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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As Alejandro parked in front of Julian's house, he turned to me, his usual confident smile softening a bit. "Hey, if you need anything or this doesn't go well... just call me. I'll be back in a heartbeat."
I felt a small wave of relief, nodding. "Thank you. For today, too." I leaned over, giving him a quick hug before getting out. "Bye, Ale."
"Later, Sab," he said, watching until I made it to the door.
I took a deep breath before knocking, feeling the nerves creep up. It wasn't that I didn't want to see my friends; it was just... complicated.
A moment later, the door swung open, and there was Matteo, looking surprised but welcoming. "Oh, hey, Sab," he said, stepping back to let me in.
"Hey," I managed with a small smile, slipping past him. Inside, the familiar sound of voices reached me, and I followed them into the living room.
There, Valentina was sitting on the couch, chatting with Julian, who looked... genuinely happy.
I hadn't seen him smile like that in so long, especially not when he was talking to me.
My heart sank just a little at the sight, and I felt myself freezing up.
Julian's gaze shifted as he noticed me, his smile fading slightly as our eyes met for the briefest second—before I quickly looked away.
Valentina, on the other hand, got up with a bright smile, moving forward to hug me. "Hey, Sab! I'm so glad you came."
"Hey, Val," I said, returning the hug, grateful for her warmth. She sat back down, patting the spot beside her, and I sank onto the couch, trying to shake the nerves and awkwardness that lingered.
Matteo walked back into the room, looking between us with a slight smile. "You guys want anything to drink? I was just about to grab something from the kitchen."
I shook my head, and Val smiled up at him. "I'm good, thanks."
He nodded and disappeared into the kitchen, leaving me sitting next to Valentina while Julian was across from us.
I kept my gaze focused on Val, trying not to think about the difference in how Julian's face had lit up for her compared to the guarded look he had for me.
Valentina turned to me, her eyes lighting up with curiosity. "So, did Ale drop you off?"
I nodded, glancing down as I replied. "Yeah, he thought it'd be good if I came over to see you guys."
Julian's voice cut in, his tone sharper than I expected. "So, the only reason you came was because Alejandro told you to?"
I looked up, taken aback by the edge in his voice. "What's that supposed to mean?"
Julian shrugged, crossing his arms. "I just find it interesting that you didn't come on your own, but because he suggested it."
I felt a surge of irritation rise in me. "It's not like that. I wanted to come. He just gave me the push."
