MATURE

Life hasn’t been kind to me. One moment, I was a carefree eighteen-year-old with dreams of a bright future. The next, I was a 28 year old lady and my world went up in flames. literally. My mom died in the fire that destroyed our home, my little sister is in a coma, and my brother’s in jail for trying to keep us afloat. My dad? He left us drowning in debt and despair.

I thought I’d hit rock bottom, but then I found myself working in a place where dreams go to die, doing things I never imagined just to survive. That’s when he walked into my life, Alex Romanov. Dangerous. Mysterious. And entirely out of my league.

He’s everything I should fear, but there’s something about him that draws me in. Maybe it’s the way he looks at me like I’m more than just another broken soul. Or the way he makes me feel alive when I thought I’d forgotten how.

But Alex has secrets, dark ones that could destroy us both. And as my past collides with his world, I’m left wondering: Can I trust the man who’s slowly stealing my heart, or will his darkness swallow me whole?

This isn’t the life I wanted, but it’s the one I’ve been given.

Luca leaned against the car, lighting a cigarette. "Victor's not gonna beg like Lorenzo did. He's got more pride."


I smirked, checking my pistol. "Then I'll break him piece by piece."


Luca exhaled a cloud of smoke. "You sure you don't wanna just put a bullet in his head and be done with it?"


I shook my head. "Not yet. I want him to understand why this is happening."


We stepped out of the car, my men already positioned around the warehouse. Victor had no idea we were coming. A stupid mistake on his part.


Luca signaled to the men, and within seconds, the doors were kicked open. The warehouse was dimly lit, the air thick with the smell of oil and metal. Victor was sitting at a table, a glass of whiskey in one hand, a cigar in the other. Two of his men flanked him, but I could see the flicker of fear in their eyes the second they saw me.


Chapter 83 - Clean this up