Chapter 1: Reunion in the Dark
Ava Castillo adjusted the sleek black blazer hugging her curves as she strode into the dimly lit conference room of Ink & Blood Publishing. Her deep chocolate eyes scanned the space, sharp and unyielding, a woman who’d clawed her way to Project Manager at just 24. She wasn’t here to play games—until her gaze landed on him. Dante Moretti. The ghost of her past, now flesh and blood, lounging at the head of the table like he owned the damn place. Jet black hair fell just over those piercing deep blue eyes, and at 6’2, he was a tower of danger wrapped in a tailored suit. The air thickened, her pulse betraying her cool exterior.
“Well, well, Ava,” Dante drawled, his voice a low, smoky caress that sent an involuntary shiver down her spine. “Didn’t think I’d see you climbing the corporate ladder. Still chasing dreams, or just running from ghosts?”
She smirked, stepping closer, her heels clicking with purpose on the hardwood floor. “And here I thought the devil didn’t make house calls, Dante. Or should I say, Underboss Moretti? Word on the street is you’ve traded crayons for blood.”
His lips curled into a wicked grin, eyes raking over her with a hunger that hadn’t dimmed in seven years. “You’ve done your homework. I’m flattered. But let’s not pretend you haven’t missed me, sweetheart. I can see it in those pretty eyes—still burning for answers.”
Ava crossed her arms, leaning against the table just inches from him, her coffee-colored hair spilling over one shoulder. “Answers? Oh, I’ve got plenty of questions, like how you vanished without a word. But I’m not the naive girl you left behind. So, what’s your game now? Buying out publishing houses to launder your dirty money?”
Dante chuckled, a dark, rumbling sound that vibrated through her. He stood, closing the distance, his presence overwhelming as he towered over her petite 5’3 frame. “You’ve got a sharp tongue, Ava. Always did. But I’m not here for business. I’m here for you. Unfinished business, you might say.”
Her breath hitched, but she didn’t back down, tilting her chin up defiantly. “You think you can waltz back into my life and pick up where you left off? I’m not some damsel waiting to be saved—or screwed—by a mafia kingpin.”
His hand brushed against her arm, a fleeting touch that ignited a fire she’d buried deep. “Who said anything about saving? I remember a girl who could hold her own, who’d fight tooth and nail. I’m betting she’s still in there, dying to let loose.” His voice dropped to a whisper, hot against her ear. “Tell me, Ava, are you still as fearless as you were at seventeen?”
Her heart pounded, heat pooling low in her belly, but she matched his intensity with a glare. “Fearless? Try furious. You don’t get to play with me, Dante. Not after you broke every damn promise.”
He stepped closer, their bodies nearly touching, the scent of his cologne—dark, spicy, intoxicating—wrapping around her. “Then let me make it up to you. One night. No strings, no past. Just us, burning through all that pent-up rage. I can see it, Ava—you’re dripping with it.”
Her lips parted, a retort on the tip of her tongue, but the raw need in his eyes mirrored her own. She hated how her body responded, how she was already imagining his hands on her, rough and demanding. “You’re a bastard,” she hissed, but her voice wavered, betraying her.
“And you’re a wildfire,” he shot back, his hand sliding to her waist, pulling her flush against him. She could feel how hard he was, the evidence of his desire pressing into her, and damn if it didn’t make her wet with anticipation. “Say the word, and I’ll show you how a real man handles a woman like you.”
Her nails dug into his chest through his shirt, not pushing away but holding on, her breath coming in short, sharp pants. “This doesn’t mean I forgive you,” she warned, even as her body arched into his touch, craving more.
Dante’s smirk was pure sin as he leaned down, his lips hovering over hers. “Good. I don’t want forgiveness. I want you sweating, panting, and screaming my name.”
The room seemed to shrink, the tension a live wire between them, ready to ignite. Her resolve was crumbling, and as his mouth descended toward hers, she knew this was only the beginning of a dangerous, explosive collision.
Want to know how it ends?
This is just the opening chapter. Continue the saga — or write a steamy tale starring you.