Chapter 53 The day we are born is the day we are marked for death. Words, father thew at me when I was still a child, echo loudly in my mind, the moment I wake and become aware of my surroundings. Beside me, Hazel eyes tosses fitfully, her full lips parting and eliciting a loud moan. They bring back to mind the situation that took place an hour ago. Thank goodness for the tranquilizers the doctor gave her, otherwise it would have been a different story. The echoes of her screams still fill my ears. The glare from the overhead light cuts directly into my eyes, intensifying the pounding in my head. It's as if someone's hitting a hammer against my cranium. I deserve it anyway. I deserve feeling this way for putting Tanya in harm's way. For getting her killed. Granted, I didn't pull the trigger, but I could have as well done so. I should have been more alert. I should have told her not to go to the apartment she and Alicia stayed. I should have taken more precautions. So many I shou
Chapter 54I turn round slowly, my heart beat, strangely beating in-synch with every turn I make.The first thing I notice is a young woman who can't be more than seventeen. I register the look of shock on her face before I'm taking in the rest of her features at a glance. She has long green hair that looks mussed up from probably a night of debauchery, blue eyes that are presently staring at me from half- closed lids, and blood red shimmery lips, like she just sucked on something wet. I glance down at the short, tight leather dress she's got on and the kitten heels in her hand before looking back up at her face."Looks like you're the one doing the breaking and entering." I say, affecting a bored tone.Her eyes widen and she flicks her eyes up and down the length of my body appreciatively, before moving closer to me. "The difference between you and me is that this is my house, not yours. Give me one good reason w
Chapter 55 I know the exact moment Ash steps inside the room. I know, because I've been feigning sleep for the past three hours since he stepped out of it. I know the moment he cuts his eyes toward me, so I fake a light snore as he walks closer to me. Goose pimples break out all over my body as I feel myself being appraised. I can feel his relief. It rolls off him in waves. He's relieved that I'm calm, that I'm asleep. Just when I feel the gig is up, he moves away and his steps become faint as he heads toward the bathroom. I'm afraid I'm going to have to bust his happy bubble right about now. I wait a few minutes before I slide out of the bed. I pull his bedside drawer open and my hand curls around the handle of his gun. It fills me with power and makes me confident. As I walk towards the shower, calmness washes over me. I know what I need to do. I silently open the door that leads to the bathroom and slips inside. Steam. . . so much of it, clouds the air, fogging up the floor-t
Chapter 56Lightening splits the air, rendering everything in vivid white. Beautiful as well as harsh, exactly like the situation I'm currently facing."... and he will wipe away every tear from their eyes and death will not exist anymore."The priest's words pierce through my mental ruminations. Instead of filling me with peace, they seem to do the opposite. No one is wiping away the tears sliding down my cheeks right now, that's for sure.As for death. . .Laughter bubbles up my throat and comes out as a loud snort as I stare at the coffin currently lying on the ground at my feet. Like a switch, memories begin to spill, like quicksand, through my mind. Fond memories."Sis, you should wear the red dress for your date, it looks bomb on you." Tanya's impish smile is from ear to ear. "Derrick won't be able to take his eyes off you, not with those hips of yours.""Ashes to ashes, dust to dust." The priest's voice
Chapter 57 The sounds of owls hooting pierce the stillness of the air. Darkness looms suddenly, chasing away the last glimpses of the sun. The walls of the building begin to look like living creatures to the man as they close in on him. He looks around- at the plastered walls where no paint graces them, and then at the floor which is littered with sand, broken blocks, and wood. His eyes sweep across the bare room and beyond it, then cling to the windows and the broken shutters hanging from the rusty hinges as they rattle against the walls. His lips curl in disgust as he shakes his head. "This whole building is a picture of decadence." He laughs and shakes his head once more before settling for a shrug. "It's a price I have to pay for what I'm going to do. I can't fail now." He stands from the stool he is perched on and stretches before walking to one of the windows. Even in the dying light, he can make out the tombstones rising from the earth a short distance away from the house. H
Chapter 58 He's going to kill me. He's going to kill me. He's going to fucking kill me. My breath hitches. My heartbeat kicks up a storm in its cage, and a cold sweat breaks out all over my body. You're next on my kill list. Breath. It doesn't look like my lungs are getting the memo of pulling oxygen inside them. The pressure behind my eyes is almost at a busting level now. It feels like they might pop out at any moment. Sweat pools on my forehead and my hands are clammy- I don't recall ever having sweaty palms before. Dark spots have begun to dance in front of my eyes and I know, I just know this might be my end. . . That is until my eyes land on the China dish. Suddenly, my lungs inflate and I suck in air greedily as my heartbeat slows down by a fraction. I pitch forward and cough raspily, beating my chest, all the while sucking in large gulps of air, my eyes watering from the strain. This is how Clarissa finds me. "Oh, my goodness . . .'lis!" She's by my side in a jiffy,
Chapter 59 "Why are there so many guards? It's like we can't move an inch without one popping up to ask you where you're going." Clarissa laments as we step through the gate. I can sense the annoyance coating her words. Heck - I'm annoyed as well. Wrong! I'm livid. But I get it. Ash is trying to keep me safe. That's fine, that doesn't mean I have to like it. I mean, I'm thankful and all that he cares, but I feel smothered. I'm still ruminating on this as we finally step through the gate when a cab stops directly in front of me. I thank my stars as I flag it down and enter. Clarissa looks behind her, and I wonder what she's thinking, and then it hits me. She's waiting for Night Eyes, or someone else, to come barging out and stop us. Unfortunately for her, that does not happen as she gets inside, her movements slow and sluggish. She situates herself in the front seat, and I think it's just as well because this way I will be left in peace with my thoughts. The cab drives fast, and b
Chapter 60Now I lay me down to sleep, I pray the lord my soul to care, if I should die before I wake, I pray the lord my soul to keep.Wrong prayer.If I die now, father in Heaven please accept my sou-No, no, no, lord, please, no, I don't wanna die, at least not just yet.A shot rings out, and I crank an eye open. I don't feel any pain, still, I open my second eye and pat my body down checking for a wound or even blood. Relief pours through me when I don't find any, but as I look up, shock spirals through me when I see two men squaring off, guns pointed at each other.I wonder if, maybe it's a trick of the light or the dizziness assailing me, but after a few seconds of staring aghast at the scene before me, I confirm it - There are indeed two men.Ash is standing like a white knight in shining armor opposite the man I can now clearly see is not just a look- alike but his split image. Different clothes but s
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