Hm. Finally
Isadora"Don't say anything yet," Ivan murmured, his voice rough from the night before.I lay beside him, still tangled in the sheet. We has barely gotten any sleep, my body sore and aching in ways I hadn't felt in a long time. The morning light faintly crept into the room, casting a warm glow on the walls."What do you mean?" I asked, my voice quiet and soft.He popped himself up on one elbow, facing me. "I mean, this- last night- it was just that. A night. One night."Something cold settled in my stomach. I had felt this coming before it even started."Just a night?" I repeated, looking directly at him."Isadora, I'm not trying to hurt you. But I need you to understand, this can't be more than what it was."I forced out a dry laugh. "And what exactly was it to you? A way to let off some steam? A one night stand? A distraction?"His expression hardened. "It was real. And that's why I have to end it here."I sat up, pulling the sheet around me like some sort of protection. "That makes
IsadoraAs morning came in, reality set in. I had killed a traitor in the cartel, and we had an enemy to deal with.The four of us- Ivan, Viktor, Rafael and myself, sat around the table. Miguel's execution still lingered between us like a ghost, but there was no time to dwell on it. I avoided looking at Ivan, not sure if I could carry on like nothing happened this soon."This isn't going to work." Ivan's voice cut through the tension in the conference room.Viktor scoffed. "And what exactly isn't going to work? The fact that we're actually doing something about Cesar Alvarez? Or the fact that, for once, you're not in control?"Ivan's jaw clenched. "What's not going to work is charging in blind. Cesar isn't some local dealer we can muscle through. One wrong move, and we're dead.""So, what?" Viktor asked, leaning forward. "Right, because sitting on our asses and waiting for him to make the first move is a better idea."It's called being smart, Viktor," Ivan shot back. "Something you c
IsadoraThe music was loud, the lights flashing as La Reina Roja, my club, buzzed with life. I leaned back in my chair, eyes scanning the room as I familiarised with its activities; also watching for any signs of trouble. That's when I noticed him.Diego Hernandez. I had heard his name before- ties to Cesar Alvarez's cartel, a man with enough power to make things move in this city. He walked in with an air of confidence, his aura filling the room. His eyes flicked over the room before landing on Mariana, the red-haired waitress I had taken notice of weeks ago.I watched as Diego approached the bar. His gaze followed Mariana as she worked, lingering in a way that made my skin crawl. I could tell he was sizing her up, and that didn't sit well with me.He leaned in close to her, too close for comfort, his voice smooth but with a layer of menace. "How about you come sit with me for a while, sweetheart?" He said, the words oozing from his lips like oil.Mariana, caught off guard but holdin
Isadora"I had an interesting encounter at the club last night."Ivan, Viktor, Rafael and I sat around the long table in the private meeting room of my estate. No one had touched their drinks, or as much as said a word since we sat down. Everyone curious about what I had to say.At my statement, Viktor exhaled loudly, leaning back in his chair. "This should be good."I ignored him. "Diego Hernandez was there."That got their attention. Ivan's eyes sharpened, Rafael frowned slightly, and Viktor scoffed."You mean Cesar's lapdog?" Viktor said, his voice edged with disbelief."Yes," I replied evenly. "And I think he might be exactly what we need."Viktor let out a bitter laugh. "I swear to God, if you're about to say what I think you're about to say-""I want to approach him." I cut in, not letting him get to the end of his words.Viktor slammed his fists on the table. "You've lost your fucking mind, Isa."Ivan glanced at Viktor, then back at me. "You think he's a weak link?""I think he
Isadora"You seem tense, Diego. Relax. We're just having a conversation." I leaned back in my seat, swirling the drink in my glass.Diego eyed the both of us like a man sitting at a poker table, unsure whether to go all in or fold. The club's private lounge was dimly lit, music playing softly in the background, as the scent of whiskey and cigars floated in the air.Diego exhaled through his nose, his fingers tapping on the table. "A conversation? Is that what this is?" He glanced at Ivan. "Because from where I'm sitting, it feels more like a test."Ivan smirked. "Smart man."Diego scoffed. "You know what I don't understand? Why you think I'd be dumb enough to sit here and entertain this shit."I arched a brow, a smile playing on my lips. "And yet, here you are. You wouldn't have come if you had no interest of any sort."His jaw tightened. "I had to see it for myself- the infamous Isadora Gonzalez trying to recruit me. You must be desperate."I smiled. "Desperation is for people stuck,
Isadora"I still don't trust him."My voice was sharp, cutting through the silence of the office. I stood by the window, arms folded as I started outside. The club was alive beneath us, even in the daytime, music thumping softly, but up in this quiet space, the tension between me and Ivan filled the air.Ivan leaned against the desk, watching me, his expression unreadable. "We don't have to trust him, Isa. We just have to use him."I turned, my eyes locking onto his. "And what happens when he decides he's done being used?""Then we remind him why he started working for us in the first place." He smirked, tilting his head.I exhaled, shaking my head. "Diego is a survivor, Ivan. And survivors are unpredictable. Today, he wants to work with us because he's scared of Cesar. But what about tomorrow? What if he's offered something better? Or what if he decides turning on both of us is the best way to keep himself alive?"Ivan pushed off the desk, stepping closer. "That's why we keep control
Isadora "So? How did it go?"Viktor's voice cut through the atmosphere as soon as Ivan and I stepped into Rafael's study. He was seated on the edge of the desk, arms crossed, expression unreadable. Rafael leaned back in a chair near the bookshelves, a glass of rum in his hand, waiting for our response.Ivan shut the door behind us before responding. "Diego's interested, but he's not sold yet."Rafael scoffed. "Of course, he's not. Who in their right mind would betray Cesar without a damn good reason?"I took a seat at the small round table in the center of the room, crossing one leg over the other. "That's exactly what we're giving him- a reason. He knows Cesar is unstable. He knows his days are numbered. He just needs to decide whether he wants to remain on the sinking ship or find himself a lifeboat."Viktor ran a hand through his hair, exhaling. "And what if he's playing us? What if he walks right back to Cesar and tells him everything? We'd be handing him our heads on a silver pl
Isadora"How do we know he's not feeding us bullshit?"Rafael's voice was sharp, his dark brows drawn together as he leaned forward on the couch. His fingers drummed against the armrest, a habit that only surfaced when he was truly agitated.Across from him, I sat with my back straight, eyes focused. Ivan stood beside me, arms crossed, expression unreadable. Viktor for once wasn't openly opposing the idea but remained silent, waiting the tension unfold."We don't," I admitted, my voice calm but firm. "That's why we don't act on it immediately. We verify, cross-check, and if it's legit, we make our move.""I don't like this guy," Rafael scoffed, shaking his head. "The guy worked for Cesar. One wrong step, and this blows up in our faces.""And if we do nothing, we remain blind while Cesar continues making his moves," Ivan countered. His voice was even, but there was an edge to it. "We can't afford to look weak anymore than already. We need intel. This is out best shot."Viktor, who h
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
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