[Charlotte] "MONSTER! Stay away!” He stands before me, his fist dripping with the blood of another. Wiping off his hands he reaches for me, and I scoot away. I don’t want him to touch me. I don’t want any of that blood near me. What if he hurts me? My mind begins to clear and I realize who my defender is. "Micah?" His voice is soothing as he bends down, kneeling on the ground. But I can’t see him, all I see is blood. So much blood. The world is red and black and white under the harsh light of the streetlamp. There are men on the ground, their bodies mangled lying in unnatural positions. I cannot tell if they are breathing. Pulling the edges of my sweater back around my nakedness, I see nothing but blood, splattered all over my front, my legs. Crying, I start to pull off my sweater and the now useless shirt comes off as well. My bra is still intact and thankfully clean. I pull my knees in to cover myself, shivering in the dark. “Monsters…all of them…monsters…” “Shhhh, Charlotte
[Charlotte] My body responds to his touch wantonly and I find I am the one who needs to push myself away before I do something I might regret. "If I'm going to work with you, Mr. McKaine, we need to keep this professional," I insist. He doesn't look as disappointed as I expected. He blinks, sits up straight, adjusts his blood-splattered shirt as best as he is able, and smiles. He looks a little too pleased with himself, like a cat with a full bowl of cream. "Thank you for agreeing to work with me, Mrs. Slate," his grin extends from ear to ear. "I'll have your contract brought to your office tonight. I look forward to our partnership an
[Charlotte] My knees buckle as they hit the edge of the bed. Micah stands over me, tall and imposing, my face at eye level with certain body parts that I am all too familiar with from that night two months back. I force myself to look up at his eyes. His gaze traps me, his hazel eyes now completely green with the power of his desire. “I am going to kiss you, Charlotte,” he explains as he leans down, his impressive imposing as he folds himself in half bringing his face level with my own. “Micah,” I sigh. “But…” “No,” he insists. “This might be the last time in a long time to come that I will have this chance. I do not intend to waste it. His lips press into mine as he presses me back onto the bed. “I’ve found you again, angel. I’m never letting you go.” [Three Weeks Later] “Earth to Charlotte,” Sebastian waves his hand enthusiastically in front of my face. “Where did you go, Charlie-girl, your eyes were all glazed over and you were drooling.” “I’m sorry, what?” I blink and mo
[Charlotte] Andy’s grin increases as he sees the two of us together. “Perfect, you are both here.” “I’m sorry,” Micah stares daggers at Andy. “If you have something to discuss with me, you can book a time with my assistant. I’ll be busy all afternoon with the Tetsumaru group.” “That’s one of the reasons I came in here.” Andy frowns. “They just called from the parking lot to inform me that they have another meeting to attend but that they would like to consider a raincheck.” Micah’s body becomes tense at this news. It is almost imperceivable, but I can see a vein pulsing along his neck. “You have relayed your message. Leave.” Andy flinches. “Was there something else you needed?” Micah arches an eyebrow. “No sir, I was just hoping to have a moment to talk with my wife,” he looks at his feet bashfully, like a teenage boy trying to ask my father if I could go out on a date. “She and I have some important things to discuss. Micah speaks directly to me, and as if Andy wasn’t there s
[Maven] I don't understand what men see in her. She's nothing exceptional. Leaning against her desk, I pick up her metal nail file and begin shaping my nails as I watch her and Andy talk in the hall. She looks like she's trying to give him the brush-off, but he keeps coming at her, grabbing onto her body. "I'll prove it to you, Charlie!" he shouts after her. "Just you wait!" I'm not sure why I care so much. I'm not in love with Andy. He's just a means to an end. Men can't be taken seriously. They think with their dicks and not with their brains, which is why it is so easy for me to take control. I haven't met a man, yet I couldn't seduce. Just look at Micah, the famous Kingpin Kane. I had him eating out of my hand before. Andy was just a toy, a way for me to get to the data Micah would never share with me. And yet here I am, playing the part of the jealous girlfriend. I barely even like the guy. If I weren't getting paid by Mr. McAllister I wouldn't even bother. Mrs. Slat
[Andy] Maven. Keeping her happy is like climbing Mt. Everest without oxygen. You never know when your next breath will be your last. When she loves you, it is like the warmest sunny day, scorching hot and relentless. When you fall from grace, however, pack an extra jacket, because you are going to freeze your ass off. When I first met her, she was crazy for me. It was so easy to let myself stumble out of my marriage and into her. I knew she was just using me, but I didn't care. I wanted to be used. I needed to be wanted. I knew that she was placed here by McAllister to spy on my company, and I let her do it because I wanted to make her happy. I wanted the warm sunny day to never end. She convinced me to leave my wife fo
[Charlotte] The ceiling is white, the corners dingy and yellow from scrubbing. It is the only thing I've been able to see in this room because I cannot turn my head and I can barely blink. Just opening my eyes makes them burn with a hot white fire even though the room itself is cold and dry with a strong antiseptic smell. Shivering in the room, I am mentally transported to the moment in time when my grandmother took her last breaths. I know that somehow I am in a hospital, although I cannot remember what happened to bring me here, or why I am in so much pain. I do remember the feeling of soft hands on my cheek and the gentle sound of crying. I remember someone shouting. The feeling of weightlessness, of being carried, and then nothing. Everything is a blur. There is a quiet stillness to the air. There is the sound of machines buzzing and beeping and the almost silent sound of gentle weeping. “Hello,” I croak, my throat dry. “Is someone there?” “Charlie,” A man speaks, his
[Micah] She is mine. She is under my protection. I failed to keep her safe. I am angry. Angrier than I have been in a very long time. How could I be so ignorant of what was happening around me that I'd misjudge my employees to such a degree that I wouldn't see this threat coming? It had to be someone inside the office, nobody else could get in. I keep my security tight. There are government facilities that are less secure than MMK. It has to be that way. With the work I do, both on the surface and in the shadows, I cannot afford to not take precautions. And yet, I let things get so out of hand within my organization that I put my angel at risk. I promised her that I'd protect her, that I'd keep her safe. When I saw her at the bottom of the stairs, twisted and bleeding, Andy standing over her, my vision turned black for a moment. I feel my anger rising again as I remember that moment, when seeing Charlotte broken almost undid me. [Flashback. Earlier today] "WHAT DID YOU DO
[Charlotte]I don't remember much after that moment when I first attacked McAllister. I was lost in the moment, avenging my fallen friend, making sure that he didn't get up ever again. And then I felt a sting on my back and a rush of heat. I fell to the ground and the rest faded into nothing. When I woke up in the hospital two days later and Juni was by my side, I thought I must be dead. But I wasn't. She isn't dead, and neither am I. An hour or so later, Micah arrives in the room smelling clean and looking tidy, his arms full of dozens of chrysanthemums in shades of gold and white. "A gift, from the Masumotos, " he explains as he sets them down next to my bed. Juni kisses me on the cheek and says she'll see me later as she leaves Micah and me alone. "The girls are fine," he says as he takes a seat, "And as you can see, so is Juni. Everyone is safe."I nod. It's all starting to feel like a bad dream. A nightmare I didn't think I'd wake from. "Was it ever Juni in that room?" I ask
[Micah][Earlier that evening]Stepping out of my car, I am flanked by my crew as together we walk straight into the dragon's den. Our enemy, McAllister, is going down tonight. We aren't alone as we approach the landing. It seems that McAllister called in all of the faction heads to attend his VIP event. Even the current head of the Skeleton Crew is here, Bones LeRoux bringing full Louisiana flair, from his checkered suit to his ivory-topped cane. Mobs bosses and gang leaders from across the country all gathered in one place. McAllister is planning something. Something big. Maybe this wasn't just about MMK Industries. Does McAllister have plans for a global expansion? "Nah," I say to myself, realizing the truth. "He's just trying to show off." Roger, standing next to me, nods in agreement. For a man who is outwardly plain and prefers to remain unnoticed, he does have a way of making himself showy when he needs to. As soon as we pass the threshold to his mansion, the drab exterior
[Charlotte]The flight over was grim. We are not going to Portland on holiday--it is a rescue mission. Micah and I stayed next to one another, but I couldn't cuddle in his arms the way I'd prefer. We both had to be generals of this little rag-tag army of ours. I have my girls, my Blue Diamonds, and he has his Angels and his soldiers, his troops on the ground. There would be time for snuggling later. If we all survive this. And if we don't, I guess we'll have to find each other in the next life. As soon as we land we'll be going our separate ways. He'll be taking his people to the Tattooed Walls. We'd be McAllister's guests in one of his hotels.Our time went by much too quickly. It felt like a blink Holding my hand, we disembarked together, Micah refusing to let go of me until he had no other choice. Waiting on the tarmac were two cars heading in different directions. If all goes well, we'll be back here tonight, on our way home.And if it doesn't...Using our intertwined hands as
[Micah]I do not like this plan of Charlotte's. It is too dangerous. She is putting too much at risk, even surrounded by her Blue Diamonds. As part of the plan she made with McAllister, she and her girls will be providing "entertainment" for him and a few choice guests. "A private, intimate party for only the very best customers." Just the thought of her in a room with his kind of people makes my heart race and my vision blur with fear and anger."I'm counting on you to make the most of the time we give you," Charlotte demands, holding my face between her hands as she looks me dead in the eyes. "My girls and I can take whatever he dishes out, don't you worry about us. He isn't going to expect that a bunch of strippers are also cold-blooded assassins. But we are only the distraction. We need you and your boys to get us out of there safe."I think she is underestimating him, which is why I need to make sure my part of the plan goes flawlessly. As soon as we touch down, I kiss my beau
[Charlotte]My blood is still boiling after seeing what that bastard did to his own daughter. It is ten times worse than any humiliation that I ever faced by Andy's hand, and it is her father pulling the strings. Did he make her watch Kenji suffer too? Was she in the room when her father's men cut off his ear? We're going to save Sasha and Kenji. And then we're going to burn it all down. But how do we slay this sick dragon? Micah wants to go in full guns blazing, the Masumoto clan at his back. Grandma Masumoto is down for this plan, angry that her favorite grandson has been captured and so thoroughly disrespected. She's already called the cousins in Yokohama. They'll be flying directly to Portland and arriving tomorrow morning. I have another, more subtle plan, one that I hope will distract McAllister enough for Micah to be successful in our little coup.Pitching my idea to him, he tenses. "I don't like this, Mon Ange. I don't want to put you in that demon's grasp." "You'll be ju
[Charlotte]"Can you sign for this?" A smiling young man approached the main desk. I was passing through and our receptionist, Claire, handed it to me. Sasha was out today, so I took the package. Weirdly, she didn't call in, but knowing Kenji's plans for her last night, I'm sure they're still busy "resting" in bed this morning. I can already imagine the wedding. She'll be such a beautiful bride. After thanking Claire, I see that it is made out to Mr. and Mrs. McKaine. Rubbing my finger across the postmark, I can't help but glow. We're really married. It's still so hard to believe, even though I wake up next to him every morning snuggled into his warmth after a night of endless lovemaking. You'd think learning I am pregnant with his twins would cool his ardor--mission accomplished! He's so virile he succeeded in knocking me up twice over. But no, if anything he's even more passionate, even more determined to show me his love every day. "You are so beautiful," he likes to tell me eac
[Sasha]My father has never been a gentle man. Nor has he ever shown compassion to anyone, not true compassion. Not even to his daughter. I grew up knowing that I am not blood-related, that he picked me from a selection of surrogates pregnant with children they didn't want. He didn't want to leave his physical legacy in the world. I was just something for him to control and mold. Love wasn't part of the deal.To be honest, I don't know if he's capable of such a complex emotion. Or any true emotions. He wears masks that people find believable to convince him that he is interested in them and that he cares about anything they have to say, but it is all an act. Just another part of his carefully curated self-image. Just like me--just another prop to make him more "likable" and "relatable." Most children turn to their parents when they need comfort. I never had that instinct, or more precisely, I was never allowed to develop that kind of attachment. The only people who were with me cons
[Charlotte]Humming to myself, I walk to the break room, take a slice of some "welcome home cake," that the office had presented to us this morning, and grab a nice cup of coffee. The cake tastes amazing. I've hardly been able to keep anything down lately and my body needs the calories. Apparently, this baby likes sugar because I am able to eat the entire piece without even the smallest touch of indigestion. Taking a sip of my coffee to cut the sweetness, I start to choke. Fighting back the urge to vomit, I force myself to keep it all down. Fine, no coffee. My girls gave me similar trouble. They didn't like any caffeinated beverages. I couldn't even drink a cup of green tea. "Babies suck," I look at my coffee sadly as I text Micah to let him know our appointment is in 45 minutes. "Meet me in the garage in 10 minutes," I text as a follow-up. Tossing my coffee, I groan. I could have used that jolt of energy.I don't even make it to the elevator before Micah has his hand around my wa
[Charlotte]Things are different when I come into the office the next day. My morning starts normally enough. Micah is already off for his day, gone in early to take care of some "urgent business," and I'm to come in a bit later after dropping off the girls at their new school. My new driver, Agnes, is the latest addition to the Blue Diamonds, and like Roger is to Micah, she will be my constant companion and driver. "Ma'am, we're here," she announces in a tight, southern drawl. "Are you ready, or do you need me to make another circuit?""I'm ready," I give her my sunniest smile even though on the inside my stomach is churning--although I'm not sure if it's about this or something else, something more important. Thankfully Sasha is already in my new office, typing a report when I enter. I know she's McAllister's daughter and I shouldn't trust her, but Kenji loves her, and that's good enough for me. I trust his judgment and his family's legendary ability to judge a person's inner cha