At midnight, Andrew woke up from a deep slumber. A smile flashed across his face as he saw Chloe's angelic face. For the first time in his life, he slept peacefully because of her. She had become the peace in his life. Her presence gave him immense happiness and solace. He raised his head from the pillow and placed a tender kiss on her forehead. She smiled contentedly in her sleep as his lips touched her skin. He beamed at her and gently tucked a few strands of hair behind her ear.

"There is so much peace in this moment with you. Now, I never want to lose this. I'm exhausted from living a life filled with darkness. My whole life, I've longed for the peace that I've found in you. After meeting you, I realized that you're the missing part of my incomplete life and what true happiness is. Before you, my life was meaningless, and I was just counting days, waiting to die. But after meeting you, I understood the importance of life. In the forest, when I thought my end had come, I promised myself that if I survived, I wouldn't push you away. I would keep you safe with me forever, acknowledge that you're important to me, and accept that I care about you. Now, no matter what, I will fulfil this promise, whether you want it or not. I've given my new life to you. Now, this Mafia Boss will live for you alone," he murmured, stroking her cheek affectionately with his thumb and gazing at her with eyes filled with profound love.

He fell asleep again, smiling with utter contentment, holding her tighter in his arms as she snuggled into his warm embrace, her sleep undisturbed.

***

She woke up with a blissful smile on her face the next morning after sleeping peacefully in the warm arms of the Mafia Boss. Her smile widened as she saw his handsome face.

"He looks so adorable while sleeping," she thought, caressing his stubble and gazing at him fondly.

Unwillingly, she slipped out of his arms. She gently touched the wound on his arm before placing a soft kiss there, then climbed off the bed.

"I can't put your life in danger anymore. I have to keep you away from me. You can't see it, but I can. We're becoming each other's weakness, and people could take undue advantage of that," she thought. After one last glance at him, she tiptoed out of the room with a heavy heart, wanting nothing more than to stay with him.

Andrew woke up sometime later, smiling as he recalled how she had slept in his arms the night before.

"Where is she? I want her now," he murmured, craving to see her again.

There was a knock on the door. "Come in," he said.

Marie opened the door and stepped into his room with breakfast.

"Put the breakfast on the table and call Chloe," he ordered. She nodded and placed the tray on the table before walking out to call Chloe. She knocked on Chloe's room door.

"I'm busy, don't disturb me," Chloe answered from inside.

"Boss is calling you, ma'am," Marie informed her.

"I'm busy for him as well," Chloe yelled.

Marie returned to Andrew's room.

"Where is Chloe?" He asked, his eyes eager to see her beautiful face.

"She said she's busy." As Marie informed him, his brows furrowed. He instantly picked up his phone from the side table and texted Chloe.

Andrew:

Stop whatever you're doing because I want you in my room now.

She replied to him instantly.

Chloe:

I'm not your slave to take your orders.

He rolled his eyes after reading her message and warned her.

Andrew:

If I come to your room, you have to bear the consequences.

Chloe:

As if I'm afraid.

"Oh God, this girl never listens to me." He muttered, shaking his head.

Andrew:
I know you just love to test my patience.

I'm asking you for the last time, you're coming here or not?

Chloe: No, No.

Andrew: Now bear the consequences of denying my order.

He threw the phone on the bed and climbed down, putting all his pain aside. He marched to her room in fury, his brows knitted and his hands clenched in anger. He burst open the door.

His anger vanished, and his eyes glinted with profound desire as he saw her in only her inner garments through the glass wall of the bathroom. She was standing with her back to him inside the bathroom.

He wandered into the bathroom, his lips stretching into a salacious smile. He gazed at her flawless body with desire in his eyes. The unique tattoo on her back heightened her allure.

She moved her hands to unhook her bra but instantly stopped, her eyes widening as she heard his footsteps.

She turned around and yelled, "What the fuck! What are you doing here?"

His intense gaze made her breath heavy and her heartbeat accelerate.

He walked toward her slowly, taking small steps. "I can go anywhere in my mansion. You can't stop me." He stood in front of her and asked, "Why are you acting like this is the first time I've seen you like this?" He gazed down at her body intensely with lustful eyes. His passionate and lascivious gaze was setting her body on fire.

She gathered courage and shouted at him, rolling her eyes, "Get lost."

"What happened to you? Last time you were seducing me, and now you're asking me to leave." He asked in a calm tone, concerned for her. He clasped her face, and she glared at him. "I know something is wrong, and I won't leave until you tell me what's the matter," he stated in a stern tone.

She jerked his hands away. "The truth is that I have lost interest in you," she answered curtly. "Now fucking get lost." She pushed him away, and Andrew lost his temper. He took long strides toward her and harshly pulled her to him by grasping her bare waist firmly.

He leaned in and whispered, "If you've lost interest, my closeness shouldn't affect you. But it is. Your body is literally shivering." He said the last line and a smirk flashed on his face. He snaked one arm around her bare waist and yanked her closer to him.

She was melting under his touch and their proximity. Her body burned with profound desires she couldn't resist. She wanted to push him away, but she was frozen in place. She needed him badly. His touch was driving her insane.

"Fuck off, Andrew," she said, trying once more to push him away.

He clutched her jaw with his free hand before taking her lips into his warm mouth. She stopped resisting and completely submitted to him as their lips met. She couldn't resist him; he had such a profound effect on her. She automatically encircled her arms around his neck, her fingers clutching his hair as she kissed him passionately. His hands roamed all over her bare back, arousing her and sending chills down her spine. As she ground herself against his crotch mechanically, forgetting everything, he smirked. They kissed intensely like there was no tomorrow.

They broke the kiss unwillingly, in need of oxygen. Panting after the intense kiss, their eyes closed, she murmured in the heat of the moment, "If this is the consequence of disobeying your orders, then I'll always disobey you."

His lips curved into a smile against hers. This time, he framed her face with his hands and kissed her softly and chastely.

"I like you, and I want to make you my badass girl," he confessed with glee after breaking the kiss. She froze in place, her eyes dilating in shock. She couldn't believe he had just confessed that he liked her. She was utterly dazed.

Suddenly, she pushed him away and rushed out of the bathroom. He ran after her.

"I can't stay here forever. I'm going," she said, pulling down a loose t-shirt.

He held her arm and turned her to face him. "Stop it, for God's sake. Why are you running away from me when I'm ready to give us a chance?" he asked in a loud voice.

"You can't control my life, Andrew," she replied in a cold tone.

He clasped her face, his voice softening. "I have no intention of controlling your life. I'm just protecting you from danger because I care about you."

Her eyes brimmed with tears. "You are becoming my weakness, Andrew. I've never been afraid of dying, but I'm afraid of seeing something happen to you. I'm becoming weak. Whatever is between us, it's making us weak. Can't you see?" she asked, staring at him dejectedly.

"But I feel something out of this world when you're around me, Chloe. I want to protect you and keep you safe with me forever. I've never met a girl like you before in my life—so brave, so strong, so fearless. You're different, and I really like you. I've spent my entire life fighting and running, but for the first time, I want to stay and enjoy every moment of my life with you. Yesterday, when you slept in my arms, I realised that I didn't want anything else in my life except you. You're my home, my peace. People spend their whole lives searching for the peace I found in you, Chloe. Please, give us a chance," he confessed from the core of his heart. It was vividly visible in his eyes how badly he wanted to be with her.

Chloe couldn't believe that in front of her stood a ruthless mafia boss sounding like a normal person who needed only peace in his life. She was thunderstruck by his pure and genuine confession.

She raised herself on her toes, clasped his face, and kissed him lovingly in response to his heartfelt confession, rendered speechless.

"You can't fall weak, Chloe," her mind suddenly reminded her, and mechanically a lone tear trickled down her cheek.

"We can't be together, Andrew," she uttered after breaking the kiss.

"Believe it or not, we're meant for each other, and I'm going to make you mine. I love challenges in my life. The more you push me away, the closer you'll come to me. I might be your weakness, but you're my peace and my strength. See you soon, my badass girl," he said, leaving after pecking her lips.