All Chapters of Stripper by Night, Doctor by Deception : Chapter 11 - Chapter 20

RAFAELI smiled as Ryan walked out, the door clicking shut behind him. Perfect. The pain in my leg was nothing compared to the satisfaction humming through me. I had planned this… every second of it. The gunshot, the blood, the panic in Ryan’s eyes as he fumbled to save me. And it had worked. I exhaled, leaning back against the pillows, my fingers tracing the bandages on my thigh. I had shot myself. Intentionally. Just to get closer to him. I exhaled, tilting my head back against the pillow. What the hell was wrong with me?I’d done a lot of reckless things in my life. But shooting myself just to have a reason to be near someone? That was a new low… even for me.And yet… I didn’t regret it.I wanted him to touch me. I wanted him to worry about me. And now? Now, he would. Ricardo wanted Ryan as a puppet… a tool to control, to use. But I didn’t. I didn’t want to break him. I just wanted… Him. His attention. His hands on me. I didn’t care that he had a girlfri

RICARDORyan’s eyes narrowed. “Excuse me?”I leaned against the door, crossing my arms. “You heard me. Why the hell were you both a doctor and a stripper?"Ryan scoffed, shaking his head. "Because I can do whatever the fuck I want."My brow arched, my lips pressing into a thin line. "You were saving lives by day and taking your clothes off by night? Sounds like a contradiction.”He crossed his arms over his chest. “You done prying into my life?”I shrugged. “Not quite.”His jaw tightened. “Well, I am.”I closed the distance between us. “I’m still waiting.”“For what?”“For you to strip.”Ryan let out a sharp, humorless laugh. “Not happening.”I arched a brow. “You’ve done it before.”“Yeah, and I’ll do it again,” he shot back, stepping closer. “But not for an ingrate like you.”My smirk deepened. “An ingrate?”Ryan jabbed a finger into my chest. “Yeah. You. Always acting like the world owes you something. Newsflash, Ricardo… nobody does.”I caught his wrist, gripping it just tight eno

RYANA sharp pain in my arm jolted me awake. I blinked rapidly, my vision swimming as I tried to clear the fog in my head. My limbs felt heavy, my mouth dry. What the hell? I sat upright, my pulse spiking as I took in my surroundings. Still in the car. Rafael sat beside me, watching me with an unreadable expression. Memories slammed into me… the cloth, the chemical scent, his grip. My blood boiled. My voice came out rough, my throat dry. I flexed my fingers, willing the numbness to fade. "What the hell, Rafael?”Rafael didn’t even flinch. “Sorry,” he said, not sounding sorry at all. “That’s just how it’s done.” I clenched my fists, my nails digging into my palms. “Drugging me is ‘how it’s done’?” He shrugged. “For a first-timer? Yeah.” His tone was infuriatingly casual, like he was explaining basic etiquette. “Can’t have you knowing the route. Discretion and all that.” I glared at him, trying my best to keep calm. “You’re unbelievable.” Rafael smirked. “And you’re st

RICARDOI was so angry, and I didn’t even know why.No, that was a lie.This was the height of disrespect. And I didn’t mind killing anyone who stepped on my toes tonight. I had been trying my best to keep my cool, but this stupid old man didn’t deserve that restraint.Don Vittorio chuckled, the sound grating against my patience. “All right, all right,” he finally said, waving a lazy hand. “I don’t want to cause a scene here.”Liar.He had already caused a scene. Now he was just testing how far he could push me before I snapped.With a signal to his men, he sat back, watching. A few seconds later, they dragged Ryan out.But he wasn’t standing.He wasn’t even conscious.My blood boiled, my vision tunneling as I took in the way his body slumped between the two men holding him up. His face was pale, his shirt wrinkled, his arms hanging uselessly at his sides.What the fuck did they do to him?A slow, deadly silence filled the room. No one moved. No one dared to breathe.Don Vittorio tilt

RYANMy heart skipped a beat. What the hell does she want to say that she’s in alliance with that fool Matteo?* Bella’s lips parted. "Ryan is not a….” Fuck. Bella, why?Before she could finish, Rafael cut in. "Matteo sent one of your men to kill Ryan a few days ago." The room went dead silent. Ricardo’s head snapped toward Rafael, then to me, his dark eyes burning. "Is that true?" I swallowed, then nodded. "Yeah." Rafael leaned back in his chair, arms crossed. "I had to shoot the bastard in the leg and drag him out myself." Why was Rafael covering for me?Wait… does he know my secret? Ricardo’s expression darkened. He turned to Matteo, who had gone pale. "You don’t go behind my back," Ricardo said, voice dangerously low. "You don’t touch what’s mine." Matteo’s mouth opened, but no words came out. Ricardo didn’t give him the chance. "You’re relieved of your duties as underboss." A collective gasp rippled through the room. Bella’s eyes widened. Matteo looked