Chapter 94"And so accounting is really getting quite interesting, thanks to tutorials and-"I'm finding it difficult to listen to what Clarissa is saying because the feeling of being watched is back. I flick my eyes around the cafe nervously. There are two girls in front of us chatting amongst themselves, and to my right is a middle-aged man drinking some beverage and reading the newspaper.The only other person is sitting in the left corner and he's on the phone arguing with someone from the way he keeps gesticulating. None of these people look harmless, and neither do any of them look like they're watching me, but you never know."ALICIA!"I blink repeatedly and turn my attention back to Clarissa whose face is scrunched up in anger. She's got that hard glint in her eyes and her left eye has begun to twitch.Uh! Oh! Shit's about to hit the fan now, for sure."I'm really sorry, Clar, I'm just out of it now,"
Chapter 95Fear floods my veins and makes that damn tightening in my chest act up. I sink from my chair onto the floor, unable to do anything, see anything. All that keeps playing through my mind like a loop are those words.Don't fall down the rabbit hole.I stare at my phone still gripped tightly in my hand and at the words. They mock me, laugh at me, and I just can't take it anymore. Anger rips through me, and through the pain, I decide once and for all not to be afraid anymore. I've gone through a life-altering situation. I've killed to stay alive also and I've lost someone precious to me.What's one more problem that I can't surmount?I will get through this just like I went through the others. With that knowledge ringing in my head, I pick myself up and dust my clothes off before sitting back at my desk, but not before I delete the message from Ash. I wade through the remaining pile of files on my desk e
Chapter 96"Go ahead - call them," Ash says bringing something out of his pocket. At first, I think it's a gun, but when he brings out a phone, I'm trying to understand what he's up to. "Here! You can even use my phone."I look at the phone in his outstretched hand as if it's a snake before looking back at his face and raising my forefinger. "Get out of here now. This is your last warning!"My hands shake from how much rage is coursing through me. Is this guy bipolar? Why can't he just get the message and leave me the fuck alone?As if he hears my unspoken words, he stands and shakes his head sorrowfully. "I'm afraid I can't do that."He's like a panther as he saunters towards me, sleek and handsome, nailing me with his eyes and rooting me to the spot. I can't think. I can't move. I can't focus on anything but his intense liquid brown eyes. I can see his tall lithe frame as he crowds my senses. He moves dangerou
Chapter 97 ASH"The woman in question. . . is my wife."Immediately I say those damming words, I release her hands and step back. I can't look at her, I just fucking can't. I can't change this already awkward situation I've gotten myself into but I know how this must sound to her.Bad.Very bad.It's like rubbing salt into an injury and hoping it'll get better.Not fucking going to happen.I claw a hand through my hair as I begin to pace. "You don't understand," I say more to myself than to her, as if by saying that will magically make things alright. "I didn't have a choice, I had to marry her."Fuck it, I sound like a damn pussy.I hear a choking noise and when I brave a glance at her, one of her hands is at her throat. She looks like she can't breathe. I take two steps toward her, but she holds up a hand in the air and I freeze in my tracks.Fucking dummy.Of course, she doesn't want me anywhere near her
Chapter 98The look of betrayal on her face will forever remain with me till I die. Unfortunately, it's misplaced."I see where this is going." She wrenches her hands that I'd somehow managed to take hold of and stands. "You married her for the power. Of course. . . " she lets out a crazy cackle. "Poor Alicia had nothing to offer so why waste your time and energy on her when you can do better." She shakes her head and points a finger at me. "I'm so daft for falling for your lies, but not anymore." She shakes her head once more. "Not any fucking more." She walks to the door and opens it. "Get out!"I know she's shut down now and anything else I'm going to say will fall on deaf ears. This is not the way I thought this would go but I should have known. She's stubborn, I reason, but any other person would think the same way she is. That's why I understand and stand up, nodding to myself.I walk to the door and s
Chap[ter 99It takes me a while to open my eyes because they're heavy, but when I do, I'm rewarded with darkness.My heart hammers in my chest as I try to sit up but there seems to be a log of wood lying on my stomach. I blink repeatedly, trying to clear away the cobwebs from my head as I look around. Indiscernible shapes loom in the darkness and my heart beats even harder. I take measured breaths and squint into the darkness.Yes - I can see a couch and floor-to-ceiling curtains.My eyes continue to scan the length and breadth of the room trying to understand why I'm not in my own room. It all comes flooding back into my consciousness like an electrical jolt.Clarissa tricked me.The lying bitch said she wanted to take me somewhere special, just us two for a girl's night out. I dressed up. I even bought a dress for crying out loud. She did my makeup, the treacherous wench, and then I was ushered- more like- b
Chapter 100"When I said I wanted to get back with my best friend, this was definitely the last thing on my mind, Lis."Clarissa looks at herself in the mirror and blanches. I've got to say being a black-haired girl isn't her color. And the skirt - my skirt - makes her look like she's wearing a sack."Liiiiiiiiis, I look like a degenerate scarecrow. If you put me in a field to scare birds away, I'm pretty sure they'll never even circle within the area ever again to talk more of the field."I sputter out a laugh because I don't know where she gets her thoughts from. "Well, you kind of look funny.""Kind of?" She shrieks. "I look awful, like a fucking burlap sack."This time, I can't hold it in any longer. I throw my head back and cackle long and hard until tears stream out from my eyes, and no doubt, ruin my makeup. When I'm done, I shake my head, still sputtering out a few laughs. There's a soft smile on Clar
Chapter 101It takes me a few seconds to realize I'm swaying - not like a pendulum - but it's a movement not caused by me.It takes me another few seconds to realize I'm unable to move my limbs- what the fuck?It takes me yet another minute to notice everywhere is dark and that I'm blindfolded. That's when the stark realization hits me in the chest -Not again. . .I've been kidnapped.I begin to thrash against the bindings holding my hands hostage at my back and those at my legs. My only joy is that my mouth is not bound, so I open it and scream, but even that is fleeting when I feel the solid nudge of something against my temple.It's a gun. It has to be a gun."One more word out of your pretty mouth and I'll pump lead into your head. Nod if you understand me."I nod immediately and a small sense of relief flits through me when the weight of the gun against my head is removed. I close my eyes, even though I'v
Chapter 108"Fuuuuck! Must you place this shit around my neck so tightly?" I ask Night eyes with a frown.Night Eyes rolls his eyes but doesn't say anything except to tighten the tie around my neck like a damn noose. He says I've been acting like a prissy bitch since I woke up this morning and realized it's the D-day. My six trusted men, now my groomsmen, are sitting around dressed up in white tuxedos drinking champagne while I'm sweating buckets inside this suit that's more like a straight jacket than any other thing."Will you get your feet off my precious table, Moro?" I say, tugging on my collar as I eye him from the corner of my eyes.He just smirks and continues sipping on his drink like I didn't just give him an order."Ouch, fuck! What the-? Will you take it easy? My neck's not a damn concrete, Night eyes.""Quit bitching, Ash, anyone hearing you would think you're not dying to get married to Alicia,
Chapter 107 The ride is fraught with tense silence and not even Ash's hand in mind does anything to alleviate the tightness in my chest and the dryness in my mouth. I'm freaking the fuck out. He keeps rubbing circles on my open palm with his thumb trying to soothe me but it's pointless. Getting to the meeting place doesn't take long because there's not much traffic. I look up at the large white building as Ash drives into the driveway and my eyes immediately home onto the bold signboard displayed on the front of the building in red capital letters that reads - THE CAMORRA. "You've gotta be kidding me!" Ash chuckles. "I told you they rule everything in Italy so don't be surprised about that." "I understand that, but they kill, and steal, and-" "Ah, ah, ah! Don't say that to anyone here, Hazel eyes, they rule everything, yes. . ." He nods. "Even the police, so hanging up a big old signboard isn't going to make it less real." My heart sinks, because what he just said is even worse
Chapter 106 When I wake, it's still dark outside and there's no one on the bed beside me. I sit up as panic begins to claw its way inside my chest but when I hear the shower going, I know what happened last night was real and Tanya is alive. Even though I haven't gotten much sleep, I feel energized. I feel happy.We're going to have to face them tomorrow.My heart plummets when I remember Ash's words from the night before. He sat me down and told me there would be reprisals and that I needed to get prepared for whatever the five dons that run the Canmora will do. He was a bit evasive about what the reprisals were but I don't need to be a rocket scientist to know it has to do with shedding blood.I'm petrified as his words wash through me but as soon as the door to the bathroom opens, I shake it off and paste on a smile as Tanya comes back inside the room. Her blonde hair is wet and longer than I've ever see
Chapter 106The ghost of Tanya doesn't float toward me as I initially thought, she walks toward me instead, smiling mischievously exactly the same way Tanya used to when she was alive. I blink repeatedly but she's still there, still smiling, and still looking at me."T.... Tanya?" I say once again, noting the tremor in my voice.Tanya's ghost smiles wider. "Hi, sis."Instead of fainting, as most women would, I let out a piercing scream loud enough to wake the dead. A hand snakes around my waist and it takes a few seconds for me to realize Ash is speaking to me.". . . relax, it's alright, please."I focus on his face as his words finally break through my consciousness. "Is. . ." I lick my dry lips. "Is her ghost still there?""I'm right here, sis." Tanya's ghost says from right behind me.This time, I'm not able to take it as the cold hands of oblivion wrap around me and enfold me in their arms.*". . . going
Chapte 105 Ever since I was kidnapped, I had slept fitfully, always keeping an eye open for when Rita and her minions would come to torment me. Not that it would stop her - no, but at least I would be somewhat ready. Now that I'm free, I feel a sense of peace steal through me as the hum of the car engine wraps around me. Soon, I few my eyes close as the movement of the car lulls me into a deep sleep. I don't know what wakes me up but the car has stopped and Ash is coming down. I blink repeatedly to remove the vestiges of sleep still clinging to my eyes and cloudy head before I come down from the car and look around. What I see in front of me gives me pause for thought. It's a plane. Ash is standing in front of it shaking a man's hand as he nods to something he's saying. He turns to me and beckons for me to come over. My legs feel a little wobbly from being cramped up in the same position for goodness knows how long but I manage to walk over without falling. Ash introduces me to the
Chapter 104Ash carries me up the stairs and doesn't let go, even when I tell him I'm okay and can walk, still he doesn't allow my feet to touch the ground. I try to tell him that carrying me - bridal style - will only slow us down but he's not having it.He's fast on his feet, I must admit but that niggling fear is sitting pretty on my chest once again and not allowing me to breathe well. As soon as we get up the stairs and into a hallway, he slows down and looks left and right. His eyes have gone keen and sharp and I don't need to be told we're both in danger. If they see him carrying me out of here, we're both dead.At least I will be.The scorned woman will forgive Ash. . . maybe.I watch his face as he watches the surrounding before moving stealthily. I feel his muscles flex and bunch as he carries me. His strides eat up the floor as he moves toward a door at the far end. I slide my eyes from his face an
Chapter 103I don't know how long I've been kept in this basement. I can't really say for certain, but what I do know is that I've been tortured with icy water that was dunked on me. I've been slapped around and beaten within an inch of my life. I've almost been raped but the scorned woman said she didn't want any of her men to touch me so I could be tight enough for all the men I would get to sleep with at the brothel I will be taken to eventually.The funny thing is, with every taunting word, every action, and every little thing I go through, I grow more hardened, more determined to live. If this is how people are reborn into criminals, then I'm going to be a living example and I'm not backing down. The scorned woman comes to see me every day expecting me to grovel and beg for freedom as well as for my life, but when she sees the blazing fire in my eyes and the determination, it only drives her around the
Chapter 102"She did WHAT?" My voice screeches on the last word and it's all I can do not to throw a hissy fit.Fuuuuuck!"I warned her! I told her about the danger of leaving this house. Does she even know what will happen to her if Dominatrix gets her hands on her?"Clarissa is practically wilting at my outburst. I know I shouldn't take it out on her but it was her responsibility to try to keep Hazel eyes here at home, where she belongs."Tell me once again what happened and don't even leave anything out." I sit on the bed and listen as Clarissa stammers her way through."We. . . I m. . . m. . . mean she-"Someone bursts into the room without knocking and I don't need a crystal ball to let me know it's Night Eyes. He must have been informed by Hilda about my roaring 'cause that's all I've been doing ever since I came home an hour ago. It's fucking two in the morning and Hazel eyes isn't at home. I had to he
Chapter 101It takes me a few seconds to realize I'm swaying - not like a pendulum - but it's a movement not caused by me.It takes me another few seconds to realize I'm unable to move my limbs- what the fuck?It takes me yet another minute to notice everywhere is dark and that I'm blindfolded. That's when the stark realization hits me in the chest -Not again. . .I've been kidnapped.I begin to thrash against the bindings holding my hands hostage at my back and those at my legs. My only joy is that my mouth is not bound, so I open it and scream, but even that is fleeting when I feel the solid nudge of something against my temple.It's a gun. It has to be a gun."One more word out of your pretty mouth and I'll pump lead into your head. Nod if you understand me."I nod immediately and a small sense of relief flits through me when the weight of the gun against my head is removed. I close my eyes, even though I'v