MasukDante’s POVThe light was bright and sharp and merciless, the kind of afternoon sun that doesn't soften for anything. I squinted hard against it and kept walking. The street smelled like warm asphalt and exhaust and somewhere nearby someone was cooking something that floated past and was gone before I could place it. A dog was barking from an upstairs window—sharp, repetitive, annoyed. A car horn sounded somewhere down the block, then another, the city carrying on completely indifferent to the fact that my son was somewhere in it and I didn't know if he was okay.I got into my car.The door shut hard behind me—harder than I meant it to, the sound filling the small interior. I sat for exactly one second. Two. Then I started the engine. The low rumble filled the space around me, steady and familiar, and I put my hands on the wheel and pulled away from the curb.My knuckles were pale.I didn't notice until the third red light, when I looked down and saw how tightly I was gripping the whe
Dante’s POVThe words hit me like a slap. Anger rose so fast and hot that my vision narrowed for a second. Heat flooded up my neck and into my face. I reached out and grabbed her arm—not too tight, but firm enough that she couldn’t pull away. My fingers closed around her wrist. I could feel her pulse jumping under my hand. My voice came out low and dangerous, almost a growl.“Never speak about Lia that way again,” I said. “Do you hear me? Never. Or you will regret it.” I stared straight into her eyes and didn’t look away. “You slept with my own brother while we were still dating. What does that make you, huh? You don’t get to stand there and call anyone a slut. Not after what you did.”She stared at me, breathing hard, her chest rising and falling fast. For a moment she looked like she might argue back, but the words seemed to catch in her throat. The anger in her face mixed with something that looked a lot like shame. Her eyes flicked away from mine. I let go of her arm and took the
Dante’s POVI looked at her for a second. Part of me wanted to keep moving, to keep searching every street myself until my legs gave out, but she was right on the edge of falling apart again. I could see it in the way her shoulders shook and how she couldn’t quite meet my eyes for long. I nodded. “Okay. I’ll stay for now.”I pulled out my phone and called Lia. She answered almost immediately, like she had been waiting with the phone in her hand the whole time.“Dante? Any news?”“Not yet,” I said, trying to keep my voice steady even though my chest felt tight. “We’re still looking. The police put out the alert, and more people are searching. How are you holding up over there?”“I’m okay,” she said softly. “I’m still at the hospital with your dad. He’s stable. They’re watching him closely. The nurses say he’s resting well. Matteo is going to be found, Dante. I believe that. You have to believe it too.”Her words helped a little, but the worry was still thick in my chest. I leaned again
Dante’s POVMarco answered on the second ring. “Boss.”“Matteo is missing,” I said right away, my voice low and tight. “Lola took him to the store this morning and lost track of him. She thinks someone took him. Get the police involved now. I’m heading there.”There was a short pause on the other end, then Marco’s voice came back steady but serious. “I’m on my way. I’ll call the police as soon as we hang up. Where’s the store?”I gave him the name and address Lola had told me. My voice sounded rough even to my own ears. “Triple the security at the hospital,” I added. “I want more men on Lia and my dad. No one gets near either of them. Understand?”“Got it. I’ll handle it.”I hung up and practically ran the rest of the way to the parking lot. My hands were shaking as I got into the car and started the engine. The keys almost slipped from my fingers. The drive to the store felt endless. My heart wouldn’t slow down no matter how many deep breaths I tried to take. Every red light made me
Dante’s POVI stood up right away. Lia stood with me, her hand finding mine and holding on tight. My heart started beating faster, a mix of fear and hope twisting in my chest.“Your father is improving,” the doctor said. His voice was calm but clear. “The vitals are stronger this morning. The swelling has gone down more than we expected, and his oxygen levels are better. Things are looking positive. He could wake up at any minute now. We’re monitoring him closely, but the signs are good. He’s responding well.”I felt the air leave my lungs in one long, heavy breath. Relief hit me so hard my knees felt weak for a second. I closed my eyes and let out a huge sigh, the kind that came from deep in my chest after holding everything in for too long. My hand tightened around Lia’s without me even thinking about it.Lia turned and hugged me tight, her arms wrapping around my waist. I held her back just as hard, burying my face in her hair for a moment. She smelled like her soap and something w
Dante’s POV After my driver drove Lia home, I stood there in the parking lot for a long minute, watching the black car pull away until its lights disappeared into the dark. The night air felt cool against my face, and the hospital lights behind me threw long shadows across the concrete. My chest still felt tight from watching her leave. I didn’t like sending her away, but she looked so tired. The dark circles under her eyes and the way her shoulders had slumped told me she needed rest more than she needed to sit in that hallway with me. I pulled out my phone and called Marco. He answered on the second ring. “Boss,” he said. “Lia’s on her way home,” I told him, my voice low. “I need you to make sure the bodyguards are already stationed at her place. Confirm it.” There was a short pause, then the sound of him checking something. “They’re there. Two outside the building, one covering the back. Another in a car down the street. They’re ready.” “Good. Keep them out of sight. I don’t
Lia's POVThe next morning, I woke up feeling like I'd been hit by a truck.My head was pounding with a dull, insistent throb that pulsed in time with my heartbeat. My mouth felt like it was filled with cotton—dry and unpleasant and tasting vaguely of tequila and regret. My body ached in that parti
Lia's POVBut even as I flew away from the island, even as physical distance grew between me and what had happened there, I knew something fundamental had shifted.I wasn't the same woman who'd boarded this plane days ago.I wasn't the same woman who'd accepted Rob's neglect and disrespect as norma
Lia's POVHis large, warm hand glided over the curve of my ass, caressing and squeezing the soft flesh possessively. His fingers trailed downward, brushing against the base of the small plug. He circled it gently, then gave it a subtle push, pressing it a little deeper inside me. The modest size st
I spun around with a sharp intake of breath, my hand flying to my chest.Victor stood just a few feet away, watching me with those piercing blue eyes. He was so quiet I hadn't heard him approach at all. He'd changed since earlier—now he wore a dark suit, perfectly fitted, the kind that probably cos







