Valentina DeLuca : A renowned assassin and hacker, known for her skills and independence.
Dante Romano : A ruthless and dominant mafia boss, feared and respected by all.
"Care for a drink?" a deep, commanding voice interrupted her thoughts.
She turned to find Dante standing beside her, his piercing blue eyes locked onto hers. His presence was overwhelming, a mix of danger and allure that sent a shiver down her spine.
"I don't drink on the job," Valentina replied coolly, masking her surprise with a defiant glare.
Dante's lips curved into a knowing smirk. "And what job might that be, beautiful?"
"None of your concern, Romano," she snapped, stepping back, but he grabbed her wrist, his grip firm yet oddly gentle.
"Ah, but it is my concern," he said softly, his eyes darkening. "You see, I can't let you kill him."
Valentina's heart raced. She yanked her hand free and glared at him. "Then it seems we have a problem."
"Indeed," Dante agreed, his smirk widening. "But perhaps we can find a solution that benefits us both."
As Claire aims to leave her oppressive stepfamily behind, she befriends Zion. Will he be her ticket to freedom or a distraction in achieving her dreams?
*****
Claire Olsen has had a crush on Zion Petrakis since the first time she laid eyes on him, but he never noticed, instead only having eyes on the school's it girl, Maddie Jennings. Knowing she couldn't compete with Maddie, Claire hid her feelings for Zion, satisfied with admiring him from afar. However, when a series of events led Claire closer to Zion, her feelings for him grew from infatuation to love. And despite fighting hard to keep her feelings contained by distancing herself from Zion, he was determined to show her that he's earned a spot in her life.
[[word count: 100,000-150,000 words]]