Bang!

The door to Nikolai’s office slammed open, my feet stomped too hard on the floorboards as I angrily made my way to his table.

He sat on his chair, way too nonchalantly, looking over some documents not bothering himself with my intrusion.

“ Why the hell would you do that?!” My voice booms, slicing through the quiet office. He drops the papers. Dead eyes locked on mine.

I should be scared… but I wasn't.

" Selling me out to the Italians? Was that your grand plan of taking down the Italian mafia?” I sneered, my face red with spite.

" Now, would you calm…"

“You should have discussed it with me! You made me look like a fucking fool in front of everyone!" I cut in, watching his once stoic face harden.

Forgetting he is the feared Don of the Russian mafia. I inched closer, one hand leaning on his desk, while the other pointed at his face, ready to give him a piece of my mind.

“Get this. I will NEVER marry a person responsible for my family's death!”

With swift motion, one I didn't even predict due to my blinded rage, I feel a cold metal on my forehead, the clicking sound made the hairs on my back stand erect. I swallowed, my neck pulsating, quietly. I match his glare with a pair of my own.

“Sledi za svoimi slovami, devochka, inache ya vyshibu tebe mozgi pryamo zdes', na etom stole!" He gritted, the promise of death dancing in his pupils. <(Watch your words little girl or I'll blow your brains out here on this table)>

“Sit." He commands, dropping the gun on the table, his not-so-gentle reminder to pick my words carefully.

I sit, crossing my arms. The tension in the room crackling. I'm not going to back away from this fight, and I don't think he will, either, giving the look of finality that crosses his features.

“Explain" I demanded, rolling my eyes.

“We need an insider, someone trustworthy to carry out the missions...” He explained, thrumming his fingers on the table.

“You mean a spy? I thought we planted a rat within."

“Yes, we did. But this is a discrete work for someone capable.” He further explains.

“So their suggestions worked in our favor. You want revenge. I want Zavier's head and the Italian mafia gone.”

I leaned back, buying the idea. My once tensed shoulders slightly eased as my mind gnawed over the proposal.

A familiar book on his table catches my eye. Hidden in-between files. I subconsciously bite my lips in curiosity, dragging my eyes away from it.

"Oh…” Dangerous, but we can make this work.

A knock sounded as we both fell silent, ushering the person in. The house chef entered alerting us about dinner before she leaves.

He stands moving towards the door, while he spoke, "The wedding is going to be stalled, so you're not getting married for real. But you need to be in Italy soonest, I already made plans for that."

" How soon?” I groaned, watching him turn to face me.

“Tomorrow.” With that, he leaves, leaving the door open, expecting me to follow.

I quickly grab the book from earlier, noticing how the other half of the cover hidden by the files were burnt. A diary?

“Alessia!" Nikolai yells from downstairs

“I'm on my way!" I hurriedly go through what's left of it, my fingers skimming through the burnt pages.

“What the hell?” My heart thrums loudly, clawing at my ribcage as realization dawned on me.

This… this looks like mum's writing. The letters read bodly:

~If anything happens to me, Alessia must know the truth of her blood~

<<<>>> ITALY

Throughout the flight and car ride my mind keeps going back to the diary I found. I couldn't even bring myself to ask him about it. His last words to me ring out clear as day— “don't mess this up, Alessia…”

“Ma'am, we're here," the driver called out, stopping my train of thought. I looked around. The building is huge— more like a palace. Armed men at every corner, cameras capturing every scene. I really am here.

Women dressed in maids' attire flanked the door, while two elderly women approached me, taking my bags out of the car trunk, as they carried them towards the house, not for once acknowledging my presence.

“Be careful with those. They're worth more than your lives." I said, clicking my tongue as I walked past them into the house.

The door slam shut behind me, the sound echoing throughout the mansion. Marble flooring stretched under my heels as I turned around, my eyes tracing every corner of the well-designed mansion.

Wealth and power seems to be carved into every stone and shadow. Guards stationed around the halls, stiff as statues, their eyes sharp, pointed, watching my every step.

One of the elderly ladies finally spoke, her voice gruff as she directed before turning towards the stairs, “Follow me"

I do as I'm told, following her up the stairs. We pass through many rooms, and I can't even tell them apart since they all look the same. She stopped before a door, opened it then turned to me

“This is your room,” she said flatly, her voice echoing against the high ceiling.

I scoffed, entering the room. “Funny, looks more like a cage.”

She gives me a sharp look, hate pouring out of her eyes in loads.

“Cages keep wild things alive. You should thank the Boss.” Taken aback, I bit back a retort because in her eyes, I saw that she truly meant it. Not as a threat, but as a fact.

She turns, leaving me and my already packed luggage inside.

What the hell is wrong with these people! I wasn't the one who initiated this bloody marriage; your beloved boss did!

Where the hell is he?! Is that how they welcome guests in Italy?

I know, I wasn't expecting a warm welcome, but this treatment makes me feel so insignificant. Tsk.

Huffing, I finally take the time to really look around. The room is dripping with luxury. Velvet curtains, gold fixtures, a bed big enough to swallow me whole. The fancy vanity, holding a large mirror. I opened the drawers noting the arrays of makeup and everything glamorous arranged inside. Everything screamed indulgence.

I opened a door, leading me to a walk-in wardrobe, shelves filled with luxurious bags, and designer clothes. Just my style, hmm….

“Looks like daddy made his findings, how considerate." I chuckled, making my way to the other door in the room.

I gasp, “This is so fucking huge!" A jacuzzi! I'm sold!

It's not as if we don't have those back home, I just enjoy my time in there a little too much.

Not waiting, I strip out of my clothes, as I run a bath for myself. Every toiletry is already stocked in, but some of them weren't really my preference.

I'll have to make do with the shower gel tonight before I bring mine.

After the very much needed bath, I slipped into my bathrobe, fluffing my hair as I entered my now dark room.

“The hell, I can swear I left the lights on some minutes ago…”

That’s when I felt it.

A shift. A disturbance in the air.

I moved fast, years of training kicking in. I lunged to the side, my body twisting as I grab the shadow by the throat, slamming him against the wall, my elbow pressing into his neck, holding steady.

The stranger chuckled. Low. Dangerous.

“Well, well… the Petrov girl has claws,” he stated

Moonlight from the window aided my vision, carving his face into sharp lines, his hair dark and a scar grazing his jaw. His grin was pure sin.

“Who the hell are you?” I pressed my arm tighter on his throat.

He didn’t flinch, nor did he give out any sign of discomfort. “Relax, tigress. Name’s Luca. Right hand to your new husband.” His tone dripped with mockery on the word husband.

I narrowed my eyes, raising a brow “And you sneak into women’s rooms as a welcome gift?”

“Consider it… an inspection.” His smirk widened.

“The Don doesn’t know what fire he just invited into his home,” he added

My grip on him tightened. My heart hammered within my chest, not with fear tho, but with the dangerous thrill of a predator recognizing another.

He leaned closer into me, voice dropping to a whisper. “Careful, Alessia. In this house, fire burns… or it consumes.”

And just like that, he slipped from my grasp, melting into the shadows, leaving me alone with my racing pulse and the echo of his words.

I stood there in the silence of the room, my mind restless, one thought burning way hotter than the rest.

The real game had just begun.