watched as the show began.The first models came and went, each exuding a kind of elegance that captivated the crowd. But I was growing impatient.Then, the curtains drew back—and out walked the only person I was certain everyone had come to see.She embodied elegance. She didn’t just walk the runway—she owned it. She moved with a confidence most women could only dream of. The sparkle in her eyes made one thing clear: she loved the attention. Everyone was ent
ELENA I refused to regret not taking the car—or Mr. Leo—along. I could’ve made a quick change and saved time, but the truth was, I had achieved my mission. That alone made it worth it.I’d helped DeLuca.Now, he owes me.But my small victory was short-lived. My smile faded the moment I saw a figure standing at the entrance, arms folded. As I got closer, I recognized her.Sarah.Thankfully, I’d already taken off the mask I used earlier.“It’s about time,” she said, voice flat.I ignored her tone, parked the bike in a hurry, and rushed past her, heading upstairs to my room for a quick shower.“Please inform Mr. Leo to get the car ready,” I tossed over my shoulder without slowing down.To my surprise, Sarah didn’t argue. She just watched me go, silent.~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Ten minutes later…I stepped out of the house and Sarah was nowhere in sight. Relief washed over me. Maybe she was letting me off the hook—for now. I didn’t have the time or energy for one of her lectures tonight
DELUCA I was surprised—shocked, even—and it showed on my face.I had prided myself on the ability to remain unshaken after the life I’d lived, but this infuriating woman surprised me daily.And this… this was the height of it.I looked around as I stood up, only to discover she was nowhere to be found.Lucas gave me an ear-splitting grin as he hopped over to me. I cut away his ropes.“Where is she?” I asked.He shrugged, but when I glared at him, he finally spoke.“She left.”“What do you mean she left?” My brows furrowed in frustration.“She did. She told me to shut up and disappeared into the night,” he said with that same irritating shrug before bending down to pick up a groaning Colton, whose eyes were starting to flutter open.“Do I send him back?”I looked at Colton and decided it was time he watched.Time he stopped being a child and finally understood what I had been protecting him from.Maybe then he’d stop being such a blabbermouth.Such an idiot.For years, I’d protected h
ElenaAs we drove back to the mansion, I suddenly had an idea—A very bad idea that could get me killed.I stayed calm until we got to the house. Sarah made an excuse to go clean up in her room, and I took that as my opportunity to hash out my ridiculous plan.If I could help rescue—or at least assist—Deluca, he’d owe me a debt, and he'd want to repay it.That was when my ridiculous plan got interesting enough for me to actually go through with it.I called his line, and an unknown male picked up.“What do you want?” he barked into the phone.I was already tapping on my laptop, tracing the call to its current location.“I was hoping to talk to the owner of the cell,” I began, dragging out my purpose for calling. He took the bait like a fool.“He’s not available. Who’s talking?” he demanded.Just then, my laptop gave a sharp ping. I quickly disconnected the call.My lips curved into a triumphant grin.I got dressed, not forgetting my face mask, and silently slipped out of the mansion.
DelucaA groan slipped past my lips as I forced my eyes open, instinctively trying to palm my head with my hands—only to find it hard to do so.Pain radiated from the back of my head as I slowly but surely glanced around, instantly spotting three men standing around me. Beside me sat an awake Lucas.“You awake yet?” he asked, his voice dripping with sarcasm.A slow smile tugged at my lips.“You still have the head to smile, bastard,” Lucas cussed, though amusement colored his tone.“What... happened?” I asked quietly. He gave me a look—and then it all came rushing back. I squeezed my eyes shut.That happened.“That happened,” I whispered, and he whistled.“No, we’re dreaming,” he said with mocking condescension, and I knew I deserved it—for not keeping a level head when I got that call.All I’d felt was rage. I still felt it. But I knew I needed to stay calm now.“Then we’ve got to wake up,” I muttered.I shot him a sharp glare, but he waved me off with a goofy look.“I know you’re my
ElenaA ping alerted me to a text on my phone. It looked like it was from Lucas, but I couldn’t decipher what the words meant.I gave Sarah a look across the breakfast table and turned the phone to her.She read through it and gave me a shrug.“Maybe ask one of their own?” she suggested, an unsure look on her face. I gave it some thought.As much as I didn’t want to have anything to do with them, they were slowly but surely pulling me into their affairs.This could be a way to get something on them—something that might force them to start telling me what I wanted to know.I stood up and nodded at Sarah. She gave me a look before standing up, too.“If you’re going, I’m going,” she declared.I gave her a disbelieving look.What did she think she was doing?“Um... no, you’re not,” I began, but she shushed me with a raised palm.That was insulting, but she was my friend, and I did that to her all the time—so maybe…“I want to help. Why? Think I’m too frail?” she cocked an eyebrow at me.I
DelucaMy hands clenched into fists as I watched Lucas work on his laptop, trying to uncover Ramsey’s hidden location.We had been at this for two straight days without a single moment of rest, and it was beginning to take its toll on all of us.Madeline slept on the couch, occasionally snoring—and it grated heavily on my nerves.I sighed, unclenching my fists and resting my head in my hands.My head was pounding, and with nothing to show for it, I was growing more and more agitated.It had been easy to pull up a photo of her, but tracking down her location was taking far longer than I’d like.My brows furrowed as the sharp, shrill sound of my ringtone pierced the otherwise silent room. I calmly grabbed the phone.Boldly written on the screen were two words: “Unknown Caller.”I picked up without a second thought, placing it to my ear.“We have Colton.”My spine snapped straight, and my eyes squeezed shut.What was it with Colton always getting kidnapped for ransom?“I know you’ve been