Longer updates will resume tomorrow again, readers. Apologies x x x
AryaDimitri is sitting opposite me at the breakfast table, but something seems off. He’s been quiet since we parted ways for bed last night, and that silence has bled over to this morning.“Is everything okay?” I ask, breaking the silence, and his head whips up to face me, as if my words shook him out of his own thoughts.“Yes, of course. Why do you ask?” I sigh and put down my utensils. “Well, you’ve been deathly quiet this morning, and now it looks like you’ve got the entire world on your shoulders.” He frowns when I say this, then sits back in his chair and crosses his arms. “I won’t be able to accompany you home this morning; in fact, I don’t think I’ll be able to see you until tomorrow evening. My brother is sending Nikolai and me to DC to deal with some…issues.” He says.“Oh, Mitya,” I say and shake my head. “Why would that upset you? We’ve spent more time together these past few days than we ever have before.”“I know; but I wanted to be there with you when you faced your fa
AryaI was right about Nova; she’s the sweetest, most genuine person I have ever met. There’s no hostility or fake niceties from her at all, not like with other people. When she speaks to me, she actually looks into my eyes and seems to not even notice the scars on my face. I want to be friends with her, but I hope my negativity hasn’t pushed her away.But now, I have something else to take care of, and as I look up at our mansion, I steel my heart and walk inside. I have decided to speak with my father first as he needs to know about my plans, then I’ll face my mother and sister. Spending the weekend with Dimitri and being around his powerful family has done something to me; I hope that confidence shows in me now.Not only that, but something occurred to me while I lay in bed alone last night, something that I didn’t want to be true, but I knew it was. Something that equally broke and hardened my heart. I need to put a stop to it now that I know the truth and Dante’s words make their
Dimitri“They mistook Nova for Arya after she left the Falcone mansion this afternoon.”An accident - one that could have resulted in Arya’s deathHow could something like this happen the second Nikolai and I step out of New York?! Why did this happen?! I watch as Nikolai’s soul leaves his body the minute he opens that hospital room door, and guilt pools into my heart. His mate got harmed because of me, because they mistook her for mine. They both have blonde hair, so I suppose it’s true but still… How do I face Nikolai after this?“Dimitri,” Kai’s voice cuts through my thoughts, and I look up into his eyes. He’s angry because this happened, but I have a feeling that he knows more than he’s letting on.“You know something,” I say, and he nods.“This wasn’t because Arya is supposedly taking over; Dante DiMaggio orchestrated the hit.”When he mentions that name, confusion hits me right in the gut, and I take a step back. “DiMaggio? How? He’s supposed to be locked up in Falcone’s baseme
Dimitri Arya fell asleep almost immediately after the shower. Even as she tried to act brave and confident, today was an emotionally draining day for her. In the short period of time I’ve known her, she’s always been gentle, so the fact that she’s taken two lives in the space of 24 hours still has to register with her. She will need me when she’s realised that she now has blood on her hands. /“Mitri, are you there?”/ The voice of Nikolai comes through the mind link. /“Yeah, I am. How's Nova? Is everything okay?”/ /“She’s awake and healing, so things are looking positive for now. Listen, Nova told me something about Arya, something she picked up on.”/ My heart drops when he says this, but I tell him to go on even as I dread to know what that little librarian has discovered. /“Fear, thick and suffocating, was rippling off of Arya when she went to drop her off at home. It was almost as if she feared going home for some reason.”/ I sigh, pulling Arya closer to me and kissing her fo
Arya It’s been almost a week to the day that I killed my father and Dante, nearly a week since I took a life without a wavering heart. And almost a week since the blood won’t wash from my hands. I see it as clear as day, but nobody else does. It stains my hands, even as I eat, even as I touch Dimitri and stroke his face. I don’t know how to get rid of it; no matter how much I scrub my hands raw, the stains remain as if it has soaked deep into my skin; my tattooed shame. Dimitri said that it still has to hit me, that the repercussions for taking a life is each death chipping at more of your soul. He’s done it for years, and it’s still not an easy thing to do, whether the person deserved it or not. Did that advice help? Hell no, it didn’t, but I needed to hear it. If taking a life is still a difficult feat for an Enforcer, then perhaps my guilt is normal. “Mistress, Mr Volkov is here,” one of my men tells me, and I permit him to allow entry. As much as I wanted this to be Dimitri,
AryaNova’s call the other day was to reach out to me and ask me to join her and the other two Volkova ladies for a weekend away before her birthday and wedding. I said yes in the hopes of making me forget about everything going on, yet as I sat in the SUV on the way to the cabin, the space between the silence was stifling.Something felt off, and the conversation was extremely forced. Even Nova didn’t talk as much as she usually does. I wonder if I should ask Nova about it; would she know? Ah, maybe I’m just imagining things!After packing, I inhale to calm my heart before setting off for Nova’s room. She’s the only one I would call a friend right now, and I need to talk to someone before I scream. Breathing out, I knock on the bedroom door and crack it open a little bit. Nova smiles when she sees me and beckons me over.“Settling in?” She asks, closing the drawers and looking my way.“I am, or rather I’m trying to. Thank you for including me in this,” I ask as my eyes involuntarily
AryaKai is gripping my neck so hard that I feel myself losing consciousness. Why…why would he do this to me?! Did I do something wrong?! I grab his hand, and I realise that they’re both slick with blood, and my heart drops…did he kill someone? Is he going to kill me as well?!Before I can even think of anything else, he lifts me higher, then throws me to the side, and I go flying. I anticipate a hard, painful landing that will probably break a few bones and am surprised to find another body breaking my fall.“Keep your head down, Arya,” Lilith whispers, her eyes not leaving Kai, and when I turn around, I see Caterina approaching him. “Why are you here?” Caterina asks in a tone of voice I never would have expected a woman like her to possess. She is merely standing there, but I can tell she’s on the defensive - but why?“Why is Kai here?” I ask Lilith while wiping the blood from my hands.“That’s not Kai,” is all she says, and I see her eyes turn to silver right in front of me…the ex
DimitriI have to do this; if I don’t, then I’ll regret it for the rest of my life. He ruined my life. For over ten years I could do nothing as my body moved, and I betrayed my family, and now he has led me to betray my mate.Daniil Volkov needs to die, and tonight I’m going to kill him.Grabbing a new set of silver daggers and Berettas, I strap them to my holster and am just about to walk out when my elevator opens and Kai steps inside. He sees me dressed up in war garb and sighs.“Where are you off to, little brother?” he asks, walking over to me and crossing his arms. I have a feeling he knows what I’m about to do. That bastard Nikolai must have told him something is up.“I’m ending this,” I say, walking past him, but he grabs my forearm so hard that I can feel the bones about to fracture. “Kai-”“Are you leaving the pack?” he asks, and my head whips to face him, but he’s not even looking my way. “What? Why would I leave the pack?” I ask incredulously.Kai turns his head and meets