CLAIMED BY THE MAFIA KINGS 1st of the Mafia Queen Series

Leo's POV

The clock on my desk ticked away the seconds. Normally, its rhythm was a comforting reminder of how many people, how many lives, moved on my command. But tonight, it grated on my nerves.

Because of her.

Lyra Carson.

Ever since she walked into my life, something had shifted. It wasn't dramatic or obvious, but it was there: subtle, like a thread being pulled loose. And the longer she stayed in my house, the more that thread unraveled.

I'd been watching her. More than I should have. Checking the security feeds too often, monitoring how she interacted with Mira, how she moved through my house like she belonged there. She was too steady, too calm for someone living under my roof. and for some reason It didn't make sense.

No one was that calm around me unless they were hiding something. And I hated loose ends.

I leaned back in my chair, pulling up the surveillance feed on my laptop. Her image flickered on the screen: sitting on the floor of Mira's room, reading to her. Mira, who had been silent for months, was clinging to her every word.

Before I could focus, my phone buzzed on the desk. A message from Matteo.

Adrian Blackwood. Seen near the estate.

My blood ran cold for a second. Then it boiled.

That son of a bitch.

Adrian Blackwood hadn't dared cross my territory in years. The last time he did, I made sure he learned his place. He was a vulture, obsessive, dangerous: a man who didn't know when to quit. If he was sniffing around here, there was a reason. A fucking problem I needed to deal with.

I dialed Matteo, and he picked up on the first ring.

"Where?" I asked, my voice sharp.

"Downtown, near a café," Matteo said. "He didn't stay long. In and out. I don't know what he's after, but it's clear he's looking for something. Or someone."

Someone.

Lyra.

The realization hit me harder than I liked.

I ended the call and let the silence stretch for a moment, the ticking of the clock filling the room once again. My jaw tightened as I stood, shoving the chair back and striding out of the office. My footsteps echoed down the marble hallways as I made my way to Mira's room, anger simmering just beneath the surface.

Lyra was inside. Her soft voice drifted through the partially open door as she read to Mira. I stopped outside, leaning against the frame, watching them. She was sitting on the edge of Mira's bed, her fingers brushing through the girl's hair, coaxing her into sleep with a calm patience that seemed entirely out of place in this house.

It should have been a peaceful scene, something that eased the tension in my chest. But instead, it only added to it. Because while she was sitting there, quiet and warm, my mind was pulling the pieces together: warning signs flashing bright and red in my head.

I stepped inside, and the moment Lyra sensed me, her voice faltered. She looked up, her green eyes locking with mine, and I could see the shift in her posture. She straightened, her hands dropping to her sides as if bracing herself.

"Sir Leo," she said quietly, standing up.

"We need to talk," I said, keeping my voice low.

Lyra hesitated, glancing down at Mira, who was already slipping into sleep. Then she nodded, following me out of the room and into the hallway.

The door closed behind us, and I turned to face her, my gaze sharp. "You didn't think to tell me about your little meeting with Blackwood today?"

Her eyes widened slightly before narrowing, her jaw tightening. "You're spying on me?" she asked, crossing her arms. "isn't that a violation against personal privacy or something?"

" This is how everything works in my world," I said, stepping closer, my voice dropping to a dangerous tone. "I know everything that happens under my roof. And outside it. So don't play games with me, Lyra."

Her arms tightened across her chest, tension rippling through her body. "I wasn't hiding anything, Sir Leo," she said, her voice calm but edged with unease. "He showed up. I didn't invite him, and I didn't want to see him. But running to you felt... unnecessary."

I tilted my head, narrowing my eyes. "Unnecessary?"

"Yes," she said, but I could see the flicker of tension in her expression. "I didn't think it was your business, Sir."

"Let me make something very clear to you," I said, closing the distance between us. The air between us seemed to hum with tension, sharp and electric. "Everything you do is my business. As long as you're under my roof, you answer to me. And I don't tolerate surprises."

Her composure cracked slightly, her breath hitching, but she held her ground. "I didn't ask Adrian Blackwood to follow me. I don't control him."

"No," I said, my voice dropping to a dangerous murmur. "But you should have come to me the second he showed up. Do you know who that man is? What he's capable of?"

She swallowed hard, and for the first time, I saw a hint of fear in her eyes. "He's... obsessive," she admitted quietly, her voice faltering. "He thinks he owns me. But I'm not his. I never was."

Obsessed.

My fists clenched at the word. Adrian Blackwood didn't get to be obsessed with her. Not while she was in my house. Not while she was under my protection.

"He doesn't come near you again," I said, my tone sharp, final. "If he does, I'll put him down."

Lyra flinched at the coldness in my voice. "I don't need you to protect me, Sir," she said, her voice shaking slightly, though she tried to hold it steady. "I've dealt with men like Adrian before. I can handle him."

"This isn't about what you can handle, Lyra," I said, stepping closer, towering over her. "This is about what I own."

Her breath hitched, her eyes widening as she stared up at me. "Own?" she repeated, her voice dropping to a whisper.

I reached out, brushing a strand of hair behind her ear, my touch light but deliberate. "You work for me now," I murmured. "You live under my roof. That makes you mine. And I don't share what's mine."

Her breath quickened, her chest rising and falling with barely controlled emotion. "You can't just... spy on me, Sir Leo," she said, her voice shaky but defiant. "You don't have that right."

I smirked, leaning in closer. "Lyra, I don't need rights. This is my house. My world. And the sooner you understand that, the easier this will be for both of us."

She didn't flinch, but I could see the struggle in her eyes: the push and pull of anger, fear, and something else. Something she wasn't ready to admit.

"I'm only doing this cause I need the money," she said finally, her voice barely above a whisper. "But don't think for a second that I'll let you control me."

I leaned in, my lips brushing her ear as I whispered, "You don't have to let me, Lyra. You're already under my control. And if Adrian comes near you again... I'll enjoy making him regret it."

I stepped back, watching her reaction. Her eyes burned with frustration and something deeper; something that made my blood hum.