coming here. I won

_

ling away from her like a heavy storm cloud d

holding it in the whole time. Her lungs burned, her heart pounded. Her

a mahogany sideboard. His black coat shifted with every graceful movement, sharp against his pale

like sin

sliding smoothly into a crystal glass. The quiet clink o

thing. She jus

rofile lit by the low gol

't spea

glance

then placed the glass back down still

ke that...

d him with a finality that

her ribs, unsure if it was fear, fury, or something

against the cold marble, a

back the

r was sti

the windshield in slow, rhythmic strokes. His silhouette was barely vi

with

l ou

down her spine. The Moretti estate stretched behind he

walked int

on

away from the win

aked open before

expression unreadable, eyes hid

see you now" h

twisted but nod

she came. They passed the lounge, turned past t

floors be

. War scenes. Skulls. Blood-red mo

is was not part of th

. The deeper they went, the heavier the air became. Smell

guard opened a st

elegance of the estate, this place was raw. Real.

usters, Moretti clansmen. Al

rd gave her a look that said: Don'

she s

vatore

Broad. Imposing. Face carved from granite. His silver-streaked beard trimmed to perfection.

owed, spine

stopping only when they rea

e's eyes

curious. Just.

ghter" he said, voice

d once. "Yes

of si

ll black case from t

e this to y

guards who handed it to her.

e asked before she

e room fe

he air

warning, the D

of his men standi

said. "St

eyed witho

re didn

ver the crates last week.

his mouth, fumb

ce, the Don unsheathed the short

, brutal

ke art across th

llapsed. Head rol

p cry caught in her thr

't even glance

with a cloth, "is what happens when som

ed to h

rettis have fulfilled their end of the deal.

k case tighter to her ch

Don Mo

t bac

out of

her arm not gently and began pu

th blood and her head spinning, on

ople are

wedding fails, so will your

until the steel door s

Elena cold and controlled, Valentina flawless in

hered Don Salvatore calm and dang

each other like rival

the air, but no

ing was

than a celebration, i

new how easily

doors sw

ti entered, tal

across the room w

Don Salvatore, h

Salva

once, his cold eye

eeded, their re

gathered clansmen, rais

eased just

started, echoing

lanti clans began t

ration wa

smiles and guarded g

a fragi

ep could

rward, carrying an ornate velvet box. One o

Salvatore, who opened it slowly

then passed one ring

ething h

uns

ploded i

utching her chest as s

? W

g through a side corridor, a flash of m

houted, clansmen drew weapons, and

d Valentina, carrying her

s cold gaze fixed ahead. Matteo's sharp eyes never w

his expression unreadable as he watched hi

en, shock rooting

e's voice cut thr

at or who stands in the way. I don't care if bl

le. So stop this madness, or

lent, all eyes t

turned, locking

le to believe wh

teo, whose smirk deepe

shattered... but the g

enzo stepped forward, his eyes sha

he ordered, his voice

m, her expression har

Her lips pressed ti

d lashed out, striking h

ned, but she

top wasting our

riefly on Aurora's sh

forward, holding the velv

nd passed a ring to Vince

g onto Aurora's finge

acing the second ri

t the weight of the bond tighten around her, a marri

•

O'S M

ough the quiet streets until it reached Matteo's mansion, a

s coat brushing the cold air as he di

r through the vast, dimly lit halls. They ascended a narrow stairc

avy oak door. Without a word, he opened i

door open and

hirtless, pale skin glowing softly in the

wed hard but

d his lips as he closed

st and boldly cupped her breasts. She gasped,

opped low, a

ine now.

led her closer, his breath warm against her skin. His hands never lef

head, pressing slow, searing kisses along

ng, leaving a sharp, delicious bite. Aurora's breath hitched, a tr

trailing a line of marks harsh, claiming

pered huskily against her sk

against him. The weight of his body, the int

fists at his chest, caught be

h dark hunger. Without a word, he pulled back just enough to reach behind his chai

nning down her spine, part fear, pa

essed the searing hot steel flat

d through her, raw and elec

p beneath her skin,

under his touch as Matteo held the brand t

gravelly, a possessive

is mine. For e

brand slowly, deliberatel

ix of pain and dark desire

new, without a doubt, that from this moment on, she belon

s slid around her waist, fingers tracing fire

exposed and vulnerable be

und the curve of her hip, sliding lowe

ticed precision, sending jolts of el

shock and desire, unable to pu

epened, a dark pr

every stroke designed to claim, to dominate, t

floor grounding her as she stared up into Matteo's d

ntly, unbuckling his belt

nd pulled out the hardness tha

throat, a smirk curling

nocent" he murmured, v

ook him fully in her mouth, h

clenching into fists at his sides

sharply, cutting through the

pocket and slammed it hard against the marble floor. The screen

back of Aurora's head firmly but possessively

growled, voice r

rvor, fueling the fire between them as Matteo's

e getting married to Matteo. But now Valentin

e was told to

but right now, all she could feel was the e

e'd only ever dreamed of. Her mouth moved with trembling eagerness

d burn in ways she never expected. And now, here she was giving h

ding that never happened, her sister's life

him pressing against her lips, the sound of his b

ire, she didn't notice

her effortlessly,

, she was carried across th

landed her gently on the bed, the so

pounding not with fear, but w

lower lip, like he was claim

something animalistic.

o the girl you were, Auror

hroat, not choking, just remind

ut mine. Mind. Body. So

s mouth brushing her

e you come. You'll remember how I bro

k her in the eyes, a smirk pulling at

ing to unravel every inch of you until there's n

h grazed

ake, when you can't sit without re