XANDERI stood at the window, watching the sun dip lower on the horizon, casting an amber glow across the sky. The breeze was gentle, carrying the scent of fresh earth and the quiet promise of evening. I breathed in deeply, the cool air filling my lungs, and for a brief moment, I felt at peace. But
The evening air had grown thick with the promise of night as the sun dipped lower, casting long shadows across the land. The darkness was creeping in, just as I had planned. It was time.Without a second thought, I approached her, bending down to scoop her up, throwing her limp body over my shoulder
MARCUSThe frustration burned deep in my chest as I paced back and forth, the news my men brought me hanging heavy in the air. They had scoured the island, every inch of it, and still hadn’t found Olivia. It was the same thing Luke and the others told me. But I refused to believe she was gone. I kn
MARCUSThe sound of the gunshots echoed through the night, sharp and piercing, and it didn’t take long before the others arrived, they must have heard the gun shot. The world around us stirred with movement, and soon, the area was swarming with my men and Luke’s. Nick, Luke, Ethan, all of them came
We walked quickly toward the car, the cold night air biting at my skin as I held Olivia against me, her hand lifeless in mine. It was like holding a doll, her fingers stiff and unresponsive. Her body felt unnaturally cold, as if the life had been drained out of her. I could feel the chill of her ski
NICKMarcus’s arrival had not been in vain. Because of him, we were able to find Olivia, and that in itself made every second of the chaos feel worth it. Seeing her alive, her breathing shallow but steady, was a relief that I hadn’t known I had needed until I saw it. But even in my relief, I couldn’
I sighed, a frustration bubbling up from somewhere deep inside. "I didn’t mean it like that," I muttered. "I didn’t mean to—"Luke didn’t let me finish. He simply stared at me, his expression unreadable, his gaze like a silent reprimand. I hated that look. It was the same look he always gave me when
OLIVIAWhen we got to the cemetery and Xander placed a knife on my throat. I lost my mind; I didn’t know what happened, but I think my brain blocked off everything for me. he numbed me because he wanted me to watch as he slaughtered me like a cow.The man was sick and twisted beyond measure. Every m
MARCUSI regret ever listening. I wish I had kept my distance, stayed out of it, and resisted the temptation to eavesdrop on Olivia’s therapy session. I only wanted to understand what that man, Xander, had done to her. I needed to know the depth of the damage he had inflicted upon my wife. Never in
LUKEI stood outside, listening to Nick as he worked on breaking Xander down. The boy was good, too good for my liking. I never intended for those boys to be involved in my line of work. Keeping Nick behind was never meant to have him do this, it was meant to keep him away from Olivia. Being around
NICK“Do your worst, Nick,” Xander sneered, blood dribbling from the corner of his mouth as he spat it onto the floor at my feet. “See now? You people shot me, and I haven’t been able to contact my guys. The alert is out. It’s no longer just about Olivia. Now, your whole circle is fair game.”I coul
MARCUS“Olivia, you’re still not well,” I said, my voice firm but laced with concern. “And yet, you want to know about that? I’m not telling you anything right now. Recover first if you want to be included. Until then, I’m not saying a word.”I could feel my frustration rising. We had just gotten ho
OLIVIABy the time we landed back at New Village, Luke’s men were already waiting for us at the airport. The moment we arrived, Marcus spoke with them outside the car, while I settled inside with the kids. My baby girl was still fast asleep in my arms, and her brother had just started to stir as the
Nick“Nick, calm down. There was nothing you were going to do there. You promised not to interfere with her anymore. She left with her husband and kids to fix herself, to fix her marriage. You don’t belong there.”I stopped, the words hitting me like a slap. I turned to glare at him, fury bubbling i
MARCUS“Home. I want to go home.”Those were the first words Olivia spoke when she finally woke up. The urgency and exhaustion in her voice were clear, and it broke something in me to hear it. Home. The place where she could feel safe again, where she could begin to heal. I didn’t hesitate for a sec
OLIVIAI couldn’t tell how long I had been unconscious or why I had lost consciousness in the first place. The confusion lingered in my mind, but when I finally opened my eyes, everything shifted. There, sitting quietly beside me, was Marcus, his head resting on the edge of my bed.His presence felt
MARCUSI trembled with fury as I watched my wife in such a state. The sight of her, broken and trembling, filled me with a rage that burned so intensely, I could barely contain it. The urge to scream, to shout, to lash out at everything and everyone was overwhelming. I wanted to destroy everything,