Standing on the landing, I clear my throat loudly to signal my presence.

Ezio turns and displays a genuine, playful smile upon noticing the evident jealousy clouding my eyes.

"May, this is Isabella, my former sister-in-law and oldest friend."

At these words, Isabella's smile fades slightly, and a fleeting look of disappointment crosses her eyes.

With a hypocritical smile, she masks her frustration and extends her hand to me.

"Pleased to meet you, May." she greets, her tone as fake as her smile, nose, and chest.

I shake her hand. A simple polite exchange on the surface, it's actually the silent signature of a budding competition. While offering a fleeting smile, I scrutinize her, trying to capture the essence of her soul. Despite the brief moment, I manage to decipher the spark of ambition shining deep in her eyes. Hidden behind a thick layer of superficiality, this glimmer stirs my suspicion and my resolve to decode the enigma she has just become to me. As if she has deciphered my intent, she skillfully shifts her gaze to Ezio and speaks in a satisfied voice.

"Shall we go to your office to discuss business ? Given the sensitivity of the matter, I'd prefer no unwelcome ears hear the details. Don't take it personally, May. Not being part of the mafia, you have no legitimacy in our affairs and thus no reason to be involved."

"May is trustworthy, and we are working together on that legitimacy you mentioned," Ezio defends me. "She will soon be part of our meetings. But for now, follow me, and let's handle this matter."

As I watch them walk away, powerless, Isabella turns without stopping to scrutinize me from head to toe. With a vicious smile, she turns back and places her hand on Ezio's shoulder before whispering something in his ear. With fury as my only companion, I glare at her so intensely that I imagine her catching fire.

In a few seconds, they disappear down the corridor leading to Ezio's office.

Dirty hypocritical bitch !

Still preoccupied with the strange relationship between Ezio and Isabella, it takes me a few seconds to feel my phone vibrating in my pocket. I pull it out and instantly feel a sense of calm upon seeing who's calling—Andy, my agent and best friend.

My rise in the music industry had left me isolated, with Andy being the only true friend, a constant support. Far from being a utopia, success brings as much loneliness as it does fame. Even when surrounded by many, one quickly feels very alone. No one truly cares or listens, so we quickly learn to wear our best smile and repeatedly say "I'm fine" to those around us. How could we possibly have existential problems when we're in the spotlight ? Everything is supposed to be a dream and enchantment...

"Andy ! Hey, how are you...?"

"Oh, spare me the small talk, what the hell is going on ? What happened to your apartment ? And where are you ? No one has seen you for days !" she cuts me off, bombarding me with questions.

Her direct tone makes me smile. True to herself, she gets straight to the point without ever mincing words. Often blunt, she remains sincere in all circumstances.

"Apparently an accident, an overloaded electrical installation. My apartment was old, and the wiring was outdated. I didn't realize and plugged too many things into one outlet, you know, with all my work equipment. That's supposedly how it started." I lie, partially.

In a desire to protect her, I deliberately leave out the mafia part. It also spares me an avalanche of questions to which I'm not even sure I have the answers.

"Damn, that sucks ! Did you lose everything ? Nothing salvageable ?"

"No, I tried to negotiate, but the flames weren't willing to listen."

"They should have burned your sense of humor too; maybe you'd find a better one," she mocks. "So, where are you staying now ?"

I cringe at the question I dreaded.

"At a cousin's place in town." I reply with the first absurdity that comes to mind.

"Since when do you have a cousin ?"

"We reconnected at Nonna's funeral, hit it off, and when he heard about my apartment, he kindly offered to let me stay with him." I lie again.

The subject of Nonna is my wild card. It's the one thing that stops her from digging deeper. Out of respect, she's always avoided bringing up memories that might reopen old wounds.

"Oh, okay, as long as you're safe and still working on your album. I hope you're crafting some gems with all the time you're taking to focus on yourself."

Ouch, the pressure of work was something I hadn't missed.

"Hey, I earned this break, you know." I defend myself.

"I know, but what kind of agent would I be if I didn't put a little pressure on you now and then ?" she teases.

"Watch it, I can replace you quickly." I joke back.

"The sun is a star that can't be replaced, darling." she replies in an exaggeratedly noble voice.

I laugh at her comeback before adding:

"I'll find another planet to make you shine on, just wait. But to get back to your fake pressure, I think I've found a great source of inspiration, so there should be plenty of gems."

"Good, I'm counting on you. It's not like you don't know your future depends on it—constant self-reinvention, you know the drill !" she insists. "Okay, I have to go. I've got Tarzan and his crew who will be swinging in soon if I miss my appointment at the beauty salon. Bye, take care of yourself !" she says, not giving me a chance to reply before hanging up.

"Am I your great source of inspiration ?"

Surprised, I turn to face Ezio, leaning against the wall with his hands in his pockets.

"Oh my gosh, you scared me !" I exclaim, clutching my chest as if my heart might leap out. "Well, you could say you're part of it, in a way."

"Damn, I wanted to be your only source of inspiration. I'm disappointed." he replies, walking towards me with a big smile.

"Did your meeting go well ?"

"Are you really interested, or are you just making sure nothing unprofessional happened with Isabella ?" he asks, his smile never wavering.

"I'm genuinely interested, though I admit I'm a bit curious for the second reason too." I confess, my lips mirroring his playful grin.

"You have nothing to worry about from her, at least not from my side. I only see her as a friend, nothing more, and I'd feel like I was disrespecting my late brother."

Now standing in front of me, he takes my hands and kisses them. He then places my cheek in his hand and gently brushes his lips against mine when his phone starts ringing.

"Damn it, never at the right moment !" he curses, frustration furrowing his brow.

He steps away from me, his expression hardening as he reads the name on his phone. He turns and answers.

"Hello ? Yes... Okay, don't move, I'll be right there."

He hangs up and, heading towards the elevator, announces:

"Sorry, it's an emergency. I have to go. You'll find food in the fridge. See you tomorrow !"

"But how will I know if you're okay ?"

"Good night, sweetie !" he replies with his devastating smile as the doors close behind him.

Reminded by the growling of my stomach, I rummage through the fridge and grab some leftovers, then settle on the couch in front of a movie.

The hours pass without any news from Ezio. Despite my resistance, my eyelids grow heavy. Carried away by sleep, I doze off on the couch with the remote in my hand.

I startle awake to the sound of the elevator doors and the light flooding the room.

"Ah, shit, sorry, I didn't see you sleeping in the living room."

Still groggy with fatigue, I sit up and rub my eyes. Once adjusted to the light, I turn to Ezio and freeze.

Betrayed by the saucers that replaced my eyes, he realizes my fear and justifies himself before I can speak.

"Don't worry, it's not my blood."

"What happened ??"

"It was a real bloodbath. But we won this time."

"That doesn't tell me what happened." I insist, watching him unbutton his shirt.

"Earlier, when Isabella came, it was to warn me that the leader of an Italian gang had finally returned to Sicilian territory. He's a guy we've been trying to catch for years, but he keeps slipping away. Tonight, Andrea, my right-hand man, spotted him in one of our clubs. He was there to conduct his shady business. So we blocked all the exits until I arrived to ambush him, but by the time I got there, only his men were left, and he had vanished. We don't know how, but he was gone."

"A mole in your camp ?"

With his back to me, he pours a glass of whiskey at the bar near the living room, then collapses into the armchair with a sigh. Staring into the void, he downs the contents of his glass.

"Certainly." he responds, his mind elsewhere.

He scratches the back of his head and adds, looking at me:

"Anyway, the important thing is that we got half of his men tonight and that we know he's in the country. I'll handle the rest. It's late; you'd better go to bed. We have a big day ahead of us tomorrow."

Given his state and the events of his evening, I don't argue.

"Okay, try to get some rest anyway. See you tomorrow."

"See you."

On my way to the bedroom, I leave him alone, his head filled with thoughts and his veins soaked with whiskey.

Upon waking, I find myself alone in Ezio's apartment once again. On the fridge door, a small note informs me that he's gone out on business and not to forget to train.

Yes, sir.

I spend the rest of my morning training, pushing my limits to reach my goal: revenge.

After the session, I head upstairs and am surprised to find Ezio back.

"Hi, sweetie. Slept well ?"

"Better than you, I think. It looks like you didn't get any sleep."

"That's because I didn't, but I'm used to it. I don't sleep much; it's a waste of time."

"That's one way to look at it."

"I brought us some food—sushi. Is that okay with you ?"

" t's like you're reading my mind !" I exclaim, my mouth watering.

"Let's fuel up, then we'll get down to business."

We devour the meal and head downstairs to practice self-defense. Facing each other in the ring, Ezio steps closer to me.

"I'm going to teach you the basics. I'll explain, and then you'll repeat the movement, okay ?"

Intimidated by his proximity, I nod in agreement.

"First technique: if someone approaches you from behind and wraps their arms around your chest, you try to bend forward. With all your strength, grab their leg as low as you can and stand up. If done correctly, it will make them fall."

"I wouldn't want to hurt you." I warn, my tone playful.

Ezio laughs and motions for me to approach, which I do. With his lips brushing my ear, his closeness stimulates my heart.

"Ready to show me what you've got ?

I nod again, speechless, unable to form words over the pounding of my heart.

He wraps his arms around my chest, his torso against my back. His warm breath on my neck only quickens my heartbeat. My breathing grows shorter, hindering my concentration. Slowly, he brings his lips to my ear again and whispers:

"If you don't act in 30 seconds, you're dead."

Despite the shivers down my spine, I take a deep breath to dispel my rising desire and focus on the exercise. As explained, I shift all my weight onto his arms. When I bend to grab the lower part of his leg, I feel him harden against my backside. Ignoring my heightened desire, I smile and mercilessly stand up, trying to make him fall. Despite my best efforts to resist his strength, we both end up on the ground, his arms still around me. I turn to face him, my hands on his chest, my face close to his.

His gaze clouds with lust, devouring my lips. His pulse, like mine, races. He grabs the back of my neck and pulls me to him. Our mouths become one, and the desire within me intensifies with the deepening kiss. His hardness presses against his clothes. He moves his other hand to my buttocks, gripping them firmly. I start to move my body against his and slide a hand under his shirt. He sits up, positioning me astride him. He kisses along my jaw, then my neck, and collarbone, slipping his hand under my shirt to grasp my breast through my sports bra. A moan escapes me; I can no longer control my body or my urges. The growing tension is unbearable; I need to go further, to feel him inside me.

At that precise moment, Raphael appears out of nowhere.

"Ah, there you are ! I was wondering where you'd gone !" he booms.

"Damn it !" Ezio curses under his breath.

Chilled by Raphael's icy arrival, the intimate and torrid atmosphere from a few seconds ago crystallizes into a thousand snowflakes, amplifying the frigid air. Embarrassed like a child caught red-handed, I get up as quickly as I can and regain my composure. Beside me, Ezio, still captive to his desire, struggles to form words.

"Why are you here ?"

"I said you'd hear from me soon. Here I am. Follow me, we need to talk."

Still under the sway of discomfort, I watch Ezio leave, slowly recovering from my emotions. I wait for what feels like hours. With quick steps, he reappears, fists clenched as tightly as his jaw.

"Let's continue training, we don't have time to waste."

I don't even have time to ask questions before he continues.

"Second technique, the person is facing you, arms around you. Headbutt them in the face, then knee them in the groin." he says firmly and quickly.

"I know how to do that. Let's move on to the next step; I don't want to castrate you."

He suppresses a smile before resuming in the same authoritative and irritated voice.

"Third technique, the attacker pins you against a wall with their arms on either side of your head. With your palm and fingers extended, strike under their armpit as if your hand were a knife. Then punch the same spot, followed by a punch to the chin, and finally, headbutt them in the same area. This will make your attacker stagger back, giving you a chance to escape."

We practice the movements in the air to cement the sequence, then Ezio adds:

"Remember, there are three critical strike zones: the eyes, the throat, and the groin. If you deliver solid blows to the eyes, throat, and groin five times in succession with 100% power, you will incapacitate your attacker regardless of their size or strength. If you can't remember the sequences we just practiced, remember this. It could make all the difference."

I nod, and still feeling uneasy, we head upstairs, thoroughly exhausted from the session.

To clear my mind, I decide to swim in his pool. Situated on his rooftop, it's Olympic-worthy. Captivated by the breathtaking view of the entire city, I feel a sense of power forming within me. From up here, we overlook everyone, as if we were untouchable and the world belonged to us.

After a few laps, I get out and take a shower in "my" room. Once finished, I put on a bathrobe. I startle upon discovering Ezio sitting at the edge of the bed, his head in his hands.

"Is everything okay ?" I ask, calming my heart.

He lifts his head, surprised.

"Yes. I wanted to apologize for my distant behavior earlier. I didn't mean to be poor company. Forgive me."

I approach him, take his hands, and kneel before him.

"It's okay, don't worry. You probably had your reasons, and we still managed to train. Thanks to you, I'm a bit more prepared." I reassure him with a smile.

"Thank you for being so understanding."

He places his hands on my cheeks and kisses me passionately. My body temperature rises quickly, my pulse races, and my breath becomes ragged. As if I weigh nothing, he grabs me by the hips and lets me fall onto the bed. Gently, he approaches me, looming over me, his arms on either side of my body.

"This time you're mine. You won't escape." he announces with a smile.

I bite my lower lip, which he notices and takes as an invitation. The kiss grows increasingly torrid. Slowly, he moves down to my neck, gently unties my robe, and reveals my bare chest. He continues down to my breast, kissing it. Then his mouth focuses on my nipple, teasing it until it hardens. A moan escapes me as I feel warmth spreading through my lower abdomen and my desire intensifying. He continues down, kissing the inside of my thigh, then nibbling it. With his fingers, he caresses my lower lips and gently slips them inside me.

"You're already so wet for me." he murmurs, his lips still on my thigh.

Moaning with pleasure, I arch my back. He places his mouth on my lower lips, licking them while continuing the in-and-out motion with his fingers. He quickens the pace, making me moan even more. I can't hold back any longer.

"I need you, Ezio. I want to feel you inside me."

He smiles, stops his movements, then positions himself above me and gently penetrates.

"Are you okay ?" he asks.

I nod and bite my lip. He quickens the pace, making him moan. He kisses me as the in-and-out motion intensifies. His thrusts are sharp and precise, and soon I feel the orgasm building within me.

He speeds up, and we both moan, our pleasure peaking. The wave of pleasure overtakes my body, and I climax. A few seconds later, Ezio follows suit, climaxing inside me.

Drunk with dopamine, we cuddle in each other's arms and soon fall asleep.

The warm rays of the sun caressing my face gently wake me from my sleep. Opening my eyes, I find Ezio sitting on the bed, his back to me, his head in his hands.

" Is something wrong ?" I ask.

Guided by my voice, he turns his head towards me before answering.

"You know yesterday when my father came ? He told me the task you have to accomplish, and it's worse than I thought." he announces gravely.