(ARIELLE'S POV) The figure’s face was obscured because of its posture, but I could sense the fear and vulnerability emanating from them. My heart clenched painfully in terror and desperation. Was that my son? Was Maverick really the one in there? As if watching me even without being in the room,
(JARED'S POV) The docks were a battlefield—cops on one side, Fletcher’s men on the other, weapons drawn. Gunfire erupted as enemies emerged from the shadows, but they were no match for our trained force. I crouched behind a crate, my mind only on Arielle. Was she here? Was she safe? When the gunf
Too many questions. No time for answers. Michael, face grim, asked, “Who do we go after?” I shot him a look, voice cold. “You're seriously asking me that? This is never a question. We're saving Arielle first!” We tore across the water, the engine’s roar drowning out everything else. Oliver’s ma
(ARIELLE’S POV.) I froze in shock at the sound of the gunshot and for moments afterwards, the sound rang in my head, blocking off every other sound. Denzel’s eyes were filled with dark hatred even as he fell into the ocean. And I could imagine that they’d haunt me for a very long time. I tried to
(ARIELLE'S POV) My hopes flew into the bottom of the ocean in that instant. No. No. Not after I’ve come this close, I shook my head in denial and moved over to join him at the steering wheel. “The bastard! He set this thing on the central lock! We’d have to jump,” Dwayne declared and turned ar
(DWAYNE’S POV) I sat in my car for moments after I arrived at Arielle’s house. I started out through the car window quietly, looking at the short flight of steps leading to the entrance door while I thought about the chain of events that had led up to the present. She tried to put up a strong front
Jared shook his head and looked away. The police couldn’t trace Denzel’s activities prior to the kidnap and that had posed a huge black hole in the case, swallowing up every other lead they picked up. There was no CCTV footage of him going into any departmental stores for the chemicals he'd used. Ne
(ARIELLE’S POV) Time rolled by in a blur, with the days turning into weeks and the weeks into a month. I tried to get over the last incident at my doorstep, to cope with the new normal I’d come to accept as my life. I eventually had to give in to Jared and Dwayne’s plea to cooperate some more with
The possibility of getting to cook again filled me with strength. “Let’s make a stop at a grocery shop,” I said to Ashley. “Of course. We’d also pick up something for you to eat as well. You haven’t..” “No!” I said more sharply than intended. “Please. I’ll eat when I’m done cooking,” I maintained
(ARIELLE’S POV.) It felt like stepping out of a dream. A long one. The world was a blur around me, full of bright colors swirling into each other in a dizzying dance in the corners of my eyes. Slowly, my vision settled and the colors faded into the fluorescent bulb hanging down from the ceiling. I
(JARED’S POV) The next day, I pulled out of the hotel's driveway, Arielle and Ashley chatting away in the backseat. The atmosphere was lively, with Arielle's infectious laughter and Ashley’s bright smile. I was glad to see Arielle so carefree, even on a day like today. Ashley's presence was a bless
“Okay, how about… the bartender from that rooftop dinner we went to?” “Arielle!” Ashley exclaimed, feigning offense. “Seriously? A random bartender?” I shrugged. “Hey, you never know. Besides, you said it yourself that he was your type.” She rolled her eyes and didn't say a word. I continued the
(ARIELLE’S POV) I halted, my mind going blank. Pregnant? Ashley? It felt unbelievable. The Ashley I know would never let a man knock her up without marriage, she was that uptight. My eyes darted from her beaming face to the hand she was now placing on her stomach. “Pregnant?” The word escaped my l
(ARIELLE'S POV) “Surprise!” She exclaimed, her face beaming with smiles as she stepped fully into the room, pulling a small suitcase behind her. My jaw dropped, and my eyes widened. She looked tired from her trip, but her radiant smile masked it well. “Ashley, what are you doing here?” I asked, st
(ARIELLE'S POV) Back in my room at the hotel, I sat in front of my phone that was placed on the bed’s dashboard, waiting for my mom to answer the phone. Excitement coursed through my system like an unending river, and I couldn't wait to share the good news with my loved ones, my mom topping the cha
“I won’t be long in the shower,” he promised as he dashed into the bathroom. I picked up my phone and found a couple of missed calls from Michael Langley. A little frown crossed my face until I realized he might’ve worried after checking on me at my suite. I didn’t owe him any explanations of cours
(ARIELLE’S POV) I was awake—eyes closed, but very much aware of my surroundings. I could feel the gentle early morning breeze dance over my skin as it traveled across the room. The warmth of Jared’s skin against mine, his spring arms wrapped around me like a second blanket, brought back very vivid