Chapter 183
Chapter 183
His words would have scared me before. But knowing him now I just smirked. “What would you do? Spank me to death?”
He noticed that I didn’t flinch from him or scared about his statement, he looked taken aback before his expressioni relaxed. “Really Aria,” he to deep breath, his demeanor changing as he stepped back. His ego had flared up in protection. How long do we have to do this for him to learn that wo have gone pass that?. “Why are you doing this?”
The question hung between us, loaded with more weight than just the immediate situation. I could see something shifting in his dark eyes the rage was still there, but underneath it was something else. Something that looked almost like… vulnerability.
“Because someone needs to,” I said simply. “Because you’re bleeding and stubborn and you’re going to get yourself killed if you keep thinking you can. handle everything alone.”
He stared at me for a long moment, his grip on my wrist loosening but not releasing entirely. “You think I don’t know what I’m doing?”
“I think you know exactly what you’re doing. That’s the problem.” I stepped closer, ignoring the way his eyes narrowed at my boldness. “You’re so used to controlling everything through fear and violence that you can’t see when someone is trying to help you.”
“Help me?” He laughed, but it was bitter. “Aria, you don’t understand-”
“I understand that four men died tonight because you walked into an obvious trap.” My voice was steady, but I could feel my heart racing. “Tunderstand that Victoria is playing games with both of us, and you’re letting your pride get in the way of seeing the bigger picture.”
His free hand clenched into a fist at his side. For a moment, I thought he might explode again, might return to that cold, threatening version of himself that everyone feared. Instead, he surprised me.
“You’re right.”
The admission was so quiet I almost didn’t hear it. His shoulders sagged slightly, and suddenly he looked less like the untouchable mafia king and more like a man who’d been carrying the weight of the world for too long.
“What did you say?”
“You heard me.” He released my wrist and moved to lean against the wall, wincing as the movement pulled at his wounded shoulder. “You’re right. About the trap, about my pride, about… a lot of things.”
I studied his face, looking for any sign that this was another manipulation, another way to control me. But all I saw was exhaustion and something that might have been regret.
“Why?” I asked softly. “Why do you have to control everything?”
He was quiet for so long I thought he wouldn’t answer. When he finally spoke, his voice was rougher than usual.
“I told you about my father didn’t I? I never talked about my mum, she was his toy. But childhood and parenting played a dangerous game on me. The last thing my father said to me was that mercy is weakness. That in our world, you either control or you’re controlled. There’s no middle ground.” He looked at me then, and I saw years of conditioning and survival instincts warring with something newer, something fragile. “I’ve lived by that rule ever. since.”
“But I’m not one of your enemies,” I said quietly.
“No.” His voice was barely a whisper. “You’re not And that terrifies me. I feel like if I don’t, I…I am going to lose you Aria and I just…can’t, I am sorry but I
can’t.”
The honesty in those words broke something open in my chest. This was the real Dominic–not the cold, calculating mafia coss, but the man underneath who’d been shaped by violence and loss.
“It doesn’t have to terrify you,” I said, moving closer. “I’m not asking you to show mercy to people who want to hurt you. I’m asking you to trust me enough to let me stand beside you instead of behind you.”
1/3
0823 Wed 18 Jun.
Chapter 183
“Aria..” He reached out with his good hand, fingers brishing against my cheek, “If something happened to you bacaba i at you es
“Something’s going to happen to me
Keeping me locked away isn’t pro we
keep doing this your way.” I covered his hand with mine.“Victoria already know I’m
VALE
it’s just making me an easier target.*
He stared at me for a long moment, and I could see the internal battle playing out across his features. Finally, he nodded slowly
“What do you suggest?”
The question was so simple, but it felt like a
“Let me help. Really help. Not as your prisoner or your pet, but as your partner”
“Partners,” he repeated, as if testing the word.
“Partners.” I stepped closer, close enough that I could feel the heat radiating from his body. “You know this world better than I ever will. But I see things you miss because you’re too close to them.”
“Like what?”
“Like the fact that Nico has been jealous of you for years. Like the way Victoria looks at you–it’s not just hatred, it’s obsession. She wants to destroy you because she can’t have you.” I paused, gathering my courage. “Like the fact that you’re more afraid of losing me than you are of dying
His hand tightened against my cheek. “You see too much.”
“Maybe you don’t see enough.”
For a moment, we just stood there, the space between us charged with something that had nothing to do with fear or control.
Then, slowly, he leaned down and kissed me.
A soft almost tentative kiss, as if he was asking permission rather than taking what he wanted.
I kissed him back, pouring all my frustration and fear and unexpected affection into the contact.
When we broke apart, his forehead rested against mine.
“I don’t know how to do this,” he admitted quietly.
“Do what?”
“Trust someone. Share control. Be…” He paused, searching for the word. “Vulnerable.”
“We’ll figure it out together.”
He pulled back to look at me, and for the first time since I’d known him, Dominic smiled–not the cold, predatory expression I was used to, but something genuine and warm.
“Together,” he repeated.
The moment was interrupted by a sharp knock on the door. Matthias entered without waiting for permission, his face grim.
“Boss, we have a problem.”
Dominic straightened, instantly alert. “What kind of problem?”
Matthias held out an envelope. “This was delivered to the front desk ten minutes ago, Luca brought it to me just now.
Dominic took the envelope with his good hand, his jaw tightening as he read the return address–or rather, the lack of one. He tore it open and pulled out a single sheet of paper.
08:23 Wed, 18 Jun
Chapter 183
As he read, I watched his face go pale, then flush with rage.
“What is it?” I asked.
He handed me the letter without a word. The message was typed in simple black letters:
Dominic,
By now you’ve realized that your dear Aria isn’t who she appears to be. The real question is, how far can you go? We’re prepared to enlighten her biological family about their long–lost daughter’s current… occupation. Unless, of course, you’re ready to discuss terms.
Step down from your throne, and Aria’s secrets stay buried. Refuse, and we’ll make sure the hotel dynasty learns exactly what their precious heiress has been doing to survive. And you know once they know, the syndicate know and everything the Fletchers tried to hide would be out.
You have 48 hours.
Love V & N‘
The letter slipped from my numb fingers. I had enough on my plate. I can’t include running away from a Syndicate.
Why is my life so hard?
