Xavier I gaze at Ariana, my heart skipping a beat. I stand, lifting her with me.Her puppy dog eyes sparkle. "Sorry about the carpet."My expression turns serious. "Never say sorry to me, Ariana. Not for this." I cup her face, my thumb tracing her lips.I grin mischievously. "Someone will take the carpet away, but hopefully, they don't ask what the stain is."Ariana giggles, her cheeks flushing.I tighten my arms around her. "You're mine, stains and all."I carry Ariana to the shower, stepping into the sprawling space. The glass-enclosed area is massive, easily fitting six people."Welcome to my sanctuary," I say, smiling.The showerhead above us rains down warm water, steam rising. Ariana's eyes sparkle as she gazes around."This is incredible," she breathes.Marble tiles line the walls, floor-to-ceiling glass doors leading to a private patio. The space is designed for luxury, every detail tailored to my needs.I set Ariana down, water cascading over us. Her hair flows like silk, cl
Ariana I wake up, stretching my arms, but Xavier's side of the bed is empty. I frown, sitting up. Why did he go out without telling me?I toss off the covers and pad across the room, searching for a robe, then I remember, it's not my room. My eyes falls on Xavier's wardrobe, and I hesitate for a moment before walking in. As I scan the rows of impeccably tailored shirts, memories of last night come flooding back.His scent envelops me as I browse through his shirts. I pick a crisp white one and slip it on. The fabric is soft, and the fit is oversized, but I feel cozy.As I button the shirt, I hear the sound of coffee brewing. I follow the aroma to the kitchen.Xavier stands at the counter, his back to me. When he turns, our eyes meet, and his expression freezes.For a moment, we stare at each other. I'm taken aback by his shock.Then, I realize why. His gaze roams over me, taking in his shirt."I..." I start to apologize. But Xavier bursts out laughing."You look so small," he chuck
Ariana After what Xavier said, I slip into the bathroom, closing the door behind me.I remove Xavier's shirt. My whole body shudders anytime I remember what he did to me in his closet.Next, I run a warm bath, filling the room with the sweet scent of lavender, and soak for twenty minutes, letting my worries slowly fade away.After my relaxing bath, I dry myself with a towel. I slip into comfortable trendy clothes, perfect for a night out in the main city. As I search for my shoes, my mind wanders to Camilla. She hadn't returned and I was starting to get worried. I push aside the nagging thoughts. I grab a side bag and head downstairs. As I walk downstairs the first face I see is his. He leans against the banister. "You look stunning." He approaches me, taking my hand in his. "Shall we?" he asks, gesturing toward the convoy waiting outside the door. We glide into the sleek, black car together. He opens the door, gesturing for me to enter. I slide across the leather seat.He sits
ArianaIt was happening again. I was drowning in an endless ocean of darkness, unable to find a lifeline to cling to.The sound of heavy rain pounding against me was deafening, making my heart race with fear.I kept running, not knowing where I was going or what I was running from, but unable to shake off the feeling of impending doom.The fear was suffocating, making it hard to breathe, and I screamed out in desperation.Suddenly, I jolted awake, gasping for air, and found Xavier's concerned face hovering above mine. "Did you have a bad dream?" he asked softly, his voice filled with concern.I nodded, still trying to shake off the lingering fear.Xavier's arms enveloped me. I felt my racing heart slowly calm down. "You're safe now, I've got you," he whispered, tightening his hold around me.My eyelids drooped, I stirred gently. "Xavier?" I whispered.He opened his eyes, focusing on me."Hey," he said softly, rubbing gently on my arm. "How are you feeling?""Terrible," I admitted, rub
Xavier Lorenzo's face changed as he listened to the voice on the other end. His face spoke volumes about the gravity of the situation.His eyes narrowed, his jaw clenched, and a vein pulsed in his neck. He was so easy to read. I knew that look all too well; it was the look of bad news. I stood up abruptly, pushing my chair back and catching Ariana's curious gaze. She looks so adorable when she pouts. I felt a pang of guilt for leaving her behind, but this was something I couldn't ignore it.I nodded at Mateo, giving him a silent order to keep Ariana safe.Mateo's subtle nod acknowledged the command, and I followed Lorenzo out. "Where is she?" I asked Lorenzo, already knowing the answer."At his house," he said.My gut tightened, "Lorenzo, how bad is it?" I asked.Lorenzo's face was grim. "Bad enough," he replied.We drove out to the estate's gate where a black SUV was waiting.Camilla came out from the passenger side. Her face was so pale. Without uttering a single word, she sli
Xavier The persistent knocking echoed through my mind, blurring the lines between reality and dreams.I opened my eyes to find myself in my dark room. The knocking continued, insistent."Ariana?" I called out, my voice husky from sleep.No response.I turned to the side to find Ariana sleeping right next to me. If she was here, then who was at the door. No one ever dared disturb me when I'm asleep. I strode to the door, my bare feet padding softly on the floor.The knocking continued, growing more insistent.I flung it open, ready to unleash my irritation my eyes met Lorenzo's. "What is it?" I whispered, my irritation simmering."Xavier, I wouldn't disturb you if it wasn't crucial," Lorenzo replied, his voice barely audible.I stepped further into the hallway, ensuring Ariana remained undisturbed."Speak," I demanded, my patience thinning.Lorenzo hesitated. “Sophia's here!”Lorenzo's words sent a jolt through me."Sophia's here?" I repeated, my voice barely above a whisper.Lorenz
ArianaI stumbled alongside Lorenzo, my mind reeling.What just happened?One minute, I was returning Lucky's ring; the next, I was being ushered away. "Lorenzo, what's going on?" I asked, tugging my arm free.Lorenzo's expression softened. "Xavier needs to handle some business, kiddo. You're safer elsewhere."Safer?From what?"Who was that woman?" I asked, recalling the icy gaze.Lorenzo hesitated. "Just someone Xavier works with, kiddo. Don't worry about her."But I did worry.Why did Lucky seem so tense around her?And why did she look at me like I was an unwanted obstacle?"Lorenzo?""Yes?""Is Lucky in trouble?"Lorenzo's pause spoke volumes."He's attending to business, Ariana. That's all you need to know."But I needed to know more."Lorenzo, please tell me," I urged, my voice barely above a whisper.Lorenzo's expression turned sympathetic. "Ariana, trust me. Xavier can handle himself.""But who is she?" I persisted. "Why did she look at me like that?"Lorenzo sighed. "She's..
Ariana We pulled up to the movie theater, and I stared in confusion, wondering why we weren't heading to the club.I thought we were going to drown our sorrows in loud music and drinks.Lorenzo's firm tone cut through my expectations."No chance of that happening," he said, his eyes locked on the road."Not after last time," he added, his expression stern.Camilla's curiosity got the better of her."What happened last time?" she asked, her voice laced with amusement.The car fell silent, and Lorenzo's gaze met mine in the rearview mirror.He shook his head subtly, signaling me to drop the subject.His warning was clear: don't pursue this topic.My curiosity, however, had already been sparked. A disturbing thought crept into my mind, making my heart skip a beat.Had Camilla experienced something similar to what I went through with Julian?Maybe it was a painful memory, a trigger Lorenzo wanted to protect her from.I discreetly glanced at Camilla, my eyes scanning her arms and neck for
XavierI pace the cold, grey interrogation room, my mind racing. I check my watch and realize that it has only been twenty minutes. Twenty minutes which feel like an eternity.Finally, the door opened.A figure enters, dressed in a sharp suit."Camilla?""Don't worry. I'm here."I exhale, relief washing over me. "How did you...?""Joseph called me," she explains. "He wants me to represent you. You know, because--"I nod, cutting her off. Even if her father did some despicable things, he was still her father. I couldn't even imagine what she was going through. Camilla's expertise in high-profile cases is unmatched. She practiced for a while, but her father always seemed to need her back home every now and then. It wasn't obvious, what he was doing. But after a while, I became suspicious. But Camilla never said anything. She always tried to be happy, no matter what. "Mr. Castello," she says then clears her throat. She subtely surveys the room, searching for recording devices of any k
XavierBefore Joseph can say anything, I tell Mateo to take Ariana back to the house right away. I just had to make sure she was okay after what had just happened.Mateo nodded and quickly walked over to Ariana, then escorted her away.The next order of business was to get Joseph far away from her. At this point he was the only danger she had to worry about. Joseph looked furious, but he knew better than to argue with me, so he just turned and walked towards the cars. We were both cut from the same cloth. I was a younger version of him. He raised me never to take no for an answer, so I wasn't going to stand her and watch him insult me in my own house. Not in front of my men. We got into the car and drove away. The security team followed directly behind us in other vehicles.My father always used official cars when ever he was in the country. They gathered less attention and were government affiliated so no one over bothered to pull the cars over. I didn't say anything, just kept
Ariana The man stood tall, exuding an aura of commanding authority. He had eyes seemed to bore into those he gazed upon. His dark hair, flecked with subtle hints of silver, was slicked back, complementing his sharp cheekbones. He had imposing physique radiated power. Every move he made conveyed confidence and control, as if he owned the very air he breathed. His tailored suit hugged his muscular frame. The crisp lines and expensive fabric seemed to shimmer in the light This was the ruthless man I stood before. At the mercy of. He looked like the kind of person who'd meet just once in your life, and pray never to meet him again. He had the lifeless eyes of a stone cold killer. I would do anything to be looking into Xavier's right now. I stared down the barrel of his gun, its cold, dark metal gleamed in the dim light of the room. Again, I found myself facing the very real possibility of death. Another life-threatening moment had arisen, and I was exhausted. I had seen guns poin
XavierA week had already passed. But one week felt like forever. I hadn't seen Ariana. It felt like I was drowning but it was for her good and mine. Escaping Sophia felt almost impossible to do. It was no coincidence that the very Sophia came to my house and saw Ariana, she was the target for an assasination. Someone had definitely planned this. And the Guerra's are my best bet.As I drove to the house to see her , I felt an overwhelming sense of relief knowing that she had survived the cinema shooting with only a minor injury.I had been frantic with worry since hearing the news, my mind raced with worst-case scenarios.Thankfully, Ariana's injury was just a graze, and not something more severe that could have taken her life.I couldn't bear the thought of losing her, and my grip on the steering wheel tightened at the mere possibility.I was the reason she was hurt, both physically and emotionally. If not for Lorenzo, the blow would have been fatal. Only the thought of it sent m
Ariana We pulled up to the movie theater, and I stared in confusion, wondering why we weren't heading to the club.I thought we were going to drown our sorrows in loud music and drinks.Lorenzo's firm tone cut through my expectations."No chance of that happening," he said, his eyes locked on the road."Not after last time," he added, his expression stern.Camilla's curiosity got the better of her."What happened last time?" she asked, her voice laced with amusement.The car fell silent, and Lorenzo's gaze met mine in the rearview mirror.He shook his head subtly, signaling me to drop the subject.His warning was clear: don't pursue this topic.My curiosity, however, had already been sparked. A disturbing thought crept into my mind, making my heart skip a beat.Had Camilla experienced something similar to what I went through with Julian?Maybe it was a painful memory, a trigger Lorenzo wanted to protect her from.I discreetly glanced at Camilla, my eyes scanning her arms and neck for
ArianaI stumbled alongside Lorenzo, my mind reeling.What just happened?One minute, I was returning Lucky's ring; the next, I was being ushered away. "Lorenzo, what's going on?" I asked, tugging my arm free.Lorenzo's expression softened. "Xavier needs to handle some business, kiddo. You're safer elsewhere."Safer?From what?"Who was that woman?" I asked, recalling the icy gaze.Lorenzo hesitated. "Just someone Xavier works with, kiddo. Don't worry about her."But I did worry.Why did Lucky seem so tense around her?And why did she look at me like I was an unwanted obstacle?"Lorenzo?""Yes?""Is Lucky in trouble?"Lorenzo's pause spoke volumes."He's attending to business, Ariana. That's all you need to know."But I needed to know more."Lorenzo, please tell me," I urged, my voice barely above a whisper.Lorenzo's expression turned sympathetic. "Ariana, trust me. Xavier can handle himself.""But who is she?" I persisted. "Why did she look at me like that?"Lorenzo sighed. "She's..
Xavier The persistent knocking echoed through my mind, blurring the lines between reality and dreams.I opened my eyes to find myself in my dark room. The knocking continued, insistent."Ariana?" I called out, my voice husky from sleep.No response.I turned to the side to find Ariana sleeping right next to me. If she was here, then who was at the door. No one ever dared disturb me when I'm asleep. I strode to the door, my bare feet padding softly on the floor.The knocking continued, growing more insistent.I flung it open, ready to unleash my irritation my eyes met Lorenzo's. "What is it?" I whispered, my irritation simmering."Xavier, I wouldn't disturb you if it wasn't crucial," Lorenzo replied, his voice barely audible.I stepped further into the hallway, ensuring Ariana remained undisturbed."Speak," I demanded, my patience thinning.Lorenzo hesitated. “Sophia's here!”Lorenzo's words sent a jolt through me."Sophia's here?" I repeated, my voice barely above a whisper.Lorenz
Xavier Lorenzo's face changed as he listened to the voice on the other end. His face spoke volumes about the gravity of the situation.His eyes narrowed, his jaw clenched, and a vein pulsed in his neck. He was so easy to read. I knew that look all too well; it was the look of bad news. I stood up abruptly, pushing my chair back and catching Ariana's curious gaze. She looks so adorable when she pouts. I felt a pang of guilt for leaving her behind, but this was something I couldn't ignore it.I nodded at Mateo, giving him a silent order to keep Ariana safe.Mateo's subtle nod acknowledged the command, and I followed Lorenzo out. "Where is she?" I asked Lorenzo, already knowing the answer."At his house," he said.My gut tightened, "Lorenzo, how bad is it?" I asked.Lorenzo's face was grim. "Bad enough," he replied.We drove out to the estate's gate where a black SUV was waiting.Camilla came out from the passenger side. Her face was so pale. Without uttering a single word, she sli
ArianaIt was happening again. I was drowning in an endless ocean of darkness, unable to find a lifeline to cling to.The sound of heavy rain pounding against me was deafening, making my heart race with fear.I kept running, not knowing where I was going or what I was running from, but unable to shake off the feeling of impending doom.The fear was suffocating, making it hard to breathe, and I screamed out in desperation.Suddenly, I jolted awake, gasping for air, and found Xavier's concerned face hovering above mine. "Did you have a bad dream?" he asked softly, his voice filled with concern.I nodded, still trying to shake off the lingering fear.Xavier's arms enveloped me. I felt my racing heart slowly calm down. "You're safe now, I've got you," he whispered, tightening his hold around me.My eyelids drooped, I stirred gently. "Xavier?" I whispered.He opened his eyes, focusing on me."Hey," he said softly, rubbing gently on my arm. "How are you feeling?""Terrible," I admitted, rub