Adam's POV:“Hell no,” Elizabeth responded.“It's just a test. What are you afraid of?” I asked, amused by her refusal.“Still no,” she replied. “Read my lips. NO!”“At least you'll know you're not pregnant," I told her.“You're having fun, aren't you?” She asked.“Is it a bad thing if I say yes,” I replied, and the next thing I knew. I had a pillow flying to my face.I dodged in time, and another hit my head before I could react.“Not so fast anymore, huh?” She pushed.“Just do the test, Liz," I pleaded. "What's the worst that could happen?”I shouldn't have said that, because she gave me a death glare.Boy, she could be scary when she wanted to.I walked gently to the bed, holding the pillows. She looked like she could rip me in half any second.“So?” I asked, careful not to piss her off. “Are you taking it?”Her gaze hardened and I froze.Maybe, I should stop talking, but…what if she was pregnant. That would be great. She would be the prettiest mom and I'll make sure no one ever hu
Adam’s POV:The door opened, and Elizabeth stood there with her eyes wide like they would pop out any second, and her skin turned pale.“Liz…what's wrong?” I asked, taking a step toward her.She frowned at me. Her brows furrowed and she shoved her test in my face.I looked at the test, tracing the two bold red lines.“You bastard!” She yelled, and threw the test at me. I caught it.Her breathing became thicker and she murmured. “You're so dead.”She lunged at me, and I smiled happily waiting for it. But she suddenly stumbled backward.I rushed and caught her as she swooned.“Liz…,” I gasped, holding her close.She was having trouble breathing. Her hair was slipping down over her eyes, and I pushed it back out of the front of her face to the back of her ears.I couldn't resist rubbing her silky cheeks.“Liz,” I whispered. “Thank you.”I kissed her forehead, grateful for this gift.The knock on the door, pulled my gaze on her. I was livid.Who was it this time ruining my moment?I notic
Adam's POV“Who sent you?” I growled, whirling on the maid.“I…” She began, when Nico's booming voice called me.“Boss.”I stopped, dropping my hands before they could grab the maid's arm. I swung my head slowly.There was Nico as usual panting on the stairs as if he ran a mile. His hands rested on the handle of the stairs and he continued walking.Watching him, I understood why the girl thought of him as an idiot. “Corinth,” Nico told the maid. "Maximus changed his mind. He needs you downstairs."It was Maximus. I'd have almost asked her.I felt the woman's body tense but did not even ask her what was wrong with her. She only glared at me and looked at me expectantly for permission to leave. I paused for a fraction of a second before nodded slightly. She silently tightened her grip on the bowl. She ran to the stairs.I exhaled quietly, wondering if I had been too quick to judge her.“Talk,” I ordered.He didn't respond, and I turned my gaze to him. He was watching the maid and had
Elizabeth's POVNo. No. No way. This isn’t real.I moved too fast, and my vision blurred. I held my forehead, groaning as I slowly sat up on the bed, correcting my mistake.My throat felt dry and I needed water. I glanced down, at the thin tube pierced into my wrist. I pulled it, feeling a sharp pain.“This has got to be a joke. God's way of punishing me for being a bitch,” I cursed.How do I even undo it? I was stuck.I didn't think, and grabbed the tube again, and pulled it out. I winced at the pain, as the blood spilled from the tiny hole.I sighed tiredly. Great. Just great. Now I was bleeding too.I pressed my hand over the wound and stared at the small light from the lamp. The room felt tiny, like it was closing in on me, too weak to hold everything I was feeling.I am going to have a baby. Adam’s baby.My fingers shook as I rubbed my stomach. It felt a bit stuffy and I had to slow my breathing. My body didn’t feel like mine anymore. The truth hit me so hard I couldn’t even thin
Lily’s POVRomeThe taxi skidded, wheels screaming on cobblestone streets. I exhaled and clenched the pack straps tightly as I looked out the window.Screaming cars, frantic pedestrians, and the bitter tang of smoke entwined with the smell of fresh bread and stinging coffee in the city. Rome was always this way, so outrageously emotional as if something that was about to happen was already happening. Perfect for dropping the weight.The driver looked at me in the rearview mirror on his head, his bushy eyebrows furrowed in annoyance.I pulled on my hood over the sweat cap that was underneath.My hair, now dyed black, was pulled tight under the cap. My skin, which was pale, was now tanned. I looked like a different person and was no longer recognizable.I gave the driver some crumpled euro bills. "Keep the change."He grunted the thanks as I got out of the taxi and onto the cracked sidewalk.The instant my feet hit the ground, there was a blast on a horn behind me.I looked around as a
Lily's POVI took a quick breath, and glanced at my hands on his. Josh didn't move. I was becoming anxious and slowly moved my hand off his.Smiling like the idiot I was, I blinked, laughing nervously to cover up my mistake.“Urg..” I said. “Sorry.”I looked away, feeling tense. This wasn't supposed to happen.Why the freaking hell was I embarrassed about touching his hand? It was his hand! Not some hot cheese!Josh didn't budge an inch. His lips parted in anticipation of speech and went slack. He swallowed at last and spoke with an even tone that contained a strain of tension within it."I don't mind," he answered with a steady voice. Grinning unevenly that didn't reach the rest of his face, he added, "You alright? You need to get up?"I nodded with excitement. "I can," yes."I pushed myself against the ground and stood this time without stumbling. Josh arose with ease onto his feet. He was taller than my memory had conceived of him, stronger built and confident. His dark eyes ran ov
Adam’s POVWe ran out of the house, feeling the afternoon sun burn against my skin. Pecks of wearing black.The air smelled of gasoline and burnt tyres.My men moved, spreading out in a straight line. Maximus stood a few feet away, raising his gun at the van.“Dang. We can't have a day without trouble, can we?” Nico complained, behind me.“Shut up,” one of my men spoke.“Don’t piss me off, Andrea,” Nico replied.“No figures why Raphael keeps smacking you,” Andrea responded.Another chipped in. “Raph, needs to hit harder. Who knows, he might finally get a spark of sense.”The men and I laughed, briefly forgetting we had a situation. Nico frowned, hating that we had fun of him.The sound of the Van's door opening, pulled my attention. Vance got off the driver's seat and looked at his tire.He groaned. Maximus had shot two of his tires flat. He turned his gaze to me, looking hella frustrated.His gaze moved from Maximus and the wrecked van, then back to me.“You had better have a good ex
Elizabeth’s POVShe sat on the floor, panting from the ass whooping I gave her. She bled a little from her lip.Served her right for trying to hurt me. She wiped it off with her hand.I did not move from my spot.My fingers wrapped around the cold of the broken phone holder, my fists clenched tighter as I looked at her wrestle to stand.My heart pounded in my skull, dampening the confused mutter of noises beyond the shut door.She stretched toward me with a shaking hand. "Help me up."I didn't. She could do that herself.I planted my heel on the floor and edged over, my tone frosty."Get out the way you got in… or by God, this time I'll kill you for sure."Her eyes came up to mine, unemotional.Then she breathed deeply. One that was huffy and annoyed like she was tired of it all.She stood up on her own before I could help her, smoothing out her uniform like she hadn't just materialized in my room.Who the hell was she?And why wasn’t she scared of me?I tore my eyes away from her and
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
Lily's POVJosh’s eyes were wide open; He gazed at me. It was too late, yet I turned aside."What was that?" he inquired in a low but cordial tone.I quickly got up and stuffed the phone in my pocket. "Nothing. Just an old picture."He didn’t blink. “You looked nice. Almost like a whole different person.’With trembling palms, I backed toward the sink and pretended to be occupied with a cup of water. "You need to rest. You’re not supposed to think much.”Josh sat up slowly. He moved to the side and the machines beeped next to him. "Don’t do that. Don’t deflect.""I’m not," I muttered."You are. Talk to me."I spun around and gripped the edge of the counter. My voice shook. "I can’t. Not now."He sighed and reclined back into the pillow. "Then don’t bother."I glanced at him, and swallowed. "Josh..."Gently, he looked into my eyes. “If you're not prepared to discuss it, that's fine. I’ll wait. I just want to know you’re safe. For me."I felt my knees buckle a little and moved closer to
Lily's POV"Move! Get out of the way!" I yelled.I didn’t know my own voice as I yelled at the standstill traffic, weaving in and out of cars, blowing every light.I had my fingers locked on the steering wheel. Josh lay next to me, hunched over with blood from his scalp running onto his shirt. His breathing was shallow.“ Josh, you need to stay with me. Just keep breathing. Please,” I begged as I drove.He groaned softly. That sound gave me just enough hope to bury the throttle deeper. The hospital sign eventually appeared, glowing like a beacon through my haze of panic.I parked like a lunatic, half on the sidewalk, and jumped out of the car. "Help! Somebody, please, help me!"Two nurses and a doctor ran outside. They saw the blood and got a stretcher."Head trauma. I don’t know what else,” I said, my voice trembling. "He was attacked. Outside our apartment."They loaded him in. My heart was pounding in my ears, I staggered behind, trying to catch up.The emergency room was a disaste
Lily’s POVThe scream came out of me before I even knew what I was seeing.There he was at the window.That same hooded man, lingering outside in the shadows, staring at me. Just standing there. I could feel his eyes piercing through the glass and through me, even though his face was dark.Josh leaped off the sofa as if a defibrillator had struck him by accident. "Lily! What—"I pointed, my voice breaking. "The window! He's there! Look!"Josh sprinted toward me, looking at where I pointed. But when he turned, the man had disappeared from the window.“He was just standing there,” I gasped as I retreated. My legs trembled and my skin tingled all over.Josh looked around the street below. Then he noticed something. His brow furrowed as he leaned in closer. His fingers moved deliberately toward the windowpane. "Lily... there's a crack."I rushed to his side.And there it was.A narrow, ragged line had ripped its way across the glass. Right in the center.Then I saw the note.Stuck to the