Chapter 3 HATE LIKE FIRE

Serena's wrists ached where the ropes had cut into her skin, but the pain wasn't what consumed her, it was the rage.

Adriano Varela thought he could break her.

But if he believed she would shatter like one of his nameless, faceless victims, he was a fool.

She paced the length of the room, his room, she realized with disgust. Every inch of the space reeked of power and violence. Dark leather, polished wood, and subtle hints of cologne and gunpowder.

A prison disguised as luxury.

The door creaked open behind her, and her body tensed.

She didn't need to turn around to know who it was.

Adriano.

"You're restless," he said, his voice low and cold.

Serena clenched her fists. "What did you expect? Gratitude?"

"I expect obedience," he said simply, shutting the door behind him.

He crossed the room in slow, deliberate strides. When he stopped in front of her, she had to tilt her head back to meet his gaze.

His black eyes held nothing human.

"You hate me," he mused, as though he found it amusing.

"Congratulations," she spat. "You're a quick learner."

Adriano chuckled softly, a sound with no warmth. "Hate makes this easier. I don't need you to like me, Serena. I need you to suffer."

He was too close his presence heavy, suffocating.

"And you think keeping me here will make my father suffer?" she sneered. "He won't care. You could kill me, and he'd send flowers to the funeral before replacing me with a better pawn."

Adriano's smile vanished.

He grabbed her chin, forcing her to look at him. His touch wasn't gentle it was claiming as if he already owned her.

"You're wrong," he said quietly. "Luciano cares about power. And through you, I will strip it from him piece by piece."

Serena bit the inside of her cheek to hold back a tremor of fear.

"You think you're in control," she whispered. "But you're nothing but a coward hiding behind chains."

His jaw tightened. Good. She wanted to wound him.

"You shouldn't provoke me," he warned.

"Or what?" she snapped, her pulse hammering. "You'll hit me? Kill me? Do it, then."

Adriano leaned down until his breath brushed against her lips. "No," he murmured. "Killing you would be too easy. I'd rather keep you alive and make you pay for every drop of blood your family spilled."

Serena wanted to spit in his face. Instead, she let the silence stretch and let him see that no matter how hard he pushed, she would never beg.

And maybe that was her mistake.

Because the next moment, he kissed her.

It wasn't gentle. It wasn't soft.

It was cruel.

His mouth claimed hers in a way that had nothing to do with desire and everything to do with power. She struggled, twisting against his grip, but he held her fast his hand sliding down her back to yank her against his body.

When he finally pulled back, her breath came in ragged, furious bursts.

"I'll break you," he promised softly.

And before she could strike back, he was leaving her trembling with rage and helplessness.

---

Downstairs, Mateo stood by the bar, watching as Adriano emerged from the shadows of the staircase.

"You're pushing her too hard," he said quietly.

Adriano poured himself a drink. "Not hard enough."

Mateo hesitated. "You're making this personal."

Adriano's jaw twitched. "It's always been personal."

Mateo took a slow breath. "And Camila?"

Adriano didn't answer. But the silence said enough.

Camila had been by his side for years his bed, in his business but she was nothing like Serena. Serena burned. And despite everything, he wanted to burn with her.

And that infuriated him.

---

Across the estate, Camila slid beneath the silk sheets of Adriano's bed.

Her body ached from the hours they had spent together the night before but it wasn't enough. It was never enough.

She had given him everything, and still, he was distant.

Worse, she knew why.

Serena.

The little princess was crawling beneath Adriano's skin, and it was only a matter of time before she became a problem.

And Camila was not the kind of woman who let problems survive for long.

---

In the city, Diego Vega slipped into the shadows outside a small apartment.

Isla.

He shouldn't be here. Not when her family wanted his blood. But as soon as he saw her face wide-eyed and fragile he didn't care.

"I missed you," she whispered.

Diego brushed his thumb over her bottom lip. "I know."

He didn't care about the consequences.

Not until it was too late.

---

In the weapons room, Val turned her attention to Javier.

"Why are you even here?" she snapped.

Javier grinned, leaning against the wall. "Because it's fun watching you pretend you don't want me."

Val rolled her eyes, but her heart pounded a little too fast.

Because the truth was, he wasn't entirely wrong.

---

Back in his study, Adriano watched the monitors.

Serena's face flashed across the screen.

Her hate only made her more dangerous.

But he didn't care.

She was his prisoner.

And soon whether she liked it or not she would be his.