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I do. Straddling his lap, I slowly ease myself down onto his cock. His hand moves to my back, cupping my ass cheek, as I cross my arms over his neck.

He grips my chin, and our eyes lock. “I love the fuck out of you with every sinful fiber of my body and with every pump of my dark heart.”

Something strange happens. I laugh and cry and moan at the same time.

Palming my face, he kisses me long and hard, every nibble and nip opening the floodgates to hedonism. I lean into his touch, kiss him back with just as much ardor, soaking it all in—the madness and love, pleasure and pain, ecstasy and ruin.

He’s addictive and I am overdosing—nothing more than a junkie searching for their next euphoric kick. He becomes my only desire while demanding my life in exchange. And all because I can’t withstand him.

We make sweet love—unhurried. His demons instantly calmed down with my declaration. Every gentle touch is a testament of his love. Every breathless kiss is a vow of devotion. And every slow push inside of me is a testimony of his passion, enveloping me whole.

He has my heart, and that’s even more precious than everything I’ve given him. But the truth is, he stole it right from under my nose.

We both come with the name of the other on our lips. The night sky breaks out, pouring down buckets of rain on us, as if baptizing us for the second time.

Holding my face between his hands, we gaze into each other’s eyes, exchanging silent vows and half of our hearts sothey’ll be joined forever. By the time he brings me inside, I am his—irrevocably.

After we lounge in the bathtub until our skin prunes, he quickly dries me, wrapping me in a fluffy towel before doing the same for himself.

Dressed in matching soft black bathrobes, we move to the living room, cuddling on the sofa, each with a glass of wine. I have my head on his arm, savoring this serene moment when his phone rings. He ignores it, but the ringing picks up right again.

I sense his unease, so I say, “See who it is. I won’t go anywhere.”

“You better not.”

As he takes the call, he mouths. “I have to take care of this. It won’t take long.”

I give him the same smug reply. “You better not.”

His grin is a work of art in itself, with a cheeky dimple forming on his right cheek.

Placing my glass down, I go to the bedroom to check my phone which overflows with messages.

I open the first one and I freeze, gulping as I scroll through them. In each one, there’s a pic of me and Enzo. You can see our evolution as a couple. Our intimacy is written in scarlet letters, making me guilty of treason. My fingers shake as I move to the only text message from Adamo.

End him, or this will go to Augustus in twenty-four hours.

The fucking snake.

This is all I’ll have left of the man I love.

My future is not mine. It has always belonged to Augustus.

Stupid of me to make plans, entertain my delusion.

Was it hubris? Did I think I am truly untouchable. That I wouldn’t have to watch myself 24/7 and an ocean and a continent apart. No one is free, least of all me.

As long as I perform my duties, I have all the power, but without that, who am I? A nobody.

The list of people who want me dead is long, not including the ones from the Council. I won’t give them the satisfaction of seeing me fall. My enemies would follow me here as well. Enzo has his life in order and doesn’t need a ticking bomb in his life.

I am sorry, amore.You’ll never understand how much, but I have to do this for both of us.

A sob racks my body, and I place my hand over my mouth, not wanting him to hear or sense my anguish.

He will never forgive me.

Tomorrow we’ll end.