Cassian's POV
The way she looked at me after those words—like she was trying to decide if she should run or lean in—I wanted to freeze time. Let her exist in this moment, untouched by everything I was.
But peace doesn't last long in my world.
Not when you carry a name that's been written in blood.
A shadow passed near our table. I saw it before she did.
A tall man in a navy suit, the kind of expensive cut only criminals wear. His stride was casual, but every move screamed intent. His gaze brushed over Arielle a second too long—and then he smiled.
I recognized him instantly.
Salvatore Russo.
A snake. Rival syndicate. Someone who'd been sniffing around my business for years, never bold enough to cross me directly… until now.
"Cassian Morello," he said, hands spread in mock greeting. "What a surprise. Didn't think I'd see you in public. With company, no less."
Arielle stiffened beside me.
I stood up slowly, buttoning my jacket, my expression blank. "You should turn around and walk away, Russo."
"Oh, I would," he said, eyeing Arielle again. "But it's rude not to say hello to such a beautiful lady."
I stepped in front of her, fully blocking his view.
"This table," I said, voice low and lethal, "is the last one you'll ever approach if you don't leave. Now."
For a second, the tension was razor-thin. Then Russo smirked and raised his hands in mock surrender.
"Enjoy your evening," he said smoothly, stepping away. "Though I do hope you warned her about what it means to dine with the devil."
He disappeared into the elevator.
I stayed standing for a moment longer, my jaw locked, heart thudding slow and heavy like a ticking bomb. I knew what that was.
I
Not a coincidence.
That was a warning. A message.
They knew about her.
I sat back down. Arielle hadn't said a word. Her fingers were clenched around her glass.
"Who was that?" she asked softly.
"Someone who won't matter by morning," I said. Too harsh. Too honest. Her eyes widened, and I reached across the table, taking her hand. "Arielle, listen to me. You don't need to be scared of him. Or anyone else. Not while I'm here."
Her voice was barely a whisper. "But I should be scared of you?"
I didn't answer right away. Instead, I stared at her—into her.
"I don't want to scare you, okay?" I said, keeping my voice low. "I was just fooling around. But don't ever be scared of me, Arielle. I'll never let anyone lay a finger on you… okay, princess?"
"Since when do you call me princess?" she asked with a laugh, and just like that, the tension in her shoulders faded.
She relaxed. She smiled.
She was finally breathing freely again.
And I loved it.
I loved that I was the one who could shift her mood, that I had enough power to make her forget what had just happened.
I ordered dessert just to watch her eyes light up again—and when it arrived, she looked like a child seeing cake for the first time.
She bit into the chocolate mousse, a little bit smudging the corner of her lips. I reached out, thumb brushing the edge of her mouth without thinking. I wiped the chocolate away and brought my thumb to my mouth.
I tasted her.
And fuck…
I wanted to rip that dress off right there and claim her in the middle of that damn restaurant.
But I forced myself to stay composed. Barely.
The drive back was quiet. Soft jazz hummed through the speakers, her scent lingered in the air—vanilla, again—and I didn't speak. I didn't have to. Her presence was enough.
When we pulled up to her place, I stepped out and opened the door for her. She smiled again, and for the first time all night, I felt something warm stir in my chest.
"Okay then… bye, Cassian," she said gently.
I caught her just before she turned away.
"Wait—Arielle. I just realized… I don't even have your number."
She laughed and took my phone. Her fingers tapped quickly before handing it back. "There. You're in."
I looked at her. Really looked at her.
"You know," she said teasingly, "you're kind of a serious man, Cassian."
"And you're kind of impossible to ignore," I replied.
She chuckled, then I asked, "Do you have plans for tomorrow?"
"Yeah… I'm going to church," she said with a small smile.
Church. That was something I hadn't heard in a long time. Not from anyone around me. Not in my world.
"Would you like to come?" she asked, half-joking, half-hopeful.
"I'm not really the church type, Arielle," I said. "But yeah… I'll go. Just because of you."
She blushed, lowering her gaze. "Really? Just for me?"
"Princess," I said, stepping closer. "I'd burn for you. So church doesn't even make the list."
Her cheeks flamed red. "Okay then… be here by 8 AM."
She turned to walk away.
But I couldn't.
I couldn't let the night end like that.
"Fuck this," I muttered, stepping out of the car again.
She turned just as I reached her.
And then I kissed her.
Hard. Slow. Deep.
She tasted like vanilla and something even sweeter—something mine.
The kiss deepened before either of us could stop it, and when I finally pulled away, her lips were parted and her eyes wide with something that looked a lot like shock. And hunger.
She blushed, too hard to hide. I smirked.
We exchanged one last glance—one last goodbye—and I slid back into the car. The taste of her still lingered on my tongue as I drove off into the night.
And yeah… I was thinking about her the whole way.
But beneath all that warmth and sweetness, something colder stirred.
Salvatore Russo had crossed a line and I know exactly who sent him…
Cassian's POV
The Morello Estate – Late Night
I stormed into the study, my hands shaking with rage. My father was sitting behind his desk, as usual, calm and composed, as if nothing had happened. But I knew what was coming. I knew the chaos his actions had started. And I couldn't hold back anymore.
"How dare you," I spat, my voice low but full of venom. "How dare you send Salvatore Russo after me?"
He looked up from his paperwork slowly, his sharp eyes narrowing, but there was no surprise in his gaze—just cold calculation. He knew this was coming. He always knew.
"Cassian," he said, his voice casual, as if we were discussing nothing more than business. "Sit down. Let's talk about this calmly."
"Calmly?" I laughed bitterly, the fury inside me threatening to boil over. "You sent that piece of filth, Russo, my way. Do you have any idea what you've done?" I slammed my hand on the desk, the sound echoing in the otherwise silent room. "I told you before, I am not your puppet anymore. You can't control me. Not anymore."
He leaned back in his chair, his fingers steepled together. The faintest of smirks played on his lips, as if he found this whole confrontation amusing. "It was necessary, Cassian. You've grown weak. That woman—Arielle—is a distraction. And distractions can be dangerous."
I clenched my fists, my jaw tightening as the words left his mouth. The audacity. The coldness. A distraction? She was everything to me. And yet, he was willing to use Russo to get rid of anyone who stood in his way, even her.
"You don't understand, do you?" I said, taking a step closer, my voice dripping with contempt. "I don't give a shit about your plans. Arielle is not part of your empire. She's not part of your world. And I'll be damned if you or anyone else touches her." My words were hard, final. "She's mine to protect. I am the one who will decide what happens to her."
My father's expression didn't waver. His eyes remained cold, calculating. "I understand more than you think, Cassian. You've always been too sentimental. You forget that Arielle is not just some innocent woman you can hide behind. She's the daughter of her. The woman we killed ten years ago."
The room felt like it was closing in on me. The air was thick with the weight of his words. My stomach churned. I had known about my father's crimes. But to hear him say it, to remind me of the blood on our hands, it felt different. It felt personal.
I stared at him, my gaze burning with hatred. "I know who she is," I growled, the words barely escaping between my clenched teeth. "I've known for years. But that doesn't matter now. What matters is that you'll never touch her. Never again."
My father leaned forward, his hands coming together in front of him as he studied me like I was a mere annoyance. "You're too attached, Cassian. She's a reminder of everything we've done. You're making a mistake, one you'll regret. The Morello name comes first. Your emotions—your attachments—are a weakness."
"I'm not like you, old man," I hissed, my voice dark with fury. "I won't sit back and let you destroy everything. She is not a part of your games. And if anyone—anyone—tries to hurt her, I will burn this entire empire to the ground. Do you understand me?"
His eyes flickered, just for a second, with something resembling amusement—or was it contempt? I couldn't tell. But it didn't matter. "You think you can protect her, huh? You're a fool, Cassian. We're too far gone. You think you're the one in control, but the moment you get too attached, the moment you let someone like her into this life, you lose. And you drag everyone down with you."
I took another step forward, my eyes narrowing, my fists clenched at my sides. "Touch her again, and I'll make sure you never see another day. I don't care who you are. I don't care what empire you've built. You'll burn, and everything you've done will go with you. I'll kill anyone who gets in my way, including you."
The room was silent for a long, tense moment. Then my father finally spoke, his voice colder than ever.
"Then I suppose we'll see just how far you're willing to go, Cassian," he said. "But remember this: the world doesn't change just because you've decided to play the hero. You're not a knight in shining armor. You're a Morello, and you always will be."
I didn't respond. I turned away, my heart pounding, my mind racing. My father had always been a monster, and I had spent so many years trying to convince myself that I could change things. That I could redeem our family. But now I knew the truth. He would never stop. He would never change.
And if he thought he could come between me and Arielle, he was dead wrong.
Arielle was mine to protect. And if anyone—anyone—tried to harm her, they would pay with their life.I'd kill anyone who tried to hurt her.
And if that meant taking down my own family… so be it.