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The Price
Last Updated:
2024-12-06 03:35:53
MadlainQThank you for reading another chapter ❤️I apologize for adding this one so late, but it's hard to concentrate when you're on painkillers the whole day 😔 Now I can only hope I'll get better soon. Otherwise, the updates will be slower for a while. Hope you're still enjoying the story, and thank you so much for all your support 🥹
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All Because I Kissed a Stranger Waiting
CATHERINEI had spent most of the day placing my clothes and things in Hunter's chambers. I was only moving my stuff through two corridors, yet it felt like moving to another city. Luckily, Gianna showed up at my side to help me with this task.Hunter hadn't lied about the space for the two of us. Gianna told me those chambers had belonged to old Mr. and Mrs. Cartelli and were initially designed for the couple. I hadn't noticed it before, but some parts were nearly empty, such as one side of the walk-in closet. It looked like it had been this way for a while as if waiting for the new Mrs. Thorne.Still, this new situation was overwhelming. This was his private space; it had been for years. How was I supposed to make it mine as well? A part of me was certain I would always feel like a slightly unwanted guest who would move out as soon as Hunter officially became Don Cartelli. But there was also a different part of me, a part that felt I belonged here…“Once again, I'm so sorry I haven'
Last Updated : 2024-12-07All Because I Kissed a Stranger Piece of Evidence
HUNTER“Blue balls it is,” I grunted as Rowan and I passed the prison corridor in the northern part of the estate.We rarely used prison cells; those we chose to eliminate were hardly ever valuable enough to be kept alive. Marcelo Blandini was an exception—or rather, was supposed to be an exception. Perhaps I shouldn't be pissed that he was dead; he would have died anyway. But I hadn't given this cunt permission to fucking die before I found out what I needed.Rowan dipped his head, leveling his eye with the scanner. Then he typed the code on the panel, and the doors finally opened. We walked inside, hurriedly passing several empty cells before stopping in front of the last one—Blandini's cell.Four guards stood in the corridor, their expressions grim, their jaws tense. I motioned my chin at one of them, and he opened the cell. I entered, and my hands curled into fists. That fucker had torn his shirt to form a makeshift rope. He'd used it to loop through the iron bars in the small win
Last Updated : 2024-12-08All Because I Kissed a Stranger Too Peaceful
CATHERINEI felt a gentle stroke on my cheek. “Wake up, firecracker.” Hunter's lips nearly brushed my ear.My thighs clenched in response. Smiling, I opened my eyes and lazily turned to face him. He was sitting on my side of the bed, already dressed in a charcoal three-piece suit. A faint disappointment wiped my smile away. “I overslept again, didn't I?” I said with a hoarse, sleepy voice.He breathed out a laugh and shook his head. “It's little after eight.”I glanced at his side of the bed and noticed the sheets were untouched. “Did you sleep at all?”He scratched the back of his neck. “Not really.”My brows knitted. “You need to rest.”All of the traces of his amusement faded, and his eyes fixed on me. “Something happened… I mean, we found a lead in Marcelo Blandini's documents.”I rose to sit, my eyes widening. “Is this about Connor's death? You found the one who gave him the drugs?”“Well, that too… sort of.” His lips twitched into a brief half-smile before his face turned grim a
Last Updated : 2024-12-08All Because I Kissed a Stranger Tricked
Sitting in the restaurant with my father felt strange. The last time we had sat together, just the two of us, we had been in his office when I had come begging him to help my mom. Now I was the one sitting comfortably while he seemed oddly tense. All the more I wondered what this was about.He stayed silent for a minute, observing me. He examined my black Versace blazer and pants and my delicate but carefully applied makeup. His lips pursed as he realized the obvious change, not the clothes or cosmetics, but confidence. I was no longer the scared girl he had used to repair his company's image. He must have known that before inviting me here. He experienced it first-hand at the wedding. It visibly made him feel uncomfortable, perhaps even triggered his irritation. Well, I surely wasn't going to make this conversation any easier for him.I leaned back in my seat and fixed my eyes on him. “Well?”He corrected the lapels of his dark gray suit jacket and cleared his throat. “How's your mot
Last Updated : 2024-12-09All Because I Kissed a Stranger Confrontation
“Here, drink this.” Fifi handed me a glass of… something. It had a light amber color and reeked of alcohol, but perhaps this was what I needed right now.I'd called Fifi as soon as I left the restaurant, and currently, I was sitting in her office, trying to piece together everything I had heard. I stared at the liquor for a moment before pouring it down my throat. I winced at the searing sensation. “What the hell did you give me?”She shrugged. “One of my uncles makes it. Strong, isn't it?”I coughed, hurriedly grabbing a glass of water and gulping it down. “This should come with some warning!”A small smile appeared. “At least you no longer resemble a ghost.”I sighed and slumped on the sofa. “Fifi… it's bad. What I heard from Father seriously messed me up. If it's true, then—”“You don't know if it's true,” she reminded me. “Right now, you know only your father's version, and it's based on the words of a psychopath.”I exhaled slowly and nodded. “You're right, but… what if it's true
Last Updated : 2024-12-10All Because I Kissed a Stranger Framed
HUNTERRowan entered my study and halted as soon as he found me sitting in the armchair, whiskey glass in hand. His brows rose. “I thought you'd be fucking your wife now. The last thing I expected was to find you here,” he said, strolling toward the three-piece suit.One side of my lips twitched. “Change of plans,” I grunted, pointing at the half-empty decanter on the coffee table. “Join me.”He breathed out a laugh before grabbing a glass and helping himself with the whiskey. “Gladly.” He slumped down on the sofa, his eyes fixed on me, studying me, assessing me. “Want to tell me what happened?”I tilted my head back. “Her father is a larger pain in the ass than I thought he'd be.”“What did he do this time?”A wry smile twisted my lips. “He talked with Grasso and matched the dots. Then he told Catherine I planned it all so she had no other choice but to come to me.”Rowan cursed and drank from his glass. “So what did you tell her?”“The truth.”His eyes narrowed. “What version of the
Last Updated : 2024-12-11All Because I Kissed a Stranger Interrogation
I stared at the few pale-faced club employees standing close to the bar. It was Monday, so the club was closed to the public. Perhaps it was fortunate. At least this whole search wouldn't cause a scandal… or at least not right away.I ignored Sullivan and Prescott and walked over to our staff. “Who was responsible for stocking supplies?” I looked around and saw a single hand raised.A young man with curly blond hair stepped forward, his whole body trembling. “I checked the entire bar just three hours ago. Those packages…” He pointed at the drugs, now carefully packed by two officers. “I've never seen them before. I swear!”I gave him a curt nod. “Good answer.”I turned to Rowan. He was on the phone talking to Enzo, informing him of our situation. Before I could tell him anything, the two detectives walked over, cold smiles on their faces. “Mr. Thorne, Mr. Pierce, you will come with us to the precinct.” Prescott looked at us and gestured at the door.I ground my teeth. “I want to call
Last Updated : 2024-12-11All Because I Kissed a Stranger Taking a Risk
CATHERINEIt was almost ten o'clock, and there were still no signs of Hunter. An hour ago, Ferro had told me something had happened in the club, and Hunter and Rowan had been taken to the police station for questioning. He'd assured me it was nothing serious, but I had a feeling he only tried to calm me down.I hadn't forgiven Hunter for all his scheming, and I wasn't sure I could ever fully forgive him, but that didn't mean I wanted anything bad to happen to him. And although I knew he and Rowan must have known how to deal with such circumstances, my restlessness grew by the second.“They should return any time now.” Gianna obviously tried to soothe my worries. “And in case of any problems, the Cartelli always had the best lawyers working for them. Even if the police wanted to keep them, I'm sure Mr. Noah De Santos will work something out.”I gave her a faint smile. “I hope you're right.”She grabbed the empty plate from my table, chuckling. “I am right. Besides, Ferro doesn't look w
Last Updated : 2024-12-12
Latest chapter
All Because I Kissed a Stranger Desperate
HUNTERTwenty-six hours passed since Catherine had been abducted, and we still couldn't locate where she was kept. Potentially, she could have been in one of over thirty estates owned by Aleks Lagunov. So far, we were trying to narrow that list down, but excluding each location took too much time…After more than a few hours of useless quarrels, Lazar and I had finally gathered all our allies under one roof—my roof. Certainly, this agreement hadn't eliminated the mutual hostility, which currently satiated the air in the meeting room so densely, breathing had become a struggle. Well, at least none of them had chosen to resort to violence… so far.We all sat at the large oval table with Lazar and me on the opposite sides. We exchanged meaningful looks, then Lazar cleared his throat, drawing everyone's attention. “My spies confirmed our previous suspicions… The Lagunov family's old estate was abandoned some time ago,” he said. “That means the renegades' main headquarters has to be elsewh
All Because I Kissed a Stranger Imprisoned
CATHERINEThe pulsing, sharp pain in the side of my head drew me toward awareness. The pounding seemed to increase each time I tried to open my eyes. My heart thundered, its rate matching the vicious pain in my head. I swallowed shallow breaths as if I were inches above the water and struggled to remain on the surface.Finally, my eyes jerked open, and I was blinded by the sudden brightness. I might have groaned, but I wasn't sure whether the sound left my throat or remained in my mind. My mouth was dry, and my tongue darted out, desperate to wet my lips.“Thirsty, Kitty Cat?”That voice sent chills down my spine. I blinked a few times, hoping my eyes would finally adapt to the light. I slowly turned my head to the source of the sound and saw Dante Cartelli's cold smile.I gasped, trying to move away from him. Only then did I realize I was lying on the bed with one hand cuffed and chained to the metal rod hanging above the headboard. The light filling the room was coming from the larg
All Because I Kissed a Stranger Security Protocol
The high-pitched tone kept ringing in my ears. My breath was labored, and my legs threatened to give up from under me. I failed her. I let them take her away. I should have done things differently. I should have assumed the worst and headed to that fucking lab faster. I shouldn't have hesitated. I should have just lunged at them and blown their fucking heads off.I forced another deep breath into my lungs, but my tightened ribcage refused to cooperate. I could barely focus on my surroundings. My mind kept replaying the moment the redhead had carried my unconscious firecracker into the van and then driven away…“They're all dead.” Rowan's voice dragged me out of my bewilderment. He walked over to me with a tight grimace twisting his lips. “A few we didn't kill committed suicide as soon as they figured out they lost. Others were killed by the drug.”“Fucking perfect.” I dragged my fingers through my hair. “Catherine is gone, and there's no one who could tell us where those fuckers took
All Because I Kissed a Stranger Emergency
HUNTERCatherine. Hearing she might be in danger knocked the air out of my lungs. I barked out several commands, grabbed my combat clothes and guns, and a moment later, I was inside the van, heading to the location Catherine had sent in her text.It wasn't far from Scarsdale, but we still needed time to get there. What if we came too late? No. We would make it. I couldn't let myself think otherwise.I shoved those thoughts away. I needed to focus. We rode in the column—five vans with my best men inside them. Ferro was driving the one I was in. I could see his firm grip on the wheel and rage burning in his eyes. I had rarely seen him this infuriated, but this was about Catherine, and I knew that he—just like the others in my team—would annihilate everyone who tried to hurt her.I called Lazar. His first team had just arrived and began to check the area, quickly confirming our suspicions: the renegades had surrounded the entire complex.My blood turned into molten lava. “Who else knew a
All Because I Kissed a Stranger Betrayed
My heart hammered against my chest. I looked around, but there was only him and me standing in that courtyard. I whirled around, trying to run, but then he grabbed my arm, violently pulling me to a halt.“Don't resist. It will hurt if you do.” His dark laugh sounded. He turned me toward him and pressed the gun to my temple. My breath hitched as I saw his finger slowly curling on the trigger. “He wanted you to live, but I could get away with killing you on the spot,” he purred.I believed him. He wanted me to give him a reason. Shit. I couldn't even risk calling out to Logan without provoking him. Not to mention that I would have been dead before Logan heard me…“I'll… behave,” I choked out.He huffed out a laugh. “Good girl.” He shifted his gun, pressing the barrel against my back as he pushed me toward a narrow passage. “Move,” he snarled.I was partially relieved he led me away from the lab, but that didn't exactly solve my problem. I started walking, cautiously glancing around. It
All Because I Kissed a Stranger So Close
CATHERINEI dropped the phone on the table and slumped down on the bed. My hands were shaking, and I could barely stop my hectic swirl of thoughts. The people I had laughed with a few days ago were slaughtered in their own house along with thirty members of the staff working for them.The renegades' attacks had become more frequent and more brutal than ever, and our new allies had grown impatient. My great-uncle told me to ignore them. He said he would handle them himself, but how could I let him when I caused it all?Vera or Nikolay had been coming to Lazar's office at least twice a day, asking for the Pink Opium. They kept pushing, demanding that Lazar tell them where our lab was. He wouldn't tell them anything, but I knew that their frequent visits had already been drawing too much attention. I would have lied had I said their reckless behavior hadn't made me anxious. I knew it was only a matter of time before the news about the complete Pink Opium formula reached the renegades' ea
All Because I Kissed a Stranger Building the Front
Exhaustion coated my feet like lead, turning each step into a struggle, but I couldn't allow myself to rest, not after what we had just found out. I rolled back my shoulders and walked into the salon where the rest of my Italian allies waited for the news.They occupied two leather sofas and two armchairs. Only Guido stood by the window, clearly avoiding my gaze as I entered. “Glad you're all here,” I said as my eyes swept through the room. Then I walked toward the seats, stopping in a place where I could see them all. “I bet you all want to know about the results of Arianna Pelligrini's interrogation.”I heard a quiet huff, and I didn't need to look to know it was Guido. He was the only one who already knew what Arianna had told us—he'd heard it all. Even now, a few hours after the interrogation had ended, I could feel the mix of rage and shame radiating from him.“Hope you learned something useful from your—as I believe—former fiancée.” Luca Barbieri gave me a meaningful look.I res
All Because I Kissed a Stranger First Answers
I walked over to Ferro, who leaned against the wall next to Arianna's cell. I jerked my chin at the door. “Did she behave?”A wicked smirk appeared. “She kept banging at the door and screaming for about an hour. Then she finally gave up and remained quiet ever since.”“I see.” I nodded before gesturing for him to open the door.He pulled out the key card but then halted and gave me a wry smile. “Boss… you don't have to do this. Remo and I can take care of the interrogation.”I almost laughed. “Your concern is unnecessary.” I clasped my hand on his shoulder. “Do you honestly believe I would feel sorry for someone who tried to kill me for my money?”“I see your point.” His lips formed a thin line. Then he nodded and opened the cell.The door creaked, revealing a dark cell. I pushed the door further, letting the dim light illuminate the small space. Then I noticed Arianna sitting on the floor with her legs curled up to her chest and hands wrapped around her knees. She was barefoot and dr
All Because I Kissed a Stranger One Step Closer
HUNTERI knew that showing up at this meeting was risky. Not to mention that my current allies had yet to find out about the changes they would be a part of. The mutual agreement would not come peacefully. They might have even more objections than the leaders at Lazar's table. But we had to start building this mutual front, and we had to do it now.I knew Catherine well enough to realize that something was off, and I knew I had to support her. It was crucial that none of the remaining Bratva leaders question her words. Fortunately, only Vera was overly curious about the drug and where it was produced. The new head of the Nikitin family helped shut her up. He seemed like a decent guy, and knowing the numbers of his family's soldiers, I wouldn't mind having him as my ally.The rest of the meeting had gone without incident. We all agreed we needed more information about Lagunov's army. A few shared the information they had on the renegades, but everyone was aware that this wasn't enough
