Book Cover By: @writermarie__
Five years after a night of forbidden passion, a powerful mafia Don's violent pursuit of a debt leads him back to the enigmatic dancer unaware that she holds a secret that could shatter his empire: his heir.
...
Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
Lyric
The past few days had been...still. Eerily so. Since Moretti's reign of terror had ended with a bullet, a thick blanket of quiet had settled over the mansion.
Tristian, however, was anything but still. He was a whirlwind of barking orders, pacing hallways, and mumbling about logistics. Merging two empires, apparently, was a task that demanded every ounce of his focus.
I understood, I really did. But sometimes, I missed the quiet moments we'd managed to steal before everything went to hell. So, whenever I could, I'd cook. Simple, familiar meals that grounded us. He'd always join Trevor and me at the table, and for that hour or so, amidst the clatter of silverware and Trevor's endless chatter, things felt...normal. We'd find small pockets of time - stealing a rushed conversation in the hallway, or even just collapsing together for a quick nap in the afternoon. Those moments were life rafts in the sea of his responsibilities and my anxieties.
When he was buried under paperwork and phone calls, I threw myself into Trevor. He was my priority, always. And lately, it felt like he needed me more than ever. He was slowly healing, but the shadows of what he'd endured still lingered in his eyes. I'd decided to transform the room we'd been sharing into his very own space. It was a symbolic gesture, a way to help him reclaim his independence and start anew.
I spent a whole day purging the room of anything remotely "girly." Frilly curtains were replaced with blackout shades emblazoned with superhero logos. Stuffed animals were swapped for action figures and model cars. I even managed to assemble a ridiculously complicated racing car bed I bought online. Trevor was ecstatic. His face lit up - a genuine, unburdened smile that chased away the darkness in my heart. Seeing his joy made every second of labor worth it.
After a long day of organizing his new toy box and filling his closet with new clothes I shamelessly bought from Fashion Nova using Tristian's platinum card, I was utterly drained. I craved nothing more than to curl up with a book and escape for a few hours. The mansion's small library was my sanctuary.
I sank into the plush sofa tucked in the corner, pulled my legs beneath me, and leaned back against the soft fabric. The scent of old paper and leather filled the air. I opened the worn cover of my book and lost myself in the story, oblivious to everything around me. I was so engrossed, that I didn't even register Tristian sneaking up on me.
Suddenly, warm hands snaked around my waist. A deep, husky voice whispered "Boo" directly into my ear, sending a jolt of pure adrenaline through me. I screamed, jolting upright and whipping around with the book still in my hand. It connected with a solid thwack against Tristian's forehead.
"Well, damn," he groaned, rubbing the spot I'd just assaulted.
"Tristian! What the hell?! You can't just sneak up on me like that! Are you trying to give me a heart attack?" My own heart hammered against my ribs like a trapped bird.
