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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
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All Because I Kissed a Stranger Mr. and Mrs. Thorne
CATHERINEI had a dream. I was running through a dark tunnel. Shouts and rough grunts echoed behind me. I couldn't understand them. I only knew that if I stopped, I would die. So I kept running, even though my lungs burned and my muscles turned into stone. I was cold. I was hopeless. I was alone…‘You can stop now, Catherine,’ someone's voice coaxed. ‘You can go back.’The voice sounded familiar, although it was etheric and breathy. It didn't seem to come from one place. It vibrated around me. It pierced through me. I wasn't even sure if it came from the tunnel or I heard it in my mind.‘Catherine, stop.’ The sound was gentle, pleasant, and yet filled with strength and confidence.I slowed my pace, then dug my heels into the cold ground. “Mom?” I whispered, looking around as if the voice could somehow materialize.‘Go back,’ she said. ‘He's waiting for you.’Hot tears gathered in my eyes. “He?” I croaked.‘It's over, Catherine.’ A warm smile filled every note. ‘Go there. Celebrate your
All Because I Kissed a Stranger Waiting
A hand on my shoulder jerked me awake. Wincing in discomfort, I straightened up in my seat and blinked, adjusting my vision. The sympathetic smile on Lazar's face told me I must have looked like shit. His eyes drifted to the side of the bed where I held Catherine's hand.“No changes, I see,” he muttered.I looked at his sleeping great-niece and shook my head. Then I turned to him and cleared my throat. “The doctors say this might take a while before she wakes up.”The night she had gotten shot, I'd nearly lost my mind. Luckily, Lazar's doctors had taken care of her immediately. Ironically, the shot might have been the thing that saved her. The massive blood loss had lessened the Pink Opium's effect, and after the blood transfusion, the poisonous drug had left her body.Lazar fixed his eyes on me. “But… she will wake up.” I wasn't sure whether it was a statement or a question, but I still nodded. A sliver of relief relaxed his features, but then he clenched his fists. “I should have pr
All Because I Kissed a Stranger To Death
My finger turned heavier, curling on the trigger as I imagined his brain splattered all over this fucking corridor. But I wasn't the only one feeling bloodthirst. Dante wanted to kill me just as badly; I saw it in his rage-burning eyes. He tried to mask it with cold amusement, but I could nearly taste the fury radiating from him.“Is she inside?” he purred, jerking his chin at the ajar-open door to the storage. “Such a stubborn little thing, isn't she? She's dying because of that stubbornness.”Every fiber within me filled with lethal calm. “You did this to her? You gave her the Pink Opium?”The fucker smiled, triggering a new urge. No. He wouldn't die from a single bullet. He deserved to be skinned alive and torn to fucking little pieces.He lifted his gun, aiming at my head. “She will die within an hour. The latest booster works that way. Although, I have to admit she used it well. Did she tell you she killed five of ours until the initial effect wore off?” Cold laughter slipped free
All Because I Kissed a Stranger Anything For Her
HUNTER“Explain to me again, why do we trust this guy?” Rowan grunted as we marched through the tunnel.“We don't trust him,” I corrected. “We're taking a necessary risk.”Rowan glanced at Remo and Ferro as if hoping they would back him up. Luckily for them, they kept their mouth shut. Rowan, however, chose otherwise. “This looks like a trap. Why would this guy, who's apparently Lagunov's general, help us get into their fortress through some backdoor? It doesn't make sense!”I gave him a wry smile but didn't slow my pace. “I don't get it either. Then again, he had a chance to kill me twice. He didn't even try. Maybe he actually wants to switch sides.”Rowan gave me a look. “He killed Arianna without remorse.”“Perhaps he can't work around every order Lagunov gives him,” I reasoned. “Or maybe he simply hated Arianna.”“That I can imagine,” Remo commented dryly.Rowan lined up with me. “Basically, you dragged us into those tunnels because he wrote something about the documents signed by
All Because I Kissed a Stranger Survive
Twenty-four hours had passed without Dante showing up in my prison cell, but that hadn't made me relax even for a second. I had been on constant alert, listening to every sound coming from the corridor. My muscles tensed every time I heard someone approaching my door, but I knew that I finally had to get some sleep…I'd used Maxim's trick to block the handle, but even then I allowed myself to rest for merely three hours. Drifting into a deep sleep wasn't an option, although I realized my body would soon run on fumes.My anxieties threatened to devour me, but each time I was close to panic, Maxim's words appeared in my mind. “They're coming, Catherine,” I mumbled to myself. “Just hold on a little longer.”A few more hours had passed, and I was slowly losing the fight to keep my eyes open. I was on the verge of falling into unawareness when the sound of heavy footsteps made me jerk up to my feet. Barefoot, I rushed to unblock the door. A second later, the door slammed open, and three me
All Because I Kissed a Stranger Breaking the Leash
My whole body began to rattle, and a high-pitched tone rang in my ears. It was a struggle not to fall apart as I silently prayed Hunter was alive. But if they had attacked the estate in Scarsdale, how many people had they killed? What about Gianna, Ferro, Enzo, Remo, or Rowan?“Thank you, Maxim.” Aleks Lagunov's icy laugh tore me out of my frantic thoughts. “That's great news,” he crooned as his eyes shifted to me. “Not so great news for you, I'm afraid. You see, Catherine, I can assure you that no one will come for you. Tomorrow, we will attack the Fedorov's estate and crush Lazar's little army. We know more than a little about your plans…” He pointed at one of the Italians sitting by the table. “Mr. Messino was kind enough to share more than a few details.”My hands fisted into tight balls. “Fucking traitor,” I strained through my teeth.Messino glared at me, but Lagunov laughed. “Such feistiness… Just like Katerina.” Then he locked his eyes on me, a grim smile stretching his lips.
All Because I Kissed a Stranger The Predators and the Prey
CATHERINEI couldn't sleep. Drifting into unawareness in this place was more terrifying than Dante's presence in my room. I was exhausted, but my adrenaline levels were high enough to keep me constantly awake.Nearly every sound coming from the corridor made me flinch. The heavy steps brought chills down my spine, and the deep, cold laughter caused my stomach to roil. Dante hadn't visited me again so far, but I knew he would come and demand my answer. As if he had given me a choice…Three times a day someone walked into my room, bringing me food—mostly a slice of bread and water, sometimes an apple. Those servants never looked at me or spoke except for barking out a few commands. They had uncuffed my hand twice. Only for a minute, and only so I could take care of my physiological needs. Then I was cuffed again.I began to think I might lose my mind should I stay in this room and in this bed another day. My whole body began to ache, and I spent hours trying to shift the chain to make m
All Because I Kissed a Stranger The Siege
“Where are the fucking darts?!” Remo shouted through the communicator. “I've literally stuffed those fuckers with bullets, and they're still attacking the gates!”“Get a grip. You're not the only one pissed off by those zombie cunts,” Rowan hissed as he released another empty clip.All my men had been trying to fend off the attack at our gates for over an hour now. So far, the defenses we had installed around the estate turned out to be unbreachable, but those drug-fueled soldiers were relentless in their attempts to bring our fences down.“Enzo said the darts are on the way,” I said, aiming my gun at one of the bloodshot-eyed fuckers charging at the western gate. “In the meantime, aim for the heads.”Most of my suit was coated with blood. I hadn't had the time to change, and those renegades didn't die easily. Blood formed a red mist around our borders, and countless bodies lined the ground. Their losses were far greater than ours, but they kept coming, kept attacking…“Guys, I'm runn
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
