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66|Wounded Her
Last Updated:
2025-01-21 01:05:14
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Reckless Hearts 67|Little Osaka
Little Osaka, the brothel where Nathan Gopal died in a hail of bullets a few months earlier following the fallout with Jaco and the De Jagers, was a fortress when Andrei and his lieutenants arrived just after 11:00 PM. Several highly skilled security teams, trained in crowd control and threat management, were stationed at all entry points, armed to the teeth and ready to handle any ambush, big or small. A year ago, Andrei would have thought it was overkill. But after Willem unleashed hell on Rock Castle and sent his henchmen to slaughter Nathan and several escorts like pigs, he understood Lev's overly cautious approach. They could not afford a repeat of the chaos, especially when they were hosting a prominent member of the Mexican cartel. Ivan killed the engine and switched off the headlights, but they stayed put and scoped out the place from the safety of their seats, waiting for Lev's all-clear. Despite the infamous massacre, now known as the 'ambush of Little Osaka' in the under
Last Updated : 2025-02-04Reckless Hearts 68|The Long Game
"You get it now," Andrei said with a slow smile, glad they were finally on the same page. "He wants to double-cross me," the Mexican mused, coiling his thin ponytail around two of his fingers. "It appears so." "That bloody ingrate! That bloody, fucking weasel! Nobody steals my product! Nobody!" Juan raged, and it was precisely the reaction Andrei had hoped for. While the embers of Juan's rage were still blazing hot, Andrei seized his chance, but was careful to play it cool. He didn't want to appear too eager or too desperate. Both were deadly for any business deal. Nothing turned people off faster than eagerness or desperation. It was a lesson he'd learned early in life. So, with just the right amount of authority and humility, he pushed Juan in the right direction, "Look, Mikhail is family. But as someone who values loyalty and doesn't tolerate betrayal from anyone, I understand how bad this looks, and I want you to know I support whatever action you wish to take." Juan needed
Last Updated : 2025-02-04Reckless Hearts 69|More Valuable As An Ally
Could it be? Could the two men be related? Could this be Jaco's return to The Corporation and the start of his long-anticipated revenge? And could Anton be just a chess piece in whatever deadly game Jaco was playing? "No fucking way," Andrei whispered as he pushed the contract away and reached for his laptop, getting down to some serious internet sleuthing as soon as it blinked to life. There were several photos of Anton from LinkedIn and other social network sites for professionals. A quick scan through his online résumé confirmed everything he'd told Andrei at their meeting—from his educational background to the founding of Nexus. Andrei breathed a sigh of relief he didn't really believe in when a search through his connections revealed no apparent link to Jaco. But, he thought as he sat up and stared at the screen. Just because he couldn't find an obvious link between the two men didn't mean he wasn't right. In fact, the longer he sat there, going over the timing of the mee
Last Updated : 2025-02-04Reckless Hearts 70|Played A Stupid Game
Holly stuck to her guns and was at the Institute first thing Monday morning to hand in her resignation letter. Hoping to avoid another ugly confrontation, she planned to leave it on Katherine's desk, collect her stuff from her locker, and sneak out without detection. But, she had a rude awakening when she found the campus already bustling with student apprentices and the Corps as they went about their morning. It seemed she wasn't the only one with a good work ethic. Her disappointment shot up when she reached Katherine's office. Even though it was just before 6:00 AM and too damn early for anyone to be productive, her soon-to-be former boss was already hard at work, furiously typing away. The dark circles around Katherine's eyes, her constant yawning, and the coffee mug beside her laptop were very telling. Her insomnia was back, and Holly couldn't help but smile with glee as she knocked on the ajar door, glad to see that her ugly sins were keeping her awake at night. Katherine l
Last Updated : 2025-02-04Reckless Hearts 7I| What The Devil Stole
"Please, let's talk about this," Katherine pleaded, stopping short of selling her soul to Holly. "You are a valuable asset to the team. The Institute needs you. You'll make an amazing teacher. After your surgery, I'll speak to the board and fast-track your promotion—" "Promotion?" Holly snickered, rolling her eyes. Joining the teaching staff was hardly a promotion. If anything, for someone with unparalleled talent like her, it was a demotion. "We both know that's not a promotion!" She clucked her tongue in contempt, wondering if Katherine had always seen her as nothing more than an idiot who could easily be manipulated with just a few empty promises. Deciding it didn't matter anyway since she'd resigned, Holly tried to leave again. But Katherine held on to her arm and switched gears as she ramped up her manipulation tactics, promising to find her the best dance instructor to help her return to the stage. "I know how much being a prima means to you. I'm sure your condition can be fix
Last Updated : 2025-02-04Reckless Hearts 72|A Magician Never Reveals Her Tricks
A pale-faced Lola stormed off with her groupies. One or two were brave enough to ask what Holly had said to leave her so shaken. "It's nothing," Holly heard her say just before she slipped inside the security office, where she spent an unbelievably long time going through the off-boarding process. When Carlo, one of the security guys assisting her, confirmed she was off the system, Holly excused herself, racing to the Porsche Cayenne Coupé parked in front of the entrance. For a minute or maybe more, she just stood there, soaking in the weight of her decision and unable to believe her journey as a dancer was truly over. "How does it feel to be a free agent?" Eric asked when she took her place in the back moments later. "Exhilarating! I never thought unemployment would feel so great!" Holly replied, amazed at how much she liked the idea of being a free agent. "I guess congratulations are in order then!" Eric teased, smiling at her as they pulled away. Holly gazed out the rear w
Last Updated : 2025-02-04Reckless Hearts 73|The Recording
The party was already in full swing when Holly arrived at Crush just after 3:00 PM, even though she was the guest of honour. She found Russel and Naomi at the bar, having a good old time sipping cocktails. "You made it!" Naomi placed her drink on the countertop and hugged her briefly, before pushing her to Russel. "That's a hell of a move you pulled, kid!" he said, giving Holly a bear hug. "Yeah, your exit was definitely not on my 2025 bingo card," Naomi chimed in, leading the way to a VIP booth upstairs, away from the deafening music and drunken voices. They sat down, with Holly running an appreciative gaze around the room. After Austin took over, the place had undergone a major revamp, and she liked the chic yet playful design better than the old, over-the-top, garish neon furniture. "What happened?" Russel asked, pulling out his laptop. "What was the final straw for you?" Forcing a smile on her face, Holly kept her response vague, blaming her career-ending injury for her sna
Last Updated : 2025-02-04Reckless Hearts 74|Isabella Rossouw
"Oh God! That was insensitive of us. I'm so sorry!" Naomi sprung from her seat, wrapping her arms around Holly's shoulders as she led her back to her seat and plopped down beside her.Russel looked just as remorseful, if not uncomfortable. "Is that why you resigned?" he asked."Among other things." Holly nodded, biting her lower lip as she reached for her bento box for something to distract herself with. She toyed with her food, pushing it away after a few bites, her guilt gnawing at her."I wish you'd told me this sooner," she said, hanging her head in shame, the heavy weight of her decisions stomping down on her hard. "God, I wish you'd told me about Cooper much sooner before I withdrew the protection order—""There was a protection order?" Naomi and Russel said at once, demanding all the gory details as they gave Holly their undivided attention. Their interest in her ordeal was a little more than unnerving. But she filled them in anyway, her voice quivering with anger the longer
Last Updated : 2025-02-13
Latest chapter
Reckless Hearts 88|Third Place Is For Losers
As Holly lay spreadeagled, clutching the edges of the counter for support, with Andrei covering her with the warmth of his body, she could finally scratch 'wild, passionate sex' off her bucket list. While she was still recovering her breath, she had another epiphany—it was never about the act, but the man. And now that she'd had a taste of what it felt like to wholeheartedly give herself to Andrei and let go of all her inhibition, she was terrified she'd never be able to walk away from him as planned. She'd always want this feeling…like she was on stage again, soaring to newer heights— Andrei moved away from her, and she heard him softly pad to the guest bathroom. When he came out a moment later, she'd thrown on his dress shirt. A smirk tugged at his lips as his eyes slowly travelled up her body, lingering on her mouth. "You shouldn't have gotten dressed," he murmured, inching his way to her, his movements slow and deliberate. "I'm just going to take it right off." Holly swallo
Reckless Hearts 87|Seen And Wanted
Holly stood there for a beat, gulping down the nervous lump in her throat because she knew exactly what Andrei was asking of her. A small part of her—the one still ruled by her head—told her this was a terrible idea. Spending the night with him would lead them nowhere good. At best, it would leave her with a gushing wound in her heart that no amount of Band-Aids could ever cover up. At worst, six feet under, her body riddled with bullets. "No," she decided, making up her mind then and there. Tonight, especially after their violent confrontation with the Petrovs, was supposed to be the last she saw of Andrei. Their agreement was one date and one date only. Spending the night would create unnecessary complications. "I don't think staying the night is a good idea," she said, surprised at how steady her voice was, even though there was nothing firm about the butterflies somersaulting in her tummy. "What are you afraid of?" Andrei asked, pressing her against the counter and sending
Reckless Hearts 86|All The Rooms In Her Heart
Following their grand escape, Andrei was in no state to drive back on his own, so Holly decided to ride shotgun with him, with Eric following behind in his car. They didn't talk much on their way to Forrest Creek. Andrei was lost in thought, his rage showing itself in his reckless speeding as they zoomed through the night. Holly had never been afraid of speed. But tonight, after their close call with the Petrovs, she found herself grabbing onto the edge of her seat, terrified that Andrei would lose control and hit a traffic light. Or worse, a concrete barrier and the car would spontaneously burst into flames, taking them out in a blazing inferno."Slow down," she said, touching his arm when they had another close call, almost rear-ending a family sedan cruising in front of them. Andrei grabbed her hand and kissed her palm."I'm sorry," he said, and Holly released a long breath she didn't realise she'd been holding when he decelerated, his rage seemingly leaving him the more kilomet
Reckless Hearts 85|What's It's Come To
"What just happened?" Veronika stammered, staring at her parents helplessly. "Why doesn't he like my gift?""He's allergic to dogs," Andrei answered coldly as they watched Vladimir bundle the puppy back inside the box and hand it to one of the waiters, making it his problem."What do you mean he's allergic to dogs?" asked Veronika, her bewilderment palpable."Exactly that. Papa Ivanov is allergic to dogs. That's why, growing up, Andrei and Aleksei never had any pets, well, dogs at least," Holly added fuel to the fire, earning herself a deadly scowl from the mother and daughter duo. "You would know this if you were fit to be Andrei's wife!" "You!" Veronika glared at Holly, pointing a finger at her threateningly. "Calm the fuck down," Andrei said, pushing her hand off as he led Holly to one of the free armchairs in front of the fireplace. "Aren't you going to check on your father?" she asked, throwing a wary look at Veronika and Elena.Andrei shook his head. "Pavel's got everything u
Reckless Hearts 84|Deeply Misled
They stayed on the balcony for some time, staring at the shadowy outline of the stables and hills in the distance and the clear night sky, the howling wind filling the silence between them. Holly tugged her cashmere coat closer, glad she'd grabbed it before stepping out of the Polo Bar. The temperature had dipped even lower while they were inside. Not totally unexpected. The weatherman had predicted unusual snowfall in some parts of the country tonight. "Brrr!" she squeaked, her teeth chattering loudly when another gust of icy wind slashed her face, snatching flyaway strands of hair from her French twist. She pushed them back behind her ear as she glanced at Andrei, wondering if he had a built-in thermal source. He seemed unfazed by the blistering cold. "I'm sorry I dragged you into this," he said when he caught her looking at him, flicking an unlit cigarette between his fingers. "You must regret coming, and honestly, I won't blame you at all if you want to leave." Holly crossed
Reckless Hearts 83|A Debt Owed Is A Debt Repaid
"What does a girl have to do to get your attention?" Veronika asked, placing her arms over the railing as she paused beside him. Andrei turned slightly to look at her, his eyebrows shooting up, surprised she'd chosen to lead with that, given their relationship."So?" she pressed, beaming at him as if it was the most natural thing in the world.Andrei looked her up and down, taking her in—from her Marilyn Monroe-inspired hairstyle to the classic Hollywood red dress hugging her slim frame to the snow-white fur coat hanging loosely around her shoulders. She was an attractive woman, no doubt. But knowing what he knew about her, her dazzling looks and megawatt smile only made his skin crawl, and he wanted nothing more than to pull out his gun and shoot her dead. Not for Iris this time. But for being a nuisance. He didn't know how else to drill it into her pretty little head that they would never be a thing. The million little fires in his heart burned for one woman, and Veronika wasn't th
Reckless Hearts 82|All The Money In The World
"Speaking of decorum," said Elena, crinkling her nose in disgust at Andrei and Holly. "This little thing you have will have to end when you and Veronika tie the knot. We do not approve of mistresses—""I'll say it one last time— I am not marrying Veronika!" Andrei announced calmly. Holding Holly's hand up possessively, just in case he wasn't clear enough, he continued, "This is the woman I intend to build a life with. Nothing you or my father say will make me change my mind.""Let's all enjoy the meal; we can discuss logistics later," Nikolai suggested, trying to take control of a rapidly deteriorating situation."I don't think so," Vladimir pushed back, insisting there was no better time than the present to conclude their marriage negotiations. "There's nothing to negotiate," Andrei growled, staring him down. Seconds stretched into a minute, and then some, with neither Andrei nor Vladimir backing off, the tension in the room growing so thick it was almost suffocating. "Vlad!" Vero
Reckless Hearts 81|Ramp It Up
When Andrei and Holly stepped back into the Polo Bar, Nikolai and the Petrovs were about to dig into their entrées. Unbothered by Roman and Elena's enraged glances following them to their seats, Andrei played the part of a man in love to a tee as he helped Holly settle in. Whispering sweet nothings to her, he removed her coat and held out the chair for her, making sure she was comfortable beside him, before calling a waitress to bring them menus. "Maybe you should tone it down a little," Holly suggested for his ears only as she browsed the selection of entrées. "Everyone looks uncomfortable." "I think we should ramp it up," Andrei disagreed. And ramp it up, he did, as he leaned into her and they browsed the menu together, his arm hanging loosely over her backrest. Hard as he tried to keep his hands to himself, he couldn't resist the urge to run his fingers on her sheer sleeves. The hint of her skin was doing all kinds of things to him— "What are you in the mood for?" Holly aske
Reckless Hearts 80|All The Broken, Messed-Up Pieces
"You've truly lost your mind," Holly whispered as she spun away from him. "How the hell would that even work? I can't be anything to anyone, and you, more than anyone else in my life, know exactly how fucked up I am in the head, Drei. I cut myself when I can't cope. The only constant in my life is the intrusive thoughts living rent-free in my head. What good would I be to anyone when I'm so damn broken?" "Oh, Baby," Andrei said, reaching for her and kissing her forehead. "Don't you see? None of that matters to me. I want all the broken, messed up pieces of you. I want them all, even the ugly, scary ones—" "No, you have to find someone else," Holly said as she pulled away and began pacing again. "I am not marriage material. I don't want a husband and kids and the mansion!" Baffled by her response, Andrei asked, "Why not?" "Because it's all so mundane, boring, and ordinary. I'm not meant for any of that." "Is that what you think?" he asked, slowly approaching her. "That marriage—n
