SYLVIA'S POV "To the ground!"Mario's voice was sharp and commanding. I didn't hesitate—I threw myself down just as he did, but unlike me, he hit the floor with a pained grunt. His wounds. Damn it. He wasn’t even healed yet."Wait at the kitchen door. I need to get my gun."He didn’t give me time to respond before he was already moving, sprinting up the stairs like a mad man.I swallowed hard, my body pressed against the cold floor, heart pounding so loud I could hear it in my ears. A minute passed. Maybe less.Then—Bang!A gunshot.I sucked in a breath, my muscles locking up.Bang!Another.A strangled groan. A body hitting the floor with a dull thud.Oh, shit.A sickening silence followed. My fingers dug into the fabric of my pants. Was that him? Was he hit? Was he dead?I wanted to call out. I wanted to move. But if I was wrong, if the wrong person was coming down those stairs…Footsteps.I pressed myself against the wall, barely breathing.Then I saw him—Mario.Alive.I almost c
“What if I don’t want to do this? What if I don't want to sell my body like you—”The slap came faster than I could process, the sting spreading across my cheek as my head snapped to the side.“Don’t you dare question me,” my mother hissed, her voice venomous. “Do you think I wanted to do the things I did? Sleeping with men, lowering myself for you? I sacrificed everything to keep you fed and clothed. You owe me this, Sylvia.”Did every mother say that to their daughter?I held my burning cheek, staring at her in disbelief. Her face was twisted in anger, and the lies dripped from her mouth. She never sacrificed anything for me—not willingly. My father’s death had stripped away the thin veil of decency she once pretended to wear.I took a step back, swallowing the lump rising in my throat. “You didn’t do it for me,” I said quietly. My voice trembling despite my best effort to sound strong. “You did it for the money, for the heels and the dresses, for the nights you could pretend to be
There was a problem with my plan, though. Mario Santiago was a 28-year-old, 6’5” trained killer. And me? I was a 5’4”, 22-year-old KFC waitress with zero qualifications for murder.Before the knife could even graze him, Mario spun around faster than I could blink. One second, I was holding the blade; the next, I was on the floor, flat on my back, and he was standing over me, swinging the knife casually like it was a toy.I was dead.There was no doubt about it. I was going to end up in one of those horror stories people whispered about—dumped in a ditch, hacked into pieces, or worse.Then he grinned.“I didn’t know you had that in you, Piccola.” His tone was almost playful. “I’m going to marry you.”I blinked. What?My heart was pounding so hard I couldn’t hear myself think. Mario Santiago—the deadliest man alive—was smiling at me. Talking about marriage. Like I hadn’t just tried to stab him.What kind of psycho smiles at an attempted murder?My voice cracked as I scrambled for words.
Mario’s POVI took a long swig of vodka, letting the bitter burn scrape its way down my throat. My eyes squeezed shut as I swallowed, but it didn’t help.I hadn’t felt this twisted up inside since... well, since her. Two years ago. And now this girl—the way she looked at me, the way she fought me—she reminded me too much of her.A carbon copy. Same fire in her eyes. Same recklessness.I thought having her here would make me feel better, like it would fill the hole Vivianne left behind. Instead, it was carving me open all over again. What the fuck was I doing?“We’ve prepared her in your chambers, Santiago. Just like you wanted.”Lorenzo’s voice cut through my thoughts as he stepped into my office. He was the only one who could call me by my name, the only one who didn’t tread lightly around me. Maybe that’s why I kept him around—he didn’t put up with my shit.“Who did it?” I asked, my voice harsher than I intended. I took another swig of the bottle, but Lorenzo snatched it from my han
I paced the room, my blood boiling. What exactly did Mario Santiago think he was? Some kind of god? Some untouchable tyrant? This was human trafficking, plain and simple. I was being sold off like a piece of meat. If I could just get out—just once—I’d march straight to the police station, slap a report on his head, and watch the whole empire crumble. I stopped by the window, yanking at the latch. Locked. Of course. It was sealed tighter than my chances of escaping this nightmare. The sunlight taunted me through the glass, bright and warm, reminding me of what freedom felt like—what it looked like. The door creaked open behind me, snapping me out of my thoughts. Two women entered, their faces grim. They carried baskets, and one pushed a trolley with what looked like clothes and makeup. The taller one—her sharp features framed by dark hair pulled back into a tight bun—immediately scowled when she saw me. “So it’s you,” she sneered, her voice dripping with disdain. She gave me a on
SYLVIA'S POVThe moment I felt the cold nuzzle press against the back of my head, I knew I was going to die.I squeezed my eyes shut, bracing for the bullet, for the sharp, splitting pain that would drag me under. But it never came.Instead, there was a rush of movement, a force knocking the gun away, followed by the sound of bodies crashing to the ground."Run! Run and don’t fucking look back!"That was all I needed. My feet moved before my mind could catch up. I scrambled upright, bolting through the door so fast I nearly smacked my head against the frame. Outside, chaos reigned—people screaming, scattering, the air thick with panic from the first gunshot that had taken Mario down.I ran.Ran like my life depended on it.Tripping, staggering, barely registering the pain as I pushed forward, lungs burning, legs screaming. I burst onto the road, waving frantically for a car to stop. None did.And then I made the mistake of looking back.He was coming.A strangled breath left my throat
Sylvia’s POVThe rest of the journey was uneventful. No more threats, no people jumping out of the woods at us, just silence. When we finally emerged from the woods, a black car was already waiting.The drive back to the mansion was quiet, tense."Stay in the car. Don't move," one of Mario’s men ordered before stepping out. I watched as he disappeared into the house, only to return minutes later with a duffel bag, heavy and full. He tossed it into the trunk without a word, then motioned for me to switch cars.No questions. No explanations. Just orders.We drove for hours. Two, maybe more. Thirty minutes on a dirt road until we pulled up in front of a secluded cabin, a beautiful lake stretching out before it like something out of a painting.Too bad I wasn’t here for a vacation.One of the men escorted me inside, his expression unreadable. "Mario wants you here alone with him," he said, his voice flat. "You’ll do the cooking. A cleaner will come three times a week. And don’t even think
Sylvia's POV Flashing Mario this early on wasn’t part of the plan.Hell, ever flashing Mario wasn’t supposed to happen.Yet here I was.Frozen. Mortified. Watching the damn smirk on his face grow like he’d just won the lottery. And then he had the audacity—the sheer nerve—to open his mouth."I really love seeing you like this, but the doctor said I shouldn’t fuck you crazy yet—y’know, to avoid tearing my stitches," he said, all bright-eyed and beaming like this was the best news ever.That was my slap back to reality.The audacity of this man!Heat burned my cheeks as I wrapped the towel tight around me, snatched up the second duffle bag, and stormed past him, shoving my shoulder against his on the way up the stairs. Once inside my room, I locked the door twice before pressing my forehead against it.I wanted to die.How was I ever supposed to face him again?Fuck.Taking a deep breath, I turned and unzipped the bag, expecting my old clothes. But the second I caught a glimpse of lace
SYLVIA'S POV "To the ground!"Mario's voice was sharp and commanding. I didn't hesitate—I threw myself down just as he did, but unlike me, he hit the floor with a pained grunt. His wounds. Damn it. He wasn’t even healed yet."Wait at the kitchen door. I need to get my gun."He didn’t give me time to respond before he was already moving, sprinting up the stairs like a mad man.I swallowed hard, my body pressed against the cold floor, heart pounding so loud I could hear it in my ears. A minute passed. Maybe less.Then—Bang!A gunshot.I sucked in a breath, my muscles locking up.Bang!Another.A strangled groan. A body hitting the floor with a dull thud.Oh, shit.A sickening silence followed. My fingers dug into the fabric of my pants. Was that him? Was he hit? Was he dead?I wanted to call out. I wanted to move. But if I was wrong, if the wrong person was coming down those stairs…Footsteps.I pressed myself against the wall, barely breathing.Then I saw him—Mario.Alive.I almost c
Sylvia's POV Mario's lips slowly traced my body back up until they reached mine, pressing softly at first. The kiss was slow, deep, and oh-so-tender, but it didn’t stay that way for long. My mouth opened instinctively, allowing him to deepen the kiss as his lips began to suck on mine, coaxing and pulling me in.I fought the moan threatening to tear out of my throat. The way his lips moved against mine... it was torture, and I knew I wasn’t going to be able to hold back for much longer. And just as I thought I had a hold on myself, his lips brushed mine again, this time with more force, his tongue poking. I lost it.My nails dug into his back, the sharpness of the motion making him groan into the kiss. His hands gripped my ass, lifting me effortlessly against the wall. My body shuddered as our tongues blended together, slow and passionate. The kiss kept building, and before I knew it, I was begging for more.“God, my tits, please Mario, just touch them,” I pleaded, thrusting my chest
SYLVIA'S POVI don’t know how long I just lay there, slowly rocking Mario until I drifted off to sleep. It was the first time I’d slept like a human in weeks. And then, suddenly, something yanked me back to reality. I felt the bed shift and my eyes snapped open.There he was—Mario—sitting up, staring at me like I was some damn ghost.“What the hell are you doing in my room?” His voice was sharp, as if I was some kind of trespasser.I blinked. What the hell was wrong with him? “Excuse me? You were crying like a damn baby last night!” I shot back, disbelief making my voice higher. Did he think I just waltzed in here to cuddle? Who did he think I was?His eyes narrowed. "That doesn’t explain why you're in my fucking bed!"“Maybe if you weren’t sobbing like a little kid, I wouldn’t be here!” I snapped back before I could stop myself. Oh shit.For a second, I saw his face flicker with something—hurt, confusion—but then it hardened. He looked like he wanted to rip my head off."Look, I didn
Sylvia's POV Flashing Mario this early on wasn’t part of the plan.Hell, ever flashing Mario wasn’t supposed to happen.Yet here I was.Frozen. Mortified. Watching the damn smirk on his face grow like he’d just won the lottery. And then he had the audacity—the sheer nerve—to open his mouth."I really love seeing you like this, but the doctor said I shouldn’t fuck you crazy yet—y’know, to avoid tearing my stitches," he said, all bright-eyed and beaming like this was the best news ever.That was my slap back to reality.The audacity of this man!Heat burned my cheeks as I wrapped the towel tight around me, snatched up the second duffle bag, and stormed past him, shoving my shoulder against his on the way up the stairs. Once inside my room, I locked the door twice before pressing my forehead against it.I wanted to die.How was I ever supposed to face him again?Fuck.Taking a deep breath, I turned and unzipped the bag, expecting my old clothes. But the second I caught a glimpse of lace
Sylvia’s POVThe rest of the journey was uneventful. No more threats, no people jumping out of the woods at us, just silence. When we finally emerged from the woods, a black car was already waiting.The drive back to the mansion was quiet, tense."Stay in the car. Don't move," one of Mario’s men ordered before stepping out. I watched as he disappeared into the house, only to return minutes later with a duffel bag, heavy and full. He tossed it into the trunk without a word, then motioned for me to switch cars.No questions. No explanations. Just orders.We drove for hours. Two, maybe more. Thirty minutes on a dirt road until we pulled up in front of a secluded cabin, a beautiful lake stretching out before it like something out of a painting.Too bad I wasn’t here for a vacation.One of the men escorted me inside, his expression unreadable. "Mario wants you here alone with him," he said, his voice flat. "You’ll do the cooking. A cleaner will come three times a week. And don’t even think
SYLVIA'S POVThe moment I felt the cold nuzzle press against the back of my head, I knew I was going to die.I squeezed my eyes shut, bracing for the bullet, for the sharp, splitting pain that would drag me under. But it never came.Instead, there was a rush of movement, a force knocking the gun away, followed by the sound of bodies crashing to the ground."Run! Run and don’t fucking look back!"That was all I needed. My feet moved before my mind could catch up. I scrambled upright, bolting through the door so fast I nearly smacked my head against the frame. Outside, chaos reigned—people screaming, scattering, the air thick with panic from the first gunshot that had taken Mario down.I ran.Ran like my life depended on it.Tripping, staggering, barely registering the pain as I pushed forward, lungs burning, legs screaming. I burst onto the road, waving frantically for a car to stop. None did.And then I made the mistake of looking back.He was coming.A strangled breath left my throat
I paced the room, my blood boiling. What exactly did Mario Santiago think he was? Some kind of god? Some untouchable tyrant? This was human trafficking, plain and simple. I was being sold off like a piece of meat. If I could just get out—just once—I’d march straight to the police station, slap a report on his head, and watch the whole empire crumble. I stopped by the window, yanking at the latch. Locked. Of course. It was sealed tighter than my chances of escaping this nightmare. The sunlight taunted me through the glass, bright and warm, reminding me of what freedom felt like—what it looked like. The door creaked open behind me, snapping me out of my thoughts. Two women entered, their faces grim. They carried baskets, and one pushed a trolley with what looked like clothes and makeup. The taller one—her sharp features framed by dark hair pulled back into a tight bun—immediately scowled when she saw me. “So it’s you,” she sneered, her voice dripping with disdain. She gave me a on
Mario’s POVI took a long swig of vodka, letting the bitter burn scrape its way down my throat. My eyes squeezed shut as I swallowed, but it didn’t help.I hadn’t felt this twisted up inside since... well, since her. Two years ago. And now this girl—the way she looked at me, the way she fought me—she reminded me too much of her.A carbon copy. Same fire in her eyes. Same recklessness.I thought having her here would make me feel better, like it would fill the hole Vivianne left behind. Instead, it was carving me open all over again. What the fuck was I doing?“We’ve prepared her in your chambers, Santiago. Just like you wanted.”Lorenzo’s voice cut through my thoughts as he stepped into my office. He was the only one who could call me by my name, the only one who didn’t tread lightly around me. Maybe that’s why I kept him around—he didn’t put up with my shit.“Who did it?” I asked, my voice harsher than I intended. I took another swig of the bottle, but Lorenzo snatched it from my han
There was a problem with my plan, though. Mario Santiago was a 28-year-old, 6’5” trained killer. And me? I was a 5’4”, 22-year-old KFC waitress with zero qualifications for murder.Before the knife could even graze him, Mario spun around faster than I could blink. One second, I was holding the blade; the next, I was on the floor, flat on my back, and he was standing over me, swinging the knife casually like it was a toy.I was dead.There was no doubt about it. I was going to end up in one of those horror stories people whispered about—dumped in a ditch, hacked into pieces, or worse.Then he grinned.“I didn’t know you had that in you, Piccola.” His tone was almost playful. “I’m going to marry you.”I blinked. What?My heart was pounding so hard I couldn’t hear myself think. Mario Santiago—the deadliest man alive—was smiling at me. Talking about marriage. Like I hadn’t just tried to stab him.What kind of psycho smiles at an attempted murder?My voice cracked as I scrambled for words.