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Maybe it was because he found himself swimming in wealth from an early age. There was a level of self-confidence that came only with Renatto River Terzo, the richest Italian Billionaire. For years passed, and he had secretly watched his childhood crush hone into a goddess-like figure. She was all he ever wanted and more. 'More' for Paloma was a label kind of relationship. Something she was familiar with but for Renatto, 'more' was hanging her legs on his bed poles and in cuffs and binds as his personal prisoner, and her voice going all out, begging him for more. Most essentially for him, 'more' was for her to sign that goddamn NDA!
Chapter One
Renatto's POV
"We run an excellent internship program here," he said quietly. I raised my eyebrows in surprise. Is he offering me a job? The richest Italian billionaire is fucking offering me a job?
"Oh. I'll bear that in mind," I murmured, completely confused. "Though I'm not sure I'd fit in here. I cannot stand your presence... I cannot stand your beauty..." Oh no! I was musing out loud again. Did I say the last part out loud?
"Why do you say that?" the filthy rich brute specimen of a man cocked his head to one side, intrigued, a hint of a smile playing on his lips.
"It's obvious, isn't it?" I'm uncoordinated and scruffy, and I'm not blonde. I said internally as I heaved a sigh of relief. I did not say the last part out loud.
"Not to me," he murmured. His gaze was intense, all humor is gone, and strange muscles deep in my belly clenched suddenly. I tore my eyes away from his scrutiny and stared blindly down at my knotted fingers. " You are the human definition of perfection-my perfection." His tone was stern and authoritative. It resonated against my ribcage. "Are you ready to leave?"
Holy cow!
"Yes sir," I replied, packing my files into my carry-on. His eyes narrowed, speculatively.
"Thank you for having our company Mr. Teroz."
"The pleasure's been all mine," he said, polite as ever. As I rose, he stood and held out his hand.
"Until we meet again, Miss Chiesa," he said so sharply that it sounded like a challenge or a threat, I was not sure which. I frowned. When will we ever meet again? I already had an interning firm and there was no way I would leave a haven for a coven.
I shook his hand once more, astounded that the odd current between us was still there. It must be my nerves. Did he remember that time?
"Mr. Teroz." I nodded at him. Moving with slight sturdy dignity to the door, he opened it wide.
"Just ensuring you make it through the door, Miss Chiesa." He gave me a small smile. Obviously, he was referring to my earlier less-than-grand-entry into his office. I reddened.
"That's very considerate, Mr. Teroz" I snapped, and his smile widened. I'm glad you find me entertaining, I bellowed inwardly, walking into the hallway. I was surprised when he followed me out.
"Did you have all your boss asked?" Mr. Teroz asked.
"Yes." His secretary leaped up and retrieved my jacket, which Mr. Terror took from her before she can hand it to me. She grimaced at me. He held it up and, feeling ridiculously aware of my surroundings, I shrugged it on. Mr. Teroz placed his hands for a moment on my shoulders. I gulped at the contact. If he noticed my reaction, he gave nothing away. His long index finger pressed the button summoning the elevator, and we stood waiting- gracelessly on my part, gracefully and self-assured on his.
The doors opened, and I hurried in desperate to escape. I really needed to get out of here. When I turned to look at him, he was leaning against the doorway beside the elevator with one hand on the wall. He really was very, very good-looking. It was distracting-his perfectly sculptured lips. He moved, stretching his legs a bit and my eyes involuntarily settled on his bulge. Again, I gulped. His burning gray eyes looked directly into my acqualine ones.
"Paloma," he said as a farewell.
"Mr. Renatoo," He bit the side of his lips before tinkering the tip of his tongue over the just-bitten surface.
"Call me Renatto," he said curtly.
"Renatto" My heart was pounding as the door closed. The elevator arrived on the first floor, and I scrambled out as soon as the doors slid open, staggering once, but fortunately not plunging onto the immaculate sandstone floor. I raced for the wide glass doors, and I was free in the bracing, purifying, soothing air of Sicily. I closed my eyes and took a deep, comforting breath, trying to recover what was left of my composure.
No man has ever affected me the way Renatto River Teroz had, and I could not comprehend why. Was it his looks? His civility? Wealth? Power? Or that one time so many years ago? Did he remember...did he recognize me? I don't understand my irrational reaction. I breathed a gigantic sigh of relief. What in heaven's name was that all about?
As I left the T.E.R.O.Z property, I began to feel foolish and embarrassed as I replayed the meeting in my mind. Surely, I was overreacting to something that was a moment flick. Okay, so he was very beautiful, complacent, domineering, and self-assured– but on the flip side, he was presumptuous, and for all his impeccable manners, he was authoritative and raw. Well, on the surface.
I pulled out over at my interning company's parking lot and saw my best friend June, waiting for me at the company's threshold with a collywobbles expression on her face.
"Who ate your glazed doughnuts?" I asked, checking her temperature. My best friend, June Bianco would only wear a sour expression on two vague occasions. One; someone had eaten her glazed doughnut or the pastry shop two blocks from the company's building ran out of supply. And two; mother nature decided to visit her.
"He said to immediately report to his office when you get back" okay not what I was expecting.
"Why? What's with the face then?"
"I'm not sure but I think it's bad"
"Bad how?" I narrowed my eyes.
"Renatto River Teroz, calling to demand that you'd be handed over to him in completion of your internship for a compensation of some sort" my eyes widened and I gasped.
"No way! Compensation for what? I didn't do anything"
"I know... the boss knows but it was Mr. Teroz himself that placed the call. you are to..." I ignored her and pushed past her, finding my way to my boss's office with a blurred mind.
"I take it as June had briefed you already" my Fifty two-year-old boss said the second I stepped foot into his office, a grim outlook on his already wrinkling face.
"What's the meaning of this? I'm not leaving here to intern at Teroz..."
"Here are your files. He wants you there tomorrow..."
"What?"
“Kneel,” I growled, pushing her down. She did as she was ordered without hesitation. I purred, praising her submissiveness, and trailed a thumb along her lips. I closed my eyes and saw my Rose kneeling in front of me, her jet-black eyes piercing me like thorns and her fragrance, flavoring my darkened soul. …. A princess in darkness could only wish for her knight in shining armor to the rescue. Driven by passionate desires and lost in a sinful one until there's a displacement of purpose, want, and vision. An angel on the street but a demon on the bed. Like an itch, she soothes and pricks. Saddled by the responsibility of her actions from three years ago, she thought it was over but unknown to her it had only begun. An object of imaginative reality could only be allowed a chance to breathe. Enraged by the occurrence of three years ago, wealth and power became his monumental compensation. Although he looked like a God, he won't hesitate to send you straight to hell. His bloodline has left him merciless against his prey and his rise to the top of the consortium was a ride to hell and beyond. The scars on him were the testament of his brooding and the tattoos on him were writings of the stories and secrets he had. One thing for each. In Babel, mercy means weakness, and love was often lust Sharpened by the edges of the sword and brooded in the darkest of tunnels and formed into a beast. Trained to destroy, kill and overcome until he meets again after three years, the person he least expects and loses the one he never knew he had. A new rage is born!
“What are those for?” she asked, referring to the cuffs dangling from my fingers, her eyes showing scared and intrigued. She looked so fragile yet sinful and so unearthly – my sexy, innocent fireball. “Your wrist and ankles, baby,” I whispered into her ears, the bulge in my pants threatening to break out. …. Alexia’s painful past made her an object of scorn until a billionaire sex freak took her as his bride—A bargain. Alexia had nothing to lose even though Christian was everything her innocent heart warned her against. Cold, excessively rich, dangerously handsome, and a playboy. Christian’s attraction to Alexia was palpable, intoxicating, sinful, and consuming that the hair on her skin stood up from the slightest touch. Christian was reluctant to defy the rules he had set to make Alexia his, but winning this broken, beautiful woman’s trust would be his greatest battle. But then again, rules are meant to be broken, yeah?
After a nightstand that was happened out of drunkenness, fate got twisted. A collateral for the Alpha became a mate for the Alpha king!!! She was torn between two worlds and was forced to make a decision. When love happens, would the consequences of choosing love or law be minimal? Or would it destroy the bond that took blood to create?
Melanie married Ashton out of gratitude, but she quickly found herself entangled in a web of relentless challenges. Despite these struggles, she stayed true to her commitment to the marriage. In the hospital room, Ashton indifferently attempted to draw her blood, disregarding her discomfort. This callous act was a harsh revelation for Melanie, awakening her to the grim reality of their relationship. Resolved to prioritize her own welfare, she decided to sever ties. With newfound resolve, Melanie filed for divorce. In the process, she unveiled her concealed identities, leaving everyone in shock. Throughout these turbulent times, Melanie realized that Derek, Ashton’s uncle, had been discreetly protecting her all along.
She was a world-renowned divine doctor, the CEO of a publicly traded company, the most formidable female mercenary, and a top-tier tech genius. Marissa, a titan with a plethora of secret identities, had hidden her true stature to marry a seemingly impoverished young man. However, on the eve of their wedding, her fiance, who was actually the lost heir to a wealthy dynasty, called off the engagement and subjected her to degradation and mockery. Upon the revelation of her concealed identities, her ex-fiance was left stunned and desperately pleaded for her forgiveness. Standing protectively before Marissa, an incredibly influential and fearsome magnate declared, "This is my wife. Who would dare try to claim her?"
For three years, Shane and Yvonne were wed, sharing heated nights, while his devotion clung to his ex. Yvonne strove to be a dutiful wife, yet their marriage felt hollow, built on desire rather than real warmth. All changed when she became pregnant, only for Shane to thrust her onto the operating table, warning, “Either you or the baby survives!” Broken by his cruelty, she vanished in grief and later returned, radiantly accomplished, leaving everyone awestruck. Haunted by remorse, Shane begged for another chance, but Yvonne only smiled and replied, “I’m sorry, men no longer interest me.”
For ten years, Daniela showered her ex-husband with unwavering devotion, only to discover she was just his biggest joke. Feeling humiliated yet determined, she finally divorced him. Three months later, Daniela returned in grand style. She was now the hidden CEO of a leading brand, a sought-after designer, and a wealthy mining mogul—her success unveiled at her triumphant comeback. Her ex-husband’s entire family rushed over, desperate to beg for forgiveness and plead for another chance. Yet Daniela, now cherished by the famed Mr. Phillips, regarded them with icy disdain. "I’m out of your league."
Corinne devoted three years of her life to her boyfriend, only for it to all go to waste. He saw her as nothing more than a country bumpkin and left her at the altar to be with his true love. After getting jilted, Corinne reclaimed her identity as the granddaughter of the town’s richest man, inherited a billion-dollar fortune, and ultimately rose to the top. But her success attracted the envy of others, and people constantly tried to bring her down. As she dealt with these troublemakers one by one, Mr. Hopkins, notorious for his ruthlessness, stood by and cheered her on. “Way to go, honey!”
“You need a bride, I need a groom. Why don’t we get married?” Both abandoned at the altar, Elyse decided to tie the knot with the disabled stranger from the venue next door. Pitying his state, she vowed to spoil him once they were married. Little did she know that he was actually a powerful tycoon. Jayden thought Elyse only married him for his money, and planned to divorce her when she was no longer of use to him. But after becoming her husband, he was faced with a new dilemma. “She keeps asking for a divorce, but I don’t want that! What should I do?”