Demitri POVLeaving Alissia with Lucas was hard. There was something in Lucas’s eyes, a glint of amusement, like he had a plan—something he wasn’t telling me. But I left, trusting she would be fine. Still, it didn’t sit right. Not with the way she looked at him, not with the way Lucas seemed to thrive on her attention. I should have stayed, but I didn’t.When I return, Axel is waiting for me, leaning casually against the wall, his arms crossed and an amused smirk on his face.“Finally decided to come back, huh?” he teases. “Thought maybe you got lost or something. You know you missed an important meeting this morning, right?”I shoot him a glare, but he’s not wrong. I completely forgot about the meeting. My mind’s been tangled up in Alissia. “I was… occupied,” I say, brushing past him toward the hallway.Axel follows, his smirk growing wider. “Occupied, huh? Didn’t know ‘occupied’ was code for spending the night with a certain writer. Seems like Lucas wasn’t the only one with a plan.”
Demitri POVWe stop and look around the warehouse.Axel leans in close, lowering his voice. “The shipment should arrive within the week, and the diamonds will be split for distribution in three different countries—France, Switzerland, and Dubai. Security’s tight on all ends, but you know how these things go. There’s always a risk of something slipping through the cracks.”I nod, watching as a crate is pried open nearby, revealing several small, velvet-lined boxes inside. Each contains diamonds—each sparkling like they hold secrets of their own. These stones could make or break the deal with Felipe tomorrow, but that’s not what worries me.No, what worries me is Alissia. Taking her to this meeting is playing with fire, and I’m not sure she understands just how quickly she could get burned.“Let’s get this over with,” I mutter, nodding toward the men in the office. “Then I’ll figure out how to handle tomorrow.”I push open the door to the office, the scent of stale cigars and whiskey hi
AlissiaI wake up to Demitri leaning over me, and I instantly hate him for it. The sleep was too good, too peaceful, and now it’s shattered by his presence. I roll out of Jenni’s bed, still half-asleep, and stumble into my room for a quick shower.Once I’m dressed—choosing a skirt and shirt that feel professional enough—I slip on my shoes and head out. As I walk into the living room, I catch Lucas and Demitri locked in a silent battle of glares. Fantastic. Not this again. I sigh, aiming for the kitchen, but Demitri’s hand shoots out, catching my arm before I can get far.“No time for that. We’ll grab you coffee on the way,” he says, his tone as smooth and controlled as ever. “Say goodbye to your serial killer friend.” His mockery is laced with amusement, but I can practically feel Lucas bristling behind me.I give Demitri a pointed look, then turn to Lucas. “Thanks for protecting me from all his... paranoia,” I quip, knowing it will get under Demitri’s skin.Lucas smirks, stepping for
Alissia POV“El Cuervo,” Demitri greets him, his voice respectful but firm.Salazar’s eyes shift to me, scanning me with a disconcerting intensity. “And who is this?” His voice is gravelly, accented, like each word is weighed carefully.“This is Alissia,” Demitri says, his hand still resting on my back. “She’s my personal assistant. Slowly learning the business.”Salazar’s eyes flicker with amusement, but there’s a hardness to his gaze. “Learning? This is no place for an amateur, Demitri. Can she be trusted?”Demitri stands tall, his expression unwavering. “She follows my orders. She can be trusted.”Salazar takes a step closer, his eyes narrowing as if he’s testing me, pushing for a reaction. “I don’t trust easily, Demitri. Not in this business. If she’s here, she must prove her loyalty.”The room feels smaller, the tension thicker. Demitri’s voice cuts through the silence. “Alissia, pour Salazar a drink.”Simple enough, right? But the way he says it, the demand in his tone, makes my
Demitri’s POVI watch as Salazar rises, satisfied with our conversation, but my mind is elsewhere. Alissia. Her defiance burns in my mind like a brand, twisting my frustration into something deeper, darker. She followed Salazar’s orders without hesitation, but when I command her, she pushes back like it’s a game.Why? Why does she challenge me so relentlessly? She wants to see my world, but she doesn’t respect its rules. That will get her killed. Worse, it will make me look weak. And weakness, in this life, is fatal.Salazar clasps my hand, his cold, calculating smile still in place as he bids his farewell. “A pleasure, as always, Demitri. Keep her in line, will you? It would be a shame to waste someone with such... spirit.” He chuckles, his gaze flickering to Alissia before turning away.I don’t respond. I just nod, my jaw clenched tight. As soon as the door closes behind Salazar, the air shifts. Silence fills the room, but it’s thick, charged with something unspoken. Alissia stands
Demitri POVI let go of her chin and take a step back, giving her space but not taking my eyes off her. “I’m not your enemy, Alissia. But if you keep testing me like this, you’ll find out exactly how dangerous I can be. And believe me, that’s not what you want.”She watches me, her expression a mix of frustration and something else—something I can’t quite place yet. “You don’t scare me, Demitri,” she whispers, but her voice wavers just enough to let me know that’s a lie.I smile, just a hint of satisfaction in it. “I don’t need to scare you. I just need you to understand the rules. Follow them, and you’ll get everything you want. Defy them, and you’ll lose control of this situation faster than you can imagine.”Her jaw tightens, and she lets out a breath like she’s trying to regain her composure. But I can see it now—she’s rattled, even if she doesn’t want to admit it.She finally turns away, her shoulders tense. “You’re exhausting, you know that?”“You’re not making this easy either,
AlissiaI storm away from Demitri, refusing to give him the control he craves so desperately. I know, deep down, I’ll have to give in eventually, but not now. Right now, I’m holding the reins, and it feels damn good. Besides, it’s one less obstacle for me to handle tomorrow night while I’m dancing.As I put more distance between myself and the warehouse, I wave down a taxi. By the time I climb inside and tell the driver my address, I’m already trying to shake off the encounter. It’s barely eight in the morning, and Demitri’s little power play with Salazar lasted only half an hour. It felt more like a rushed visit than anything substantial.I wonder... if I told them all that I’ve had enough, would they back off? At least for tomorrow night? Let me breathe, let me dance without them hovering over my shoulder. I know they’ll be back after that, but a little freedom for one night would make everything so much easier.Months have passed since I submitted that video to dance at Saints and
Alissia POVAs I sit down, I glance at the screen where the live feeds are playing, and something catches my eye. “Wait... did you actually get inside their house?” I point at the screen, where a dress is hung on the back of the door.Blake smirks, clearly pleased with himself. “Yup. Wife’s at work, so I snuck in, tapped into their cameras. Oh, and I may have sent the boss a little gift.” His grin widens, and I groan.“What did you do now?” I ask, trying to suppress a laugh as I lean in closer to the screen.“Just watch.” He gestures toward the office camera, his eyes glinting with mischief. I lean in, staring at the screen as the boss sits at his desk, typing away. Then, right on cue, the guy he’s having an affair with walks in.“Same time, like clockwork,” Blake says, sounding way too smug.I watch the scene unfold, feeling like a voyeur in someone else’s dirty secret. They don’t waste time. Clothes start hitting the floor, and before I know it, I’m watching what can only be describ
Alissia POVLeaning in, I press my lips against his, feeling the heat between us ignite instantly. Lucas’s hands slide along my bare thighs, fingers digging into my flesh as he pulls me closer. His mouth moves urgently against mine, and his tongue slides past my lips, claiming my mouth as I grind against him, drawing a low groan from his throat. The scent of him—woodsy with a hint of metal—fills my senses, deepening my craving.My fingers fumble to unfasten his trousers, feeling the heat and strength under my touch. Without hesitation, he grabs the waistband of my underwear, tearing them away with a swift pull. I whimper in anticipation, my hand wrapping around his hard length, feeling the pulse of need between us as I stroke him slowly.He holds my hips, lifting me just enough so I’m kneeling over him. Then, lowe
AlissiaI woke up with a slight ache from my toe and hobbled out to find Blake and Lucas, who were comfortably lounging around. They told me Demitri’s busy working, so I settled in with ice on my foot. When Demitri came back, he had my laptop.Saying a quick thanks I fire up my laptop. It feels great to have it back; I need to dive back into my story and make some serious changes. Hours slip by as I get lost in my writing, adjusting each scene with renewed inspiration, aware of the occasional glances from both Blake and Lucas. They’re watching me; I can practically feel their eyes on me.“Food’s here,” Blake announces, breaking my focus. I stretch and close the laptop, realizing how much time has flown by.“I’ll take some down to grumpy,” I say, grabbing two plates and standing up, a bit wobbly on my injured foot.Blake smirks. “You sure you can manage?”I roll my e
DemitriI stand, gathering my things. “Alright, you two stay here with her,” I say, already moving toward the door.Lucas straightens, arms crossed. “Excuse me?”I stop, barely glancing back. “What? I’ve got things to handle. Just stay here, keep an eye on her.”He doesn’t budge. “I thought we agreed to work on this together, not with you throwing orders around and expecting us to nod along.”I grit my teeth, realizing quickly that this whole “working together” idea is going to be more complicated than I’d hoped. “Fine,” I say, trying to rein in my tone. “Could you please stay here with her and make sure she doesn’t get any ideas, like raiding this place for a gun?”Blake smirks. “She won’t find them. Never mind been clever enough to crack the safe.”I glare at him. “How long have you been in my system?&r
Demitri POVBlake considers this, and then, with a calculating gleam, he sits back, tapping his fingers against the arm of his chair. “If we rearrange the lyrics or analyze any embedded patterns, it might reveal something. I’ve got a decryption program we could run this through, see if there’s anything coded in it.”Lucas, sprawled on the couch with his legs stretched out, chuckles and shoots me an amused look. “So, let me get this straight – this month isn’t just going to be about dealing with each other, but a treasure hunt too? And let me guess, half the time we’ll be reeling her back in whenever she’s caught up in her own messes?”I smirk, glancing at the hallway toward Alissia’s room. “She’s probably holding back more than she’s letting on. If we’re going to keep her safe – and in one place – we’ll need to figure this out.”Blake crosses
DemitriWatching Lucas lounge around, casually amused by the situation, I feel the tension coil even tighter. Every part of me wants to throw them out, lock the doors, and keep Alissia to myself. But I agreed to this ridiculous arrangement, so here we are, all trying to make sense of a damn lullaby while balancing on the edge of a fragile truce.Lucas breaks my thoughts, giving me that lazy, observant look of his. “You know,” he starts, voice low and deliberate. “Have you ever considered that Alissia might have ADHD or something? I mean, think about it—she’s all about keeping control, always shifting her focus, diving into everything at full speed…”I groan, rubbing my temples. “Lucas, now’s not the time for an armchair diagnosis,” I snap. “We’ve got bigger issues&m
Lucas POVAlissia rolls her eyes. “So, what’s the big discussion? You’ve already told me my toe is fractured and that I need ice. Done, right?”Demitri narrows his eyes. “Stop acting like a brat, Alissia. I’m talking about us—this,” he gestures between the three of us. “This isn’t nothing.”She crosses her arms. “This is nothing, Demitri. It can never be anything. That’s why I keep saying I’m staying single.”He groans in frustration, rubbing his temples as if she’s giving him a headache. “You can’t keep saying you’re staying single.”“Why not?” she challenges. “You’re not willing to share unless I push you too far. You three are completely different, constantly battling each other. It won’t work. I’ll stay single.”She’s not entirely wrong, but she’s not entirely right either. I decide to speak up. “We can work through our differences, Alissia. Yeah, we’re different, but that’s what makes this interesting. I enjoy the chase, Blake thrives i
Lucas Alissia sits sulking in the back, and I can’t help but chuckle at the irony of her breaking her toe. Of all the ways to end her little game, kicking a door barefoot was a bit anticlimactic. Demitri had to carry her out of her apartment without shoes after she refused to go out and talk to him, which made it even funnier. The fact she forgot she didn't have shoes on. She had been running around and didn't notice she was barefoot. “Are you more upset over the broken toe or that your fun in tormenting us got cut short?” I ask, smirking. Her glare could melt ice. “I’m more upset that he called for backup!” She shoots a heated look at Demitri. “So much for making me choose, that changed fast.” Yeah, that threw me too. Demitri had been acting like a possessive maniac, determined
Alissia POVI’m taking a leap, hoping Lucas is telling the truth. My arms wrap around his neck as he lifts me effortlessly, our lips crashing together. I let my hands drop, unfastening his trousers with quick, urgent movements. Before I can even fully process it, his hands are on me, positioning me just right, and he thrusts into me without hesitation. The sensation of the cold metal piercings sends a jolt through my body, making me moan against his mouth. His hips slam into me, each movement rough and unrelenting. I scream, but his hand immediately covers my mouth, muffling the sound.“Shh...” He chuckles, thrusting into me harder. “Unless you want them to hear and come running.”His hips move in a steady rhythm at first, slowly building intensity, each thrust deeper than the last. His free hand snakes into my hair, tugging hard and pulling my head back, though the wall behind me prevents him from getting the angle he wants. Not satisfied, he shifts, turning us
AlissiaI can’t stop laughing as I sprint away from Demitri. Axel’s amused expression follows me as I dash past the looming warehouses. My plan is simple—hide in one, wait until Demitri starts searching the closest, then sneak back out and make a break for the road. Easy, right? Well, it would be if I wasn’t entirely lost. I’ve never even noticed this place before, and now I have no idea where I am, only that I’m running blindly.I slip into one of the warehouses, crouching by a dusty window, heart pounding. I peek out, scanning the area for any sign of Demitri. Nothing. Has he given up? Doubtful. I’m about to step out, convinced maybe I’ve shaken him, when I catch a glimpse of him entering the building next door. Crap.With a burst of adrenaline, I move quickly, ready to sprint back towards the road, but then I freeze. Blake. Standing right in my path. Double crap. I spin on my heel and take off in the opposite direction, praying there’s another exit or some kind of hidden alley I ca