Shadows Of Rebirth

Chapter 19: Lorenzo POV

 I watched as Mira disappeared through the doorway, her scent lingering in the air like a ghost of her presence. My fingers twitched at my sides, aching to pull her back, to keep her here. But I let her go.

 The rational part of me—the part that had spent centuries mastering control—knew this was dangerous. Knew that the more I indulged in her, the harder it would be to let go. But the other part of me, the one that had held her in my arms just moments ago, didn't give a damn.

 I exhaled sharply, running a hand through my hair before heading to the window. Dawn had fully broken, casting a muted glow across the city. The world was waking up, oblivious to the chaos unraveling inside me.

Mira Russo.

 She was becoming a problem—a problem I didn't want to solve.

 A knock at my door snapped me from my thoughts. I turned, already knowing who it was before he entered.

 Vicenzo stepped inside, his sharp gaze flicking from me to the unmade bed before settling on my face. He didn't say anything right away, but the smirk playing at the corner of his lips spoke volumes.

 "Didn't think you were the type to lose control," he mused, crossing his arms.

I shot him a cold look. "I don't recall asking for your opinion."

 He chuckled, but his amusement faded as he studied me more closely. "You know what this means, don't you?"

"I know exactly what it means," I muttered.

 Mira wasn't just a passing distraction. She wasn't someone I could use and discard like the others. She was different—dangerously so. And the more time I spent around her, the more certain I became that she wasn't meant to be just a pawn in this game.

 She was becoming my weakness.

And in our world, weakness got you killed.

Vicenzo sighed. "Callidus is watching, Lorenzo. He's waiting for a crack in your armor. And you've just handed him one."

 At the mention of Callidus, a dark edge sharpened inside me. That bastard had been circling for months, looking for any excuse to challenge me, to take what was mine. And now, with Mira in the picture, he had the perfect leverage.

"He won't touch her," I said, my voice lethal.

Vicenzo raised a brow. "Can you guarantee that?"

 I clenched my jaw. The truth was, no, I couldn't. Not unless I kept Mira close.

 Vicenzo sighed again, rubbing a hand over his face. "Lorenzo, you need to decide what she is to you. Because if you don't, someone else will."

The words hit harder than I cared to admit.

Because deep down, I already knew.

Mira wasn't just another player in this twisted game.

She was mine.

And now, I had to make sure the world knew it, too.

 (Mira POV) 

 The morning air was crisp as I stepped out of Lorenzo's home, my mind still tangled in the memory of his touch. My lips tingled, my skin burned where his mouth had lingered, and no matter how many deep breaths I took, I couldn't shake the way he had looked at me.

 Like I belonged to him.

I shivered, not from the cold, but from the weight of that realization.

What the hell was I doing?

 Lorenzo was dangerous. He was a man who didn't just exist in the dark—he ruled it. And yet, every time I was near him, every time he touched me, the danger felt like an illusion. Like something distant, something that couldn't reach me as long as I was in his arms.

 But that was a lie.

 I knew it. And I knew that if I wasn't careful, I was going to get burned.

 I barely made it five foot away from his house when my phone buzzed.

 Unknown Number.

 I hesitated before answering. "Hello?"

 A slow, taunting chuckle came through the line. "Leaving so soon, little dove?"

 My stomach twisted. "Who is this?"

 "You already know," the voice murmured, smooth as silk and just as deadly.

 Callidus.

 My grip tightened around the phone. "What do you want?"

 "To warn you," he said, his tone laced with amusement. "You're playing a dangerous game, Mira. And I'd hate to see you lose."

 I forced steel into my voice. "If you're trying to scare me, you're wasting your time."

 He laughed again, low and knowing. "Oh, I'm not trying to scare you. Not yet. I just thought you should know… Lorenzo isn't the only one watching you."

 A chill slithered down my spine.

"I'll see you soon, Mira."

The line went dead.

I lowered the phone slowly, my pulse pounding against my ribs.

I had just stepped into something far bigger than I realized.

And now, there was no turning back.