Elena is caught in a quiet storm. The chapter opens with her trying to convince herself that what's happening between her and Nicolas is nothing—just glances, just tension, just imagination. But the truth is harder to ignore with every passing day. Nicolas Russo is no longer just her sister's fiancé. He's the man who sees her, challenges her, and makes her feel more alive than she ever has.
At a family brunch, Elena and Nicolas are seated across from each other. The conversation is polite, the setting elegant, but beneath the surface, it's a battlefield. Every word exchanged is laced with double meanings, every glance a silent confession. Nicolas doesn't touch her, but his presence is a gravitational force—pulling her in, daring her to fall.
Elena's thoughts are a whirlwind. She's angry at herself for wanting him, terrified of what it means, and yet unable to stop. She notices the way he watches her when he thinks no one else is looking. The way his voice drops when he says her name. The way her body reacts before her mind can catch up.
Meanwhile, the pressure from her family is mounting. Her mother is growing colder, her father more watchful. Her sister is still blissfully unaware, but Elena feels the walls closing in. She's suffocating in a life that was never hers to choose—and Nicolas is the only one who makes her feel like she could break free.
By the end of the chapter, Elena realizes something terrifying: she's not just drawn to Nicolas Russo. She's tethered to him. And in their world, that kind of bond could destroy them both.
Want to keep going with Chapter 10? Or maybe take a detour into Nicolas's backstory and what makes him so unreadable? I've got plenty more mafia secrets and slow-burn chaos to unravel. 💣📚