LUCAI had just embarrassed myself in the presence of Lily. She saw my weakness and shame, something I so desperately guard. After the embarrassing moment at my penthouse, I dropped Lily off without saying a word to her, not even goodbye. I have locked myself in my house the whole day wallowing in self pity. It's getting dark and although I have a business meeting with Smith, I don't plan on leaving my mansion let alone going to where Lily lives.Sinking deeper into the bubble bath, I vigorously scrub my body to wash off the pain. The guilt. The hurt. But no matter how I try, these things will always be part of me. The pain of watching my father abused my mother for so many years. The guilt of letting him kill her. If only I had done something...The guilt of my mother's death is eating me alive.I scrub harder against my skin. I don't care if my flesh tear off from my bone, maybe that's exactly what I want. The voices in my head are growing louder, taunting me.'They are all the sam
LUCA The party is full of life. Bodies moving in perfect unison with the loud thumping of the background music, sounds of laughter and clinking of glasses, the sharp smell of liquor and cigar filling the air. Neon lights fading out the faces of the clubbers. I grab Lily's wrist firmly while pushing through sweaty, horny bodies. My eyes darts across the room and stop at the sight of an empty stool by the bar. "There's only one stool." Lily tells me as I pull her with me towards the bar. I smirk at her. "Not for long." Beside the empty stool is a girl who appears both lost and lonely. I comb my tan fingers through my hair summoning all the seductive wit I possess, I lean slightly on the bar top facing the girl whose seat I'm about to colonize. "Hey you want to dance?" Her eyes lifts from the empty glass before her, and the moment there lock on mine. She's awestruck. Yes, I always have that effect on women. There's a hint of familiarity in her face. Oh no. Clara, or Chole. T
LILY. I stir on my bed stretching my hands over my head and yawning with my mouth open. I drowsily open my eyes and rise to a sitting position. My head is throbbing from last night. I close my eyes shut trying to recall the events of the previous day. Kiss. Party. Drinks. Fight. Arrest. I groan and jump off from my head. Drawing down the curtain and squinting as the harsh sunlight invade my bedroom. I stretch my hands and yawn again before settling back on my bed. Luca was arrested last night for battery, affray and attempted murder. Despite his cold demeanor, I knew he was jealous when he saw me with that boy. Maybe I wanted to make him mad for calling me a messy virgin but I didn't know how dangerous he could get when he was angry. The moment Luca did the thoughtful act of defending me from an inappropriate proposition. I felt something light and velvety flutter in my stomach. A butterfly. Then a thousand butterflies started fluttering in my stomach for Luca. I cried all
LILY "Breath." He commands. His voice is too deep, it reaches my stomach and caress my senses. I obey by inhaling and exhaling. His hands drops from my waist and I almost voice my protest. He clears his throat and push me away from him. His rejection hits like a kick in the gut. Sensing the moment is over, I step way from him until there's enough space for me to breath. The whore in me does one more assessment of him. If I ever said this man was handsome, then I'm an idiot because this man is. Devastingly. Hot. "Why are you here?" His signature scowl is back on his face. "I-I came to check on you." "To see how much of a mess I am? So that you can go tell your daddy and have him come over and whoop my ass?" What is he talking about? "Sorry about last night." I stretch out my hands that's holding the bag of mom's homemade cookies which I know Luca can never resist. "I brought cookies for..." I stop talking midway and stare at the new figure that has just joined Luca in the
LILY"West says he won't be available this weekend. He has some stuffs to sort out at college, but he will try to sneak out within the week." Tiffany and I are laying side by side on my bed with our faces glued to the ceiling. I turn to face her, probing myself on an elbow. "Your boyfriend really loves you.""Yes. He does Lily. West is the absolute best. I got the pills today!" She squeals and I join her because I know the implication of getting the pills. She's ready to hit it. "Are you ready?" I still ask."Duh." Her eyes are full of excitement as she laughs. "I've been ready since I was eight. I was just waiting to find my prince charming. I have bought the smuttiest books of all time, so that I can know what to do and how to do it.""West really gives you the chills and the burns?""Lily, he makes me feel. I feel like I was made from his rib." Tiffany eyes are so dreamy as she talks about West. "He is mine. You know how you just meet someone and you know that he was made for you.
LILYIt's been two weeks since I last saw Luca, but who is counting?I want him, I know he wants me, isn't that enough? But Luca always has a thousand and one reasons why we can't get involved, and well most of them may be correct. The fact that I'm too young for him. He is too bad for me. He only does one night stands. I want a relationship. He's dark. I'm a hopeless romantic. I have been so preoccupied with thoughts of Luca to the extent that characters in my favorite books remind me of him, my favorite song makes me remember how our kiss felt, and the books I read somehow, always manage to mention his name.This man has ruined me.But today I'm pushing all thoughts of Luca to the shelf and focusing on I and Tiffany's to-do-list, I've been just a horrible friend putting on hold for way too long. Today, we're ticking off summer to do list number one - adrenaline pumping activity.The activity we agreed on is very dangerous, that is why we picked today. It's still early in the morni
LILY"I...uhm. I should probably get going." Is Tiffany still here? I had already tuned her out. "I'm sorry Lily. Get well soon."I eye her suspiciously. Everything she says doesn't make sense. Get out bestie!She mouths with a mischievous glint. "I don't want to be the third wheel. You two obviously have something going on." Her voice increases two volumes louder. "Take care of my friend, Luca.""I will." He answers without turning around. We remain in the same position until Tiffany's car fades out. Luca redraws his finger and I almost whimper in pleasure. He raise his finger to his eye level and succinctly examine it. His finger is wet. And sticky. My face is red with embarrassment. Luca stands up and without asking carries me in his arms. "You should rest now."I'm about to protest that I can walk but I decide against it. His arms are so warm and strong. He drifts towards my house and kicks the door open with his leg and enter in. He is about to turn in the direction of my room
LILY"Tonight's party, we're going all out. We will party still midnight."My eyes grow wide with shock. "My curfew is 10.00pm.""Oh that's on you. You have to convince your daddy to let you stay out till midnight." I hate when Tiffany sends me to do the tough tasks but well, this is my father we are talking about I don't expect her to ask him on my behalf. Tonight, we're looking forward to ticking off summer-to-do-list number two and saving me from going insane. After the accident that took place on our yard and my mom walking in on Luca and I kissing, I've been locked indoors in the name of healing, it was my mom's idea, she never told my dad what she saw, so I knew it was her way of punishing me. Tiffany was not allowed to visit, only nurses and maids attended to me, there was no new book in my library to read and I think my mom intentionally blocked my network connection. I had plenty time to do absolutely nothing but think about Luca, even dream about him sneaking into my bedr
SAMANTHA'S POV I feel so stupid right now. After everything my husband has done for me, this is how I repay him—by ditching him on our wedding.The grumpy officer bangs heavily on the metal gate of our cell. "Wake up; your family is here; you are going home." He unlocks it and holds it open for us. I tap my girls to wake up, and I rush over to the officer. "How did they know that...""Don't ask me any questions." He spits.We all run out of the cell to meet everyone. Luca looks pissed, Lily looks really mad, and West... well, West looks disappointed. In me. "I'm sorry." I try to touch West's hands, but he flinches. "It's 6:45 am. The wedding is by 7:00 am." West walks out without another word to me. Lily and Luca walk out as well. Great! I collect my property and rush out to join them in West's limousine, with Stacy, Alice, and Maria following behind me.It doesn't take up to five seconds for us to reach the mansion, or maybe it's just my thinking, but I don't dare to check the time
SAMANTHA'S POV "Come on, wear something hot." Alice tugs at my arm."Are you crazy? I'm a married woman.""You are not yet a married woman; it's still tomorrow. For what it is worth, today is your spinster's eve."I'm not dressing indecently, and that's on period. This is a little too much now." I light the dress with the tip of my finger to show how disgusting it is. "This is the kind of thing I should wear for my honeymoon, for West's eyes only, not to a damn club full of people.""Huh," Alice shakes her head. "You have not really enjoyed your life; now you are getting married?""Why are we even still going through? Lily is not coming. The men are having theirs in a cafe, and we are going to the club. I don't know why, but I don't feel right about this. I don't know what my mind is making me feel like something bad has happened or is about to happen. I don't know if it has something to do with Lily warning me to be careful. "Of course we are ladies; we have to go to a club." Alice
SAMANTHA'S POV "How do you feel?" A voice calls out to me. "Sam." The voice is familiar. "Are you still asleep? Wake up!"I stir on the bed, obeying the order; my eyes fly open; the room is too bright. My eyes close on their own accord; taking time to get acquainted with the light, they reopen, and that's when I look around. I'm on a hospital bed? "Why am I on a hospital bed?" I mutter to myself. I can't really remember clearly the events of the last few hours, but I know I'm pregnant. My fingers roam across the bump on my belly...but it feels flatter. I look down. "Where is my baby?""Relax. Our baby is fine." The familiar voice reassures me as I feel a set of strong fingers wrap around my fingers. West.I turn to him and notice a plaster on his shoulder; red backs and bruises on his exposed skin bring back the ugly memories. I was kidnapped; I was taken care of. Tiffany brought a doctor that tried to cut my belly open; my West helped me push out our baby. I smile. "Thank you, honey
LILY'S POV"Everybody in this van is bleeding and needs medical attention; please, driver, speed on!" I tap on Maria's seat.Maria triples the speed of the car, flying over road bumps and bumping into lightweight trees, and we are lucky we are still driving in the lonely part of the city; else those light trees would have been people.I turn to Samantha, whose eyes are now shut. "Sam?" I look up to West, who is holding her in his arms; his neck is hanging loosely to the side. He is asleep, and his shoulder is bleeding. "There is no first aid box in this van?" I turn to Danny, who is being attended to by one of the females in his gang, Clara. He signals me that she will come to us soon. I turn back to Samantha, whose eyes are still closed. "Samantha. Samantha!" I shout and shake her body, drawing the attention of Luca and West. "What is wrong?""Is she okay?""She is not answering." I reply to them, my eyelids wet with tears as I continue shaking her."Samantha!" West rested his head
WEST'S POV"Run!!" Luca shouts. "Go with the baby and Sam."Thank goodness, I'm a hulk; I place my baby on my back and wrap another cloth over her tightly on my chest. I do everything with demon speed. I lift my fiancée in my arms and walk out through the back door. I check both sides; it's really cleared. I memorized the map in my hands before shoving it into my pants pocket, and we started moving out through the bush tracks.We are still in close range of the building when a voice calls out. "You need any assistance, though, man?"I turn to my left to find a redhead watching me. I shake my head. "I don't need help.""Why? We could really be of help."The next voice is from my right side. Another man is watching me. That's odd. No one was supposed to be on this bush track. Don't panic. West. Don't panic. I ignore them and try to refocus on my task. "West!" That voice is familiar. Too familiar, and that is because I have known the bearer my whole life, or almost my whole life.I turn
WEST'S POVMy first thought is to carry her out of here and take her to a hospital, but the van we brought is packed more than 100 miles away. There is still a set of bodyguards waiting for us at the entrance or already coming after us, but the way I'm seeing Sam right now, I don't think we have the luxury of time to waste. We will deliver the baby!I fold the sleeves of my hoodies, and my eyes land on the bedside desk, which looks like an operation table because of the things on it: a syringe, a pack of hand gloves, cotton wool, a pad, towels, a blanket, and a knife. "Is it safe to use this?"She nods. "They brought a doctor. She wanted to force my baby out."What? Is that how devilish Tiffany can be? I want to find her and kill her right away, but I have to wait and attend to Sam first; she is more important. I stretch to the table and open the pack of gloves, and I remove a pair.A loud gunshot pierces through the air as violent men rush in. I cover my body partially over Sam, look
LILY'S POV"Oh my gosh! I feel like I'm in a movie scene right now. I told you, Maria. I felt like something crazy was about to happen to us." I look around the silk van that was arranged by one of my husband's friends. It is screaming top assassin machinery with the black leather seats, speaker, radio, and TV on the top and dark-tinted glass and all of Maria's electronic gadgets and wires, and oh, don't get me started with the demon speed of this vehicle. "Well, here we are." Maria laughs. She had successfully arranged the fake business deal between us and Viktor. "Yes, Clara, keep moving." She says.We watch Clara and Austin carry briefcases each and confidently stroll through the gate. The empire is in the middle of nowhere with tall bushes surrounding the skyscraper kind of fence. It's the kind of building that screams danger from afar. The guard by the gate is well stocked with rifles and arms on every part of his chest and arms. We can see him stretch out his hands to Clara and
LILY'S POV"Welcome in! I hear you have news about my sister. How is she? My husband informed me of your arrival." I adjust the denim dress I have on as I step aside and open the door wider for the guest to enter in."Hi, good morning." He enters in, tall and tough-looking; the man I believe is Donny walks in. "Your sister is perfectly fine." Assures me.I move to close the door, but a tougher-looking man enters in, and another, and soon a small battalion is congregating in my living room. I look around in confusion; my husband had only informed me of one man, Donny. "Welcome all." I smile, trying not to look receptive."After they are all seated, it doesn't take long for the familiar sound of my husband's car to roll in. Luca, West, and Maria, a girl Tiffany had introduced to us as her friend from New Voices Co, help themselves into the living room, and we begin the business of the day.Donny takes the floor to talk to us all on the current state of affairs. "Sam is in Vicktor's camp
SAMANTHA'S POVTiffany! I should have ended her when I had the chance. I rise to my feet angrily, causing the chair to stumble and fall backwards. "A restraining order couldn't fucking do it?" Sam. Is Sam missing? No. I start pacing around, tousling my hair like a lunatic. Where do I find her? Tiffany! I'm so mad at myself to think that I waited this much precious time chasing after dust when... How do I even find Tiffany?"What is going on in that mind of yours?" Luca's voice draws me back to reality."I...." How do I put everything I'm feeling in one word? "Tiffany...Sam. Sam is missing!""What?""How can Sam be missing?" Two distinct female voices cry from the doorway.I turn around to see two ladies rushing into the office. Alice and Stacy. "Do you know where she went to from the mall?""Home." She turns to the other girl. "Isn't it, Stacy? Where else will she go? What happened to her? The girl's eyes look so glassy as if she is about to cry. Why?Luca stands from his chair. "I w