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56|Locked In
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2025-01-09 02:58:26
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Reckless Hearts 1|A Win-win
"Absolutely not! We've talked about this, Papa!" Andrei Ivanov grunted irritably as he lowered his towering frame on the burgundy camelback sofa in the den of his ancestral home in Glen Eagles, north of Rock Castle. Surprisingly, Pavel, the Ivanovs' longtime butler, dressed in a dark suit and not a hair out of place, remained unfazed by the tension in the room. The same way Andrei's father, Nikolai, sat unperturbed behind his vintage desk as he gazed back at him, "Yes, you will cancel your flight." Massaging his temples to stave off a looming headache, Andrei explained—yet again—why he couldn't cancel his flight the following evening, citing every excuse he could think of. When that didn't work, he doubled down and lit a cigarette, taking long, deep puffs before addressing his father again in a much firmer tone, "You've known about my move to Moscow for a while now. It's happening, with or without your approval. I suggest you get on board fast!" "I'm sorry, but I can't do that," Ni
Last Updated : 2024-11-04Reckless Hearts 2|Where People Find Wives
"Oh, you do?" Nikolai arched his brows in amusement."Yes, I do!" Andrei retorted. It was all lies, of course. He didn't have a girlfriend. But his father didn't need to know this. "How am I supposed to explain Veronika to her?"Nikolai shrugged carelessly, asking, "Why have I never met this mystery girlfriend?""You've never met any of my girlfriends," Andrei reminded him, suddenly glad he'd never made the mistake of bringing women home to meet his father. Who knew keeping his love life under wraps would work in his favour someday?"Your PA is always your plus-one at company events, and you've never been photographed with a woman before. I find it strange that you've never mentioned a girlfriend.""Strange or not, I'm not marrying Veronika. So call off this damn thing.""Who is she?" Nikolai ignored his outburst, his eyes narrowing suspiciously. "And how long has this thing been going on?"Andrei took a deep breath and pinched the bridge of his nose, surprising himself with how easil
Last Updated : 2024-11-04Reckless Hearts 3|Coming Up Roses
While a glum Andrei sat with his lieutenants in one of the highly sought-after boxes at the Mirage, pondering his father's offer, on stage, under the dazzling spotlight, Holly Marie Anderson had none of his ninety-nine problems.In fact, life was going swimmingly for her. And why wouldn't it? After all, she was the star of the show, and the only reason the theatre was packed to capacity for the second night in a row. Drunk on the awe and adoration of her fans, Holly had one job and one job only: to deliver yet another jaw-dropping, heart-thumping performance. And that's precisely what she did. To say she was on fire was an understatement. Hell, she'd spent a tough three months preparing for the show and survived countless hours of gruelling practice sessions and dress fittings before embarking on a whirlwind press tour. In the twelve weeks leading up to this moment, Holly had lived and breathed Juliet, so much so that sometimes she was terrified she'd have a hard time letting go of
Last Updated : 2024-11-04Reckless Hearts 4|Her Final Bow, Her Last Plié
What everyone had imagined would be a quick visit to the ER ended up being a week-long bed rest in the orthopaedic wing of the Mediclinic in Glen Eagles for Holly.When she wasn't consulting with some specialist or other, she found herself entertaining an endless stream of visitors—from family to colleagues to the management team at the Royal Dance Institute. Cooper was pretty much a permanent fixture in her private ward, and her only source of updates about work. When he casually announced the show was on a break following her injury and faced a possible cancellation, Holly naturally felt terrible for everyone, especially him. He'd wanted the show as much as she did, and had worked just as hard. To see all their hard work go to waste was gut-wrenching. So, she tried to steer their chats away from work. But somehow, they always circled back to the show and, of course, Lola.Rumours had begun to swirl at the Institute. Half the corps was convinced she had maliciously stepped on Holly'
Last Updated : 2024-11-04Reckless Hearts 5|Ripped In Two
Devastated, Holly turned to her parents, silently pleading with them to pull her out of her never-ending nightmare. But, like her, they had no idea how to fix her. So she grabbed her mini crossbody bag, dazedly left the room, and wandered down the sterile corridors and out of the building, leaving her parents to discuss her upcoming surgery, physiotherapy, and all the other treatment plans Dr Evans thought were necessary but would never help her return to the stage.The crisp winter breeze was a shock to her system as she hobbled to one of the benches facing the hospital's entrance. She pulled her long cashmere cardigan closer and wound the heavy woollen scarf around her neck. She was so grateful that despite the short notice, her mom still had the foresight to stop at her townhouse in Morningside Mews and get her some warm clothing. Holly dug out her phone from her bag and fiddled with her knee brace as she scrolled through the less than thirty contacts. Half were family, including
Last Updated : 2024-11-14Reckless Hearts 6|As Tempting As A Siren Song
Back at her childhood home in the heart of Glen Eagles, Holly headed to her room. She hadn't slept there in years and hadn't stepped inside in just as long. Confronted by old smells and the lingering ghosts of her younger self, she didn't know how to feel about being back here. So she simply stood there, unsure what to do, until she felt her mom's arm encircle her shoulders."Everything is still the same, exactly how you left it," Lois said as she propped the crutches against the wall just inside the door. Her mom meant well, and her words were supposed to comfort and reassure her. But it was that exact 'sameness' that filled Holly with dread and helplessness. The room was the same, but she wasn't. She'd changed, and all in a single afternoon, her dreams destroyed by Dr Evans' announcement—'But you can't dance anymore.'"Go on," Lois gently pushed her inside the room.The smell of ambitious hope her fifteen-year-old self had held onto all those years ago hit Holly with the same inten
Last Updated : 2024-11-14Reckless Hearts 7|Slice. Pain. Pleasure. Relief. Shame.
Trigger warning: self harm, illicit substance useWithin minutes, Holly was at Crush, a high-end nightclub in downtown Rock Castle and one of Andrei Ivanov's favourite haunts. She headed straight to the bar, demanding to know which VIP room the Russian was in. Tony, the bartender—a new guy Austin Hawthorne had hired soon after he took over the club—nicely told her Andrei wasn't around. "He hasn't been here in a while," said the bartender, showing off his skills as he tossed the cocktail shaker into the air in a fancy move and swiftly caught it on his forearm."What about your boss? Is he around?"Tony shook his dreadlocked head and pointed at the back office door, "The manager's here, though."Holly had no need for a manager. Her business was with Andrei and possibly Austin since they were thick as thieves. Disappointed her trip was in vain, she perched herself on the barstool and ordered three tequila shots, downing them in quick succession to the cheer and applause of the small c
Last Updated : 2024-11-14Reckless Hearts 8|Killer Of Raging Hard-Ons
If anyone said they didn't know Aero Towers, they'd be lying.Surrounded by the headquarters of the big five banks, a smattering of investment companies and high-profile law firms, the high-tech, eco-friendly, forty-story all-glass structure stood tall and proud in the centre of Rock Castle.Fuelled by old and new money, this side of town was the country's economic hub, the powerhouse of all financial dreams, and Aero Shipping was right at its centre.From the vantage point of his top-floor office with panoramic views of the city, Andrei could see Anderson Logistics on one side and Van Holt Industries on the other. Every day, he took a moment or two to stare at his frenemies' headquarters. Fuck, that wasn't a word he would ever say out loud, but it was the only one that summed up his complicated relationship with Liam Anderson and Levi Van Holt. But yes, every day he made damn sure to take a moment and gaze at their nice-but-not-so-memorable buildings, and he'd smile smugly because wh
Last Updated : 2024-11-20
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Reckless Hearts 56|Locked In
Holly dashed to the guest bathroom and closed the door before returning Andrei's call. It rang for a long time before his voicemail picked up. She didn't leave a message because she doubted people still checked their voice messages. So she texted him, asking him to return her call. She lingered in the bathroom, thinking he'd call back. But when five minutes had passed, and he still hadn't called, she left the bathroom, stunned to find her parents waiting just outside the door with worried frowns etched on their faces. "What is it?" Holly asked, her gut tightening as her mind began racing with frightening thoughts. "Did something happen? Is it Willow? Is it Liam?" "No, honey," Lois replied. "We thought...we thought..." "I was hurting myself," Holly finished off the words for her. "Were you?" Clarke asked. "Of course not!" Holly said, shaking her head. "I promised I wouldn't." And she hadn't cut herself since her chat with Katherine. But Lord knew it was hard, especially after h
Reckless Hearts 55|A Mess Of Things
Holly didn't realise she'd spoken out loud until the nurse replied with a genial smile, "I thought you knew? Isn't that why you're here?" "What's wrong with him?" Holly asked, shooting the nurse a pleading look. "Are you a family member?" Holly shook her head, and the nurse clammed up when she realised she may have shared more than she should have. "I'm sorry, I shouldn't be discussing this with you," the nurse quickly excused herself, but Holly stopped her before she could slip away. "I know you can't tell me anything about Mr Ivanov's condition, but can you, at least, answer this?" "What?" "Mr Ivanov's son—" "He has a son?" The nurse's shocked response told Holly everything she needed to know. She thanked her for her time and retraced her steps, her mind racing with a million thoughts as Eric drove her to Glen Eagles. Her parents, cosying up around the fire in the living room, were surprised but happy to see her. Her father immediately scooted over to make room for her on
Reckless Hearts 54|Insanity At Its Finest
Holly awakened to a deluge of emails and DM's on her social networks. All were from Cooper. All were sent after she blocked his phone number. And all were in the same vein, gravitating between despair and deranged threats. "This is crazy," she whispered as she read one of his emails, her eyes growing huge with disbelief and disgust the further down she went. She wasn't expecting an apology, but Cooper was truly doing the most by trying to minimise his actions and going as far as placing all the blame on her. It was one thing to assault her and another to absolve himself of all blame. This was insanity at its finest, and his cowardly actions left a bitter taste in her mouth. She made up her mind there and then to make him account for his actions. Mad as hell and ready to take back the power Cooper had stolen from her, Holly grabbed her laptop and gobbled down two hazel-nut croissants and three cups of coffee while searching the internet for information on applying for a protection o
Reckless Hearts 53|Not Backing Down For Anyone
"Out with it," Nikolai said once the door clicked in place, and they had all the privacy in the world. "With what?" "Your plan. What are you thinking?" "Mikhail plans to start his own outfit," Andrei announced. "Are you sure?" Nikolai asked, holding his head in his hands. "Jesus, Andrei, you can't go around making such accusations. The last time we thought someone planned to branch out—" "You killed an entire family," Andrei finished off his statement for him. "You killed Kristof and his entire family, and all for what?" "Why don't you just come right out and say it? Get it off your chest. I know you still hate me for what I did to Mila—" "Papa!" Andrei gritted his teeth, the rage he'd long locked away threatening to break free. "I begged you not to do it. I pleaded with you to stand down, and what the hell did you do? You slaughtered all of them, and for what?" "I was acting on the information I had at the time!" Nikolai defended himself as he stood up and glared at him, his
Reckless 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
Reckless 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'
Reckless 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
Reckless 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
Reckless 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
