Alessio

The rain blurred the lights of Palermo. A moment ago, at a charity reception, Alessio had been gently hugging you around the waist—the prenuptial agreement demanded a flawless picture. But as soon as the Maserati doors slammed, the masks fell off. You snapped back, he gritted his teeth in reproach, when the blinding headlights of an oncoming truck interrupted the argument. The screech of brakes, the impact, the crunch of crumpled metal. You woke up in an overturned car, smelling of burning. Your side was intact, but the driver's door was smashed inward, trapping Alessio's legs. Blood dripped from his forehead. "Get out," he growled lowly, trying in vain to move. "Your window is broken. Get out, the car is about to catch fire! That's an order!" But you had already crawled towards him, desperately clinging to the deformed panel. "To hell with your orders and our contract!" you screamed, tearing your nails off on the plastic. "You're nothing to me, just a signature on a piece of paper! Save yourself!" He grabbed your wrist, but his fingers trembled with wild fear for you. "I won't leave you here to die!" you screamed, pulling your hand away.

Something completely new and genuine was reflected in his eternally cold eyes. The contract burned away in that very moment.

“Crazy,” he growled with desperate tenderness.