The Mafia Prince's Obsession

Maeve's POV The cold wind hit my face the moment I walked out of the club. My best friend and her boyfriend waved goodbye beneath the streetlights, begging me to stay for another round. I couldn't. I had a major economics exam at 8:00 AM tomorrow. My scholarship was on the line. Failure wasn't an option. Pulling my jacket tighter around myself, I took the quiet shortcut near the university compound. The streets were deserted. I usually liked the silence. It made the world feel orderly. Good people worked hard. Bad people went to jail. Simple. But that peaceful illusion shattered the second a heavy, sickening thud echoed from the alleyway ahead. Using the shadows as cover, I pressed my back against the cold concrete wall and crept closer. Three men stood in the darkness, speaking in low, sharp Italian. Then a cry of pure agony ripped through the night. My breath caught. A fourth man lay sprawled on the wet asphalt, weeping. Terror flooded my veins as one of the standing men drew a blade and slashed downward. The victim begged for mercy. The men were heartless. Acting on pure adrenaline, I pulled out my phone and started recording. Both hands flew to my mouth to stop the gasp threatening to escape. A gunshot cracked through the air. I squeezed my eyes shut. When I opened them again, the man on the ground was completely still. Blood spread across the pavement. He was dead. I had just witnessed an execution. Movement caught my attention. A taller figure stepped out from a dark storefront behind the executioners. The flickering streetlamp illuminated him. Smoke curled lazily from the barrel of the gun in his right hand. A cigarette burned between the fingers of his left. He was the one who pulled the trigger. He walked calmly toward the body. Kicked it once. Then spoke quietly to his men. My legs went weak. I wanted to run. I wanted to scream. But my feet felt glued to the asphalt. My trembling fingers struggled to stop the recording. They refused to cooperate. Then suddenly... The killer looked up. His dark eyes swept across the shadows. Straight toward me. I took a terrified step back. Impossible. It's too dark. He can't see me. Clinging to that thought, I forced myself to keep recording. I needed evidence. I needed to take this to the police. I didn't care if he was breathtakingly handsome in a dangerous kind of way. He was a murderer. I blinked. The alleyway was empty. He was gone. Relief flooded through me. I turned to run. A warm breath brushed the back of my neck. "Seen enough, bellissima?" The voice was smooth velvet wrapped around a knife. Ice shot down my spine. I spun around. The killer completely trapped me against the wall. His broad frame blocked out the street behind him. Before I could scream, he calmly reached for my trembling hand and pressed a kiss against my knuckles. "Nice to meet you, bellissima." Up close, I could finally see him clearly. Sharp jawline. Mocking lips. Dangerously dark eyes. A dragon tattoo curled from his neck toward his ear like a warning. A badge of danger. Gathering every ounce of courage I possessed, I yanked my hand away and shoved my phone between us. "Let me go or you'll regret it." He raised an eyebrow. "This phone is streaming live to my private cloud. If my safety pin isn't entered within ten minutes, the video of what you did goes straight to the authorities." I swallowed hard. "You need me alive to delete it." The killer didn't flinch. A dangerous smile appeared. "Oh, bellissima." His voice lowered. "What a feisty little thing you are." He leaned closer. "I could kill you right here and tear this entire block apart looking for your servers." His eyes glittered. "My men are everywhere." I forced my face to remain expressionless despite my racing heart. "Try it." His smile widened. "See what happens." "Are you threatening me?" His tone remained calm. But something murderous flashed behind his eyes. Then he laughed. A dark, chilling sound. Like a predator amused by its prey. "Well, well." He stepped aside. "Run as fast as you can, little mouse." His smile sharpened. "Do not let me catch you." He paused. "Because if I do..." The threat hung in the air unfinished. I didn't wait. I ran. I sprinted down the street as fast as my legs could carry me. My heart pounded in my ears. I never noticed the sharp tug on my lanyard. Or the sound of my university ID card falling onto the pavement behind me. --- Lucian's POV I noticed her the moment I stepped out of the storefront. I couldn't see her face clearly. But my instincts never lied. Someone was watching. I enjoyed the way she hid her fear beneath that thin blanket of bravery. It was amusing. I could have killed her. Easily. Yet something stopped me. I didn't want her dead. Bending down, I picked up the plastic card she had dropped during her escape. The streetlamp illuminated the photo. And the name printed beneath it. Maeve Sterling. "Maeve..." I rolled the name across my tongue. Then raised the hand I had kissed to my lips. A slow smile spread across my face. This was only the beginning. I stared into the darkness where she had disappeared. Watching. Waiting. "It will never be the end."