The next few days were a blur of whispered threats, calculated moves, and shadows that seemed to follow me everywhere.
Derek wasn't himself. He was more distant than before, wrapped in his obsession with Montaro, consumed by plans I wasn't supposed to know about. He spent hours on his phone, coordinating with allies and making sure every escape route was mapped.
But despite the chaos surrounding us, despite the imminent threat that loomed closer each day, there was still that thing between us—the undeniable pull. That simmering desire that hadn't disappeared, even in the face of everything threatening to tear us apart.
I couldn't stop thinking about that kiss.
---
"Are you going to tell me what's really going on?" I asked one night, standing by the door as Derek paced back and forth in my room. "You're treating me like I'm some kind of fragile pawn, and I'm not."
Derek's jaw clenched as he stopped in front of me. His eyes were wild with fear and anger—fear that I wasn't used to seeing in his eyes. "You don't understand. If Montaro gets his hands on you—"
"I'm not your problem," I interrupted, meeting his gaze, my heart pounding in my chest. "You made this personal. This is about you, Derek. Not me."
He stepped forward, his voice low and dangerous. "No, Elena. It's about both of us now."
He was closer than he'd ever been, the heat of his body making me weak in the knees. He towered over me, his presence swallowing me whole. "I don't care if I have to burn the entire world down to keep you safe. I won't lose you."
There it was again—the raw, possessive hunger in his voice. The same hunger I'd heard every time he looked at me, every time he touched me.
I swallowed hard. "And if you lose yourself in the process?"
Derek's lips twitched into a grim smile. "Then I'll burn in hell. But you won't be alone."
---
The next night, everything changed.
I was standing on the balcony, watching the moonlight spill over the estate like silver, when I heard it. The faintest sound of footsteps—soft, careful. A presence I hadn't been expecting.
I turned just in time to see the man step into the doorway.
It was Matteo.
---
Matteo was the one person in the Moretti organization I hadn't trusted. From the very first moment I'd met him, there had been something about him—something too polished, too calculating. His smile was always too quick, too rehearsed. And there was that look in his eyes—a look that never quite reached the depth of his gaze. It was like he was always watching, always waiting for something.
"Matteo," I said, trying to mask the shock in my voice. "What are you doing here?"
He didn't answer right away. Instead, he just stood there, watching me with that unnerving calm.
"I came to talk," he finally said. His voice was soft, almost too soft. "About Derek."
I stiffened. "What about Derek?"
"Don't act so innocent, Elena," Matteo smirked. "You've seen it, haven't you? The way he's changed. The way he's obsessed with you."
I took a step back. "What are you trying to say?"
He stepped further into the room, his eyes never leaving mine. "I'm saying that Derek's obsession will be his downfall. And you're going to be the one to bring him down with it."
I froze. "What the hell are you talking about?"
"You think Derek's the one in control here, don't you?" Matteo continued, his voice turning colder, sharper. "You think he's the one running the show, calling the shots. But I know the truth. I know that Montaro has him right where he wants him. He's already one step ahead."
"No," I whispered, my heart pounding faster. "Derek wouldn't—"
"You don't understand, Elena." Matteo stepped closer, his voice dropping to a whisper. "Derek's pride is his weakness. He'll do whatever it takes to protect you, and that makes him predictable. He won't stop until Montaro is dead. But that's exactly what Montaro wants. The more Derek presses, the more vulnerable you become."
I shook my head, my mind racing. "This is a game to you. You want Derek out of the picture so you can take over."
Matteo's lips curled into a sinister smile. "I don't want to take over, Elena. I want to save you."
Before I could respond, a voice interrupted.
"Enough."
It was Derek.
He stood in the doorway, his face hard and unreadable, eyes locked on Matteo. He had been listening the whole time.
"Get out," Derek said, his voice cold. "Now."
Matteo didn't flinch. He just smiled and held up his hands in mock surrender. "You don't want to hear the truth, Derek. But I'll be waiting. You can't protect her forever."
He turned and left, leaving the air thick with tension.
Derek didn't move.
"I should've known," I whispered, my voice shaking. "He's been playing both sides."
"I should've trusted you more," Derek muttered under his breath. "He's a snake, Elena. A liar."
"But you weren't wrong, Derek," I said, stepping toward him. "I can see it now. We're both playing a dangerous game."
Derek's eyes softened for the briefest moment, then hardened again. "No. I'm not losing you. Not to him. Not to Montaro."
I took a step closer, resting my hand on his chest. "Then let me help. Let me be part of this. I'm not some helpless woman who needs saving. I'm yours, Derek. And you're mine. We're in this together."
He looked down at my hand, then back up at me. His face softened, but only for a moment. "We'll get through this, Elena. Together."
---
Later that night, after I had finally convinced Derek to take a break from planning, we sat together in the library. The room was dim, lit only by the fireplace. The flames flickered, casting shadows on the walls, the only sound the crackling of the fire.
For the first time in days, Derek seemed relaxed. But I knew it wouldn't last long. Montaro was still out there. And he wasn't going to stop.
"You're really going to do it, aren't you?" I asked quietly.
Derek didn't look at me at first. He stared into the fire, his jaw set. "I'm going to destroy him. It's the only way."
"You don't have to do it alone," I said softly. "We're not alone anymore."
He finally met my gaze, and for a moment, the cold hardness in his eyes softened. "I never wanted this for you, Elena. I never wanted you to be involved in this world."
"Too bad," I said with a small smile. "Because I'm already here. And I'm not going anywhere."
---
But as the night drew to a close, I couldn't shake the feeling that something was about to happen. Something big. Montaro was closer than ever, and someone inside the Moretti camp was playing both sides. I just didn't know who.