Chapter 64The moment our eyes clash, I realize there are worse things in life than death.It's the hereafter. . .The fear of hell.Staring into the eyes of Ash's look-alike is like gazing into the depths of hell. It's cold as ice, yet devoid of warmth. It's scorching as a furnace.As I said, it's hell.He's a hairs breath away from me now. I watch as the smirk slides off his face and I can almost imagine it's another person standing before me, another pair of eyes pinning me with his gaze as he stares down at me with warmth and tenderness, his mouth parted open, ready to bestow a kiss on me, that is. . . until his hand curl around my elbow, and his fingers dig into my skin."Move!"That one command shatters all my fantasies and unfreezes my frozen limbs. He drags me away - a predator and his unwilling prey. A hunter and his almost-lamb. Tears sting my eyes as I realize what will befall me, what is going to be
Chapter 65 "Stay still, Lis, your hair isn't going to fix itself." Clarissa pulls - hard - at strands of my hair but I don't feel it, all I want to do is sit and stare. "I'm just coming from downstairs, and you need to see all the men. They all look so handsome and dashing. Ash knows people, huh." There's a pause and another tug before she continues speaking. "Fancy hosting a party for senators and I'm invited - yippee!" Her excited squeal is accompanied by yet another hard tug, but I remain mum. Without turning, I know her eyes have gotten that starry look in them whenever she talks about good-looking men. It's on the tip of my tongue to tell her not to act so excited in the presence of Night Eyes, but I honestly can't summon the words. She tugs at another strand and I know I'm going to have blisters on my scalp soon, but I don't care. Through the mirror, I dart my eyes to the China dish and feel my eyes fill with tears. Clarissa's hands fall away from my hair. "Liiiss, not today,
Chapter 66As I lead Hazel eyes down the stairs, I should concentrate on the soft feel of her palms inside mine, I know I should concentrate on how beautiful she looks - the dress she has on brings out her hourglass figure and will have all eyes on her - for sure.I know I should concentrate on the fact that she isn't just my woman now but the woman I want to spend the rest of my life and make a family with. . .Two is company, but three?That's a crowd in my estimation. And the three of us - She, me, our baby - are definitely a family.I'm having a family with the woman I want to spend the rest of my life with, I know that now, but my heart - it's heavy, tight, and strained, because having anything worth having, can't be gained without loss, pain, and sacrifice. I know that firsthand. I've experienced it as well, having worked my way to where I am now by sheer determination, blood, and death. Too many deaths.
Chapter 67I feel like puking. . . all over Senator Harrison's white starched dress shirt.Guess the lemon drink I took before coming out here is waning. I love my baby, I really do, and even though she's technically still a tiny growing seed - three months and counting - I'm just about ready to give her up before she's even made her debut.That's how bad I'm feeling.From the corner of my eyes, I see Ash striding determinedly toward us and I know if I don't do something to stop the anger rolling off him in waves, Senator Harrison's brains are going to be splattered all over the floor and I can't let that happen.That would be the worst distraction from our mission, and we need to catch Ash's evil twin - like yesterday.I quickly disentangle myself from Senator Harrison's tightening grasp, and back away from him like he just contracted a dangerous plague. Actually, he soon will, because, with the way Ash's
Chapter 68I don't make it to the library before the door opens and Ash comes striding out. One look at his face and I know he wants to smash someone's head against the wall.I'm being nice.I know he'd prefer to take a gun to someone's head and pull the trigger, then watch as the person's blood seeps out at an alarming rate while slugging back liqueur as he discusses business.Yeah, I know - I've got an overactive imagination.Whatever the case may be, tacky-blonde cop must have said, or done something to make him get this way.I bring one hand up and hook it at my waist as he comes to a stop in front of me. "What the fuck did that woman want with you, and why did you drag her into the library?"His jaw clenches, a sign of his budding anger, but when he speaks, it comes out almost as a whisper. "Don't use that word when my baby is still inside of you."I lift a brow as my second hand comes to rest on the
Chapter 69Ash's insane twin struts forward, his cold eyes settling on, first, Ash, then on me. There's a frantic energy about him, an aura of instability that has me on edge. Behind him, tacky-blonde cop follows closely with a sickly-looking smile on her face.So these two are a duo. Got it.She goes to stand close to Ash, so close, it's on the tip of my tongue to tell her to get away from him and hug the nearest transformer, but the look Ash is giving his twin makes me realize what is happening. His maniac twin has inched close to me. So close, I can feel the heat radiating off him. He splays his hands in front of him like a politician addressing a crowd. "Here's how we're going to do things." He angles his body toward me, but his eyes are on Ash."You're going to go back to that party of yours with Maybelline." So. . . the tacky cop has a name, and it's Maybelline. ". . . take this one away with me." He j
Chapter 70There was once a man who did his best to shed the ghost of his past and make his way to the top. It was hard for him, I gotta tell you - very hard - but he did it. He got to the top, alright, but he did so slowly, painfully. In all, he had a purpose, a focus, and nothing could shake him. . .Until now.I've lived that man's dreams because that man. . . is me.A feeling of total hopelessness assails me as the image of Hazel eyes becomes smaller, but as I look down and see Maybelline latched onto my hand like a leech, I shake it off because I've got a vendetta to plan and revenge to dish out."Yeah, that bitch totally wasn't worth my time," I say to no one in particular, removing an imaginary speck of dust from the sleeve of my jacket.From the corner of my eyes, I see Maybelline's eyes almost popping out as her hold on my hand tightens. "Do you mean that?"I shrug, affecting an air of bored indiffer
Chapter 71When next I wake, it's to a blinding headache and tight limbs. I can't move to save my life.I've been tied like a fucking tuna fish in a tin.Ropes are crisscrossed all around my body like a snake, from my chest, all the way down to my legs, which are folded up to my chin.It's excruciating. I can hardly breathe. My first thought is of my baby and if she'll survive this onslaught. My second thought is of Tanya and how she felt when she was about to die.Fuck! I'm gonna die.The thought is humbling and scary. It also drives me to panic, but I swallow it down and begin to pray silently, but even that is taxing, so I give up, taking shallow breaths that hardly make it to my throat, and talk more of my lungs.At a point, I'm not able to breathe so I pass out.When next I wake, the ache in my head has reduced to a dull throb, and I don't feel like a tuna fish anymore because, well, because. . . yippee