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FORTY-EIGHT.
Terakhir Diperbarui:
2023-10-31 17:07:17Bab terkait
Little Bird FORTY-NINE.
I look at my reflection in the mirror and I don’t like what I see.I can’t believe I allowed my mother to drag me to the bridal boutique, three hours out of the city.Everything is starting to feel a little too real, and on the inside, I am silently dying from a panic attack.Tonight is the night that I am to meet my future groom. My mother keeps telling me how handsome Wicked is and how much he resembles Ace. Even if my mother is speaking the truth, Wicked isn’t Ace.And my soul will continuously mourn for him every day that we are apart.I have thought about running away many times when the opportunity has shown itself, but every time I look into my mother’s kind eyes, I just can’t.If I willingly run away, I know it will break her. I have heard the house staff chattering in the kitchen about my mother being bedridden for many years because she used pain medication to pass the time.Today marks eight years of sobriety for her, and I don’t want to be the reason for her relapsing. I’v
Terakhir Diperbarui : 2023-10-31Little Bird FIFTY.
ACE. I’m unable to tear my gaze away from Amelia. She is standing there, looking like a perfect little doll, missing my touch but looking like a scared little lamb at the same time. When I received Andreas’ call, it was like a punch in the gut. I have never dropped anything I was dealing with so fucking fast as I did during my meeting with Ismail. Business is business and Amelia… She is like my lifeline that I didn’t know I needed. Ismail will have to wait. I pat my hand on top of my thigh once again, “come here, Little Bird.” I say in a more authoritative tone that has her obeying me. As she lowers her ass onto my thigh, I tilt my head to the side and take a look at her back. The wounds are healing nicely. Leaning forward, I close my eyes and press my lips against her heated flesh. I hear her gasp as her spine straightens upon contact, and I smile as my lips linger over her bareback. If I could take away the pain and the ugly that comes with her past, I would in a heartbeat.
Terakhir Diperbarui : 2023-10-31Little Bird FIFTY-ONE.
My mother rushes over to me the second Ace leaves the store with a small roll of cash in her hand. “He wants you to buy this one.” My mother sighs as she tilts her head to the side as her eyes devour the gown. “Who knew he had good taste.” She mumbles with her brows pinching together. “Mum…” “Yes, darling?” Her gaze snaps up to meet mine with a smile that shows no true emotion she has learned to master across her face. “Did you know he was going to tell me that I was going to marry him and not Wicked?” “Yes. When I asked Ace if he felt the same for you after his brawl with your father, I already knew the answer, but he didn’t”. “How?” “Ace and I, we…” “You dated?” “Hmm, I wouldn’t call it dating because I was with your father at the time. Ace and I weren’t physical, and I was never unfaithful to your father. I guess our lines and emotions got blurred throughout us spending too much time together. He looks at you the same way he used to stare at me. It’s intense as his eyes dra
Terakhir Diperbarui : 2023-10-31Little Bird FIFTY-TWO.
Wicked sits down beside me as my father takes his place at the head of the table and my mother sits on his right – across from me.Kara places our plates down in front of us, “Wicked, it’s so good to see you. I hope you have been keeping well?” She says in hushed tone, touching his shoulder as she slips a piece of paper inside his denim pocket.My father clears his throat, “that will be all, thank you, Kara.” He growls with a scowl on his face, disliking the way she is interacting with my supposedly future husband.Wicked casts me a side-long glance with a shit-eating grin on his face. “The house staff have always been so… accommodating to my every need when I visit here.”I pick up my utensils and begin to cut into my large piece of steak that is covered with mushroom sauce, “that’s refreshing to know. I could tell from the first time I met, Kara that she was very cooperative when it came to one's needs.” I shove the piece of meat in my mouth and turn to look at him, chewing with my
Terakhir Diperbarui : 2023-10-31Little Bird FIFTY-THREE.
ACE. My gaze keeps drifting to the clock on the wall in my office at Infinity Club as I try to contemplate Wickeds’ reaction when he sees my ring on Amelias’ finger. Fuck Nathanial for excluding me from their dinner tonight. It’s such a dick move and he knows it. “I have a seller who is willing to give us 50% upfront for five keys.” Ismails’ voice reaches me through the self-pity party I am internally throwing myself into and yanks me back to reality. “I have a briefcase of Delilah already put into vials for you to sell on your floors.” He waves his hand forward and one of the two men, he brought with him tonight, steps forward and places the silver briefcase on top of my desk. He puts the code in, opens it and pushes it forward. “How many and how much do you want me to sell them for?” I ask as I close the top down and wave for Royce to enter my office. “There are eighty vials inside that case and another eighty in that one,” Ismail announces as he turns his body to the side a
Terakhir Diperbarui : 2023-10-31Little Bird FIFTY-FOUR.
I emerge from my en suite, towel drying my hair after I took a long hot shower, to wash away the sinful thoughts I had of Wicked when he first appeared in the living room.I can’t believe I was almost drooling over him as my eyes shamelessly feasted upon him. It’s because he is a spitting image of Ace.It has to be.I toss the damp towel on the back of my chair for my vanity mirror and I slip between the bedsheets naked, switching the lamp off. Yawning, I turn to my side, waiting for sleep to claim me.The sound of my phone vibrating on my bedside table has me rolling back over to retrieve it, and I slide my finger across the screen.The green light flashes in the top right corner of my phone and I see that I have one unread message. It's strange because I haven't shared my new number with anyone since there is nobody to share it with.I tap on the message icon, open it, and the name unknown number appears in bold writing.Unknown Number: I find it odd that Wicked would call me and te
Terakhir Diperbarui : 2023-10-31Little Bird FIFTY- FIVE.
ACE.I close the door behind me, choosing to remain standing instead of sitting.“I’m going to be the one marrying Amelia, this weekend.” I almost choke on my words as they burn their way up my throat.Words like: Over my fucking dead body, or you’ll be dead before that happens penetrate my ear canals even though his lips aren’t moving.Nathanials’ gaze shifts over me, towards the closed door before he leans back in his chair, acting as if he didn’t hear me properly.His jaw clenches as he leans forward in his chair again, meeting my gaze with a murderous expression engulfing his irises.I’m actually surprised he doesn’t have Church standing behind him.He calmly gets out of his chair and walks to the liquor cart in the corner of the room, pouring three drinks. He downs one and picks up another before he moves to stand by the floor-length window that overlooks the grounds.“I want to know why, Ace. Why my baby girl?” He demands to know more instead of asking me.“Because I won’t settl
Terakhir Diperbarui : 2023-10-31Little Bird FIFTY-SIX.
Nervously, I chew on my lower lip, feverishly rubbing the palms of my hands up and down my thighs, hoping that my father and Ace don't end up killing each other tonight. I still can't believe Ace is here, brazenly speaking to my father and requesting his blessing for us to walk down the aisle and become Mr. and Mrs. Ripley. A large part of me wishes I could be a fly on the wall, so I can bear witness to the conversation they're having. As seconds roll over to minutes, then an hour, my ass starts to feel numb. The pins and needles move down to my legs. Standing up, I move around to get the blood flowing again, anxiously waiting for them to emerge from the office. The house is quiet. It's almost as silent as a graveyard when the moon is perched high in the sky.I quickly descend the stairs upon hearing the sound of my father's office door opening. As Ace appears from the hallway, our eyes meet, and he extends his hand, inviting me to join him.Without any hesitation, I quickly move
Terakhir Diperbarui : 2023-11-02
Bab terbaru
Little Bird SEVENTY-EIGHT.
EPILOGUE.(Three years later…)While Kayla plays on the kitchen floor with her favourite doll that Holden had bought her for her third birthday just yesterday, I put the finishing touches on her birthday cake.My parents, Wicked and Ele have driven out here for the weekend with their kids. I’ve been looking forward to this day for months. Though living here in the middle of nowhere is nice, sometimes the silence can be just as deafening and lonely. For our safety, Knox and I rarely make the trip out to the city, and I’ve come to learn that I’m more of an introvert, and I’m fine with that. But the company of my mother and best friend is like nothing else. I suppose you could say that I like to live through them. I look forward to hearing their stories and seeing the kids. I know Kayla enjoys seeing the kids just as much as I do, and I can tell that she will make the perfect older sister when her sibling arrives. That’s right…I found out this morning that Knox and I are expectin
Little Bird SEVENTY-SEVEN.
I slowly stand up from the ground, wiping my hands down the front of my clothes, tucking the loose strands from my top knot behind my ears, and I finish placing the rest of my roses into the crystal vase.Every fibre in my body is screaming at me to ask Wicked where Ace is. But I also don’t want to take this moment away from Ele. She believed for many weeks that Wicked had forgotten about us; about her.She believed that she was an absolute menace, wreaking havoc wherever she went, leaving a trail of destruction in her wake. Lives were ruthlessly snuffed out, sacrificed in the trail of her existence. The toll of her actions was immeasurable, a dark cloud of tragedy hanging heavy over her every step.And now that Wicked is here, clearing the air between them and openly claiming Ele with his mouth, I would rather not ruin the moment for her.Hell… I’d be fucking furious if someone interrupted Ace staking his claim upon me.Ele needs this.She needs him, and I’m happy for her.I look u
Little Bird SEVENTY-SIX.
I tilt my head to the side and gaze at my reflection in the full-length mirror, affectionately caressing my belly.Today is a significant day for me as it marks my twenty-first birthday.Coincidentally, it is also the ninetieth day since Ele and I arrived at our second safe house. This safe house became our refuge after Holden failed to return to the cabin. However, we received the relieving news a week later that he was alive and well. The SUV he was driving swerved off the road and crashed into a tree after one of its back tyres popped.He claims that he just missed us and believed it would be safer to observe us from a distance instead. Our new safe house is a penthouse located in the heart of the city, which also happens to be within Ismails' territory.A contract was drafted between him and Ace, stipulating that if either of us needs protection within Ismails' territory, Ismail will receive ownership of Ace's clubs as compensation.We are slowly starting to see some normalcy r
Little Bird SEVENTY-FIVE.
“Theodore.” She groans as if she is physically in pain, choking on her words. “I know I said that I wanted him dead, but now that he is, I feel like a large chunk of my soul is missing. He was my twin, and I killed him to save Wicked. What have I done...”A gusty breath filled with relief leaves my body almost instantly, and I close my eyes, needing to take a second for myself as I regain control of my emotions once again. Upon opening my eyes, I sigh as my gaze falls on Ele.She looks so torn up about her actions that I can’t help but feel sorry for her. Yeah, I know she had plans to kill Theodore; to end her bloodline. But I guess she didn’t consider that it would emotionally hurt like a bitch for her too because they share a special connection that only twins have.“I’m so sorry, Ele. I can’t even begin to comprehend what you are going through.” I reply, finding it challenging to find the right words to comfort her without upsetting her further. “If you killed Theo to save Wicked
Little Bird SEVENTY-FOUR.
I held my breath, doing my best to try to pick up on any unusual sounds coming from the front of the cabin. My eyes dart around the closet in the dark, looking for any signs of shadows beneath the door and in between the double doors.I feel like I’m about to pass out. This is all too much and I just want it to be over with.Standing up, I slowly open the closet doors, being mindful of the slight squeaking sound it makes when it gets halfway. I turn to my side and slowly squeeze myself between the doors, then tiptoe down the hallway.The cabin is still. Not a sound penetrates the air, and I begin to panic even more, wondering if Holden has been shot or taken hostage by our intruder. As I get to the living room, I hesitantly peek my head around the corner and I am met with the front door being left ajar.I descend the three stairs and look around the living room, noticing that there aren’t any bullet holes in the walls or the kitchen. I lower my gaze to the floor in front of the door
Little Bird SEVENTY-THREE.
It’s been three days since my world turned upside down.Three days since I got married and watched my husband get stabbed shortly after.Three days that I was brought to this cabin that is in the middle of nowhere.After witnessing Theo stab Ace, I lost consciousness before Holden exited my parent’s mansion. Everything was spiralling out of control so quickly that I couldn’t quite process how much danger we were in until it was too late.I pace the small living room, biting my nails as I hold on to the fragile thread of hope dangling in front of me.There has been no contact or news about Ace, my parents or Wicked and Eleni.I don’t know if they are alive, injured, or dead. And it’s not like I can leave the cabin because I don’t know the pin to deactivate the security system from notifying Holden that the front door has opened without his knowledge.I feel like I am losing my mind.Seconds feel like minutes. Minutes feel like hours, and hours feel like days.“If you don’t stop pacing
Little Bird SEVENTY-TWO.
The rapid bang of gunshots sends people racing towards the mansion. A man falls dead on the grass and I have to jump over his still body. Or risk tripping over his limbs that are splayed out beside him, loose and bent where he lies in a puddle of his own blood. My father and Aces’ henchmen all dressed in black suits, yank their concealed guns from inside their jackets free and take aim at the gunmen who are dressed as servers. Someone did a shitty job screening everyone who entered the mansion only hours ago. And because of their delinquency, people are dying right, left and centre. More people plummet to the ground. Some of them are screaming in terror, anger, and pain and others just lay there motionless with blood pooling on their clothes. “Come on, Mrs. Ripley. We need to take cover.” Holden yells over the gunshots ringing in the air. I gulp, doing my best to keep up with him in my heels and the wedding gown that clings to me like a second layer of skin. Unable to mutte
Little Bird SEVENTY-ONE.
ACE. “By the power invested in me, I now pronounce you husband and wife. You may kiss the bride.” The priest states in a quivering tone right before a bullet finds a gap in our human defence wall and drills into his skull – instantly killing him. It all seems to play out in slow motion in front of me, blood squirts through the air and I crush my lips against Amelias’, turning our bodies, so her back is facing the now-dead priest. The beat of my heart is drumming against my chest frantically, filling my ears with blood. I didn't think they would attack us this early into our wedding. I close my eyes, pouring my love and soul into our first kiss as husband and wife, praying that this won’t be the last one, either. A small moan departs her lips as a low growl leaves mine and clings to it, entwining our pleasure as one. “We have to move.” Holden bellows with a grunt. “We won’t be able to hold our position much longer, and whoever these cunts are, they have a sniper with them too.”
Little Bird SEVENTY.
My body is almost vibrating with anticipation as the whole morning has flown by in a haze. After I had asked my mother and Eleni to give me a moment alone, I looked at my reflection in the floor-length mirror.My fingers brush over the layers of lace and silk, toying with a few pearls that have been hand-stitched onto the bodice of the gown.I can’t prevent the girly smile from spreading across my face like wildfire as I admire the gown that Ace had chosen for me.Today’s the day that I start my new life and become Mrs. Ace Ripley, leaving my past behind like smoke drifting through my fingers – elusive, transparent. I turn around when the sound of the door softly creeks open again. This time, it’s my father who enters the room with a large grin adorning his handsome face. He places both of his hands over his mouth as his gaze lingers over my gown, then rises to my face.“You look… beautiful, baby girl.” He says in a strained voice like he is doing his best to hold back his unshed t
