MICHAEL"Sir, I'm going to ask you once again. Are you certain about your plan? Because once we finalize everything, there's no turning back," Jack asked, respectfully expressing his caution with the choices I had laid out.From London to Hampton, these guys had left their hometown to work on this case with me, all except for Woody, who stayed behind to keep an eye and ear on the hideouts and the news surrounding Elena.Sitting in the backyard with a bottle of beer in my hand, I reflected on the plan I had proposed to them and nodded.What's a plan without some risk?"Yes, that's my final decision.""If you ask me, I'd agree with this," Detective Han stated, sitting by the recliner with his laptop on his lap, attentively listening to the conversation. "We can wire you, tag you, and have a team on standby in case things go south.""Alright, the question is, how are we going to locate this Frederick Solon? He never stays in one place," Jack asked, pointing his forefinger at a printed ph
NATASHA"That's tight," I groaned when Doris held me in her arms as if she wanted to break my bones.Her squeal of excitement told me how much she missed me, even though she hadn't said anything.Even her eyes told me that she was happy to see me after years of my disappearance."I missed you, my young waitress," she whispered to me before pulling away from our hug, holding my hands and looking at me from head to toe. "How come you look so mature now when you were just my young baby-faced Tasha before?"I chuckled and lightly squeezed her hands in return. "Well, time happened.""And you're blooming," she added, narrowing her eyes at me."That's... well, thank you." I didn't know what she was implying, but I choked on my own spit."And I meant, I know what you and Big Mike did in your room," she teased, causing me to stand frozen.Should I even ask myself how we always get caught? No, because no matter how we try to be quiet, we always fail."He was that good, huh?" She nudged me and g
NATASHAThree days... Three days passed since Michael left, and I hadn't heard a word from him since.Not a phone call, not a voicemail, just a single message he left an hour after stepping out of the door.My heart pounded loudly as my mind entertained a multitude of possibilities about what could have happened to him.I could hardly eat or sleep."Hey, Nat," Laura's voice snapped me out of my thoughts.She held a cake box in her hands while Richie followed behind her, carrying Nathaniel in his arms.After giving me a peck on both cheeks, I returned their greeting."How was the drive?" I asked, attempting to sound cheerful."Don't ask," Laura scoffed. "That guy was so frustrating! Can you believe he didn't bring any diapers for Nathan? We had to ask one of the security guards to buy a pack from the drugstore. It was so embarrassing.""Do you know how many bags you brought?" Richie retorted, making a face at her. "We were only visiting for a couple of days, and you packed like you wer
NATASHAA week passed in a blur, yet I haven't heard anything from Michael, not even a whisper.The news said nothing at all, leaving us blind and deaf to any updates.The day before he left, he promised me that he would return no matter what.But where is he now?Standing in front of the bathroom mirror, I noticed my sudden weight loss. My skin was pale, and my face looked as if I had taken drugs.My eyes were a mix of emotions, and my lips couldn't even curve into a smile.I never knew I'd experience something as awful as this.Longing for his warmth, yearning to hear his voice. I miss him.In my hand, the container of my birth control pills.I haven't taken the rest of them since I can't remember when. But the change in my mood, my sensitivity, I'm not foolish enough not to notice how I've become noticeably sensitive.The smell, the emotions. I've been becoming irritable and emotional.Letting out a heavy sigh, I stared back at myself and tried to force a smile."You have to get up
NATASHADark visions clouded my mind, causing dizziness and immobilizing me.My breathing became erratic as panic set in.Where am I?"She's awake," a man's deep voice uttered, increasing my tension.My eyes were covered, and my mouth was gagged. My hands were bound, and I was lost in darkness.How did I end up here?"Call the boss," the same man said, followed by faint footsteps and the sound of a creaking door.I could hear my heart pounding in my chest. I tried to move my hands, but instead, the friction of the rope burned my wrists.With shallow breaths, I tried to recall what had happened.The last thing I remember is leaving the house and going to the bar. I wanted to talk to my father, Quintus, hoping to find solace in someone who understood.Missing someone. Longing for someone.I remember drinking the milk he served me, and then everything went blank.What really happened?My shoulders tensed as the door burst open, as if someone wanted to break it down.The mix of expensive
MICHAELAs soon as I landed, I knew that Frederick had fallen into his own trap. But what unsettled me was the knowledge that he had my wife with him."I'm really, really sorry, honey. I didn't know that this could happen," Mom apologized. She had been repeating her apologies since the moment she saw me.I couldn't offer any comfort because I was torn between my worry and the courage of getting her back.I asked Dad to calm her down, knowing that panicking wouldn't do her any good."Do you have any idea where she is?" Dad asked, and I shook my head."No, but I have someone who could help us," I answered, receiving a comforting pat on my shoulder from him. "I just hope that he won't do anything bad to her."That's what I was hoping for. Her safety. But damn this nervousness was killing me.I left to keep myself focused on this mission because when she's around, I can't focus on anything else but her. All I have in my mind was her smile, her body, her laughter, and her voice.I had to f
MICHAELNo...My eyes reflected the color of smoke and fire as I stared at the yacht. My whole body seemed to be paralyzed for a moment as my heart stopped, watching the debris fall in every direction.Detective Han pulled me behind the SUV to hide from the falling rubble.I couldn't look away, I didn't care if I burned my skin. I was willing to risk my life just to find my wife."No, Mr. Montero!" Detective Han tried to stop me from running towards the burning yacht."Natasha!" I shouted her name as I approached the dock but was pushed away by the heat. "Natasha!"Inhaling the black smoke spreading toxicity in the air, I coughed violently as I tried to get inside.I heard Detective Han calling for an ambulance and firetruck, but I couldn't wait for help. My wife needed me!Many survivors of the explosion jumped into the water to help the injured."Mr. Montero!" Detective Han came from behind me. I knew he was going to stop me from going in, but I jumped into the fire anyway.The yach
NATASHAFive weeks had passed since the day when all the nightmares had ended.Everyone was not ready to open up to the world again, but Michael organized an event exclusively for certain guests and for a cause.Inside the bathroom, I was pacing back and forth as I waited for a minute.In a minute, I would know what kind of gift I would be presenting to Michael. His birthday wasn't until three months from now, but if... "if" it turned positive, I might have to give him a heads up."Okay..." I sighed, closing my eyes as I stood by the sink. "Whatever the result is, I have to embrace it and accept it," I spoke to myself before slowly opening my eyes to see what the test had to show me.One line...Two lines..."Oh my God," I quietly exclaimed.My hands flew to cover my mouth as I blinked multiple times to check if I was seeing it right."I'm really pregnant," I whispered and placed the pregnancy test back on the sink and checked myself in front of the mirror.Ever since Michael came bac
MICHAELMarried, patched up the past, and currently facing some challenges."Whoa!" I exclaimed as a flying vase welcomed me the moment I entered the house. It nearly hit my face if not for my quick reflexes."I don't want to see your face!" Natasha shouted, catching me off guard.I knew she was in a bad mood when I left this morning, but what had I done wrong?Setting the vase down on the floor, I was greeted by another jar, but this time, I failed to catch it, and it hit the wall, shattering into pieces."Baby, what's wrong? What did I do?" I asked, completely clueless about the situation."You were seeing another woman!" She accused, grabbing a flower vase from the coffee table."Baby! Baby! Stop, okay? Let's talk this through.""Talk?" She threw the vase, hitting the door. "Only guilty people would want to talk because they know they were caught!""What?" I sighed, walking closer to her."Don't you dare take another step, Michael Montero," she pointed her index finger at me, but I
NATASHAI let out a yelp as Michael suddenly scooped me up from the ground when we entered the house.The entire day had been a mix of nervousness and excitement. Now, we're wrapping it up by expressing the love we vowed in front of the altar and, well... by making love."How does it feel to finally be my Mrs. Montero?" He inquired, kissing my jaw as we climbed the stairs."I haven't felt it yet, but I think I'll find out once we get to the bed," I mischievously replied, knowing he enjoyed it.The way his face lit up and his eyes sparkled, I knew my naughty Michael enjoyed it when I let myself go wild. He likes it whenever I ride along in his mischievous side."Oh-ho, you definitely will," he chuckled, pushing open the door to our bedroom and gently laying me down on the bed, being careful not to hurt my stomach. "I want to be rough, but I can't, right?""Nope," I shook my head, biting my lower lip."That's a shame," he whispered before leaning in to kiss my lips.I could sense his ex
MICHAELThe church is ready, everyone is prepared, and I am all set. However, what's not ready is the schedule; Natasha is still not walking down the aisle.Aaron's laughter beside me only adds to my irritation. "Chill, man. I'm pretty sure Tasha won't run away this time. She's head over heels for you."Choosing him as my best man might have been a mistake. I could have picked Quintus instead, but he insisted on giving up that spot and settled for a seat in the audience. But, Pierce intervened, insisting that they both accompany Natasha down the aisle together.The process of the wedding was a challenge, it was a lot of work, a lot of planning, but now, everything was perfect.I just wish that Natasha will see this as what she expected it to be."You're sweating. I bet you'll be drenched like someone poured a bucket of water on you once she finally arrives," he teased.Rolling my eyes, I silently prayed that I wouldn't do anything inappropriate in the church, or I'd end up in hell soo
NATASHAPromises are being fulfilled one by one, leading me closer to exchanging vows with the person I want to spend my life with."Are you really sure about your choice?" Laura's question felt weighty, as if we were discussing something serious, even though we were just ordering a slice of cake at the café."I clearly said I wanted it," I replied matter-of-factly. "You're acting like you're footing the bill," I added, handing the girl at the bar the money to settle everything I ordered."I'm just worried about you. Michael mentioned you've been into sweets lately. Have you seen all the treats you ordered? All sweets," she gestured towards the three paper bags being readied at the counter. "Yes, you asked for one slice, but did you order every flavor available?"Looking around with a pout, I noticed how Laura's nagging had caught the attention of some customers."If you plan on bloating up like a balloon, you might want to postpone the wedding because the gown won't fit," she teased.
MICHAELI can feel the coldness of her hands against mine; I can see how edgy she becomes as she fidgets on her seat for the past few minutes.The soft song coming from the speakers isn't loud enough to drown out the loud beating of her heart because from where I am, I can hear it."Relax, baby. No one's going to eat you here aside from me," I joked and squeezed her hand lightly. "Unless you need me to ease you down. I'd be glad to attend you in one of the rooms available in Dad's house," I whispered to her.I expected her to scold me and slap my shoulder, but instead, she stood up and pulled me with her.Looks like her hormones are getting stronger and stronger. I like it when she's the one insisting.Passing by Richie, who's carrying a tray of food, probably for Nathaniel, I nodded at him when he looked at us with a frown. Must be because the party is about to start, and we're heading back inside the house.Wincing, I discreetly pointed at Natasha, and he already knew what it means.
NATASHAMy choice was right to drop everything I planned ahead and settle at home, in bed with my husband.I feel like a woman, a strong person while he makes me weak at the same time."You're-- you're pulling back," I said, noticing the way he doesn't move the way he did back then. Every thrust he gives me is careful and slow, tickling me."Shhh...." he hushed me before claiming my lips and kissing me endearingly. Every suck he makes on my lower lip urges me to make a sound, and every time he thrusts deep inside me, I catch my breath.My fingers run through his hair, yanking and pulling. Wanting him closer."I missed you so much," he whispered in my ear as he moved inside me.The air between us is supposed to give us the freedom to breathe properly, yet we only feel suffocated. Our skin begins glistening, sweat rolls in a breezy morning.The wind coming from the open balcony door can't outdo the heat we're making."Ah!" I scream when he hits the right spot, deep. "I'm coming," I gasp
NATASHATwo months after the incident, I've become more cautious about what's around me, the people I encounter, and the smallest details that I could see.Michael told me everything, what happened before the incident and after.I figured out that Elena manipulated everything and he admitted to me that he also fell for her trap. He said that he thanked me, or else, he would have secured the wrong person.The aftermath, everything became a lot different than before. It's like everyone believed that we have moved on, but we haven't. Or is it just me who can't move forward?The aroma of the caffeine reached my senses as I stirred the coffee with a spoon, standing by the sink, my eyes looking through the window and found Michael heading to the back door while wiping his greasy hands."I finally fixed it, didn't I say so?" He proudly uttered as he opened the back door. "I'm Michael Montero, baby." He came close to me, and I immediately stopped him."Oh my God, Michael. Don't you touch me w
MICHAELI could barely hold the wheel. My hands were sweating. I was a bit on edge, thinking about getting caught in an accident for getting too distracted."We're three cars behind you, Mr. Montero. We got your back," Detective Han said over the phone. "I have my team keeping an eye on your house. Just one wrong move from them, and they're all canceled.""Thank you, Detective."I feared not being held captive, but for my family.There were no words coming from any criminal's mouth that I could trust. All I knew was that while the sharks were around, I needed to keep myself from bleeding. But my family was the bait. I would let my blood stain the sea."I've arrived at the house, Detective," I announced as I pulled over in front of the gates. "Take the shot when I'm in the open.""We got you, Mr. Montero."Leaving everything inside the car, I hopped out, looking around, counting how many visible eyes were on me.The concrete floor felt like it was getting hotter with every step I took,
NATASHATime was ticking, and my heart seemed to fail with every passing second. I kept my mouth shut, even as the man who had us tied up bore a hole in me with his gaze."This is itching my fingers to pull the trigger," he murmured, tossing aside the fork he used to eat the skewered meat Dad Quintus had grilled.The clanking noise made my shoulders tense, gasping for air as I closed my eyes.I could feel a sudden pain in my stomach. My baby, no! I had to stay calm.Breathing in through my nose and exhaling slowly through my mouth, thinking about Michael calmed me, but I couldn't help feeling even more nervous.Every footstep the man took decorated the air with silence, a noise I didn't want to hear. The tapping of the soles of his shoes described menace, and I felt threatened every second.The smell of his odor clung to danger. I could smell it, and I could feel the approaching distress."Hey, you," he pointed at one of his men who was shamelessly feasting on the food from the table