xNiimss

https://www.wattpad.com/1638197365-sunlight-midnight-14-quiet-gardens-loud-statements
          
          I hereby declare chapter 14 of "Sunlight & Midnight" dropped! I don't know how the weather is over there, but here the stifling temperature of 34 degrees Celsius prevails. I might release chapter 15 as well in the evening, if all circumstances remain favorable. XD
          
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          "You know," Robyn teased, gesturing toward the wild oleander growing from the cracked stone of the basin, "the pink blossoms overtaking this fountain are doing wonders for your brooding aesthetic. You look ninety percent less threatening when you're framed by exotic flowers."
          
          Luca let out a soft laugh, his arm tightening around her waist to pull her closer. The heat radiating from his skin easily rivaling the summer afternoon air.
          "Brooding? I am a delight, Robyn."
          "Whatever helps you sleep at night," she teased, tilting her head so her lips brushed his jaw as she smiled. "But you have exactly ten minutes left of being a delight before we have to leave and face the music."
          The playful edge softened as Luca caught her chin with his fingers, his smile fading into a warm, steady gaze.
          "Then let me be a delight for ten more minutes," he said, before leaning down to press another sweet, lingering kiss to her lips.
          
          All too soon, those ten minutes dissolved, and the looming weight of the Season Opening Dinner hung over them like a thunderstorm on the horizon. The motorcycle ride back felt like a silent countdown against the ocean wind, forcing them back into their separate worlds. When he finally pulled over on a quiet street corner, safely out of her parents' line of sight, the reality of the evening truly set in. Robyn got off the bike, took off her helmet, and handed it to him. As she turned to walk away, Luca caught her wrist, holding her in place for one last, quiet second.
          "I will pick you up in two hours," he said.

https://www.wattpad.com/1637782073-sunlight-midnight-13-the-blue-hour
          
          I just dropped chapter 13 of "Sunlight & Midnight"! This chapter is allll about Luca and Robyn having a quiet, lovely moment to themselves before the storm hits. I hope you'll enjoy it!
          
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          Luca knelt down on the wet sand, his dark stare fixed entirely on her hazel-green eyes. He gently slid his hand into the dark water, sweeping his arm through it in a slow, deliberate circle. The water instantly responded, awakening in a brilliant, glowing cerulean blue. The luminescence crept up the walls of the cave, casting long, soft shadows across their faces.
          
          "Bioluminescent plankton. They drift in from the open sea when the summer days get warm and still," Luca explained quietly, looking up at her from the sand. "They trap themselves in hidden places like this, waiting in the dark. And they only glow when they are disturbed, agitated. It’s a defense mechanism."
          
          Robyn slowly sank to her knees right next to him on the sand. She reached out, dipping her fingers into the cool surface. The moment her skin broke the water, a ring of brilliant blue light swirled around her wrist.
          "To glow when you're under pressure... that doesn't sound like a bad way to survive."
          
          Luca shifted his gaze to her hand. He guided his hand back into the pool. His tough features softened into a rare, genuine smile.
          "Watch this," he whispered, his voice losing its usual guarded edge.

https://www.wattpad.com/1637479322-sunlight-midnight-12-one-door-swinging-open-and
          
          Chapter 12 of "Sunlight & Midnight" is up and we are starting to pick up the pace! Writing this story might have become my new addiction at this point.
          
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          An agonizing silence stretched between them, heavy with things left unsaid. Luca took a slow, grounding breath, his hands sliding from her wrists to gently frame her face, his thumbs tracing her cheekbones with a tenderness that made her throat dry.
          "Come to the Season Opening Dinner with me, Robyn. Walk into that room with me."
          
          Robyn shook her head frantically, a violent wave of conflict tearing through her chest.
          "Luca, I can't. It’s too much," she choked out, her voice cracking in desperation. "You are asking me to choose. If I say no, your father crushes my family. If I say yes, I walk into that room with a Moretti and destroy my dad myself. It’s a sick, impossible choice, Luca. I can't do it."
          
          Luca leaned down, resting his forehead against hers, his eyes locking onto her tear-filled gaze with absolute, unyielding certainty.
          "Then let me make the decision for you," he whispered, his breath fanning across her lips. "I’m taking the choice out of your hands, Robyn. Because if it comes down to you or him... I will choose you. I will always choose you."

https://www.wattpad.com/1637280206-sunlight-midnight-11-the-lines-we-trade
          
          Chapter 11 of "Sunlight & Midnight" is here! And here's another snippit:
          
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          "Jaro just gave me the full report on what went down over there this morning. Gaspard officially sealed the contract with The Copper Crucible, and he found out that he plugged his business into our black-market routing," Alessio took a slow, deliberate drag of his cigar, letting the silence stretch uncomfortably long. "The man must be frantic now he knows he's trapped in our net. It’s delicious, isn't it? Watching them realize they're drowning."
          
          A heavy knot formed in Luca's stomach. He shot a sharp glance at Jaro, who just shrugged casually.
          "What are you planning?" Luca asked his father. "If you expose him, you expose our own routes to the rest of the strip. The owner of Da Luigi and the others aren't stupid."
          "Expose him? Out loud? Please, Luca, I am not a street thug," Alessio scoffed, flicking a sharp spark of hot ash onto the concrete between them. "We don't need to say a word about our true business to destroy a man. Next week is our private Season Opening Dinner. We invite the top twenty business owners on the strip. We sit Gaspard right across from me, where everyone can see him. And we play a beautiful, silent game of psychological warfare."
          
          Luca’s jaw clenched.
          "What are you talking about?"
          "We will make a toast to the future," Alessio said, his eyes gleaming with a terrifying, quiet malice. "I will publicly commend The Shore Club for its new premium inventory, showing the entire strip that Gaspard answers to my logistics now. But you wanna know what the real dagger in Gaspard's back will be?"
          Alessio stepped closer, tapping a heavy, ring-adorned finger against Luca’s chest, applying a slow, warning pressure. "You, Luca."

https://www.wattpad.com/1635245826-sunlight-midnight-10-truth-or-dare
          
          I couldn't control myself; chapter 10 of "Sunlight & Midnight" is up! I wanted to write this chapter SOOO bad! Hopefully, you will enjoy reading it! Now I can catch up on my notifications and reading on Wattpad without Luca and Robyn haunting me, haha!
          
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          "Okay. Then, Truth or Dare?" he asked, his voice low.
          "Truth."
          Luca’s eyes locked onto hers. "Do you hate me? Now that you know the truth?"
          "To hate you," she said coolly, forcing her voice to remain steady, "I'd have to feel something. Or so I've been told."
          
          A heavy silence fell. Then, Luca chuckled softly, dropping his gaze to the sand with an amused smile. It was infuriating how attractive he was when he smiled like that.
          "Do you want me to hate you?" she asked.
          His eyes lifted to hers again.
          "That wasn't the question," he corrected. "Answer the question."
          "No," she admitted. "I don't hate you. Although, I did hate the way you treated me."
          Something flickered across his face—regret, or a sharp vulnerability—but it vanished before she could be sure.
          
          "My turn," she said, folding one leg underneath her, her bare knee brushing his dark blue jeans. "Truth or Dare?"
          "Truth."
          "On that supply run, when you said you'd have to feel something to hate me... Do you honestly feel nothing?"
          His casual posture vanished. He looked at her, his dark eyes consuming her entirely.
          "Nothing? No. I didn't mean that."
          "Then what did you mean? Do you feel something?" Robyn asked, her heart hammering against her ribs.

https://www.wattpad.com/1635646806-sunlight-midnight-9-drink-the-poison-from-the
          
          Chapter 9 of "Sunlight & Midnight" took me a little longer, but it is here! It turned out a bit lengthier than the previous chapters, because I wanted to lean into Luca's backstory a bit. Anyway, here is the snippit!
          
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          When the dinner ended and espresso was served, the families stood up to move toward the exit. Alessio caught Luca by the elbow before they reached the heavy mahogany doors.
          "I saw how you handled the De Santis girl," Alessio whispered, a mix of intrigue and suspicion in his eyes. "I didn't know you were spoken for, Luca."
          "I'm not spoken for," Luca said, his voice cold as he gently pulled his arm back. "Just not interested."
          
          Outside, Alessio insisted on dragging Vittorio and his family to the VIP lounge of Il Silenzio for one last drink. Probably to see if he could cement a potential alliance. Jaro’s tactical flirting with Chiara had been a masterclass, absorbing her attention so entirely that both patriarchs beamed with satisfaction.
          
          Grateful to his brother, Luca agreed to play along just enough to keep the peace. It was his night off, but he volunteered to fetch the first round of drinks—anything to step away from his father’s games. Luca stood at the bar, waiting for the cocktails. The bass from the sound system vibrated through his leather shoes, a dark, rhythmic hum that usually grounded him. Then, the air shifted. Robyn appeared beside him, a breathtaking contrast to the dark atmosphere.

https://www.wattpad.com/1635647313-sunlight-midnight-8-light-me-up-again
          
          Chapter 8 of "Sunlight & Midnight" just dropped! And here's another snippit for you:
          
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          Robyn crossed her arms, anchoring her hands against her ribs to mask the sudden tremor of nerves. She forced a cool, defensive shrug.
          "Why would I want to talk to you?"
          Luca looked away for a fraction of a second, his fingers twitching as if he missed his cigarette. He gave a faint, evasive shrug.
          "Because I'm asking nicely," he purred.
          Robyn scoffed, unimpressed by his refusal to give her a real answer.
          "Not good enough." She turned her head toward Lennox and Emma, giving them a small nod. "Let's go."
          
          Robyn took a step forward, turning her back to Luca. The casual front he was trying so hard to maintain evaporated the moment her shoulder cleared his. He had wanted to play this smart, to keep it light and see where she stood. But the thought her actually walking away and returning to a reality of her looking right through him, where she locked him out of her world, was suddenly intolerable. His pride didn't stand a chance against that realization.
          "Robyn, wait."
          The quiet desperation in his tone stopped her in her tracks.
          
          Luca closed the distance between them. He didn't look at her friends. His eyes were fixed entirely on hers, wide with an unreadable, steady gravity. He stood close enough for her to feel the sudden warmth radiating from him, his chest rising and falling with a slightly heavier breath. 
          "I'm sorry," he breathed.

https://www.wattpad.com/1635242744-sunlight-midnight-7-you%27re-the-death-of-peace-of
          
          You know what time it is! Chapter 7 of "Sunlight & Midnight" has been written and dropped! I'm trying to keep a high pace, writing whenever inspiration hits me for this summer novel. ❤️️
          
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          "That was one hell of a scenic route, wasn't it?," Luca drawled, his dark eyes locking onto his brother. "All the way over to the Devereauxs. What were you playing at out there?"
          Jaro arched an eyebrow, entirely unfazed by the confrontation. He adjusted the cuffs of his tailored shirt without breaking a sweat.
          "Just a casual neighborly chat, Luca. Relax."
          "I'm only going to say this once," Luca said, stepping directly into Jaro's personal space, his eyes flashing with a dangerous heat. "Do not meddle in my business. Stay the fuck away from her."
          
          Jaro stood his ground. No one understood Alessio’s cruelty better than him. He hadn’t approached Robyn to threaten her—he was trying to shield them both from their father's ruthless radar. Jaro had intervened to stop something from happening between them that could never be undone. To him, it was pure risk management—a calculated play to protect his younger brother. But Luca was too blinded by rage to see that.
          
          Jaro grabbed the inventory clipboard from the counter and tapped it firmly against Luca’s chest.
          "You want me out of your business? Fine. Then take control of the situation yourself," Jaro said, his voice dropping into a dangerous, hissed whisper that sliced through the empty club.
          Luca ripped the clipboard out of Jaro's hands, slamming it back onto the bar with a deafening thud.
          "Stop acting like my keeper, Jaro. I don't need you looking over my shoulder every waking minute."

https://www.wattpad.com/1635176374-sunlight-midnight-6-bad-decisions
          
          Just dropped chapter 6 of "Sunlight & Midnight"! Curious to hear your thoughts on it. Thank you so much for reading! This genre has been an absolute joy to discover so far. Also, I haven't forgotten about Daemian and Lune just yet. I will return to their story soon, I promise! For now, here's a snippit from the new chapter.
          
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          "Tell Mark that The Shore Club will be his new client," she said, her voice dropping into a cool, businesslike tone. "Have him send us the paperwork."
          As the words left her mouth, the weight of the lie pressed down on her. The panic was immediate—she had to find Cleo right now, cook up a plan, and cover her tracks before her father discovered she had entangled the family business even further.
          
          Jaro studied her for a long moment, that slow, knowing smirk creeping back onto his face.
          "Look at that. Luca was right about you—you’re incredibly good at improvising."
          His eyes scanned the deck behind her, his expression instantly sharpening into tactical caution.
          
          "Anyway, I should go before I'm spotted. Just one more thing." He stepped closer, locking his gray eyes onto hers with a sudden, sharp edge. "You're not the only one trying to pretend that day never existed. Luca is putting everything into the exact same lie. Which is how I know it rattled him. So do yourself a favor, Robyn. Be careful how you play with my little brother. He might be a jerk, but he’s a Moretti first."

https://www.wattpad.com/1634832988-sunlight-midnight-5-let-that-creativity-shine
          
          Chapter 5 of "Sunlight & Midnight" is up!
          
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          The initial talk was stiff, but Mark quickly thawed under Robyn’s focus. He immediately poured her a sample cup of his pride, the Gin Ourobos. Following Luca's silent nod, Robyn took a brave gulp, only for the liquid to scorch her throat. She choked back a gasp. Mark let out a warm, booming laugh while Luca merely smirked, a low chuckle vibrating in his chest as he watched her fight for air.
          
          "Unbelievable. Who shots premium gin, Devereaux?" Luca teased in a low hum against her ear, slipping seamlessly past her while Mark turned to grab another high-end bottle.
          Robyn shot Luca a poisonous look over her shoulder.
          
          "How about you try this instead," Mark smiled, quickly swapping it for a frosted bottle of Solaris. "This is the Solaris blend, infused with wild honey and elderflower."
          She took a cautious sip this time.
          "Oh, wow. That's a lot better. This one is actually drinkable," she said, her face lighting up, before quickly adding, "No offense, of course."
          
          Amused by her recovery, Mark reached for a third bottle on the shelf.
          "If you like that, I have a wild berry infusion you should—"
          "That’s the last one she’s trying, Mark," Luca cut in smoothly, his voice laced with his usual lazy authority as he leaned against the doorframe. "We’re here for business, not a happy hour."