Reign of a Billionaire : A Dark Mafia Enemies-to-Lovers Romance

My chest tightened. God, I missed her. I should have been stronger. I should have done a better job protecting her. I should have⁠—

There were so many “should haves” as self-loathing threatened to overwhelm me. I had to quickly put the lid on those emotions. It never boded well going down memory lane.

Instead, I focused on ensuring the women I saved were okay. So, biting my lip, I tried again. I searched for any crack in his firewalls before the screen blanked out on me.

“Dammit,” I muttered, frustrated, my palms hitting the table. “I need to know.”

I’d done detailed research on the man. He was a genius, and he was also a virtuous crusader. He funded Gia’s—his housekeeper’s—shelters, who had been a victim herself. For whatever reason though, I wanted assurance that these women were safe, that I hadn’t endangered them further.

A message popped up on the dark web.

You’ll never break into my database.

“What the⁠—”

I had not expected this.

My heart pounded wildly. It shouldn’t surprise me that Nico Morrelli caught on to me trying to penetrate his network. While I debated whether to talk to the man or not, another message came up.

What do you want?

“At least he’s to the point,” I muttered under my breath. Then, deciding I might as well get the information I wanted, I brought my fingers to the keyboard.

Are the girls safe?

They are.

Relief washed over me like a cold stream on a hot summer day, except there was no sunshine here. I hoped those women would have theirs though. Another message came in.

Who are you?

My hands hovered over the keyboard. I wanted to tell him. I needed a friend. But trust was an expensive thing in this world. Misplacing it could cost you everything that ever mattered to you. Another message popped up.

We can help you.

Before I could contemplate my reply, my laptop pinged, warning of a counter trace, and I closed out of the software, slamming my laptop shut. Goddammit, that was stupid. Morrelli’s reputation should have been enough for me.

I gritted my teeth, turning my face toward the window and gazing out into the dark night. A full moon glimmered over miles and miles of snow, and I inadvertently shuddered. Fuck, I’d had enough cold weather to last me a lifetime.

At the sight of the white landscape, a memory filtered in through my throbbing temples.

The castle—our prison—stood dark and ominous among the winter wonderland. I couldn’t help but compare it to an evil surrounded by innocence. Ivan and my mother, and what they were doing here, were evil. The rest of us were innocent.

Or something like that.

“Sun’s setting,” my sister grumbled. “We have to go back.”

Everything about this home unsettled us. I’d rather stay out here and freeze until the sun set over the horizon than go back inside. Out here, the shame could be temporarily forgotten.

My twin and I walked in silence, lost in our thoughts.

“Make sure you keep your distance from the basement,” I warned her.

Fear slithered through my veins. Ivan and his goons had been gawking at us for months. It was only a matter of time before they made a move.

“So you noticed it too,” she whispered, eyeing me. We looked identical aside from a slight variation in our eye color.

“I don’t like the way he’s looking at us.”

She knew who I meant. Ivan was a cruel pig. I couldn’t even believe Mother would marry someone like that. If that was what every marriage was like, I never wanted a part of it.

“Me neither,” she muttered. “It gives me the creeps.”

“Me too.”

We waded between the trees, the temperatures plummeting drastically. “What if he tries something?”