She shook her head, tears welling up in her eyes. “The last time… with Chant… it was just to keep him from getting angry. It wasn’t… it wasn’t for me. He never cared about what I wanted, only what he needed.”
Her words cut deep, and I felt a surge of protectiveness. “This isn’t going to be like that,” I told her, my voice firm. “I’m not him. I won’t hurt you.”
Beniamino cleared his throat, clearly uncomfortable with the personal nature of our conversation. “I’ll give you some privacy,” he muttered before stepping out of the room, leaving us alone.
I took a deep breath, trying to steady my thoughts. The weight of the contract and the obligations it entailed seemed heavier now.
I turned back to Genesis, brushing a stray tear from her cheek. “We’ll take this one step at a time. We don’t have to rush anything. I’m here to protect you, not to make things harder.”
She looked up at me, her eyes filled with a mix of fear and something else—trust. “Thank you,” she whispered, her voice trembling slightly. “I’m just scared.”
“I know,” I said, pulling her into a gentle embrace. “But I’m here with you. We’ll face this together.”
As I prepared for the night, I couldn’t shake the feeling that this was only the beginning of a complex journey—one that would require navigating both personal and legal entanglements. The house, once a symbol of refuge, now felt like a stage for a play with high stakes and uncertain outcomes. I only hoped that through it all, Genesis and her daughter would find the safety and stability they so desperately needed.
GENESIS
Ilay there, the room dimly lit by the soft glow of the bedside lamp. Dante’s touch was gentle, his fingers tracing the outline of my face, my shoulders, my waist. Every brush of his hand sent shivers through me, awakening parts of myself I had long thought were dormant. I was nervous, but the way he looked at me, with such care and intensity, made it impossible to be afraid.
“Are you okay?” he asked, his voice low and soothing.
I nodded, swallowing hard. “Yes,” I whispered, my voice betraying the fluttering in my chest.
He leaned in, his lips brushing against mine, so tender it was like a feather’s caress. Then, he deepened the kiss, and I felt myself melting into him. His hands moved with purpose, yet they were patient, exploring me as if he had all the time in the world. He was thorough, making sure I felt every touch, every kiss, every moment.
As he entered me, I gasped, my body arching to meet his. He was gentle, so unlike anything I had experienced before. He moved with a rhythm that was both slow and deliberate, building a sensation inside me that was beyond anything I’d ever known. It was as if he was trying to make me understand something, to feel something profound. And I did. I felt every sweep of his hips, every stroke, every kiss, every graze of his gingers, as he took his time, bringing me to the edge and back again, until I couldn’t take it anymore.
A moan escaped my lips as waves of pleasure washed over me, my body trembling in his arms. He held me close, his movements steady, guiding me through the sensations that seemed to overwhelm every part of me. Then he rolled us over, putting me on top. Instead of thinking about the mechanics of what I was doing, I watched his face. His eyes. He watched my breasts as they rocked when I rolled my hips, my lips when I moved up and down his length, and he closed his eyes and grabbed my butt when I let gravity pull me down completely, taking all of him inside. He came inside me grunting my name and gripping my thighs. When I finally collapsed against him, spent and sated, he wrapped his arms around me, holding me as if he would never let go.
We lay there in the quiet aftermath, the sound of our breathing mingling in the stillness of the room. It felt good wrapped in his embrace, the warmth of his body against mine. For the first time in a long time, I felt truly at peace.
A soft vibration broke the silence, and I felt Dante shift beside me. He reached for his phone, glancing at the screen before a small smile tugged at his lips. “It’s Beni,” he said quietly. “He’s locked up and got guards in place.”
“Okay,” I murmured, feeling a sense of relief. At least we wouldn’t be disturbed.
Dante put the phone away, then turned back to me, pulling me closer. “You’re safe,” he whispered, his voice a soothing balm. “I’ve got you.”
I snuggled into his chest, listening to the steady beat of his heart. “Thank you,” I whispered, my eyes drifting shut.
He kissed the top of my head, his arms tightening around me. “You're staying with me tonight. Get some rest,” he murmured. “We’ll figure everything out tomorrow. I'll fight your demons while you dream.”
As I drifted off to sleep, I couldn’t help but feel a sense of contentment. Despite everything, being in Dante’s arms felt right, like this was where I was always meant to be.
CHANT
Iwas burning up with rage. Genesis had vanished, and my control over the situation was slipping fast. It wasn’t just about losing her; it was about the power she represented—and that power had to be reclaimed, one way or another.
I slammed my fist on the table, sending papers and empty bottles crashing to the floor. My men flinched, but I didn’t give a damn. “I want answers, and I want them now. Find out everything you can about Dante DeLuca. He’s tangled up with Genesis, and I want to know exactly what that bastard’s planning.”
My men scrambled, terrified. Good. They needed to be afraid. Fear makes people work harder, and right now, I needed results.
I pulled in every contact I had, digging into their connections with the DeLuca family. I threw money and threats around like candy, squeezing every last bit of information out of them. They knew I didn’t play games—either they delivered, or they’d face my wrath. I didn't care about the bodies piling up either. It was the consequence for standing against me.
The more I learned about Dante, the more infuriated I became. He was one of the DeLuca siblings who’d managed to stay clean of the family’s criminal filth. A so-called general surgeon who’d kept himself separate from the dirty business. But now, he was mixed up with Genesis, and that was something I couldn’t tolerate.
I decided to turn the heat up. I spread rumors, stirred up trouble. I wanted Dante on edge, rattled, desperate. I started making threats that would put him on high alert. The more chaos I could create, the easier it would be to find Genesis. I wasn’t interested in subtlety; I wanted to hit him where it hurt.
I had my men track Dante’s every move, every interaction. I wanted to know his routines, his weaknesses. It became clear that Dante wasn’t just hiding Genesis; he was wrapped up in her life. That made him a liability and a target.