"Calm down, sweetheart, I am no enemy," Nikolaev said, his voice smooth and reassuring, though edged with a hint of amusement. He slowly withdrew his hand from Sadie's face, his fingers trailing lightly against her skin before falling away. Sadie's heart raced with a mix of fear and anticipation as she instinctively tried to put some distance between them, her eyes wide and searching his face for any hint of his intentions.His chuckle was low and knowing, as if he found her reaction both amusing and expected. His eyes held a warmth that contradicted the danger. As she backed away, her breaths coming quick and shallow, Nikolaev remained where he stood, watching her with a steady gaze."I mean you no harm, Sadie," he spoke again, his voice gentle yet firm.His words caught Sadie off guard, momentarily breaking through the haze of fear that clouded her mind. She studied him for a moment, searching for any sign of deceit, but found none. There was something genuine in the way he spoke."
"Stay back!" Sadie's voice echoed through the tense silence, her body rigid with fear as she pointed the gun at Alejandro, her gaze locked onto him with a mixture of defiance and desperation. The weight of the pistol in her hand felt heavy.Her heart hammered against her ribcage as she watched in horror as a group of men dressed in black followed after him, their threatening presence casting a shadow over the rooftop. With each step they took, her breathing quickened, her chest rising and falling in erratic bursts as panic threatened to consume her.The men moved, surrounding the rooftop sending chills down her spine. She felt a knot form in the pit of her stomach as one of them rushed towards the helicopter, the sound of the rotor blades whirring to life adding to the cacophony of chaos that engulfed them.Her mind raced with a flurry of thoughts and fears, memories of Alejandro's bloodied face flashing before her eyes with a gut-wrenching lucidity. Silvio was fighting him, she knew,
"The fuck do you mean this place is going to explode?" Nikolaev grunted, his brow furrowing as he helped Dante to his feet. Dante winced at the pain coursing through his body, sweat beading on his forehead despite the biting cold of the winter air."There are bombs around, we have only twenty minutes," Dante explained, his voice strained with urgency. "Where's Sadie?""Safe for now," Nikolaev muttered tersely, his mind racing as they hurried towards the stairs. "Where's Silvio?""Let's find him first," Dante replied, his jaw clenched.But they were interrupted by the sharp report of a gunshot echoing through the corridors, followed by the distant sound of helicopter blades slicing through the air. Eyes widening in realization, Nikolaev and Dante exchanged a panicked glance as the truth dawned on them."The roof..." Nikolaev muttered, a curse escaping his lips as he pieced together the dire situation. "Fuck!"With perseverance, they sprinted up the stairs, their hearts pounding in thei
“The reservations are made, and the files are encrypted. Do you want to see the mails now?” Dante's voice was tinged with a hint of weariness as he spoke. Despite the exhaustion etched into his features, there was a gritty glint in his eyes.I shifted slightly on the hospital bed, wincing as the movement sent a dull ache radiating through my battered body. The events of the past few days had taken their toll on both of us, leaving behind a trail of physical and emotional scars that would take time to heal.My gaze drifted to the thick bandage wrapped around his head. It was a miracle that he had survived, and I couldn't help but feel a surge of gratitude for his resilience and loyalty.Beside him, the crutches leaned against the chair. Despite the pain and discomfort, he refused to be side-lined.I nodded, a sense of relief flooding through me at the knowledge that our plans had not been derailed by the bedlam and destruction. With Nikolaev's backup in place, we survived. I’d have to
Life's a rollercoaster. Full of twists and turns that you never see coming. Take my childhood, for instance. Thought my mom up and left because she couldn't stand me. Turned out she had her own demons to wrestle with. Funny how perspective changed everything.Then there was Brian. Always felt like he couldn't stand the sight of me. Maybe it was just my own insecurities playing tricks on me. We never did see eye to eye. I thought he hated me for my mother’s death. But he knew the truth all along. Maybe looking at me reminded him of my mother.And then Edward. That man could push my buttons like nobody else. But for some reason, I stuck around, thinking maybe things would change. However, they didn’t. I waited for him to change, to see me as a woman who deserved respect and love, his love, but that was all a twisted fantasy made up by my head. Now that I think, there was never love between us. He wanted me just for the money, to pay his bills, to warm his bed at night and endure the suf
If my mind had been clearer, I might have brainstormed a different strategy to divert Mitchelle’s attention from Sadie until I could think of something else. The moment he mentioned her, my mind became a dangerous place, a series of ways I could tear him apart race through.Sadie, risking it all to save me. It hit me like a ton of bricks. She could've stayed away and let Mitchelle have the wrong sense of victory, but instead, she put herself in harm's way to rescue me. The woman who had every reason to despise me, facing her fears head-on. And that tore me. I almost lost her.There she was, standing before me, a portrait of bravery and vulnerability all at once. Fear and determination danced in her eyes, a stark contrast to the flimsy dress she wore, which seemed to swallow her petite frame whole. Yet, despite the odds stacked against her, her tenacity shone through like a guiding light in the midst of uncertainty.I took in the sight of her, something clicked inside me. It was as if
Silvio looked at me, softly and intensely, like there was something big hanging in the air between us. I couldn't look away though, because I knew if I did, those damn nightmares would come crashing back in. I was terrified, my heart racing like crazy.But Silvio, he got it. He could feel it too.Everything went quiet, just the sound of my own heartbeat drumming in my ears. Then his hand moved, sliding between us, gently stroking my stomach."You don't need to beat yourself up over this, baby. You saved our child.""I nearly ended his life, Silvio-""No, you did no-""I'm a killer-"His lips moulded mine. So fiercely and passionately I forgot what I was saying for a second. His hand moved to hold my nape as he tugged me to his chest, holding me, cradling me, moulding me.I closed my eyes and reciprocated. I needed this. His touch, his feel, and his emotions. The man I should hate was now the one who could calm my demons.He said in a husky voice, "I need you, Sadie." I gulped, breathi
That evening we slept together, the room grew quiet when Sadie lightly snored in my arms, her arms around my torso as she snuggled closer. Earlier, I noticed a change in her demeanour, a flicker of emotion beneath her calm exterior. Despite her efforts to stay composed, she seemed restless, her movements betraying whatever was going on in her head. And it frustrated me that I couldn’t do anything to ease her up.We lay side by side. But I couldn’t forget how distant her gaze was, occasionally fixating on a spot in the room before returning to me, her brow furrowed with contemplation, her lips twitching at slight movement.I felt a connection as if I could sense the emotions swirling beneath the surface. It was as though her innermost thoughts were laid bare, and I couldn't help but wonder what nightmares could hurt her in this way.Taking a life wasn't a badge of honour in her line of work, and as her husband, I could sense her inner turmoil. She carried the weight of her actions heav