Sinner's Paradise|| 18+

Romantic Mr Santos.

The night was still heavy with the scent of smoke and perfume when Luciano's lips left mine. I could still feel the heat of that kiss, as if it had burned something deep inside me—something that flickered between anger and desire, a twisted mix of everything I hated and a part of me that wondered if I could love it.

He didn't say a word as he pulled me from the club, his hand firm around my wrist, but there was a strange gentleness to the way he moved, like he was taking care of me, not dragging me into a nightmare. Outside, the Rio air was warm, the humidity wrapping around us like a blanket. The night was alive with the sounds of distant music and voices, the city's heartbeat pulsing through the streets.

"Come on," Luciano said, his voice low, almost amused as he looked at me, "Let's go somewhere special."

I didn't have the energy to argue. Besides, my mind was too tangled from the alcohol and everything else, trying to figure out if I was truly being led around like a lamb to slaughter or if, for once, there was something more. He was still the man who forced me to marry him—the Mafia Boss, the one who had torn my world apart with his promises of power and destruction—but at that moment, he was showing me parts of Rio I'd never seen before.

We walked through the winding streets of the city, his hand never leaving mine. Every corner we turned, there was something new: a street art mural glowing in the moonlight, a tiny café tucked between two buildings with old chairs and flickering candles, the smell of fresh pão de queijo drifting in the air. Luciano showed me these places with a quiet pride, like they were pieces of his past that he wanted me to understand.

"This is where I used to come with my mom," he said, his voice softer than it had been all night. "She loved the little things, the ones that most people miss."

I looked up at him, his face a little less sharp in the low light. For a moment, he didn't seem like the monster he was painted out to be, but just a man with memories, with a story.

I couldn't help it. In that drunken haze, part of me thought—if this wasn't all part of his sick plan for revenge, if I wasn't plotting his downfall, maybe I could actually like him.

Luciano looked at me then, his eyes catching the streetlights as they glinted off his dark hair. He smirked. "You look good in that dress, you know."

I blinked, pulling my mind back to the present. "What?"

He grinned, that cocky smile that always made my stomach twist. "I'm just saying, you clean up well. You're not so... fierce in that dress. I like it."

I rolled my eyes. "You think my dress is the most interesting thing about me right now?" I said, trying to hide the heat creeping up my neck. The liquor was making my thoughts muddled, but his attention made me feel something I didn't want to feel.

"Definitely," he replied, his tone teasing. "Your dress is... captivating. But I'm more interested in what's going on in that head of yours."

I shook my head, trying to focus, but the alcohol in my system made my thoughts float like they were in a dream. "You're so confusing, Luciano. One minute you're this... monster, the next you're a guy who takes me to cute little spots in Rio."

He didn't seem offended by my words. Instead, he laughed, a light chuckle that felt almost... sincere. "I've always liked to surprise people," he said, "Keeps them guessing."

I almost wanted to laugh too. Maybe he was right. Or maybe I was just drunk and thinking about things I shouldn't. But I had to admit it—it felt almost nice, this twisted little adventure we were on. The dark side of it wasn't so clear when you were stumbling through the streets with a man who had this strange, magnetic charm.

"Okay, okay," I said, my mind wandering. "Let me tell you a story." I paused, grinning despite myself. "In high school, I got labeled the 'zombie girl.'"

Luciano raised an eyebrow, clearly intrigued. "Zombie girl? Why?"

I smirked, a bit tipsy but amused. "Because I bit a guy in the ear. In class. He embarrassed me in front of everyone, so I just... lost it."

He laughed, his deep voice echoing in the empty street. "You bit him? In the ear? That's insane."

"Yeah, well, you try sitting through one more class with that idiot making fun of you," I shrugged. "Not my finest moment, but it worked."

He leaned in, his lips brushing my ear as he whispered, "I like you. You're different. Fierce and unpredictable."

I pulled away from him, trying to hide the blush creeping up my cheeks. "Yeah, well, don't get any ideas. I'm not your pet project, Luciano."

He smiled like he wasn't intimidated by my words. "Maybe I like that. You have fire, I respect that."

We kept walking, through alleyways, over cobbled streets, under the starry sky, and it was almost like a dream—a drunken haze that made me forget what I was really here for.

At some point, my thoughts shifted. "I forgot about Celia," I gasped, suddenly remembering my best friend back at home.

Luciano glanced over at me, his expression unreadable. "Celia is a tough girl. She can take care of herself."

"Right," I muttered, trying to ignore the nagging worry in my chest. "Tough girl, huh?"

I couldn't help but think about my ex-boyfriend then. "You know, speaking of tough girls, my ex? He had a whole family. Surprise! I found out he was married with kids. Thanks to you, I got the best lesson in trust from him."

Luciano looked at me, amusement flickering in his dark eyes. "Well, looks like you've learned your lesson."

I sighed. "You could say that. '' and then i continued ''all men are the same, even Mafia bosses who take a day off from being cruel.''

His expression shifted just slightly, like he didn't quite know how to respond. "You don't like me when I'm nice, huh?"

I scoffed. "Nice? You've never been 'nice' a day in your life, this is just the drunk Romantic version of you"

Luciano paused for a moment, then chuckled softly. "Maybe not. But I'm still having fun tonight."

It felt like hours had passed before we finally stopped walking, and I realized, despite everything, despite the threat of what was to come tomorrow, despite his cold, mafia boss persona this night felt oddly... romantic. If I wasn't planning revenge, maybe I'd think differently about him. But I was. And I couldn't forget what i had promised myself to do. 

I was playing a dangerous game. And Luciano Santos? He was the prize. Or the poison. And I was damn sure he wouldn't win. 

ps: enjoy and please vote if you like this book.