Why did the great Duncan De Sylvano want me to use the VIP elevator? When even his close friends and family members weren't allowed. And his uptight granny definitely didn't like it.Ignoring the whispers and curious gazes around me, I walked into the VIP elevator. I was too excited to see the magazine to think over their reaction. As soon as I was on the fifteenth floor, Chad met me with Elizabeth. He already had a magazine in his hands."Look who is here. Rossa's star of the month," he whistled.Ignoring him, I snatched the magazine from him and glanced at the front page. There I was, dazzling amber eyes stared back at me. With a bright smile on her blood red lips, she donned a beautiful red gown. The one Eluzabeth suddenly made me wear the other day for the shoot that resembled so much to the one I wore at the fashion show five years ago.A happiness bloomed inside my chest as I jumped up and down, throwing my arms around Chad. "This is amazing, Chad! Can you believe it? I'm in R
I knew it had nothing to do with me. But the nagging curiosity in me demanded answers. Arianna said Syl threw her out of Rossa because of a woman, someone really close to her. W-was it the same girl in the canvas? His heart?Something clenched in my chest remembering the painting. Even though he said there was no one in his life other than me, for some strange reasons I wanted to be sure. Who was this woman so important to him that he was so furious he did that to Arianna, his best friend's sister? And what did she do exactly?I needed answers.As I was about to approach Syl's office, my phone buzzed in my hand. Beth?Not wanting to let Oliver know about my presence who still stood there in confusion, I walked away, out of his earshot. "Beth? Are you all right?" I asked,receiving the call.A sniffle came from the other side of the line. "Cassie? When are you gonna be home?""Soon. My work is done here. Is everything all right, Beth? Are you crying again?" Concern laced in me."Pl
"Are you sure you'll be fine? You can stay here for some days," I said to Beth. She nodded, standing before the door. Her small smile didn't hide the dark circles under her dull eyes. "I will be fine at my parents' place. Don't worry. I haven't visited them for a while. I miss them."Letting out a sigh, I engulfed her in a hug. "Take care and let me know if you need anything. All right? And don't worry about Mason. Syl's men will keep him away from you."Once she pulled away, she cast a look. "No matter what the world calls him, that man is a gem, Cassie. Don't let him go. I know your plans, how you want to suppress your heart's desire and focus on your goal. But whatever beliefs you have been preserving in your heart, don't let them snatch the chance fate has given you." She let out a soft chuckle. "It doesn't matter what you want or not, I saw the way he looks at you. He is not letting you go, even if the universe tries to stop him."My breath hitched in my throat.That dark intens
I stared at them as the tall middle aged man in a dark suit talked to Arianna. The back of his shaved head faced me. He gave his hand to her which she hesitantly shook. Her clutch was tight on her purse. Confusion webbed in me. What is she doing with Robert Samuelson? Does she know him personally? "Cassie, what's wrong? Who is there?" Aaron got up as well. His eyes followed my line of sight. "Who are they?"I didn't answer. No matter who she was with at that moment, no matter if an enemy of mine was present there, she had to answer my questions. Even if Syl had done a lot of damage to her business, I couldn't just let her go like that. And telling the ex-mayor to fuck off would be the right time too. Suddenly, Robert said something to her and she nodded before she started to follow him out of the restaurant. With my heart racing, I walked past Aaron and rushed after them. I couldn't let them go. "Cassie! Wait!" Avoiding a clash with a waiter, I ran out of the restaurant. But by
Oliver's eyes snapped to me, while the head security, Ron, straightened in his place. The color of Oliver's face drained as he stared at me. At the center of the vast gym, there was a boxing ring. And Syl stood in the middle with a heavy black leather punching bag before him. As if sensing my presence, his fist stopped in the mid air. His whole stance tensed. Sweat glistened his bare back, those dark brown locks that touched his neck were wet. Lowering his fist, he stepped back from the punching bag that was oddly shaped, not smoothly straight. Those wide sculpted shoulders rose and fell with each breath he took. Then my eyes fell on the floor of the ring. A gasp slipped through my lips. Drops of blood were scattered across. His knuckles were covered in blood. "Syl!" My voice made him tense as a curse left his lips. "Ron!" At his sharp tone, Ron rushed to the boxing ring along with two more men who stood behind him and took the punching bag down before disappearing into another
A knock on the door made me open my eyes. The sound of running shower reached my ears. After our conversation, I had sent Syl to get a shower before bed. Much to his dismay. He was more interested in playing with my hair and running his hands over my legs and ass with me in his arms. But he was too sweaty for me to let him sleep like that. Another knock made me let out a sigh and get up."Oliver?" He flashed me a small smile. Something close to guilt washed over his eyes as he cleared his throat."Uh, Duncan forgot his phone in the gym."Nodding, I took the phone from his hand. "He is in the shower. I will give it to him."Flashes of Arianna and Robert's meeting flickered into my mind. I still haven't talked to Syl about it yet. Did Oliver know anything about that meeting? Maybe it wasn't anything I was thinking it was? Just a professional meeting? "All right." With that he turned to leave, but then he stopped. Letting out a sigh, his brown orbs met my gaze. "Duncan told me what A
A p-person in the leather bag?My blood ran cold in my veins, but my eyes didn't move from the unmoving body. Was he…dead?With my heart pounding, perspiration forming on my forehead, I glanced at Syl. Not even a single emotion could be traced on his features. But the malice in those dark icy blue eyes sent a chill down my spine. He was…dangerous. And I could feel the severity of it in my bones this time. "Take him to your boss. Give him my message, that if he dares to come between me and my prey, he will face the same consequences as this dog of his," Syl hissed, voice laced with darkness. With wide eyes filled with terror, those men rushed into their car and left with the unmoving body on the backseat. I stood frozen in my place. The blood in his hands back in the gym wasn't his. My doubt turned out to be true. It belonged to that man. Suddenly his form tensed, slowly and steadily, his head turned towards me. With my heart in my mouth, I moved away from the window before his
Robert Samuelson?My heart raced in my chest. He went to that extent to take his revenge? He used his friendship with a crime lord to kidnap me. What would he do then? Kill me?My grip on Syl tightened. I had faced many dangerous debt collectors and goons before. But this time, it was too much.His warm hands cupped my cheeks. Intense icy blue eyes held me captive. "Cuore mio, don't worry about him. He knows who is standing in his way before he can harm you. And that piece of shit doesn't have that much guts to face me. That's why he went under his friend's wing. But now even that gang leader can't help him. No one can save him from my hands now. Consider him gone."The venom in his voice soothed the burn in my chest. The determination in his dark eyes comforted me. Now considering what that man could do to me, Syl's torturing him didn't feel as bad as it felt earlier. All of this created havoc in my head. I wanted to hide in his arms and thank him for keeping me safe, but something