Maria frowned, her voice quivering as she pulled the shard of glass out of her daughter’s hands.“Baby girl, please.” She pleaded, her eyes bloodshot red. Damian pocketed his hands, pursing his lips as he observed Kiara. She was an absolute bloody mess and guilt washed over him as he stepped closer to him, concern filled in his eyes.“You’ve hurt yourself, darling.” He mumbled, rushing to the cabinet to grab a first aid kit. He quickly took out absorbent cotton and placed it on her palm.Kiara fell onto the chair behind exasperatedly as she groaned. Her hand ached badly and it was still bleeding a lot.She pressed cotton wool full of spirit on her palm, wincing as the alcoholic liquid seeped into her cut. She was now just realizing how stupid her reaction was. It’d take a while for the wound to heal, but she had no one else to blame but herself. It really peeved her whenever her parents fought, she absolutely hated it.This time around, they weren’t even listening to her. It was as if
“Pumpkin.” Luca turned around to meet Katie’s eyes. “How are you?”“I’m fine.” Her eyebrows creased as she glanced between the two. She found it odd to have met them here, all by themselves. “What are you guys doing here?”“I-Uh, we only came to spend a little bit of time together,” Luca lousily shrugged his arms, kneeling to look at them both. “Can’t you see she has a boo-boo?”Kiara lifted her wounded hand to show the kids, “Oh, woah! Aunt Kiara, what hurt you like that?” Katie exclaimed, moving closer and observing her hand. “Oh, just a little accident at home, nothing to worry about, hm?” She ruffled Katie’s hair.“It’s going to leave a gnarly scar!” Sam said, giggling as she looked back at her Dad.Kiara nodded her head, “I agree, it sure is.”“Who brought you guys? Tiffany’s mom picked you guys up earlier, and I thought you’d be having a sleepover?” He looked at Katie, searching for answers to deviate from his and Kiara’s presence.“Well, yeah, she did. But, then Mom showed up,
“Pretty little thing like you shouldn’t be alone.”“He’s right, you look like you need some company,” he murmured lowly, as they both circled her. She could feel her heart pounding in her chest so fast that she couldn’t think straight.She glanced towards where Luca was and noticed that he was now on another phone call, totally distracted. She instinctively took a step back from the guys, moving into the barely lit alleyway.“S-step away from me.” Her voice trembled as she gripped the canned drinks tightly, ready to throw them if she had to. That was the only way she could defend herself right now.“Oh, feisty, we’re gonna have fun with you.” Tallie chuckled, flicking his tongue out lewdly. Kiara grimaced, disgusted by his mannerisms. She felt fingertips crawl up her skin, and that sent shivers down her spine.Not the good kind of shivers.They closed in on her, and one grabbed her wrist tightly. Panic shot through her body, but before she could even scream, she saw a quick blur of mo
As Kiara and Luca made their way down the street, she could feel little drops of water dancing on her skin. Underneath the streetlights, it looked like a rush of sprayed water was depending on them.“Oh, I think it's about to rain!” She giggled, loosening up a bit and swinging Luca's hand back and forth. Luca pulled out his phone, glancing at the weather forecast, “Well, it says right here that we should be expecting a bit of heavy downpour this evening.” He wrinkled his brows. He never liked the rain, he preferred to stay indoors, looking out at the window. Kiara, on the other hand, loved rain and everything about it. As the rain started to fall at a steady pace, Kiara smiled, leading him off the sidewalk. There were no cars around and it wasn't a busy street. “There is no way I'm doing this right now, Kiara,” he grumbled, firmly planting his feet on the ground. “Come on, let's go,” She playfully tugged on his arm, and loomed up at him with pleading eyes and a quivering bottom lip
Kiara went on her knees, and locked her fingers together, placing her hands flat on the girl’s chest. She let out deep sighs as she performed chest compressions on her in order to keep her going. She made sure to take off any loose clothing on the girl.The whole room stared as Damian led the rest of the kids to another room. All of them were scared of what had just happened. “Is she going to be okay?” A little boy asked Damian, tugging on the sleeve of his shirt. Damian looked down at the boy, “She’s going to be just fine. She just decided to fall asleep for a while, okay?” He gave a small smile, reassuring him and the rest of the kids.Beads of sweat trickled down Kiara’s face as she continued to administer rescue breaths to the child. Just then, the paramedics barged into the NGO with a stretcher. Kiara got up and watched as they placed the child on the stretcher and wheeled her into the ambulance. “I’m coming with her,” She informed the paramedics, climbing into the back of the am
"Mrs. Dougherty, there's a matter that requires your attention. Kiara spoke up, standing in front of the head of the NGO. Mrs. Sandra Dougherty, a plump, well-rounded woman, pushed her black-rimmed glasses up her nose, looking away from the monitor in front of her.She smacked her bright, red-painted lips with distaste, "With whom, if I may ask, Miss Lux?" She moved her hands to the top of her table, clasping them together.Sarah stepped out from behind Kiara, with her tear-stricken face, "I, ma'am."Sandra pulled her glasses off, narrowing her eyes, "aren't you Sarah? Well, what's the matter now?" She averted her gaze and redirected it towards Kiara."Her wayward and ungovernable behavior. Tolerating bad behavior is not the way we help people do better," Kiara stated, keeping her face firm and her head high. She wasn't backing down without a fight, and that fight would only end with one person walking out of the room dejected-and it most certainly wouldn't be her."What exactly is the
“Come in,” Damian answered, flipping through the daily newspaper. His eyes skimmed the headlines for the day:‘Dwindling in 2024, here are the companies to look out for:’‘Struggling to boost revenue? Here are a few tips and tricks as an Entrepreneur!’Damian’s stomach ached, as his thoughts roamed back to his own company, Lux. Luca stepped into his office and he stood up almost immediately, “L-boy! Been a while since I saw your face around here.” He extended his hand, pulling Luca’s into a firm grip, pulling him in for a “bro-hug”, and clapping his back before pulling away. “It has. I’ve been busy—you know, the kids and all.”“I understand bro,” Damian settled back into his comfortable seat, “Well, you know how I am, yeah? Work all the time.” They both shared a chuckle. A moment of silence ensued, as Damian thought of how to start out. Luca noticed this odd behavior, “What’s going on then?”Damian cleared his throat, signaling that he was about to begin a serious conversation, “The c
“Good news! You know the conversation we were having just last week?” Damian grinned, nudging Luca’s shoulder.“Yeah?” Luca averted his gaze from his phone, looking up at his friend.“There was someone I may or may not have forgotten about. Completely slipped my mind!”Luca’s brows furrowed together as he tried to think about who it could be, “Who? No need to keep me in suspense, let the cat out of the bag already.” He rolled his eyes.“Sam Bronx.”Luca’s head whipped so fast that he almost suffered whiplash. “Who?”“You heard me, huh? Sam. Bronx.” Damian enunciated each word, a small grin spreading on his face.“Wow, that’s a…catch.” Luca nodded, tightening his lips. Sam Bronx was the son of one of the most influential men in Texas. He and Kiara would make a great fit, which is exactly what Luca dreaded.Damian popped a cracker and cheese into his mouth, relaxing in the recliner. “I invited him over… and he’s on his way right now. I can’t wait to see Kiara’s reaction.” He said in bet
“What do you think?” Luca asked, grinning. “Where is this?” Kiara asked again, still looking around the room. “BDSM?”“It’s exactly what you think it is, ki.” The room has every implement one could imagine, with an assortment of bondage equipment to keep the victim perfectly still. At that moment, nothing else mattered; no one else mattered. They were the only two people on earth; they were alone in a place where they could let all their inhibitions go and Luca could make Kiara fulfill her submissive purpose in life. Kiara wanted to talk, but Luca stopped her from saying another word. “We’re here already. Only one thing should be on your mind. And that’s to feel every moment you have here because there’s no going back anymore. For your own sake.” He added in a very scary tone. Kiara understood the threat. She became calm and obedient. Luca walked closer to her and whispered into her ears. “I am going to use my toy hard, use it until we both lose track of time and reality, where
It’s finally time. Kiara stood outside Luca’s house, her heart pounding against her ribcage. It was exactly 7 p.m., and the air carried a crisp coolness that heightened her awareness of every sound, every sensation. She took a deep breath, adjusting her scarf as she stepped forward and rang the doorbell. She was hoping that Sam and Katie would run into her embrace the moment the door opened. Although she wished not. Almost instantly, the door opened to reveal Luca, dressed sharply in a fitted black shirt and dark jeans. His smirk was as disarming as ever, his piercing blue eyes scanning her face with unspoken intent."Right on time," he said, his voice low and velvety. "Come in, baby."Kiara sighed. The warmth of the house enveloped her as she stepped inside. The entrance was lined with a trail of crimson rose petals that led to the dining area. Soft ambient lighting bathed the room in a golden glow, while faint classical music played in the background. The table was set for two, co
Harrison approached Kiara as she stood in the station lobby, still trying to make sense of what she had just done. His brow furrowed in thought as he held a file in his hand, the same file he had been working on earlier.“Miss Kiara,” he called gently, his voice calm but firm.Kiara turned to him, her eyes narrowing. “Detective, I don’t want to hear it.”Harrison frowned, confused. “You don’t even know why I’m here. I came to share some findings with you—”“Don’t bother,” she interrupted sharply. “I know you’re going to try and convince me that I’m making a mistake by posting Luca’s bail. But it’s done. I’ve made my decision, and I don’t need your opinion.”Harrison paused, taken aback by the hostility in her tone. “That’s not why I came,” he said carefully. “This isn’t about Luca. It’s about the driver who saved you during the car chase. We’ve uncovered some information—”Kiara cut him off again, her frustration bubbling over. “I don’t care! Just close the case, detective. Stop all i
“Buzz…buzz” The sound of the alarm clock woke Kiara up. She stretched to switch it off. It wasn’t up to two hours before she was finally able to sleep. She kept thinking about Luca and her sexual fantasies. Even when she eventually made peace with sleep, she found herself dreaming about sex with Luca. Thanks to the alarm, she couldn’t reach orgasm—in her dream sex. After switching off the alarm, she was going to go back to sleep but the sound of the knock on her door made her groan. “Darling, it’s me.” Damian spoke, loud enough for her to hear.There was no response, so he continued. “I was hoping we could talk before I leave for work. You were asleep when I returned last night.” That was the lie Kiara told just to remain in her room when she was informed about Damian’s arrival the previous night. “This early?” Kiara groaned under her breath, pulling the covers over her head. She needed more time to gather herself before facing anyone, let alone her father.Damian’s voice came a
Kiara got back home and rushed into her bedroom and sat down silently at her dressing table. Her red-hot sex was still being fueled by a no less guilty delight, but her face was still burning with intense humiliation and guilt. “How could I fall for that? How could I let him get into my head?” She questioned herself. The well-earned kiss she had this morning left a burning, blistering sensation across her body; she wanted more. She couldn't focus on anything other than how her body reacted. “You’ll never find someone who understands you the way I do. Who loves you the way I do.” His words echoed in her head. That’s true, though. He knows her body chemistry more than she does herself. Kiara began to picture the kiss again, and gradually the feeling became a deeper, duller crimson, while her as yet unrelieved arousal rendered her hidden flower benumbed but still swollen. The state she was in, Kiara thought she was going crazy. How could all these intense feelings remain for so lon
Kiara’s stomach churned at Luca’s words. She felt the air in the room grow heavier, suffocating, as if his confession carried a tangible weight. Her fists clenched under the table, her nails digging into her palms.“You want me?” She repeated, her voice cold and disbelieving. “You think you can ruin my life and then sit here and talk about want, like it will erase everything you’ve done? You tried to kill me. You poisoned your friend’s food.”Luca leaned forward, his gaze never leaving hers. “Ruin your life?” he echoed, his tone soft, almost incredulous. “Kiara, everything I’ve done—every single thing—was for us. For you. Because I love you.”Her laugh was bitter and sharp. “Love? You don’t even know what that word means. Manipulation, lies, poison—that’s what you call love?”Luca exhaled, his expression shifting to one of practiced remorse. “I won’t deny it. I’ve done terrible things. I’ve lied, I’ve pushed beyond boundaries, and I’ve taken risks that I shouldn’t have. But Kiara, eve
Kiara’s heart skipped a beat. She froze, her hand hovering over the remote. Her mind raced, her father’s words echoing in her ears.He knows.Slowly, Kiara got out of bed and approached the door, her hands trembling. She cracked it open just enough to see Damian’s face, his expression a mix of concern and determination.“What do you mean by my relationship with Luca?” She whispered, her voice barely audible.“I think you know what I’m talking about,” Damian said gently. “This isn’t just about what’s happening now, is it? There’s more to this—something you haven’t told me.”Kiara’s grip on the door tightened. For a moment, she considered slamming it shut and pretending this conversation never happened. But the look in her father’s eyes stopped her. He wasn’t accusing her; he was worried.She opened the door fully and stepped aside, motioning for him to enter. Damian walked in, his eyes scanning the room as if it might hold answers. Kiara closed the door behind him and leaned against it
Reluctantly, Damian turned, his expression hard as steel. Luca’s face was a whirlwind of desperation and something darker—a calculated edge.“What is it?” He asked, curious. “Kiara!” Luca responded. “I would like to have a word with her. She started all of these. Only she can shed more light and prove that I’m innocent. Damian didn’t want to involve his family in any of these anymore. Especially after what happened to Kiara. “This is beyond her now. There is nothing she can do to get you out of here, Luca. If you’re innocent, the police will vindicate you.” Luca scoffed. That made Damian’s skin crawl. “There are quite some things you don’t know, friend. You really think it’s what you see on the surface that matters? Well, there is something going on between me and Kiara that you all know nothing about. And that is exactly why I’m here. If I can talk her into forgiving me, Damian, all of this will be over.” “If I don’t know, then it’s not my call,” Damian responded. Without anot
Damian entered the dimly lit visitation room of the police station, his footsteps echoing in the stillness. Sitting at the table, his hands cuffed, was Luca Ettore. Luca’s eyes lit up with relief and desperation as Damian stepped in, though his composed demeanor cracked only slightly.“Damian,” Luca said, his voice tinged with a mix of weariness and disbelief. “Thank God you’re here. You have to believe me—I had nothing to do with this.”Damian pulled out the chair opposite Luca and sat down heavily, rubbing his temples. "Luca, you're in deep trouble. The police have recordings, confessions... everything points to you. The restaurant worker claimed you gave the poison to him to put inside my food.”Luca leaned forward, his hands gripping the edge of the table. “I’m being framed, Damian! You know me. I would never hurt you or your family. Why would I poison Kiara? Why would I target you?”Damian met Luca’s gaze, his own expression filled with conflict. “That’s what I can’t understand.