Elena is unraveling in silence. The chapter opens with her trying to distract herself with routine—family obligations, polite smiles, and the illusion of control. But Nicolas Russo is a constant presence in her mind, and worse, in her space. He's everywhere: at dinners, in conversations, in the way her body reacts before her brain can catch up.
This chapter leans into psychological tension. Elena is caught in a storm of conflicting emotions—guilt, desire, fear, and fascination. She knows she's playing with fire, but she can't stop reaching for the flame. Nicolas, for his part, remains maddeningly unreadable. He doesn't touch her. He doesn't flirt. But every word he says feels like a test, and every glance feels like a promise.
There's a moment—quiet, charged—where they're alone. The air between them is thick with everything unsaid. Nicolas steps closer than he should. Elena doesn't move. He says something that sounds like a warning, but it lands like a dare. And for the first time, Elena doesn't just feel seen—she feels wanted.
Meanwhile, the family pressure is mounting. Elena's parents are watching her more closely. Her sister is blissfully unaware of the storm brewing just beneath the surface. And Elena? She's starting to realize that the life she's been groomed for—the perfect mafia princess—isn't the life she wants.
By the end of the chapter, the line between right and wrong, duty and desire, has blurred beyond recognition. Elena knows she's in trouble. But for the first time, she doesn't want to be saved.
Want to keep going with Chapter 8? Or maybe explore how Nicolas's past starts to bleed into the present? I've got more secrets, slow-burn tension, and mafia drama ready to unfold. 💋📚