LOVE CYCLE

ter

RICE

bare feet barely made a sound against the polished marble floors, her breath coming in sharp gasps as she rounded

le she had managed to pry open moments ago

a strong arm wrapped around her waist,

er nails clawing at the steel grip of her

tard!" she hissed,

face impassive. "You're only maki

them, but it was useless. These men were trained ki

er back toward the main hall. Every step fel

ssive open space, her

ci

r captor. Her w

pristine, the top buttons of his black dress shirt undone, revealing a hint of hard muscle beneath. The di

rage boi

gling harder. "I swear to God,

ance. He simply took a slow sip of his whiskey, h

fference made

ds' grip. "You arrogant, heartless monster! You thin

ith a soft clink. Then, without looking a

трь. Убедитесь,

e. Make sure sh

odded and to

erupted into

ieked, her voice raw. "I hate you,

, not

ixed on the amber liquid in his glass, as if her o

fading into the distance, Luciano finally let

most trusted soldier-wat

one," Enzo rem

d against the armrest.

olly, reaching for his ciga

y straightened as Lucian

rolling the cigar between his

smirk v

mitted. "Small shipments-drugs, we

tightened. "

o see if we'

resting his elbows on

iting for furth

ar once against the ashtray. His

ood up

across Enzo's face.

walked out, leaving Luciano in

es. The weight of power, control, and responsibility pr

not his enemies, not even his

ightly that her nails dug into her palm. The night she had been for

ith money, but she never imagined they

ee her mother preparing dinner and her father reading the newspa

er mother's hands trembled as they clutche

said, his voice shaking, "

ed when he spoke the name. Even then, she

lm. He had looked at her once be

aid, his Russian accent sha

begged, his voice hoarse.

he had repeated, swirling the whiskey in his glass.

thing had

e she could process what was happening, a

dering breath, snappin

hate

ed all

Empire at twenty-four when his father h

rmined to take back control and dest

had thought they c

ad bee

had crushed them

y-one, he was

security firms. The benefits were clear: power, wealth, control.

very rival organization. No one

rule was

rance for

ossed him di

disap