His last addiction

Chapter 4

Cassian's POV

I sat in my office, engulfed by silence. I didn't want to leave the house this morning, let alone fly to Italy. I wanted to see her face when she woke up with me in the room, but I didn't have much of a choice when Noir called to let me know the rats who had leaked my information had been captured.

I love knowing that my face is the last thing those who betray me see before dying.

I picked up my tablet and clicked on the CCTV feed from my house in New York. I zoomed in on the library camera and saw her going through some books.

The library is one of the places I didn't renovate when I moved into the house. The place originally belonged to my grandparents, and I moved in after the death of my nonno. My nonna was a lover of fiction, and her husband built her a library filled with thousands of novels. My grandmother died a few months after my grandfather did.

I guess they couldn't let go, even in death.

She stopped in front of each shelf, tilting her head slightly as she read the back cover of each novel. She frowned, put one back, and reached for another.

I found myself wondering what she looked for whenever she picked up a book.

Was it the author?

The story?

Or the ending?

Most people I know walked into a library searching for entertainment.

That included me.

She looked like she was searching for somewhere to belong.

A strange feeling settled in my chest.

I had met her only yesterday...

Yet I already knew I wanted to learn everything about her.

She picked up each book, read a few pages, then placed it back on the shelf before reaching for another. She seemed to be a lover of books with the way she studied each one so intently.

I watched as she finally picked four before heading out of the library.

I smiled to myself.

It seemed I would have to buy books along with flowers.

She was full of surprises.

For one, she didn't search my room after waking up.

A knock came from my office door.

"Come in," I said, locking the tablet and placing it on the desk.

"They're ready, Boss," Noir said.

"Okay. Lead the way."

I rolled up the sleeves of my shirt before following him out.

We got into the car, and the driver took us to the warehouse.

"Welcome, Don," the guards greeted as I walked past them.

I walked slowly toward the three men tied to a pole.

"Which one of you sold my information?" I asked, pulling my gun from its holster.

They all shook their heads violently, as if they didn't already know their fate.

"My patience is very expensive, and I hope you don't intend to spend too much of it. For the last time... who is the main culprit?"

The man in the green T-shirt swallowed hard.

"I swear it wasn't me"

My bullet pierced through his leg before he could finish speaking and he cried out in agony.

"I want nothing but the truth from this moment on," I said calmly.

"So think carefully before you say anything."

"He... he's the one!" one of them shouted, pointing at the man crying in pain. "He said if we got the information to Bruno and he received the cargo successfully, we'd each get forty percent of the profit."

"well,that's good to know" I said and raised my gun to his head

"See you in hell,and say hi to lucifer for me" I said with a smirk on my face

Three shots echoed through the warehouse and Silence followed.

"Take care of the bodies and send my condolences to their families."I said as I walked toward Noir, I stopped in front of one of the guards and removed his knife from his pocket.

"Yes, Don," he said nervously.

I turned to face Noir and without warning, I drove the knife into his side.

He groaned in pain but remained standing.

"Don't be careless next time," I said as I pulled the knife out.

"Or I'll be taking your ten fingers."I said tapping his cheek lightly with the side of the knife before walking away.

I moved to the wash basin, washed the blood from the knife, cleaned my hands, and handed it back to him.

I walked out of the warehouse and was greeted by the cool Italian evening breeze.

One of the guards opened the car door, and I slid into the back seat.

"To the airport," I ordered.

"Yes, Boss."

I rest my head against the leather seat, my gaze fixed on the scenery outside.

I think it's time to pay my long time wannabe enemy a visit.

---

I stretched in my seat as the jet landed smoothly on my private runway in New York.

It had been the longest seven hours of my life.

I stepped off the jet and walked toward Marcus, who was already standing beside the car with the door open.

"Welcome back, Boss."

I acknowledged him with a brief nod before getting into the car.

"This is the information you asked for," he said, handing me a black folder.

I opened the folder hiding her information away from me and on the first page is a picture of her with a forced smile settled on her face

I smiled to myself before turning to the information page.

Twenty-three years old.

Lives alone.

Works as a fashion designer.

Born and raised in New York.

One younger brother serving in the army.

One best friend.

I read every page slowly, taking in every detail of her routine and the places she visited frequently.

"Uhm..."

Marcus cleared his throat.

"What?" I asked, closing the folder.

"Why are you investigating her, Cass?" he asked.

As much as he was my underboss, he was also my closest friend.

"I want to make her mine."

He remained silent for a few seconds.

"Are you sure? I'm not trying to offend you, but you know ordinary women aren't made for our world."

"She is not ordinary."

I looked him straight in the eyes.

"She is mine."

"Maybe you should think about it again. And also about the marriage proposal from the Donovan family."

"There is nothing to think about."

My voice was firm.

"And that is final."

Marcus said nothing else.

He already knew there was no changing my mind once I had made a decision.

I got home and took a long shower before lying down on my bed.

Her vanilla scent still lingered on my sheets.

"You're already mine, diavola mia," I muttered to myself.

I picked up my phone and dialed Henry's number.

It was almost two in the morning.

He answered on the third ring.

"Morning, Boss."

"Morning, Henry. Any updates for me?"

"She hasn't come out since she got back home yesterday afternoon," he replied.

"Okay. Call me if there's anything you think I should know. Follow her everywhere, and let the others know I want her protected as well."

I paused.

"If anything happens to her because of your negligence..."

My voice turned cold.

"...I'll be sending my condolence gifts to your families."

I hung up without waiting for his reply.

I placed my phone on the bedside table and stared at the ceiling.

This wasn't supposed to happen.

I had built an empire.

Controlled cities.

Buried enemies.

Yet somehow...

A woman I'd known for less than forty-eight hours occupied my thoughts more than tomorrow's business meeting.

I closed my eyes.

Maybe Marcus was right.

Maybe I should forget her.

The thought disappeared almost as quickly as it came.

Impossible.

A Vescari never walks away from something he has already claimed.