Again.“Mia,” I said softly, trying to keep her awake. “Which hand did Lorenzo use to hit you?”She frowned, trying to remember, but it was clear she couldn’t. “I… I don’t know…” she murmured, her voice weak.“It’s fine,” I assured her, though my anger was anything but. “It’s all going to be fine.”
LorenzoHumiliation burned through me as Albert and his men walked out, leaving me broken and bleeding. The pain from my severed hands was unbearable, but it was nothing compared to the sting of disgrace.My men moved quickly when they were gone, trying to stop the bleeding with makeshift bandages.
“I… I didn’t drink it,” I murmured, my voice barely a whisper. “He… he forced something down my throat after I fell.”Albert’s jaw tightened, and I could see the fury boiling just beneath the surface.“It’s okay, Mia. You’re safe now.”I nodded weakly. I wanted to tell him everything, to make sense
AlbertBefore I could turn away, she reached out, her fingers brushing against my hand. “Don’t go,” she whispered, her voice trembling. She reached for me, aiming to wrap her arms around my neck and pull me down to her.That desperation in her voice—it did something to me. I wanted to stay, wanted t
Shit!“I’m calling a doctor,” I said, my voice softer now. I reached for my phone, dialing the number with a shaky hand.Within minutes, the doctor arrived. Mia’s condition was deteriorating quickly; she was getting hotter, her skin flushed with an alarming redness. The doctor immediately directed u
AlbertHer blood tests came back mostly normal, so other than being exhausted and a bit dehydrated, she was fine. We walked to Diane's room, and as soon as we entered, Mia’s eyes lit up with a mixture of relief and concern. Diane was resting peacefully, her condition was still stable, but I knew tha
Albert's mouth moved as he ran toward the car, his strides long and desperate.“No! Stop the car!” I yelled, banging on the window. “Albert! Help!”I could tell he didn't hear me or see me through the dark tint, but his panic set more panic in me. I beat at the window, trying to break it, but I wasn
AlbertWaiting for the police to clear the road was tortured, but by the time it was clear, Ivan called me back."Boss...""What is it?""That... car is part of the fleet."My eyes bulged. I gripped the phone tightly."What?""It's... the car issued to Dimitri in this city.""... I'll fucking kill h
She leaned against the bar.“Thank you for the flowers,” she said quietly. “What did you want to talk about?”I sighed and ran a hand through my hair. I didn't expect it to be easy, but I had hoped for a slightly warmer reception.“There’s a lot we need to discuss. About us, about what happened, and
MiaNearly a month had passed since the raid, and life had settled into a new routine. I was working as a nurse, and the steady rhythm of the hospital shifts was both grounding and exhausting. Mom was at the penthouse on bedrest, recovering from her surgery, but her spirits were high. She had a job
"Everybody on the ground now!"Agents burst into the room, guns drawn. The attendees opened fire on them but they were overwhelmed.In the midst of the chaos, I spotted Dimitri, clutching his shoulder. Glaring at me, his face twisted in a mix of anger and fear. He tried to get toward the backdoors a
AlbertPolina was mingling with various guests, a smile plastered on her face that took over her whole face. I couldn’t help but feel a pang of frustration when I thought of her. She really thought this was going to go a certain way.I moved through the crowd avoiding her. I noticed several of Dimit
It was bittersweet and lonely and not the mood I needed to be in the day before all my plans would come to fruition.Ivan came into the study nearly an hour later, already dressed for bed. He poured himself a cup of whiskey and sat across the table from me.“I’ve been looking for places for Katie an
AlbertThat night, I found myself sitting across from a few government operatives in a discreet, dimly lit office. The atmosphere was tense as we went over the final elements of the plan, including the layout of the Kulak Estate.The operatives were efficient and to the point. Things were going well
I shook my head. "I don't have to explain myself to you."She set her jaw. "Because you can't.""Because it's none of your business. My relationship with Mia, whatever it is or was, has nothing to do with you. Leave her alone, Polina. I mean it."Polina’s face twisted with a mixture of hurt and disb
AlbertI set my jaw at the sound of the knock. It might be the whiskey, but I really wanted to kiss her. I was almost sure that she'd let me. I turned to answer the door. It was one of my subordinates with a report from Ivan.Definitely more important than almost kissing my soon-to-be ex-wife.Mia s
“How did you get here?” I asked. "I didn't think you had a casino in the city."He glanced around briefly before responding. His tone clipped but informative. “It was Elio’s. I'm doing my rounds.”I winced at that. I wanted to know what that meant and I didn't want to know. Had Elio just paid Albert