Arthur’s POV

I've always been a man of shadows. They refer to me as Arthur Romano, the boss, the don, and the black hand.

But that's just a title. It doesn't capture the essence of who I am.

I live to kill. I kill to live.

I was born into a world of crime. My father taught me so well not to trust anyone but myself. Because life is just a gamble, you'll never get another again if you lose.

And I've seen the best and worst of humanity, the greediness and selfishness they might have.

I walked a fine line between law and crime, and that is what makes me who I am now.

I AM THE LAW.

"Mr. Romano, a call for you," Patricia, my secretary, said.

I glanced at her, then put down my pen. I picked up the phone as Patricia connected me to the caller.

"Arthur, how many times have I told you? I want peace, Just give me more time to pay you!" The old man's voice was like nails on a chalkboard, making my blood boil. He was making it incredibly difficult to reach an agreement with him.´

"You've already agreed to the deal, Mr. Gallagher," I said, my voice cold and menacing. "I've made it clear that if you can't pay on time, I'll take everything from you. And when I say everything, I mean it."

"But she's innocent. She doesn't know anything. I can't put my daughter in a miserable life—"

I scoffed. "Miserable life? You've already done that, Mr. Gallagher. Your greed and selfishness have ruined your family. Now, they don't even know you're drowning in debt..."

"You can't do this to me," Mr. Gallagher's voice trembled with anger.

"You're doing this for yourself, Mr. Gallagher," I replied coldly. "You have two days to pay me on time, or else, your family will know everything about what you've done."

***

TWO DAYS LATER,

My phone rang and it was the same person who called me none other than— Lawrence Gallagher.

I picked up the call and took a sip of my whiskey. "Yes?"

"I can't fulfill my promise, Mr. Romano..." I heard him coughing violently. My brows furrowed in doubt.

"Then I'll give you more days..."

He heaved a sigh. "The problem... isn't the money... The problem is I'm running out of time. I was diagnosed with heart disease a year ago, and it's getting worse."

I stood up. "Then what do you want me to do now? Do you want me to call an ambulance for you?"

"We've been rivals for five years," he replied, his voice weak. "I've seen you're a good businessman. Now that my company is failing, please, don't be too harsh on my daughter. She's precious to me... and I apologize if I can't pay on time. It's just that... I can't afford to lose everything while my family blames me."

His breath was ragged, and I couldn't help but feel a pang of pity for him.

Suddenly, the line went dead.

I tried to call him back, but it was too late. He wasn't answering anymore.

I glanced at my secretary and said, "Try to call Mr. Gallagher. Tell him I'll give him three months to pay. He doesn't have to kill himself... damn it."

My secretary tried to call Mr. Gallagher's phone, but no one answered.

And for the first time in my life, I felt guilty.

*****

PRESENT TIME,

Three weeks had passed since Mr. Gallagher's death, and I couldn't shake the memory of his final call. I wanted to find his family, to know everything about them.

All I knew was that he had a daughter, a daughter I'd seen once during a meeting. Her image had been etched into my mind, and I couldn't get her out of my head.

I wanted to find her and make sure she was okay after her father's death.

"Boss, we have a meeting with the Gambinos this afternoon at one of your VIP nightclubs—The El Shadow," my capo, Alejandro, informed me.

I nodded and put on my suit. "Get my car ready. It's going to be a long night."

As Alejandro handed me the car keys at the entrance, I drove into the city center. I wasn't feeling well at all. These meetings were becoming monotonous, especially with the troublesome Gambinos.

I walked into the nightclub, which was filled with music, dancing, laughter, and elite members making fun of each other.

One of my associates, Chris, approached me as soon as he saw me. "Mr. Romano, it's good to see you again. The conference room is ready."

As I was about to walk into the dark hallway, I paused. My eyes had caught someone so familiar.

I stopped and turned around, my heart pounding in my chest.

There she was, a woman with dark brunette hair, porcelain skin, and lips the color of a red-pink rose.

Her green eyes glowed in the darkness, making me gulp. Her beauty mesmerized me. She was dancing alone, enjoying herself.

My smile faded when I realized I knew her.

I walked towards her to rescue her from the men who were trying to get her attention. And as soon as they saw me, the men kept their distance from her.

She slowly turned her head to look at me, her eyes filled with sadness. She touched my neck and asked softly, "H-Hey, handsome, can you take me somewhere? hmm?"

"You're drunk," I replied.

And she laughs sweetly, "I know..."

"Why are you here?" I asked her in a low voice.

She pressed herself closer to me. "Why? Is it wrong to have some fun after all the bad things that have happened in my life? Well, I deserve to have some fun..." then she closed her eyes and leaned in my arms.

"Mr. Romano, they're already waiting for you," Chris said.

I held the gorgeous, drunk woman in my arms and glanced at Chris. "Cancel it," I said.

"What?" he was surprised.

"You heard me. Cancel it."

Rosy’s POV

Everything was falling apart. I heard that I no longer owned my life. Someone else did, and I would have to live with it.

But before this person ruined my life, I wanted to have fun just for one night.

One night to decide for myself and be the best I could be.

I poured whiskey into my mouth, trying to hold back tears about my problems.

When I was tipsy, I walked to the dance floor where men surrounded me, waiting for me to choose them for a one-night stand.

To my surprise, a brave stranger walked towards me. I looked up, mesmerized by his towering height and magnetic stare. His sharp jawline made my heart race, and his handsome face made me think I was staring at a Greek god.

I gently put my hand on his neck and said something nonsensical that I knew I would regret in the morning. "Hey, handsome... Can you take me somewhere?"

“You’re drunk,” he replied.

I smiled softly, “I know…”

And he whispered, “Why are you here?”

I scoffed softly and pressed myself towards him with a drunk smile on my face, “Why? Is it wrong to have some fun after all the bad things that have happened in my life? Well, I deserve to have some fun..."I could feel his warm breath on my neck and I whispered, “Take me with you…”

I closed my eyes, still holding him tightly as if he were mine. He carried me like a bride to the exit and down to the parking lot. My head spun, and I felt drowsy. I closed my eyes, leaning on his neck, and whispered softly, "You smell good, by the way."

I heard him laugh softly. He put me in the front seat, leaned forward to put my seatbelt on, and I grabbed the collar of his suit. "Where do you want to take me?" I asked.

My vision was blurry as I stared at him. He answered, "Somewhere safe..."

“Safe, hmm?” I closed my eyes and slowly let go of his suit’s collar. ´

***

ONE HOUR LATER,

I stirred awake, disoriented, to find myself already dressed in a loose t-shirt. The man, a stranger, slept peacefully on the couch beside the bed.

A smirk played on my lips as I grabbed the whiskey from the side table.

I drained the glass in a single gulp, the fiery liquid burning a path down my throat.

I poured another, and another until the world began to sway around me.

As I felt intrigued, I tiptoed closer, my bare feet padding softly on the floorboards.

As I leaned in to examine his face, my breath caught. He was undeniably handsome. I traced a finger along his jawline, my heart thumping.

Suddenly, he grabbed my wrist, pulling me towards him. I landed on his chest with a soft gasp, our lips barely brushing.

Though I knew this would never lead to anything, I couldn't resist the temptation.

I cupped his face, closed my eyes, and leaned in for a kiss. His eyes widened in surprise, but I deepened the kiss, nibbling his lower lip until he kissed me back!

He stopped kissing me, he put me under him, my head under his palm, and he whispered, “Are you sure you want to do this?”

“Please….” I softly begged him while slowly lifting up my clothes.

His gaze fell to my naked breast, his eyes widening in surprise.

"You'll regret this," he warned.

"I won't," I whispered, defiance hardening my tone.

"Why are you so desperate to hurt yourself?" he pressed.

I bit my lip, my voice trembling. "I just want to be happy. Please, kiss me again. I want to forget everything, just for a moment."

He shed his clothes, revealing a sculpted physique that caught my breath.

As he leaned in to kiss me again, I felt excitement.

His tongue danced with mine, igniting a fire within me.

His hands roamed over my body, tracing patterns that sent shivers down my spine.

The thrill of the unknown was intoxicating. This was a complete exit from my usual life, a reckless act of rebellion.

For this one night, I was free from worries and regrets.

He made me lie on my back with my legs spread apart and kissed my lower body as if he were an absolute master who wanted me to obey him very badly.

He stopped for a moment and then said, "I can't..."

I could feel him gently placing the blanket over my chest as I closed my eyes. I was so tired that I couldn't talk to him, so I just rolled over and moaned softly as if I were just having sex in my dream.

******

The Next Morning,

I stretched, yawning widely, and glanced around the unfamiliar room.

A smile crept across my face, then vanished as I realized I wasn't home.

I wasn't even in my own bed!

I pulled back the covers, revealing my half-naked body. Panic surged through me.

What had happened?

I grabbed my coat and stood up. The bathroom door swung open, revealing the man from last night.

His eyes raked over me, his expression unreadable. He grabbed a towel and began drying his wet, black hair.

My gaze fell on the intricate dragon tattoo on his shoulder.

I asked as I swallowed nervously, "Look, nothing happened, right?"

He smirked, "If anything had happened, you wouldn't be standing there. You'd barely be able to walk."

I stumbled backward, a blush creeping up my cheeks. "Well, my plan didn't exactly go as planned."

"Your plan?" he pressed.

I bit my lip, my cheeks burning. "N-Nothing."

He sighed. "If you think having one-night stands is a good idea, you're sorely mistaken."

I was mortified! Who was this guy? Was he trying to lecture me?

I made a beeline for the door while glancing back at him.

And my bag was in the corner so I snatched it up, hastily pulled on my shoes, and burst out of the hotel room.

"Miss... wait!" he called after me.

Fuck. Who was that man?