40Alaric’s POV My meeting today was set to be the kind that would shake the ground beneath any man’s feet—just not mine. I’d built my life around avoiding these traps, these landmines of misplaced trust. Yet here I was, facing the reality that one of my own allies had potentially turned on us. I’d spent the past few hours steeling myself, sharpening the edge that would get me through this conversation.A few minutes later, Allesio joined me, a grim look in his eyes that mirrored my own.“Ready?” he asked.I nodded, reaching for my coat. “Let’s go.”I walked out of the house briskly, ignoring Irene who was just setting the table for breakfast. Allesio followed behind me and soon we were inside the dar, Allesio behind the wheels, and speeding out of the compound.The drive was silent. Allesio was as focused as I was, his gaze fixed on the road, hands steady on the wheel. He knew the stakes just as well as I did—if I was right about this betrayal, then everything we’d worked to build
41Emilia’s POV I walked out of the room, a frown forming on my face as I made my way to the stairs. Irene had called my phone a few minutes ago. She’d asked me to meet her in the main living room. Her tone had been light casual but it had seemed like she was holding back a smile.Finally, I got to the living room and halted, my eyes going wide. The room was filled with people I didn’t know, men and women. At least a dozen. And they were all dressed in crisp uniforms, standing in a neat line. I hesistated. They were not part of Alaric’s men that were always in the shadows of the house.Irene caught my eye and waved me over, her face warm with a welcoming smile. “Come on in, Emilia,” she said, gesturing for me to stand beside her. “There’s someone I’d like you to meet—or rather, someones.”I stepped closer, almost shrinking under the dozen curious eyes on me. It was strange; I had been living here for weeks now and had never seen any of these people before. I recognized the occasional
42Alaric’s POV I sighed a document and pushed it to the side, wanting to dive straight into another document when my phone vibrated with a tone that I had set specifically for Allesio’s texts.“Meet me at the hideout. Now.”I read it once again before dropping my pen and puttimg my phone into my pants pocket as I got up from my chair. I didn’t waste time I heading out of the house at all.I got to Allesio’s hideout barely thirty minutes later. It was a small building tucking into a quiet, dark part of the city. It wasn’t the sort of place anyone would think to look for me, which was the point. Stepping inside, the faint smell of dust and old leather filled my nose and clouded over my senses. Allesio was standing before a table, a grim look on his face as he stared at the stack of papers spread across the table.“Boss,” he greeted, nodding as I approached. “I’ve been following Ferraro as you requested, and I’ve got everything here. And what I have here…I think it’s evidence enough. W
43Emilia’s POV I walked up the steps to Matteo’s new apartment building, clutching a paper bag filled with pastries from a café I’d passed on my way over. It was a breezy morning, the kind of weather that should make you feel light and hopeful, but my stomach was knotted with nerves. I hadn’t seen Matteo since the day he moved in, and while we’d exchanged a few texts, I couldn’t shake the feeling that I’d been neglecting him, wrapped up in my own mess.The elevator ride was short, but it felt like forever. I tried to steady my breath, thinking about what I’d say. I wanted to apologize for not visiting sooner, for not being there when he was discharged. But I knew Matteo. He’d brush it off like it was nothing, make some joke to put me at ease. It was just his way.I knocked twice on his door, a quick rap of knuckles against the wood, then took a step back. The door swung open almost immediately, like he’d been standing there waiting.“Emilia!” Matteo’s face lit up in a wide grin, and
44Alaric’s POV The room was dimly lit, casting shadows over the faces of the gathered men, but that was intentional. I wanted the tension thick, the stakes apparent to everyone seated around the long, polished table. The neutral meeting location, an old mansion off the beaten path, was chosen to ensure no one could claim an advantage of home turf. Guiseppe sat near the head of the table, his expression stormy as he scanned the faces of everyone gathered. Key allies lined the sides, watching in uneasy silence as we prepared to lay bare the betrayal that had snaked its way into our circle.I caught Ferraro’s gaze briefly as I walked in, noting the way he held himself. Confident, almost smug—he didn’t know yet. The traitorous family sat closest to the door, as if they had someplace to be. Good. I wanted them thinking about exits because, by the end of this meeting, they wouldn’t have many left.“Gentlemen,” I said, taking my seat across from Guiseppe, who gave me a nod of acknowledgmen
45Emilia’s POV The mall was busy for a weekday morning, but I had promised myself a little bit of shopping. I needed a distraction—something to clear my head and make me feel a tad bit normal. I’d finally received my first paycheck as Francesca’s nanny, and while it wasn’t a lot, it was mine. I felt a strange sense of pride as I held the crisp bills in my wallet, like I had achieved something tangible on my own.I pushed open the glass doors of the mall and stepped inside, the cool blast of air conditioning a welcome relief from the heat outside. It felt good to be out here, on my own, away from the constant watchful eyes in Alaric’s mansion. I loved Francesca, but there was something freeing about moving through a crowd anonymously, blending in with the regular people going about their everyday lives.I headed straight for the clothing section of my favorite store, losing myself among racks of jeans and dresses. It had been a while since I’d shopped for myself without feeling guilt
46Alaric’s POV I leaned back in my chair, staring at the sea of spreadsheets on my laptop screen, barely paying attention as Allesio rattled off a list of last-minute details for the event. In theory, this charity gathering should be simple: a few speeches, a good meal, a little wine, and a lot of handshaking. But when you mix mafia families into the equation, even a simple charity event becomes a delicate balancing act.The irony wasn’t lost on me. Here we were, a room full of criminals, putting on our best smiles for the sake of charity. It wasn’t all smoke and mirrors, though. Despite our reputations, the money raised tonight would go straight to St. Catherine’s Orphanage, a place that had done good work for decades. I’d seen those kids before—lost, scared, desperate for a chance. Giving them that chance was something I could live with, a way to clean a bit of the blood off my hands, even if only symbolically.“Alaric?” Allesio’s voice cut through my thoughts. “Did you hear me?”
47Emilia’s POV I had gotten used to sorting through the endless parade of correspondence addressed to Alaric and his associates—party invitations, business proposals, invoices from expensive vendors. Since everyone was busy with Alaric’s party preparations, I had decided to do it today again.I sat in the living room, sorting all of them out. Most of them were glossy pamphlets and bills.There was a plain white envelope I was about to toss to another side but paused, turning the envelope around. There was no return address, just my name written on the front in thin, spidery handwriting.My name. Not Alaric’s. Not Francesca’s. Mine.I should’ve ignored it. I should’ve set it aside with the rest of the envelopes for the staff to sort through. But something made me pause. Maybe it was the way my name looked, spelled out in ink, as if the writer knew me, had thought carefully about what they were going to say.I took the letter and slipped it into the back pocket of my jeans, telling my
308Rosa’s POV The morning light streamed through the curtains, casting a soft glow over the apartment. I sat on the couch, nursing a cup of coffee, my fingers drumming against the ceramic. I’d come back to the states three days ago to finally pack up and move back to Italy. Across from me, Emilia stared, her lips pursed like she was trying to figure out how to respond to what I’d just told her.“You’re leaving,” she finally said, and it wasn’t a question.I nodded. “Yeah. I think it’s time.”She exhaled, leaning back against the couch. “Time for what? To run away? To bury yourself in business deals and pretend like you don’t care?”I rolled my eyes. “I’m not running away.”Emilia shot me a pointed look. “Rosa, please.”I sighed, setting my cup down. “I need a break. And I need to be there for my father. He’s been handling everything on his own for too long. It’s about time I stepped up.”She folded her arms. “And Allesio?”My stomach clenched at the mention of his name. I forced mys
307Allesio’s POV The whiskey burned on the way down, but it wasn’t enough to numb the ache in my chest. Nothing was. The dimly lit bar around me hummed with the usual noise—clinking glasses, quiet chatter, the occasional burst of laughter that grated on my nerves. It was ironic how the world kept spinning, people kept living, and I was stuck in this endless loop of regret and self-destruction.I swirled the amber liquid in my glass, staring at it like it held the answers to my misery. Maybe if I drank enough, I’d finally stop seeing her face every time I closed my eyes. Maybe I’d stop hearing her voice in my head, the way she told me to stop chasing her like I was nothing more than an annoying shadow she couldn’t shake off.The bar stool next to me scraped against the floor, but I didn’t look up. I already knew who it was. Only one person would be stupid enough to come find me when I clearly wanted to be alone.Alaric sighed, loud and unimpressed. “How long are you going to do this?
306Rosa’s POV The jet lag hadn’t hit me yet, but I was already very exhausted and felt done for the day.Italy looked the same as it always did—beautiful, timeless, like it existed in a different universe from the chaos I had left behind. I inhaled the crisp evening air as I stepped out of the sleek black car, the grand estate standing wide in front of me. The Smith family mansion. My father’s empire.The guards stationed outside barely blinked at my arrival, nodding respectfully as I walked past them. I had never lived here full-time, but it was still home in some ways. A piece of me, whether I wanted to admit it or not.The grand doors opened before I could even knock, and there he was—Romano Smith. The infamous Don. My father. He looked the same, even though it seemed he had grown older since the last time I saw him. He was dressed in his usual crisp three-piece suit, his silver hair combed back, his sharp eyes studying me the way they always did, like he was seeing everything I
305Allesio’s POV I couldn’t live without her.Not just in the poetic, tortured way people talk about when they lose someone they love. No, this was worse. This was physical, a gnawing emptiness in my chest that only got worse with each passing day. I had tried everything to forget her—drinking, fighting, drowning myself in work. But nothing helped. Nothing came close to filling the void she left behind.I had been a coward. A liar. A manipulative bastard. And now, I was paying the price for it.“Are you even listening to me?” Alaric’s voice cut through my thoughts, his irritation clear.I looked up from my drink, barely focusing on him. “Not really.”Alaric sighed, rubbing his temples. “I said, let her go.”I scoffed. “Like you ever let Emilia go?”His jaw tightened. “That’s different.”“Is it?” I leaned forward. “Because I remember a time when she hated your guts too. When she wanted nothing to do with you.”“And I gave her time,” he shot back. “I didn’t chase her down like a despe
304Rosa’s POV The moment I stepped out of the ballroom, I knew I should have just stayed in tonight. I should have ignored Emilia’s gentle nudging, should have turned off my phone, should have stayed curled up in bed with a book I wasn’t really reading. Because now, standing in the grand foyer of this ridiculous charity event, I felt like an idiot.I walked away from Allesio like he was nothing. Like seeing him after all this time didn’t shake me down to my bones. Like the way he said my name didn’t make my throat tight. But I did it. I walked away.And I should have kept walking. Should have gotten into a car and gone home. But no. I needed a damn drink first.I made my way to the bar, ordering a glass of champagne, something crisp and dry that wouldn’t sit too heavy on my tongue. Something to remind me that I was fine. I was moving on.And then I saw her.Tall. Elegant. Brunette. Draped in a silk gown that screamed old money and good taste. She laughed at something he said, her pe
303Allesio’s POV The car rolled to a smooth stop in front of the grand hotel, its towering glass windows reflecting the golden glow of the city lights. I adjusted my cufflinks, barely listening to Alaric giving instructions to one of his men over the phone. Another pointless charity event, another night pretending to care about something other than the mess I’d made of my life.Inside, the ballroom was dripping in luxury—crystal chandeliers, waiters in crisp uniforms weaving through the crowd with silver trays, and the endless murmur of people pretending they weren’t all rotten beneath their polished exteriors. I grabbed a glass of whiskey from a passing waiter and took a slow sip, scanning the room with idle disinterest.And then I saw her.Rosa.My grip on the glass tightened. For a second, I thought I was seeing things, some cruel trick my exhausted mind was playing on me. But no, it was her. The curve of her jaw, the way her dress hugged her figure like it was made for her. Her
302Allesio’s POV The whiskey burned its way down my throat, but the ache in my chest didn’t ease. It never did, no matter how many glasses I downed, no matter how many fists I threw at nameless men in dark alleyways. I was becoming reckless, but I didn’t give a damn. Maybe if I pushed hard enough, if I destroyed myself enough, the guilt would stop gnawing at me.It never did.“You look like shit,” Alaric said, dropping into the seat across from me in the dimly lit bar. “And you smell worse.”I smirked, lifting my glass in a mock toast. “Cheers to that.”His jaw ticked. “This is getting pathetic.”“What’s pathetic is you tracking me down like a goddamn babysitter.” I tossed back another drink and signaled for another. The bartender hesitated, eyes flicking to Alaric, but I shot him a glare. He poured it. Good man.Alaric exhaled sharply, his patience thinning. “You’re fighting like you’ve got nothing to lose.”I chuckled darkly. “Because I don’t.”“That’s bullshit, and you know it.”
301Rosa’s POVThe restaurant was nice. Upscale but not overly pretentious, the kind of place where the waiters wore crisp white shirts but didn’t look like they wanted to strangle themselves with their ties. Candlelight flickered across the polished wood table, catching the deep red of my wine as I swirled it in my glass. Across from me, Jason—or was it Jacob?—smiled, teeth perfectly straight, dimples popping like he had been genetically engineered to charm.I smiled back. It wasn’t hard. He was attractive, well-dressed, and had that effortless confidence that came with knowing you were objectively good-looking. He was saying something about his job—finance, obviously—and I nodded like I was interested. I should have been interested.Instead, my mind drifted to the last time I had sat across from a man at a restaurant. The heat in Allesio’s gaze, the way he had leaned back in his chair like he owned the whole damn place—and maybe he did. The way his hand had rested on my thigh under
300Allesio’s POV The tension in the room was thick enough to cut with a knife. Alaric sat at the head of the long mahogany table, his jaw clenched, fingers drumming impatiently against the polished wood. Around him, his most trusted men stood at attention, awaiting orders.“She only took her car and even that’s untraceable. No flights booked in her name. No trace of her anywhere,” one of the men reported.Alaric exhaled sharply, shaking his head. “I don’t give a damn how much it costs—find them. If they’re hiding, make them regret it.”I sat back in my chair, rubbing a hand down my face. This was getting out of control. I had been barely holding it together as it was, knowing Rosa had shut me out completely. The only thing keeping me from losing it entirely was the fact that Alaric was just as on edge. Maybe more. He was spiraling without Emilia, and I couldn’t blame him. It had been days. No calls. No messages. Nothing. And with Emilia being pregnant? Yeah, he was losing his mind.