The full moon illuminated the night, casting an eerie glow over the hospital's surroundings. Mario's men patrolled the perimeter, their eyes darting at every shadow, fully expecting an assault from Damon. Yet, the true threat lurking in the darkness was far beyond their imagination.Inside, the tension was palpable. Three men stormed into the elevator, ascending swiftly to the top floor where Marioâs ward was located. Their faces were pale, their breaths ragged, and their hands fidgeting with their weapons.When they reached Mario's room, they pushed the door open with urgency."Boss," one of the men blurted, his voice trembling, "it appears weâve been compromised. You need to evacuate immediately."Mario, calm yet intrigued, shifted his gaze toward them. "Compromised? How?"The man hesitated, his fear evident. "Weâve found 50 dead bodies scattered around the perimeterâall of them our men. Whoever did thisâĶ theyâre a ghost."Marioâs eyes widened briefly in shock, his composed demeano
The field stretched wide, the distant sound of flying birds occasionally breaking the peace. Anna stood with a gun in her hand, the weight of it unfamiliar and uncomfortable. Bonnie, standing a few feet away, observed her with a smile.âHold it steady,â Bonnie instructed, adjusting Annaâs grip on the firearm. âAnd remember, aim down the sights, not at the entire target.âAnna squinted at the paper target ahead, trying her best to focus. She squeezed the trigger, and the shot rang out.It missed the target entirely.âUgh,â Anna groaned, lowering the gun in frustration. âThis is pointless. Iâm never going to get the hang of this.ââYouâre doing fine,â Bonnie reassured her, chuckling. âItâs your first day. You canât expect to be a sharpshooter immediately.âAnna handed the gun back to Bonnie. âMaybe Iâll never need to be a sharpshooter. But if I do get good at this, the first person Iâm shooting is Damon.âBonnie burst into laughter, the sound echoing through the field. âIf thatâs the
Anna followed Bonnie into the grandiose building, her eyes scanning the polished marble floors, high ceilings, and the faint hum of business activity. The place resembled a bank but had an air of exclusivity that made her feel out of place.As they stepped inside, uniformed officers immediately greeted them with warm smiles and respectful bows. "Welcome, ma'am," one of them said, opening the door wider.Anna looked around, still utterly confused. "Bonnie, what are we doing here?" she whispered as they were escorted deeper into the building.Bonnie didnât respond, only offering a mysterious smile that only served to irritate Anna further.Soon, they were led to a private office, its decor a blend of luxury and professionalism. A man in a sharp suit, clearly the General Manager, rose from behind a mahogany desk as they entered. His face lit up when he saw Bonnie."Ah, Miss Bonnie," he greeted, extending his hand. "Iâve been expecting you."Bonnie shook his hand, her usual confident deme
âAnna,â her father finally said, his voice as familiar and loathsome as she remembered. âItâs been a while.ââWhy are you here?â she demanded, her voice rising. She turned to Damon, her eyes blazing. âWhat is he doing here? What kind of twisted game are you playing now?âDamon leaned back in his chair, his calm demeanor unshaken by her outburst. "Welcome to the family meeting, wifey. please sit down."âIâm not sitting down!â she snapped. âYou owe me an explanation, Damon! Right now!âHer father chuckled softly, the sound grating on her nerves. âStill fiery, I see,â he said.âShut up!â Anna shouted, her voice cracking as she turned back to him. âYou donât get to speak to me. Not after everything youâve done.âThe tension in the room was suffocating. Damon set his glass down and stood, his piercing gaze locking onto Annaâs.âThis is not what you think,â he said, his tone low and firm.Anna scoffed, crossing her arms. âOh, really? Then enlighten me, Damon. What the hell is this?âHer fat
The atmosphere was tense as Anna's family gathered in the room. Damon and Bonnie stood silently, observing the heated conversation between Anna, her sister, and their father.âYou sold us to Mario Manzoni!â Anna accused, fury blazing in her eyes.Her sister nodded in agreement. "How could you do that to your own daughters?"Their father raised his hands defensively. "You donât understand. I had no choice!""No choice?" Anna seethed. "That's your excuse for betraying your own blood?"Her fatherâs voice hardened. "You donât know Mario like I do. Heâs ruthless, and he's not going to stop until he gets what he wants. He'll kill you both if you insist on staying here." He turned to face Damon. "And he'll kill you too if you try to protect them."Damon simply smiled, his expression unreadable. He nodded subtly at Bonnie.Annaâs voice cut through the room. "Then maybe we should just offer you to him since youâre the one who owes him!"Before her father could respond, Bonnie stepped forward,
The water glowed under the late afternoon sun as Anna led Damon to the edge of the mansion's luxurious pool. Damon followed eagerly, curiosity lighting up his eyes."Do you want me to swim with you?" he asked, rubbing his palms together in excitement.Anna shook her head firmly. "No. I didn't bring you here to swim. I have questions, and I need answers."Damon chuckled softly. "The pool isnât exactly the best place for an interrogation. How about your room? Or mine?" His gaze locked onto hers, mischievous yet intense."You're dangerous, Damon," Anna said, her voice steady but wary. "No woman is safe with you in a private room." She averted her eyes, feeling the magnetic pull of his presence even in the open air.Even at the pool, his power over her seems to be getting stronger. He's not trying to force his way with far, far from it. He's trying to infect her with his charms and so far it's working.Damon folded his arms, his smile still intact, he couldn't help but enjoy the whole thi
Anna's POV"I have to admit, I think I'm beginning to like Damon," I confessed, glancing at Bonnie to gauge her reaction as she sipped her wine.She smiled slyly. "Should I call that progress or a setback? And more importantly, what are you going to do about it?" Her eyes flickered between me and the scattered bar patrons, always on alert."I want to run away. Before it's too late," I said softly, taking another sip. The sweetness of the wine dulled the chaos swirling in my mind.Bonnie chuckled and placed a comforting hand over mine. "That's fear talking. You're scared you'll fall in love with himâand you don't believe any man is worthy of that, do you?"I nodded reluctantly. "Exactly. Which is why I have to run."Bonnie's expression turned thoughtful, as though weighing my words carefully."Anna, you can't run from Damon," she said firmly. "Kill that idea. At least for now.""Why not now?" I asked, my brows furrowing."Manzoni Clan," she reminded me. "They
"Who are you?" Anna demanded, her voice steady despite the fear creeping up in her spine.The man didnât answer Annaâs question. His expression was cold and serious. Instead, he asked firmly, âWhere is she? Whereâs Bonnie?âAnna tried to step away, but he blocked her path swiftly. âYouâre not going anywhere until you tell me where she is.âRose stood from her seat, her eyes narrowing in suspicion. âAnna, whatâs going on? Do you know this guy?ââI have no idea who he is,â Anna replied, her voice steady despite the growing tension.Rose took a step closer, her tone sharp. âHey, dumbass, take your hands off her.âThe manâs expression darkened as he reached into his back pocket. A glint of metal caught their eyes just before he raised a pistol and fired a shot into the air.The deafening echo of the gunshot lingered in the air, and the bar erupted into chaos. People scrambled for cover, overturning tables and knocking over chairs in their desperate attempts to escape. Annaâs heart raced,
Damon's POV Iâm sitting on the edge of the bed, the mattress dipping under the fact that I'd almost cheated on Anna, what is left is just to penetrate Rose, but I couldn't do it.I was still battling my lust for Rose and love for Anna when Roseâs voice cuts through the haze of my thoughts. "I want you to fuck me, Damon," she says, her tone bold and unapologetic. Her hands were on me before I can process it, trailing down my chest, fingers brushing the waistband of my pants with a purpose that sends a jolt through me. "I want to feel your dick right inside me."A groan rumbles out of me, because damn it, sheâs not wrongâIâm tempted, she's hot. The heat of her touch sears through the fabric, and for a split second, I can picture it: giving in, letting her pull me under, drowning out the mess in my head with something deep. But thatâs the problemâitâs too real, too messy, and Iâve spent years building walls to keep messes like this out. "I canât, Rose," I say, my voice rougher tha
Rose took steps toward him, the she stopped just short of touching him, close enough that he could feel the warmth of her breath, smell that spicy perfume that always seemed to linger around her. âI want you, Damon,â she said, her gaze locking onto his, unflinching. âI want you all to myself. No oneâs ever shown me what it means to be cared for like you have.âDamonâs chest tightened, her words hitting him like a punch. Heâd pulled her out of a dark place years ago, given her a new life, but thisâthis was something else. His mind flickered with memories of her gratitude, her loyalty, but now it twisted into something deeper, something he wasnât sure he could handle. He chuckled, the sound rough and tinged with disbelief. âYouâre serious?âHer eyes flared, a spark of frustration cutting through the longing. âI killed the Manzoni Queen for you, Damon,â she said, her voice steady despite the weight of her confession. âI took out Scarlett, climbed to the top of this clan, and all Iâm a
Damon rolled up to the Manzoni mansion alone, his sleek black car humming to a stop in front of the iron gates. He stepped out, smoothing his black jacketâhis favorite color, always had beenâand took a deep breath. No backup, no crew, just him. He didnât want this new Donna, whoever she was, thinking he was scared or uneasy. Showing up solo was a power move, a way to say he wasnât rattled, even if his gut told him this could go sideways fast. Scarlett Manzoniâs death had hit him like a curveballâhe hadnât seen that coming, and now he couldnât stop wondering how sheâd gone down.The security guys at the gate gave him the side-eye, a mix of suspicion and nerves flickering in their stares. Theyâd heard the storiesâDamon Lockwood, the ruthless Don of the Lockwood Clan, a name that carried weight and a shiver down the spine. But seeing him in the flesh? That was new. He caught a couple of them whispering, their hands twitching near their guns, like they werenât sure if they should bow
Rose POV I sat alone, my fingers tracing the edge of a crystal glass, the amber liquid inside untouched. My reflection stared back at me from the polished surface of the deskâa woman with sharp green eyes and red hair spilling over her shoulders, a far cry from the broken girl Iâd once been. Iâd come a long way from the orphanage, from the life that had tried to crush me. But even now, with all this power at my fingertips, there was an emptiness gnawing at me, a void I couldnât fill.I didnât know where I came from. No mother, no fatherâjust a crib in a gray-walled room, surrounded by other forgotten kids. The nuns at St. Patrickâs Home for Lost Souls had been kind enough, but they couldnât give me answers. My earliest memories were of cold floors and whispered prayers, of wondering why no one came for me. As I got older, I begged for cluesâanything to tell me who I was. Iâd had my DNA tested more times than I could count, scraping together every pen
Anna's POVThen instinct kicked in, and I jerked back, stumbling a step away. âBonnie, what the hell?â I gasped, my voice shaking, my lips still tingling from her touch.She didnât answer, just stared at me with those deep, unreadable eyes, her chest rising and falling fast. Then, without a word, she turned and walked out, the door clicking shut behind her. I stood there, my heart hammering against my ribs, my thoughts a tangled mess. What had just happened? Why would sheâ?And then it hit me, a slow, shattering clarity. The way sheâd held me, the protectiveness in her voice, the way her eyes lingered on me too longâit wasnât just friendship. Bonnie was in love with me. Sheâd been in love with me this whole time, and Iâd been too blind to see it. Now she was leaving, walking out of my life without explanation, leaving me with the weight of her kiss and the chaos of my own feelings.My legs gave out, and I sank onto the edge of my bed, my hands trembli
Anna's POVThe framed picture of Ghost stared back at me from Damonâs desk, I could see the striking resemblance between them, especially the piercing eyes. Iâd come looking for him, but he wasnât here. The room felt hollow without him. I lingered anyway, unable to leave, drawn in by the faint scent of him that clung to everything. My fingers brushed the edge of Ghostâs frame, a restless energy humming through me as I wandered deeper into the space.This wasnât how Iâd pictured things since we got back from Mexico. Iâd imagined us wrapped up in each other, a blur of tangled sheets and breathless nights, orgasm after orgasm until the world outside didnât matter. Instead, there was this gap between us, a distance I couldnât bridge no matter how much I wanted to. I sank into the chair at his desk, the leather creaking under my weight, and let out a shaky breath. My body felt alive in a way it never had before, a constant drum of sexual need pulsing through
Damon's POVThe rooftop of the mansion was my last refuge, a place where the chaos of the world below couldnât quite reach me. The night was cold, the air sharp with the scent of distant rain. I stood near the edge, hands gripping the iron railing, staring into the void. My room had felt too small tonight, its walls closing in with every unanswered question, every festering doubt. Up here, at least, I could breatheâeven if every breath tasted like fear.Iâd never been in this position before. Me, Damon, the guy who always had a plan, always knew the next move. Now? I was teetering on the edge of something I couldnât name, and for the first time, I wasnât sure Iâd make it out alive. The Manzoni Clan lingered in my thoughts like a shadow I couldnât shake. They had to be behind thisâthe deaths, the chaos, the unraveling of everything Iâd built. But who was their mole? Someone close, someone Iâd let into my circle. The betrayal gnawed at me, a dull ache tha
Anna's POVThe mansion stood tall ahead of us as the car slowed to a stop, the tires crunched against the gravel driveway, a sound that grated against my already disturbed nerves. Damonâs hand was warm in mine, his fingers laced tightly with my own, but there was something offâsomething I couldnât ignore. Even though we were touching, he felt distant, detached, like a wall had sprung up between us. His jaw was clenched, his gaze fixed straight ahead, avoiding mine. I squeezed his hand, hoping for some reassurance, but he didnât respond. He was here with me, physically, but his mind was somewhere else entirely.We stepped out of the car, and the cool evening air hit me like a slap, sharpening my senses. The mansionâs heavy wooden doors swung open as we approached, revealing a group of Damonâs men waiting inside. Their faces were etched with determination, and the tension in the room was thick enough to choke on. I clung to Damonâs hand a little tighter,
Anna's POVMy hand pressed harder against my mouth, muffling the gasp that tore out of me. The room tilted, the edges blurring as my knees wobbled beneath me. Damonâs men stood there, their pale faces carved from stone, waiting for me to say something, do something. But I couldnât move. Couldnât think. GhostâDamonâs sister, the one heâd spoken of with that quiet reverenceâwas gone. Murdered. And DamonâĶ where the hell was he?âWhere did he go?â My voice came out sharp, cracking at the edges as I lowered my hand. My fingers trembled, and I clenched them into fists to hide it.The taller manâthe one with the buzz cutâshifted his weight, his jaw tight. âWe donât know. He got the message, went silent, then grabbed his keys and left. Told us to get you to the mansion before he drove off.ââWhen?â I demanded, stepping closer. âWhen did this happen?ââAbout an hour ago,â he said, his eyes flicking away from mine, like he couldnât stand the weight of my stare.An ho