Elizabeth POV
'"The gates are about to be open, Lily." I announce, taking in deep breaths to calm my nervousness.
I was about to enter into the den of my enemy, I needed to be calm and cool otherwise I'd flop off my chance at the very beginning.
I was more nervous since I hadn't been able to get in touch with Lance. It's been two days already and no one has seen or heard from him.
"Does my ponytail still look good? I have a feeling I should let down my hair instead" Lily's voice echoed, interrupting my thoughts.
"You look okay." I respond, barely glancing at her hair. I had my focus on Adam in front.
"Just "Okay"? " She wailed, irritated byy response.
"Ugh. I knew I should've worn the blue dress! Look at these women, they're better dressed!" She whined.
"Trust me, Lily, you look better presentable for the role than they are." I say effortlessly, trying to lift up her spirit.
"Easy for you to say when you effortlessly look like a hot top model even if you had on a baggy jeans and shirt."
“Oh please,-” I started but was cut off by Lily's stare and sign to keep shut.
Just then, two hefty looking men approached us.
"Excuse you, Ma'am," One of them spoke, standing beside me. "But you have to come with us."
What was happening? Had they figured me out already? I quickly pressed on the five minutes countdown button on the emergency wristwatch Lance had given if I ever needed help or felt threatened.
"Why?" Lily jumped in and spread her arms impoulsively open like a protective barrier.
The men glared at her, "You don't ask silly questions here, Miss, you only have to do as you're told." The man behind chipped in.
“It's okay, Lily, I'll be fine,” I said assuring, betraying the turmoil in my heart.
Not wanting to cause trouble for Lily, I followed them.
The bastard smiled at me as I took the seat in front of him.
"Are you stalking me?" He asked, smirking.
"Well, if you consider being more popular after advertising that your need for a wife as stalking, then yes." I cover up immediately in case he is starting to catch up to something.
He stares deeply at me for a moment. I unsuspectingly turned off the emergency button.
"Why would you want to be married to a sick, dying man?"
'To get my revenge for the life you stole from me' I said inwardly, cringing at my bitterness.
"For the money of course! Why else would I want to be associated with a Mafia?"
He leaned into his seat and whispered something inaudible to one of his men.
I heard a commotion behind me, I turned to see the other women being forced to leave.
"What's happening?" I asked, scanning the crowd for Lily.
"We already found our bride." He grinned at me.
“Wait, what?” I said, but he silenced me by holding me towards an open place.
Following him for a stroll through the garden, I started to feel uncomfortable with the awkward silence.
"Your brother, what is he like?" I ask, trailing my hand on the lilies.
"My brother is... let's just say he's different. You'd get to know more once you move in with us. My men will pick you up as soon as you're packed and ready."
"Already?" I said, blurting out in surprise.
Turning to me, he looked surprised.
"Isn't that what you hoped for?" His tone hinted he was a little suspicious of me.
I hadn't expected to move in immediately. I needed time to come up with a brilliant plan and with Lance's help, I'll stay low on his radar.
"Ouch! Sorry." I bumped into him. I hadn't seen him stop moving.
"Do you have a hobby of bumping into people?" He said with a smirk, a cute smile danced across his lips.
For a moment, I saw him differently. His fine blonde hairstyle gelled to the back made his beautiful eyes and perfectly defined, strong jawline more pronounced.
I lowered my head and blinked, blocking out the thoughts of him ever looking charming to me. I couldn't loose concentration at this point.
"Sorry, I can be silly sometimes." I said, tucking my hair over my ears.
He scoffed. "What's your name?"
Lifting my head up, my face was almost touching his! My eyes widened, I didn't know he'd leaned in.
I cleared my throat and quickly regained my composure.
"Figured your men would've run a background check on me by now, or is that not so?"
He chuckled, lifting his head up.
"Think of it as an official introduction."
I was no fool, I knew he just wanted to verify the information he'd gotten about me. And as planned, I only gave what I wanted him to know.
"I also figured something out. You dared to approach me to get my attention first before any of these women did, didn't you?" He asked daringly.
I smirked.
"Smart, but pretty slow for a man like you."
'Finally catching up to something, huh?' I said in my head.
"Were you not afraid?"
"You were without your bodyguards," I reminded, "Why would I be afraid? I saw an opportunity and took it" I shrugged.
"You were stupid, I wasn't without security." He chuckled, shaking his head.
What did he mean? I clearly didn't see any guard with him that night.
"How so? There was no one by your side last I remembered. Harming you would've been so easy if I had that intentions"
"See, that is the trick. I own the club." He grinned weirdly.
He owned the club? I was stunned. It's little wonder why he was so carefree when I approached him.
Looking up at something, his face stiffened. I want to turn around and investigate, but he dismisses me in a rush.
I went back home angrily at his swift dismissal. I decided to hold in my angry and select my clothes to move in.
Packing my things in a box, I heard a loud knock on my door.
"What took you so long to open?" Lance walked in.
"I've been fine, thanks for asking after you disappeared for two days— where have you been, Lance?!" I fired.
"Work." He raised his hand up in defense
"I've been there, you're lying."
"Ok, just private stuff. I rushed down as soon as I saw your emergency call, what happened?"
"I'm getting married.” I said deadpan.
Adam’s POVI sat in the study room, tired from checking the business file and reached for the television's remote.I pressed a button and the television came on. I was watching the news and I returned to reading the documents.The second I heard the name Clayridge on the news ticker, I stopped breathing.I stood frozen, my eyes locked on the television screen like it held the keys to the next war.A riot. At Clayridge.I didn’t need to wait for confirmation.My gut knew before my brain did.Richard was gone."Confirmed reports that Mafia suspect Richard Mitch, elder brother to the notorious underworld figure Adam Mitch, escaped the facility early this morning along with six other inmates..."Notorious? Oh damn it.I never went above my own lane and I was making the news because of Richard.The voice of the news anchor turned to static in my ears. I saw the headline. I saw the flames. The chaos. The confusion on the guards’ faces. It all looked staged. Because it was.I’d know Richard’
Elizabeth’s POVThe first time I pressed the panic button in the elevator, I wasn’t panicking. I was just curious how long it would take for them to get to me.I counted slowly and when it got to none seconds, I got my answer.Eight men came charging into the hallway, guns drawn. One of them even barked my name like I was under attack.But I wasn’t.I just needed proof. Proof that this place had stopped being a house a long time ago.Now, it was a cage. Pretty curtains didn’t hide the bars. I wasn't locked up. I was free but I was sick and tired of staying put in this house.I didn’t bother apologizing. I just walked past the guards and headed toward the basement. Their footsteps followed, but I didn’t look back. I kept walking, down the staircase, past the secured corridor with fingerprint locks, straight to the cell where Corinth was held.She sat on the floor like a dead person with her head leaned back against the wall.Somehow I felt pity for her, but I was still mad she had trie
Lily's POVI didn’t talk to Lance during the whole flight. I didn’t have to. He didn’t expect me to.We sat in silence, an ocean between us despite sitting only one seat apart. In one hand he swirled a whiskey glass slowly. I had nothing. Not even sleep. I hated that I was in this position.When we landed in the States, I braced for the worst. I thought I would be taken directly to some basement then given a gun, a file and told to clean up someone else’s mess. Or even killed. But instead, Lance handed me a manila folder.Inside were fake credentials. It had given me a new name so I could not be easily tracked. New background. I was officially now Samantha Carson, federal corrections officer, Clayridge Maximum Security Prison.My stomach twisted."What is this?" I asked.Lance didn’t smile. "Your clean slate. Your one final task."I really didn't want to and I complained. "This isn’t what I do."Lance picked up and did not care. "You do now."I stared at the folder again. One of the d
Lily's POVJosh propped back on the couch, half-squinting, with sweat beaded on his brow.He took his phone from his pocket and texted someone before returning his gaze to me.“I asked you a question,” he said. His voice went deeper.“No, I didn't,” I said. He looked relieved.“So, he's blackmailing you. Why?” He asked.“Because I shot my friend. Yes, I shot Elizabeth and ran,” I confessed.“Lily,” Josh called in disbelief. “So, it was you?”“I don't know if she's dead. I checked the news. There's no record of her death. It was selfish of me, but I didn't kill her. I know that,” I said.It didn't make sense to me, but I didn't want to cry in front of him.He stared at me. None of us broke eye contact. Then the knock came.Josh sat up and pointed to the door. "That's him. Let him in."I opened it quickly to find a lanky man with a box of supplies tucked under one arm. His scruffy beard and bleary eyes belied the crispness of the white gloves he donned as he entered.“I can’t believe yo
Lily's POVThe gun didn’t move. It remained pointed toward Josh’s head.My heart raced as I leapt between them, my arms outstretched. My voice cracked, but I pushed the words out. "What do you want?"The man laughed and cocked his head, as if I’d just asked the dumbest question in the world. His lips curled slowly in a cruel smile. "It’s easy. You should have guessed it."I gulped.“You did better than I hoped bringing him here,” the man said.“You sent that message?” I asked, and he smiled.Josh sat up, and the man ticked his fingers warning him not to move.“Lily, what in the hell is happening?” Josh asked.“You'll know soon enough,” the man answered.The soft click from the black SUV behind the man caught our attention.My heart began to race. Its headlights blinked. The doors released with a muffled thump. I froze, a chill wrapping around my back.The driver's door opened.No. Please, God, no. Don't let it be him.But it was him. The first thing that hit my eye was his polished sh
Lily's POVMy scream was loud and sharp as the closet door flew open. I didn’t think. I just reacted. I shot my fist out and into a man’s face with a sickening thud. The figure reeled back, groaning."Ow! Lily, what the hell!"Josh’s voice pierced through my mind and I opened my eyes. My heart sank the second I saw who I hit."Josh?" I asked.He held his nose with his left hand, and rubbed the spot. "Yeah, it’s me. You throw one hell of a punch. What was that?"I stumbled out of the closet, still shaking. "Jesus. Don't scare me like that. I thought you were him. I heard him. He called my name. I swear he was here.”Josh glanced around the room, his face turning a bit red. He moved fast, checking the windows, every corner, under the bed, behind the door.“There's no one here now,” he said.He glanced at me then, the concern carved deep into his face. “That’s it. I’m done playing defense.”He pulled out his phone and called someone. In less than an hour, a locksmith came and changed eve