Elena PovThe silence of the estate was deceiving.For a place that held so much bloodshed, so much power, it was unsettling how calm it appeared on the surface. But I know the truth now. I had seen it with my own eyes.Alessandro wasn’t just a ruthless man he was a force that controlled everything in his path. And tonight, I was about to witness more of it.The air outside was thick with tension. Something was happening, something I wasn’t supposed to know about. The guards had doubled in number, their hands resting on their weapons, their gazes scanning the property with sharp alertness.I sat on the edge of my bed, staring at the locked door. I had no idea what time it was, but I knew Alessandro had left hours ago. And he hadn’t returned.A part of me wanted to ignore it, to stay as far away from his world as possible. But another part the foolish, reckless part wanted to know more.Why was the entire estate on edge?What had Alessandro gone to deal with?And why did it matter to m
Elena Pov The sound of running water echoed from the bathroom, filling the silence in the room.I sat frozen on the bed, my thoughts a tangled mess.Alessandro’s words lingered in the air.....Tomorrow will be eventful.That could mean anything.A meeting? A deal? Another brutal show of power?No matter what it was, I knew one thing it wouldn’t be good for me.I had learned enough in the short time I’d been trapped here to understand that Alessandro never acted without reason. If he wanted me to know something, it was because he wanted a reaction. And if he wanted a reaction, it meant he was testing me.Testing how much I could take.Testing how much I feared him.I swallowed hard, my fingers gripping the sheets beneath me. I should have been afraid. No, I was afraid. But there was something else beneath the fear something I couldn’t quite name.The water shut off.A moment later, the bathroom door opened, and Alessandro stepped out, steam curling behind him. He had a towel slung over
The night air was thick with cigar smoke and whispered conversations. The party had long since reached its peak, but the weight of my presence still clung to the room like an unresolved storm.Alessandro had barely left my side. Whether it was possessiveness, protection, or simply his need for control, I wasn’t sure.But I could feel his presence like a shadow, a constant reminder that no matter how much I tried to reclaim my power, I was still trapped in his world.A waiter passed, and I reached for a glass of champagne. Before my fingers could wrap around the delicate stem, Alessandro’s hand intercepted mine."Not tonight," he murmured, his voice low enough that only I could hear.I turned, arching a brow. "Why not?"He leaned in, his breath brushing against my ear. "Because I don’t trust anyone here."A shiver ran down my spine.Not because I feared the people around us—but because I realized Alessandro did.For a man who controlled everything, for a man who moved through this worl
The ride back to Alessandro’s estate was silent, but the tension between us crackled like a live wire. His grip on my hand hadn’t loosened since we left the gala, as if he feared I might vanish into thin air.I wasn’t sure if it was possessiveness or control, but whatever it was, it made my pulse race.The moment we stepped inside the grand foyer, Alessandro’s men scattered like shadows into the night. The heavy doors shut behind us with a quiet finality, sealing me inside his world once more.I pulled my hand from his grasp, needing space to breathe. “I’m tired,” I muttered, turning toward the stairs.Before I could take a step, Alessandro’s voice sliced through the silence. “That dress,” he said, his tone unreadable.I froze, my fingers tightening around the fabric at my sides.Slowly, I turned to face him. His dark eyes roamed over me, something flickering behind them—something I couldn’t quite name.“You liked it?” I asked, my voice steadier than I felt.A slow smirk curved his li
The atmosphere had shifted.It was subtle at first so subtle that I almost convinced myself it wasn’t real. But as the days passed, I could no longer deny it.Alessandro was changing. Or maybe, I was.I still despised him for taking me, for controlling me like a pawn in his violent world. But something had cracked between us, a fragile thread binding us together in ways I didn’t understand. He had stopped treating me like an object to be controlled and started treating me like...something else.I wasn’t sure what yet.But I felt it.The way his eyes lingered on me a second longer. The way his voice softened, just barely, when he spoke my name.The way my own heartbeat betrayed me when he was near.Tonight was another one of his extravagant events, and like before, I was expected to be at his side. But unlike before, I had chosen my dress.It was a deep red, made of silk that clung to my body in all the right places. The neckline dipped just enough to be daring but not desperate. When I
I barely slept that night.Even after returning to my room, I could still feel the weight of Alessandro’s gaze, the heat of his touch lingering on my skin like an unshakable curse. I paced the floor, running my hands through my hair as my mind replayed every word, every look, every moment of weakness.What was happening to me?I should hate him. I did hate him.But my body told a different story.The worst part? He knew it.Alessandro wasn’t a man who questioned things. He saw, he wanted, he took. And now, he had set his sights on me—not just as his prisoner, not just as his possession, but as his.A shiver ran through me, though I wasn’t sure if it was fear or something far more dangerous.I needed to get my head straight.{The Morning After}By morning, I had forced every lingering thought of him into a locked box in my mind, determined to pretend last night never happened.A knock at my door shattered that illusion."Miss Elena," a voice called. "Breakfast is served. The boss is ex
The car ride back to the estate was suffocating.I could still feel the tension lingering between us, thick like the smoke that curled from the cigars those men had been puffing in the club. I sat rigid, my fingers curled into the smooth leather of the seat, my mind racing with thoughts I didn’t want to entertain.Alessandro had exposed me to his world today, peeled back a curtain I could never unsee. The power he wielded, the respect he commanded—it was terrifying. But what unsettled me most was that it wasn’t just terrifying.It was intoxicating.I stole a glance at him, my eyes tracing the sharp lines of his face, the way the dim light from the city cast shadows over his features. He looked so at ease, as if orchestrating backroom deals and bending dangerous men to his will was as simple as breathing.He turned his head slightly, catching me staring.I quickly looked away, my pulse quickening.The car slowed as we reached the estate, the heavy iron gates swinging open. The moment w
Elena PovThe weight of Alessandro’s words stayed with me long after he spoke them."You already are."I wanted to deny it, to push back against the idea that I was becoming part of his world. But how could I? Every day, I was pulled in deeper, my life entangled with his in ways I couldn’t escape.As the car continued its smooth ride back to the estate, I turned my head away from him, staring out the window. The city lights blurred past, but my mind wasn’t on the view—it was on the man beside me.His presence was overwhelming, suffocating, intoxicating all at once.How had I gone from despising him to sitting here, silently battling the strange pull he had on me?I wasn’t sure anymore.The rest of the ride was quiet. Alessandro didn’t speak, but I could feel his gaze on me, studying me as if he was waiting for something.When we finally arrived at the estate, I wasted no time stepping out of the car, eager to put distance between us.But before I could make it inside, Alessandro was a
Elena's pov I stood there, my pulse hammering against my skin, watching as Alessandro pulled away with that damn smirk of his. He knew what he was doing. He knew exactly how to unnerve me, how to push me to the edge and make me question everything.And I hated him for it.I hated the way my body betrayed me when he got too close.I hated the way my breath hitched when his fingers brushed against my skin.But most of all, I hated the way he looked at me—like I already belonged to him.I took a step back, trying to regain control over my own emotions. “I’m not one of your possessions, Alessandro.”His smirk only deepened, as if my defiance amused him. “No, dolcezza, you’re not. But you are mine.”I clenched my fists. “That’s the same thing.”“Is it?” His voice was calm, but there was an underlying edge to it. “Because I don’t treat my possessions the way I treat you.”I scoffed. “And how exactly do you treat me?”His dark eyes gleamed with something dangerous. “Like something I refuse
Elena PovThe weight of Alessandro’s words stayed with me long after he spoke them."You already are."I wanted to deny it, to push back against the idea that I was becoming part of his world. But how could I? Every day, I was pulled in deeper, my life entangled with his in ways I couldn’t escape.As the car continued its smooth ride back to the estate, I turned my head away from him, staring out the window. The city lights blurred past, but my mind wasn’t on the view—it was on the man beside me.His presence was overwhelming, suffocating, intoxicating all at once.How had I gone from despising him to sitting here, silently battling the strange pull he had on me?I wasn’t sure anymore.The rest of the ride was quiet. Alessandro didn’t speak, but I could feel his gaze on me, studying me as if he was waiting for something.When we finally arrived at the estate, I wasted no time stepping out of the car, eager to put distance between us.But before I could make it inside, Alessandro was a
The car ride back to the estate was suffocating.I could still feel the tension lingering between us, thick like the smoke that curled from the cigars those men had been puffing in the club. I sat rigid, my fingers curled into the smooth leather of the seat, my mind racing with thoughts I didn’t want to entertain.Alessandro had exposed me to his world today, peeled back a curtain I could never unsee. The power he wielded, the respect he commanded—it was terrifying. But what unsettled me most was that it wasn’t just terrifying.It was intoxicating.I stole a glance at him, my eyes tracing the sharp lines of his face, the way the dim light from the city cast shadows over his features. He looked so at ease, as if orchestrating backroom deals and bending dangerous men to his will was as simple as breathing.He turned his head slightly, catching me staring.I quickly looked away, my pulse quickening.The car slowed as we reached the estate, the heavy iron gates swinging open. The moment w
I barely slept that night.Even after returning to my room, I could still feel the weight of Alessandro’s gaze, the heat of his touch lingering on my skin like an unshakable curse. I paced the floor, running my hands through my hair as my mind replayed every word, every look, every moment of weakness.What was happening to me?I should hate him. I did hate him.But my body told a different story.The worst part? He knew it.Alessandro wasn’t a man who questioned things. He saw, he wanted, he took. And now, he had set his sights on me—not just as his prisoner, not just as his possession, but as his.A shiver ran through me, though I wasn’t sure if it was fear or something far more dangerous.I needed to get my head straight.{The Morning After}By morning, I had forced every lingering thought of him into a locked box in my mind, determined to pretend last night never happened.A knock at my door shattered that illusion."Miss Elena," a voice called. "Breakfast is served. The boss is ex
The atmosphere had shifted.It was subtle at first so subtle that I almost convinced myself it wasn’t real. But as the days passed, I could no longer deny it.Alessandro was changing. Or maybe, I was.I still despised him for taking me, for controlling me like a pawn in his violent world. But something had cracked between us, a fragile thread binding us together in ways I didn’t understand. He had stopped treating me like an object to be controlled and started treating me like...something else.I wasn’t sure what yet.But I felt it.The way his eyes lingered on me a second longer. The way his voice softened, just barely, when he spoke my name.The way my own heartbeat betrayed me when he was near.Tonight was another one of his extravagant events, and like before, I was expected to be at his side. But unlike before, I had chosen my dress.It was a deep red, made of silk that clung to my body in all the right places. The neckline dipped just enough to be daring but not desperate. When I
The ride back to Alessandro’s estate was silent, but the tension between us crackled like a live wire. His grip on my hand hadn’t loosened since we left the gala, as if he feared I might vanish into thin air.I wasn’t sure if it was possessiveness or control, but whatever it was, it made my pulse race.The moment we stepped inside the grand foyer, Alessandro’s men scattered like shadows into the night. The heavy doors shut behind us with a quiet finality, sealing me inside his world once more.I pulled my hand from his grasp, needing space to breathe. “I’m tired,” I muttered, turning toward the stairs.Before I could take a step, Alessandro’s voice sliced through the silence. “That dress,” he said, his tone unreadable.I froze, my fingers tightening around the fabric at my sides.Slowly, I turned to face him. His dark eyes roamed over me, something flickering behind them—something I couldn’t quite name.“You liked it?” I asked, my voice steadier than I felt.A slow smirk curved his li
The night air was thick with cigar smoke and whispered conversations. The party had long since reached its peak, but the weight of my presence still clung to the room like an unresolved storm.Alessandro had barely left my side. Whether it was possessiveness, protection, or simply his need for control, I wasn’t sure.But I could feel his presence like a shadow, a constant reminder that no matter how much I tried to reclaim my power, I was still trapped in his world.A waiter passed, and I reached for a glass of champagne. Before my fingers could wrap around the delicate stem, Alessandro’s hand intercepted mine."Not tonight," he murmured, his voice low enough that only I could hear.I turned, arching a brow. "Why not?"He leaned in, his breath brushing against my ear. "Because I don’t trust anyone here."A shiver ran down my spine.Not because I feared the people around us—but because I realized Alessandro did.For a man who controlled everything, for a man who moved through this worl
Elena Pov The sound of running water echoed from the bathroom, filling the silence in the room.I sat frozen on the bed, my thoughts a tangled mess.Alessandro’s words lingered in the air.....Tomorrow will be eventful.That could mean anything.A meeting? A deal? Another brutal show of power?No matter what it was, I knew one thing it wouldn’t be good for me.I had learned enough in the short time I’d been trapped here to understand that Alessandro never acted without reason. If he wanted me to know something, it was because he wanted a reaction. And if he wanted a reaction, it meant he was testing me.Testing how much I could take.Testing how much I feared him.I swallowed hard, my fingers gripping the sheets beneath me. I should have been afraid. No, I was afraid. But there was something else beneath the fear something I couldn’t quite name.The water shut off.A moment later, the bathroom door opened, and Alessandro stepped out, steam curling behind him. He had a towel slung over
Elena PovThe silence of the estate was deceiving.For a place that held so much bloodshed, so much power, it was unsettling how calm it appeared on the surface. But I know the truth now. I had seen it with my own eyes.Alessandro wasn’t just a ruthless man he was a force that controlled everything in his path. And tonight, I was about to witness more of it.The air outside was thick with tension. Something was happening, something I wasn’t supposed to know about. The guards had doubled in number, their hands resting on their weapons, their gazes scanning the property with sharp alertness.I sat on the edge of my bed, staring at the locked door. I had no idea what time it was, but I knew Alessandro had left hours ago. And he hadn’t returned.A part of me wanted to ignore it, to stay as far away from his world as possible. But another part the foolish, reckless part wanted to know more.Why was the entire estate on edge?What had Alessandro gone to deal with?And why did it matter to m