Bound By Blood

Chapter 8: The Weight of Blood

(Marco’s POV)

Marco paced the length of his office, anger simmering just below the surface. He had seen the way Sophia looked at him—defiance burning in her eyes, the same fire that seemed to haunt him every time they crossed paths.

But it wasn’t just that. No, it was Luca. It was always Luca. His younger brother, with his soft words and easy smiles, the golden boy who always seemed to get what he wanted. And now, it was clear what—or who—Luca wanted.

Sophia.

Marco clenched his fists, his knuckles turning white. He didn’t want to admit it, not even to himself, but it had become painfully obvious. Sophia had gotten under his skin in a way that no one else ever had. She wasn’t like the women who usually gravitated toward him, drawn by power or fear. No, Sophia challenged him. She wasn’t afraid, and that made her dangerous.

A knock at the door interrupted his thoughts. One of his men stepped inside, a grim look on his face. “Boss, we’ve got news. It’s not good.”

Marco’s eyes narrowed. “Spit it out.”

“Rossettis have moved. They’re making plays in Rome. Looks like they’re targeting one of our operations there.”

The tension in Marco’s shoulders tightened. The Rossettis had been growing bolder, and now they were escalating. “They’re testing us,” Marco growled, already reaching for his phone. “If they think they can move on our turf without consequences, they’re wrong.”

As the man nodded and left the room, Marco leaned back in his chair, his mind racing. He couldn’t afford distractions right now, not with the Rossettis closing in. And yet, Sophia was all he could think about.

The weight of his family’s legacy pressed down on him, suffocating. Luca didn’t understand. He could play at being the white knight, but in the end, it was Marco who had to make the hard decisions. It was Marco who had to be ruthless to keep the Bellinis on top.

She should be afraid of me, he thought bitterly. But the truth was, Sophia’s lack of fear only made him want her more.