CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED AND FOURSCOT“You should get dressed.” I tell her as I get up from the bed and begin to search for my clothes which are strewn across the floor.I can see the fear in her eyes as she clutches tightly onto the sheets and speaks,“No, please, you can’t go. This will be suicide.”Looking at her as I grab my shoes from the corner of the room and begin to put it on“I do not think we have a choice anymore, you heard what they said.”“There’s always a choice,” she says, getting up and rushing to kneel right in front of me as I put on my shoes. “We can run, go anywhere else but here, that’s a choice.”Her eyes tell me that she means everything that she says as they reflect the deep pain and worry which she feels right now.“Are you willing to elope with me?” I ask,“Yes.” She says without hesitation, cupping my face in her hands. “I will go with you wherever and we will be able to get away from them.”For the first time in a long time I understand what this feeling is no
ONE HUNDRED AND FIVECATALINADespite all the air flowing all around in the open yard I can feel myself struggling to get air into my system, the whole atmosphere around is so tense as both Dante and Scot face off in the middle of the square.This looks extremely familiar to me, I have watched so many fights take place in this same yard during my training but none of them held as high a stake as this. Everything is hanging on this showdown, whatever happens here is definitely going to change a lot of things drastically.“You came,” Dante says to Scot, “I see you are not a coward after all. Just a man with a death wish.”“Yes I have a death wish, but not mine.” Scot says laughing,I can tell Dante is furious by the blank look he has on his face as he turns to me, he still has the same expressions from when we were younger.“So this is it, your plan is to challenge me with this lowlife.” he says, addressing me.“He is not a lowlife.” I reply,“And now you defend him. What went wrong, Ca
EPILOGUE SCOT SIX MONTHS LATER I could feel the wind in my face and the harsh glare of the sun on my skin. I inhaled, sighing at how content and fulfilled I felt with the woman in my arms. It has been six months since everything went down… six months since my life changed for the better and since I realized I would live and die for the woman I held in my arms. We had gone on this holiday after cutting all her ties with the clan and bidding them farewell. She was no longer with that life and the danger it entailed. She had no idea of course about everything I had planned for today and I could not wait to see the look on her face when she realizes that I am going to ask her today to complete me for as long as the world and our lives continue. I turned to the left, to the man holding the signal and he winked in my direction to let me know that everything was in place and it was time for the commotion. “Hey baby” I whispered in her ear, feeling her stir and open her eyes. “I think
ONE LILY“Do not embarrass me today, Lily. I expect that you will be on your best behavior and represent the family well” My father says as he hurries inside my room.I am facing the vanity mirror but I can feel his eyes on my back as he is taking in my appearance. I am sure he is impressed by the dress I have chosen because he says nothing to counter it.“When have I never represented the family?” I ask, the sarcasm evident in my voice.“Do not speak to me that way, young lady” my father snaps back, his eyes glittering in the dim of my room.I sigh, already feeling the headache come on.The very same headache I have always had since I was a child. My father had money but not even his money and the numerous doctors could diagnose what was wrong and why I always went into fits and sometimes passed out.The conclusion was that I was weak child and I probably was going to die early in life; not like my father’s behavior towards me was helping matters.“You are the reason we are having t
TWONICKOLASI climb the stairs, my arms flexing beneath the suit I have on and my teeth grating against themselves. I am here for my doe eyed, spoiled angel; the one who had rejected me when I was nothing. Who had run out on me and into her father’s arms because I had had nothing to offerI am here to shatter her world and boy, am I going to have fun while I do this? I am stopped at the entrance of the mansion which is of course something I had anticipated and so I flip out my police ID, my eyes showing feigned boredom. “You are not on the guest list” The man muttered, staring at the name. “Obviously… Martinez” I respond, peering at the name tag on the man’s shirt. “Who invites a police man as a guest? I am here on special business with Mr Blake and I am sure he does not want his guests being made aware of the fact that he is meeting a cop.” I take one step towards the man, crowding his space and smiling inwardly at the confused frown on his forehead. Such lax security, I think
THREENICKOLASI could almost laugh at the shock on her face and the way her mouth had fallen open at the sight of me. She always did have such expressive eyes and I could tell now what she was thinking as she continued staring at me.“Nick” She breathesI feel her words hit me smack in the face as I try to maintain the composure I had entered into the party with.I am not about to fall apart just because she had called my name. I remind myself that I am just here for a job and then revenge; I cannot afford to swoon at the sight of her.“Hey Lily” I respond, my voice hoarse.I grin to cover up the rawness I had not expected to feel at the sight of her.“How are you?” I ask her“How are you here, Nick? What are you doing here?” She mutters, her eyes darting all over me even as the event continued around us. The smile disappears from my face as I stand up straighter, towering over her and watching her like she is prey; because that is what I wanted her to be. “I can now afford to be
FOUR LILY “What is he doing here?” my father questioned as soon as he stepped down from the podium and walked into the room backstage; after he had had to shake Nickolas’ hand. He is livid with rage as he turns on me while I twirled my fingers in anxiety. He hates when I do that and although the doctor had said it was a result of anxiety, he still hated it. No child of his should be anxious; he was Robert Blake! A multibillionaire and there wasn’t anything in the world that scared him. “Lily, is that Nickolas?” My mother asked “Yes” I respond, not saying anything more. I had made no mention of us meeting at the party or dancing earlier because I could hardly wrap my head around the fact that he was back in my life after leaving me. I smile bitterly as I remember waking up that morning and having my father tell me that I wasn’t going to see him anymore because he had offered him money to leave and he had taken it. So much for the promises of forever and even though we had only
FIVENICKOLAS“Come with me” The man who had come up behind me mutters. After the scene with Lily where she had run out after shooting me a glance; I had been thinking about how hard it was going to be to break the news to her about what her parents had done. The truth about her and the crime they had all committed. I had been so sure I wanted to break her, to see her crumble but right now after staring into eyes that had not changed since the last I looked into them. Eyes that held all the sorrows in the world when she wasn’t acting like her mother, I was reconsidering my position in the truth I was about to reveal. “Why?” I query“What?” the man respondsHe appears very confused at my question. “Why do I need to come with you and where exactly are we going?” I repeatI see the man’s eyes darken dangerously before he leaves me, no doubt to go and report to Robert that I am proving difficult. I recline in my seat; my thoughts are soon justified as Robert heads in my direction wi
EPILOGUE SCOT SIX MONTHS LATER I could feel the wind in my face and the harsh glare of the sun on my skin. I inhaled, sighing at how content and fulfilled I felt with the woman in my arms. It has been six months since everything went down… six months since my life changed for the better and since I realized I would live and die for the woman I held in my arms. We had gone on this holiday after cutting all her ties with the clan and bidding them farewell. She was no longer with that life and the danger it entailed. She had no idea of course about everything I had planned for today and I could not wait to see the look on her face when she realizes that I am going to ask her today to complete me for as long as the world and our lives continue. I turned to the left, to the man holding the signal and he winked in my direction to let me know that everything was in place and it was time for the commotion. “Hey baby” I whispered in her ear, feeling her stir and open her eyes. “I think
ONE HUNDRED AND FIVECATALINADespite all the air flowing all around in the open yard I can feel myself struggling to get air into my system, the whole atmosphere around is so tense as both Dante and Scot face off in the middle of the square.This looks extremely familiar to me, I have watched so many fights take place in this same yard during my training but none of them held as high a stake as this. Everything is hanging on this showdown, whatever happens here is definitely going to change a lot of things drastically.“You came,” Dante says to Scot, “I see you are not a coward after all. Just a man with a death wish.”“Yes I have a death wish, but not mine.” Scot says laughing,I can tell Dante is furious by the blank look he has on his face as he turns to me, he still has the same expressions from when we were younger.“So this is it, your plan is to challenge me with this lowlife.” he says, addressing me.“He is not a lowlife.” I reply,“And now you defend him. What went wrong, Ca
CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED AND FOURSCOT“You should get dressed.” I tell her as I get up from the bed and begin to search for my clothes which are strewn across the floor.I can see the fear in her eyes as she clutches tightly onto the sheets and speaks,“No, please, you can’t go. This will be suicide.”Looking at her as I grab my shoes from the corner of the room and begin to put it on“I do not think we have a choice anymore, you heard what they said.”“There’s always a choice,” she says, getting up and rushing to kneel right in front of me as I put on my shoes. “We can run, go anywhere else but here, that’s a choice.”Her eyes tell me that she means everything that she says as they reflect the deep pain and worry which she feels right now.“Are you willing to elope with me?” I ask,“Yes.” She says without hesitation, cupping my face in her hands. “I will go with you wherever and we will be able to get away from them.”For the first time in a long time I understand what this feeling is no
CHAPTER HUNDRED AND THREECATALINAHe sleeps so soundly.I have a smile on my face as I look at Scot’s face as he lay there with his eyes closed. Last night was extremely draining for the both of us as I recall the nasty things we did to each other all through. Some of the best sex I have ever had in this life is definitely with this man who is laying here clutching on to my naked body. He had not let me go all night, the memory of me disappearing on him like the last time definitely still haunts him but this time is different though, I have no plans of doing such. I love it here, snuggling closer to him.“Is that how you always stare or am I just that special?” he asks, with his eyes still closed.“You are awake.”“Yes, I could feel you looking.”“Sorry I woke you,”“It’s fine, you could have been more creative about it though.” he says,“Oh really.” I reply, gliding my hands into the bedspread that covered our bodies and tracing his abs till I reach his lower region.The gasp escape
CHAPTER HUNDRED AND TWOSCOT“Do you want to get out of here?” she asks, out of the blues.The question takes me by surprise as I stand there still looking at her. Before I can say anything she grabs my hand and begins walking really fast towards the exit. Watching her from behind, it is a surprise she is moving as fast as she is in that dress and those heels she has on. She looks extremely hot.We get out of the club and turn right, continuing our little stroll in silence as the music blasting from the club gets more and more distant, eventually fading away completely. A brief look behind us reveals to me that we are being followed by the men who had thrown out the madman at the club earlier.“Friends of yours?” I ask, as we continue walking.“More like CCTV.” she replies, without bothering to turn around.“I count three of them, don’t you think that’s too much for your security? I mean you did say you can take care of yourself after all.” I say, shooting the snide remark in her dire
CHAPTER HUNDRED AND ONECATALINAThe room is spinning right now in my mind as I struggle to get my thoughts together. It’s harder to do thanks to the mixture of alcohol coursing through my veins and the shock that I can still feel reverberating through my entire system as I see him standing in front of me.This all feels like a dream, a trance that I am not sure what to make of. Is he really here? I am tempted to reach out and touch him in order to confirm but I try my best to hold myself. Scot in Italy? What the fuck could he possibly be doing here? Especially now that I am trying to let go of the past, trying to forget the one man that has consistently ruled my thoughts for the past week and now here he is standing before me once again.Short of words right now as my brain is still processing all of what is happening, trying to make sense of it. All I can do now is stare at this gorgeous hunk of a man standing before me. In the sim light of the club, all his features seem more prono
CHAPTER ONE HUNDREDSCOTA week…Seven days I have spent here and still I haven’t been able to get in contact with her. I know where she is but then I also know if I show up over there I am going to be dead before I will have the opportunity to even get to see her face. Javier is definitely not going to stand for it.Making enquiries about them had all led to the same thing.Stay away from the Vega’sEveryone I had asked turned out to be scared of them, even all of Nickolas’s contacts that I had reached out to when I first landed hung on me when they heard the name I was asking about. I knew they were a big deal in Italy but I never thought it would be up to this.What was I expecting though? Javier runs the biggest crime syndicate in the country, Of course they were feared.Recalling what Pascal; the man I had spoke to yesterday said,“If you keep on asking about the Vega’s you will end up dead, besides how good could the pussy have been for you to want to fly over from the states fo
CHAPTER NINETY NINECATALINA“I don’t think I should give you more drinks, anymore and you will be puking your guts out by the side of the road.” the bartender says to me,“Oh come on, I deserve it.” I say in between giggles, “After what I have gone through in the past couple of days, I most definitely need it.”He gives me a look and I reply with a pleading look of my own.“Pleaseee” I say, mustering the biggest baby eyes I can manage to pull in the state that I am in.“Fine,” he says, “two more and then no more. I will have the men take you home.”“You are no fun, let loose a little. I know that’s why I am here.” I say,“Well I am on duty, this isn’t as fun for me as it appears to be for you.” he says, chuckling.“How about me and you having a little fun?” I say, winking at him and putting on my best flirtatious smile.He looks back at me as he gets what I am hinting at.and a smile breaks across his face. Even in the dim light of the bar, I can tell how handsome of a man he is with
CHAPTER NINETY EIGHTSCOTWe all stand around in a circle with Javier’s man in the center of the room and the bag by his side. I do not want to let him out of my sight as we wait for the arrival of Javier. He had already made a phone call earlier and had indicated that he was already on his way. I told a couple of men to keep an eye on the entrance of the building so we would know exactly when they were coming.Finally he will be here soon and we will be able to settle all of this nasty business once and for all. My top priority is Catalina but in the event that the opportunity to take both her and Javier in safely arrives then I will take it as well. It will be a very big arrest for the department and I am sure the chief will be willing to look past the stealing of drugs and some of the other things I have done to achieve the goal. Catalina is the first priority though, all other things are secondary. Once I have her then we can figure the others out.Here I am risking my entire exis