Chapter 1 - The Game of Shadows
Isabella walked into the room with the grace of a queen who had no idea her crown was already falling.
Aleandro watched her carefully, his eyes tracking the slight tremor in her hands.
She walked past the desk and pressed a kiss to his cheek.
It took every ounce of his legendary self-control not to flinch at her touch.
"You seem tense," she whispered, tracing the line of his jaw.
"Just business," Aleandro replied, his voice a smooth, impenetrable mask.
He glanced at the corner of the room where little Emma sat perfectly still.
The child’s wide eyes darted from the mafia boss to the beautiful traitor.
"Emma, sweetheart, it is time for you to find your mother," Aleandro said gently.
The little girl scrambled out of the chair, clutching her notebook to her chest.
She didn't look at Isabella as she hurried out of the heavy oak doors.
Once the door clicked shut, the silence in the office felt thick enough to choke on.
Isabella poured two glasses of scotch, her back turned to the painting she had just bugged.
Aleandro noticed how she deliberately kept her distance from that specific wall.
"I was thinking about the wedding flowers," she said, handing him a crystal glass.
"Lilies or white roses?" she asked, forcing a bright smile.
"Roses," he said, taking a slow sip and letting the burn ground him.
He knew she was waiting for him to talk about his shipments, his routes, his secrets.
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Whoever was on the other end of that listening device was hungry for blood.
Aleandro decided right then to feed them a feast of lies.
