88 | You're nothing but trouble
The night of the Costa Ball hums with a dangerous pulse.
The mansion is alive with the murmur of guests filling the ballroom below. Their laughter and clinking glasses are a facade for the power plays and secrets swirling beneath the chandeliers.
I stand in the study, the dark red velvet suit Aurelia chose clinging to me like a second skin. Its rich hue is a bloodied vow that matches her gown, binding us in this Shakespearean night she's crafted.
The black mask rests on the desk, vines etched into its surface, waiting to hide my eyes.
Currently, I'm sharpening a knife, its blade glinting under the lamp. The scrape of steel steadies my rage, because tonight's not just a ball. It's a battlefield, and I'm ready for war.
Ciara's out there. Her blood-scrawled note and that call are a taunt I can't ignore, and I won't let her touch Aurelia.
My inner suit pocket hides a gun, its weight a cold promise. But the knife is personal. A tool for endings I'll carve myself if it comes to it.
I feel Aurelia in every choice tonight. The crimson suit. The mask. The ball she's poured her soul into. And my love for her is a storm, dark and consuming, driving me to protect her, to end this threat before it reaches her.
Nico slips into the room, his scarred face calm but alert, his black suit blending with the shadows.
"Extra security's in place," he says, his voice low, like he knows the weight of tonight. His eyes flick to the knife, curiosity sharpening. "What're you planning with that, boss?"
"I'll end someone's life tonight," I say, my lips curving, not a smile but a predator's promise. "Ciara, Leonardo, whoever dares show their face. No one threatens her, Nico. Not tonight. Not ever."
He nods, no judgment, just understanding. Because he's seen what she means to me. Seen the lengths I'll go to keep her safe.
"Mrs. Costa's dressed," he adds, a hint of warmth breaking through, like he knows what those words will do to me.
My heart kicks, and a smile spreads at the thought of her.
I slide the knife into a hidden sheath inside my suit, its presence a secret between me and the night, and grab the mask, tying it on.
"Good," I say, my voice softer, thick with anticipation. "Keep the men sharp. No one gets near her without my say."
Nico dips his head and leaves, the door clicking shut. I'm alone again, but the study fades as my mind turns to her, to our bedroom where she's waiting.
I move through the mansion. The distant music of violins guide me like a siren's call. But it's her I'm drawn to. Always her.
The bedroom door's ajar, and I step inside.
My breath catches because Aurelia is standing by the mirror in her dark red ball gown. A vision of passion and power.
The gown hugs her curves. Its corset is laced tight. The crimson silk spills into a skirt that pools like blood, shimmering with every breath she takes. Her ginger hair falls in loose curls, framing her face. Her freckles are faint under the silk eye mask she wears.
I'm struck. Rooted in place. My heart pounding with a love so intense it's madness. A need to worship her. To kill for her. To live for her alone.
"Fuck," I breathe, my voice raw.
I cross to her in five strides, my hands wanting to touch but pausing. Savoring her. Because she's too much. Too perfect.
"Aurelia, you're... you're everything."
She turns, her lips curving, a blush creeping under the mask.
"If I didn't already love you, that suit might've done the trick," she says, her eyes tracing the sharp lines of my suit, the edge of the mask, lingering where my heart beats for her.
I raise a brow, stepping in close enough that her perfume curls around me like a secret. "Might've? Just 'might'?"
She grins. "Don't get cocky, Costa. It's the lighting. And maybe the tailoring."
"Mm. So it's the suit, not the man?"
"Oh, it's the man too. But let's not let that go to your head."
"Too late," I murmur, catching her wrist gently, brushing my thumb against her pulse. "Every time you look at me like that, it goes straight to my ego."
She laughs softly, eyes gleaming behind her mask. "And here I was hoping it went somewhere a little more fun."
I groan, low and appreciative. "Careful, Aurelia. Say things like that, and we'll never make it to the ballroom."
She leans in, her lips brushing my jaw, breath warm against my skin. "Maybe that's the point."
I pause, letting the moment settle like heat between us, before pulling back just enough to look her in the eyes."You're nothing but trouble, Aurelia."
She raises an eyebrow."And you're addicted to it. Now, are you going to greet the guests with me or keep staring?"
"I'm staring because I can't get enough of you... But I suppose I'll be forced to share you for a while."