KIRA’S POVMy first task was to hit ten consecutive targets at the shooting range. When I asked Adrian to help me become stronger, this wasn’t exactly what I had envisioned. I had hoped he would teach me how to be emotionless and reserved like him, but it seemed Adrian had other plans. The next day, he sent Romano to escort me to the mansion’s shooting range."Ever fired a gun before?" Adrian asked, handing me a sleek pistol."I've practiced,” I replied, "but never actually shot at targets.”My father made sure we learned how to shoot, he said we needed to be able to protect ourselves from any form of danger if the day ever came. However, I never took it seriously because I was never allowed within ten feet of the outside world beyond the mansion. Until now that is.Adrian's smirk hinted at doubt, “Go off," he said walking out of the pit.I took a deep breath, trying to steady my hands, as I focused. The first few shots
KIRA’S POV“You look stunning!” My stylist Emma squealed once I came out of the changing room. She had offered to come to the house for the fitting but I declined because I wanted to leave the house. No, I needed to leave the house!All week Adrian has been on my ass, I was taking shooting lessons and Ralph my new personal trainer was grilling me in the gym. Adrian said and I quote, ‘Weak people are a liability, physical strength is just as important as mental toughness’Whatever that means!Romano was always there, even during my gym sessions. At first, I was uncomfortable, but I had grown used to the gigantic robot man always lurking in the corner.I am almost certain he isn't human.“What do you think,” Emma asked looking up at me.‘What do I think? I think I need to rest, I need to eat. I’m so freaking sore all over!’ I screamed in my head. God, I see what that sounds like.“It’s beautifu
ADRIAN’S POVI stood by the window of my penthouse, sipping a glass of fine scotch and gazing out at the city's twinkling lights. After leaving Kira at lunch yesterday I had holed myself up in here, the weight of responsibility settling heavy on my shoulders.Tonight, I will officially become the Don.My thoughts drifted to my father, the man who had built our empire on bloodshed and deceit. I spat on his legacy.That monster had sacrificed everything and everyone for power. Including me.I remembered the day I was sentenced to prison, taking the fall for one of his deals gone sour, we had a deal. I would take over once I got out; but after the final hearing, as I was being led away. He looked at me like he would never see me again like I wouldn’t make it out.But I survived.Inside those walls, I had encountered countless attempts in my life. I was convinced my father had sent them, hoping to eliminate the one person wh
KIRA’S POV My breath hitched in my throat as I felt all eyes on me. I could hear the whispers increase as I moved down the stairs. Were they talking about me? I kept my head high, willing to stay strong. This wasn’t the time to be sentimental. I made my way to the stage where Adrian stood, trying hard not to trip in this absurdly expensive dress, and took my place beside him.“Father,” I whispered, slightly bowing to acknowledge Paulo’s presence. My heart thumped wildly as I felt the heavy weight of the necklace pulling me back to reality. My hand instinctively darted up to touch the exquisite jewelry. Thank God I’d found it; otherwise, Adrian’s mother would have probably skinned me alive—assuming she got to me before Adrian did.“Welcome my dear.” He replied, humming with dismissiveness. I guess I was right on time!“You’re late.” Adrian hissed under his breath, his cold eyes boring into my soul. “I had some minor dress issues to attend to, I’m sorry.” I averted my gaze, unwillin
KIRA’S POV“Instead of pointing guns, maybe you should focus on controlling your wife, Azrael,” Fabrizio sneered, his eyes drilling into me. “She was the one throwing herself at me. Knowing you, I’d think you’d warn her about men like me. So, let’s not pretend I’m the one to blame here.”My heart dropped. “No… I didn’t—he’s lying.” I stammered, glancing at Adrian, his expression was frigid and unreadable. My gaze flicked to Paulo, standing nearby, his face barely masking the storm brewing beneath.The man Adrian had called Caruso earlier, spoke up, his voice as icy as the atmosphere around us. “Let Mancini go, and we’ll release your girl. There’s no need to turn your inauguration into a bloodbath.”Adrian released Fabrizio’s collar, sending him stumbling backward. Everyone still had their guns up and that just made the sickening feeling in my stomach grow with each passing second. Almost immediately, Romano pushed from between the crowd, making his way to me, “Did he harm you in any
ADRIAN'S POV“So, what was the plan, Adrian? Murder me and make it look like an accident while you fool around with a… a…” her voice fell as she pointed a finger at Jess–or Jeanie hell if I knew her name. “Whore…” I finished for her, not bothering to hide my amusement as a smirk curled on my lips. She couldn’t even call the woman I was supposedly cheating on her with a whore to her face. Pathetic!This wasn’t cheating. I was as free as a man could be since this marriage is a fucking farce. She wanted Dylan’s dick, and I wanted nothing to do with her. To me, Kira Neel was nothing more than a social experiment that had gone terribly wrong. She wore her emotions on her sleeve, a foolish trait that will eventually get her killed in my world, and no amount of training will change that.For as long as I can remember, I have gone out of my way to avoid people and unnecessary conversations, keeping my thoughts and presence a mystery. If they knew what you were thinking, you couldn't put a b
KIRA’S POVI walked into the house quietly, craving nothing more than a long, cold shower and some sleep. My feet dragged across the cool tiles as I inched toward my bedroom. Once inside, I shut the door lazily and dropped my fanny pack onto the bed before pulling my hair into a bun.“Ugh…” I groaned as I peeled off my sweat-soaked sports bra. The relief of having it off was immediate. I tossed it into the laundry basket before hooking my thumbs into the waistband of my shorts.Before I could pull them down, I heard someone make a tsking sound from the other side of the door. It sounded closer than usual, which was odd, but I turned my head around to look and met a familiar pair of dark brown eyes I knew too well. I didn’t shut the door well!“Ah! What the hell?” I yelped, dragging my duvet from off the bed and using it to cover my chest, before turning back around. “Why did you stop? I was enjoying the little show.” Dylan smir
KIRA’S POVA huge hand was placed over my mouth and nose, and I braced myself to pass out amidst my little struggle to free myself. Whoever this person was had an iron grip because no matter how hard I twisted or kicked, they didn’t release me. “L…Let me go!” I struggled, muffling into the napkin, hoping that the perpetrator would comply.I was pulled deeper into the shadows, and within a few seconds, Adrian stepped out of the room. He was so sweaty that it was visible on the white shirt he wore. The sleeves had been rolled up and his broad muscles flexed subtly underneath the shirt as I watched in shock. Adrian was torturing that man—but why? I knew life in a mafia household, the Vasillios household came with its complications, but I never imagined witnessing a man being branded with a hot iron would be one of them. My father had always kept his work away from the house.“Romano!” He called out, glancing at where we hid in the shadows.
ADRIÁN’S POV“One… Four… Fifty-fucking-nine… One hundred.” I counted nothing while staring into nothingness.I turned to my side, eyes drawn to the slow rise and fall of her chest, her plump, perfect breasts moving with each quiet breath.Her brows creased—a flicker of discomfort, a nightmare taking hold.My hands curled into fists. Was she dreaming of something terrible? Of someone hurting her?I wanted to crush the nightmare. Rip it apart and make it better.She moved slowly, and the blanket moved from her body, and her perfect perky breasts came into view.I watched her pink lips pout slowly as she slept, and my cock resurrected again. I envisaged savaging her, devouring her pussy while she slept, wondering how she would react to that.I moved a strand of her wild brunette hair from her face and she sunk into the pillow, her legs brushing against my cock unintentionally. “Fuck!” I stiffened.A crazy thought ran through my head. No…more like a shipment of them.Thoughts like pinni
KIRA’S POV“Fuck,” he murmured, pulling back slightly, his lips were swollen. He glared at me as though he were searching for something. I peered at the woman lying down lifelessly on the floor.“There is literally a dead woman right here Adrian,” I whispered as though he could hear me. I whispered as if she could hear me.He stared at me for a beat, the same unreadable expression on his face, before letting out a sigh, or was it a curse? I wasn’t sure. I was too horned out to care.And that’s a problem why?” He raised a brow, looking at me like I was the crazy one.I scowled. “We’re disrespecting the dead. I can’t have sex in front of a corpse! What if she starts haunting my dreams?”His lips curled into a smirk. “Who said anything about sex?”Whatever ecstasy I had felt before instantly evaporated.Shit.How stupid was I to assume we were about to have sex? He must think I’m a desperate, sex-craving mess.God, this is so embarrassing.“I—I, um, I thought w-we—”Before I could finis
KIRA POVI take it back…Adrian Vasilios was a heartless bastard who didn’t deserve an ounce of kindness from me.“Kira, wait,” his voice chased after me, urgent, relentless.I pretended not to hear him and continued walking.He has nothing to say to me?I ignored him and kept walking, my vision blurring with unshed tears. I had no right to cry… we weren’t a couple, we weren’t even speaking, but that didn’t stop the ache in my chest. He’d had her in the kitchen where we eat. God knows what had already happened before I walked in.Before I could reach the spiral staircase, a rough hand grabbed my wrist, stopping me in my tracks.Damn, my short legs.I spun around, yanking my arm free, and shot him a glare sharp enough to cut. He stared at me with something infuriatingly soft in his expression. His shirt was back on, but his belt hung loose around his waist, and his hair was still a mess, a damning reminder of exactly what I’d just walked in on.“What do you want, Adrian?” My voice was
KIRA’S POVI threw on a regular tee, having no idea what Antonio had planned for us—or even where we were going. But I wasn’t worried. Unlike Adrian and his other men, Antonio seemed more relaxed, almost laid-back. I had no doubt I was in safe hands.Antonio told me to meet him in the penthouse garage, and for some reason, it didn’t even cross my mind to mention that I had never been there before. Thankfully, one of the hotel guides who had brought in my luggage showed me the way.When I arrived, I found Antonio leaning casually against a sleek blue Lamborghini. And wow…the car was gorgeous.But what really caught my attention was Antonio himself.He had changed into a tux, the kind you’d wear to an important event. He stared at me, rubbing his hands together before huffing in clear disapproval as he assessed my very simple outfit.Suddenly, I felt like I had done something wrong.I was underdressed.“So, did you have something important planned?” I asked, tilting my head. “You don’t
KIRA'S POVWe all waited until barely a minute later Dylan finally appeared with another man, offering a smooth apology for his absence. He claimed he had to take care of some things…and I knew exactly what those ‘things’ were. My stomach twisted as I watched him move over to Kayla, and kiss her forehead as he slid an arm around Kayla’s waist like he hadn’t just been with someone else.After the toast, Dylan stepped into the center of the room, his voice dripping with charm as he professed his undying love for Kayla. He went on about how excited he was to spend forever with her, how she was the love of his life, and blah, blah, blah.I bit my lip hard, forcing myself to stay quiet. Liar.In the middle of his speech, I noticed his eyes scanning across the room… until it landed on mine. A small, mischievous smirk tugged at the corner of his lips, taunting me. Mocking me. And even while doing that, he didn’t miss a beat, as he effortlessly told his perfect little love story to everyone
KIRA’S POVBefore I could fully process what was happening, Dylan’s voice broke through again. “I didn’t have a choice, Gia, but I promise you, she means nothing to me.”Was Dylan cheating on Kayla? And who was this woman? I was too afraid to move, worried they would discover me.“You’re a fucking liar, Dylan!” Gia’s voice cracked with emotion. “You told me you weren’t going to go through with the wedding, and yet here you are, at this huge engagement party, playing the perfect fiancé. I am not going to be your whore or your mistress. I don’t care if she’s pregnant or not… I deserve better than this.”I felt Dylan move closer to the stalls. Instinct kicked in, and I climbed onto the toilet seat, pressing my back against the cold wall, making myself as small as possible. Through the gap beneath the door, I saw his shadow pause. He was checking to see if they were alone.“You’re not my whore, Gia,” he sighed, his voice low. “I told you…my father made a shitty deal with the Vasillios, so
KIRA’S POVThe dress looks absolutely breathtaking on you, Ma’am,” Emma, the stylist and makeup artist, remarked as she tied the ends of the dress.The dress was a floor-length purple gown, strapless, hugging my curves in all the right places. It was backless, except for the delicate straps that formed a zigzag and were tied just above my waist. I stood staring at myself in the mirror.She was right—I did look breathtaking. My dark hair cascaded down my shoulders, and my silver jewelry made me look somewhat like royalty. If only I felt as good as I looked.Today was… well, you probably guessed it…Dylan and Kayla’s engagement dinner. And I was dreading the event.It had been two days since my kiss with Adrian, and one thing was painfully clear: Adrian Vasillios wished it had never happened.Why do I say that? Well, because he had gone out of his way to avoid me. He left before I woke up, and when he was around, he locked himself in his study. No sarcastic remarks. No tension-laced bant
KIRA’S POV“I might not be able to protect you if shit goes south.”Adrian’s words from the car ran through my head like a bad omen.Was shit about to go south?Oh God.The air in the room thickened and my eyes darted between Adrian and Anatoli.Adrian didn’t blink, he slowly glanced up at the man pressing a gun to his head, with a humorous expression….in contrast to my racing heart, like he knew something I didn’t. He sat up, his gaze shifting back to Anatoli whose eyes were blazing with anger.“Anat…”“No, no, Hadrian. It’s only Antoli to my friends, my whores, and Gorgia,” he gestured toward Gorgia who was licking her spoon in slow, deliberate strokes, her eyes locked on Adrian like everything was perfectly normal and her psychotic perverted husband wasn't trying to kill us. I gagged internally. “And since you’ve made it clear you don’t want to be my friend, it’s Lebazanov to you.”Adrian’s lips twitched slightly, but his eyes stayed cold. “Pardon my Italian manners, Mr. Lebazanov,
KIRA’S POV“Black, then. You have ten minutes,” he said, glancing at his black watch before walking back into the closet. I followed behind him.“Why do I have to wear a blue dress?” I asked, not asking the bigger question—why I had to follow him on this death lunch, why he was willingly sitting down with a man who wanted to kill him, and how he could be so sure that said man wasn't going to try and finish the job and kill me too for the fun of it. My mind reeled with unanswered questions, I already knew he wouldn’t answer.“It’s his favorite color.”I scoffed. “And why exactly do I have to wear his favorite color? Are you trying to pimp me out to him?”“I doubt you're his type, now as much as I would love to get into back-and-forth questions with you, I just took a a medically insane bottle of Painkillers I need to get through this lunch before the effects fucking wears off so you have five minutes,” he said massaging slowly massaging his hand as he walked out of the room, I knew it