Chapter 1
Hello Everyone! Welcome to Leo and Sera's story.
The entire novella is available to read on Amazon/Kindle Unlimited. Please enjoy <3
Link: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0F2H91LVM
Leo Vanzetti has always struggled with the word “no.” That’s part of why he ended up in this dangerous world, an enforcer for acts ranging from the barely legal to the undeniably criminal. When he was told not to do something, that only meant that it would start to occupy his thoughts nonstop, with his mind whirring on how to bend the rule without breaking it, which was the general rule for success in this lifestyle.
And then his boss told him that, without any room for argument, he should stay away from his sister. Not for her safety, but yours, Dominic had added with a wry smile. I’m serious, Leo. Stay away from Sera.
That was the day when Sera was brought back to live in the manor after the Romano patriarch’s death, all worn out after the scene she caused at the funeral, her laughter echoing softly down dark halls as the boss escorted her gently to her new room.
She’s insane; the whispers spread around the Romano manor as servants were explicitly told not to approach her. Prone to violent rages and loud outbursts, she’s broken from whatever it was the old man did to her. It was something no one would ever know since Romano senior had retired when she was still a young teen and taken her away to live with him, leaving his brother Luciano, nephew Luka, and his eldest child Dominic to take over operations at the manor.
She had come back..different. That was for sure.
Dominic would never let Leo near Sera, which was the ultimate thorn in his side because he had never seen anyone so interesting and so beautiful in his entire life. She was a fire that burned everything she touched to ashes, no mercy, no holding back at any point. And that was just the kind of woman that intrigued him. He would gladly stick his hands right in that fire, not caring about the consequences. After all, that’s how he had always lived his life. Act first, think later.
Of course, going against the boss’s orders was, generally speaking, a one-way ticket to a creative death. So, Leo skirted the rules as closely as he could. Whenever he had a delivery at the house, he made sure his route took him as close to the wing where the mad princess resided as possible. Today is the day I’ll see her; it was a mantra that had begun to be his morning prayer. While others prayed at the altar of their gods, he prayed unabashedly at the altar of Serafina Romano.
The memory of the funeral of the old boss is one of his fondest, though it’s considered a general fuckup and stain on the Romano name to everyone else. But he’s just the hired help, so what does he care? Sera had come stomping in like an oncoming storm during a eulogy (apparently having brilliantly evaded her keepers, because of course, she did, the darling girl), going up to her father’s casket and giving it a well-aimed kick with a sparkling scarlet heel that almost sent it tumbling back.
She was infuriated by the shocked silence in the room and the refusal of the coffin to fall dramatically, so the flower arrangements and vases started flying next. Some of the Romano guards grabbed her, not being smart enough to realize that the old order had changed and any man who touched the new boss’s little sister would live to regret it. Dominic’s threat sliced through the air, cold and absolute, and the men took their hands off the princess as if they had been burned.
It was one of those moments when Leo felt that against all odds, despite his shitty personality and worse decisions, he was somehow working for the right guy. When the boss looked at his sister, he was a different person, his usual mask dropping for a moment to reveal a guilty, reverent expression.
The look on Dominic’s face the day of the funeral was an addictive glimpse of gentleness that didn’t exist in their world. It was precious enough to settle even Hurricane Sera, who obediently took her brother’s hand and walked out, meek as a lamb.
Of course, Leo had been left to deal with the mess, but the show had been well worth it. Sera was welcome to throw as many vases as she wanted; oddly enough, it brought out the best in the rough men surrounding her.
But it wasn’t only loyalty to Dominic that had led to Leo’s rise in the family. It had all started on that day ten years ago. He was just a homeless teen right out of juvie, and as usual, he ran from one bit of trouble..into the next.
–
Leo could still remember the way his breath burned in his lungs that night, the way the cold air sliced against his skin as he tore through the backstreets like a shadow. His sneakers slapped against the cracked pavement, heartbeat hammering in time with every step. Not from fear—no, never fear. It was the rush that got him, the wild, electric thrill of knowing he’d just pulled off another job.
The old man from the convenience store was still shouting behind him, voice hoarse with rage, but Leo was already three blocks ahead. He could have laughed. Another clean getaway. Another night proving the world couldn’t catch him.
At least, that’s what he thought—until he turned the corner and nearly crashed into them.
Two men stood in the alley, waiting like they had all the time in the world. Not cops. Not some pissed-off locals. No, they were different.
The taller one—sharp suit, dark coat, cool eyes—cocked his head slightly, watching Leo the way a lion might watch a rabbit. The other had an easier posture, leaning against the brick wall, but there was nothing soft about him. His smirk was too sharp, too knowing.
Leo knew trouble when he saw it. And these guys? They were the kind of trouble people whispered about.
“Fast,” the taller one with the icy expression mused, voice smooth and unreadable. “I’ll give you that.”
Leo’s body tensed, his mind already calculating his next move. His fingers tightened around the wad of cash he’d just swiped, his pulse a steady drumbeat in his ears.
“Hell of a risk for a couple of hundred bucks,” the other one—Luka, he’d later learn—remarked. His smirk widened. “You do this a lot, kid?”
Leo shifted his stance, angling himself just enough to bolt if he needed to. “Who’s askin’?”
The tall one took a step forward. “Dominic Romano,” he said like the name should mean something. And it did. It meant everything. “That’s Luka.”
Leo had heard of them before. Everyone had. The Romanos weren’t just street hustlers. They were the kind of men who ruled the underground, the ones people either feared or worked for.
His gut told him to be careful, but he was seventeen, reckless, and too full of himself to back down. “So?” he challenged.
Dominic’s gaze flicked to the cash in Leo’s grip. “You’re quick. Bold. But sloppy.”
Leo bristled. “I got away, didn’t I?”
Luka chuckled, shaking his head. “Correction, you might get away if we let you.”
A chill ran through Leo’s spine, though he masked it with a cocky grin. “That so?”
Dominic stepped in closer, his presence heavy, measured. “We could turn you in.” A pause. “Or—you could work for us.”
Leo’s pulse stuttered for half a second because they weren’t just some guys looking to shake him down. They were offering something. A way in for someone who had lived his whole life on the outside of everything.
“You like risk,” Luka said, still lounging like this was all a game. “You like fast money. We can give you more than a few crumpled bills from a register.”
Dominic’s voice dropped lower. “You want a real purpose, Leo? This is it.”
He should have hesitated. Should have asked more questions. Should have thought about what it meant to owe these men anything. But all he felt was the fire in his veins, the thrill curling in his chest. The world had never given him anything—he’d always had to take it. And now?
Now it was handing him something real.
–
Leo entered through the central foyer, still smiling at the memory. His gaze was immediately drawn left to the secured east wing of the Romano manor. This wing was strictly off-limits to all but the highest-ranking family members and select security personnel. Leo knew the layout by heart: the reinforced panic room concealed behind the mahogany bookcase in Dominic’s study, the underground passage connecting to the garage that housed their armored vehicles, and the third-floor surveillance room, where rotating shifts of trusted men monitored every approach to the property.
Most importantly, Sera lived on the second floor of the East Wing, which consisted of her apartment, a few guestrooms (which no one was allowed to stay in currently), and the family library. So, even when Leo didn’t strictly have any business there, he made sure to take a stroll in that direction, even though most of the business took place on the west side.
As he passed the heavy oak door to the meeting room, he heard muffled voices discussing shipment routes. Business had expanded significantly since Dominic took over leadership three years ago. The family now controlled not just the traditional protection rackets and gambling operations but had diversified into high-end art theft, cryptocurrency laundering, and legitimate businesses—the chain of luxury hotels and the import-export company being the most profitable fronts for their less legal activities.
Leo walked by a group of men he recognized as part of Viktor’s security detail. Unlike most of the muscle who wore the twin golden guns pin—marking them as soldiers and agents directly under Dominic or Luka’s command—these men wore plain silver pins, signifying their loyalty to Viktor’s branch of operations, which handled the more violent enforcement tasks. The hierarchy was clear to insiders but invisible to outsiders, precisely as intended.
“Tsk tsk, look who’s sniffing around where he shouldn’t be again.”
He sighed as he turned around to see his old friend and boss’s cousin, Luka. As usual, he wore an easy smirk, auburn curly hair looking purposely tousled. Busted. Because if Luka knew something, that meant Dominic would know it shortly as well.
“Sniffing around? You wound me,” he lifted the envelopes in his hand, “Just on my way to deliver these.”
“Nice try,” Luka gave him a look that clearly said they both knew where the boss’s office was, and it happened to be on the opposite side of the house.
The underboss approached him, clapping a hand on his shoulder. “Plenty of dangerous women in this world. You can like what you like, but it is best to leave the mad princess alone before Dom pulls one of his famous disappearing tricks on you.”
Good advice, too bad he wasn’t going to take it.
They were startled by the sound of something breaking down the hall—something big. Then, a few more crashes followed by a furious scream and the noise of a large piece of glass shattering.
The two men turned to look at each other, and then Leo ran, his more slender build quickly darting effortlessly away from Luka, who tried to grab him.
“Are you insane?!”
“Just call the boss. Someone needs to check on her,” he yelled back, and hell yes, that someone was going to be him. His prayer was finally answered at long last.
The doors to Sera’s room were already wide open, revealing a chaotic scene—a broken window, with a chair beyond it, hanging on to dear life on the balcony. Vases (why does she even have those? Surely everyone knows it’s her weapon of choice), an expensive television and numerous perfume bottles littered the floor like grenades, broken glass, and porcelain everywhere.
Leo took a deep breath. This was his chance. If the boss could win Sera over with gentleness and calmness, then hell, so could he. These were two traits that have never been used to describe him, but he’s always been good at making shit up as he goes along.
He was barely a few steps into the room before something hit his chest hard, and he was staring at the ceiling as he gasped for breath from the blow because, holy hell, that girl could kick. The pressure on his chest increased, and he looked down to see her signature red heel pressing him down without mercy. She stood above him with wild eyes, just the kind of goddess those ancient Greek guys used to write about - terrifying, beautiful, and fucking insane.
He was at a considerable disadvantage and would have to outmaneuver her to overpower her. However, she held a long, jagged glass shard in her hand, seemingly unaware that it was cutting into her palm. A thin red line appeared on her fair skin.
Shit, if she hurts herself, we’re all going to be feeding the fishes in a few hours. He could get out of this situation if his opponent were a typical one, but an unpredictable opponent who might accidentally hurt herself was not the best scenario to make any sudden movements.
He attempted a charming smile, “Hey Sera, recognize me? I’m..Leo,” he told her.
There was no reaction from those fathomless black orbs looking down at him. Fuck.
“I work with your brother, Dominic, though we usually just call him boss. Dominic.” He repeated the name as if it were a magic spell that would snap her out of her rage.
“I’m not here to hurt you,” he assured her. In response, a smile spread across her face, but it was not a very nice one. Having been around enough men that would kill you and not think twice, he knew that kind of expression very well.
But at the same time, some of the tension seemed to leave her body, her eyes regaining some semblance of humanity as she looked around the mess she made with an inscrutable expression before she glanced back down at him. He felt relief, but then she pressed her shoe down harder, the point painfully digging into his abdomen. Her smile, especially with that lipstick smeared across her face, looked alluringly dangerous, okay, maybe only to him. A normal person would be horrified.
“If you’re not here to hurt me, then why are you here? I don’t allow..guests.” Her voice was smooth and soft, at odds with her erratic behavior. His heart fluttered like a teenage boy’s at the sound of it. Her head was cocked to the side curiously, long black hair whispering as it moved down her arm.
At this point, he should have probably abandoned all hope of reasoning with her and just overpowered her, but for some reason, he couldn’t or didn’t want to. She could stomp on his sternum, and he’d probably thank her for it as long as he got to look into those sparkling black eyes as she did it.
I’m here because I’m a fellow lunatic, I like danger, and I wanted to see you more than anything. That would be the truth, but possibly overwhelming for a first meeting. Even two weirdos need to keep it cool at first.
“I heard something breaking, so I came to check on you,” that was true, even if it was just an excuse for the underlying reasons. A strange look that he couldn’t decipher came over her face. As he stared into her eyes like a man hypnotized, she took an opportunity to straddle him, the point of the glass pressed into his throat.
“Hmmm…” She said thoughtfully, running her other hand through his long, silky blonde hair as he froze in surprise. “Maybe you’re too pretty to die. What do you think?” Her grip tightened, the glass slippery in her bloody hand. He hissed as it lightly cut into his neck, a trail of blood trickling down slowly.
“Mmm, not bad,” Serafina told him with the mien of an artist admiring their work.
He knew the reaction he should be having: fear. But his blood was pumping faster for a whole different reason. Leo couldn’t help but feel thrilled at her thighs and hips pressing into him and the way she was looking at him with a fiery intensity and a hint of challenge in her gaze. And all he could think about is…
She called me pretty. Too pretty to die, he repeated in his head, as if it was the sweetest compliment he’d ever gotten.
Leo let out a choked laugh, the movement causing more blood to trickle down onto the polished wooden floor. “I…I think you’re right about that. I am pretty fucking gorgeous.”
His hands twitched at his sides, itching to grab Sera’s hips and pull her even closer to him so he could finally feel the heat of her body against his own. He had enough rational thought left in his brain to resist that particular impulse, knowing that any sudden movement could spell his end. But hey, what an end that would be. Better than being some casualty at another fucking firefight.
Her eyes lingered on where the glass met his throat. “Skin is so fragile, isn’t it…” she didn’t finish the thought, looking instead at the window she broke. “You didn’t have to come here, gorgeous. I was just..getting ready to go out for a walk. The room was so small. I don’t like that I have to stay inside while Dom is out.”
Leo hesitated to respond, with the truth being that Dominic was probably right to keep her inside while he couldn’t be by her side. Someone who decided to leave their room WWE-style by smashing a chair through a window had no business strolling around alone. Above him, her eyes flashed dangerously as if she had read his mind. The glass fell out of her hand with a sharp sound, and she wrapped her bloodied hands around his throat and leaned forward so they were almost nose to nose.
“I’m fine; I can be out there just like everybody else,” she whispered.
He could feel the warm, wet feeling of her hands against his skin and smell the coppery tang of their combined blood in the air. But he didn’t care. He didn’t care about the pain or the danger or the fact that he should be afraid. All he cared about was how Sera’s eyes were boring into his own and how her lips were curled into that dark, twisted smile.
“I know you’re fine,” he croaked out, voice raw and ragged. “I know you can handle yourself out there. You’re fucking fierce, Sera. I don’t know anyone else who is fearless enough to make their opinion known, anytime, anywhere, consequences be damned.”
Knowing it was a considerable risk, he reached up slowly and cupped her face in his palm. His thumb brushed over her lower lip. Unable to resist the allure of her crimson mouth, he decided to take a chance with the intimate gesture.
“But Dom…he just wants to keep you safe. He loves you, you know. Even if he doesn’t always show it, he can’t.”
Her hands tightened on his throat, not enough to cut off his air but enough to first turn him on even more and, second, make him rethink the situation.
“Then why does he leave me alone for so long?! Where is he?!” Her voice was still the soft, lilting siren song from before, but there was a hurt in it that he had never heard from her before. “He’s always leaving! And then I’m trapped in this room with the ghost of that man. I don’t want to remember all these terrible things!”
He could feel the pressure building in his chest, the desperate need for oxygen clawing at his lungs. But he didn’t fight back or try to pry her hands away. Instead, he met her gaze head-on, his jade-green eyes dark and intense.
“He’s not here because he trusts me to watch over you,” Leo rasped out, voice strained. “Because he knows that I’ll do anything to keep you safe. He trusts me, trusts his men. But you’re right, Sera. He shouldn’t have left you alone. He shouldn’t have kept you locked away like some fragile fucking doll. You’re not fragile. You’re a goddamn force of nature, and anyone who underestimates you is a fucking idiot.”
Leo’s hands moved to grip Sera’s wrists, not to pull them away but to hold them in place. To show her he wasn’t afraid, and there was a flicker of grudging respect in her eyes in response. Her grip loosened, allowing him to pull in a deep breath. It tasted like heaven, made even better by the fact that her hands were still wrapped around his throat, and she could take it away from him again at any time. Being at her mercy was rather dizzying. Or maybe that’s the lack of oxygen, but who cares? It feels good.
Sera’s smile calmed into a slight smirk. “Where’s your fear, pretty Leo? Did you leave it behind somewhere? You’ll have to teach me how to do that.” She released her hands and sat up a bit, resting more heavily against his hips, enough that he needed to bite back a groan. There were sounds of a commotion in the house, most likely Dominic returning home and everyone scrambling to look like everything was under control for the boss. Her head was turned to the door as she listened.
“Fear? Never had a lot of that,” he told her honestly, his hand reaching up to rub at his sore throat, coming away with a bit of blood. A few marks from Sera are a badge of honor that I’ll gladly wear.
After hearing his response, she turned back to look at him, a dangerously cheerful look on her face. “That works well. Wasn’t this fun, gorgeous? Don’t you want to play with me more?”
He swallowed hard, his throat raw and aching from the pressure of her hands. But he didn’t look away, didn’t break the intense eye contact that was sparking between them.
“That would be a dream come true, Sera. If you want to play, then I’ll fucking play. I’ll show you everything I’m capable of and let you push me even further than that.”
The noises grew louder down the hall as footsteps approached the room. Sera’s eyes swept again over the destruction she left behind, seeming almost surprised before brushing it off with a shrug. She looked at Leo, admiring the way the blood smeared across his pale throat, how trickles of it had disappeared beneath the collar of his shirt.
“Are you ready for act 2?” Sera asked him with a wry smile as her brother’s voice sounded just outside, calling her name with the sort of care the cold man reserved only for her. “Dom,” her voice chimed sweetly, “I’m fine, don’t worry.”
Leo turned his head to see his boss standing in the doorway regarding the scene with an expression of pure shock on his usually stoic face. He took in the scene of the room and then looked over to where Sera was still perched on Leo, lipstick smeared on her face and hands smeared with blood, and then to Leo himself, pinned under her with a bloody throat and looking pretty relaxed. Leo swallowed hard, knowing at this point he should probably try to get up and explain himself, but his gaze kept being drawn to Sera. Shit, Dominic is going to kill me if I don’t think fast.
This would be a problem, but he couldn’t bring himself to care because he just had the best time and was not sorry for it.
Dominic seemed to get himself under control. “I don’t think you are fine. Come here and let me see your hands,” his voice was commanding but gentle, and Sera stood up, her heels crunching on broken glass as she walked closer to him with her palms out. “We will need to get you patched up; these cuts are pretty deep. What were you holding?”
“Glass, it slipped a few times. I…accidentally..cut up Leo a bit too,” she gestured to the disheveled man picking himself off the floor and brushing off his red and gold suit.
Dominic glanced at his subordinate with one eyebrow raised, a gesture Leo knew meant, you good? He nodded, tapping his neck to show the blood was already dry.
Sera wrapped her arms around her brother’s waist, seemingly unaware of how she was smearing blood all over his white shirt or perhaps doing it on purpose. “I had a bit of an episode because I wanted to go outside. And for a moment...I forgot where I was. I thought I was locked in again. Are you mad?”
Leo watched as Dominic sighed but returned his sister’s embrace. He had to respect that someone could hold Sera without fearing for their life. “Sera..we’ve talked about this, but no, I’m not mad. I know there’s little you can do when..it comes on,” Dom’s gaze hardened as he looked past Sera to his subordinate. “And Vanzetti, what are you doing here? My instructions were to leave Sera alone and contact me if this happens when I’m not home. You could have upset her more, and both ended up dead.”
“But he didn’t upset me,” Sera said before Leo had a chance to respond. “He knew how to play, and he wasn’t scared at all. Now, I decided I wanted him for myself. Will you give him to me?” She said this like a spoiled child asking for something they already knew they were entitled to.
Dominic tensed, his eyes flicking to Leo before settling on Sera, who was still hugging him and looking up at him serenely (for now). For a moment, the air was thick with tension, charged with the unspoken weight of her words.
Leo swallowed hard, his mouth suddenly dry. He knew what Sera was asking for, and she wasn’t merely asking for Leo to be allowed to drop by and visit sometimes. She wanted permission to do whatever she wanted with her brother’s blessing. God help him, but the thought of being Sera’s toy, of being at her mercy and whim, sent a thrill of excitement straight to his core.
But he also knew Dom would never agree to it - not in a million years, which was probably a good thing. Sera turned her head to look back at him, checking his reaction, her black eyes predatory and devoid of light.
He could feel the weight of her stare like a physical touch and sense the malice and mischief simmering just beneath the surface. Leo knew very well what she was doing and knew that she was trying to provoke him. To get a reaction, to stir up trouble. And fuck, but it was working.
The part of him that was the Romano enforcer wanted to go up to her and show her what happens when you provoke a dangerous man, but the part of him that was Leo that wanted to worship at her feet no matter how brutal or demeaning she may be, struggled. Oh, did he fucking struggle, a battle royale of his common sense, his heart (and let’s face it, his dick) all warring under his impassive expression.
Come on, boss, say something. How far will you let your darling sister take her reign of terror? He was terrified and thrilled at the thought of what might happen if Dominic agreed to give Sera free rein to use him as she saw fit. Strangely, his prayer would have come true, and he would be a man at the mercy of a beautiful and terrible goddess.
Because he knew, deep down, that he wouldn’t be able to resist. That he would let Sera do whatever the fuck she wanted to him, no matter how degrading or painful or humiliating it might be.
“I cannot give him to you, Sera. He works for me. He helps keep us all safe, do you understand?” Dominic pulled away from her embrace to hold her at arm’s length and look into her eyes.
Leo swallowed hard, his gut twisting with relief and disappointment. He knew he should be grateful that his boss wasn’t just handing him over to the mad princess like some kind of plaything. But fuck, the thought of not being able to be with her, to feel her hands on his skin and her teeth in his flesh…
It’s almost more than he could bear. His mind whirred as he tried to think of something to say because this meeting could not be a one-time thing. Seeing Sera in person had not cured him of his strange obsession with her; it had only made her as vital to him as water, food, or a gun in his hand.
But then Dominic continued, his gaze cutting over to Leo with a warning glint in his eye.
“But if he wants to visit you on his time off…I’ll allow it. You’ve declined company for a long time, so this might be good for you. He can visit as long as he understands the risks.”
Leo’s heart seemed to stop in his chest as he met Sera’s eyes. She was a vision as she smiled, her mussed black hair gleaming with a silver halo from the lights. “Risks? What risks? I’m always gentle as a kitten,” she let out that addictive soft laugh he had often heard from a distance.
A wicked grin accompanied the last word, and Leo felt his cock twitch in his pants. He knew it was dangerous and knew that Sera was unpredictable and volatile. But he couldn’t help himself. He was drawn to her like a moth to a flame, helpless to resist the pull of her dark allure.
Dominic’s gaze was heavy on him, a silent warning in his eyes. But Leo ignored it, focusing entirely on Sera.
“I’ll take my chances,” he said, his voice rough with desire.
Dominic turned Sera away from him. “Go to the guest room now. I’ll be by shortly to check on your hands. I don’t suppose you’ll allow the doctor?”
She tensed and then slapped his hand away from her. “No doctors! We agreed, Dominic.”
“Of course, don’t be upset. Will you be a good girl and wait?”
Sera eyed him warily but then turned and left the room, not even sparing Leo a final glance. He felt like a puppy whose tail just stopped wagging and tried to school his features so his boss wouldn’t catch on to how pathetic he was.
Dominic looked at him, his usual mask back in place, not a hint of his true feelings in sight. Slowly, he pulled out his gun and looked at it, the threat clear. “She’s been through enough,” he finally said, eyes flickering to Leo and then back to his gun. “I couldn’t-” he caught himself, “I didn’t protect her. You’re the first person she’s shown interest in outside of me, so don’t fuck this up. You already know I’m creative when it comes to my enemies. And that’s just business. I hope you never get to see how angry I am when someone hurts something I actually care about.” He put the gun away.
There was a tense moment while neither of them spoke or moved.
“Boss…I get it. And for the record, I think she’s great. She’s not some lunatic like people say, every action she makes is calculated, and even when she loses control, she tries to get it back in her way. That’s why she breaks things, right?”
“Well, Vanzetti, I’m surprised to find that you, of all people, possess insight, but not unpleasantly so. You’ve been given this rare opportunity, and I hope you don’t waste it. Oh, but do be careful. I won’t be responsible for any injuries you sustain during your private time. Hospital bills get expensive,” with that said, he waved and walked out of the room, likely to check on his sister and bandage her hands (if she let him).
Leo stood there for some time, shocked. He watched the maids start cleaning up the mess in the room with a strange sense of pride. Hell yeah, my girl did all that. Back in the hallway, he looked down towards the guest room where Dominic and Sera went. Everything was silent and serene as if the manor held its breath.
He picked up the envelope he had dropped earlier and prepared to slip back into his other skin. He would be the Romano family weapon until Sera called for him, at which point he could be her pretty Leo again, and they could both be free with each other.
Leo took a moment to collect himself before leaving, using his head for once.
Few people truly understood the extent of Dominic’s power. The elder Romano wasn’t just the head of a local crime family; he was the lynchpin of a carefully constructed criminal network that extended across three states. The legitimate businesses—four hotels, two shipping companies, nightclubs, a construction firm, and a chain of high-end restaurants—were only the surface. Below that operated the true empire: a meticulously organized operation that controlled everything from traditional protection rackets to sophisticated financial crimes.
Being in Dominic’s inner circle meant Leo was privy to information that could get him killed ten times over. It also meant he understood precisely how severe the consequences would be if he crossed the boss, especially regarding his sister.
–
Even after finishing his business at the manor, Leo stuck around, hoping that Sera would ask to see him again. The chances? Slim. But that was his whole life in a nutshell. His chances had always been slim. Survival and normalcy were always distant concepts for him. And at some point, he took that non-stop hunger and yearning from his childhood and made it part of his personality. Was he the most mentally sound person in the Romano group? Probably not, but he also probably wasn’t the least, so it all worked out.
When he heard Dominic’s voice, he followed its sound. Up the stairs, through the wooden paneling and the hidden door to the information room. Dominic and Luka stared at one of the screens, and Dominic waved him in without looking behind.
A slim blonde woman was on the screen, and the image was cropped from a security feed at one of the recent fundraisers in the area. He recognized the layout and that the building was one of theirs.
“Who is she? She looks familiar,” Leo said, standing beside the two cousins.
“You’ve probably seen her file before, Alain Rousseau’s daughter, the socialite princess,” Luka informed him. “The question is, why is she on our turf without dear old Dad informing us?” He tapped his foot with annoyance, one of his few genuine tells. Leo privately thought that Luka had scooped himself clean after his sister’s recent death, throwing away all genuine emotion like it hadn’t been worth anything in the first place.
Leo shrugged, “Could be nothing.”
Dominic gave him a pointed look. “How often is it, in fact, nothing?”
“Almost never.”
“Exactly,” The boss looked uncharacteristically rumpled today. He was still wearing the bloody shirt from when Sera had touched him. “One of your girls is the Rousseau liaison, Gala, was it? Keep an eye on her.” He told Luka.
Dominic’s cousin was already looking away, eyes empty, playing with a coin in his hand. “Always do.”
–
After the “anomaly,” Leo became busier and spent less time in the manor. The underboss had to stay at the club to monitor the Rousseau situation, so the boss often needed Leo to take his place. Leo accompanied him to meetings, occasional shakedowns, and other things that did not involve enough violence or risk and bored Leo half to death.
But the worst part was that he barely saw Sera, so she also began haunting his thoughts, dreams, and nightmares. She was a drug, and he needed his fix.
