Page 90 of Ruthless Desire

“This is what’s inside you,” he murmurs, his voice low, reverent. “This is who you are.”

I swallow, my throat tight as I nod. “It’s… it’s everything. All of it.”

He turns to me, his eyes softening as he cups my face in his hands. “I’m glad you didn’t hold back.”

I lean into his touch, closing my eyes as I let his warmth wash over me. “I didn’t know I had this in me,” I admit, my voice barely above a whisper.

“Neither did I,” he says, his thumb brushing gently across my cheek. “But I’m not surprised.”

There’s a weight to his words, something that makes my heart clench in my chest. I open my eyes, meeting his gaze, and in that moment, I see everything—the darkness, the light, the love, the fear. It’s all there, laid bare between us.

The villa may no longer be Luca’s crypt, but the shadows of what we’ve done still linger, waiting in the corners, in the quiet moments between us. But for now, in this moment, there’s only us. There’s only the warmth of his touch, the steady beat of his heart, the quiet understanding that we are bound together by something stronger than fear, stronger than death.

And as I stand there, wrapped in his arms, I realize that this is enough. We are enough.

For now, that’s all that matters.

Chapter 26 Dante

The taste of blood lingers on my tongue as I survey my empire from the balcony. The Mediterranean sprawls before me, deceptively calm – a stark contrast to the storm raging in my veins. My men scurry below like ants, arming themselves for the coming onslaught. They know death stalks us all today.

But fear? Fear is for the weak. And I am anything but weak.

I grip the railing, cold metal biting into my palm. The pain's a welcome distraction from the carnival of worst-case scenarios playing out in my head. Victory's gonna cost me, but losing? That's not a fucking option.

Not when I've got her.

Natalie. My obsession. My weakness. My whole damn world wrapped up in a package of curves and defiance.

And maybe, if things go as planned, the future mother of my children. The thought hits me like a sucker punch, leaving me breathless. I've never wanted a family, never saw the point in passing on my fucked-up legacy. But with Natalie? The idea of her swollen with my child, of creating something pure from our twisted love – it's intoxicating.

I shake my head, trying to clear the image. Now's not the time for daydreams. We've got a war to win first.

The Corsini’s think they can take her from me. Nazarov, that smug bastard, actually believes he can tear apart everything I've built. They don't get it. They've lit a fuse that's gonna blow this whole city sky-high.

I'll paint the streets red before I let them lay a finger on her.

The door creaks open behind me. Alonzo. Good dog, always on time.

"Boss," he rumbles, "they've breached the outer perimeter. It's only a matter of time."

I nod, feeling the tension coil tighter in my chest. "Hold them back. I want a body count higher than my stock portfolio."

Alonzo hesitates. I can practically hear the gears grinding in his thick skull. "And... Natalie?"

My jaw clenches. "Where is she?"

"In her quarters. Locked up tight, just like you ordered."

The vise around my heart loosens a fraction. She's still safe. For now. But it's not enough. It's never enough.

"She won't stay put," I mutter. "Stubborn little firecracker's gonna try something stupid."

A dark smile tugs at my lips. "Let her try. Those bars'll hold up better than her resolve."

I dismiss Alonzo with a wave, my mind already ten steps ahead. The coming bloodbath, the lives I'm about to snuff out – it all pales compared to the war raging inside me. The need to possess her, to claim her so completely that she forgets her own name.

To make her mine in every way possible.

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