Flashback 16—"I own you.""I own you.""I own you."Those were the words that rang repeatedly in her head as she looked at him. He said that, the words slipping off his tongue with casual cruelty. It affected her—controlled her in a way she couldn't understand, to the extent that she found herself nodding to the question he asked: "Do you understand, Bella...Mia?"Why does it feel like his gaze was boring into her soul? Ohh! He said so; he said she belonged to him, body and soul, heart and mind. So he was controlling her; he said he owned every piece of her, and she just accepted—watched as he claimed her and did nothing.Now she knows she is doomed. He is her doom, and he is only getting started."Bella...Mia," he called, concern etched in his voice, but she couldn't say anything. She parted her lips, and the breath which she didn't know she held escaped. Her breath came out ragged as her mind reeled with the revelation."I need to leave," Lexi finally said, getting up from his lap,
Flashback 17—Emily stepped back, glaring at Lexi, her fingers tightening around the hem of her dress."What did I expect from a spoiled brat like you? You don't appreciate anything I have done for you. Yes! We are two years apart—you are eighteen and I'm twenty—but that still gives me the right to tell you what's best!" she shouted, and Lexi fired back."No! You don't get to control me—not now, not ever. You say you want to help, but you are the biggest hypocrite I have ever seen. Why don't you tell us what really goes on at the club? Are you just a waitress? For you to be paid that large amount of money every month? You hardly reply to your messages or pick your calls. Even Mom is fed up with you, and yet you wanna advise me. Fine, maybe I'm a brat—but you? You're a damn liar, Emily!" Lexi shouted angrily, and Emily landed a hot, stinging slap on her face."I work day and night, picking up everyone's shift, giving Mom the money just so she could pay for your damn education. Yes, I d
Flashback 18–Onore Highschool~"Sasha, should we visit Lexi after school?" Raven asked. They had just finished their last class and were currently walking out of the school's gate."Yeah, I was thinking about it. I texted her and she hasn't replied yet. I just hope she's safe," Sasha said, worriedly."Ehmm... could you give me a minute? I need to see someone," Raven said, looking at her phone and didn't even wait for her sister's reply before she ran off."Ugh! What's wrong with her these days? Now I have to stand here and wait," Sasha said.~Raven walked into the school's library. A tall silhouette stood holding a book in his hand. His muscles bulged through his school shirt and he was quite over six feet.Raven smiled at him even though he didn't see her and called:"My monkey man!" she almost screamed, and he turned around with a surprised look on his face. She ran towards him—at first it was a sprint, then it turned to a mad dash. Then she leapt into his arms and he caught her m
Flashback 19—"Antonio...""I said keep quiet," he muttered, and she frowned. He moved closer, and she stepped back instinctively. Her back hit the wall, and she gasped. He wrapped his large hands around her waist, his hot breath fanning her face. He moved his face over her face, his lips dangerously brushing hers."Bella... Mia, do you have any idea how much I have missed you?" he asked, and she held her breath."Antonio..." she moaned his name, and he pressed his fingers on her lips."Shhhh... I said keep quiet," he said."Did you think I wouldn't find you here? You thought you could run away from me?" he asked, and she opened her eyes that had been closed."It's not like that, my phone was taken away from me. I... I had no intention of running away... and... and I might have to withdraw from Onore too," she stuttered, and he smirked."Withdraw from Onore?" he asked."A student cannot be withdrawn from the school like that, especially since it involves the mafia," he said."I don't
Flashback 20—"Mmmm... don't stop!" Lexi moaned as Antonio trailed wet kisses on her neck. He pressed a kiss at the back of her ear and she moaned again before he bit her ear with his teeth."Ouch! Antonio!" she moaned, and his hands trailed to her nighty, his fingers tugging it down."You like that, baby girl?" he whispered, running his tongue on her cleavage. His sinful eyes caught her nipples hardening under her silk shirt. He cupped her breast in his palms and squeezed it. Pain zapped through her chest and she moaned."Your boobs fit perfectly in my hands, don't they?" he said, and Lexi moaned as he popped her nipples under his firm thumbs, and her core clenched with instantaneous wetness.He could smell her arousal and could feel his dick hardening in his pants. He knew she craved more, but he wasn't going to let her have it yet—not yet.He kissed her lips again and, before she could kiss him back, he broke the kiss, making her whimper. He pressed a light kiss on her forehead tea
Flashback 21—"Call my name again and I will rip off your tongue from your mouth and feed it to my dogs."...............The silence that followed was almost unbearable. One could hear a pin drop.Antonio bent down to her level to speak, then stood tall and moved to the table filled with torture equipment.He picked up one of the tools and an iron device fell to the ground with a loud clang.Sophia jerked violently."I did not... do... anything... Let me go," she stuttered.Antonio smirked coldly."Is that an order?" he asked."No""You did not do anything?" Antonio repeated and she shook her head quickly."No, I did not," Sophia rushed out.Her breath hitched as she heard his heavy footsteps draw closer.He dragged a chair across the cold floor. The screeching sound made her flinch.He came to sit directly in front of her."You really do not know why you are here, do you?" he asked, his voice dangerously low."N-no, I do not," she stammered."Alright. Since you do not know why you a
Sicily, Italy, 8:00 pm, Morte Nera EmpireThe screams of the tortured man echoed through the cold, dark chamber. Antonio's eyes gleamed with sadistic pleasure as he watched the man's body contort in agony. A blood-curdling "Ahhh" escaped the man's lips, followed by desperate pleas for mercy."Please... Plea-"The man's words were abruptly silenced as Antonio's knife sliced through his tongue. A fountain of blood erupted from the man's mouth, staining the floor beneath him. Antonio's smile grew wider, his eyes sparkling with malevolence.With a swift, merciless motion, Antonio beheaded the man, the knife glinting in the dim light. The sound of the man's pleas still lingered in the air, but Antonio's expression remained unyielding. He detested the sound of begging, it was a weakness he would never tolerate.Antonio calmly cleaned the blood from his tailored suit and shoes with a tissue, his movements economical and precise. He discarded the knife on the ground, the metal clattering agai
Lexi left her apartment and arrived at her team's special unit, a nondescript warehouse on the outskirts of town. She employed a team of skilled hackers and assassin's, each with their own unique skills and motivation.Vincent, her second-in-command greeted her with a nod. "Lexi we received Intel that Antonio's men are moving tonight".Lexi's expression turned icy. "What's the target?"Vincent handed her a folder containing surveillance photos and Intel. "We're not entirely sure, but we think it's connected to Antonio's new business venture."Lexi's eyes scanned the documents, her mind racing with possibilities. She looked up at Vincent, her voice low and deadly. "Assemble the team. We'll take out Antonio's men tonight and get to the bottom of this.""But we can't expose ourselves yet-""He knows already Vince and that's why I want to show him what extent I can go to stop him" she said cutting him off.He stared at her for a moment his gaze filled with admiration. "You are the boss,Le
Flashback 21—"Call my name again and I will rip off your tongue from your mouth and feed it to my dogs."...............The silence that followed was almost unbearable. One could hear a pin drop.Antonio bent down to her level to speak, then stood tall and moved to the table filled with torture equipment.He picked up one of the tools and an iron device fell to the ground with a loud clang.Sophia jerked violently."I did not... do... anything... Let me go," she stuttered.Antonio smirked coldly."Is that an order?" he asked."No""You did not do anything?" Antonio repeated and she shook her head quickly."No, I did not," Sophia rushed out.Her breath hitched as she heard his heavy footsteps draw closer.He dragged a chair across the cold floor. The screeching sound made her flinch.He came to sit directly in front of her."You really do not know why you are here, do you?" he asked, his voice dangerously low."N-no, I do not," she stammered."Alright. Since you do not know why you a
Flashback 20—"Mmmm... don't stop!" Lexi moaned as Antonio trailed wet kisses on her neck. He pressed a kiss at the back of her ear and she moaned again before he bit her ear with his teeth."Ouch! Antonio!" she moaned, and his hands trailed to her nighty, his fingers tugging it down."You like that, baby girl?" he whispered, running his tongue on her cleavage. His sinful eyes caught her nipples hardening under her silk shirt. He cupped her breast in his palms and squeezed it. Pain zapped through her chest and she moaned."Your boobs fit perfectly in my hands, don't they?" he said, and Lexi moaned as he popped her nipples under his firm thumbs, and her core clenched with instantaneous wetness.He could smell her arousal and could feel his dick hardening in his pants. He knew she craved more, but he wasn't going to let her have it yet—not yet.He kissed her lips again and, before she could kiss him back, he broke the kiss, making her whimper. He pressed a light kiss on her forehead tea
Flashback 19—"Antonio...""I said keep quiet," he muttered, and she frowned. He moved closer, and she stepped back instinctively. Her back hit the wall, and she gasped. He wrapped his large hands around her waist, his hot breath fanning her face. He moved his face over her face, his lips dangerously brushing hers."Bella... Mia, do you have any idea how much I have missed you?" he asked, and she held her breath."Antonio..." she moaned his name, and he pressed his fingers on her lips."Shhhh... I said keep quiet," he said."Did you think I wouldn't find you here? You thought you could run away from me?" he asked, and she opened her eyes that had been closed."It's not like that, my phone was taken away from me. I... I had no intention of running away... and... and I might have to withdraw from Onore too," she stuttered, and he smirked."Withdraw from Onore?" he asked."A student cannot be withdrawn from the school like that, especially since it involves the mafia," he said."I don't
Flashback 18–Onore Highschool~"Sasha, should we visit Lexi after school?" Raven asked. They had just finished their last class and were currently walking out of the school's gate."Yeah, I was thinking about it. I texted her and she hasn't replied yet. I just hope she's safe," Sasha said, worriedly."Ehmm... could you give me a minute? I need to see someone," Raven said, looking at her phone and didn't even wait for her sister's reply before she ran off."Ugh! What's wrong with her these days? Now I have to stand here and wait," Sasha said.~Raven walked into the school's library. A tall silhouette stood holding a book in his hand. His muscles bulged through his school shirt and he was quite over six feet.Raven smiled at him even though he didn't see her and called:"My monkey man!" she almost screamed, and he turned around with a surprised look on his face. She ran towards him—at first it was a sprint, then it turned to a mad dash. Then she leapt into his arms and he caught her m
Flashback 17—Emily stepped back, glaring at Lexi, her fingers tightening around the hem of her dress."What did I expect from a spoiled brat like you? You don't appreciate anything I have done for you. Yes! We are two years apart—you are eighteen and I'm twenty—but that still gives me the right to tell you what's best!" she shouted, and Lexi fired back."No! You don't get to control me—not now, not ever. You say you want to help, but you are the biggest hypocrite I have ever seen. Why don't you tell us what really goes on at the club? Are you just a waitress? For you to be paid that large amount of money every month? You hardly reply to your messages or pick your calls. Even Mom is fed up with you, and yet you wanna advise me. Fine, maybe I'm a brat—but you? You're a damn liar, Emily!" Lexi shouted angrily, and Emily landed a hot, stinging slap on her face."I work day and night, picking up everyone's shift, giving Mom the money just so she could pay for your damn education. Yes, I d
Flashback 16—"I own you.""I own you.""I own you."Those were the words that rang repeatedly in her head as she looked at him. He said that, the words slipping off his tongue with casual cruelty. It affected her—controlled her in a way she couldn't understand, to the extent that she found herself nodding to the question he asked: "Do you understand, Bella...Mia?"Why does it feel like his gaze was boring into her soul? Ohh! He said so; he said she belonged to him, body and soul, heart and mind. So he was controlling her; he said he owned every piece of her, and she just accepted—watched as he claimed her and did nothing.Now she knows she is doomed. He is her doom, and he is only getting started."Bella...Mia," he called, concern etched in his voice, but she couldn't say anything. She parted her lips, and the breath which she didn't know she held escaped. Her breath came out ragged as her mind reeled with the revelation."I need to leave," Lexi finally said, getting up from his lap,
Flashback 15—His lips came crashing down on hers with a fierce intensity that left her breathless. He pinned her against the wall, one arm braced against the wall, the other cradling her head as he deepened the kiss.Sophia just stood there, shaking so hard that it felt her bones would rattle out of her skin. She couldn't take it anymore, so she turned around, running away from them.She wished she could unsee everything, but no – she couldn't; the image of their kiss was living rent-free in her head, in her mind, and even in her bloodstream.Fûck! She shouldn't have followed Lexi when she saw her going upstairs. Now she was the one getting burned, beyond measure.~As Antonio deepened the kiss, Lexi gasped. He took the opportunity and slid his tongue into her mouth, down her throat.The kiss was feral; he kissed her madly, like his life depended on it.Lexi could hear her own heartbeats in her ears, and before she knew it, she was kissing him back with the same mad intensity. Her ha
Flashback 14—The screams continued and Lexi could not believe she had lots of fans in the crowd. The MC launched the confetti in the air, and the screams got louder. Sophia's eyes were still glued to the screen and tears glistened in her eyes when she saw her spot; she was number nine. She looked at Lexi and the profound hatred she had for her increased. First, she had kissed him, then she won the show that she tried so hard to win—she even tore her dress just so she would not be able to participate, but what happened? Everything backfired against her. No, she has to do something, no matter what, she couldn't let Lexi take everything from her, not now, not ever, she thought. She left the stage, as gifts would only be given to the participants who won first, second, and third places; the fourth position down to the tenth would be given little gifts as well, but who are they kidding? That's bullshit, and she won't take a gift that is small compared to what the others are getting.Th
Flashback 13—Lexi walked on the stage with confidence, her heels clicking on the floor. When she reached the front of the stage, she kept her hands on her waist and smiled. Goosebumps rose on her skin as she felt someone's hard gaze on her; she roamed her eyes through the crowd, and that's when she saw him. His gaze was unrefined, a proud smirk sitting on his face; she couldn't decipher if his smile meant he was proud of her or he had other shady things running in his head. Anyways, she was thankful for the fact that he came to her rescue when she was in need of it, despite all she had done. She maintained her walking steps without mistakes; she moved to the left in front of the judges, raised her hair net a bit to reveal her face, and one of the judges clapped. She turned around and cat-walked out of the stage—her steps iconic.Behind the curtains were Sasha, Raven, and Rania, who were waiting for her. "You were amazing, Lexi. I knew you would kill it!" Raven said with a proud grin,