Chapter 14Raven.A real high class bar and restaurant. They also have a live band that plays classical music every Friday. I know this because it was recently on entertainment news on TV. The downside is that it takes ages to get a table here, not unless you know someone that knows someone that knows-"Come on, Alicia, let's go." Leonard's voice drags me away from my thoughts.I look up just in time to see Clarissa and Tommy disappearing inside the building. She's definitely going to get an earful from me later, leaving me in the hands of a total stranger. I huff as I come out from the car and watch as Leonard hands the keys to the valet.It should have taken us almost thirty minutes, or we should have even been turned back. I certainly expected it. What I don't expect is for us to be immediately ushered to a table, smack in the middle of the already-filled restaurant. This guy called Leonard, definitely
Chapter 15I literally see red as I stare at the report before me.Tanya is Alicia's sister?The same girl Alicia came to Stardust to look for. The same girl that's working for me, and the very same kid who's now a drug mule. She's currently working with the other girls on the floor of Stardust, holding a drug cocktail tray for anyone who wants to buy some. Worst of it is she's wearing a skin tight dress leaving nothing to the imagination.I look back up at Moro who can't even look me in the face."What the fuck is this?" I cock my head and continue staring at him, expecting him to say something. Instead, he stays mum and stares keenly at something on the floor. Looks like whatever it is there has his undivided interest.How the fuck am I going to stop Tanya from being groped by those men?Yes, I had told the guys to stay on the look out for her incase. . . alright, when any man gets handsy, because they alw
Chapter 16I watch closely as Tanya throws on some clothes. There's a difference in her movement today, a certain bounce in her steps that wasn't there yesterday. She seems excited for some reason she won't let on. She came in late yesterday night, reeking of alcohol and wearing the skimpiest dress I had ever seen. I was too clouded with sleep to string coherent words together but I'm definitely going to address it now."Tanya!" I wait for her to acknowledge her name but she doesn't break in her movement. If anything, they become faster. She combs her shoulder length hair and packs it up in a ponytail.We are so different in every way imaginable. Where her hair is blonde, mine is pitch black. She's slim with a small stature, while I'm tall and hippy. I took after mother there physically, while she practically took dad's physical attributes. She's reckless and spontaneous but I'm careful and over think everyt
Chapter 17Getting my hands dirty in all sense of the word, has never been a problem for me. That's the only way I know I'm getting the work in.My hands are all black and caked with mud from steeping them inside the earth. It was a total success today, unearthing stone gems from the mines. Seeing those pale rough diamond rocks was something that tripled my elation. Coupled with the fact that hazel eyes is on her way to the restaurant this minute has me stirred like I haven't been in years.After washing off the grime and dirt from the mines in the small bathroom, I walk to my car and give Moro a call. "Is it done?""Yes, boss, I've got info on Guoliang. He's having an incentous affair with his step daughter who is just fourteen.""In other words, he rapes her." My jaw ticks with anger."Exactly. And that's not all. He's got a picture perfect wife and two kids. If this scandal comes out. . ." He lets it hang.
Chapter 18Definition of hot: Interesting or appealing.As I stare at Ash's side profile, I can't help but think he's all that and more. He's sexy in everything he wears. The suit clings to him showcasing his broad shoulders. He's not bulky, but he's undoubtedly solid, with a lean torso made more evident in the suit. He exudes a charm he doesn't even need to try to show. It comes off powerful and wraps up every other person around along with it."Keep looking at me that way and I might stop this car and fuck you on the side of the road where people will see us." He says without turning his head.My face flames, and big bad butterflies begin to swim inside my stomach. I might hate swear words but hearing it drop from his lips is so hot.My mind goes back to earlier as I'd watched him rip into the two men at the restaurant. It had set my blood on fire for him. Even when the man's hand he held onto had bent in an
Chapter 19I should be concentrating. I should be doing last minute hand over. Heck, I should even be packing up and getting ready to leave this place as it's my last day at Harry's cargo before school starts. Instead, I can't move a muscle even if I want to. My mind is on a hiatus.Not on-the-beach-sipping-kolada kind of hiatus. It's the spaced-out kind, the type that could get me fired out of this place forever if I don't snap out of it.Except I can't.I can't stop thinking about Ash and his hands which had been all over me, touching me, taking me to the highest clouds. I never wanted to come down. I can still feel my toes curling from the pleasurable feeling of it.The door to my office opens but I barely acknowledge the person coming in."Shit, Lis, you've got that I just got fucked glow about you. Someone was a bad girl this weekend."That statement snaps me out of my mind journey. I sit up and give Cla
Chapter 20 If I were to rate my life right about now, I'd say on a scale of one to ten, it's a five. That's not so bad, right? I mean it could be wayy better, for sure, but then I'd need loads of money to up the scales. I'd always dreamt of traveling to Paris, the city of love. I'm wistful now, thinking about all the things I could do with money. My damn boss didn't want to help, even when I threatened to inform the police about his nefarious activities. The fucker had found it hilarious. He said half of the LA police was under his payroll. I don't doubt it. You don't get to his position without having some form of insurance and assurance as well. That, he's got lots of. That's all well and good for him, but that still brings me back to square one. As I walk down the street leading to the dingy apartment I share with Alicia, I'm filled with a loathing so strong, it's eating me up from the inside. I can't stand this place. Yes, we've never had much, even when daddy was alive, bu
Chapter 21 Whoever said there's no such thing as just fucking a woman and not catching feelings needs to have his head examined. I take a sip of the scotch in my hand and wince as it burns a path down my throat. As I throw back the second refill, I grudgingly realize that person just might be correct. I know hazel eyes no longer works for Harry's cargo and she's starting nursing school the following week. That means whatever shit I have with her should have closed down the moment I heard. Instead, I made a deal with Mr. Harry that as long as I keep sending in goods through him, he should keep paying her, and double of what she was earning. That wasn't all. When I got a text from her asking if I'd sent her flowers, I felt something inch it's way across my chest, tightening it, constricting it. I shouldn't have gone to see her, hell, seeing her that day wasn't even on my mind. But what did I do? I got into the car and drove, like a mad man, to her doorstep, asking the first thing
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