Page 97 of Their Reckless Thief (The Below #1)

VINCENZO

We gathered in my study, each of us bone-weary with exhaustion.

I reached for the goblet of blood on my desk and raised it to my lips, taking a slow, measured drink. The metallic tang grounded me, pulling my focus to the gravity of the moment. Each sip brought a fleeting sense of calm.

My fingers curled around the cloth bundle I held, refusing to loosen their grip.

I finally had The Mirror of Truths in my possession.

Cold anticipation settled into my bones as I carefully placed it on the desk.

I unraveled it slowly, parting each fold with deliberation, the weight of the moment pressing down on me.

The cloth fell away, and the mirror gleamed in the dim light.

Its surface was dark and impossibly deep, so much more than simple glass.

It had an inky blackness to it, a depth that went beyond any mirror I’d ever encountered.

It beckoned to me, drawing me in. I caught my reflection, and I almost turned away, unprepared for the vision I hoped it would show.

Show me, I commanded silently. The mirror’s surface rippled as if answering my call, drawing me deeper into its depths. The walls around me faded, and memories cascaded over me.

The first image hit me right in the gut.

A friend from years past—one of my earliest allies, a man I’d trusted without question—stood with his back turned as he swore loyalty to my enemies.

I felt the familiar pang in my heart, the same old wound splitting open.

I’d buried the betrayal, but I’d never truly forgotten it.

I clenched my fists as that age-old anger surged forth, as fresh and raw as it had been the day I’d uncovered his treachery.

The image faded, only for another to take its place—a procession of faces, each one twisted in betrayal, disappointment, or disdain.

Lovers whose faces I once traced with lust now turned away from me.

Women who had been drawn in by the allure of power, only to leave when they discovered the walls I kept around my heart.

Allies who had sworn fealty only to break their oaths when the cost became too high.

Each scene twisted before me in a loop, a painful reminder of the path I’d walked, of the betrayals that had led me to build a fortress around myself until all that was left was a kingdom of fear and loyalty bound by necessity.

The images in the mirror shifted again, and this time, it showed me something I hadn’t anticipated.

I was here, in this study, but I wasn’t alone.

Celeste stood across from me, her presence filling the room with a warmth I hadn’t known was missing from my life.

She looked at me with a softness that cut through every wall I’d built around myself, her gaze unflinching, as though she saw every fractured piece of me and didn’t care.

There was no fear, no guardedness. Instead, she extended her hand, beckoning me to take a step forward, her light casting out every shadow and completing me in ways I never knew I was lacking.

The vision pulled me in even more, and I saw the impossible.

A future— our future. It was an empire, but not one built on power alone.

Its foundation was forged through loyalty and respect.

Celeste stood at my side, her head high, as fierce as any weapon, her loyalty unwavering even under the world’s scrutiny.

In this vision, she wasn’t just a trusted ally or an asset; she was mine, and I was hers. Our partnership transcended power.

It clawed through every wound I’d buried, every betrayal I’d endured. She was more than an ally, more than a fleeting connection. And the mirror was showing me what I had tried to deny for so long.

Celeste saw me, truly saw me, and stood by me despite it all.

Could I be worthy of that? The thought lingered, the mirror casting its light on the vulnerability such a life would demand.

A life where I wouldn’t wield power from a distance but would open myself, exposing the parts I’d hidden so fiercely.

The idea filled me with a fear unlike any I’d felt, yet it came with a warmth I couldn’t ignore, a sliver of hope where I’d had none before.

For centuries, I’d believed I wasn’t worthy of love, that every bond was destined to crumble beneath betrayal’s weight.

But now, as I looked into the mirror’s depths, I knew I had made the right choice.

I would no longer remain in this fortress of solitude and shadows.

Instead, I would risk everything and open myself to a connection that could reshape my life.

The vision faded, leaving only my own reflection staring back at me, shadowed but more exposed than I’d ever allowed myself to be.

That choice weighed on me, heavy and liberating, a whisper of possibility I hadn’t let myself consider until now.

The mirror’s power settled into silence, its message resonating in the stillness, a challenge as real as any battle I’d fought.

And in the quiet of my study, as the echoes of the vision lingered, I knew there was no going back. Whatever the future held, that sliver of warmth, of connection, was within reach.

Celeste

A sense of peace settled on Vincenzo’s face, and he looked up at me, his gaze piercing into my soul. “I think it’s showing us what we need to see.” He handed the mirror to me and smiled softly.

I held the mirror and stared into its dark, bottomless depths. Its pull felt both familiar and foreign, like a whisper of a forgotten memory. The smooth, obsidian surface reflected nothing yet seemed to hold everything. My heart thundered, each pulse carrying a blend of anticipation and dread.

Taking a deep breath, I brushed my fingers over the mirror’s edges, the cold surface thrumming as though it recognized me. I swallowed, bracing myself.

What do you want me to see? The thought was barely more than a whisper in my mind, but the mirror responded with a slow ripple.

I stared at my own reflection. The glass was impossibly clear, dark as midnight, and staring into it felt like peering into the depths of an endless void. I took a breath, bracing myself. The surface shimmered, and then, like clouds parting, a scene from my childhood unfolded.

I was barely nine years old, standing in Roberto’s office, clutching a toy. I remembered that toy. Roberto had given me the small wooden bird, painted in bright colors that had faded over the years. Roberto was speaking to me, his voice warm and gentle, coaxing me to trust him.

“You’re special, Celeste. Don’t you know that?” he said, giving my shoulder a firm, possessive squeeze. I had looked up at him with wide, trusting eyes, feeling a rush of warmth at his approval.

The image shifted. I watched the scene from another angle, a perspective that showed me the truth beneath the illusion.

Roberto’s eyes gleamed with cold calculation—a predator’s patience.

His hand on my shoulder was not affection but control—control he needed to mold me and shape me into what he needed.

The warmth I’d felt was an illusion he’d crafted, a manipulation he’d wielded like a weapon.

I watched myself grow older, scenes flashing by in a painful, merciless sequence.

Every time he gave me a task, a mission cloaked in praise and approval, he was pulling me deeper into his web, using my need for acceptance to keep me bound to him.

Every skill he taught me, every whisper of praise, was a thread he used to tie me to him.

I had been nothing more than a pawn for him.

The vision shifted, revealing a glimpse of the future I’d barely escaped.

I saw myself trapped in a dark room, my eyes hollow, my skin pale and clammy as I clutched a vial of Phantomine.

The drug was no longer an escape but a necessity, something I needed to get through the day.

My hands shook, and I could barely hold the vial steady as I brought it to my lips, desperate for the numbness it offered.

The Celeste in the mirror was gaunt, a shadow of herself, enslaved not just to the drug, but to Roberto’s control.

If Vincenzo hadn’t killed him, if I hadn’t escaped, that would have been my life. A bitter chill settled in my chest. I’d come so close to losing everything. Roberto would never have let me go. He would have used me until there was nothing left, draining every last piece of me for his own gain.

Tears pricked my eyes as I took it in. Roberto had pretended to care, to guide me, but he had only ever seen me as a tool. My trust, my love, had been wasted on someone who didn’t even see me as a person.

The scene shifted again, and I braced myself, half-afraid of what I’d see next.

But instead of darkness, there was light—soft and warm, surrounding me like a halo. I saw myself, but this time, I was laughing, my eyes alive, my face open and unguarded. I looked around, and I saw the men I’d grown to care for, the people who had changed me just as I had changed them.

Dorian was there, his arm slung around my shoulder, grinning down at me with that boyish charm that hid a depth he rarely showed.

I saw the way he looked at me, and the warmth in his gaze made my heart ache.

He’d let me in, trusted me, given me a piece of his heart, despite the scars he kept hidden beneath his playfulness.

Luca was beside him, his usual guarded demeanor softened, his eyes holding a quiet acceptance, a trust that had once seemed impossible. In his eyes, I saw a future he hadn’t dared hope for, one where loyalty wasn’t a weakness but a bond, something that bound us together, unbreakable and pure.

And then, Vincenzo… His fierce protectiveness and intensity went beyond words.

He’d let me into his world, his life, despite every reason to keep his walls up.

He’d shown me a part of himself no one else had seen, allowed me to see the vulnerable, human side beneath the ruthless facade.

In his eyes, I saw love, not possession. It was raw and real and terrifying.

I realized, then, that they all cared for me, truly and deeply, for who I was, not what I could do for them.

I hadn’t believed that was possible—that anyone could see me, love me, without expecting something in return.

But they did. They had all seen me at my worst, my most broken, and still, they’d chosen to stay.

They’d filled the spaces Roberto had left hollow, taught me that love didn’t have to be manipulation or control.

And more than that, I saw how I had changed them, too.

Charming Dorian had allowed himself to be vulnerable, to let someone in past his walls.

Luca, who had spent so long hiding in shadows, had found a place where he could stand in the light, free from the secrets that had once chained him.

And Vincenzo… he’d offered me pieces of his heart he kept locked away.

The mirror reflected not just their love for me, but the love I had given them in return, a love I hadn’t known I possessed.

I saw the impact I’d had on their lives, how I’d helped them heal, just as they’d helped me.

I wasn’t the broken, unlovable girl Roberto had tried to make me believe I was.

I was strong, worthy, and capable of love. And I was loved in return.

The vision faded, and I was left staring at my reflection, a tear slipping down my cheek.

The mirror had shown me the truth—the truth of who Roberto had been, and the truth of who I was now.

I’d been a pawn, a tool, a prisoner in Roberto’s world.

But now, with these men by my side, I was something more.

I was free.