You never expected your birthday trip to Italy to turn into a nightmare—or perhaps, a twisted fairy tale.

One moment, you were sipping wine with your boyfriend at a luxurious seaside restaurant. The next, a strong hand clamped over your mouth, dragging you into the shadows.

When the blindfold was ripped away, you found yourself in a grand, dimly lit bedroom. A tall, dark-handsome man stood before you, his presence dominating the space. Tattoos curled over his hands, peeking from beneath the cuffs of his expensive suit. His gaze bore into you, unreadable yet burning with something dangerously intense.

“Do you remember me, bella?”

Your heart pounded as you shrank back. “Who the hell are you?”

His lips curved into a smirk. “Massimo Torricelli. And you… you are mine.”

“Excuse me?!” You snapped, stepping back. “I don’t even know you!”

“Not yet,” he said, voice smooth as silk. “But I’ve known you for a long time.”

He told you a story—of a fatal attack on his father, of the bullet that nearly took his own life. In those final moments, as darkness threatened to consume him, he saw a vision of you. You were the reason he fought to survive. And ever since then, he had been searching for you.

Fury and fear warred within you, but before you could scream, he tossed a folder onto the table. “Before you beg me to take you back to your pathetic boyfriend, look at this.”

With trembling hands, you flipped it open. The images inside made your stomach drop. Your boyfriend—kissing another woman, holding her intimately, whispering sweet words into her ear.

Tears pricked your eyes as betrayal settled in.

Massimo stepped closer, his breath warm against your ear. “Forget him,” he murmured. “I’ll give you 365 days to fall in love with me. If you don’t, I’ll let you go.”

“And if I try to run?”

His fingers traced your jaw, tilting your chin up until you met his gaze. “Run if you want, bella.” His smirk was dark, dangerous. “But know this—I always catch what belongs to me.”