Alexander's POV
When I saw Bella hugging Alessandro Knight, shocked was an understatement.
And—if I’m being honest—jealous too.
I didn’t like it.
I didn’t like seeing my sister in another man’s arms. If the guy wasn’t me or one of her brothers, I wanted no part of it. But there she was, clinging to him like he was the only solid thing keeping her from falling apart.
And the worst part? She looked... happy.
The first real smile I’d seen on her face since she arrived here.
Of all people… him?
Alessandro Knight—the Boss of the Spanish Mafia. A man so dangerous he could make an entire country tremble with a flick of his fingers. I invited him here for a strategic alliance. Business. Power. We’re already strong, but if this deal happens, we’d become the most powerful syndicate in the world.
But he’s not a saint. He’s calculated. Cold-blooded. And capable of killing someone like Bella without blinking.
You’re no saint either, my subconscious hissed. You’re the boss of the Italian Mafia. You’re equally dangerous.
Yeah, well—I’d never hurt my sister. Not even in my darkest dreams.
"Bella, how do you know Alessandro?" Leo asked, eyeing the two of them warily.
"That's none of your business," she shot back.
My jaw clenched. “Everything related to you is my business. I’m your legal guardian,” I snapped, irritation creeping into my voice.
She’s a Romano, my subconscious mocked again. You expected her to answer like a nun?
God, I was already starting to feel my temper fray.
“Why do you guys always interrogate me like I’m some criminal and you’re sitting in court?” Bella rolled her eyes dramatically.
Goddamn it, this girl had a talent for getting under my skin.
"WHY CAN'T YOU FUCKING ANSWER PROPERLY?" Xander shouted.
Bella turned toward him with equal fire. “Geez, why can’t you speak like a normal person for once?”
“Shut up, both of you!” Leo barked. “Alessandro, you tell us—how do you know our sister?”
Alessandro looked at Bella. They exchanged a wordless conversation with just their eyes. Bella gave a subtle nod.
That right there?
That’s when my alarm bells started screaming.
The way she carried herself. The cold stillness in her expression. The way she could shut down her emotions at will. Her eyes—dark, unreadable. Emotionless.
Not even an ounce of hesitation.
It took me and Leo years to master that kind of control. The rest of the boys? Don’t even try. But she… she wore it like a second skin.
YOU ARE READING
The Hidden Pain
Novela Juvenil"Blood may bind them, but secrets could tear them apart." --- Separated at the age of two. Raised in shadows. Loved by no one. She spent her life behind walls she built to survive-walls no one has ever dared to break. Until the day her stepfather di...
