LOGIN~~~The moment I slam the door to my room shut behind me, the weight of everything crashes down on me.I pace back and forth across the lavish carpet, arms wrapped tightly around my middle as if trying to hold myself together.I really need the anchor.My mind spins in chaotic circles, each thought more terrifying than the last.'Should I call off the wedding?' The question echoes endlessly. If I run now, if I try to disappear from this estate, Julianās men will hunt me down and kill me before I even reach the Falcone gates.I have no allies. No money. No power left.But if I stay⦠If anyone discovers that I'm the bully from years back. If they discover what I had done to Luca all those years ago.The lie that destroyed his life.They will kill me, tear me to pieces. The Falcones were not forgiving people.And Luca⦠how long will he wait before he tells them the truth? How long before he reveals that I am the real villain in his story?I stop in front of the full-length mirror, starin
āSomeoneās itching down there, huh?ā Lucaās voice is low, rough, and dripping with cruel amusement. The blood drains from my face at his words. Heat rushes to my cheeks as humiliation crashes over me. The air between us crackles with tension. Charged. Dangerous. Before I can find my voice, he leans even closer, so much his breath warm against my skin, his face barely an inch from mine. I manage to turn my head away. But then I stiffen when I feel his tongue slowly trace the sensitive shell of my ear. The wet heat of it sends an unwanted bolt of electricity straight to my core. However, the unwanted intimacy triggers a flashback of the night he almost broke me in school. That night when he had me pinned, shaking with rage, gray eyes so void as he ripped my clothes, his fingers in my panties' waistband, my cries for help... The terror surges back like ice water in my veins. A primal surge of panic takes over, and I shove him hard. Jumping to my feet, my hand flies out instinctive
SPLASH.The violent sound of breaking water cuts through the silence, snapping me out of my spiraling thoughts.I jolt so hard my heart leaps into my throat, my entire body flinching from the sudden sound and the weight of everything Alessia had just confessed.My head snaps toward the deep end where a figure bursts through the surface like some dark god rising from the depths.He's shirtless.Water cascades off powerful frame as he shakes his head once, sending droplets flying in slow, glittering arcs through the golden sunlight.His dark hair clings to his forehead, water streaming down the sharp angles of his face.Lucaā¦For a second, I simply stare. I hadn't even realized he was in the pool.He drags a hand through his soaked hair before gripping the stone edge of the pool with one hand and hoists himself out in a single, effortless motion.The muscles in his arms and shoulders flex and ripple under the movement, water sluicing over every hard contour of his body splashing softly
Without another word, the blonde turns on her heel and strides away, her heels clicking against the polished marble floor.I close the door and lean against it for a moment.'Spend time together? After the way she looked at me yesterday?'This isn't going to end well.Still, the last thing I need is another confrontation with Francesca. Swallowing my pride, I head to the closet.After rummaging through the rows of brand-new clothes, I settle on the simplest swimsuit I can find.A plain dark bikini.However, I hesitate before putting it on. The thought of exposing so much skin in a house full of Falcones makes my stomach churn.I quickly wrap a sheer white sarong around my waist, tying it tightly at my hip before giving my reflection one last nervous glance.It will have to do.ā¦~...The walk to the outdoor pool feels far longer than it should.Warm sunlight pours over the stone pathway, reflecting off manicured gardens and towering palm trees.Finally, I step through the wrought-iron
"L-Luca..." His name leaves my lips as nothing more than a broken whisper, trembling between a sob and pure fear. "Hmm." A low, husky groan rumbles against my ear. "Did you miss me?" His large hand slides to the back of my head, his fingers threading into my hair as he cradles my skull with an intimacy that makes my skin crawl. The other tightens around my waist, crushing me against the hard wall of his muscular body until there isn't an inch of space between us. His heartbeat is slow. And steady. The complete opposite of mine. I can't move. I can't breathe. Every muscle in my body locks. Then I feel it⦠His warm, ragged breath, right against my lips. The world around me disappears. The dark kitchen. All I can see is a frightened teenage girl trapped in the principal's office, staring into the eyes of a boy consumed by grief and rage. No... No, not again. Is he going to force himself on me...? The horrifying thought rips through me like lightning. I found myself back in
The dining room feels like a tomb.The moment he recognizes me, I know my past has finally caught up with me.Luca has returned.I look away from his face, fixing my gaze on my plate. My hands clench the white linen napkin under the table to keep them from shaking.Act normal, I repeat to myself like a mantra. He is a stranger. We have never met.Yes!No.Oh God, pleaseā¦I bite the inside of my cheek until I taste blood, my heart pounding so violently I'm certain everyone at the table can hear it."Luca, this is Bianca Rossi," Marco says, his voice cutting through the ringing in my ears. "My fiancĆ©e."I force a shaky smile, trying to rise, but I can't feel my legs.No. I can't feel my entire body.Luca steps closer, his heavy footsteps vibrating through the floor. Instead of offering a hand, he leans down over my shoulder.Before I can register what he's doing, his lips brush against my cheek.I freeze.He doesnāt pull away immediately; he lingers, his hot breath fanning against my ea







