Adeline had not slept.She tossed and turned on the cold silk sheets, her mind refusing to settle. Every creak of the estate, every whisper of wind through the trees felt like a warning. Her heart raced, and her body was tense with anticipation and dread. She tried to tell herself it was only the memory of last night—Donovan's closeness, the heat of his hands on her, the intensity of his claim—but she knew better. There was something else. Something waiting.Hours passed, and the estate remained silent. When she finally rose from the bed, the early morning light spilled across the floorboards, but it brought no comfort. Donovan was already awake. She found him in the study, standing by the tall, floor-to-ceiling windows, his dark silhouette rigid against the rising sun. He didn't turn when she entered, but she could feel his eyes on her, burning with unspoken power."Morning," she said softly, her voice almost lost in the heavy stillness.He didn't reply immediately. His hands were clasped behind his back, and his jaw was tight. After a long pause, he spoke, voice low and measured. "Silvio doesn't make mistakes. If he retreated last night, it's because he's planning something more… precise."Her chest tightened. "Was he… watching me?""Yes," Donovan said simply. His dark eyes finally met hers, holding her gaze with an intensity that made her shiver. "He knows your presence is a weapon, and he's obsessed. He's dangerous, Adeline—not just to me, but to you."Adeline's stomach churned. The thought of Silvio's attention made her skin crawl, yet there was something irresistible about the danger. Her lips parted, but before she could speak, Donovan closed the distance between them.His hand lifted, gripping her chin, tilting her face to meet his gaze. "You must understand something," he whispered, every word deliberate, almost a caress. "Silvio cannot touch you. Not while I breathe, not while I claim you. You are mine."The possessiveness in his voice made her pulse hammer in her chest, a mix of fear and desire intertwining. She tried to speak, but words failed her.Meanwhile, in the shadows of the estate, Lucas moved with careful precision. His phone was pressed to his ear, voice quiet and urgent."She's with him. Donovan suspects nothing. But Silvio… Silvio is patient," he said, glancing toward the study door where Adeline and Donovan stood. "I'll continue to gather details. Wait for the right moment."He hung up and slipped the phone into his pocket, hiding the secret that would unravel everything. His calm expression belied the turmoil inside. Loyalty had never been so complicated.Later that day, Donovan gathered his men in the war room. Maps and photos were spread across the long oak table, and Adeline stood beside him, her nerves taut. Donovan's gaze swept across the images, lingering on city streets, escape routes, and potential threats.Lucas stepped forward, offering updates. "Silvio's men are regrouping. Smaller teams, watching supply routes. They're waiting—""Waiting for what?" Donovan interrupted, dark eyes flashing.Lucas hesitated, carefully choosing his words. "An opening," he said finally, leaving out the crucial detail that Silvio's focus was personal—on Adeline herself.Donovan's expression hardened. "They underestimate me… and they underestimate you." He turned to Adeline, hands brushing against hers briefly, a subtle reminder of his claim. "But they will learn. They will learn quickly."Even as they prepared, Adeline's thoughts drifted. Rory's betrayal, Lucas's duplicity, Silvio's obsession—it was a web of danger and deceit that threatened to consume them all. Yet, she also felt the dark, thrilling pull of Donovan's protection. With him, fear became a kind of intimacy, a dangerous tether that bound them together.Night fell, and the city lights shimmered below as Donovan led her to the terrace. The air was thick with tension and the scent of rain-soaked stone. He pulled her close, brushing her hair back from her face, lips grazing hers in a whisper of a kiss that carried more promise than passion."Do you understand?" he asked, dark eyes boring into hers. "You are mine. And anyone who wants you… anyone who dares… will answer to me."Adeline's chest heaved, and she nodded, trembling. "I… I understand," she whispered.Above them, unseen, Silvio watched. He had left Naples hours ago, eyes trained on the estate from a distance. Every photo, every report, every movement of Donovan and Adeline was logged, cataloged, and analyzed. His obsession had grown from strategy into something far darker—desire.Lucas observed silently as well, the strain on his face barely visible, but present. Every decision, every action, every lie he told was part of a delicate game that could unravel at any moment.And in the shadows, the enemy watched
