"You made a mistake coming here. I won't let you go easily"
___
Then he stepped back, his presence slowly peeling away from her like a heavy storm cloud drifting off but not before the damage was done.
Aurora finally exhaled, realizing with a shaky breath that she'd been holding it in the whole time. Her lungs burned, her heart pounded. Her fingers curled tighter around the robe's belt like it could anchor her.
Matteo turned his back to her, unhurried, and made his way toward the crystal decanter sitting atop a mahogany sideboard. His black coat shifted with every graceful movement, sharp against his pale hair. That silver cascade fell just past his jawline, striking against the inky black of his clothes.
He looked like sin in silk.
Without a word, he poured himself a drink, amber liquid sliding smoothly into a crystal glass. The quiet clink of the bottle against glass was the only sound in the room.
Aurora said nothing. She just watched him.
He turned slightly, his profile lit by the low golden glow of the chandelier.
He didn't speak again.
Didn't glance her way
He simply took a slow sip of his drink, then placed the glass back down still half full before turning away completely.
And just like that… he was gone.
The door clicked shut behind him with a finality that echoed louder than gunfire.
Aurora remained frozen, heart still slamming against her ribs, unsure if it was fear, fury, or something far more dangerous that had crept beneath her skin.
She moved quickly, barefoot against the cold marble, and rushed toward the window.
She flung back the curtain.
Enzo's car was still there.
Sitting beneath the sheets of relentless rain, wipers dragging across the windshield in slow, rhythmic strokes. His silhouette was barely visible through the blur of the storm, but it was enough. He was waiting.
Still with her.
Still outside.
Her fingers rested on the windowsill as a shiver danced down her spine. The Moretti estate stretched behind her like a breathing monster cloaked in stone and shadow.
And she had walked into its belly.
Alone.
Just as she turned away from the window, the knock came.
Then the door creaked open before she could answer.
A tall man in black stepped in expression unreadable, eyes hidden beneath the brim of his cap.
"The Don will see you now" he said simply.
Aurora's stomach twisted but nodded and followed.
The hallway he led her through was not the way she came. They passed the lounge, turned past the grand staircase, and then something changed.
The marble floors became darker.
The art on the walls turned brutal. War scenes. Skulls. Blood-red motifs. Symbols of power and violence.
She knew instantly this was not part of the Moretti main house.
They descended a narrow stairwell, guarded on either side. The deeper they went, the heavier the air became. Smelled like smoke and metal… and something else. Old blood.
At the bottom, the guard opened a steel-reinforced door.
The room beyond was massive, shadowed. Unlike the elegance of the estate, this place was raw. Real. Lit by harsh lights above a sunken arena of sorts.
Men stood around in tight clusters, Moretti clansmen. All dressed in black. All armed.
Aurora's steps slowed, but the guard gave her a look that said: Don't even think about backing out now.
Then she saw him.
Don Salvatore Moretti.
Sitting like a king atop a throne of leather and chrome, elevated slightly above the others. Broad. Imposing. Face carved from granite. His silver-streaked beard trimmed to perfection. A cigar smoldered between two fingers as he observed everything like a god watching mortals.
Aurora swallowed, spine straightening.
The guard led her forward, stopping only when they reached the center of the room.
Salvatore's eyes met hers.
Not kind. Not curious. Just… calculating.
"You're Bellanti's daughter" he said, voice like gravel and smoke.
Aurora nodded once. "Yes, Don Moretti"
A beat of silence.
Then he lifted a small black case from the table beside him.
"You'll give this to your father"
He tossed it toward one of the guards who handed it to her. It was heavier than it looked.
"What's in it?" she asked before she could stop herself.
The entire room fell silent.
Even the air paused.
Then, without warning, the Don rose. Calmly.
He turned to one of his men standing off to the side.
"You" he said. "Step forward"
The man obeyed without question.
Salvatore didn't blink.
"You were supposed to deliver the crates last week. You brought excuses instead"
The man opened his mouth, fumbling for words.
Before he could finish his sentence, the Don unsheathed the short sword from the side of his throne.
A single, brutal strike.
Blood sprayed like art across the concrete walls.
The man's body collapsed. Head rolled. Gasps echoed.
Aurora flinched, a sharp cry caught in her throat. Her legs trembled.
Salvatore didn't even glance at the corpse.
"That" he said, wiping the blade clean with a cloth, "is what happens when someone questions my business. Or fails me"
He turned to her again.
"Deliver that to your father. Tell him the Morettis have fulfilled their end of the deal. If he wants peace… he'd better do the same"
Aurora clutched the black case tighter to her chest, her knuckles white.
"Yes, Don Moretti"
He sat back down.
"Get her out of my sight"
The guard from earlier grabbed her arm not gently and began pulling her back toward the exit.
As she walked, her shoes sticky with blood and her head spinning, one thought echoed through her skull:
These people aren't human.
"Tell your father… if this wedding fails, so will your bloodline" He said after her.
Aurora didn't breathe until the steel door slammed shut behind her.
•••
NEXT DAY AT THE BELLANTI'S*
Inside the grand hall, the Bellantis stood proud. Elena cold and controlled, Valentina flawless in white, and Aurora watching quietly from the side.
Across the room, the Morettis gathered Don Salvatore calm and dangerous, Matteo sharp and unreadable.
The two families faced each other like rivals in a high-stakes game.
Whispers filled the air, but no one spoke aloud.
Everything was on edge.
The wedding was more than a celebration, it was a fragile truce.
And everyone knew how easily it could break.
The heavy doors swung open.
Vincenzo Bellanti entered, tall and imposing.
He walked straight across the room without hesitation.
Stopping before Don Salvatore, he gave a curt nod.
"Don Salvatore"
The Don nodded back once, his cold eyes meeting Vincenzo's.
No words were needed, their respect was clear.
Vincenzo turned to the gathered clansmen, raising his glass silently.
The tension eased just a fraction.
A low hum of music started, echoing softly in the hall.
The Moretti and Bellanti clans began to mingle cautiously.
The celebration was underway.
But beneath the stiff smiles and guarded glances, everyone knew—
This was a fragile peace.
One misstep could ignite war.
The air thickened as a young man stepped forward, carrying an ornate velvet box. One of the Moretti clansmen, trusted and silent.
He handed the box first to Don Salvatore, who opened it slowly to reveal two heavy gold rings.
The Don nodded once, then passed one ring to Vincenzo Bellanti.
Then something happened.
A gunshot.
Chaos exploded instantly.
Valentina screamed, clutching her chest as she staggered backward.
How? Who?
No one saw him come in a shadow slipping through a side corridor, a flash of movement masked by the music and chatter.
The halls erupted into panic. Men shouted, clansmen drew weapons, and the room became a storm of confusion.
Several strong arms lifted Valentina, carrying her swiftly toward the exit.
But through the chaos, Don Salvatore sat unmoved, his cold gaze fixed ahead. Matteo's sharp eyes never wavered; a faint, unreadable smirk played on his lips.
Even Vincenzo remained stone-faced, silent, his expression unreadable as he watched his daughter being rushed away, same as Elena.
Aurora stood frozen, shock rooting her to the spot.
Then Don Salvatore's voice cut through the uproar.
"Enough! This wedding will happen. No matter what or who stands in the way. I don't care if blood is spilled. I don't care if shots are fired.
This alliance is non-negotiable. So stop this madness, or I'll make sure you regret it"
The room fell silent, all eyes turning to the Don.
Vincenzo slowly turned, locking eyes with Aurora.
She gasped, unable to believe what she was seeing.
Her eyes darted to Matteo, whose smirk deepened cold and knowing.
The fragile peace had shattered... but the game was far from over.
The room was still tense when Vincenzo stepped forward, his eyes sharp as he fixed his gaze on Aurora.
"You take over. Now" he ordered, his voice cold and unyielding.
Elena stood beside him, her expression hard. "Do the right thing"
Aurora said nothing. Her lips pressed tight, heart pounding.
Suddenly, Vincenzo's hand lashed out, striking her hard across the cheek.
The sting burned, but she didn't flinch.
"Be quick and stop wasting our precious time"
Elena's hand rested briefly on Aurora's shoulder, steadying her.
A Moretti clansman stepped forward, holding the velvet box with the gold rings.
Don Salvatore opened it and passed a ring to Vincenzo, the other to Matteo.
Vincenzo slid the ring onto Aurora's finger without hesitation.
Matteo followed, placing the second ring on her other hand.
No words were spoken, but in that moment, Aurora felt the weight of the bond tighten around her, a marriage she never asked for, but one she couldn't escape.
•••
MATTEO'S MANSION*
The black car glided silently through the night, cutting through the quiet streets until it reached Matteo's mansion, a fortress of steel and shadow looming against the moonlit sky.
Matteo stepped out without a word, his coat brushing the cold air as he disappeared inside the heavy front doors.
Aurora followed close behind, flanked by a silent guard who led her through the vast, dimly lit halls. They ascended a narrow staircase, the only sound the echo of their footsteps against cold stone.
At the top, the guard stopped before a heavy oak door. Without a word, he opened it and slipped away, leaving Aurora alone.
She pushed the door open and stepped inside.
Matteo stood in the center of the room shirtless, pale skin glowing softly in the muted light. His silver hair was tousled.
Aurora swallowed hard but said nothing.
A slow, dark smirk curved his lips as he closed the distance between them.
Without warning, his hands slid around her waist and boldly cupped her breasts. She gasped, breath hitching at the sudden, possessive touch.
His voice dropped low, almost a growl.
"You're mine now. All mine"
Matteo's eyes darkened, burning into hers like molten steel as he pulled her closer, his breath warm against her skin. His hands never left their possessive path, trailing down her sides, exploring, claiming.
Without breaking their gaze, he bent his head, pressing slow, searing kisses along her jawline each one a promise, a warning.
Then, his lips moved to her neck, teeth grazing just enough to sting, leaving a sharp, delicious bite. Aurora's breath hitched, a tremble running through her body as heat blossomed beneath his mouth.
He paused, lips brushing her skin, before trailing a line of marks harsh, claiming her with bruises blooming like dark roses.
"Everywhere you go," he whispered huskily against her skin, "you'll carry me with you"
His hands gripped her hips, pulling her flush against him. The weight of his body, the intensity of his claim, left no room for denial.
Aurora's fingers curled into fists at his chest, caught between resistance and surrender.
Matteo's smirk deepened as he pressed her firmly against him, his eyes burning with dark hunger. Without a word, he pulled back just enough to reach behind his chair, retrieving a small, metal branding iron still glowing faintly red from the fire.
Aurora's breath caught, a shiver running down her spine, part fear, part something dangerously thrilling.
Before she could react, Matteo pressed the searing hot steel flat against the curve of her bare back.
A sharp, searing pain lanced through her, raw and electric, making her gasp aloud.
The heat burned deep beneath her skin, but she didn't move.
Instead, her body tensed, muscles trembling under his touch as Matteo held the brand there, imprinting his ownership on her flesh.
His voice was low and gravelly, a possessive growl in the silence.
"This mark… is mine. For everyone to see"
He traced the shape of the brand slowly, deliberately, as if sealing her fate.
Aurora swallowed hard, a mix of pain and dark desire flooding through her veins.
Her skin prickled where the heat had kissed her and she knew, without a doubt, that from this moment on, she belonged to Matteo Moretti marked, claimed, and irrevocably his.
Matteo's dark eyes never left hers as his hands slid around her waist, fingers tracing fire along her skin. Slowly, he stripped her naked.
Her breath hitched, skin exposed and vulnerable beneath his relentless gaze.
Without hesitation, his rough hands found the curve of her hip, sliding lower until they reached between her thighs.
His thumb circled her clit with practiced precision, sending jolts of electric heat racing through her body.
Aurora gasped, caught between shock and desire, unable to pull away even if she wanted to.
Matteo's smirk deepened, a dark promise in his eyes.
He intensified his touch, slow and torturous, every stroke designed to claim, to dominate, to make her feel his ownership deep in her bones.
Without warning, Aurora sank to her knees, the cool floor grounding her as she stared up into Matteo's dark, burning eyes that flickered with a fierce hunger.
Her fingers moved confidently, unbuckling his belt, sliding the leather free.
She reached inside his pants and pulled out the hardness that had been pressing against her.
Matteo groaned low in his throat, a smirk curling at the corner of his lips.
"I knew you weren't innocent" he murmured, voice thick with desire.
Aurora's lips parted as she took him fully in her mouth, her tongue teasing the length.
Matteo's breath hitched, his hands clenching into fists at his sides, every inch of him taut with need.
Just then, his phone blared sharply, cutting through the charged silence like a knife.
With a growl of frustration, Matteo yanked the device from his pocket and slammed it hard against the marble floor. The screen shattered beneath the impact, sparks of broken glass scattering.
Without breaking eye contact, he grabbed the back of Aurora's head firmly but possessively, guiding her movements with a rough urgency.
"Don't stop" he growled, voice rough, "Keep going"
Aurora obeyed, her mouth working with renewed fervor, fueling the fire between them as Matteo's grip tightened, marking her as his in every sense.
A few hours ago, her sister was supposed to be getting married to Matteo. But now Valentina was fighting for her life in a hospital bed.
And Aurora? She was told to take her place.
Her heart still thudded with shock and fear, but right now, all she could feel was the electric heat pulsing between her and Matteo.
She knelt before him in the dim room, lips tracing the hardness she'd only ever dreamed of. Her mouth moved with trembling eagerness, each stroke sending waves of dizzying pleasure through her body.
This was the man she'd secretly wanted. The one who made her blood burn in ways she never expected. And now, here she was giving him everything, caught in a whirl of sensation and stolen fantasies.
For a moment, the chaos of the day, the wedding that never happened, her sister's life hanging by a thread faded into nothingness.
There was only this. Only Matteo. Only the feel of him pressing against her lips, the sound of his breath hitching, the heat of his hands in her hair.
Lost in the haze of desire, she didn't notice when his grip tightened.
Strong arms lifted her effortlessly, pulling her close.
Before she could even blink, she was carried across the room, the world spinning.
His chest pressed to her back as he landed her gently on the bed, the soft sheets cool beneath her bare skin.
Aurora's breath hitched, heart pounding not with fear, but with a fierce, thrilling hunger.
Matteo's fingers traced her lower lip, like he was claiming every inch of her breath.
His voice dropped into something animalistic. Velvet laced with venom.
"I hope you said goodbye to the girl you were, Aurora. Because after tonight…"
His thumb pressed against her throat, not choking, just reminding her who owned every breath.
"…you'll be nothing but mine. Mind. Body. Soul. And when I'm done…"
He leaned closer, his mouth brushing her ear, hot and cruel.
"…you won't just remember how I made you come. You'll remember how I broke you open and rebuilt you to fit me"
He pulled back just far enough to look her in the eyes, a smirk pulling at his lips, but his gaze dark, lethal.
"Tonight, I'm not just going to fuçk you. I'm going to unravel every inch of you until there's nothing left but my name written inside your bones"
His teeth grazed her jaw.
"And tomorrow… when your legs shake, when you can't sit without remembering my touch you'll thank me"