All Chapters of HEARTBREAKER: Chapter 21 - Chapter 30

Lucian’s POVAurora storms past me, the scent of blood and sweat lingering in the air between us. She peels off her ruined clothes as she moves, each motion sharp, unrelenting.I should stop her. Say something. Anything.But I don’t.I can only watch as she disappears into the bathroom, slamming the door behind her with enough force to make the frame tremble. My fists clench at my sides, the echo of that door slamming reverberating through my skull.She’s still a puzzle I can’t quite solve. A mosaic of contradictions. One moment a blushing angel, the next a bloodstained demon.And God help me—I want her.I drag a hand through my hair, pacing backward until I reach the edge of the bed and sink down, undoing the top buttons of my shirt with stiff fingers. Control has always been my strength, my ability to read people, predict their every move before they even consider making it.But her?Aurora defies all logic. A wildfire I can’t contain. A storm I have no choice but to weather.The si

The city that never sleeps stretches out below me, glittering with a deceptive kind of beauty. From my vantage point on the rooftop of a crumbling apartment building, I watch as the last rays of sunlight dip below the horizon, painting the sky in shades of fire and blood. It’s a fitting omen for the night ahead.It’s been almost a week since Aurora walked into our meeting and proved herself in a way that left even the most hardened men in my ranks wary. Her plan to cripple the Agostis was ruthless, methodical—genius, really. Since then, we’ve spent our nights gathering intelligence, strategizing, preparing for this very moment.Now, as I stand here, I realize something unexpected. I’m ready for this to be over—not just because I want victory, but because I want to go home to my wife. That thought alone should be unsettling. This life, this chaos, used to be what made me feel most alive. The thrill of wielding power, crushing my enemies. But now… now I feel something else entirely. Whe

As soon as my top button is fastened, I swing my legs off the bed and storm toward the door—only to stop short. No, that’s too impulsive. I need a plan. Something more calculated. More extreme.Lucian has been avoiding me. Not just in the quiet, sulking way men sometimes do when they’re angry, but with deliberate precision. Rolling out of bed at the crack of dawn, locking himself in his office for hours, and only gracing me with his presence when duty requires it. And at night? He sleeps two feet away as if the very thought of touching me is repellent.I should ignore him. Let him stew in whatever storm brews behind those dark eyes. But I can feel the rage simmering under his restraint, growing stronger each time I turn my back on him in bed. It’s not enough to get a rise out of him. Not yet.So, maybe I need to escalate things.I’ve spent the last few days in silent defiance, but clearly, Lucian won’t cave. I’m running out of options. I can’t force him to let me leave—I don’t exactly

I throw my hands down onto the mattress, scrambling backward to put some distance between us. My breath is uneven, my body trembling with anger, disbelief, and something else I can’t quite name.Lucian looks as stunned as I feel. As if he never meant for the words to slip out. As if the admission itself has shaken him to his core.“Dammit, Aurora!” He presses the heels of his palms into his eyes, dragging in a ragged breath. His chest rises and falls in sharp, uneven movements.I can only stare, my mind struggling to process the weight of what just happened. He said he loves me. Lucian Boncini loves me.A strangled laugh escapes me, raw and bitter. "Do you hear yourself?" My voice trembles with fury. "After everything you just put me through, after everything that happened tonight, you expect me to—""You don’t understand!" he cuts me off, his voice hoarse, vibrating with frustration. "I can’t think straight if I don’t know you’re safe. I’d never forgive myself if I lost you."His wor

Plenty. I don’t want to be trying to skip down Fifth Avenue flanked by enough guards to make people think we’re the damn president. But I also don’t want to argue with Giulia when she’s determined to enjoy herself—and to settle into the normalcy of two girls going shopping, as if they haven’t got a care in the world.An hour later, we’re strolling arm-in-arm through the bustling streets of Manhattan, Gabriele and Toni trailing a small distance behind us. Their plain clothes do absolutely nothing to disguise their purpose as they march, high on alert, hands braced near their concealed weapons. But instead of feeling smothered or rolling my eyes, I appreciate their comforting presence. It’s hard not to be anxious about stepping outside after what happened the other night.We duck into store after store, Giulia practically dragging me through the latest luxury collections. “You’ll need brunch outfits, cocktail dresses, and all sorts of formal gowns for all the sisterly activities I’m pla