Beautifully Broken | ✔

I reached out, my fingers itching to touch her, but I settled for adjusting the collar of the dress. My knuckles brushed the warm skin of her neck and she let out a tiny, hitched breath.

"We're not done, Calliope," I whispered. I forced myself to pull my hand away before I lost my grip on my self control. "This dress is for the office. Tonight is the Winter Gala. You'll be on my arm, and you need something that tells every man in that room exactly who you belong to."

"You don't have to do that," she said, her eyes searching mine with a look of hesitation. "You've already done too much. I can find something in my closet for a party."

I let out a dark, dry sound that wasn't quite a laugh. The thought of her walking into a room full of vipers wearing a bargain bin dress made my jaw ache.

"No," I said, my voice dripping to a low possessive growl. "Today, you and I are going to find something for tonight. I'm picking this one myself. You're representing the De Luca name, and I won't have you in anything less than perfection."

I looked down at her mouth, and for a split second, I considered ruining everything right here on the desk. I want to see that defiance melt into something else.

"Get your coat," I commanded, my voice tight. "The car is waiting. And Calliope? If you keep wearing that perfume, I might have to add a clause to your contract about personal space."

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Nico De Luca doesn't believe in letting go. When Calliope fled, he didn't just find her; he dismantled her. He stripped away her world, her family, and her strength until the only thing left for her to cling to was him. Now, she is the silent force at his side, a woman who traded her innocence for a black veil and a throne built on secrets. He is the architect of her ruin, and she is the masterpiece he'll kill to protect.

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Word Count: 33,831