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42|Weaving Some Kind Of Magic
Last Updated:
2024-12-19 02:59:42
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Reckless Hearts 43|Scared Shitless
Holly fumed her way to the presidential suite, unable to believe Andrei's audacity. She found Cooper just as mad, and for the longest time, she had to sit there and listen to him rant and rave about his deep dislike for Andrei."Who the hell does he think he is?" he raged as he paced the living area. "And how dare you dismiss me in front of him! I'm your boyfriend. If anything, you should have sent him away. But instead, you choose him over me.""I didn't choose him over you! He has a business proposal, and I had to hear him out," she explained for what had to be the hundredth time. Cooper, though, wasn't having any of it. "If it was as innocent as you claim, you wouldn't have sent me away," he insisted as he watched her unpack her clothes. "What's going on with you?" he continued when he didn't get a response from her. "You drop off the face of the earth for three days, and then decide to move out of your place. Would you have told me you were moving out if I didn't stop by?"Holl
Last Updated : 2024-12-28Reckless Hearts 44|Brutal Ending
Holly locked the door and fastened the security latch, making sure Cooper couldn't come in even if he tried."Oh, God," she whispered as she sank to the floor and pressed her back to the door. "Oh, God, what just happened?"She sat there for a long time, going over her encounter with Cooper, unable to move. Not because she didn't want to, but because she didn't trust her legs to support her weight. Her phone screeching on the couch pulled her out of her numbed state. She forced herself to her feet and limped to the living area, grabbing her phone before her father could hang up."Hi, Daddy," she breathed into the phone, forcing back her tears. "Your mom and I are in the lobby; which room are you in?""The presidential suite," she replied."Alright, we're coming up," her father said, clicking off before Holly could say anything else. Not that she had much to say. She was still struggling to compute Cooper's actions. Was he always this…violent? Had she missed the red flags?"No," sh
Last Updated : 2024-12-28Reckless Hearts 45|At All Costs
While one relationship ended in the presidential suite, another began at the Italian restaurant on the ground floor of The Castle. Despite their shaky beginning, and once the introductions and initial angst were out of the way, Andrei and Anton warmed up to each other. It helped that they had a lot in common. Both men were raised by single and demanding fathers. Their educational backgrounds were similar, too, since they had attended all-boys boarding schools. They also had the same mindset regarding business and would stop at nothing to win. Over a round of drinks and Cuban cigars, Anton took Andrei through a detailed presentation on Nexus and their shipping requirements. By the time they were done working out the surface details of their partnership, the restaurant was empty, save for a few patrons scattered around the dining hall. With their business concluded, they shook hands again, with Andrei promising to send Nexus the contract in a few days. "What are some good places to
Last Updated : 2024-12-31Reckless Hearts 46|All The Holes In His Plan
"Thanks," Andrei murmured as he entered the room, glad Holly didn't send him packing like he was so sure she would. His joy, though, was quickly replaced by a rage he hadn't felt in ages when his gaze fell on the ugly marks on her neck and the side of her face. The son of a bitch had roughed her up at some point after she left him at the restaurant. He never liked the bastard, but this…the bruises on her creamy skin were all the confirmation he needed that Cooper Stanton was a piece of shit. Following his line of sight, Holly quickly pulled up the collar of her pyjama shirt to hide the bruises from him. "Did you ask the receptionist for my room number?" she asked, looking mad as hell. "Would they have told me if I had?" he countered. "Then how the hell did you find me?" "Well, we all know you have exquisite taste, and nothing less than a presidential suite will do for the Anderson princess." "If you came here to antagonise me, you can leave," she snapped, pointing at the doo
Last Updated : 2024-12-31Reckless Hearts 47|This Hate That I Have
"Whatever happened, whatever Cooper did, I need you to understand it wasn't your fault, okay? You did nothing wrong," Andrei assured her. Holly shook her head, "It was my fault. Some of it, at least. I should have been clear about our relationship. I thought I was. But—Oh God—" Her words faltered, and her voice died off as she began hyperventilating. Andrei felt as useless as a glass hammer as he helplessly watched Holly fight through her panic, unable to think of anything he could do to bring her immediate relief. But before he could second-guess himself and overthink things, he pulled her close again, resting her head on his chest as he draped his arms around her shoulders. "I'm okay," she said over and over, her words muffled on his chest. "He—he—" "He hurt you," Andrei uttered the words Holly couldn't bring herself to say. "I told him I didn't want to see him anymore because seeing him hurts. I can't watch him live the life that I want. I can't be around anyone from the Ins
Last Updated : 2024-12-31Reckless Hearts 48|Pretend Girlfriend
When they were alone, Andrei pulled out a chair for Holly and made sure she was comfortable before pouring her a glass of wine. "You still like your steak bloody, I see," she murmured, swirling the glass in her hand. "Like my enemies," he flashed her a smile as he took a seat and reached for his plate. While she toyed with her wine glass, Andrei focused on his meal, cutting the meat into small pieces before swapping their plates. "Dig in," he said, topping up his whiskey glass. "You really didn't have to cut it up for me," Holly murmured, frowning at him. "I'm not as spoilt as you think." "That's debatable." "You're breaking my heart," she rolled her eyes as she placed her hand on her chest, feigning heartbreak. "What heart?" "Touché," Holly laughed as she shoved a small piece of steak in her mouth and closed her eyes in bliss when the scrumptious flavours hit her taste buds. "Is it that good?" Andrei asked, liking this side of her. He was so sure she'd whinge about the mea
Last Updated : 2024-12-31Reckless Hearts 49|Flowers Die In Her Presence
Andrei was so overcome with joy and relief that before he knew what he'd done, he already had Holly in his arms, twirling her around the room. "Put me down!" she said, squealing like a little kid. "You won't regret it, I promise," he smiled as he gently set her down, his gaze staying a little too long on her damn luscious mouth, and when she flicked her tempting tongue over her lips, it took everything in him not to give in to his caveman urges. "I still want the penthouse," Holly said, pulling away from him. "But I'm not renting it from you." "What do you mean?" "I mean, why the hell would I want to rent the place when I can own it? Sell it to me and you have a deal. I'll act like such a loving girlfriend, Papa Ivanov won't know what hit him. In fact, I'll be so convincing he'll want us married in no time," she replied as she sat down again and muted the TV. "Deal," he replied, plopping beside her. "Deal!" she smiled, grasping his hand in a firm handshake. And there it was ag
Last Updated : 2024-12-31Reckless Hearts 50|Desperate Times
When Andrei and his men got to the warehouse several blocks from the barbershop, Lev and the security team were already on the premises, hard at work, gathering whatever little evidence they could find. They headed to Denis' office in the back, and while they waited for Lev to finish up with his guys, Andrei finally plucked up the nerve to call Holly. "About earlier," he began as soon as she picked up, but she had no interest in hearing how sorry he was. "It's late, and I need to get some sleep. Send me the venue details for Monday night, and I'll be there." "So, we are still on, then?" "Of course. This is business," she assured him. "You want to trick your father, and I want my penthouse back." "Look, what I said was meant as an inside joke—" "Seriously, Andrei, I don't care," Holly snapped, icing him out. "Draw up the purchase agreement and send it to me by COB today, or the deal is off!" "It's Saturday," he said as he checked the time on his watch, unable to believe he was
Last Updated : 2024-12-31
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Reckless Hearts 105|Holding The Match And Gasoline
"Behind what?" Nikolai looked confused, but Andrei didn't buy his act one bit. After all, he was a master manipulator. "You know damn well what I'm talking about!" Andrei shouted as he backed away, terrified that if he didn't, he wouldn't be able to resist the urge to grab his father by the throat and strangle him to death with his bare hands. Nikolai shut the door and leaned against it, crossing his arms over his chest. "You're crashing out. Pull yourself together." "Don't tell me to pull myself together!" Andrei yelled, steepling his hands as he sat on the edge of his desk. "You were behind Holly's accident—" "What accident?" Nikolai demanded, and when Andrei filled him in, he was adamant he had nothing to do with the shitshow on Church Street. "That's all on you, Son," he said, still leaning on the door. "What the hell did you think would happen when you held Veronika at gunpoint?" "No," Andrei shook his head in denial, but deep down, he knew his old man was right. He'd put
Reckless Hearts 104|By Any Means Necessary
All eight photos of Holly, taken at various nightclubs in Rock Castle, including Crush, painted her in a terrible light. But the most disturbing was the one of her snogging Cooper at the Institute just a few weeks back. "Why do you have these?" Andrei stammered, seeing the future he'd envisioned slip through his fingers. "How do you even have these photos?" "Does it matter?" Nikolai replied as he draped his hands behind his head and crossed his legs. "All that matters is your jig is up." "It wasn't an act." "Yes, it was," said Nikolai. "I knew you were both up to shit last night when the Anderson lass showed up with her gift bags like Freddie Krueger handing out candy on Halloween. And I admit, all that jazz about loving you since she was sixteen and wanting to protect you was touching. But I knew there was no shred of truth in her words. Not with that photo of her and her lover floating all over the internet." "They broke up," Andrei explained. "They are not together anymore."
Reckless Hearts 103|The Trouble With Masks
"Right!" Andrei nodded, his shoulders drooping in defeat. The quick five-minute chat he'd hoped for would be much longer, it seemed. So he buzzed Monique and asked her to bring refreshments and the Nexus file. "Yes, Mr Ivanov," she said before strutting out of the room. She was back before Andrei had even settled down in his office chair, making small talk with Nikolai while she poured him a cup of coffee and handed him the Nexus folder. When she was done, she excused herself, reminding Andrei she was a phone call away if he needed something. With a bitter smile, Andrei waved her off. The only thing he needed was an update on Holly. So, while his father browsed the Nexus file, Andrei texted Lev, demanding an update. 'Still nothing,' came Lev's response, and Andrei had to dig deep inside himself for every ounce of self-control to not hurl his phone across the room, the knot in his stomach growing bigger the longer the waiting game continued. "Is everything okay?" Nikolai looke
Reckless Hearts 102|Difference Between Life And Death
With the situation well beyond his control, Andrei had no choice but to sit and patiently wait for Lev's call. But, ten minutes in, and his head of security still hadn't called, Andrei tried Holly again. Her phone didn't ring this time, the dead tone thrusting him into utter despair. He was always an optimist, a glass-full kind of guy. He had to be. His role as the number two of the family required him to always present a confident facade. How else would he negotiate high-stakes deals and run one of the country's most powerful crime families if he weren't? But the mess with Holly and Veronika was forcing him to put aside his rose-tinted glasses and see it for exactly what it was: a catastrophic failure on his part and his first real test at keeping his word to Liam. Two nights ago, he'd thrown down the gauntlet to Liam and swore he'd do a far better job of protecting Holly than the Andersons had ever done. If he failed… If Holly didn't make it out of the disaster unfolding on Ch
Reckless Hearts 101|Bring Him To His Knees
Sometime during his morning commute to work, Andrei came to the firm conclusion that he was an asshole. But, it wasn't something he would have readily admitted to if it weren't for his long chat with Ivan. His lieutenant had rightly pointed out that his shock at finding Juan's drugs in Holly's possession was perfectly understandable. His reaction, though, was over the top. He could have handled their 'talk' with far more grace and owed Holly an apology. Of course, even before chatting with Ivan, Andrei had already planned to surprise Holly with a bunch of peonies later, kiss the hell out of her and whisk her off to lunch at her favourite restaurant where he'd beg for forgiveness. So, as soon as he settled down in his office, he called the florist to order the flowers. But Diane soured his mood, telling him he'd have to wait at least two weeks since peonies were no longer in season and would have to be imported. "Can I interest you in roses instead?" she asked. "No, Diane. Roses
Reckless Hearts 100|Just Getting Started
You know how in movies, just before you die, time seems to slow down, and your life flashes in front of your eyes, making you question every decision, every choice you've ever made leading up to that moment? Sometimes, some long-dead relative, shrouded by a halo of light, is waiting for you at the end of a long, narrow tunnel to help you crossover. And other times, it's just the light. All you have to do is walk towards it. Holly didn't get any of that. No long-dead relative was waiting for her. No bright light to walk towards. No memories of her life flashed by. And time definitely didn't slow down. In fact, she was aware of every excruciating second as the car hit a traffic light and spun around several times before, ironically, crashing into a luxury car dealership on the corner of Church Street, missing a shiny Range Rover by mere inches. When the car salesmen—going about their mundane morning just moments before disaster struck— screamed and jumped out of the way, du
Reckless Hearts 99|Larger Than Life
A mournful sigh slipped through Holly's lips as she pushed the laptop away and picked up her now-cold coffee. As much as she wanted to look away, her eyes seemed to have a mind of their own. They remained glued to a Polaroid photo of Isabella taken in one of the studios at the Institute while she was in croisé devant, a pose in which the dancer stands facing a corner at an angle to the audience.Knowing what Holly knew now about the circumstances leading up to Isabella's tragic end, it wasn't hard to figure out who had taken the photo. Her own socials were littered with such images, and she always joked that if dancing didn't work out for Cooper, he could always go into photography. Of course, he didn't have the technical know-how. But there was something special about how he captured his subjects...He had a way of making them appear larger than life, like they were the centre of the universe and everything around them existed purely for them. Looking at the photos, at the fragments
Reckless Hearts 98|Parallels
After Andrei insisted on driving her to The Castle, Holly had planned to jump straight into bed and pass out. But, agitated and heartbroken, hours later, when the sun finally came up, she was still tossing and turning, going over their fight. Never in her wildest dreams would Holly have imagined that her first-ever argument with Andrei would be over some stupid snuff bullet that wasn't even hers. At the heart of it, though, she wasn't all cut up because Andrei had insinuated she was a junkie. Everything he said was true. She was a cokehead and owned her addiction. What really messed her up was that he didn't believe a word she said about the capsule not being hers. After everything they'd been through, hearing her out was the least he could have done. But the distrust in his eyes, like she wasn't worthy of being given the benefit of the doubt simply because she was a drug user, had damn near killed her. In that moment, with his unfounded accusations smashing down on her like a to
Reckless Hearts 97|Bad For Business
"You know the rules," Igor stepped in. If there was ever a time when Andrei wanted to throttle him, it was then. He not only knew the rules, but also enforced them diligently by subjecting the family's top management to random drug testing and running background checks on potential girlfriends. So, Igor playing the rules card felt like a fucking slap in the face."Holly is compromised," insisted Ivan, siding with Igor. "She's bad for business!""Watch yourself!" Andrei growled. "That's my future wife you're talking about!""Oh, for fuck's sake! After everything we've just said, you can't still be thinking about going through with this marriage. Your father will not allow it!""After the shit he pulled with Veronika, I'm done with my father. Holly and I will still get married as planned!""So what exactly did Papa Ivanov do?" asked Ivan, picking up his cutlery again."What didn't he do?" said Andrei, linking his hands behind his head. Without further prompting from his lieutenants, he
