Semua Bab The Mafia Man wants my Heart : Bab 1 - Bab 10

The moment I stepped off the train and into the cool Chicago air, a shiver ran down my spine. The city was alive—too alive. Streetlights flickered in the fading evening light, illuminating the busy sidewalks where businessmen hurried past, laughter spilled from a nearby bar, and the faint scent of roasted chestnuts lingered in the air. Yet, beneath the surface, something felt… off. I pulled my coat tighter around me and shifted my overnight bag higher onto my shoulder. I wasn’t here for sightseeing. I was here because my mother, Emily Cruz, practically forced me to attend a book club event in her place. The thought made me sigh. “Mia, it’s important to keep connections alive,” she had said. “You never know when you’ll need them.” As the owner of Cruz’s Bookstore—one of New Orleans’ oldest independent bookstores—my mother was obsessed with building literary networks. I, on the other hand, had no such ambitions. I just wanted to survive the night and catch my flight home in the m

I jolted awake, a shudder ripping through me before I could fully process why. The room was dark, but something felt… off. My breath came in uneven gasps as I scanned my surroundings, my mind still groggy with sleep. The bed beneath me was slightly rumpled, the blankets twisted from restless tossing. But that wasn’t what sent ice trickling down my spine. The silence. It was too still. I turned my head toward the spot where he had been slumped against the wall. Empty. My pulse kicked up. I scrambled upright, my bare feet hitting the cold wooden floor as I stumbled toward the window. It was slightly ajar, the cracked pane allowing a thin breeze to snake through. I pressed my fingertips to the glass. Still cool. He was gone. A part of me had expected this, but now that it was real, I felt an odd mix of relief and unease. He had been injured—badly. And yet, he had vanished into the night like a phantom, leaving nothing behind except a smear of dried blood on the floorboards. I sw

Mia lay in bed, staring at the ceiling long before her alarm blared through the quiet room. Sleep had evaded her for most of the night, leaving her tangled in a mess of sheets and nerves. Her thoughts had refused to settle, replaying every possible scenario of her presentation like a never-ending reel. She imagined herself stammering, forgetting key points, or—God forbid—completely blanking in front of Marco Valentino.When the alarm finally shrilled at 6:30 AM, she flinched but didn’t bother reaching for it. She had been awake for the last half-hour, counting down the minutes in the dim morning light. With a deep breath, she turned it off, swung her legs over the edge of the bed, and sat there for a moment, her heart thudding against her ribs.You’ve got this. Just get through today.She forced herself to stand and padded to the bathroom, shivering as her bare feet met the cold tiles. Turning on the shower, she let the water heat up before stepping in, sighing as the warmth seeped in

The conference room door clicked shut behind her, but Mia barely heard it over the pounding of her own heartbeat. The moment the presentation ended, she had slipped out, needing a moment to gather herself. She had done it—delivered her pitch with poise, answered every question with confidence. But none of that mattered. Because the entire time, she had felt his eyes on her. Marco Valentino. The man who now stood at the center of her world in ways she couldn’t understand. The same man who, for the briefest second during the presentation, had looked at her like he knew her—like he was peeling back layers of time, trying to place her in a memory just out of reach. She exhaled sharply, pressing a hand to her chest. It was just business. That was all. Yet, deep down, she knew that was a lie. Mia barely had time to steady her breathing before her boss’s voice rang out behind her. “Miss Cruz.” She turned sharply, her pulse still erratic, to see Mr. Gravitas standing in th

MIA CRUZI took a deep breath before stepping out of the storeroom, my hands tightening around the book samples. I had only been in there for a few minutes, but it had been enough to gather myself—or so I thought.The moment I looked up, my stomach did a ridiculous flip.Marco was still there.He leaned casually against one of the bookshelves, arms crossed over his broad chest, watching me with an amused expression. His dark eyes held a knowing glint, like he could see right through me.“You sure took your time,” he mused.I forced a small laugh, shifting the samples in my grip. “Just… making sure I got the right books.”He hummed as if he didn’t believe me but didn’t push. Instead, he straightened, his gaze settling on me in a way that made my skin prickle.“So,” he said smoothly, “since I’m already here, how about we grab a coffee? You must have a lot of questions.”Coffee?I blinked, caught