Casting another tired glance at the half-empty cabinet, a sad smile touched my lips. We had a lot to restock and a very limited budget. Restarting our lives in a new city would cost more than just dreams and hopes. Our savings were drastically running low. Although we planned to get a job, I knew it was more likely for Hannah to land a better opportunity faster than I would. I had no work experience,andI carried a child.Lifting the bowl, I took the spoon to my mouth, munching on the crunchy cereal as I moved back to the tiny space we’d make-shifted to a living room if I could even call it that. The power was out—one of the bills Hannah had to settle today—so I reached for the fan on the table, and a knock came on the door.I dropped the fan, looking toward it.Deep down, I wanted to believe that it was Hannah, but an eerie silence followed. For our safety, we’d come up with a security phrase that we both used for identification when either of us were on the other side of the door.He
“Nothing I don’t already know.” He sucked on his teeth and looked around. “It’s funny that you think you’re in any position to demand anything. I mean, considering the dunghill you’re currently living in, it’s sad to see how far you’ve fallen from the top to the bottom, sister.” I scoffed. I shouldn’t have been surprised to know he deluded himself. My teeth jammed so hard that my head throbbed. “That’s where you get it wrong,brother. Living with you was the bottom. Thisdunghill,as you call it, is the top.” I didn’t see it coming. In a lightning-fast move, his long legs eliminated the distance. His hand closed around my hair like a noose, fingers twisting into a merciless grip. He yanked me down with savage force, slamming me onto my knees. My scalp screamed in protest as he ripped out strands of hair, the pain searing like a branding iron. My vision blurred as my face smashed into the cold floor, the impact shuddering through every bone. I caught the daze of horror on Aiden’s
NikolaiI stared out the passenger window, the lights reflecting from the tall city buildings blurring together and creating flashing white rotating circles through the windshield as Anatoly navigated the streets. My mind raced with every possible scenario, but my eyes kept drifting back to Aiden’s message on my phone.“Ronan took Rosalyn to Nova Clinic, 5th and Main. That’s all he says.” I re-read the text for the tenth time, searching for hidden meaning.Why Nova Clinic? What would he take there? Even if there was the slightest possibility that she’d been sick and needed medical attention, I could bet two of my properties that Ronan would have left her to die. He’d just find another way to extort funding from Tristan—or better yet, some other asshole to extort from. Ronan always made sure he never fully ran out of options.“How much longer?”My patience wore thinner than a used-up thread. I didn’t understand it—the overwhelming feeling to get to her as soon as possible. Like an itch
“We’re playing the offensive.”“Fuck, yes!”Like me, he maintained his composure, sticking one hand in the pocket of his pants as he gunned down one…two, threemen. Only bringing out the fist when necessity demanded that he lay a punch.I refilled my magazine and laid two bullets in one man who thought he was big enough to swing a fist at my jaw. The fist connected, but I swung an arm, knocked him out, and made sure he never saw the light of the day again. Eager to march inside the building, I advanced forward toward the entrance, shooting down every man who was nothing but a hindrance and leaving the fight behind for Anatoly and the other men to handle. I’d barely gotten to the entrance when Ronan emerged through the screen doors, aiming a gun at my head. Aiden followed after him but made a motion with his hand, signaling that he was going to make himself scarce from the scene.The hate in his eyes screamed no mercy, and I knew he was going to pull the trigger.I swerved to the right,
Stainless steel clanked on the floor, and the operation table rattled when they bumped into each other. They ran as fast as their legs could take them to the door.I planted myself by her side, and on seeing me, she busted into a fit of uncontrollable tears. They ran down the sides of her face, soaking the pillow underneath her head. The turmoil of emotion I felt after setting my eyes on her again could hardly be expressed.Quietly, my fingers began working the ropes bound around her wrist while my eyes did the scanning of herappearance. Even though she was a teary-eyed mess, her beauty remained untainted.Watching her cry helplessly squeezed my chest in the most uncomfortable way. There were tiny patches of skin on her tangled head, some missing hair. I grated my teeth. Dark bruises on her cheeks, her jaw…everywhere. But something else was different. I worked the second rope on her wrist, observing her with more attention. She’d gained some weight.No, that wasn’t it.Twisting fully,
RosalynA day was all it took to release the beasts from their cage. A day. Barely twenty-four hours even.After Father’s funeral that night, they came hungry and angry—draped in the most expensive designer suits in the racks. Black on black, as always. They couldn’t even wait before ransacking Father’s closet to retailor his suits to their fit.They stood by the door, cold steel blue eyes pinned on me, licking their lips in anticipation of the next phase of trauma they were about to put me through.At the field, after I read the eulogy, I heard the men speaking. The older men. They put their hands on Sean, patting his back and muttering commendations in Irish. I knew what it meant. He was the next in line—the next to rule us since Father was gone.“Get up.”Sean’s voice had always been rougher around the edges than Ronan’s, but the latter had more sparks of craziness in his eyes.“Why?”I’d been crying, mourning the loss of my hero. I didn’t want to get up. I didn’t want to go out. I
“Nikolai?”His footsteps were quiet as he ambled closer to the side of my bed. Brown hair fell forward, hanging over his eyes when he peered down to look at me. A few strands had grown from his hair, casting a soft youthful glow over his hard features.I had to tilt my head back a bit to catch a better glimpse of his face and the hard glare he gave me. “Your lips are dry.”I wanted to smile that he’d noticed but suddenly remembered there was really nothing to smile about.“I’m thirsty.”“Here.” He picked up a glass from the top of the nightstand and handed it to me. He had barely shown any considerable concern or anything out of the ordinary, but I felt warm tingles spread throughout my body.“Thank you,” I mumbled.I took a sip and felt a delicious shock ripple through my skin when he held my head back and nudged the glass to make me drink more.Quietly, I obeyed and dropped the glass, finding nothing better to do than fidget with my fingers. “Ronan is dead.”His answer came in a hea
A broad daylight confession. A sharp hook, reeling me in like a helpless fish.His thumb brushed my cheek, and his eyes held the most sincerity I hadn’t seen since the last time my father told me he loved me.“You…. I…um…. I have never wanted any other woman as badly as I want you.” He eyed my lips, the timbre of his voice dropping to an even more husky tone. “When you ran away, I….”He pulled back, his eyes suddenly snapping back to that cold, unfeeling glare, as if he’d been slapped back to reality with a wet cloth.The absence of his hands on my skin left an unwelcome chill, and my eyes followed him as he rose to his feet. He pushed up his sleeves, flexing those hard muscles before his hands slipped into the pocket of his pants. He looked at me like he was about to school me.“Here, with me, you’re free to do whatever the fuck you want: grocery shopping, go to the mall, go for a swim. If you want to play video games, virtual reality, or chess. If you want to have takeout or eat atL
I managed a nod, knowing I was bare before this man, standing before him in a wet dress with no bra underneath and no panties. Just me, wearing my heart on my sleeve, giving him total undenied access, knowing fully well that he could squish me in the palm of his hands without blinking.His lips skimmed the inner part of my thighs, and his teeth grazed the skin on his path.“You should know, I do. I love it when we fuck, Rosa.” He looked up, locking me in with his eyes. “And I love you.”He slipped two fingers through my wetness and pushed them inside of me. I gasped, arched my back, dug my nailsinto his shoulders, and groaned in pleasure. My fingers found purchase in his hair, and overwhelming emotion made me rock my hips while the water hit my face.A fuse lit up inside me, assembling all the puzzle pieces and aligning my words. “I love you, too, Niko.”And I did love him, maybe even too much for my heart to contain.“Fuck,” he mumbled and kissed my thighs again.Euphoria unraveled i
“You were part of the best things that could have ever happened to me after Father died. There was almost nothing to laugh or smile about, but you managed to bring smiles to my face. When they pushed me around, you were always there to catch me. When I was freezing cold, you always had a blanket on standby. When I was sick, you made sure I was taken care of. Silent but observant. Cold yet warm, just enough to heat me up. I might never have believed in guardian angels if it weren’t foryou. Aiden, I’m forever grateful for those times. I am thankful that, even if you’ve never expressly admitted it, you loved me.”“I still do.”His outright, sudden confession dealt a sharp blow to my chest. I sucked in a deep breath, the weight of what I was about to do almost crushing me.“Aiden…I’m letting go.”“Rosalyn, wait—”“And it is a bit ironic that I am letting go when, really, neither of us were hanging on. But it is for the best. I will always cherish the friendship we had. But knowing that yo
“Let’s just not talk about the past anymore, okay?” She linked her arm through mine. “There’s a lot I’ve missed, I know. I heard Egor’s marriage announcement; it spread like wildfire, especially since he was getting married to that detective hottie.”“Freya,” I added for clarity. “They have two children now.”Her face grew red, and I knew she was going to cry again. Pulling her in for a side hug, I said, “You’re not going to fuckingcry, Nadia.” I looked at her, letting her see through the tough exterior guarding my heart. “Please.”She threw her head back, blinking the tears back amidst chuckles. “Okay. For that heartfelt plea, I won’t. I know it almost cost you your liver to say it. Wouldn’t want to ruin my makeup either.”“I’ll get you up to speed, but first, come, let me introduce you to Rosa, my wife. She’ll be waiting.”When we walked back to the table where my wife was meant to be waiting, she was nowhere to be found.****I found her by the lit garden, seated on the bench with
RosalynI finally met Nadia.I’d walked in to see her seated at our table with the most elegance. She was decent, at least toward me. Nice, friendly, and warm. Basically everything her brothers weren’t. I hadn’t gotten a chance to meet the oldest Yezhov sibling yet, Egor, but judging from Nikolai’s mannerisms and disciplined work ethic, I suspected there might have been a rub-off from thePahkanof the Bratva. Talking to Nadia had been like conversing with an older version of myself, a more resilient, focused, and successful version. In the short time we spent dining with her, she inspired me, and I was happy when Niko said we’d be seeing her more often.Now, we were back in the hotel room.Quietly, he went into the closet to do whatever he wanted to do there, and I walked over to the glass windows, brushing my fingers through the light curtains. I wanted to stop caring, but my heart refused to comply. Fuming, I let my hand drop from the curtains and folded my fingers into fists, diggin
“Let’s just not talk about the past anymore, okay?” She linked her arm through mine. “There’s a lot I’ve missed, I know. I heard Egor’s marriage announcement; it spread like wildfire, especially since he was getting married to that detective hottie.”“Freya,” I added for clarity. “They have two children now.”Her face grew red, and I knew she was going to cry again. Pulling her in for a side hug, I said, “You’re not going to fuckingcry, Nadia.” I looked at her, letting her see through the tough exterior guarding my heart. “Please.”She threw her head back, blinking the tears back amidst chuckles. “Okay. For that heartfelt plea, I won’t. I know it almost cost you your liver to say it. Wouldn’t want to ruin my makeup either.”“I’ll get you up to speed, but first, come, let me introduce you to Rosa, my wife. She’ll be waiting.”When we walked back to the table where my wife was meant to be waiting, she was nowhere to be found.****I found her by the lit garden, seated on the bench with
NikolaiI never thought I’d enjoy an evening dinner at a fancy restaurant so much thatIdidn’t want it to end. This moment with Rosa was beyond the physical attraction, that magnetic pull that just made me want to drag her back to the hotel room to fuck her as hard and as greedily as I wanted to.Something else was there. Something tangible that sparked a deeper interest as she revealed more sides of herself. The simmer started from the moment I saw her walk down that aisle. And after last night, I deluded myself into thinking I’d gotten that insane drive out of my system. Then, during our flight, it hit again, more forceful than before.Those darn leggings. The skin-tight fabric clung to her, every dip, curve, and soft angle pronounced. Watching her without being able to touch on that fucking jet was torture. So, I chose work over admiring.And again, the more we talked, the more I realized that a pantyhose and smart mind combination made it even more difficult to keep my shit togethe
“That dress was made for you,” he said, his voice dangerously low and husky.A flush rose to my cheeks as he approached me, his eyes never leaving mine. He reached out and gently adjusted the strap of my dress, and his cool fingers brushed my shoulders, his touch sending shivers down my spine.He smelled like soap and aftershave, and I wanted to bury my face in his neck.After a brief count of fifteen minutes, he was dressed in a plain black dress shirt, matching pants, and chestnut brown Italian leather soles. Then, he walked up to me. Undeniably handsome and drool-worthy.He offered his arm.“Shall we?”****We were both laughing until a teardrop slipped from my eyes.An hour since we’d arrived at the famousLa Coeur de la Vie, and we were already having a most splendid time. I couldn’t remember the reason for our laughter. The memory was vague, but I recalled pieces.It started from the menu. I didn’t know what to order, couldn’t even pronounce the words, butof course,Nikolai was fl
Paris?Now, reeling back to the present, we sat in an uncomfortable, awkward silence, facing each other in one of his private jets.“You’re staring.”I blinked, playing with my fingers and bouncing my sneakers on the beige cabin rug. “No, I’m not.”“Yes, you are.”“No, I’m not.”He turned off the iPad, slid it to the messenger bag, and folded his arms across his waist, looking up at me. Mirth lingered in his gaze, and he shrugged a shoulder.“Yes, you are.”I shifted my foot, crossing one leg over the other, and faced him squarely. The jet jerked under a wave of mild turbulence, and I glanced at the roof, calming my racing heart before responding. That quick scare somehow made me even more nervous.“How would you know?”“Easy. I could feel your eyes on me.”“I was looking out the window.”“Then, I guess, I’m the window.”A small smile tugged on my mouth. He was just so full of himself, wasn’t he? “You’re just proud. You think you’re the center of attention.”Mimicking me, he crossed h
Rosalyn“The name of the song is ‘Carry You Home’ by Alex Warren.” I put the phone down and looked up at him. “And Hannah was right; it isn’t a country song. The singer dedicated it to his wife. How romantic.”The corner of his lips made the smallest curve in a smirk, but he didn’t glance away from his phone. He kept tap, tap, tapping away. “You get a new phone, andthatis the first thing you decide to check.”I shrugged, folding my arms. “I guess.”Dismissively, he scoffed, returning his full attention to whatever business he had to attend to, and pulled out his iPad from the messenger bag on the passenger seat beside him.Shyly, I ogled him, sweeping my eyes from the snug fit of his bold Matcha green cashmere sweater to the black skinny jeans framing his lean, muscled thighs and then the suede glow of his black Timberlands. He looked delectable, and it almost hurt to look at how beautifully perfect this man was, so I looked out the window instead. Regardless, his image was permanentl