AMANI“…him. The other captive…”At this point, I’m pretty sure I’m on the verge of losing my goddamn mind. Fear spikes through my heart as my eyes slowly dart to the thick darkness behind us. Zuri heaves a sigh and pats Mario’s back;“Are you hallucinating, big guy? Are you sure there’s really someone back there?” She asks wryly.Mario nods confidently. “Yes. You can come out, Nathan.”My heart thuds wildly as we wait for some stranger to appear from the shadows. Five seconds later, I’m about to conclude that Mario must’ve suffered some kind of head trauma when an eerie clinking sound suddenly pierces the air.I freeze, my mouth hanging open in part horror, part shock.“Wh-what was that?” I stutter, my fingers tightening around Mario’s arm. “Zuri, what was that…?”It sounds like chains crashing against the concrete floor. The first clink is followed by another, then another. The sound comes closer and closer until I’m almost quaking in my shoes.Finally, a figure materializes out of
AMANIIt’s crazy how life can change in the blink of an eye. Three weeks ago, I was married, albeit to a bastard, my son was not in the risk of dying and there was a semblance of normalcy in my life.Today, just three weeks later, I’m at the receiving end of the barrels of ten pistols, and I might as well be taking my last breath. Even when I’m shaking like a leaf, my eyes are firmly fixed on Bhyron’s, daring him to carry out his plan. Daring him to order his men to shoot me. Even when thunderclouds of anger swirl in his stormy eyes and his perfect, model-like jaw is set stubbornly in rage, there’s no denying Bhyron Macaulay’s breathtaking beauty. His hair is not tied back as usual. The shiny chestnut curls fall over his forehead and down to his shoulders in enviable waves, framing his face in a manner that’s simply and effortlessly perfect.Bhyron Macaulay is a gorgeous man. Full stop.While I’m still struggling to gather my confidence, Zuri suddenly appears in front of me, spread
AMAYAOne night, when I was six years old, my parents and I were playing in the snow. I don’t know what happened or how it happened, but my parents got a business call, left me outside and completely forgot about me for three hours.I almost died in the snow. I was cold to my small, brittle bones. I screamed and cried for help, but no one heard me in the blizzard until I passed out.As I stare at Bhyron’s still bleeding wound, I realize that the last time I feel such bone chilling cold was that horrible night. I’m frozen to the spot, my eyes eyes darting from the gun in my hand to the wounded man in front of me.It all happens in a blur. One moment, I’m trying to gather my scattered thoughts and the next, strong arms envelope my shoulders from behind and I’m slammed against a hard, heaving chest.Shocked, I try to speak but a cold, hard object is pressed against my temple. A man’s hot breath wafts across my ear and my shock intensifies at the voice that filters into my eardrums;“Sinc
AMANIIt’s safe to say I now understand why Miley Cyrus screamed at the top of her lungs when she sang “I came in like a wrecking ball!!!”Despite my fear and utter confusion, it still registers in my brain that there’s really no difference between Duke in motion and a flying wrecking ball as he waves both his guns in the air like a damn trophy.Bang!! Bang!!Within seconds, a single bullet whizzes past my head and Mario’s tight grip around my shoulders loosen immediately. His yelp of pain is almost eerie. I turn just in time to watch him crumple to the ground in a messy, bloody heap.The bullet pierced perfectly through his forehead. My throat tightens with dismay as I watch thick, coagulated blood spurt from the finger sized hole.I don’t know if I should be dismayed at the fact that Duke handles guns like an experienced gang leader and he seems to be interested in my best friend.It is scientifically proven that I might be crazy sometimes, but not crazy enough to wish a relationshi
AMANIIf anyone had told me that Mr. Ayutthaya would one day slap his own grandson because he hurt me, I would’ve laughed in their face. For a moment, the room is as quiet as a graveyard. Everyone is too stunned to speak. I’m pretty sure Bhyron’s bodyguards have gone into epileptic shock. “Let this be the first and last time you ever lay your hands on Amani violently. Do you understand?” Grandpa growls. “And another thing. The wedding is off. There will be no wedding until Amani decides on her own that she wants to marry you, or you tender a heartfelt apology to her.”My heart freezes in my chest. Are my ears suddenly malfunctioning or did grandpa just call off our wedding?This night has been nothing short of one crazy disaster after the other. I can feel Bhyron’s eyes on me. I can tell that he’s murderous after the cancellation of our wedding, but I keep my eyes firmly lowered to the ground, choosing to avoid his gaze while struggling to process everything that’s happened.I thi
AMANI“Amani, come quickly. Bhyron has refused to let a doctor check on his wound. He said he’d only listen to you. Please, come out! His condition is critical and he won’t let anyone into his room…!”I hate Bhyron Macaulay. I swear I do. But the second those words fall from Duke’s lips, I open my door faster than Flash himself. I should be ashamed of my weak self-will but there’s no time.Panic engulfs my thudding heart as I step into the hallway. Duke is still dressed in his rumpled three piece suit, but his entire expression is twisted with worry. I look down, noticing a bunch of keys in his grip.“Duke? What happened? Where’s Zuri?”“Zuri is absolutely fine. She’s asleep in my room. But Bhyron is an entirely different case. He was responding to us until ten minutes ago. I don’t want to be negative, but I really think he’s not okay. He was bleeding profusely. If he continues like this, he’ll die.”He’ll die. Those words should bring me immense satisfaction. Instead, a strange, pa
AMANIDuke appears beside me in a flash, stretching his hand towards Bhyron, his face twisted with worry;“Bhyron, let’s get you to a hospital. You need to treat your injury. If it gets infected…”Bhyron staggers backwards, his face firmly lowered to the ground. My heart tightens painfully. At that moment, he looks nothing like New York’s most eligible bachelor or the dark, gorgeous anime character that I’ve come to know. He looks nothing like the confident, fearless Bhyron Macaulay. Instead, he looks small… defeated.He finally lifts his eyes to mine and the wounded expression in his eyes ignites the guilt already festering in my chest. He stretches his injured hand to me and my gaze falls on his blood soaked shirt. His suit is nowhere to be seen. His once sparkling white shirt is ruined with bloody, crimson spots. Finally, I make up my mind. I turn to Duke and say as bravely as I can; “Don’t worry. I’ll take care of him.”I hear Bhyron’s hiss of relief and it only adds to the bu
AMANITHE NEXT MORNING“Amani!! My daughter’s home!” Those are the first words I hear when I walk down the grand stairs at exactly ten AM in the morning, and it comes from Mrs. Alice Ayutthaya. Bhyron’s grandmother.My heart tugs with happiness at the sight of her. Grandma Alice is a sixty year old tall glass of beauty. I kid you not, at the age of sixty, her hair is long, healthy and lustrous, her skin is shining, her green eyes sparkling brighter than a glass held up to sunlight and her face is devoid of wrinkles.Grandpa Ayuttahaya calls her his jewel, and he prides himself in how well he takes care of her. “Grandma.” I whisper as I quicken my pace towards her.I pause in front of her, unsure of what to do. After Bhyron ghosted me, I disappeared for six years and cut off contact with everyone related to him. I was too heartbroken to check in on his grandparents. I don’t know if Grandma Alice is genuinely happy to see me again. But all my confusion is sorted when her eyes soft
AMANI God, everything hurts. The wild banshee in my brain is back, and it’s screaming at the top of its lungs. I feel like shit and I’m pretty sure I look like shit, too.My eyelids flutter open and I wince as the bright white light pierces my poor eyeballs.“It hurts.” I whisper softly. “The light’s too bright.” Then I hear his voice. It slips through the fog in my brain, calming me and soothing my aches like nothing else ever will.“She’s awake! Adjust the lights, Duke. Her eyes are hurting.”The lights are adjusted immediately and my heart beats frantically as my eyes rove the room in search of him.Bhyron Macaulay. My husband.Finally, his face fills my vision and I break into a loopy smile. “Bhyron…”“Hi, my pretty baby.” His voice, strong and husky and soft all at the same time wafts over me like a comforting blanket.Wait. His eyes are red. Was he crying?Even if it hurts like hell, I raise my hand and trail a finger across the wet tracks on his face.“Were you crying?”“Don
BHYRONEIGHT MONTHS LATER…“I’m sorry, sir, but your wife’s condition is extremely critical. She will not be able to push this baby. We’ll have to perform an emergency C-section if we want both of them alive and healthy.” Five hours ago, Amani’s water broke. We were having a mini family dinner with everyone in attendance when it happened. She was only eight months and two weeks along so it came as an unexpected surprise. I’d tried my absolute best to keep her healthy during the course of the pregnancy. I don’t understand where I went wrong. I’m pretty sure I read every pregnancy book on the earth’s surface. My wife is stubborn as hell but I always managed to keep her on a good diet and ensure she exercised daily. Right now, a part of me registers that I’m panicking. This is all my fault. Definitely my fault. I must’ve done something wrong. I didn’t take care of her properly. I missed a step. I overlooked something…“Mr. Macaulay, I’m still waiting for your response.” The doctor’s u
AMANII’m scared, shocked and shaken to the core, and I don’t think I’ll ever get over the cold expression in Mrs. Emily’s eyes when she spoke about her late sister. Grandpa Ayutthaya never mentioned that he had a daughter who died during childbirth. How strange.But the main reason for my fear is Bhyron.He hasn’t said a single word since we left Beauty and Roses. Not one word.I tried to talk to him, to cajole him into saying something…into telling me how he felt. But I got nothing. Nada. Zilch.He just urged me into the car, wrapped me in his arms, pressed his nose to my neck and remained that way until we arrived at the penthouse. Now he’s inside his office behind closed doors, and he’s been there for the past two hours.I’m gradually losing my mind.“Duke, I don’t know what to do anymore. I don’t wanna disturb him. I’m scared that he won’t speak to me. Help!!.”I’ve been on the phone with Duke for the past five minutes, explaining what happened.“Take him on a mini vacation, Ama
BHYRONThe past few days have just been a rollercoaster of revelations. It’s crazy how so many secrets can be swept under the rug for years. It’s even more appalling how lives can be ruptured by these secrets within seconds.I asked my mother for an urgent meeting and of course, she tried to come up with excuses. But I told her in a not-so-kind tone that we had something important to discuss. Then I hung up. I’m not sure if she’d actually want to see me, but something tells me that I need to speak to her. Today.I want to send Amani home but she’s feeling a bit nauseous so I’ve decided to keep her by my side. I need to keep a close eye on her.Right now, we’re walking through my mother’s clothing company, Beauty and Roses, Amani’s smaller hands firmly clasped in mine.“Oh, Mr. Macaulay. Your mother already informed me of your coming. She’s waiting for you in the office.” I nod at Carla, the receptionist. “Sure. Thanks.”Seconds later, I’m knocking on the heavy oak door. The door swi
AMANI“I want to see grandpa today.” I mutter excitedly as I fly down the stairs.I woke up an hour ago to an empty bed. Bhyron was gone, but there was a note on the bedside table that made my heart flutter.“Little Caramel,I prepared a scented bath for you. Soak in it so you can relax. Afterwards, come downstairs for breakfast. Your husband is waiting.”I literally swooned all the way to the bathroom.If anyone had told me that Bhyron and I would be together today, I would’ve probably laughed on their faces. But here I am, skipping across the penthouse, my heart giddy at the thought of seeing him again after I’d all but slept inside his skin last night.I love him so much. “Bhyron!” I squeal when I arrive at the dining room.My husband looks up and his whole face lights up when he sees me. God, this man is gorgeous. Too gorgeous.He’s clean shaven this morning and dressed in a blue sweater that does magical things for his eyes. I can spot black slacks beneath. Does this mean he’s n
AMANI“Duncan, get the car ready. We’re going back to the Hope Fortress in the next five minutes.” Bhyron’s voice swims like a fog above me, pressing into my tired brain as the sound of sirens fade into the distance. He swings me into his arms and I cling onto his neck for dear life, burrowing into his chest, breathing him in.God, he smells so good. I would give anything to slide under his skin right about now. “Baby, are you okay?” He whispers as he lifts me through the revolving glass door. “How are you feeling?”“Tired.” I mumble pitifully. My emotions are all over the place. Tears currently sting my eyes but I chalk it up to pregnancy hormones.I’m just glad it’s all over. I’m glad that King Murder is finally going to jail. I hope he gets a death sentence for all his atrocities. His death would never bring back the hundreds of children he kidnapped, sold and killed, but its a start in the right direction. A monster like him does not deserve any more chances at life.When we fi
AMANIBhyron hasn’t said a single word since Sharon announced herself. Beneath my palm, his shoulders are stiff as a rock. His gaze, cold and blank, is firmly fixed on Sharon. The bitch doesn’t even have the decency to look ashamed of herself. She pats her belly with a smug expression, holding his gaze head on.“Sharon.” He seethes. “Start explaining. Now.”She shrugs unapologetically and lifts her chin. “My explanation is simple, Byron. I don’t owe you one. I tried to get us married the first time and you abandoned me at the altar. I tried again but you kept choosing her over me!” She snaps, jabbing a finger in my direction. “You and I went through so much together after she disappeared. I was by your side while you tried to build your business. But the moment Amani returned, you tossed me to the gutters like I meant nothing!”She flicks a glance at her perfectly manicured fingernails and lets out a cold chuckle..“Did you expect me to spend the rest of my life waiting for you? I m
AMANIOkay, what in the actual fuck is going on here?!I turn around and panic grips my throat like a vice as I watch Zuri stumble backwards, her eyes wide and hazy with shock.“Zuri!” Without thinking, I pull away from Bhyron and lunge towards her, grabbing her before she falls to the concrete floor.“Zuri. Baby, can you hear me?” Fear slithers down my back when she doesn’t respond. Her eyes are wide open and she’s looking straight at me, but she seems distant, almost like she’s fallen into a trance.“Bhyron, she’s not responding!”A shadow falls over me and I look up to find Duke staring down at us — at Zuri — his eyes flashing with a deadly mixture of fear, worry and rage.“Give her to me.”It’s a command. Not a request.I don’t bother arguing. I hand Zuri over to him, my heart squeezing as I watch the big man delicately maneuver my best friend into the safety of his arms. He strokes a lock of her curly blue hair out of her eyes, lowers his face to hers and whispers softly; “Zu
BHYRONThere’s something very suspicious about this entire situation. After the disaster of our wedding, I went on a fucking rampage. I burned and destroyed every single last one of King Murder’s properties that came within my reach while he went into hiding. Thinking about it now, my blood heats with the fierce hint of violence.I have to give to him, he was wise enough to hide. Because only the devil would’ve been able to look at his body once I was done with him, if I’d gotten my hands on the bastard then. I hold Amani’s soft, smaller hand in mine, still amazed by her show of strength. Yes, I would rather she stayed back at the office and out of harm’s way, but there was something about the defiant spark on her eyes when she told me she’d like to confront King Murder that stirred my stony heart.I make sure to keep her behind me, shielded by my body as we make our way down the hall. I flick a glance at our joined hands and my heart beats a painful, comforting rhythm.She didn’t p