“Baby girl, have you been impulse buying again?” Maria asked with a chuckle leaving her lips. She placed a hand on her hips and awaited an answer from her daughter.Kiara looked up from the book she was reading, meeting her mom’s gaze. “I’m not sure if I know what you’re talking about, Mom.” She wrinkled her brows, sliding her bookmark and placing her book face down.“Oh silly, I saw the dresses, the heels, even the teddy bear.” She shook her head, taking a seat beside Kiara. She looked at her, taking hold of her hand gently. “Are you okay Mom?” Kiara asked, looking down at her hand. It was weird of Maria to act like that.“Oh, I just miss my sweet pea. I know I’ve been a little busy, and you have too.” She nodded, trying to hold her tears from spilling out, “You’re growing up so fast, and I fear you’re slipping out of my fingers.”Kiara shook her head hastily, “No, Mom. Don’t say that. I could never, I’ll always be your little girl. You know?” She sheepishly grinned.“You know the ot
“Amore, I’m sorry,” Luca said, grabbing her arm.“Are you sure you are? Look at how sober Katie is because of you!” Kiara whisper-yelled, disappointed with Luca’s behavior. “Besides, you should be apologizing to them, not me.” She looked into his eyes.His eyes softened, and he nodded, stepping away from her and moving towards his children. He crouched to reach their level, “Look, I’m sorry.” He shook their hands, rubbing them sweetly. Before he could progress with his apology, Katie burst into tears—tears that she had been holding all along.“Oh, baby.” He pulled Katie into his arms, rubbing her back. “I’m so sorry,” he whispered, angry that he made Katie cry. As tears streamed down her face, Katie hiccuped, “It’s okay.”“I’ll get you some water,” he pulled away, navigating towards the kitchen to grab a bottle of water. He opened it and placed it in the hands of a hiccuping Katie. She gulped it down almost immediately, coughing a little. “Drink it slowly.” He urged, wiping the corner
Kiara opened the door to find Annie standing right there. At first, Annie didn't even realize that Kiara was standing right there in front of her. “Oh, my babies!” Annie crouched to her daughters' levels, coming eye to eye with them, “You both look so gorgeous. What are you doing by the door? She looked down at their feet, “You were preparing to go out with your father?” She asked with a tilt of her head, expecting a response from Katie, the eldest. “Oh, we were just about to step out with Aunt Kiara, she's–” Annie raised a finger, immediately silencing Katie. Her eyes darted past the door and met the familiar eyes she had always hated. Kiara was here. What on earth was she doing here?“And what the hell are you doing here?” Annie immediately stood up from her crouching position, entered the house, and shut the door behind her. She wasn't about to cause a ruckus and let the whole neighborhood know that she had an issue, but she wasn't going to let this pass by. First, it was the car
Taking a shaky breath, Kiara viewed the message once again. Her eyes were traveling over the designated address once again. “Okay, let’s do this.” She breathed, pressing the flashing white button to start her car.She pressed the address into her car’s GPS with unsteady, sweaty hands. What was Luca hiding? I’m fucked. Kiara thought to herself as she reversed out of the gate, getting on the road. The drive was long, and it almost seemed as if she was going to a totally different town. She stopped by a gas station to fill up her tank again, waiting patiently.Once she was done, she got back on the road. Glancing at the estimated time of arrival, she scoffed. 1:45 P. M? And it was currently 12:25 P.M. Regardless, she focused on the road, refusing to let anything stop her. Her stomach growled lowly as her eyes were glued to the road. There was no way she could stop for something to eat, she’d just grab lunch when she got to the destination.After a while, she pulled up in the tiny shop. I
“It-It’s Luca.” She said in a small whisper.“Oh, fuck, fuck!” Kiara ran her hand through her hair, in panic mode. “What the hell are we going to do?” She whispered, keeping her voice low.“I don’t know, can you distract him?” Marissa asked, shoving her belongings into her bag and switching off the laptop, keeping that away as well. “Yeah, but just hurry, he’s heading over here, but I don’t think he can see me.”Marissa picked up the last of it, “I’ll head out through the front door.”“What about the bell?” Kiara’s eyes widened, as she noticed that Luca was almost right in front of them. “Shit, you’re right. I’ll figure something else out.”“Okay,” Kiara stood up from her chair and moved into the next aisle close to the table, pretending to look through some fine china and antique glass sets. The dust tickled her nostrils and she could feel a huge wave of sneezes coming up, but this wasn’t the best time to do that. She tried her best to hold it in, but they kept coming one after the o
“What’s going on?”“Oh!” Kiara’s eyes darted up, seeming to forget that Luca was still sitting right across from her. “It’s my mom, she thinks they’re going to have to shift the tea party.” She said breathlessly.“So you came all the way out here…for nothing?” Luca smirked, trying to hold his laughter in. His eyes glanced from Kiara to the phone in her hands.“No, no,” Kiara waved her hand in the air, dismissing his question, “She still wants me to get the porcelain, including…a tad bit more teacups.”“Oh, okay, that’s fair. Shall we get to it then or are you still texting her?”“We can look around now.” Kiara stood up, putting her phone on silent and slipping it into her back pocket. Luca eyed her phone sticking out of the back pocket and curiosity began to get the best of him.They slipped through aisle after aisle, looking at all the expensive and antique tea party sets. “They all look so pretty, I don’t even know which to choose.” Kiara sighed, halting in front of the sets. The on
Kiara’s head banged as she spooned some more ice cream into her mouth. “Can you slow down?” Damian chuckled as he dug into the ice cream sundae in front of him. People buzzed all around them in the shop, and the busy atmosphere somewhat calmed Kiara.“It tastes so good, but it’s giving me brain freeze.” She mumbled through her last spoonful of ice cream. “I think I’ve had enough.” She pushed the sundae bowl towards Damian, rubbing her stomach gently. “Are you sure?” Damian chuckled, as he swiped through his phone.“I’m sure. I think if I go any further, I’m going to get sick.” She groaned, relaxing into her seat. It had been about two days now and Kiara was more on edge than ever. “Well, I’ll have to finish it all on my own then.” Damian shrugged, eating the ice cream slowly. Kiara watched her father intently as her breath caught in her throat. Although she wasn’t sure yet, she felt as though her father was in danger or the central subject of the project. It would be uncalled-for if
“Marissa, I’m surprised to see you here.” Kiara exclaimed with a big gasp. She glanced at the frail girl on the bed and back to Marissa. “I can explain.” Marissa started, holding her hands out and gesturing for Kiara to calm down. “I'm sure you can.” Kiara moved closer to her, staring at her intently.Marissa took a harsh gulp before she began to speak, “Clara is my niece. I was informed by the NGO that she wasn’t feeling too good, so I decided to pay her a visit. When I got there, she wasn’t there, so I began to panic.” “Oh… they didn’t tell you she was at the hospital?” Kiara straightened her posture, looking into Marissa's sad eyes. “I asked again and that’s when they told me, so I came down as soon as possible. They told me that she had to undergo some sort of surgery.” Marissa babbled, placing her hand on her forehead, while her other was resting on her waist. “So, here I am.” She smiled weakly; one that didn’t reach the depths of her heart. “She feels so cold, and I don't
“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.