MADDEST OBSESSION - Chapter 6: Chapter 6
You are reading MADDEST OBSESSION, Chapter 6: Chapter 6. Read more chapters of MADDEST OBSESSION.
The Russo gala was still echoing in Aria’s mind long after they returned home.
She stood in front of the penthouse mirror, undoing the clasp of the diamond necklace as Dominic entered the bedroom. His reflection appeared behind her in the mirror — tall, controlled, untouchable.
“You handled yourself well tonight,” he said quietly.
“I didn’t have a choice.” Her voice was sharp, but tired. “Do I ever?”
“You always have a choice, Aria.” He stepped closer, his hands sliding over her bare shoulders. “But every choice comes with a price.”
His touch was infuriatingly gentle, but it burned through her like fire on dry leaves.
“Are you always this skilled at manipulation?” she whispered.
“Yes.” He didn’t even hesitate.
For a moment, she let him trace the curve of her neck before she stepped away, breaking the tension.
“I won’t let you make me like this world, Dominic,” she said softly. “No matter how beautiful you make the prison look.”
He didn’t argue.
Because he didn’t have to.
Two Days Later
The penthouse doors opened to an unexpected visitor.
“Your meeting is here, boss,” Marco, Dominic’s head of security, announced.
Dominic looked up from his desk as a tall man stepped into the office — dressed impeccably in a dark tailored suit, exuding effortless power. His presence was commanding in a way that was very different from Dominic’s cold dominance.
“Salvatore Romano,” Dominic greeted. “You're early.”
Romano’s sharp hazel eyes shifted briefly to Aria, who sat quietly in the corner chair of the office, reading. His gaze lingered longer than appropriate.
“I heard congratulations were in order.” Salvatore smiled faintly. “The infamous Aria De Luca, now a Moretti.”
Aria set down her book and rose smoothly, meeting Salvatore’s gaze without flinching. “Mr. Romano.”
Salvatore’s smile deepened. “You’re even more captivating in person than the rumors suggest.”
Dominic’s jaw flexed, though his voice remained calm. “We have business to discuss. Leave my wife out of it.”
“But your wife is very much part of your business now, isn’t she?” Salvatore mused.
Aria’s pulse quickened. She didn’t miss the unspoken threat in his tone, nor the subtle challenge directed at Dominic.
Romano’s reputation preceded him — powerful, charming, and far more dangerous than his smooth exterior suggested. Unlike Lorenzo Russo’s brash provocations, Salvatore was a master strategist. A serpent dressed in silk.
Dominic motioned for Aria to leave the office, but before she could step out, Salvatore spoke again.
“Forgive me, Mrs. Moretti, but I wonder… do you enjoy being the prize in all of this? The queen on a very bloody chessboard?”
Her smile was polite, but her voice held steel. “Only fools mistake a queen for a pawn, Mr. Romano.”
A flash of admiration flickered in his eyes.
Dominic’s voice darkened. “Enough.”
Without another word, Aria slipped out, her heart hammering as she closed the door behind her.
The deeper she was pulled into this world, the more dangerous it became. Not just because of Dominic, but because of men like Salvatore Romano — who saw her not only as Dominic’s wife, but as a power piece in his own dangerous game.
And part of her — the part she tried desperately to silence — feared how drawn she was to that danger.
Later That Night
Aria stood by the floor-to-ceiling window, staring at the glittering city lights. She barely heard Dominic approach until his reflection appeared beside hers.
“Salvatore is testing boundaries,” he said quietly.
She nodded. “He’s not the only one.”
Dominic studied her profile for a long moment. “You handled him well.”
“I’ve spent my life around men like him.”
“Like me?”
Her throat tightened. “Yes.”
Silence stretched between them, thick with unspoken words.
“Do you fear me, Aria?” he asked, voice low.
Her answer came softer than she intended. “I fear what you can make me become.”
Dominic’s hand brushed her hair aside, his lips grazing her exposed neck. “You were born for this world. Whether you admit it or not.”
She shivered — from the cold or from him, she wasn’t sure.
“I don’t want to belong to anyone.”
He turned her gently to face him, his gaze burning into hers. “Then learn to belong to yourself. But understand this—” his voice dropped to a near growl, “—while you wear my name, no man touches you. No man even looks at you the way Salvatore did. Or I will destroy them.”
Their lips hovered inches apart, breath mingling, desire thick and dangerous.
For one fragile moment, Aria was
no longer sure who the real threat was—
The men circling around her.
Or the man who already owned her.
She stood in front of the penthouse mirror, undoing the clasp of the diamond necklace as Dominic entered the bedroom. His reflection appeared behind her in the mirror — tall, controlled, untouchable.
“You handled yourself well tonight,” he said quietly.
“I didn’t have a choice.” Her voice was sharp, but tired. “Do I ever?”
“You always have a choice, Aria.” He stepped closer, his hands sliding over her bare shoulders. “But every choice comes with a price.”
His touch was infuriatingly gentle, but it burned through her like fire on dry leaves.
“Are you always this skilled at manipulation?” she whispered.
“Yes.” He didn’t even hesitate.
For a moment, she let him trace the curve of her neck before she stepped away, breaking the tension.
“I won’t let you make me like this world, Dominic,” she said softly. “No matter how beautiful you make the prison look.”
He didn’t argue.
Because he didn’t have to.
Two Days Later
The penthouse doors opened to an unexpected visitor.
“Your meeting is here, boss,” Marco, Dominic’s head of security, announced.
Dominic looked up from his desk as a tall man stepped into the office — dressed impeccably in a dark tailored suit, exuding effortless power. His presence was commanding in a way that was very different from Dominic’s cold dominance.
“Salvatore Romano,” Dominic greeted. “You're early.”
Romano’s sharp hazel eyes shifted briefly to Aria, who sat quietly in the corner chair of the office, reading. His gaze lingered longer than appropriate.
“I heard congratulations were in order.” Salvatore smiled faintly. “The infamous Aria De Luca, now a Moretti.”
Aria set down her book and rose smoothly, meeting Salvatore’s gaze without flinching. “Mr. Romano.”
Salvatore’s smile deepened. “You’re even more captivating in person than the rumors suggest.”
Dominic’s jaw flexed, though his voice remained calm. “We have business to discuss. Leave my wife out of it.”
“But your wife is very much part of your business now, isn’t she?” Salvatore mused.
Aria’s pulse quickened. She didn’t miss the unspoken threat in his tone, nor the subtle challenge directed at Dominic.
Romano’s reputation preceded him — powerful, charming, and far more dangerous than his smooth exterior suggested. Unlike Lorenzo Russo’s brash provocations, Salvatore was a master strategist. A serpent dressed in silk.
Dominic motioned for Aria to leave the office, but before she could step out, Salvatore spoke again.
“Forgive me, Mrs. Moretti, but I wonder… do you enjoy being the prize in all of this? The queen on a very bloody chessboard?”
Her smile was polite, but her voice held steel. “Only fools mistake a queen for a pawn, Mr. Romano.”
A flash of admiration flickered in his eyes.
Dominic’s voice darkened. “Enough.”
Without another word, Aria slipped out, her heart hammering as she closed the door behind her.
The deeper she was pulled into this world, the more dangerous it became. Not just because of Dominic, but because of men like Salvatore Romano — who saw her not only as Dominic’s wife, but as a power piece in his own dangerous game.
And part of her — the part she tried desperately to silence — feared how drawn she was to that danger.
Later That Night
Aria stood by the floor-to-ceiling window, staring at the glittering city lights. She barely heard Dominic approach until his reflection appeared beside hers.
“Salvatore is testing boundaries,” he said quietly.
She nodded. “He’s not the only one.”
Dominic studied her profile for a long moment. “You handled him well.”
“I’ve spent my life around men like him.”
“Like me?”
Her throat tightened. “Yes.”
Silence stretched between them, thick with unspoken words.
“Do you fear me, Aria?” he asked, voice low.
Her answer came softer than she intended. “I fear what you can make me become.”
Dominic’s hand brushed her hair aside, his lips grazing her exposed neck. “You were born for this world. Whether you admit it or not.”
She shivered — from the cold or from him, she wasn’t sure.
“I don’t want to belong to anyone.”
He turned her gently to face him, his gaze burning into hers. “Then learn to belong to yourself. But understand this—” his voice dropped to a near growl, “—while you wear my name, no man touches you. No man even looks at you the way Salvatore did. Or I will destroy them.”
Their lips hovered inches apart, breath mingling, desire thick and dangerous.
For one fragile moment, Aria was
no longer sure who the real threat was—
The men circling around her.
Or the man who already owned her.
End of MADDEST OBSESSION Chapter 6. Continue reading Chapter 7 or return to MADDEST OBSESSION book page.