Isadora"Ivan! Ivan!" I called out frantically, watching the life fade out of his face.Before I could do anything else, Viktor yanked me up, dragging me forcefully towards the exit where our cars were parked."No," I cried out, almost like a plea. "We can't leave him here Viktor!""We're not leaving him here Isadora. So pull yourself together before you get us all killed!" he shouted, as he kept on dragging me.I watched as Rafael carried Ivan over his shoulders, while the other men covered us, the sound of gunshots blasting heavily still."Move! Move! Move!" Viktor shouted to the driver as we entered the van. The driver, who already had the engine running, zoomed off speedily as soon as the doors shut."Ivan," I said as I rushed to his side, blood gushing out from the hole in his abdomen. I was shaking all over as I watched Rafael try to stop the flow of blood."He needs a doctor, as soon as possible." Rafael stated with a look to Viktor."I'm on it," he replied, bringing out his ph
IsadoraI sat outside Ivan’s room, my hands clasped tightly together, my leg bouncing uncontrollably. The surgery was over, but he hadn’t woken up yet. The doctor said he was stable, but stable wasn’t enough. I needed him conscious, making some sarcastic comment, smirking like he always did. Not lying there, pale and unmoving.The weight of everything pressed down on me, making it hard to breathe. He took a bullet meant for me. Ivan. Of all people. The thought made my chest tighten painfully.Viktor sat beside me, silent for a while. Then, finally, he exhaled. “You should rest.”I scoffed, shaking my head. “I'm fine,” I muttered, my eyes fixed on an imaginary point.“You’re not and you're no good to anyone like this,” he said, his voice calm but firm.I turned to face him, my eyes narrowing. “You want me to just lie down and relax while he’s in there fighting for his life?”“No, I want you to stop punishing yourself for something you couldn’t control,” he countered, holding my gaze."
Isadora"How long until he wakes up?" I asked for what felt like the hundredth time.It had been almost thirty-six hours since the incident. The room was silent except for the steady beep of the heart monitor. Ivan lay still on the hospital bed in the estate's medical wing, his chest rising and falling in a rhythm that felt too slow for my liking. The bullet was out, the bleeding had stopped and the doctor said he had pulled through the worst of it- but he still hadn't woken up.Dr Garcia, the carter's doctor, sighed as he checked Ivan's vitals again."His body went through serious trauma, Señora. He lost a lot of blood. He needs rest. That's how healing works."I swallowed hard, hating that answer. "So what you're saying is, you don't know.He gave me a flat look, but didn't argue. "He's stable, and that's a good sign. Give it time."Time. Of course.I exhaled sharply as Doctor Garcia walked out, leaving me alone with the unconscious man infront of me. I sat beside his bed, taking hi
Isadora "One night with me would change your life." My stepbrother's rancid, alcohol breath wafted over my face, and the look in his eyes made me shudder with revulsion. "Get away from me," I cried, trying to push him off, but he weighed twice my weight not to mention that he got aggressively strong when he was drunk. "Don't be a goody two shoes," his hand reached out and began to creep up my thighs, "Aren't you tired of living like a pathetic slave? If you submit to me, you could_" His words ended with a howl of pain as I raised my knee and connected it sharply with his groin. Georgio staggered back, screaming like a little girl, his green eyes filling with tears. "You bitch!" He roared. "One of us is screaming like a bitch right now, and it isn't me," I spat. Just as I made to turn around and flee as fast as I could, his hand shot out and grabbed the loose material of my dress, yanking me backward. I let out a pained cry as I was flung into the wall, my head knocking into th
Isadora"H-how did you get that?" I asked in a shaky voice. "Did you think I wouldn't find out?" Her eyes flashed dangerously at me, "This is my house and I know everything that goes on in my house." I tried to swallow around the lump that had formed in my throat, but it only added to the growing mass. "Please," I whispered, "Don't do this." Georgio let out a delighted laughter, "I've been trying to get you to beg for ages. Who knew it would finally be this easy, hunh?""You think you could go behind our backs and plan a future far away from us?" She hissed, "After everything we've done for you, taking you in after your father's death, feeding and clothing you for years, you still planned to disregard us in this way?" They had turned me into a full time slave and kept me under their thumbs, raining abuse on me for years. I didn't owe them anything, but saying it would only get me in trouble. "I'm sorry. Just give me the letter. It's mine. I worked fair and square for it.""If yo
Isadora"The cargo has arrived safely," a deep voice said. I blinked my eyes open, wincing at the light that assaulted my eyes. As soon as my eyes got used to the light, I realised two things. The first was that I was in an unfamiliar room, and the second was that there was a large man standing with his back to me at one of the windows. I must have made a startled sound because he suddenly turned. I sucked in a breath as his dark eyes locked on mine. He was easily the most gorgeous man I had ever seen in my life. Dark hair fell over his head and into eyes that were impossibly dark. He had high cheekbones, a sharp jawline and full pink lips. Tattoos curled up his neck and down his muscular arms, and the dark t-shirt and jeans he had on looked like he had been poured into them. My mouth immediately went dry. "Who are you?" I blurted out, glancing around, "Where am I? What do you want from me? I promise I don't know anything about Dimitri." His eyes narrowed, "So what you're saying
Isadora "Who are you?" I asked. "I'm your grandfather," he wheezed. Even though some part of me had known the answer to that question, hearing it was still a shock to my system. I found myself inching closer to him, curiosity burning inside of me. "That's impossible," I said slowly, "My grandfather died years ago. I don't have any living relatives." He made a choking sound that I suspected was a laugh, "I won't be alive for much longer, child. So I suppose that that will soon be true." I glanced around in confusion, my gaze landing on Viktor, and the woman in scrubs sitting a few steps away. Not only did I have a grandfather, but he also seemed to be some kind of powerful man. I shook my head in denial, "I don't believe you. You can't be my grandfather. Where have you been all these years?"Where was he when my parents had died? When I had been beaten and tossed in the basement? When I had been starved for days and forced to work with my stomach growling?"I wasn't looking for
Isadora."Him?" I screeched. "Impossible!" Viktor cried, "He's nothing but a thug.""And you're nothing but a minion in a bespoke suit," Ivan said, eyes flickering dismissively over the other man. He bristled, "You think you can walk in here and try to weasel your way into become the head of the cartel? I won't let you take advantage of Mr. Gonzales and his granddaughter." The taller man's mouth quirked up at one corner, "Advantage? If there's anyone taking advantage of the other, it's them. I don't want to be married, and even if I wanted to, I don't want to be married to a kid_" "I'm not a kid, and I don't want to be married to you either," I spat, turning to face my grandfather, "There has to be someone else." He shook his head at me, "Santiago is a good man." "He's a mercenary," Viktor cried incredulously, "He lacks loyalty, doesn't believe in familial ties or roots and neither does he respect the agency of the Cartel." For once, Viktor and I were in perfect accordance. Eve
Isadora"How long until he wakes up?" I asked for what felt like the hundredth time.It had been almost thirty-six hours since the incident. The room was silent except for the steady beep of the heart monitor. Ivan lay still on the hospital bed in the estate's medical wing, his chest rising and falling in a rhythm that felt too slow for my liking. The bullet was out, the bleeding had stopped and the doctor said he had pulled through the worst of it- but he still hadn't woken up.Dr Garcia, the carter's doctor, sighed as he checked Ivan's vitals again."His body went through serious trauma, Señora. He lost a lot of blood. He needs rest. That's how healing works."I swallowed hard, hating that answer. "So what you're saying is, you don't know.He gave me a flat look, but didn't argue. "He's stable, and that's a good sign. Give it time."Time. Of course.I exhaled sharply as Doctor Garcia walked out, leaving me alone with the unconscious man infront of me. I sat beside his bed, taking hi
IsadoraI sat outside Ivan’s room, my hands clasped tightly together, my leg bouncing uncontrollably. The surgery was over, but he hadn’t woken up yet. The doctor said he was stable, but stable wasn’t enough. I needed him conscious, making some sarcastic comment, smirking like he always did. Not lying there, pale and unmoving.The weight of everything pressed down on me, making it hard to breathe. He took a bullet meant for me. Ivan. Of all people. The thought made my chest tighten painfully.Viktor sat beside me, silent for a while. Then, finally, he exhaled. “You should rest.”I scoffed, shaking my head. “I'm fine,” I muttered, my eyes fixed on an imaginary point.“You’re not and you're no good to anyone like this,” he said, his voice calm but firm.I turned to face him, my eyes narrowing. “You want me to just lie down and relax while he’s in there fighting for his life?”“No, I want you to stop punishing yourself for something you couldn’t control,” he countered, holding my gaze."
Isadora"Ivan! Ivan!" I called out frantically, watching the life fade out of his face.Before I could do anything else, Viktor yanked me up, dragging me forcefully towards the exit where our cars were parked."No," I cried out, almost like a plea. "We can't leave him here Viktor!""We're not leaving him here Isadora. So pull yourself together before you get us all killed!" he shouted, as he kept on dragging me.I watched as Rafael carried Ivan over his shoulders, while the other men covered us, the sound of gunshots blasting heavily still."Move! Move! Move!" Viktor shouted to the driver as we entered the van. The driver, who already had the engine running, zoomed off speedily as soon as the doors shut."Ivan," I said as I rushed to his side, blood gushing out from the hole in his abdomen. I was shaking all over as I watched Rafael try to stop the flow of blood."He needs a doctor, as soon as possible." Rafael stated with a look to Viktor."I'm on it," he replied, bringing out his ph
Isadora The warehouse was quiet. Too quiet, except for the rhythmic tapping of my fingers against the table.I sat across from Cesar in the center of the room. He was a tall man, well over six feet, with a commanding presence that demanded attention. His hair was jet black, slicked back neatly. His eyes were a piercing shade of green, sharp and calculating, with a subtle scar that ran along his right eyebrow.The air between us was thick with tension, the kind that settled in the bones and refused to leave. Cesar leaned back in his chair, his expensive suit crisp and unruffled despite the situation. His gaze flickered across the room, taking in every detail. He was measuring, calculating. But so was I.Ivan stood to my right, arms crossed, his expression hard. Rafael and Dominic, one of our men, were positioned strategically, watching Cesar’s men for any sign of deception. Viktor, however, wasn’t watching Cesar’s men. He was watching Cesar. As agreed, we had each brought a few truste
Isadora“Come in,” I called.A knock on the door pulled me from my thoughts. It was the night before the meeting with Cesar. I stood by the window in my office, staring at the dim glow of the city skyline in the distance. The weight of tomorrow’s meeting pressed heavily on my chest.Rafael stepped inside, closing the door behind him with a soft click. His expression was unreadable, but the tension in his shoulders told me he was carrying just as much as I was.“You’re still up,” he said, his voice even. “Not surprising, but still.”I offered a tired smirk. “Could say the same for you.”He walked over to the small bar in the corner, pouring himself a drink. “Sleep doesn’t come easy when you’re preparing for war.” He lifted the glass. “Want one?”I hesitated, then nodded. “Yeah. Why not?”Rafael poured me a glass and handed it over before settling onto the worn leather couch across from me. I took a sip before speaking.“Are you worried?” I asked, cutting through the silence.He exhaled
Isadora"Let's talk," Ivan said when it was just us left in the meeting room.I sat down, placing my hands on the table."He must've overslept?" He questioned, his tone laced with sarcasm."What?" I asked, knowing exactly what he meant."Don't what me, Isadora. You know what I'm asking.""I was just saying, that's the only reason why he would miss a meeting," I maintained."And you would know that because?" he glared at me, his eyes shooting guns. I adjusted turning to face him."We had a talk last night, Ivan. I couldn't sleep and he couldn't either." My voice was steady, refusing to be intimidated by his tone."What did you both talk about that late at night?"I paused, taking a moment to put my words together. "I don't think I owe you any explanation or details of my talk with Viktor. It was a personal conversation between us."I knew exactly what I was doing, and I was having a little too much fun playing with him. It was just sex to him, so I intended to keep it at that.He scof
Isadora You’re early,” I noted, folding my arms.The next morning, we met in the meeting room to finalise the details of the meet. I had barely been able to get any sleep after the conversation with Viktor, so I was up early.Diego arrived earlier than expected. His usual air of casual arrogance was still there, but beneath it, I saw something sharper. Something more urgent.Rafael, who had been flipping through some notes, looked up immediately, his brows lifting slightly. Ivan leaned back in his chair, arms crossed, watching Diego with the same wary curiosity he always did.Diego smirked. “Figured you wouldn’t want to wait.”I gestured for him to sit. “What did you find?”He let out a breath, rubbing his jaw before speaking. “Cesar’s been unusual, talking to people he normally wouldn’t. People outside his usual circle. Some of them are neutral, some are enemies, but the fact that he’s reaching out? That’s not like him.”Rafael frowned. “ What does that mean? He’s trying to form new
Isadora"Can't sleep?"Viktor's voice cut through the night air, calm yet probing.I turned away from the balcony railing I was standing beside, exhaling as I slowly met his gaze. The moonlight cast a light glow over his face, making the shadows beneath his eyes look deeper."Are you checking up on me?" I asked lightly, a faint smile across my face.He smirked but didn't deny it. "I was heading to the bar. Saw the light on and came to check it out," he said as he stepped onto the balcony, standing beside me.I nodded towards the half-empty glass of champagne beside me. "Already beat you to it."For a while we didn't speak. The only sound was the distant echoes of traffic and the rustling of leaves in the cold breeze. It was peaceful- creating a false illusion as against the war we were in."I don't like it," Viktor finally said.I tilted my head slightly, looking at him. "You don't like what?""This meeting. The whole thing with Cesar. It smells like a setup, no matter how we try to t
Isadora"What?"I asked, taken aback and redirecting my focus and energy to his words.His gaze lingered on Ivan for a second, before he dragged it back to me, adjusting his tone and posture."Cesar sent a message, boss." I took note of how he addressed me, already aware that a personal conversation with him was waiting for me ahead."What did he say?" Ivan cut in, a skeptical look on his face."Let's go to the meeting room, Rafael is waiting. We should all hear it together." Viktor added impatiently.Clearly, whatever Cesar had sent wasn't small. I breezed past them, my thoughts running crazy as I imagined what Cesar could possibly have said in his message.Rafael was already seated, one hand tapping against the table, his face unreadable. But the tension in his shoulders told me everything."Been waiting," he grumbled, his eyes flicking between Ivan and me before landing on Viktor. "Did you tell them?"Viktor nodded. "Just the basics. Haven't given them the details yet."I pulled ou