MATURE

Life hasn’t been kind to me. One moment, I was a carefree eighteen-year-old with dreams of a bright future. The next, I was a 28 year old lady and my world went up in flames. literally. My mom died in the fire that destroyed our home, my little sister is in a coma, and my brother’s in jail for trying to keep us afloat. My dad? He left us drowning in debt and despair.

I thought I’d hit rock bottom, but then I found myself working in a place where dreams go to die, doing things I never imagined just to survive. That’s when he walked into my life, Alex Romanov. Dangerous. Mysterious. And entirely out of my league.

He’s everything I should fear, but there’s something about him that draws me in. Maybe it’s the way he looks at me like I’m more than just another broken soul. Or the way he makes me feel alive when I thought I’d forgotten how.

But Alex has secrets, dark ones that could destroy us both. And as my past collides with his world, I’m left wondering: Can I trust the man who’s slowly stealing my heart, or will his darkness swallow me whole?

This isn’t the life I wanted, but it’s the one I’ve been given.

I sat back in the car, a small smile tugging at my lips. I didn't even realize I was doing it until Luca glanced at me from the front seat. He was driving, but I could feel his eyes on me, full of questions.


"What's with the smile?" he asked, his voice casual, though I knew he was curious.


I didn't even think before I answered. "You didn't see it?" I asked, feeling that grin stretch wider. "Bella... she's amusing."


Luca stared at me through the rearview mirror, his eyes narrowing slightly. He looked like he was trying to figure out what I meant. "Amusing?" he repeated, clearly unsure. "She's just a prostitute. What's so amusing about her?"


I laughed quietly, not at the situation but at the thought of it. "It's not that. It's just, she talks to me differently. No one has dared to speak to me like that before. And honestly, I liked it."


Chapter 47 - She's different