Alexander Mancini POVI checked in early.I stare at the text message for far longer than necessary, admittedly puzzled to know that Zandra has somehow managed to get a hold of my cell phone number. I’d heard through the grapevine that, in another life, her father and uncles once owned a cyber security company—now defunct—so I wouldn’t at all be surprised if Zandra had the basic know-how to get my information.Are you that eager to see me?Don’t flatter yourself. I finished my work earlier, that’s all. Don’t keep me waiting.Give me an hour. I’m stuck in a meeting.“What’s got you in such a good mood?” Roman asks me from across my office.I set my phone screen-side down on my desk, swallowing the warm sensation blooming in my chest. I’ll admit the thought of Zandra lying in bed, ready and wet and waiting for me is certainly amusing.Will she undress herself before I get there out of spite? Surely she knows by now how much I enjoy ripping her clothes off. Maybe she’ll tease herself to

Zandra Franco POVWith speed I didn’t know he possessed, Xander all but yanks my pants off and drags me to the edge of the bed. I’m hinged at the hips, my feet touching the floor. His weight is gone for only a moment before he returns, condom in hand, the crinkle of the packet as he tears into it somehow louder than my own heart pounding in my ear.He buries himself deep inside me without warning, but I frankly don’t need it. I’ve grown accustomed to his generous size, and have come to love the burn of the stretch and the way he makes me feel so, so full. I’m used to his rhythm by now and know how he moves with precision and drive. Everything he does is with such force—from the way he talks, the way he conducts business, and yes, even the way he has sex.I like that he’s rough with me. It’s strange, but I don’t think I’d appreciate it if he treated me like something delicate and weak. He knows I can take whatever he can give, so Xander doesn’t bother with whispering sweet nothings. He

Xander Mancini POV“I’m starting to think you like me or something,” I say, parroting her words from earlier. She smiles, a brilliant glint behind her pretty baby blues. “Impossible,” her mouth says. It’s the truth, says her eyes.I brush my fingers across her cheek, tucking a few strands of her hair behind her ear. “You better behave while I’m gone. I expect my territory to be exactly the way I left it.”Zandra smiles even wider. It makes my chest tight. It’s honestly unfair how beautiful she is. “I guess I can leave the south alone. You know, since you asked so nicely.”“I appreciate that.”She licks her lips, and presses her hands gingerly against my chest. “Kiss for the road?” She says it like it’s a joke, but I’m prepared to take her offer very, very seriously.I adore the little gasp she makes when I wrap my arms around her waist and pull her flush against me, claiming her lips without the usual gruffness. I take my sweet time, savoring the taste of her lips and swallowing the

Mom pats Dad’s chest gently. “And let that be a lesson for you. If you’re going to lead the Franco Kingdom, you have to take care of your health.”I run my fingers through my hair. “I’m going now. End of conversation.”“She’s seeing someone,” I hear Mom Twitter as I leave.“Leave her be, Luna Belle,” Dad replies warmly. “She’ll tell us when she’s ready.”Except I don’t think I’ll ever be ready.XXXAlessandra Franco POVI have Vincent drop me off a block away from the hotel like I normally do. He doesn’t ask any unnecessary questions, and I’m frankly thankful for it. The man deserves a raise for his discretion.“Ma’am?” he calls from behind the steering wheel.“Yes?”“Sorry to disturb you, but… is that your twin brother Alessandro?”I look through the windshield and spot Zandro standing in front of the entrance of the Crown Hotel. My heart does a three-sixty flip inside my rib cage before plummeting straight into my abdomen. What the hell is he doing here? If he spots me, he’ll have q

The line goes dead. She hung up on me. When I try the number again, an automated voice plays in my ear. “The number you have dialed is not in service.”I throw my phone across the room with an angry shout, watching it shatter into a hundred tiny pieces, and scatter all over the floor.Fuck.Alessandra Franco POV“What were you thinking?” Dad asks me. He doesn’t shout, doesn’t raise his voice. In fact, his tone is perfectly calm and level, like this is just any other run-of-the-mill conversation.And that’s how I know he’s pissed.I sit across from him on the living room couch, rubbing my hands together. They’re stained red with my brother’s blood. Somewhere upstairs, I can hear him groaning and wailing in pain. Aunt Natalia is with him, tending to his injuries. Nothing too serious, she told us. All he needs is a couple of stitches, some antibiotics, and some rest. The bullets had gone through and had hit nothing vital. But her prognosis does little to settle my fried nerves.“Did you