manipulation, coercion, and scenes of non-consensual intimacy that ma

_

ake, when you can't sit without re

_

she trembled beneath him, not from the cold

leaving a mark behind, dark and unmistakable. A shiver ran through her

reathing, but her thought

really h

untarily. Her knees threatened to buckle beneath her as two fingers slowly slid

sted in h

esn't

esn't

done this

re her t

filled with heat and pain and pleasure. She knew what was coming. And yet, none of

ightly, her body rea

ed to hurt t

leed? What

breath was hot against her skin, hi

ed, but no wo

t want to

coul

n't care

a girl on the edg

st somethi

hammering against her ribs

side her, unrelenting, an

reatened

couldn't hol

in... pleas

it might cha

t did was

was surprised, but because h

is lips. "You thought that would soften me?" he ask

her hands trembl

nose along her jawline like

uched" His voice dipped lower, nearly a whisper. "It means

r now not to comfort, but to

first time. I care abou

d. Every nerve li

y step, every damn heartbeat" he continued. "I wan

leaving her face. Like a predator

d you'll learn something

her, his breath

e. I don't f

ound her throat gentle,

whispered against her ear, "I don

est ti

scared of

ared of wh

n't crave her body half as mu

't want to

d to be

ng even if i

it destr

, leaving Aurora breathless more from th

followed him, confused at first... until

ch

But the sight of it

ath hitched. He

explain. He

t, then secured the other end to the headboard. Not tight. Not painf

idn't

ldn

t stare

, brushing his knuc

war

posse

ter like this

ned there

es is a monster and this

ecanter, and poured himself a drink. The amber li

thered by her silence behind him. The glas

d and returned b

her, blocking out the dim light. His eyes

the cold, possessive hunger of

r hers. His hand found her wais

ught in her throat. Her body, already tense,

was digging into her skin as she instinct

plunged

ast. Me

, raw and agonizing. A choked cry ripped

o her eyes even as she squeezed them shut against th

on her face, dark and intense, watching her

't stop him. He kept go

rhythm beneath them, a counte

gain, deeper, faster, his bre

not yet. He was asserting ownership,

her world reduced to the searing pain and the relentle

he word barely a whisper, rag

fast. Slow do

vements, but it didn't halt him. If anything, her cry se

er to the bed, while her vision blurred

uldn't take

ting woul

gasps, the pain a dull ro

bs felt

barely moved as her hand s

nds around her faded, swallowe

linke

ic

r. Matteo's shadow loomed b

th

kne

surrendering the o

ed into unco

•

a sti

escribed, but deep, raw, and bone-weary. Every inch of her f

soft morning light seepi

roat w

ized she was stil

l na

al around her wr

ore

the dull sting. A faint red mark lin

er were different. C

touched the bac

had cl

resh bedding while she lay un

anned the r

gn of

tabbed through her core, and she collap

ty be taken in thus brutal way

tupid

ecret

o

y in one b

now who she

asn't the girl

fter

ly not afte

g foot at a time. She wrapped the edge of the blanket ar

r reflection

ll and swollen. Lip

aw it, just ov

the curve of her ba

he mark, but she couldn't

I was once crushing on him, c

the bathroom, still wrapped in the blank

•

RETTIS

Moretti Empire, every clan member and guard sto

red block

didn't stop

r the

standing at the foot of the staircase

t climbed

alculated, echoing like t

e heavy oak doors

ide

His skin pale and sunken, mouth stained faintly with blood. The

the air like cha

, he

thout a word, eyes u

ad weakly. His voice

. I don't need the o

did a

ly. No sadness. No

sil

ght you" the Don chuckled bitterly,

oo

use. A sha

o. I never gave a damn. But it's e

p straighter, fai

from blood. I carved it from men's bones. But

said

yours now. You give them fear. You give them loyalty. You

cut in sharply.

time. Slower. His fingers trembled

something o

ignor

And Morettis don'

nce short, bitter and th

es fro

il

didn't

't b

l burning beside the body and

the Don's old gun an engraved silver Ber

it into hi

rn

f the room witho

inner chamber. The most dangero

n. Five

y in their

cal. Covered in black

, and always twirling a butterf

ke a freight train with a crooked

. The quiet genius, always in

ood. Carried a steel axe on hi

e. A poison expert with d

t her gloved hands were know

itch. Never smiled. Her

l with blades. Loved slic

ulated kings and spies alike.

into the room, all

ne s

ne m

eard the D

no

ing walked

s swept acro

d c

at just happened

ipped. Others

h the massive Moretti crest, a lion devouring a s

d it on

od. I'll burn the world to protect it

a mission

e passed thro

omething valuable.

rrowed, loc

ar weapons, and a drive full of classified contra

to breach his firewalls before.

hrough his systems" Matteo rep

urved slowly. "He likes

likes," Matteo said coldly.

like a general select

xen. Rosa. Yo

a tilted her head with interest. Vixen grin

ackup. Hidden. Armed. If anything goes wrong, you g

ngle nod, his

acial recognition ready. If anyone in that

k up from her tablet,

rned to V

e the

ked. "Al

etly rolle

kill him unless I say so. He dies, and the entire Eas

d, her voice soft like silk but everyone

last memory is regre

d, both hands br

clean. Quick. Pre

over all ten

ll disappear. And this empire d

n, lifting the silver

. Vixen wear somethi

irked. "

out of the cha

his phone, encryp

pped

feed po

y to a hidden camera nestled within t

ere sh

ro

t, and his oversized black t-shirt swallowed her frame, slipping off o

t notice

she was be

d soft...

ng slowly like she was texting someone. Her brows furrowed

. Lowered

nees and stared b

o smi

e already,

ver the screen. He

t lips parted slightly, lashes

urned on just b

er was watchin