Francisco’s sleek black car came to a halt in front of Lilith's grand mansion. The gates had opened without delay, as if they had been expecting him. Stepping out, Francisco adjusted his coat and strode towards the entrance, his footsteps heavy against the gravel. Lilith was waiting in the drawing room, as expected.The moment she spotted him, she rose from her chair, her voice cutting through the tension, "I’m glad you came so quickly."Francisco’s eyes didn’t meet hers. Without a word, he headed toward the staircase. He always went to see Mr. Victor first—Lilith’s father—before engaging in any other matters. It was a habit, one rooted in respect, and maybe even a bit of fear.But Lilith’s voice followed him, sharp and unyielding. “Dad’s sleeping. Don’t disturb him.”Francisco paused mid-step, his back still turned to her."Talk to me first."Her tone was icy. Lilith knew—he had killed her men, and she wasn’t going to let him walk away without consequences. She stood there, fierce an
"Lilith!" he growled, a warning in his voice.But she wasn’t backing down. Her eyes bore into his, daring him to face the truth. “What’s next, Francisco? Are you going to kill me too?” She tilted her head, her voice dripping with bitter defiance. “Go ahead. Kill me too.”Francisco’s face twitched, the tension thick between them.She gave a small nod, her lips pressing together as she continued, "You know what? Will you kill the other clan members too? Because they’ll come looking for their men. What will you do then? Are you going to murder them as well?"Lilith leaned in slightly, her words biting.“You’re out of your mind, Francisco. Do you even realize that?”At that moment, something snapped in Francisco. He didn’t waste another second. His hand shot out and grabbed her throat, his fingers pressing down with an iron grip. Lilith gasped, her eyes widening in shock as the air was forced from her lungs."Fran..." she croaked, struggling to speak, her voice barely a whisper. "I... can
Hazel sat leisurely on the couch, sipping her coffee, her gaze occasionally drifting toward the maids working diligently under Lily’s instructions. All her new dresses had arrived, and the maids were carefully arranging them in the closet. Hazel’s legs swung lazily over the edge of the table, her mood light, though her mind was elsewhere.Lily, standing by the closet, glanced over at Hazel. "Ma'am, we have arranged everything," she said politely.Hazel raised an eyebrow but didn’t bother replying. She continued sipping her coffee, her eyes following Lily’s every move as she picked up a pair of scissors from the dresser and left the chamber silently.The moment the door clicked shut, Hazel let out a deep breath, the casual facade dropping. She got up slowly, her bare feet padding across the floor toward the closet. Opening it, she ran her fingers across the fine fabrics, feeling the textures beneath her fingertips.Her thoughts were a mix of frustration and anticipation. She sighed, pu
Hazel tilted her head, trying to catch the conversation, but Francisco had already turned away, stepping out of the room to avoid her curious gaze. He didn’t want her to hear what was being discussed. The door clicked shut behind him, leaving Hazel alone in the room, her thoughts swirling.She remained seated, her eyes still fixed on the door. Something had shifted in Francisco’s demeanor, and it wasn’t hard for Hazel to guess that this call was related to the problems brewing from earlier that morning.Hazel smirked slightly to herself, crossing her arms as she settled back onto the bed.Outside the room, Francisco’s expression hardened as he pressed the phone to his ear. "Dimitri," he spoke, his voice calm but laced with underlying tension.On the other side, Dimitri’s cold, calm tone responded, "Francisco. I didn’t expect this from you."Francisco’s lips tightened. He knew exactly why Dimitri had called. The men he had killed belonged to the Lion clan, but Francisco had not anticip
Dimitri's tone shifted abruptly, becoming colder, more threatening. "I know all your activities, even the ones you think you’ve hidden."Francisco’s expression remained stoic, but inside, a cold fury was beginning to churn. Dimitri’s game was dangerous, and he was treading on sensitive ground. But Francisco knew better than to let his emotions slip now. He couldn’t give Dimitri the satisfaction of seeing him break."Dimitri," Francisco finally responded, his voice calm but edged with a warning. "You’re walking a very thin line. Be careful how far you push."Dimitri chuckled once more, but there was a tension beneath it now."We’ll see about that, Francisco.""And," Dimitri had paused deliberately before delivering the final blow, "about your beautiful prisoner, I will meet her soon."The line went dead.Francisco stood there, jaw clenched, seething with rage. He could still hear Dimitri’s mocking voice echoing in his mind.He could feel his control slipping, his rage boiling over. Wit
“Let’s get this over with,” Lucas muttered, his hand resting on the gun beneath his jacket.Max scanned the area with a quick, calculating glance. His gaze lingered on the shadows stretching under the skeletal beams of the half-constructed building. He nodded to the men they’d brought along. “Time to make this quick. We’ve got another job lined up after this.”They climbed the stairs in silence, the distant hum of machinery barely muffling the echo of their footsteps. The building rose fifteen stories high, though most floors were little more than concrete and rebar. On the third floor, they found a dimly lit corner where a yellowish bulb cast a sickly glow over a makeshift table. Around it stood four men, their faces shadowed, expressions hidden. One man, however, sat in the center, his face partially obscured by the dark.Max and Lucas walked to the table. Max took the empty chair across from the man, settling in with a practiced ease, crossing one leg over the other. Lucas remaine
“Are you having a meeting?” Hazel’s voice was light, feigning innocence as she tilted her head and looked at Francisco.Francisco’s grip on the edge of the laptop tightened, his knuckles whitening. His expression was steely, though he nodded curtly, lips pressed together. “Yes,” he replied, his tone clipped. “But I think it’s best I end it.”Hazel’s hand slipped over his, her fingers tracing gentle patterns as she let out a low, teasing laugh. “Oh, no need,” she murmured, her eyes gleaming with mischief. Leaning in, her lips barely an inch from his ear, she whispered, “We can pick up where we left off… after your meeting, honey.”Then, without warning, she brushed her lips across his jaw, lingering there before flicking her tongue against his neck in a swift, provocative gesture. Her breath was warm against his skin, leaving him stunned. She straightened, smiling at his speechless expression, and sauntered off without a backward glance.The meeting room on the laptop had fallen int
Francisco stood behind the sofa, watching Hazel as she lounged comfortably, legs stretched out to claim the entire space. Her silent message was clear—she wasn’t giving him any room, and she wasn’t going to make this easy.He took a slow, steadying breath. Hazel’s defiance was like a game to her, a dance of control and challenge, and while it was often silly, it sometimes gnawed at his patience.Without a word, he stepped around the sofa, his presence looming close, yet she didn’t so much as glance his way. Instead, her attention remained fixed on the TV, as if he were merely part of the scenery.With a firm but gentle grip, Francisco took hold of her legs, the unexpected touch finally drawing her gaze up to him. He didn’t hesitate, lowering himself onto the sofa and placing her legs across his lap, his fingers grazing over her skin, smooth and warm beneath his touch.Hazel took a deep breath, keeping it measured, as if not wanting to reveal any reaction. They sat in silence, the soft