I had migrated from the bar to a couple tables, flirted and talked with some guys, basically, I tried to blend in. The alcohol I had taken earlier seemed to loosen me up a bit and I was grateful because the temptation to get my gun out and shoot every single man that touched me was strong.I was happy I had a sense of patience because things were moving slower than they should've. I sighed, turning away from yet again boosting another man's ego when my eyes finally caught the sight of Elliot. He wasn't a bad looking guy with his caramel hair and green eyes. If he wasn't like 12 years older than me, I'd totally pursue him.He walked over to the centre of the casino, joining a poker game with some old dudes. Some of them I knew well because of their money and the fact that they had connections with my father, no scratch that, my sperm donor.I walked over to the table casually, putting myself in Elliots' line of sight. It took a while but his eyes finally glanced to me, raking over my b
I grabbed Maddox's hand and pulled him with me towards where Elliot was supposed to be headed. He kept getting stopped by people who wanted to talk with him so that worked in my favour."Dalia. What on earth are you doing?" Maddox asked."Elliot's slipping from me. I need to get his attention and you are going to help," I hissed at him."I can't. I could get kicked out," Maddox said."Not if you do this properly," I answered. Maddox had on a brunette wig that made him look so much different. "Take off the wig."Maddox glared at me. "This isn't part of the plan.""No shit Sherlock but we need to do this ok?," I said and he sighed, nodding. "Good. Follow me."I led Maddox down the hallway that the guests who stayed could use to get to their rooms because there was an elevator at the end which was the tip of a T hallway."When Elliot comes, run down this side, there should be a closet there for you to hide in," I said turning to Maddox and pointing left."You sure it's left?" He asked lo
"The man who did this, do you remember his face?" Elliot asked with a frown. I shook my head."I didn't get time to memorise it. I was just so scared and he kept hitting me and I was so powerless," I said sadly."Hey," Elliot said turning my face to his. "You are not powerless. You seem like a very strong and independent woman.""Thanks Elliot," I said with a small smile.Gag much."No problem. I just wish I had gotten there in time. What were you doing in the hallway?""I was looking for you. After you left, I got bored quickly and... I've never met someone like you Elliot. You just make things so much easier," I said sliding my hand onto his where it rested on the couch. He entwined our fingers and gave me a soft smile.Don't pull away."I'm sorry. I feel like this is all my fault," Elliot said sighing."Oh no. Don't blame yourself," I said quickly but Elliot glanced away from me. Despite the way my body was repulsed, I put my hand on his cheek and turned him to face me. "You saved
Never in my life had I been rendered speechless like I was at this moment. My mouth opened and closed, no sound leaving it while my eyes were glued to Vittore's dark ones. He looked at me waiting, calmly, patiently. I knew anger shimmered behind his cold gaze but why?The hits Maddox gave me were necessary, hell I even asked for them. I didn't think Vittore would care for the damage on my face or ask how I got them. I hadn't prepared for this moment.I wasn't prepared.Since the "safe house" I had been trained to be ready for anything. Kidnapped by the U.S government, I could escape. Left stranded in a desert, I could survive. Abandoned in Antartica, I could live. Strapped to a chair with a bomb, I could save my life. Stranded on an island, I could get back. Bound and anchored to the bottom of the sea, I could free myself.But never in those 4 years was I prepared for the intense gaze of a man by the name of Vittore. Never in those 4 years was I prepared for the warmth of his hands on
I pulled on sneakers as fast as I could and grabbed my phone, running out of the house. "Dalia!" I heard my dad scream. "Coming!" I replied running down the hall, past my sister and brother's rooms. My dad wanted to take me somewhere. He said it was a surprise for just me since he wasn't around for my 14th birthday yesterday. My mom and siblings had been told to stay despite my siblings' protests. My mom on the other hand was fine with me leaving. She said I had finally grown up to be useful in this family. As the last born, that meant so much to me. My sister who was 16 and brother who was 19 had always overshadowed me. It was my time to shine.My phone buzzed in my hands and I checked the message. It was from my best friend Violet. Even though I was the daughter of Andre Gates, the tech multi-millionaire in Mazadora town, she still treated me like no one did. Like I was a normal human being.Violet: Ready for tomorrow?We were having a picnic party of sorts at my school. Violet a
I slipped in and out of consciousness. My mind was foggy and my body numb. I slowed my breathing and relaxed as much as I could. Slowly, my body got feeling again as my mind cleared. I was lying on my side, my arms and legs bound. There was a cloth tied in my mouth and a bag thrown over my head. Judging by the weird heat at both sides of my legs and somewhere near my back, I would say there were three people with me. I was sleeping on a cold metal surface and I could just tell we were in a car or van.The feeling was like déjà vu. It's been so long since I had been in a car. At that moment, it was sort of a bittersweet feeling but that disappeared when I wondered where I was being taken. They never took people out of the "safe house" unless they were going to be killed. I tried not to move or draw attention to myself. They thought I was asleep. That was good. For a blissful moment, I thought I could escape. For a moment, I had hope that was bad. Very very bad. I had never felt hopefu
The room was quiet as Vittore looked over my body with his pitch black eyes. I was in a dirty and tattered t-shirt and shorts that were a little too big on me so I had tied them at my waist. He gave nothing away. No sign that he would keep me, which I silently begged him to, and no sign that he would sell me. I hated not being able to read him. I could read everyone in this room. Matteo was tapping his side, he was nervous. The guards' eyes were glancing at me from time to time, they were curious. I was kneeling on the floor, my body motionless. I was dead inside. Had been since the "safe house" will be for the rest of my life. There are just some things you go through and never come back the same."I'll take her on one condition," Vittore finally stated. A wager. Smart. "What is it?" His father asked. "Give me my mother," Vittore stated calmly and Matteo chuckled. "No," he responded and Vittore easily pulled a gun from his waist and pointed it at his father's head."I'm not here t
I brushed some hair out of my face as I followed Vittore. I wanted to stop and admire the dark décor around me but I knew now wasn't the time. Vittore pushed open two dark cherry doors and we walked into a huge room. There was a big circular desk in the middle surrounded by chairs and flat screen tvs along the walls. If I didn't know any better, I would say this was a war room. Vittore moved to the head of the table and tapped it and the sleek black surface lit up. A tv in a table? Since when?I tried to remember anything of the sort before I left four years ago but came up blank. The world really had progressed since then. I wasn't all that bad. I knew how to hack and code. Vittore ignored both his mother and I who soon decided to leave the room. She left me inside with Vittore. Not long after, the door was pushed open and a girl about Vittore's age walked in. She had long dark brown hair and brown eyes similar to my own. She was short and petite, her heart shaped face and cute butto
Never in my life had I been rendered speechless like I was at this moment. My mouth opened and closed, no sound leaving it while my eyes were glued to Vittore's dark ones. He looked at me waiting, calmly, patiently. I knew anger shimmered behind his cold gaze but why?The hits Maddox gave me were necessary, hell I even asked for them. I didn't think Vittore would care for the damage on my face or ask how I got them. I hadn't prepared for this moment.I wasn't prepared.Since the "safe house" I had been trained to be ready for anything. Kidnapped by the U.S government, I could escape. Left stranded in a desert, I could survive. Abandoned in Antartica, I could live. Strapped to a chair with a bomb, I could save my life. Stranded on an island, I could get back. Bound and anchored to the bottom of the sea, I could free myself.But never in those 4 years was I prepared for the intense gaze of a man by the name of Vittore. Never in those 4 years was I prepared for the warmth of his hands on
"The man who did this, do you remember his face?" Elliot asked with a frown. I shook my head."I didn't get time to memorise it. I was just so scared and he kept hitting me and I was so powerless," I said sadly."Hey," Elliot said turning my face to his. "You are not powerless. You seem like a very strong and independent woman.""Thanks Elliot," I said with a small smile.Gag much."No problem. I just wish I had gotten there in time. What were you doing in the hallway?""I was looking for you. After you left, I got bored quickly and... I've never met someone like you Elliot. You just make things so much easier," I said sliding my hand onto his where it rested on the couch. He entwined our fingers and gave me a soft smile.Don't pull away."I'm sorry. I feel like this is all my fault," Elliot said sighing."Oh no. Don't blame yourself," I said quickly but Elliot glanced away from me. Despite the way my body was repulsed, I put my hand on his cheek and turned him to face me. "You saved
I grabbed Maddox's hand and pulled him with me towards where Elliot was supposed to be headed. He kept getting stopped by people who wanted to talk with him so that worked in my favour."Dalia. What on earth are you doing?" Maddox asked."Elliot's slipping from me. I need to get his attention and you are going to help," I hissed at him."I can't. I could get kicked out," Maddox said."Not if you do this properly," I answered. Maddox had on a brunette wig that made him look so much different. "Take off the wig."Maddox glared at me. "This isn't part of the plan.""No shit Sherlock but we need to do this ok?," I said and he sighed, nodding. "Good. Follow me."I led Maddox down the hallway that the guests who stayed could use to get to their rooms because there was an elevator at the end which was the tip of a T hallway."When Elliot comes, run down this side, there should be a closet there for you to hide in," I said turning to Maddox and pointing left."You sure it's left?" He asked lo
I had migrated from the bar to a couple tables, flirted and talked with some guys, basically, I tried to blend in. The alcohol I had taken earlier seemed to loosen me up a bit and I was grateful because the temptation to get my gun out and shoot every single man that touched me was strong.I was happy I had a sense of patience because things were moving slower than they should've. I sighed, turning away from yet again boosting another man's ego when my eyes finally caught the sight of Elliot. He wasn't a bad looking guy with his caramel hair and green eyes. If he wasn't like 12 years older than me, I'd totally pursue him.He walked over to the centre of the casino, joining a poker game with some old dudes. Some of them I knew well because of their money and the fact that they had connections with my father, no scratch that, my sperm donor.I walked over to the table casually, putting myself in Elliots' line of sight. It took a while but his eyes finally glanced to me, raking over my b
My feet clicked on the street sidewalk as I walked towards the casino, the encounter in the elevator tucked far in my mind for future reference. I had a job to do now and I had to stay focused. The building I was headed to was easy to spot.It was huge and the front had what seemed to be millions of lights, both blinding and attracting. THE NOVA glowed in pretty gold at the top of the building. There were lost of people out tonight, most were tourists who stopped to take pictures, others were business men rushing to office and a cute couple passing by once in a while.Most of the things I saw were new to me. The cars, the phones, the girls who walked around wearing revealing clothes and gay couples that weren't afraid to show their passion for one another in public. These were just a few of the things.Men's eyes followed me as I walked to the casino. I was aware of the attention and knew how to handle myself if one of the idiots decided to get a little handsy. I reached the casino, w
Alexa walked away from us, already on her way to butter up Vittore. I scoffed looking back at the plans like everyone else. Carter continued to explain the details of the plan as we overheard Vittore and Alexa's conversation in the halls."What are you doing here Alexa?" I heard Vittore ask rudely."I just dropped off some of the weapons that the others needed," she lied in a serious tone."I'm sure they're thankful so you can leave," Vittore grumbled."Why doesn't he fire her?" I asked to myself. "Or kill her and do us all a favour.""He can't. Alexa is a really big gang lord," Maddox said surprising me."You're lying. Her," I asked pointing in Alexa's general direction."Yeah. Alexa Eva Maria Valenzuela, head of The Kings," Felix said. I knew The Kings. They were a big gang and operated around most parts of the world."So if Vittore kills her...""The mafia loses a lot of money and men fighting The Kings. They can be defeated but what's the point of taking the risk and having to bui
"This one?""No. Too slutty.""Ok. This one?""No too innocent.""Fine. This one?""Um.... no," I said looking at the dress with a feather-like trail. Lily had finished my make-up and brought a rack with different dresses into the bathroom."Well what do you want? You've refused almost all of them," Lily said clearly frustrated. I rolled my eyes at her. The dress was important. It was the first thing Elliot was going to notice so it had to be good. I went over to the rack and looked through the dresses, one by one."I need something that shows my body but not in a way to make it obvious. Something that portrays innocence but also sexiness," I mumbled."Well how in the hell are we supposed to find that?" Lily asked with a roll of her eyes."Ciara, Elliot's ex wife wore silk a lot so that's a no no. I hate feathers, sparkles, beads and really anything that brings too much attention to the dress," I said. "I think it's best we went with lace.""Lace?" Lily asked from behind me."Yeah," I
I lazily flipped the page of the Vogue magazine I was reading."Are you listening?" Carter, the blonde asked."Totally," I responded looking up at him and flipping another page.We were in a hotel not far from the casino and I was getting tired of being here. The place had an annoying white and gold theme going on and even though everything was beyond luxurious, I hated it.I sat at the white table with gold legs and even golder chairs if that was possible. The place was hurting my eyes. Erik, the new hacker Maddox talked about, was stationed near me, typing away at his computer with marvel themed stickers. He was a scrawny 16 year old who I didn't think much of until he easily got us the video we wanted."Where's Peyton and Lily?" I asked, tired of being in this room. I wanted to get out."Lily is working on making Peyton look like Esmee. They should be done in a few and be here to get you ready," Felix answered for me where he was lying on the white couch, his face covered with a bl
Vittore dragged me around the house to what looked like a board room. I could see plans on the walls and a huge black desk that Alexa was using as a screen. Cool.Everyone in the room looked at Vittore and I in surprise and intrigue when we entered. Alexa's expression though became murderous. I was sure to give her a wink though. She didn't phase me. Her eyes widened and her cheeks turned red as she glared at me.Vittore set me down at the back of the room. "Someone get me noice cancelling headphones," He commanded and a red pair where put in his hands not a second later.He put them over my ears as I glared at him. After that, he turned and started addressing the other people in the room. I counted six and they all had their backs to me so I couldn't read their lips. Instead, I begun to untie my ropes.The rough fibre rubbed against my brown skin painfully but I wasn't about to give up anytime soon. It took quite a while but I managed to slip one hand out of the rope and hte other wa