MIRA I stare at Damon, mentally willing him to laugh in my face and tell me that this is all some big ass joke. I tighten my fingers around his arm, willing him to look into my eyes and tell me that Mason is okay, that the officer was just playing around.He doesn’t. Instead, he shakes his head at me in a helpless gesture and I stumble backwards, suddenly unable to stand upright for a second longer.Grief hits me first, followed by a barrage of fear. It is like the dam which holds my tears have broken open, and the salty trails cascade down my cheeks in torrents.“N-no…no. It can’t be…” I whisper, disbelief tearing at my guts.Someone wraps their arms around my shoulder while Damon goes ahead to make some few callsI barely notice when I’m led to a seat and forced into it.The only images which run through my mind are that of Mason’s mangled, destroyed car.Flashes of Damon’s conversations on the phone filter in and out of my consciousness but asides that, I’m blessedly numb.“…wha
MIRA“W-why? How?” Vanessa asks.I just sit there, shock and awe coursing through my bloodstream. As if sensing my discomfort, Mason wraps his arms around me and pulls me against his side. His comforting heat instantly dulls most of my worries.“They were sent from the mafia.” He deadpans.I freeze. We all freeze.“What do you mean?” Damon asks when the silence begins to get suffocating.“I couldn’t recognize their faces, but there were quite a number of them.”“So…where’ve you been for the past three days?”Mason shrugs, his eyes dark.“I have absolutely no idea. I was kept in darkness during those days. I couldn't recognize anyone. I couldn't see anything either.”Guilt crashes down on me.“Shouldn't you step back from this? I don’t want anything to happen to you because of me.”He raises my fingers to his lips and presses a soft kiss on the back of my palm.“Nothing will happen to me, baby girl. I can handle myself.” “But…”“No buts, Mira. None of this is your fault. Nothing thos
MIRA “Ohmygod, Mira. What does it say?” Vanessa whisper-yells as she pulls me into her room.We make ourselves comfortable on the bed and I place the envelope between us, my fingers trembling.“How did he leave this without anyone seeing him?” I ask. Even my voice is shaky.“I have no idea. C’mon, open it before I die of suspense.”I roll my eyes and take a deep breath to calm my nerves.“I don’t think we’re safe here. Shouldn't we tell Mason about this? Added security will make me feel safer.”Vanessa’s eyes widen.“Are you nuts? Do you realise how overprotective and crazy Mason is going to become when he finds out that some anonymous and maybe dangerous individual has been stalking you? What’s worse, this person is trying to dig up dirt on him so he can ruin your image of him.”When I just stare at her, she adds.“Look, The Enchanter or whoever he is, he doesn’t sound like a dangerous person. Let’s just keep up the charade and see where this goes. Okay?”I mull over it for a second
ANONYMOUS I love the destruction I’m about to wreck on their relationship. I love the fact that I reserve the power to shatter them to smithereens and make sure they never glue back together.He took me for granted years ago. He rejected me. He spurned me. Now, I will destroy them.Who should I kill first?His redheaded latest toy?Oh, maybe the best friend. But I hear she’s pregnant. Too bad. She’s still a target.Or maybe I should go for her sister. Yes, Anna seems like the perfect prey. No one fusses over her like they do the rest. I’m seriously considering it. Just a bullet to the head could kill her instantly.But one thing is certain. I will destroy him. I will bring him to his knees before me. I will murder his soul and kill his spirit.And how will I do that? I’ll kill off everyone and everthing he holds dear one by one, until he’ll be lost and broken. Then I’ll swoop in and finish him off.Why? Because Mason Lachlan killed me five years ago, and he had the audacity to mov
MIRA I remain frozen to the spot as I try to assimilate my situation, my gaze wandering between Mason’s angry stare and Halloway’s burning glare.“I don’t understand. H-how…?” I whisper, my fingers trembling.“What exactly do you not understand, Mira?” Mason cuts in, his tone scathing. “The part where you betrayed me? Where you betrayed my company?”“But I’m not…”“Oh, be quiet!” Halloway seethes. “The video clearly shows you’re the one. Your pointless lies mean nothing.”I try to contain my temper and mounting rage, so I turn away from her and face Mason. “Play the video again.” I say, surprised at how calm I sound.Mason says nothing. He doesn’t have to. His eyes say it all. He hates me. He’s disgusted with me. Halloway takes it upon herself to rewind the video to the beginning.I watch attentively as the horrible scene plays out once more.The scene opens in what appears to be a secluded section of a ritzy hotel. Seated at opposite sides of a table and facing one another is me…a
MIRA“…so here I am again,” I sniff, “seated on your sofa with a broken heart.” I have just told Vanessa all that transpired between Mason and I. It serves to say that I’ve been crying non-stop for the past thirty minutes. Now, my head aches like a group of wailing banshees have been playing dodgeball up there.Vanessa sits perfectly still opposite me, accessing me under the veil of her thick lashes.“Well, are you not going to say anything?!” I blurt. “Going to meet The Enchanter was your idea.” I know it is totally petty to pin anything on Vanessa when she’s been nothing but supportive to me these past few days, but I can’t help it. I desperately need someone to blame.Vanessa’s perfect blue eyes flash.“I will excuse such language because I partly share the blame for this,” she scolds. “But I did not force you to do anything.”I want to retort but the fight drains out of me and I lean back.“I nearly killed him, Nessa. I nearly killed him.” I whisper, the thought alone sending pi
MIRA My arse hurts from sitting on the sofa all day. By the time Vanessa returns, I can barely move.She breezes in, bringing her comforting vanilla scent with her.“Hey, bebita. Sorry I’m late.” She drops a kiss on both my cheeks and moves away to grab a bottle of water.I stare at her for a moment. Her pregnancy bump is beginning to show. Not long until I get to hold my little god-son or god-daughter. Who would’ve thought?“Hey. I’m even surprised that Damon let you come back here.”Vanessa sends me an exasperated look over the top of her water bottle.“He’s not the boss of me.”I simply raise my brows at her until she gives up with a little huff.“Well, it took a lot of convincing on my part. I think I even cried and everything. Anyways, he’s not letting me sleep here. He just said I could come see you for a couple of hours. He’s starting to become a controlling prick.” She rolls her eyes but I can tell from the sparkle in those blue depths that she’s nothing less than happy abo
MIRA The plan is simple. Trail Halloway from the office at a safe distance and see where she disappears to for two hours everyday.After brainstorming logistics and dress code, we finally split up by ten PM because Damon himself comes calling for his woman.When our eyes meet, he opens his arms to me and I run into them, hiding my face in his chest.“You know I didn’t do it, don’t you? I would never betray him like that, Damon.” Please tell me you believe me. Please. Please. Please.Damon kisses my hair. It’s a purely brotherly gesture. One I draw immense comfort from.“Of course I believe you.”I sag against him in relief and lean back.“He’s so angry with me. What should I do?”“You have to tell him the full truth, Mira. Otherwise, he might never truly forgive you.”My heart falls.“And I will. I promise I will. Very soon. I just don’t want him to keep pushing me away. I want to be with him.”Damon shrugs, his electrifying blue eyes sparkling. Okay, he and my best friend will make
SNEAK PEAK OF MY UPCOMING DARK ROMANCE NOVELTITLE: AUCTIONED TO THE RUTHLESS, ITALIAN DAREDEVIL.***He is Edoardo Vicenzo, son of Dante Vicenzo.They called him the most dangerous man in Italy, the boss of all bosses, the leader and owner of men.He had everything he could ever want… money, cars, women. Everything. While I, on the other hand, had absolutely nothing to my name.All I had was my pride. And my beloved sister.When my sister came home from school one day, crying that she was almost raped by one of his men, I lost it. I ran crazy. I became unhinged.My father warned us to keep quiet about it because he was obviously benefiting from the evil reign of Edoardo’s father in the city, but my name is Annachiara Giovanni, and I’ve never been known to keep silent.My blood boiling with rage, I went to fight for my sister that night and ended up nearly being forced into a sex battle. One thing I did not realise was that my sister wasn’t just assaulted by one of Edoardo’s men… she
THREE YEARS LATER... MIRA “Hello, beautiful.” I look up from the cake batter before me and my heart literally sings with joy as I watch my husband come in through the back door of our Victorian home. His handsome face breaks into a full blown smile and those smoky gray orbs shine as bright as the midday sun. I drop the whisk in my hand into the bowl and open my arms wide, beckoning at him with a grin of my own. Without hesitation, Mason covers the distance between us and wraps his strong arms around my waist. He lifts me off the floor and twirls in a half circle, eliciting giggles of delight from my throat. He finally puts me down and buries his face in my neck. “Mmm, you smell delicious. Did you miss me?” I whisper against his chest. “Yes, baby. I missed you so, so much.” My heart warms at those words, but I can’t help but tease him. “You saw me just twenty minutes ago.” He holds me tighter and breathes in the scent of my hair. “It doesn’t matter. The last twenty minut
MIRAI nearly sag from the force of relief that spirals through my veins.My lips stretch in a smile and before long, my pregnancy hormones kick into action and I’m crying all over the place. “Mira!” I hear my sister scream behind me. “He’s awake! Mason has finally woken up!”She wraps her arms around me from behind and I lean into her and shut my eyes, soaking in her love and relief as I sob against her chest.Before long, Vanessa also wraps her arms around us and we stay like that for a long, long time. Anna pats my hair and whispers.“I knew he’d wake up. I just knew it.”I lift my head slowly and stare at her through my tears.“How did you know?”She shrugs.“After he rescued Dutch and I from Halloway and her evil sister, he promised that he’ll always protect us. Mason always keeps his promises.”My tears fall faster and I cup her cheek, trying to smile.“He does, doesn’t he?”“Come on, pregnant lady. You need to sit down.” Vanessa chirps in.With Anna and Vanessa on both my side
LILYTHREE WEEKS LATER…“So, Mrs. Lachlan, what do you plan on doing with your husband’s ashes? Have you thought about that yet?”I sit before the therapist, totally swathed in a feeling of numbness. I’ve felt numb for the past three weeks. The only emotion that has kept me company during this dark time is pain… venomous, excruciating pain. “I don’t know yet.” I whisper, patting my swollen tummy absentmindedly.I don’t want to be here but Vanessa and Damon forced me to come after my third failed suicide attempt. They don’t understand. How can they? How can they understand that I might’ve lost my reason to wake up every morning? How can they understand that Mason is gone and I cannot live without him?How will they understand that I do not believe I have the strength to raise these children on my own?How will they understand that when the doctors pronounced him dead, I wanted to die, too?The therapist, a petite Korean lady, clears her throat and shifts closer.“Mrs. Lachlan, don’t
MASONWhile I’m still trying to deal with my shock, Scuderi’s hold on my neck tightens, blocking out any form of air from passing through my windpipe. My vision becomes increasingly blurry and my head starts to spin.“Get a hold of yourself!” My subconscious screams when I’m on the verge of passing out.At the last minute, I decide that I’m not gonna die like this. I promised Mira that I’ll come home. And I always keep my promises.Just when my uncle thinks he’s winning, I muster the last dregs of my energy and shoot up my free arm, striking him square on the jaw and dislodging him from my body immediately.“Fuck!” He snarls, falling to the side with a pained grunt. A greater part of me just wants to lie there and catch my breath, but deep down, I know that if I waste even a second here, I might not make it out alive.I quickly jump to my feet and pick up the nearest object I can use as a weapon — a baseball bat. When I turn to my uncle, he’s trying to crawl away like the coward he
MIRAThe moment I open my eyes in the morning, I know something has gone horribly wrong. I feel Mason’s side of the bed and it’s cold. Very, very cold. Dread crawls up my spine as I hurriedly sit up, trying to understand what the hell is going on.“Mason?” I call, pulling the covers aside and getting to my feet. “Mason, where are you? Are you in the bathroom?” Silence greets me. Stone cold silence.I pad barefoot to the bathroom, my stomach tightening with fear as I go. Ten minutes later, I’ve searched the entire room and even the closet, but he’s still nowhere to be seen. Now, I really begin to panic.I pull the door open with the intention of searching the rest of the house for him and standing just outside with two papers in her hand and tears streaming down her cheeks is Vanessa.I freeze, horrific images already swirling through my tired brain.“Nessa, what happened? Why are you crying? What are these papers?”She walks past me and climbs onto the bed, her shoulders tremblin
MIRAMy cheeks redden in embarrassment as I quickly look down at my bare feet. I raise my head slowly, already dreading the anger I’ll see in Mason’s eyes.However, when our gazes meet, all I see is worry and concern. He cups my heated cheeks with his palm and murmurs;“What happened, baby? Did you need something?”I’m about to reply when someone slams the table behind us and sneers.“What is this, Mason? Can’t your wife see that we’re in a meeting? How dare she interrupt us? And you’re just going to stand there and do absolutely nothing about it?”I whirl in the direction of the voice to find a stout, middle aged man glaring at us with fire in his eyes. Mason stiffens against me moments before he growls.“What did you just say to me?”The man tries to repeat himself but Damon places a hand on his arm and tries to force him back into his seat.“You do not want to get on his bad side, my friend. Especially when it comes to his wife.”The man looks from Damon to Mason and finally lowe
MIRAWe’ve been back in New York for a week now and Mason seems to grow more overprotective with every passing second. He doesn’t let me do anything… and I mean, anything at all. Sometimes, it’s a real struggle to convince him that I can brush my teeth on my own. Sheesh.I swear, if I didn’t love him too much, I’d have dumped his overbearing arse down the Himalayas mountain by now. Today is one of those days I dread very, very much. It’s one of those days when I have to convince Mason to let me step a foot outside.“But please, oh please…” I beg. “I promise we’re just going skinny dipping in the pool. We’ll be back before you know it.”“Absolutely not.” He says firmly as he knots his immaculate blue tie.I huff and flop on the bed.“Be careful.” He calls from his position in front of the mirror.I finally snap. “What?!”He turns to me, looking gorgeous and edible as ever.“Don’t hit yourself on the bed too hard. Lie down softly.”A incredulous laugh escapes me.“I shouldn’t hit mys
MIRAMason and I hurry through our bathroom niceties and five minutes later, we’re walking into the living room.“Wait for me here.” He says, motioning at a sofa. “I’ll handle them.”“No.” I retort as gently as I can. “I’m coming with you.”He lifts a brow.“There might be a possible threat out there, baby girl. Sit still while I handle it.”In response, I walk past him and gesture at the door.“Isn’t it great that I have you here in case of such threats?” I argue coyly. “Besides, haven’t you been taught never to argue with a pregnant woman?”His face is hard and unyielding for a second and I fear that he might force me to remain inside. To my surprise, his lips tilt in one of those sexy half smiles and he covers the distance between us with two long strides. Mason leans forward and places a soft kiss on my forehead.“I didn’t know stubbornness came with pregnancy as well. Fine, you can come. But you’ll stay behind me at all times. Understood?”I nod eagerly. I even salute and everyt