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44|Brutal Ending
Last Updated:
2024-12-28 02:32:04
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Reckless 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 : 2024-12-31Reckless Hearts 51|Wilful Arrogance
Andrei quickly reached behind him for his gun and aimed it at Cooper. "Lock the door and shut the blinds," he said, motioning to him to get moving. Cooper was smart enough to do as he was told, reading the situation for exactly what it was, a nightmare that could end in a few minutes or last several hours based on his choices alone. "What is this? How did you get in?" Cooper asked, and Andrei had to admire his ability to remain calm even when his world was spiralling into chaos and the walls of his cookie-cutter townhouse were fast closing in on him. Had he not touched Holly, Andrei might have even liked him a little for trying to scare him off as he clumsily waved his phone around and threatened to call the cops if he didn't let go of his precious Chloe. "Relax," Andrei said dismissively. "I'm not a psychopath. I don't hurt defenceless animals. You know who else I don't hurt?" When Cooper remained mute, he continued as he set Chloe beside him, "Women!" "I don't know what you'
Last Updated : 2025-01-09Reckless Hearts 52|Follow The Trail
Andrei didn't have time to panic and stress over his countless mistakes with Cooper. He had a meeting with his attorney. So, when he got home, he jumped into the shower again and changed into a fresh set of clothing, removing all hints of his extracurricular activities. Adrian Blaine, heir to Blaine Inc, a law firm catering to Rock Castle's royalty, arrived soon after, and they settled down on the patio. Over a hearty breakfast, courtesy of Helga, they worked on the purchase agreement, oblivious to the cool morning breeze and the miserable view of the once-majestic Cape Dutch building across the road. Halfway through their meal, Andrei threw a spanner in the works when he asked Adrian to draw up a year-long marriage contract and a prenup agreement. "Excuse me?" the attorney choked on his coffee, panic flickering on his face as he coughed and gasped for air. "Did I hear you correctly?" he continued once his coughing fit had died down. "You want a marriage contract and prenup agr
Last Updated : 2025-01-09
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Reckless Hearts 115|Shone as brightly
"Give me five minutes," Andrei said when they pulled into the horseshoe driveway and parked close to the front door a little while later. "You'd better hurry up. I have a flight to catch," Ivan retorted, reminding him about his trip to Botswana. The team of four guys he'd assembled to bring Sienna in were already on their way to the airport. "Yes, sir!" Andrei called over his shoulder, giving his lieutenant a mock salute as he ran up the front steps. The housekeeping staff were taken aback when he stepped into the lavish foyer and found them polishing the bannisters of the grand double staircase. "Mr Ivanov, we weren't expecting you." "I know!" Andrei replied. He never made unplanned stops. And if it weren't for his father's insistence to have a home-cooked meal with him at least once a week, he wouldn't even bother coming by. The place had stopped feeling like a home long before his mom died. "What can we do for you, sir?" The two ladies asked, ready to be of service, as they
Reckless Hearts 114|Like A Pendulum
"First time?" asked Thabo, Lev's mortuary technician friend. His brilliantly white teeth, as he smiled at Andrei, were a stark contrast to his smooth mahogany skin. "Hardly," Andrei replied and quickly shut his mouth, afraid if he didn't, the unbearably warm stench would creep into him and taint every inch of his soul. They passed several closed doors as Thabo led them down an endless corridor. He candidly explained that the air-conditioning system was out of order, hence the humidity and smell. "We logged it two days ago, but they have yet to send the technicians to fix it. I guess no one cares about the material comforts of the dead," he said, taking them deeper into the bowels of the morgue. Just when Andrei began to think the man had no idea where they were going, Thabo abruptly stopped in front of a cavernous room whose metal doors were wide open, like a gaping mouth. "There they are," he said, pointing at several bodies lying on cadaver carriers. "Why are they out in the o
Reckless Hearts 113|Seen And Smelled Death
"I was surprised you went with orchids," said Diane, the beaded strands tinkling softly as she pushed the curtain back in place and returned to her workstation."Aesthetically wise, I would have gone with roses," she added, setting the potted plant on the table. "Anything but roses!" Andrei murmured, running his fingers on the tips of pink tulips peeking out from an elaborate arrangement on the counter beside the cash register."But I like the symbolism behind orchids," she continued, as if Andrei hadn't spoken. Her hands moved deftly as she got down to work and performed magic with the Spanish moss, curly willow vines and some clippers. "Did you know that orchids were associated with virility in ancient Greece? In fact, Greek women believed that if the father of their unborn child consumed large, new orchid tubers, the baby would be a boy. If the mother ate small orchid tubers, she would give birth to a girl."Andrei didn't know this, of course. He'd chosen orchids for their enduran
Reckless Hearts 112|Vaguely of Sympathy, Jaded Dreams and Romance
A fleshy bud of dark, wilting petals peeked at Andrei amidst the jagged pieces of broken glass. He picked it up, twirling the thin, broken stem between his thumb and forefinger as he scanned the street for a nearby florist shop. When he found none, the coldness in his veins steadily turned to ice. Troubled, he carefully wrapped the withered bulb with his silk handkerchief and stuffed it in the inner breast pocket of his tailored cashmere coat before returning to the car, unable to shake off the unsettling feeling of dread in the pit of his stomach. "Lev called," Ivan announced as he watched Andrei buckle up. "He wants us to meet him at the morgue." Andrei glanced at his Cartier and nodded. The next slot for visiting hours at Glen Eagles Mediclinic, where Holly was being kept overnight for observation, was at 7:00 PM. There was still plenty of time before then. "Let's do it," he said, texting Austin, urging him to meet him at Crush around 10:00 PM. After a flurry of back-a
Reckless Hearts 111|Sliver Of Light
Long after the police vans and emergency services vehicles were gone and the news cameras had stopped rolling, Church Street was back to normal. Well, as normal as it would ever be after all the horror it had seen. Of course, some shops were closed, including the luxury car dealership Holly's Porsche had crashed into. There was no way they would have stayed open after all the mayhem. But for other establishments, it was business as usual. People went about their day. Life carried on uninterrupted, like it was any other regular Tuesday, and a bloody cartel war was an everyday occurrence. "You wanted to see the place. You've seen it. I think it's time to go," said Ivan, the walls of the car trembling when he turned the key in the ignition, and the engine roared to life. "Not yet," Andrei stopped him, touching his arm briefly before exiting the car. "For fuck's sake, Boss, you can't do that!" Ivan yelled as he ran after Andrei when he lifted the police tape and approached the cri
Reckless Hearts 110|Biggest Mistake
Without waiting for an invitation, Cooper shut the door with his foot and crossed the room. "What are you doing here? Shouldn't you be in Clifton Bay?" Holly croaked, hating how thin and terrified her voice sounded as she watched him place the roses on the nightstand."With this?" Cooper waved his bandaged hand, pulling out his victim card. "I would be if your Russian sociopath lover hadn't maimed me. But that's neither here nor there. How are you holding up?"Without waiting for her to respond, he continued, nonchalant as ever, like they were still on good terms, "I saw the news, and I had to come and see you." When he leaned over and tried to kiss Holly on her forehead, she shrunk away from him and fumbled for the emergency button.Cooper swiftly ripped it from her hands, wagging his finger at her. "Really, Holly, you disappoint me. I thought we were good. I mean, you dropped the protection order—""Because you forced me to!" Holly snapped."No, you wanted to protect your Russian
Reckless Hearts 109|Delayed Dreams
"Please don't be mad at him," Holly said, trying to salvage Liam's friendship with Levi. "I asked him not to tell you anything because I didn't want to worry you.""Bullshit!" Liam snarled, pointing accusingly at Holly. "You asked him to keep his mouth shut to protect Andrei!"Holly had no defence and no comeback because Liam was spot on."How did you get the video?" she asked, her brain struggling to process the dumpster fire she was in. "Colleen sent it to me," Willow replied, her voice barely a whisper. "She thought it would help crack the case. You know, uncover the identities of the masked men who took you guys hostage—""We weren't taken hostage," Holly clarified, but Liam hushed her up, growling at her to stop focusing on the small details."Do you have any idea the world of trouble you're in?" He thundered at her as he approached the bed, ready to throttle her. But Willow held him back just when Holly thought he'd take her in his arms and shake her like a rag doll. "I told yo
Reckless Hearts 108|The Whole Truth
Holly was taken into the emergency room as soon as they arrived at the Mediclinic in Glen Eagles, and after an hour or so of checkups and tests, she was given a clean bill of health. But the attending doctor—a young woman fresh out of medical school, with a sincere smile and all her textbook knowledge still crammed in her brain—insisted on keeping her overnight at the hospital just to make sure she didn't have a concussion. "All your tests are looking good. But I must warn you, whiplash, especially after a car crash like the one you were involved in, is normal. We'll give you something for the pain–" Holly zoned out after the part about the whiplash, the white-hot pain searing her knee spreading throughout her entire body like wildfire. "An absolute miracle, I tell you," said the doctor, squeezing Holly's hand before exiting the room with Liam. Two nurses strolled in then and wheeled Holly to a private room on the second floor. When she complained about her knee, even after they g
Reckless Hearts 107|Brush With Death
"Miss Anderson," said the head of security, hugging Holly briefly. "We were so worried about you. I'm sorry it took us so long to get to you. Traffic is backed up to the bridge, and some roads have been closed off." "James, it's okay," Holly said with a smile. "I'm fine." "No, you're not," said Liam, calling her out on her lie as he drew her away from James, only to wrap his arms around her tightly. "Goodness, Holly! Do you know how terrified I was when I got the emergency alert?" "What emergency alert?" Holly asked, a slight frown creasing her forehead as she stared at Liam. "The one you sent." "I didn't send you anything." "Well, I got a text telling me you were involved in a car crash." That explains it, Holly thought, as she squeezed him back, vaguely remembering her Apple watch vibrating like crazy earlier. It wasn't Eric's fault, but her own, for adding Liam as one of her emergency contacts. He wouldn't be here if she hadn't, and she wouldn't have to face a Spanish Inqui
