“Thrilling isn't it? To have found out that everybody had been lying to you,” the message read.“Who are you?” I typed in a frenzy. “Why are you doing this?”“Just a concerned citizen who doesn't like getting lied to. Something I figured you and I have in common.”My nostrils flared. Whoever this was, the person clearly knew a whole lot about me, and I didn't know anything about them. “I want to know who you are. Do you want to meet up?” I asked, biting down on my fingernails.“Making friends is not a part of my job description, sweet pea.”I kissed my teeth in irritation. “What job description?”“You.”That one word chilled me to the bone. I swiped away from the chat and quickly blocked the number from calling or texting me before I could allow myself to give it an extra thought. And that was the end of that chapter for me. I completely closed my mind to everything the person had said to me.It's been almost three weeks since Luca and I had the biggest and most emotional argument t
“Enzo,” I breathed out without turning back.“I'm home, sis. Not at the best of times, but I'm home,” he said, taking steps closer to me.I pressed a hand to my lips to conceal the sob that was threatening to break out. Slowly, I turned back to see a face that I had not seen physically in about eight years. Enzo was right there, standing in front of me.“How did you….?” I said, making a beeline for him, but then I stopped. Memories of the events from the past few weeks came flooding back into my head at once.“Nazi, please, don't turn away from me. I just want to give my big sister a hug after all these days,” he said, his eyes searching mine for any form of forgiveness. I made sure he wouldn't see any.He took a step closer to me, but I held a hand up to stop him. “How did you know where to find me?” I asked.“I called the boss when I landed at the airport. He told me you had just left the house and were headed here. Turns out, the trip from the airport here takes less time than fro
I was going to respond to the message Alice sent, but then I got distracted by something that Gabriel said, and I kind of zoned out from everything until we got to the house.I knew when Enzo arrived because half of the staff went into a frenzy, trying to prepare a room for the guest. I wonder what he would be referred to as someone who works for the boss or the boss’ wife's brother. Either way, he's getting a wonderful welcome party.Once I got home, I picked up a sleepy Hailey from her nursery and headed to my room. I wanted to take a nap, and I always slept better when I was smothering Hailey in my arms.Some hours later, a knock woke me up. I saw that my girl was already up before me and was staring at me with her eyes that were an exact copy of mine.I swung the door open with a scowl on my face, ready to have a go at the person who has just interrupted my sleep and possibly, Hailey’s. I was certainly not expecting to be met with Luca's expectant face.My face softened visibly.
You're really not going to talk to me at all?” I heard Enzo ask, making me sigh.I had come down the staircase the next morning only to almost bump into him at the bottom. I increased my pace so I could disappear from him as quickly as possible, but Enzo just wouldn't let me be.“I thought I made that clear enough, but apparently I didn't, seeing how you're currently trying to talk to me,” I replied with a fake smile.“Nazlynn,” he called out softly, taking a step in my direction.My eyes searched his. I could still see fragments of the little boy who had left for Atlanta years back, but I could also see something darker. The kind of darkness that you are bound to be exposed to while working with the mafia.I was one to talk, considering how I'm married to a mafia don who is the rival to my biological father who is also a mafia don.“I'm not ready for the conversation you're trying to have, Enzo. I would like to get through one day without reminding myself of how I failed you as a si
Luca walked towards me in a predatory type of way. “Hi princess,” he greeted Hailey before taking her off of me. I stilled as he passed by me, keeping my eyes on Enzo at the other side of the room, who looked half as uncomfortable as I did. “Judging by the fact we've been married for almost two years, you should know that I know you better than yourself,” I heard Luca say from behind me before hearing the door shut and then the sound of a luck turning.I whipped around and was shocked to see an empty space behind me. “What just happened?” I asked Enzo, who was just staring at me.“Your husband just locked us in,” he stated simply.“Yes, I can see that. But why?” I asked as my panic level started rising. Enzo hopped off the chair he was sitting on and started walking towards me. “I asked him how I could get you to talk to me. He said you have a thing for eavesdropping on his conversations, so we decided to see if it'll work. We left the door open a bit, sprinkled your name into the
I agreed to meet up with Alice two days after she had sent that text. Coincidentally, we were in the same city, so it wouldn't be too much of a hassle. She said it was important we met up, and I was curious as to why.“I already fed her, but in case she gets whiny again, give her water in her bottle,” I said to Tracy, crouching down so I could give Hailey a big kiss.The only thing I hated more than being away from my baby was being away from my baby.“I'm going out,” I said to Luca when I saw him in the hallway. He was speaking to some of the members of our security team. He frowned, giving me a once over. “Where are you off to?” “I'm going to meet with someone,” I responded briefly, checking my reflection in the full-length mirror hanging on the wall. Luca dismissed the small gathering of men before turning his attention to me. “Who? You don't have any friends. You're not exactly the most social person,” Luca pointed out. I froze. He had a point. Considering everything that has
She scrunched up her nose, and her eyebrows pulled together in a manner that screamed confusion. “You mentioned it when you told me about your nightmares some time ago,” she said.I nodded. “I think you should do what you think is best for your child. You know it's not just yourself that you have to take care of or look out for,” she said, giving me a look that my mother would give me when she was trying to make me see a point that I am intentionally blind to.We talked some more, and I told her everything about everything, going into more details than I did when I sent that long text message. For some odd reason, I felt really calm around her, like I could tell her anything at all. Which was surprising considering how much I was freaking out when I got here.I had come to meet with her to get some advice on what I should do and how I should do it, but here she was telling me that the decision was all mine to make. Just sitting down and talking to her did help me feel better, thou
Alice struggled against her restraints, gnashing her teeth at him. “Who are you, and what do you want with us?”The man's face came into view, and I frowned slightly. It was a boy actually, he didn't look a day over fifteen years old. His voice sounded a lot more mature, I would have guessed he was in his late twenties if I hadn't seen his face. “Please let her go. She has nothing to do with me, and she doesn't know anything,” I pleaded on my friend's behalf. Alice looked scared shitless, like she would piss her pants any time soon.“Way to go, Nazlynn. You meet your friend for the first time ever and get her kidnapped,” I said to myself mentally. I couldn't let them hurt her. Alice could already clearly see that she's missing something about my life.The boy just stood there and stared at me. “Do you know him or something?” Alice whispered to me.I shook my head, “I've never seen him before.”He stared at me for a long time without saying a word. His face was void of any facial exp
I had just finished washing my hands and was back to where my men stood over Alice's body when I saw a ball of colours approaching me with speed from a distance. My face softened when the ball of colours got closer to me. Nazlynn threw herself into my arms, almost knocking us both off balance. I hugged her tight, breathing in her calming scent and presence. She ran her hand up and down the nape of my neck, and I involuntarily relaxed into it. She squeezed me tighter in her arms, like she was scared to let go.I attempted pulling away to see her face but she shook her head and held on firmly to me. Chuckling, I pulled her closer in my arms, placing a kiss into her hair. When she pulled away, she raked her eyes over my body, running her hand over it at the same time. “Are you hurt anywhere? Did you get… Oh my God, you're bleeding,” she said fearfully, as her hand touched a wet patch on my shirt.“No baby, hey, relax. It's water, I just washed my arms. I'm okay, I promise.”She nodded.
Elena ducked just in time for Enzo to aim for Alice's hand. The bullet went through her flesh, making her drop the gun and release her hold on Elena. She had pulled the trigger as her gun clattered to the ground.Alice glared at me, then looked at the door behind her through the corner of her eyes. I fired a shot as she pushed back into the door and into the library. I heard her groan that indicated my bullet had hit her but not enough to take her down.“I need someone in the rooms beneath and above the library. The rest of you secure this building in case there's a way outside of it. Gabriel, Enzo, with me,” I instructed before following behind her with my gun raised.Gabriel and Enzo walked silently behind me. When we got in, all the lights were turned off, making the library extremely dark. “You don't peg me as the ready type Alice. You can't exactly hide in there forever,” I called out as I walked further into the library.I silently cursed whoever had the idea of making a home
Enzo shot bullets after, but she was no longer in sight. “Go!” I barked at my men who were staring at the place where she stood in shock. “Don't kill her,” I said as they passed by me. “That's for me.”If anything, I was glad we left that floor and were going back to the ground.“I don't know who's sloppier, you or your men,” I heard her call out, cackling. “You have a lot of guts, talking when that would only help us find you faster,” I said, nodding to my men to follow the sound of her voice.“What makes you think that's not what I want?” She asked in a cunning tone. I halted my men, clenching my jaw.Her words were suggestive. The only thing I could think of was that she may be setting up a bomb inside, or she may have already done it within the few minutes she had earlier. She seems to like playing with explosives.She was behind a door, and we had the door surrounded from a safe distance. I knew my men were waiting for me to give a go ahead so they could march in, but everybod
I pulled Hailey out of her crib and into my arms, cradling her shakily. My eyes darted from Alice’s face to the door and back.Alice took a step towards me, and I scooted back on the floor, ignoring the stab of pain as my skin dragged across the shards of glass. “What's wrong? Waiting for hubby, or should I say your prince charming to save the day again?” She let out a menacing laugh. “Lucky for me, it's currently an all girl’s house.”“Please don't hurt my baby, I beg you, Alice,” I pleaded just as Hailey started to cry from the noise she had heard. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw the door to the bathroom open slightly, and Enzo peeked into the room.He gave me a small nod. Once I saw him raise his gun, I ducked, covering Hailey with my entire body. Alice was faster than him, but unfortunately, she managed to dodge the bullets that Enzo rained down on her until she ran out through the door and into the main house.“Fuck,” he swore loudly, rushing to my side.“Are you okay? Did
Nazlynn’s POVAlice was certainly a girl who clearly didn't want to be found. Luca had his contacts pull some strings in the police department to put up a surveillance on her, but nothing has turned up so far. Nothing of essence was discovered at the house that Luca had found me in. Of course, his contacts in the police force had to cover up using some story about a robbery gone wrong. The bodies had already been taken care of by the time they arrived at the scene.I was up to speed at everything that was happening in no time. Elena and Mathias decided to have a small wedding but postponed it until after the whole Alice thing had been dealt with. Luca cleared things up with his father, and they were back to having their weird love-hate father-son thing. Whatever the hell that meant. I was about to convince Luca not to kill my so-called birth father. It's the least I could do since he saved my life.Our mansion was almost completely back on its feet, and we moved back in two days be
“What do you mean you couldn't find her?” I asked shakily. Luca gave me a concerned look.“Luca, what do you mean by that?” I asked again, scooting towards the head of the bed and away from him.“Hey Nazlynn, calm down, baby. I'm right here, and I'm not going to let anyone hurt you, okay?” He said, reaching out to me.I smacked his hand away before it could come in contact with my skin. “No! No, no. She's going to kill me. She's going to kill us all. My baby. Where's my baby?” I asked hysterically. Luca shot up from his position on the chair and approached me carefully. I could see concern for me in his eyes.“Wh..where's Hailey?” I stammered as tears started streaming down my face. “Dr Martin!” Luca said, trying not to shout too loudly but making sure his voice was loud enough. He kept his eyes on me. He edged closer to me until I was cowered up by a corner of the bed. “Gabriel, get Dr. Martin now!” He yelled again.I grabbed his hand tightly, and I could feel my fingernails diggi
Nazlynn’s POVLuca stared at me in shock for over a minute but didn't even give himself some time to answer me before standing up and yelling for Dr. Martin. I had expected to wake up to the pungent smell of a hospital room and the faint beeping of machines that had been working tirelessly to keep me alive but the room I was in looked like the average bedroom. Bright light seeped through the window, casting a glow over the space.As I struggled to sit up, the sharp pain shot through my whole body made me groan. Luca was back by my side in a flash. His gentle hand grasped my shoulder, easing me back onto the pillow.“Take it easy, chica bella. You'll rip your stitches,” he whispered softly. It had been so long since I heard his voice that I wanted to cry at the sound. It felt like music to my ears. Dr. Martin dashed in, greeting me with a smile before she began to do some further checks on me. It was extremely strange to hear someone tell you “welcome back to the living”. It should b
“Baby, can you hear me?” I asked, tightening my grip on her hand so I wouldn't miss any motion.“Gabriel,” I bellowed, and he scrambled in. “Get Dr. Martin here now! Tell her my wife moved,” I said without looking back.I heard no movement after a few seconds, and when I turned, I was met with a wide-eyed Gabriel who was staring at me with shock.Moving closer to her on the bed, I spoke again. “If you can hear me, can you tap me with your finger again?” There was nothing but I stayed put. It was a very uncomfortable position for me, holding Hailey up with one arm while the other was stretched out to her mother, but I was way past the point of caring.It was like Hailey knew something had just happened. She twisted her neck to see what I was doing.“She's here,” Gabriel announced barely five minutes after he had left. I frowned. That was fast.“Hey Luca. I was already on my way here when he called me. What's going on?” Dr Martin said, clearing my confusion as she approached us on the
“You found him?” I asked, shocked to hear it. “How?”Mathias gave me a look. “On my list of ten possible things you would say first, that certainly wasn't a part of it. Is there something else I should know, Luca?”I sighed in resignation. “He's her father Mathias, her birth father, and I think she should have a say in what we do with him,” I said truthfully. “Is he in our custody yet or….” I trailed off.“Not yet. We wanted to receive instructions from you first. I have guys watching and trailing his every move. He's been acting scared as fuck and I don't think it's just you he's afraid of,” he said.“Alice?” He nodded.“That girl must be a total nutcase. I can't help but wonder just what happened there. The only person who can tell us is well, not available,” I said looking at Nazlynn.“She's stronger than you give her credit for, I know she is. She'll pull through,” he said, giving me a pat on the back before standing up. He was almost at the door when he turned. “Come with me.”