Sabrina, the sweet, bubbly girl next door, never imagined being pulled into a world of danger. But meeting Julian, a captivating mafia member with a dark past, changes everything.
As she falls for him, she's torn between love and the dangerous secr...
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Present day...
The warehouse is all shadow and quiet as I pace, phone buzzing in my hand. I glance down—Sabrina again. She's been calling more lately, each time with the same soft persistence.
I let it ring a little longer, knowing she's probably somewhere warm and bright, curled up with that look of concern she can't hide.
And here I am, stuck in this dim, cold warehouse, miles away in every sense.
Finally, I swipe to answer.
"Hey," I say, keeping my tone light even though my chest tightens at the sound of her voice.
"Hey," she chirps, her voice as bubbly as ever. "What, you forgot how to use your phone?"
"Been busy," I say, rubbing the back of my neck. "You know how it is."
Her silence lingers for a beat. "You sound tired. Or, I dunno... somewhere else."
I brush it off with a half-laugh. "Maybe both. You know, living the glamorous life."
She doesn't laugh, though. "Right. So, is that it, or have you actually been avoiding me?"
It's supposed to be a joke, but the hint of hurt in her voice throws me. It hits harder than it should, like maybe I've let things slide with her, too.
I've been wrapped up in my own mess—how things have changed with Matteo, my mom, and a girl I can't seem to shake from my head.
Not that I can talk about any of it.
"I'm here, aren't I?" I reply, trying to sound casual, but the words come out too flat.
"Yeah... you are," she says, but there's a vulnerability in her tone I'm too distracted to fully catch. "So, you and Matteo. You two... still good?"
I swallow hard, the question hitting me in a spot I've been trying to ignore. Matteo. My best friend.
At least, he used to be.
It's not that we're not cool, but... it's different now. He's wrapped up in Valentina, and I get it—she almost died, for fuck's sake.
But there's a part of me that feels like I've lost him.
"We're fine," I say, aiming for casual. "He's got his hands full, that's all."
She's quiet for a second. "Well, that makes one of us." There's a soft sigh on her end. "Guess I'm just used to you actually being here. You know, not just... this."
I feel a pang of guilt, but I'm not sure what to say. Sabrina's been this constant light lately, showing up and making sure I haven't drifted too far.
And then there's the regret sitting heavy in my chest—a mistake I made, a girl who's not Sabrina, and all the things I can't seem to let go of.
