er happened, he pressed a

_

wounded feet as she leaned heavily into him. Every ste

simply bent, scooping her up

scaping her lips as her legs

he murmured, voice low

utal silence between them

the edge of the mattress. She tried to sit up, but

gaze neve

inst her forehead ag

there, wa

whispered, her voice strained, barely

at her with his jaw tense, his eyes burning wit

said finally, voice hoarse. "You

er lips trembling. "Then

man looks at you, I want to rip his fucking eyes out. Because you're

her, his hands gripping

brushing his fingers over her cheek gen

to burn this whole world d

moment longer before he

't answered my q

n't deserve an answ

. Instead, he turned on

ll, every inch

a white towel, a bottle of antis

y shifted ba

roaked. "Do

rowed. "You'

leave me alone. Yo

a step

ain, scooting back, "-

ide her, cracked open the antiseptic, and gr

clawed at

stinging her eyes now, more from th

dly, gripping her leg tighter. "Fi

ound, and she screamed a raw, guttu

didn't

ng a clean cloth to her foot as blood soaked throu

hink you do. Because it makes you feel p

r a second. Then

are

glass embedded in her skin while she writhed and hisse

right away. He rose slowly, wiped his bloodstained hands

nd over again every damn time you refuse to obey me

room like a curse, coiling a

throat ti

lips trembling, and sp

ate

le

ed in Matteo's ey

face inches from hers, hi

ipping with darkness. "It'll

e turned and walked out, the

•

MPIRE, VIP

nig

ered under the dim gold lighti

essily on top of her head. A cigarette rested between her lips, the cherry ti

ble edge beside her, the bitter liquid d

tt

wisted something

bo

had sworn

she could

e patterns over damp skin as her mind replayed the way he spoke,

dragging the cigarette aga

, distracted, her body responding to

anted

as she reached for her drink aga

Matteo" she whisp

as Viper stepped out, completely ba

self when she spotted the figu

or

he floor. Arms folded behind hi

ze sha

re?" she asked, stroll

I know your pass

f red silk panties. "Th

agging down her body like

s stare, until his presenc

the nape of her ne

k Viper tattoo coil

s tensed t

nowhere sliding out from under a candle o

ands lifted in surrender, though

nted to pl

like th

me on, won't you consider

epping away from him, t

Love makes us weak. So

abbed his hoodie, a

on his tongue, just enough to make him groan and jolt b

step, breathing

with the back of her hand,

h fire, g

le. Deadly.

k on him again lik

St

ng, grinning like a man fal

r's suite, jaw tight, the faint sting

. Smoke, danger, and j

walls like silent sentries. Just ahead, sitting

the air, catching it between fingers

Flip.

de smirked, twirling the knif

answer. Just

into step beside hi

He flashed teeth. "Nex

m ha

eyes slid

ace if you need a reason

held it to his heart mockingly. "Caref

e just stupid" Storm said

e la

'm not standing there hoping

urn back, just

ough, and someone's going to

ghter echoe

" He stood there, twirling his knife aga

echoed down

ck toward the shadows, flipping the butterfly

way to

a snap and disappeared in

•

A HOSPITAL, VA

n awake since the

silence of the private ward, eyes fixed on th

, the monitors beeping in a stea

filtered through the blinds

rse stepped in with a polite smile a

am. Just here to c

e" Valentina

, thrown off by t

et. You lost a lot of blood, and the doc

n't risen, but it had grown icier

uncomfortably. "Ma'am, pleas

tina

urgical scissors. Before the nurse could react, Valentina lunged forwar

cry, stumbling back in shock

the IV from her arm. Blood dripped down h

at myself" sh

now, gasping for breath,

over her like she

n hanging on the back of the door and pulled the hood over her head. H

stopp

out for a morning walk. No one looked closely enough to see

she pulled out a small burner phone from the inner

fore a familiar

Vale

k exit. Two mi

Diego repli

ded th

didn't flinch from the pain in h

d left her bed, and s

•

the Bellanti estate. Diego didn't say a word as he steered into the

t barely covered her rage. Her hair was unbrushed, lips pale, a

, the doors opened automatically. Diego helped he

elf" She walked

he top of the stairs

as if she'd merely return

rry him, you ga

ou were unconscious. The wedding had

ie" Valenti

er, her cold eyes meeting Valentina's. "This is about power. You

?" Valentina took a step forward, her hands clenche

do. What we all had to do

ssed. "Because I'm back. An

s not you

led. "That's

ned and walked upstair

tly in the air untouched, as if the space had been frozen in time. Her eyes scanned the

hone and immediat

ce. Twice.

again. A

cem

aw cl

d in that flimsy hospital gown like a wounded lio

mn call..."

rora d

into the mirror with a sharp crack, shattering both the screen and

still, che

d just

•

O'S M

tucked beneath her, her fingers curl

for the second t

INA CA

lankly and she mad

d it ring... un

oor o

he paused by the doorway,

calling yo

k at him. "None o

r. Before she could react, he

ink, he snatched th

lunging to take it bac

n, and then that slow, cru

, well... I guess sleeping bea

his head with a glint of amusem

u again," he said c

e back on the bed l

tate to end h

the air like a dagger

ke that, he