Lisa's words hung in the air like a dust cloud threatening to consume the inhabitants of the room.Wordlessly, Luna stood up from the bed and walked towards the little kitchen that was sequestered in a corner of the room. The coffee machine was already filled with hot coffee. She poured some into two tea cups. Turning to face Lisa, she noticed that Lisa had left the bay windows. She was now seated on one corner of the bed, her hands fidgeting with the hems of her gown. Luna walked over to her and handed her a cup of coffee. She sat down near her and wordlessly sipped from her own cup. The silence continued.Suddenly, Lisa drew in a quick breath. “Luna. I'm so sorry. I don't know why I said that. I shouldn't have….I….” Lisa's voice tapered off. Luna turned to her, placing a steady hand on her shoulder. “No need to apologize. We all go through emotional tussles. It's fine. I understand.” Luna's voice was soft and encouraging, like a sister who was consoling another. Lisa sipped ging
“Damn! Lisa was right.” Luna whispered to herself as she threw herself on her bed after a long day of wedding preparations. The big day before D-Day.Luna was tired. Her head was banging and she didn't have the strength to drag herself to take a shower. She needed a minute to reactivate her muscles. Thinking about her experiences that day only brought her more misery. Flashback: 12 hours agoThe day started slowly. With the other bridesmaids in attendance, Luna escorted Lisa to the designer who was in charge of trimming and streamlining Lisa's wedding gown. It escalated into a gruesome process of measuring, fitting, additions and removals of fabrics. Luna was exasperated. Along the line, the other designers who were in charge of the bridesmaids' dresses also came for their own rounds of fittings, measurements, additions and removals. At the end of it all, Luna was starting to feel irritable and itchy. However, she didn't show it on her face. After the dress fittings, they trooped i
The morning air was filled with the scent of fresh roses and the quiet hum of anticipation. Inside Lisa’s bridal suite, a flurry of activity unfolded. Makeup artists, hair stylists and fashion stylists were buzzing around, attending to the needs of the bridal train. But amidst the chaos, Luna stood still, staring at her reflection in the full-length mirror. Her chief bridesmaid’s dress was a subtle masterpiece—an off-the-shoulder gown adorned with delicate lace embroidery that shimmered under the soft lighting. The bodice hugged her torso perfectly before flowing down her legs. Her long dark curls were styled into soft waves, pinned to one side with a jeweled clip. She looked different.“Oh my God, Luna,” one of the bridesmaids gasped, hands over her mouth. “You are really rocking that gown!” Another bridesmaid clutched her chest. “The eligible bachelors in attendance will be swarming around you.” Lisa blushed, running a hand over the gown. “Do you think so?” “Absolutely. You
Luna watched as Sebastian scanned the crowd with watchful eyes. He was obviously looking for her. Her heart raced, her breaths quickened and her hands felt clammy. Sebastian was here. This was what she had been expecting. So why did she feel so anxious?Her breath hitched when she locked eyes with Sebastian. He had seen her. Time slowed. The noise from the party faded into the background. In that moment, it was just the two of them, staring into each other's eyes. Words weren't said, but emotions were communicated telepathically. A lot of emotions.Luna watched as Sebastian walked slowly towards her. In Spite of the hectic week that she was sure he had waded through, he still looked unfazed. He looked as impeccable as ever— a plain white Versace shirt tucked into black pants, and a pair of Italian leather shoes. His imposing height and build made him hard to miss. As he walked, various eyes—mostly women's —watched him, desire evident in their stares. He walked with the practiced s
The music and the chatters from the wedding guests were beginning to amp up. The guests were obviously fueled by the booze in their systems. The atmosphere was becoming rowdy. Sebastian watched as a tipsy man walked into a wall and broke his nose. Some attendants rushed to his aid and ushered him out of the room. Sebastian sighed as he guided Luna to a quieter section of the ballroom. “Yeah. I know I just landed. But I can't be away for too long. This is a very crucial moment for my firm. I wasn't even supposed to leave, but I had to make an excuse to come see you. That was irresponsible of me, but I really needed to see you. I couldn't bear the thought of you alone and waiting. Unfortunately, I can't stay for long. I even had to switch off my phone, to avoid calls from my team and associates. My secretary can handle the pressure for just one day—today.” Sebastian explained, his eyes fixed on Luna's.Luna was speechless. She nodded her head in silent agreement.Sebastian sighed in re
The receptionist smiled as she saw Luna walk through the lobby door. She was however surprised to see a man following closely behind her with a briefcase in hand. She blushed as she mentally appreciated the man's attractive frame. He was handsome, tall and with a domineering physique. His eyes were sharp and beautiful. She was torn out of her reverie by a snap of fingers in front of her face. She quickly descended from cloud nine. “Aloha Ms. Luna. How may I be of service?” She asked professionally. Luna cleared her throat as she watched the receptionist cautiously. “Good day. I'm here to inquire about the hotel's policy on customers who have plus ones.” She stated.The receptionist stole another quick glance at Sebastian, who was standing beside Luna with a look of seriousness on his face. She turned to face Luna. “Well, according to the hotel's protocol, plus ones are entitled to either share lodgings with their other half or they can request for separate lodgings if they want.”
Luna stood motionless, shocked to the bones. Her sudden gasp had rooted Sebastian to a spot too. He looked at her, a look of bewilderment on his face.He hadn't realized his mistake yet.Luna's eyes shuttled quickly between Sebastian's face and his bare upper torso. She wasn't expecting to be cooped up in a room with her boss, who was bare bodied. Judging by the way his clothes always fit his frame, she had always known that he had a well built frame. However, she hadn't expected to be privy to the bare frame standing before her. JesusHis body was dynamite. She peeked at the toned muscles of his arms, the broadness of his shoulders and chest and lastly the firm outlook of his abdomen. Luna was confused at her behavior. She had obviously seen a lot of bare chested men before. The beach was a perfect place to get a daily dosage of bare chested men. However, Sebastian’s body had this mysterious effect on her. Unlike most hardcore gym rats, Sebastian's frame wasn't as sharply chiseled
The silence in the room was chilling. The moonlight aggressively shone through the bay windows, illuminating the two inhabitants of the room; one sitting and the other standing; both caught in a web of sexual tension.Luna was speechless. She tried to talk, but no sounds came forth. Time slowed. She could clearly count her heart beats as they thumped wildly in her chest.“Luna. Tell me to let go. Please.” Sebastian's voice was deep, but she could hear the cracks in it. She summoned up courage and faced him. She looked into his eyes. His eyes were enchanting, deep pools that could drown a fish. “Please. Don't let go.” Her voice was low, demanding and pleading at the same time. Sebastian groaned. In a blink of an eye, he stood up and pinned Luna against the bay window. She was trapped. Her chest rose and fell in quick succession. Sebastian held both her hands above her head. He stared down at her with wanton desire. His jaw tightened. He could see the outline of her puckered nipples
Two Months After The Shootout The courtroom had been silent when the judge read the sentence. Life Imprisonment Alexander Mason, once a feared man, had sat expressionless as the verdict was delivered. His fate had been sealed—the culmination of years of crime, deceit, and brutality. The United States government had wasted no time in securing his extradition. The evidence against him was overwhelming: the murder of Jake Morgan and Jung Yen, the torture and grievous bodily harm inflicted on Sebastian’s mother, Luna, Lin and his funding of a terrorist cell (Black Sentinel).There had been no grand farewell or dramatic objection from him; just a simple nod as the gavel came down, condemning him to a lifetime behind bars. His reign of terror had ended. In the weeks that followed, Thomas and Sebastian worked closely with the local authorities in Vietnam. With Alexander gone, the Black Sentinel crumbled, their remaining members either arrested or fleeing into the unknown. The contraban
Five Hours EarlierThe convoy moved steadily along the winding dirt road, a line of black Humvees and trucks kicking up clouds of dust under the gaze of the moon. Inside one of them, Sebastian sat with his hands bound, his jaw clenched. Lin and Luna sat beside him, equally restrained. Across from them, Alexander Mason sat, a smirk tugging at the corner of his lips. Sebastian had expected many things when Alexander’s men had dragged Luna, Lin and him, bagged their heads and tossed them into the van, but the sight that greeted him when he had reoriented himself was not one of them. The moment his eyes landed on her, his breath caught in his throat.“Mum?” His voice cracked, disbelief rendering him momentarily frozen. Her eyes widened, and before anyone could react, Sebastian lunged forward, pulling her into his arms. Her thin frame trembled as she clung to him fiercely, her silent sobs shaking her body. “You’re alive.” Sebastian whispered, as he deepened the hug.Alexander chuckl
Thomas adjusted his night-vision binoculars and focused on the camp below. Locating the camp after Jasper's direction wasn't hard, coupled with the fact that they had high-tech surveillance devices. The camp was a hive of activity, armed personnels moving swiftly in all directions. From their vantage point, he and his team had a clear view of the entire setup. The black tent in the center caught his attention again. Jasper had been clear. That was where Sebastian's mother was being held.However, getting into the camp wasn't going to be easy. It was heavily guarded and its location in the centre of the camp was a tactical nightmare. Thomas arched his brow as he noticed a pattern. There was a tall, bearded man, immaculately dressed, who strolled leisurely around the camp. As he walked, soldiers paused and slightly bowed to him in respect. This led Thomas to believe that the man held some sort of high authority. He was definitely the top dog in the camp, the shot caller. Thomas zoo
Sebastian’s head hung low, blood dripping from his temple. His wrists were raw from the metal shackles that bound him to the wooden post. His body screamed with pain from the beatings, but he had endured worse. He would not break. He just hoped that Jasper had been able to escape and call for help.Lin was slumped beside him, barely conscious. Her face was swollen, her lip split open. They had fought. They had endured.With a venomous stare, he spat out a lump of blood on the boot of his torturer. The torturer was a bulky, dark man who had been tuning them up for days in search of information. He had proven to be an unyielding captor, and the fact that Sebastian and Lin refused to talk infuriated him. A knock vibrated the door. The torturer's attention snapped to the door. He had instructed his minions not to interrupt him whenever he was at work. With an irritated voice, he snapped.“Who's there?” He bellowed.No response.Sebastian and Lin exchanged weak glances. They were glad fo
Jasper’s breath came in ragged gasps as he sprinted through the dense undergrowth. Twigs snapped underfoot, branches tore at his arms, and the darkness seemed to press against him from all sides. After running and simultaneously scanning his environment for hours, he had done it.He had escaped the camp.But now what? Realization dawned on him. Adrenaline had driven him out of the camp, but now that the rush was fading, reality set in.Where the hell was he?The jungle was vast and like a green void. He had no compass, no map, and no idea how far he had run. He sighed as he mentally facepalmed himself.He had been so reckless.How was he going to locate the shore where the boat had been hidden?He forced himself to keep moving. There was no turning back. As the hours stretched into days, Jasper’s pace slowed. His legs burned, his lips cracked from dehydration, and his stomach twisted painfully from hunger. No food. No water. The sun was relentless, beating down on him thro
Jasper had begun to believe his father had abandoned him again. Days had passed without any word from him. It was therefore surprising when his father strode into his tent on a cold evening. His father stood at the entrance of the tent, a smug look on his face. Jasper hated how unaffected Alexander looked. He clenched his fists. “Where are my friends?” “They’re fine.” His father replied him, his voice devoid of emotion.Jasper studied him. He didn't believe anything he said.“I want to see them.” His father exhaled through his nose. “That won’t be happening.” Before Jasper could retort, Alexander held up a hand to cut him short. “I didn't come here to banter words with you. I came here to give you a choice.” Jasper’s jaw tightened. “What choice?” “You leave this island. Tomorrow morning, a helicopter will arrive. You’ll board it, and you’ll forget you ever saw me.” Jasper stared at him in disbelief and confusion.“Excuse me?” He inquired.“You heard me.” Jasper let out
Two days passed by in quick succession. Ever since Alexander stormed out of the tent, he hadn't returned. The only people who had entered and left the tent were the nurse who came to change his bandage and the maids who came to drop off food and water for Jasper and the strange woman I'm the corner. Two days confined in a space with a mute woman who was like a lifeless husk—unwilling to socialize. The morning of the third day, Alexander decided to bless Jasper with his presence. Jasper sat on the edge of his chair, his father’s piercing gaze locking onto him like a predator studying its prey. Without any form of pleasantries, Alexander decided to swoop in for the kill. “Let’s try this again.” He said, his voice calm but firm. “My apologies. I wasn't entirely honest with you. Your friend Jung is in custody, that you already know. However, we also managed to capture two other people plus the commando-lady we picked up two weeks ago. They've already been questioned and I have to give i
Jasper groaned as he stirred, pain radiating from his injured leg. His mind was foggy, the lingering effects of morphine dulling his senses. As his mind cleared, the first thing he registered was the smell of roasted coffee beans. Last time he checked, they weren't on a vacation island which provides luxuries like hot frothy coffee. With a huff, he sat up and properly assessed his surroundings. He was in a tent, that much he could deduce. The tent was well furnished, two plush couches arranged perpendicular to each other, a large shiny oak table in the centre, maps and documents spread across it, expensive-looking artworks propped up against the foot of the tent and another king-sized bed situated in the opposite corner of the tent. Glancing at his foot, he noticed that it had been neatly wrapped up with clean bandages. He sighed.His nostrils traced the source of the coffee smell. It came from a coffee pot which was placed on a tray with cups on a table in the corner of the tent. T
From the shadows, figures emerged. At least five of them, dressed in a mixture of camouflage and dark clothing, their faces partially covered with cloth. Each one wielded a weapon—rifles, machetes, even crossbows.The leader, a tall man with a bald head, stepped closer. Unlike the other men, he didn't cover his face with a cloth. From the slant of his eyes, he seemed to be of oriental origin. However, his English was surprisingly clear and well-pronounced. “Who are you? And what are you doing on this island?” His voice boomed and reverberated around the forest floor. Sebastian's mind whirled as he tried to figure out the best way out of their current predicament. Looking at the men, it was evident that they weren't government military personnels; instead, they looked like the pirates that Lin had warned them about. Sebastian exchanged a tense glance with Luna. He knew one thing for certain. They were in serious trouble.“We are researchers, on a research mission to uncover the w