EstellaHis left hand slid up, curling around my neck beneath my hair, while his right cupped my chin, holding me in place. I should’ve protested, said something—anything—but my lips parted too late, and the only thing my hesitation accomplished was leaving me wide open for him.His mouth descended, far from gentle. This wasn’t soft or sweet—it was commanding, consuming. His lips crushed mine, searing them with a kiss so fierce I couldn’t tell where I ended and he began. His tongue swept inside, bold and unapologetic, leaving no corner of my mouth unexplored. It wasn’t like Marco’s sloppy kisses. Alejandro’s kiss wasn’t just an action; it was a brand.My head spun, my pulse hammering in my chest, but I didn’t pull away. I couldn’t.One kiss bled into another and another, each one hungrier than the last. His hands slid down, no longer cradling my face but gripping my back, pulling me so close I could feel the steady drum of his heart against mine. I gasped, and before I even realized w
I woke to the smell of him—the woodsy, slightly smoky scent I’d come to crave. Sunlight spilled through the curtains, casting a golden glow on his sleeping form. He looked softer like this, the usual sharpness of his features dulled by sleep.I traced a finger down the slope of his nose, over the stubble on his jaw. My touch was featherlight, careful not to wake him. He’d hate me if he caught me staring like this.But I couldn’t help it. My fingers moved of their own accord, brushing over his lips. God, those lips, the things they did to me. My cheeks flamed as flashes of last night played in my mind—his mouth on my skin, his tongue dragging sinful paths down my body, his voice a low growl between my thighs.I pressed my face into the pillow, stifling a giggle. If someone had told me this would be my life a month ago, I’d have laughed in their face. And yet, here I was. With him. I felt like a teenager, giddy and lightheaded.A loud growl interrupted my thoughts. My stomach. I hadn’t
The elevator dinged, and just like that, he was gone. Coward. I stood there for a moment, staring at the empty hallway, my chest heaving. My heart was beating too fast, my anger climbing higher with every passing second. He left. He fucking left. I wasn’t going to sit here and let him play me. Fool—that’s what I was. A fool for thinking Alejandro could ever want me, let alone keep me by his side. A fool for thinking I could give him my heart He thought he could make decisions for me, like I was some fragile little thing he could wrap up and send away when it suited him. I clenched my fists. Not this time. I wasn’t going to let him run the show. I wasn’t going to sit back and let him play me. Alejandro wasn’t the first man to underestimate me—he just might be the last. I spun around and stormed back into the room I’d been staying in. Every step made my resolve harder, sharper. He could keep his ticket and his plans. If he wanted me gone, fine. But it wouldn’t be on his t
Alejandro The whiskey burned, but not as much as the fucking guilt.The glass was half-empty, the edges smeared where I’d pressed it too hard against my lips.I gripped the glass tighter, staring at the dark amber liquid swirling under the dim lights of the bar. Across the street, the glow of the penthouse windows taunted me. I could’ve been there, should’ve been there—with her.Instead, I was here, drowning in this poison because walking away from her had been the hardest thing I’d ever done. Leaving her felt like tearing myself apart.But it had to be done.I closed my eyes and let the burn trail down my throat as I tipped the glass back again. The bitter truth was louder than the music in the background or the soft hum of conversations around me. She deserved better.Better than me.She deserved better than the mess I’d drag her into. She deserved better than a man who couldn’t promise her safety, let alone a future. I’d made a mistake letting things go so far, letting her under m
Marco parked the car in front of an old warehouse.He stepped out first, moving with that same irritating arrogance. When he moved toward my side of the car, I quickly shoved the door open before he could reach it. I wasn’t going to let him have the satisfaction of opening the door for me.I didn’t need him playing the gentleman. If he thought I was about to play the obedient ex-wife, he had another thing coming.A man jogged over to him, a cocky grin plastered on his face. He handed Marco a small set of keys and winked.“It’s done,” the man said.Marco smirked, shaking his hand. “Good work.”I folded my arms across my chest, glaring. “What are you playing at, Marco?”“Patience, little dove.” His voice was infuriatingly calm, almost smug. “You’ll see soon enough.”The way he said it made my skin crawl. With that, he turned and headed for the warehouse door, leaving me no choice but to follow. My gut told me to run, to find another way out of this madness, but I wasn’t about to give h
“I’m not barren, Marco. For your information.” He froze, his smugness dissolving into stunned confusion. “What?” His eyes dropped to my stomach, his expression twisting with something between repulsion and fury. “Don’t tell me…” His voice rose, cracking. “Don’t tell me you’re pregnant with that bastard’s child.” “Shut up,” I cut him off with an eye roll that barely hid my disgust. “You’ll never change.” His nostrils flared, his face twisting in fury. “How could you? How could you open your legs to him? You—” “It wasn’t for him!” I snapped, cutting him off as my voice broke, loud and raw. “It was for you!” That shut him up His mouth opened and closed like a fish gasping for air. He stared at me, his face pale and drawn. “I was pregnant the day you kicked me out,” I continued, my voice trembling with a fury I’d buried for too long. “I was pregnant until you and your mother killed my child.” The words hit him like a physical blow. He staggered back, his eyes wide with sh
My fist connected with Marco’s face again, the crunch of cartilage followed by the wet splatter of blood. He let out a low grunt, but he didn’t fight back. Instead, he looked up at me, his lips twisted into a bloody grin, a laugh bubbling out of him like this was some kind of sick joke. “You think this is funny?” He spat blood onto the floor, grinning wider. “You’ll never find her, little dove,” he said, his voice hoarse. I saw red. My fists rained down on him, my voice breaking as I screamed, “Where is my mother? Where is she, you bastard?” Marco didn’t answer. He just kept laughing, even as blood ran from his nose, smeared across his chin. His body convulsed with every hit I landed, but still, he didn’t raise a hand to defend himself. “Hit harder,” he taunted, his words slurred. “Put some muscle into it. Maybe if you hit me hard enough, I’ll tell you. Or maybe… I won’t.” “You sick bastard!” I yelled, slamming my fists into his chest. My knuckles stung, but I didn’t c
Alejandro straightened, towering over Marco. His eyes were cold, dark, and dangerous “Where is she?” Alejandro asked, each word laced with the promise of pain.Marco coughed, blood splattering the floor as he looked up with that disgusting grin of his. “Still barking orders like you are in charge, huh? He sneered, his lips twisting into a cruel grin. “Newsflash, De Luca: you’re not. And neither is she.” His eyes darted to me, glinting with maliceAlejandro’s jaw ticked, but he didn’t lash out. “Where is her mother?” Alejandro repeated, his voice tighter now, his patience thinning.Marco chuckled again, a dark, hollow sound. “Why don’t you ask little dove here?” he drawled. “I gave her a choice and a chance. She used to be mine, you know. Always mine. You’ll never change that, no matter how much you try. She’s just my leftover.”I froze, anger boiling in my veins, but Alejandro moved before I could react.Alejandro grabbed one of the lit candles from a nearby table. The flame flicker
Alejandro POVI’d been standing near the restroom door, glancing at my watch, debating whether to check on Estella. Ten minutes had passed since she’d gone in. Too long. I was about to knock when my phone buzzed in my pocket.“Boss, you need to get down here,” Enrique’s voice came through slightly annoyed. “There’s a woman causing a scene, trying to crash in without a pass. Says her name is Camila Ramirez.”Ah, shit. I muttered under my breath. “Just let her through.”He paused. “You sure? She’s—”“Let her through, Enrique.”I ended the call, glancing back at the bathroom door one last time before making my way toward the entrance. Camila and chaos were a package deal. If I didn’t handle her quickly, she’d take the whole night down with her.I found her at the main entrance, arms crossed and glaring daggers at Enrique, who stood as an unyielding wall between her and the event. She was in full dramatic mode, her foot tapping against the marble floor in exaggerated annoyance.When her e
Estella POVMy designs glistened under the spotlights like stars against the night sky. Each piece had been meticulously crafted—not just to be beautiful, but to tell a story.My story.I stood behind the curtains, clutching the edges of my speech cards, though I knew every word by heart. The murmurs of the crowd buzzed like white noise, a reminder of the faces waiting for me on the other side.“Ready?” Alejandro’s voice broke through the noise.I turned to find him standing beside me, his hand resting lightly on my back. His touch warm.“As ready as I’ll ever be,” I said, giving him a tight smile.“You’re going to blow them away,” he said with quiet confidence.The crowd shifted as I stepped onto the stage, every eye drawn to the spotlight that followed me. My heart pounded so loudly it drowned out the faint notes of the jazz band playing in the background.“This collection,” I began, the microphone amplifying my voice across the grand hall, “isn’t just about jewelry. It’s a tribute
The warden escorted the woman in the plain trench coat and oversized scarf down a sterile hallway. Her heels echoed faintly against the cold, tiled floor.“Nurse Hartley,” he barked, stopping by a desk where a woman was flipping through a clipboard. “Visitor for Room 47.”Hartley frowned, her lips tightening. “Helena Valdez? I don’t know why anyone would want to see her.”The woman gave her a sweet smile that didn’t reach her eyes. “She deserves visitors too, doesn’t she?”Hartley snorted. “That one doesn’t need visitors—she needs an exorcist.”The warden frowned at her but said nothing. He handed the woman a visitor’s badge, his gaze on her scarf for a moment before nodding for Hartley to proceed.“I still think this is a mistake,” Hartley muttered as she led the woman down a narrow corridor.When they reached the final door, Hartley paused, glancing at the reinforced glass window. Inside, Helena Valdez sat slouched in her chair, her hair hanging in greasy strands around her face. He
Estella POVThe bathroom door opening pulled my gaze from the sketches in my lap. Alejandro stepped out, a towel slung low around his hips, water trailing down his chest in teasing rivulets.My mouth went dry.He didn’t glance at me immediately, busy ruffling a hand through his damp hair. The movement flexed the muscles in his arm, and for a split second, I forgot how to breathe.When his gaze finally shifted to me, his lips curved.“Caught you staring.”“I wasn’t staring,” I shot back, though my voice lacked conviction.“Right,” he drawled, leaning casually against the doorframe. “You’re just sitting there, wide-eyed, admiring the ceiling?”I glared at him, hoping the heat rushing to my face wasn’t obvious. “Put some clothes on, Alejandro.”“Careful,” he said, his smirk deepening. “You couldn’t hold it in your first night here.”I rolled my eyes, but my stomach fluttered at the memory. “You were wearing shorts underneath.”“Doesn’t mean you weren’t tempted. He said as he grabbed a p
Estella POVThe soft creak of the floorboards must have woken him.I looked up, startled to find Alejandro watching me, his dark eyes alert despite the dim light of the room. His voice, rough from sleep, broke the silence. “What are you doing?”He was stretched out on the couch, looking far too large and uncomfortable in the cramped space. I ignored him and knelt by his feet, opening the first aid kit I’d grabbed from the hall closet. “Stay still,” I said, reaching for his ankle.He shifted, pulling his foot away slightly. “Answer me first.”I grabbed the leg. “Let me,” I said, meeting his gaze briefly before returning my focus to the bite.His resistance faltered, and he leaned back, his eyes never leaving me.I opened the first aid kit beside me, the soft click of the latch the only sound between us.The wound was worse than I thought. The snake’s fangs had left two jagged punctures, the skin around them red and swollen. The faintest bruise was starting to form. I cleaned the area
Alejandro POVEnrique met me by the door.“They’ve been making moves lately,” he said. “We need to strike back.”I clenched my fists, my gaze fixed on the door. “Not yet. Estella comes first. I need to make sure she’s safe.”“I get it. But we can’t let this go unanswered. They need to know they can’t touch us without consequences.”I didn’t look at him. My focus stayed on the silent closed door.“I know,” I said. “And they’ll pay for this. Every fucking one of them. But not yet. Not until I know she’s okay.”The doctor stepped out of Estella’s room, pulling the door closed behind him. His face was calm, but I could tell he wasn’t thrilled with what he had to say.“She’s sleeping now,” he said. “I gave her a sedative. The shock was too much for her.”I nodded, my jaw tight. The image of her shaking, screaming, scrambling onto the bed to escape the snakes was burned into my mind. She hadn’t even noticed when I held her. Her fear had taken over everything“She’ll be fine,” the doctor rea
EstellaHelena was claiming insanity.A guard supposedly found her screaming, tearing at her hair, smearing blood on the walls. Then she’d gotten into a fight in prison—some poor inmate ended up with a cracked jaw—and now she was being moved to a mental institution.“She’ll do just anything to save her own skin,”But Marco? He wasn’t escaping anything.The trial was dragging on, but every day chipped away at what little hope he had left. The trial wasn’t over, but the evidence was damning, and the prosecution had made sure of it. Marco would not see the light of day for years, maybe decades. The verdict wasn’t in yet, but everyone already knew—he was finished.And me?I had other things to focus on.I smoothed the gold dress over my hips, turning in front of the mirror. The fabric clung to my curves in all the right places, shimmering as it caught the light. The deep V at the front was bold, but not over the top. Sexy, but still classyThe brooch in my hair—a piece from Estrella Desi
Alejandro POVWhat the fuck is wrong with me?I never expected it to be like this.Marry Marco Valdez’s wife. That had been the plan. Take the one thing Marco thought was his, use her as a pawn to destroy him,fuck her maybe then move on. A hit and run kind of deal.It wasn’t supposed to be this.I leaned back in my chair, running a hand through my hair as the boardroom buzzed with voices. A meeting was in full swing, but I wasn’t listening. My mind had drifted, again.To her.Estella.When I saw her for the first time at that gala—wrapped in a red dress, her hair falling over one shoulder—her chin tilted up like she was daring anyone to cross her. I thought she’d be another spoiled, arrogant trophy wife—with more credit cards than brains.That would’ve made it easier.She should’ve been easy to use.But she wasn’t.Instead, she’d thrown my plan back in my face, time and time again. She wasn’t spoiled, and she wasn’t weak. She was sharp, stubborn, and maddening as hell. And now—now she
“You did good today,” he said when we stepped into the elevator.I nodded, my arms crossed over my chest. My testimony had been brief and to the point, my words replaying over and over in my head. It was the first time I’d stood in a courtroom as a victim even though it was a private hearing.“Thanks,”He didn’t say anything else, and I didn’t look at him.When the elevator doors slid open, I stepped out first, the click of my heels echoing in the hallway.I didn’t wait for him as I headed into the penthouse. I’d already removed my heels by the time he walked in, shutting the door behind him.“You’ve been quiet since we left the hearing,” he said, watching me from across the room.“I’m tired,” I replied, kicking my shoes into the corner. “It’s been a long day.”“You’re lying,” he said simply.I froze for a second before forcing myself to move again, walking toward the kitchen. “I’m not lying,” I said, opening the fridge. “I just don’t feel like talking.”His hand caught the door befor