Hello My loves, I have read all your comments from yesterday and gratitude filled my heart. Thank you for all your kinds thoughts. Still feeling down, but fever has subsided since this morning. Love, J Cruz
Marcus POVBeads of sweat dotted my forehead when I arrived at the supermarket building. At a safe distance, Storm’s men had already cordoned off the area and surrounded my car where my children were.“Martina?” I asked my brother Rowan when I met him outside the supermarket.“She is still inside. Storm’s men are evacuating the people.”“My kids?”Rowan stepped aside to let me see my children. They were sleeping and were clueless as to what was happening around them.A knot formed in my belly.
Rowan POVI watched my brother leave with a heavy heart.I have always been a fighter. At a young age, my godfather, Storm’s father, trained me to have the heart of a warrior.Under his tutelage, I became one of the top agents of the Guardians, a global security agency that protects and secures high-profile people and their families.Though my siblings and I got the same training, they did not love what they were doing. I do.Charles, Marcus, and Flint hated fighting.So, when we turned of age, we began to manage our family’s business under the protection of Storm&rsqu
Marie’s POVI watched Rowan looking at me dazedly as he wrapped around his head what I had revealed just now."I am their mother," I told him, seeing a frown forming on his head.But before my words fully sank in on Rowan, I ran away.Luke’s voice led my feet to him as I listened to him exchange angry words with Marcus.“Don’t try anything funny or I will kill her,” Luke warned, pressing the nozzle of his gun to Martina’s temple.He locked his arms on Martina's neck, pulling her to his body.
Marcus POVI continued to engage Luke while Rowan, Storm, and their men moved stealthily toward the back to attack him from behind. My whole body was poised and ready for any movement. I never left sight of Luke’. My eyes were glued to him while I listened to Marie’s story. But my main focus was Martina. She looked like she was ready to drop on the floor any moment. I was banking on Luke to hold her securely.Then, it happened. The moment Storm and Rowan grabbed Luke on the back, it surprised him. He lost his hold on Martina as well as the gun he was holding to threaten her with. I ran and dove the last few feet that separated us when Martina’s body collapsed on the floor. “Gotcha!” I murmured in her ears and pulled her to safety. The gun Luke was holding dropped on the floor, and it fired accidentally.When we heard the gunshot, I wrapped my body protectively around Martina, my arms cushioning her ears. At the same time, I saw Luke struggling from the lockhold Rowan and
Marcus POVThe twins opened their eyes and smiled when they saw us. The love and trust emanate from their eyes.It was the most beautiful sight after what Martina and I had been through.“Mama, Daddy!” Marky cried and lifted his hands, so Martina could pick him up.“Daddy, Mama!” Macy giggled. Her wide smile was an antidote to the fear that knotted my stomach.Without saying anything, I lifted her in my arms and snaked an arm around my wife for support.I am unsure if Martina can handle Marky, given the ordeal she went through, but maybe s
Martina POVA few hours later, my head started to loll on the side, and I was ready to doze off. My adrenaline rush had come down, and I felt like a piece of paper, ready to be thrown by the wind. My eyelids started drooping when the door to the operating room swung open, and a group of medical practitioners came out. The doctor removed his surgical mask before he asked us. “Are you the patient’s next of kin?” I nodded. “Yes. I am the patient's daughter. How is she?” “The operation was successful, but the patient had to remain in the hospital for several days to assess the damage to her legs and to recuperate. She also needed to undergo therapy afterward.” I nodded. “Can we see her? Talk to her?” “She had been sedated. She is still in the recovery room, and will be transferred to a regular room soon.” “Will she be okay?” “Let us see and assess things further when she wakes up.”After telling us this, the doctor left us. I hugged Marcus. “Marie is going to be okay.” He w
Martina POVI reveled in Marcus’ kiss while my body sought strength from his arms that were wrapped securely around me. “Marcus.”We were panting when we stopped. “I love you.”There were tears in Marcus’s eyes when he said it. “I was so afraid earlier, love. I thought I was going to lose you. I will never forgive myself if that happens.” “Shh. It’s water under the bridge. I am glad to be alive to spend more years with you and the twins.” I told him. Marcus smiled. “And our future children.” He added with a naughty wink. I pinched his nose and hugged him again. It must have been a delayed reaction, but I didn't want to release Marcus anytime soon, but his brothers had other ideas. I am not sure if it was Flint or Rowan who knocked continuously on the roof of our car before they shook it. “F*ck!” Marcus said.He immediately released me to confront his brothers, who escaped to Briana’s house. Marcus got back inside the car, shaking his head. “B*st*rds!” He muttered under
Martina’s POVMarie’s eyes welled with tears. Despite that, she was smiling from ear to ear. “My daughter.” Her voice trembled, too.She spread her arms wide, and I gladly ran to her side to receive her warm hug. When she wrapped her arms around me, my shoulders shook, and I started crying. Finally, I found the warmth of my mother’s love. “I am sorry I didn’t tell you. I was afraid you would reject me, and I worry about you and the kids. I can’t let you go. I knew how much you needed my help at that time.”“I understand,” I told her, wiping the tears streaming down my cheeks. “Thank you.” Marie, or rather, my mother said. We were smiling through our tears when Marcus neared us.No words passed between them. Marcus put a hand on my mother’s shoulder. Mom patted it repeatedly in a comforting way. That was enough between them. A new bond has been formed. Afterward, the doctors came and explained to Marie the rehabilitation and therapy she would be undergoing. “Sometimes, it
Flint POVJust as I was about to seal Anna’s lips with my own, we heard Penelope cry. We broke apart and raced up the stairs. “Daddy!” Penelope’s tear-drenched face lifted up in our direction when we opened the door to our room. She was standing on her cot. Her arms were outstretched toward me, silently asking to be pulled up. I didn’t think twice about responding to my daughter’s distress call. In three strides, I was in front of her. I cupped her chin.“Did you miss Daddy?” I asked gently. Longing pierced me when I saw her face. It was unfathomable how the two of us had become quite attached when we only knew about each other’s existence a few days ago. The connection was so strong. “You reek of alcohol.” Anna reminded me when I bent down to pick Penelope in my arms. “Just a while, dear. Let me comfort our daughter for a while." Anna stood to the side, watching while I rocked Penelope. I swayed my body from side to side while my little girl clung to me. Then, her eyes ha
Anna/Linda POVFlint stared at me like I had grown another head or something.It was disconcerting.This is why I rarely tell people who I am."Flint," I called him, afraid he would change his mind about me."Sorry." Flint shook his head as if he was still trying to let the information sink in and was trying to absorb it."Any more secrets I should know?" Flint asked.Now it was my turn to look stunned."You didn't think it was
Flint POV“I don’t know what to think anymore,” I admitted to Brent while drinking vodka in a private room inside the Blue Canyon, a country club in Redwood where we both enjoyed VIP memberships.“Why don’t you ask her? Instead of overthinking and suspecting your brother, go to your wife and seek the answers to all the questions crowding your head.”“I really love talking to you, Brent. You are like a cold bath - scary but necessary.” I told him bluntly.Brent chuckled.“You needed it.”I clapped Brent on the back.“Thanks.”“Let’s go. It’s two in the morning, and the manager had been giving us deadly looks already. I think this club is closing for the day.”After Brent settled the bill, we rose from our seats and ambled back to his car.I left my c
Briana POVAfter the police officers took my three brothers, I got back on my desk and sat morosely there.“Where are your brothers? I thought you had an emergency meeting?” Noah asked, disrupting my solitude.I looked at him sharply. “They were at the police station.”Noah opened the door wider and walked in.He loosened his tie and slumped on the couch. He looked tired, but he was looking at me with love in his eyes.It had been four years since I took a chance on him, and his love never wavered. In truth, it had intensified through the years.
Flint POVI could not believe it.Brinaa had us arrested! The f*ck!After the police handcuffed the three of us, Briana took our phones.“Why are you confiscating our phones? I need that!” Marcus cried.Between the three of us, he was the most uncooperative and talkative.Briana ignored him. “You will get your phones later. For now, I am going to keep it.” She promised before the police officers led us out of her study.Downstairs, I saw the household staff gathered in
Flint POVRowan’s question, asking me about fathering Anna’s baby, hangs in the air.It wrapped around us like an elephant in the room.I took in my brothers’ look, feeling like the odd man out.Can’t I be man enough to take on my responsibility? Can I not be trusted to care for my own family?The dam inside me burst, and I lashed out at my brother, Rowan.“Yes, so don’t cross my line and stop meddling in my wife’s life. They don’t need you.”Rowan stared m
Flint POV“I am not talking to you, Flint. You embarrassed me in front of Linda, and that was unforgivable.”I winced, feeling guilty.In my eagerness to defend my family, I had forgotten that Briana was never an enemy.She was my sister.“I am sorry.”“I am just looking out for you. Haven’t you forgotten how hard women tried to trap you into marriage, not because they loved you but because they loved what you represented?” She lashed out at me.I chuckled. &ldqu
Anna/Linda POV“Hey, sis! ” Flint walked toward his sister with a wriggling Penelope in his arms.When he reached her, he stooped to kiss her cheeks.Penelope saw what he did and did the same. She kissed Briana’s cheek.Briana was left stunned, especially when Penelope showed her natural cuteness.She bounced in Flint’s arms, raising her hands to clap."Yay! Kwin ver gud!" Penelope said in a stilted manner.On the other hand, Flint looked like he was ready to burst into pride. He puffed
Anna/Linda POVWe spent three days secluded in the exclusive villa Flint rented for us. It was nothing short of idyllic. Penelope had a wonderful time. “Dad-dy!” She squealed and jumped on her little feet to evade the coming waves. “Bubbles!” She would cry in gibberish, pointing at the sea foam that crowded her feet and ankles. Then she would run to Flint, and Flint would swoop down to capture her and put her to dry sand. Then, she would stroll toward the waves again, repeating the same actions until Flint rescues her.“You are silent,” Flint said when he deposited Penelope beside me. I was sitting on the sand with my legs stretched out in front of me. He quickly worked on the sand, digging with his hands and throwing them to cover my legs. It attracted Penelope, and she mimicked her father. She took clumps of sand in her hands and threw them to my legs. “You need a spade, my little Queen,” Flint said.He looked around our surroundings before his eyes focused on something no