The city lights faded as the car moved down the lonely road, taking us further away from what I knew. The darkness overtook the landscape, and the sound of the tires on the asphalt became the only companion to my thoughts. The air, cooler than the one back at the mansion, seemed to offer a slight sense of freedom, but at the same time, the unease settled in as I thought about what awaited us. We were nearing a secluded place, one that hadn’t even been mentioned in previous conversations. The streets were emptier now, and the urban landscape was giving way to a more desolate area, filled with abandoned buildings and crumbling factories.“This is the place,” Dax said, breaking the silence with his usual certainty. The car stopped in front of an old warehouse, its gray walls covered in graffiti and debris. A perfect place for what was about to happen.Maddox and Dax got out first, scanning the surroundings with caution. I followed behind, my heart pounding. I didn’t know what to expect fr
The warehouse where we were had become even darker now that Lev was there. Her presence was a reminder of what I had already lost, of what I could lose if things kept going the way they were. I couldn’t allow the same fate that had trapped me to drag her in. Lev didn’t belong to this world, and if I didn’t take control of what was coming, the consequences wouldn’t only affect me.I looked at Lev but didn’t say anything. I was more worried about how the Dangello brothers were reacting at this moment. Maddox, Dax, and Max didn’t seem surprised by Lev’s appearance. They, as always, kept their unbreakable façade, but I could feel the tension in their bodies. Something was changing, and they all knew it.“Lev,” I began, looking at my friend with a mix of frustration and fear, “this is bigger than you think. You’re in the middle of a dangerous game.”Lev didn’t answer immediately. Her gaze shifted toward the Dangello brothers, as if she was assessing the situation. Then, she looked back at m
The air in the room was thick, filled with the palpable tension of the passing seconds. The silence was unbearable. Every step I took, every word I spoke, seemed to bring me closer to an uncertain future, to a truth I feared but could no longer ignore. The Council, the Dangello brothers, and I, all caught in the same dangerous game, each playing our part without knowing if the rules were the same for everyone.After my decision, something had changed in the atmosphere. The pressure had multiplied, the uncertainty grew. I looked at Lev, and although her eyes conveyed the same concern I felt, I couldn’t help but wonder if it had been right to involve her. Would I be able to protect her if everything came crashing down? I didn’t know, but I couldn’t turn back now.The man from the Council, who had been a constant shadow in our lives from the beginning, spoke again. His presence was still dominant, and though there was a calm in his movements, there was no doubt that his words were the one
The sound of the city felt distant as the car moved through less-traveled streets. Maddox drove silently, his gaze fixed on the road as if nothing else existed. Dax, sitting beside him, scrolled through his phone with an expression that shifted between concentration and annoyance. I sat in the back seat, staring out the window as the urban landscape transformed into more industrial and desolate areas.Two hours had passed since we left the warehouse, and though no one had spoken since, the weight of what had happened lingered over us. The mysterious man who offered his alliance was just another piece on the board, one I couldn’t trust. Still, his proposal was as risky as it was tempting, and I knew the brothers and I were all thinking the same thing: Would accepting it give us an advantage, or lead us into an irreversible trap?The car stopped in front of an old building, its worn brick façade and broken windows giving it a neglected look. It was a different place from the ones we’d vi
The echo of my footsteps resonated in the large, cold room. Before me, the wooden walls seemed to absorb every word and secret shared in this place. Despite the dim lighting and the tense air, I stood tall, letting my slow breathing stabilize the tremor in my hands. Maddox always said that real players of power don’t sweat, don’t tremble, and never doubt in front of their enemies. Today, I was a player.I had agreed to infiltrate this Council meeting not only to support the Dangello family but also to protect myself. This power circle was a slippery terrain full of changing loyalties and betrayals. Every gaze I received felt like a dagger to the neck, and every word I spoke could seal my fate.Maddox was at the far end of the room, leaning against a column with his arms crossed, but his eyes never left me for a second. His presence, though distant, offered me a fragile sense of security. I knew that if things got out of hand, not only would he intervene, but he would do so with the fer
The sound of the wind hitting the windows of the penthouse was the only thing breaking the absolute silence that had taken over the place. The city, illuminated in the distance, seemed oblivious to everything happening within those walls, and I found myself trapped in constant thought. What was happening?After the meeting with the Council, something had changed. Maddox continued with his usual indifference, Max barely looked at me, and Dax... well, Dax had returned to his usual routines as if nothing had happened. No matter how much I tried to start a conversation or find something that felt real, the Dangello brothers kept their emotions in check, almost as if my presence didn't have the impact I thought it did.The heavy air in the room only increased the feeling of confusion I carried. What did Declan Beaumont want from us? That call, that veiled threat... every word echoed in my mind, but what worried me most was the apparent indifference of the brothers to everything that was hap
The dawn bathed the walls of the Dangello mansion in a soft golden glow, but inside the study, the atmosphere was cold, almost oppressive. Amalia entered after a soft knock on the door, immediately feeling Maddox’s presence. He stood by the window, his imposing silhouette outlined against the light. He wore an impeccable black suit, a perfectly knotted tie, and held a low glass with an amber liquid that seemed forgotten in his hand.“Amalia,” he said without turning, his voice low but firm. “Punctual as always. Come in.”She closed the door behind her and walked to the desk. There was something in his tone, something hard to decipher, that put her on alert. Maddox finally turned, his gray eyes meeting hers with an intensity that made her breath catch for a moment.“Did Dax explain the situation?” he asked, placing the glass on the mahogany desk and crossing his arms. His posture was relaxed, but the way he looked at her suggested otherwise.“Yes,” Amalia replied, keeping her voice neut
My heart was still racing when I closed the door to Maddox’s office. It wasn’t fear, not exactly. There was something about him, in the way he measured every word, in the way his presence filled the room, that left me unbalanced. It was like walking a tightrope, knowing that any wrong move could have catastrophic consequences.The hallway was silent, interrupted only by the echo of my own footsteps. Dax was still leaning against the column, his mocking smile finding me immediately.“Everything okay, princess?” he asked, as if he enjoyed watching me try to pull myself together.“Perfectly,” I replied with a firmness even I didn’t fully believe. I walked past him, refusing to let his presence shake my resolve.Max appeared at the end of the hallway. Always so serene, always so impossible to read. He gave me a brief look before entering the office after Dax. There was no doubt: Maddox and his brothers were pieces of the same puzzle, but each brought a different mystery. Dax, with his braz
I tensed my jaw worriedly, as I tried to think of what to say, however, his burning eyes wouldn't let me think clearly. They seemed to be absorbing me, like a hurricane storm taking everything in its path."Max.""Do you really feel like murdering the people you love?" he interrupted me to ask and my breathing stopped for a second."I don't mean to, but...""But? Do you think this is a game?" he looked at me with intensity in his eyes, as if trying to understand what was happening to me. In any case it was very simple, I couldn't just tell him that he didn't love me anymore, it was suspicious and that was also going to hurt my family for my behavior, "Come here," he ordered pointing to his leg and with no intention of contradicting him, I approached him and sat on the leg he had free, while I looked sideways at the gun."How about we make a deal?" I asked softly and he looked at me curiously in silence."Do you think Dax and Maddox would be willing to make a deal with you, you've caus
I tensed my jaw worriedly, as I tried to think of what to say, however, his burning eyes wouldn't let me think clearly. They seemed to be absorbing me, like a hurricane storm taking everything in its path."Max.""Do you really feel like murdering the people you love?" he interrupted me to ask and my breathing stopped for a second."I don't mean to, but...""But? Do you think this is a game?" he looked at me with intensity in his eyes, as if trying to understand what was happening to me. In any case it was very simple, I couldn't just tell him that he didn't love me anymore, it was suspicious and that was also going to hurt my family for my behavior, "Come here," he ordered pointing to his leg and with no intention of contradicting him, I approached him and sat on the leg he had free, while I looked sideways at the gun."How about we make a deal?" I asked softly and he looked at me curiously in silence."Do you think Dax and Maddox would be willing to make a deal with you, you've caus
I tensed my jaw worriedly, as I tried to think of what to say, however, his burning eyes wouldn't let me think clearly. They seemed to be absorbing me, like a hurricane storm taking everything in its path."Max.""Do you really feel like murdering the people you love?" he interrupted me to ask and my breathing stopped for a second."I don't mean to, but...""But? Do you think this is a game?" he looked at me with intensity in his eyes, as if trying to understand what was happening to me. In any case it was very simple, I couldn't just tell him that he didn't love me anymore, it was suspicious and that was also going to hurt my family for my behavior, "Come here," he ordered pointing to his leg and with no intention of contradicting him, I approached him and sat on the leg he had free, while I looked sideways at the gun."How about we make a deal?" I asked softly and he looked at me curiously in silence."Do you think Dax and Maddox would be willing to make a deal with you, you've caus
I tensed my jaw worriedly, as I tried to think of what to say, however, his burning eyes wouldn't let me think clearly. They seemed to be absorbing me, like a hurricane storm taking everything in its path."Max.""Do you really feel like murdering the people you love?" he interrupted me to ask and my breathing stopped for a second."I don't mean to, but...""But? Do you think this is a game?" he looked at me with intensity in his eyes, as if trying to understand what was happening to me. In any case it was very simple, I couldn't just tell him that he didn't love me anymore, it was suspicious and that was also going to hurt my family for my behavior, "Come here," he ordered pointing to his leg and with no intention of contradicting him, I approached him and sat on the leg he had free, while I looked sideways at the gun."How about we make a deal?" I asked softly and he looked at me curiously in silence."Do you think Dax and Maddox would be willing to make a deal with you, you've caus
I tensed my jaw worriedly, as I tried to think of what to say, however, his burning eyes wouldn't let me think clearly. They seemed to be absorbing me, like a hurricane storm taking everything in its path."Max.""Do you really feel like murdering the people you love?" he interrupted me to ask and my breathing stopped for a second."I don't mean to, but...""But? Do you think this is a game?" he looked at me with intensity in his eyes, as if trying to understand what was happening to me. In any case it was very simple, I couldn't just tell him that he didn't love me anymore, it was suspicious and that was also going to hurt my family for my behavior, "Come here," he ordered pointing to his leg and with no intention of contradicting him, I approached him and sat on the leg he had free, while I looked sideways at the gun."How about we make a deal?" I asked softly and he looked at me curiously in silence."Do you think Dax and Maddox would be willing to make a deal with you, you've caus
I tensed my jaw worriedly, as I tried to think of what to say, however, his burning eyes wouldn't let me think clearly. They seemed to be absorbing me, like a hurricane storm taking everything in its path."Max.""Do you really feel like murdering the people you love?" he interrupted me to ask and my breathing stopped for a second."I don't mean to, but...""But? Do you think this is a game?" he looked at me with intensity in his eyes, as if trying to understand what was happening to me. In any case it was very simple, I couldn't just tell him that he didn't love me anymore, it was suspicious and that was also going to hurt my family for my behavior, "Come here," he ordered pointing to his leg and with no intention of contradicting him, I approached him and sat on the leg he had free, while I looked sideways at the gun."How about we make a deal?" I asked softly and he looked at me curiously in silence."Do you think Dax and Maddox would be willing to make a deal with you, you've caus
I tensed my jaw worriedly, as I tried to think of what to say, however, his burning eyes wouldn't let me think clearly. They seemed to be absorbing me, like a hurricane storm taking everything in its path."Max.""Do you really feel like murdering the people you love?" he interrupted me to ask and my breathing stopped for a second."I don't mean to, but...""But? Do you think this is a game?" he looked at me with intensity in his eyes, as if trying to understand what was happening to me. In any case it was very simple, I couldn't just tell him that he didn't love me anymore, it was suspicious and that was also going to hurt my family for my behavior, "Come here," he ordered pointing to his leg and with no intention of contradicting him, I approached him and sat on the leg he had free, while I looked sideways at the gun."How about we make a deal?" I asked softly and he looked at me curiously in silence."Do you think Dax and Maddox would be willing to make a deal with you, you've caus
I tensed my jaw worriedly, as I tried to think of what to say, however, his burning eyes wouldn't let me think clearly. They seemed to be absorbing me, like a hurricane storm taking everything in its path."Max.""Do you really feel like murdering the people you love?" he interrupted me to ask and my breathing stopped for a second."I don't mean to, but...""But? Do you think this is a game?" he looked at me with intensity in his eyes, as if trying to understand what was happening to me. In any case it was very simple, I couldn't just tell him that he didn't love me anymore, it was suspicious and that was also going to hurt my family for my behavior, "Come here," he ordered pointing to his leg and with no intention of contradicting him, I approached him and sat on the leg he had free, while I looked sideways at the gun."How about we make a deal?" I asked softly and he looked at me curiously in silence."Do you think Dax and Maddox would be willing to make a deal with you, you've caus
I tensed my jaw worriedly, as I tried to think of what to say, however, his burning eyes wouldn't let me think clearly. They seemed to be absorbing me, like a hurricane storm taking everything in its path."Max.""Do you really feel like murdering the people you love?" he interrupted me to ask and my breathing stopped for a second."I don't mean to, but...""But? Do you think this is a game?" he looked at me with intensity in his eyes, as if trying to understand what was happening to me. In any case it was very simple, I couldn't just tell him that he didn't love me anymore, it was suspicious and that was also going to hurt my family for my behavior, "Come here," he ordered pointing to his leg and with no intention of contradicting him, I approached him and sat on the leg he had free, while I looked sideways at the gun."How about we make a deal?" I asked softly and he looked at me curiously in silence."Do you think Dax and Maddox would be willing to make a deal with you, you've caus