Vincenzo stared out the window, his thoughts lost in a turbulent haze. A destructive urge simmered beneath his skin, a need to unleash the beast clawing inside him. But he clenched his fists, struggling to hold onto control. The illness made it harder every day, its dark influence testing his patience.
The door opened behind him, and he heard the footsteps of two familiar people—Venessa and Brian. He didn't turn around, his gaze still fixed on the city lights.
"Boss, the drugs are ready for shipment," Brian announced, his voice steady and respectful.
Without breaking his stare, Vincenzo nodded. "Prepare the hotel for our launch in the countryside," he replied curtly.
"Yes, boss," Brian responded, glancing at Venessa before leaving the room.
Venessa lingered, her heels clicking softly against the floor as she approached him. She watched him for a moment, concern etched across her face. "Are you sure you're okay?"
Her question pierced through his haze of anger, and he finally looked at her, his gaze dark and smoldering. The beast within him surged to the surface, his temper flaring uncontrollably. Before he realized what he was doing, he grabbed her, pulling her close and pinning her to the wall.
Their eyes met, and in that charged moment, his lips crashed against hers, fierce and unyielding. He could taste the sharp bite of her surprise, but it only fueled him further. His teeth grazed her lips, biting just hard enough to leave a sting.
Venessa's heart raced as she found herself caught in his grip. She was strong—she'd taken down more dangerous men than she could count, and in the face of any other rival, she would have struck back without hesitation. But Vincenzo was different. She couldn't bring herself to fight him, even as the intensity of his kiss left her breathless.
Finally, Vincenzo pulled back, his gaze still locked on her, a flicker of regret mingling with the raw intensity in his eyes. He took a step back, his hands loosening, his expression shifting.
"I… I'm fine," he murmured, his voice softer but still laced with the weight of his struggle. He turned away, leaving her pressed against the wall, the taste of his kiss lingering.
Venessa watched him as he moved to the window again, her hand brushing her bruised lips. She knew there was a dangerous tension between them—one that could either pull them closer or shatter everything they'd built.The cool night air wrapped around Vanessa as she stood in the quiet hallway, her hands trembling at her sides. Her mind raced, her heart still pounding from the kiss, from everything that had just happened.
She wanted to push it away, to forget it, to pretend it didn't matter. But deep down, she knew it was too late. Vincenzo's touch lingered on her skin, and she couldn't shake the feeling that he knew something she didn't. That maybe, just maybe, he had always known what she tried so hard to ignore—the pull between them.
But she couldn't let herself get caught in that trap. Not now, not with everything that was happening. There was too much at stake.
Her thoughts were interrupted by the sound of footsteps approaching. She quickly wiped the back of her hand across her lips, as if she could erase the kiss, but it was no use.
Vincenzo emerged from the shadows, his eyes still dark and unreadable. He didn't say anything at first, just stood there, watching her, as if trying to gauge whether she would crumble or stand her ground.
"Vanessa," he said softly, his voice low, almost gentle. "We need to talk."
She turned to face him, her expression hardening. "About what? About the fact that you kissed me? Or about the fact that you're keeping secrets from everyone, including me?"
His jaw clenched, the mask of control he always wore slipping for a second. "I didn't mean for things to get out of hand. But you have to understand, this isn't just about us. There's a bigger picture here."
Vanessa crossed her arms, her gaze narrowing. "A bigger picture? You mean the mafia? The betrayal? The lies?"
Vincenzo took a step toward her, his voice quiet but filled with a dangerous edge. "Yes, all of that. And more."
Her heart skipped a beat, the weight of his words sinking in. "What more?"
He hesitated, then looked away, as though the truth was something he wasn't ready to share.
"It's not just about the deal anymore. It's about power, Vanessa. Control. And the people we trust the most... aren't who they seem to be."
She stared at him, her mind reeling. The sudden shift in his tone, the dangerous undertone in his words—it was clear now that there were far more secrets at play than she'd ever imagined.
"You think I'm just going to sit back and let you drag me deeper into this?" she asked, her voice sharp, though a part of her wasn't sure if she was asking herself or him.
Vincenzo's eyes met hers again, and this time there was no denying the heat between them. "You don't have a choice," he said, his voice rough and full of something else she couldn't quite place. "We're already in this together. Whether you like it or not."
The cool night air wrapped around Vanessa as she stood in the quiet hallway, her hands trembling at her sides. Her mind raced, her heart still pounding from the kiss, from everything that had just happened.
She wanted to push it away, to forget it, to pretend it didn't matter. But deep down, she knew it was too late. Vincenzo's touch lingered on her skin, and she couldn't shake the feeling that he knew something she didn't. That maybe, just maybe, he had always known what she tried so hard to ignore—the pull between them.
But she couldn't let herself get caught in that trap. Not now, not with everything that was happening. There was too much at stake.
Her thoughts were interrupted by the sound of footsteps approaching. She quickly wiped the back of her hand across her lips, as if she could erase the kiss, but it was no use.
Vincenzo emerged from the shadows, his eyes still dark and unreadable. He didn't say anything at first, just stood there, watching her, as if trying to gauge whether she would crumble or stand her ground.
"Vanessa," he said softly, his voice low, almost gentle. "We need to talk."
She turned to face him, her expression hardening. "About what? About the fact that you kissed me? Or about the fact that you're keeping secrets from everyone, including me?"
His jaw clenched, the mask of control he always wore slipping for a second. "I didn't mean for things to get out of hand. But you have to understand, this isn't just about us. There's a bigger picture here."
Vanessa crossed her arms, her gaze narrowing. "A bigger picture? You mean the mafia? The betrayal? The lies?"
Vincenzo took a step toward her, his voice quiet but filled with a dangerous edge. "Yes, all of that. And more."
Her heart skipped a beat, the weight of his words sinking in. "What more?"
He hesitated, then looked away, as though the truth was something he wasn't ready to share.
"It's not just about the deal anymore. It's about power, Vanessa. Control. And the people we trust the most... aren't who they seem to be."
She stared at him, her mind reeling. The sudden shift in his tone, the dangerous undertone in his words—it was clear now that there were far more secrets at play than she'd ever imagined.
"You think I'm just going to sit back and let you drag me deeper into this?" she asked, her voice sharp, though a part of her wasn't sure if she was asking herself or him.
Vincenzo's eyes met hers again, and this time there was no denying the heat between them. "You don't have a choice," he said, his voice rough and full of something else she couldn't quite place. "We're already
in this together. Whether you like it or not