Chapter 63 Chapter 63

Chapter 63 Chapter 63
\[ IRIS’S POV \]

I felt a bitter taste in my mouth, like neem and ash. How much of my life had she sold? How many of my secrets had she delivered behind my back while I thought she was the only one I could trust?

She reached the spot where we stood, her movements smooth and professional. She bowed her head in a shallow, respectful greeting.

"Boss. Ma’am," she said. Her voice was steady, devoid of the warmth she’d used to trick me for years.

"Maria," Salvatore called.

The name that once sounded friendly now felt like gravel in my ears. I looked away from her immediately, I couldn't stand the sight of her face, the face of a woman who had watched me sleep while reporting to the man who stole me.

"She will be in charge of your protection here, Iris," Salvatore stated, his tone shifting back to that immovable, icy authority. "And she will tend to your needs, just like before."

"No," I cut in, turning sharply to face him. My pulse was thundering in my throat. "I don’t need to be protected, and certainly not by her, Salvatore."

"This is not your call to make, Iris," he countered. He didn't even flinch at my anger. "When I say she protects you, she does. End of story."

I stared at him, my eyelids blinking rapidly as I fought back a surge of disbelief. One moment he was being sweet, whispering that everything he did was for my sake, and the next, he was the cold-blooded boss again, barking orders like I was just another soldier in his ranks. The whiplash was enough to make me dizzy.

"Thanks for the show. I’ve lost interest in viewing the rest," I said, my voice dripping with venom.

I didn't wait for his permission. I turned on my heel and walked away, leaving them both standing in the shadows of the training room.

"You can go back to training," I heard Salvatore saying to her behind me, his voice dismissive as if I hadn't just walked out on him.

Fk  her. And fk Salvatore.

\~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The morning came too early. I opened my eyes slowly and stretched my arms and back. I had locked the door last night, a desperate attempt to keep Salvatore out, but he was a man who didn't understand the word forbidden. He had managed to slip in anyway, sliding into the bed beside me and pulling me into his arms. I had spent the night stiff in his grip, feigning sleep while my heart hammered against his chest, acting like I didn’t know he was there.

I rose from the bed with a long yawn, feeling surprisingly rested despite the tension. As usual, his side of the mattress was already cold, he had vanished to attend to his underworld shits, leaving only the scent of his cologne on the pillows.

A sharp knock at the door drew my gaze.

"Ma’am," the voice called out. I rolled my eyes so hard it hurt.

"I will be coming in now, Ma’am."

The door pushed open slowly, and Maria stepped into the room, her expression as neutral as a blank wall.

"The boss asked me to bring you down for breakfast when you were ready," she said, keeping her distance. "He said he will join you as soon as he can."

"How do you even know I’m up?" I snapped, pulling the duvet tighter around my shoulders. "Are you watching me sleep here, too?"

"No, not at all," she replied calmly. "The sensors notified me that you were awake, Ma’am."

"Sensors?" My voice went up an octave. "Are you saying there’s something in this room watching me?" 

I raised my hand to cut her off before she could even offer a canned reply. Asking her was a waste of time. What else should I expect from a man who thought it was perfectly normal to plant a camera in a girl's private sanctuary? To Salvatore, privacy wasn't a right, it was a luxury he felt like granting me.

"Never mind," I muttered, sliding out of bed. "I’m sure there’s a microphone in the light fixtures and a tracker in my slippers, too. Just give me ten minutes."

I walked into the bathroom and took my time, splashing cold water on my face to wash away the lingering feel of Salvatore’s arms around me. When I stepped back out, Maria was still standing in the exact same spot I had left her, like a statue carved from spite and secrets.

Looking at her closely now, the wool was finally off my eyes. She looked nothing like the mousey maid from the Russo estate. Gone were the loose, oversized slacks she used to wear to hide her physique. Now, her clothes hugged a frame that was all lean, hard muscle. I nearly laughed at my own stupidity. So much for being observant. I had been living with a soldier and calling her a friend.

"Where is Salvatore?" I asked, my voice cold.

"He’s in the control room, Ma’am," she replied, her face a mask of professional boredom. "He will join you for breakfast shortly."

"Leave," I commanded, pointing toward the door. "I can find my way to the dining room myself."

"I will be right outside the door, Ma’am."

"No, Maria. I want you gone. Like, far away from me."

She didn't flinch. She didn't even look annoyed. "I will be right outside your door, Ma’am," she repeated, her tone final. She turned on her heel and walked out, the click of the door sounding like a cell bar sliding into place.

"Oh God, please," I murmured softly, sinking onto the edge of the bed.

My eyes darted around the room. Sensors. Cameras. A bodyguard who was basically a human levee. I needed to know if that text was real. I needed to know if the man who held me last night was the same man who had silenced my mother forever. Because at this rate I can’t believe anything I see or hear.

\~~~~~~~~~~~~

The dining room was what I could only call a royal hall, because the sight that met my eyes was nothing short of excessive.

The table wasn't just set, it was a Platters of smoked salmon with capers, golden-brown brioche French toast dripping in maple syrup, bowls of glistening exotic fruits, and silver domes covering what smelled like truffle-infused omelets and thick-cut peppered bacon. There were carafes of freshly squeezed blood-orange juice and a spread of artisanal cheeses and pastries that looked too perfect to eat.

It was a feast meant for a small army, not one woman.

"Are you feeding a nation?" I asked, my voice echoing in the high-ceilinged room.

"No, Ma’am," Maria replied from behind me. "It is for you and some important members of the Moretti empire. Consider it a small get-together, Ma’am."

I felt a fresh wave of irritation. A get-together. Another word for a public display of my captivity. Another chance for the Moretti inner circle to look at me like the prize their boss finally managed to snatch.

Just as the words left her mouth, the heavy oak doors swung open. I expected Salvatore, but instead, it was Mira who stepped into the room. She looked as sharp and lethal as she had in the training room, her eyes scanning the table before landing on me.

"Iris!" Mira called out, practically running toward me. The sudden burst of energy was jarring in the middle of such a cold, formal room.

"Oh my god, I finally got to see you. I was forbidden from coming to the engagement party. Can you believe that?"

"Hi, Mira," I replied, my voice dry. I wasn't in the mood for her forced excitement, especially not with the shadows of the engagement party still hanging over me.

Then, the heavy doors groaned open again, and the room’s temperature seemed to drop ten degrees. A procession of power walked in. First was Vincenzo Moretti, the patriarch, a man who moved as if he stepped on blood for fun. Behind him were Michael, flashing that same dangerous grin, and another man I didn't recognize. Following them was a girl about my age, her eyes sharp and curious as they landed on me.

My gaze went straight back to Vincenzo. I felt a chill settle in my bones, but I forced myself to stand tall. I offered a slight, stiff nod of greeting to the man who held the strings of this entire empire.