My heart clenches and my voice softens. “Who’s blood is it?”He laughs then. A cruel, awful laugh.“On that bullet? Mine.”I’m taken aback but I do my best to maintain composure. “I thought you said your dad gave that to you? Why did your father have a bullet necklace with your blood on it?”His countenance softens, and a glint of vulnerability pierces through his tough exterior. “When I was fifteen, I accompanied my father on a business venture. It was meant to be a routine deal, but those other guys got too greedy. The moment we set foot on their turf, all hell broke loose. John Luciano himself shot me, right in the chest.”“Is that the reason your family unleashed a hail of bullets within the sanctum of his private mansion? I remember hearing all about that in the news and thought it was just awful.”“His family, and every last blood relation he had. He had a chance to snuff out my old man and me, and we weren’t about to let that slip away without a fight. We went at them with a ve
Surprisingly, Chantel nods like she understands.“You like her enough, though. Enough to parade her around like she’s yours. I wanted that so bad. I still want that,” she says softly.Ah, fuck.If I’m being honest, if Andrew and I had started our relationship in a normal fashion, we would have probably ended up here—with me having to break her heart because I just don’t see how I could trust anyone enough to give them my heart.But we didn’t. Our relationship’s backwards. She snuck inside my heart without me even realizing it and I can’t get her out.Cara was my friend. And we had a really good thing going, but I would have never let it go beyond that. I put up too many walls to allow it. There’s no way to explain it to her without making it all worse so I simply say I’m sorry.“I hate that I hurt you,” I tell her.She nods, hugging her arms around her body. “I’ll get over it. ”Sensing that she wants to be alone, I start walking for the door.“And Chantel,” she calls, “I’m happy fo
Chapter 1Mr Wood was in the ambulance, he was rushed to the hospital in a haste, he developed an heart attack immediately, he saw that his debt was increase by fifty percent, he was a rich man but became suddenly poor because his wife, Mrs Wood and her daughter Layla were living a luxury life, his second Chloe Wood lost her mother at birth, she has been the only daughter caring for her father after he ran into debt, her dream was to be a nurse, she search for a job so she can take of her father and also pay of his debt bit by bit but no one has decided to want to employ her because of her father’s debt, Chleo, Layla and Mrs Wood were nervous in the hospital why Mr Wood was in the emergency room, the doctor came out from the emergency room with a sad face, Chloe’s heart beat fast.“ Doc! How is my father doing?” Chleo asked.“ Mrs Wood! Can I please see you in my office?” The doctor asked.“ There is no problem. Of course you can” Mrs Wood replied, Mrs Wood went with the doctor to his
Chapter 2It’s the next day, Chleo already dressed up and was ready to go out of the house and Mrs Wood stopped her, Chleo turned back and stood.“ Where are you going?” Mrs Wood asked. “ Well going out to search for a job as usual” Chleo replied.“ No one will employ poor girl, your dad left a lot of debt behind and he was known so no one will want to employ a person who’s late father is having a lot of debt so stop troubling your self and go search for a maid job” Mrs Wood said and tears fell from Chleo eyes and she left the house in anger, Layla noticed that her mother was dressed up and she wonders where she was up to.“ Where are you going to mum?” Layla asked.“ I need ti look for a solution” she replied.“ From who, from where? Mum! No one is going to help us” Layla asked.“ From Mrs Thomas” Mrs Wood said.“ No mum, Mrs Thomas will only make a joke of us” Layla said.“ I know dear but only she can help us right now, we have not choice, we have to put our pride behind to searc
Chapter 3It’s already in the evening and Chleo got back home with the same result if not seeing a job, Mrs Wood already made the dinner and set the dinning, Layla pretended to be nice to her and she went to meet her when she was about to enter the room, Chleo though maybe, Layla wanted to argue with her.“ Layla! I am so tired and I am not ready to argue with you today” Chleo said.“ I am not arguing either but I just wanted to ask you how did it go, I mean your search for a job” Layla asked.“ I guess that is none of your business, I know you want to mock me “ She said in anger.“ I am not mocking you, I just want us to make peace and be one family, I know that I have offended you in many ways but can you please forgive me, I want us to live as one in this small tiny house, I also want to search for a job” Layla said and Mrs Wood walked closer to them.“ Yes Chleo! I want us to live as one family, I don’t want us to argue anymore, I don’t want to rest you bad or like an outsider any
Chapter 4Chleo serve Layla and Mrs Wood on the dining and she also serve herself, they eat and Chleo was happy as they eat together.“ Mrs Wood! I was thinking if I could refer to you as mum instead of Mrs Wood, i want to call someone mum, I want to fill motherly love” she said and Mrs Wood pull up her fake smiled.“ Why not dear, you can call me mum, we are now one family” Mrs Wood said and a help smiled.“ Thank you so much” Chleo said and Mrs Wood signal Layla so she can pass out, Layla nods her head while Chleo was concentrating on her food, Layla hold her head and she passed out, Mrs Wood stood up and Chleo.“ Layla! Are you ok?” Mrs Wood said and they took her to the room.“ What happened to her?” Chleo asked as they lay Layla on the bed and Mrs Wood pretended to be crying.“ I don’t know what happened to her but I call the doctor, I just hope everything is fine” Mrs Wood said and she called the fake doctor.“ I will try what I can as a nurse” Chleo said.“ I guess you can’t d
Chapter 5Mrs Wood, Chleo and Mrs Thomas got to Nathan Wilson house, they seated on the couch in the living room when Nathan walk down the stairs, Mrs Thomas and Mrs Wood saw him and they stood up while Chleo was lost in thought thinking.“ Good day Nathan” Mrs Thomas said and she smiled, Mrs Wood also smiled while Chleo was still seated.“ Mrs Wood this my foster nephew Nathan Wilson, Nathan this my friend Mrs Wood, the one whom I told you about that her husband ran into debt and she needs money but right now her daughter is ill and she needs money so sue brought her second daughter for money in exchange” Mrs Thomas said, Chleo noticed that, Mrs Thomas and Mrs Wood had already stood from the couch and she also stood up and their eyes both met and they recognize themselves.“ Nurse” He said.“ You” She said, Mrs Thomas and Mrs Wood were confused.“ What is going on here? Did both of you know each other?” Mrs Wood asked.“ Yes, she once helped me when I had a minor accident, she came t
Sir,sir,canyouhear me?” I call out to the man trapped inside the vehicle. The airbag had deployed. He’s restrained by his seatbelt and remains motionless covered in blood. Wearing gloves, I reach in and feel for a pulse. It’s faint but steady. “Can you hear me? You’ve been in a car accident, sir. We’re going to get you out of here and take good care of you. Can you tell me your name?” His lips quiver, but no sound emerges. Blood covers everything, so it’s difficult to determine the source of the bleeding. I push aside the deflated airbag to get a better look. That’s when I catch sight of a gun holstered at his side. I recoil at the sight of it, but then remember I’m here to perform myFrom above, I hear rustling and see Nathan, the EMT assigned for tonight’s ride along, making his descent. “What’ve we got here?” he asks, carrying a stretcher board and neck brace. “Are they alive?” “Yes, I’ve got a steady pulse on a white male, adult, early thirties. I can’t determine the extent of
Surprisingly, Chantel nods like she understands.“You like her enough, though. Enough to parade her around like she’s yours. I wanted that so bad. I still want that,” she says softly.Ah, fuck.If I’m being honest, if Andrew and I had started our relationship in a normal fashion, we would have probably ended up here—with me having to break her heart because I just don’t see how I could trust anyone enough to give them my heart.But we didn’t. Our relationship’s backwards. She snuck inside my heart without me even realizing it and I can’t get her out.Cara was my friend. And we had a really good thing going, but I would have never let it go beyond that. I put up too many walls to allow it. There’s no way to explain it to her without making it all worse so I simply say I’m sorry.“I hate that I hurt you,” I tell her.She nods, hugging her arms around her body. “I’ll get over it. ”Sensing that she wants to be alone, I start walking for the door.“And Chantel,” she calls, “I’m happy fo
My heart clenches and my voice softens. “Who’s blood is it?”He laughs then. A cruel, awful laugh.“On that bullet? Mine.”I’m taken aback but I do my best to maintain composure. “I thought you said your dad gave that to you? Why did your father have a bullet necklace with your blood on it?”His countenance softens, and a glint of vulnerability pierces through his tough exterior. “When I was fifteen, I accompanied my father on a business venture. It was meant to be a routine deal, but those other guys got too greedy. The moment we set foot on their turf, all hell broke loose. John Luciano himself shot me, right in the chest.”“Is that the reason your family unleashed a hail of bullets within the sanctum of his private mansion? I remember hearing all about that in the news and thought it was just awful.”“His family, and every last blood relation he had. He had a chance to snuff out my old man and me, and we weren’t about to let that slip away without a fight. We went at them with a ve
Your lips are so fucking distracting,” is all he says before kissing me.He tastes like vodka and spice. I tilt my head up to give him better access and Nathan responds by thrusting his tongue into my mouth. His hand tightens on my neck while his other hand drifts down to my thigh, drawing me closer. Carlo suddenly pulls away and I moan the loss of his mouth on mine.He rests his forehead against mine. His hand is still around my neck. It’s carnal and possessive at the same time.“No one touches you but me,” he says firmly. “Say it,dolcezza.”My eyes narrow. “You’re being ridiculous.”Because despite that passionate, earth-shattering kiss, he still needs to know I am not his possession.“Say it, Astoria,” he repeats, his eyes burning like coals.“Move, Nathan ,” is all I say before he removes his hand from my neck and steps back.“Tori, I’d never harm you.”“I know that,” I assure him and he signs in relief. “But I am not your toy.”He walks closer to me and I start stepping back unti
“As you know, I’m my father’s first son. First children usually have a lot riding on them, and in my family, it was no different. He had a lot of expectations for me. He wanted me to be the best because I was meant to be his legacy. His successor. Growing up, I had to be the best in school, the biggest, the strongest. He pushed me to exceed all his expectations, and I tried my best but it was never enough. My younger brothers have always been smarter than me. Hell, Topher’s a fucking genius.” He lets out a wry laugh.I hold my breath. I don’t say a single word because this is what I’ve needed all this time. For him to open up to me. I just want to know who he really is.“It was like, I could never really measure up. But what I could do is try my fucking hardest when it came to the family business. When I was younger, I thought I was going to be the next Don. Then my dad placed that gun in my hand when I was fifteen and told me to shoot. Christian had to do the same when he was sixteen
Take off your shirt,” I command. “Use it to apply pressure.”He stares at me, uncomprehending.I cock my head to the side. “Do you want to die?” I ask calmly. He hurriedly shakes his head before doing as I asked. I smile. “Well done. Your arms next.”“It hurts, doesn’t it?” I ask, staring at him. “You should have thought things through before going after my girl.”“No!” Tori yells, distracting me. I look up at my girl, feeling something clench in my chest. Fuck. I can’t believe I almost lost her. “That’s enough.”“No, it’s really not,” I say, shaking my head.“Please, don’t kill him,” she says, her eyes welling up with tears.I clench my jaw. “Of course I’m going to kill him. He just hasn’t suffered enough, and I’d hate for him to bleed out too early.”“Carlo, you have. You’ve tortured him enough. Look at him.”I grit my teeth. This wasn’t what I had in mind for Marino. But I can hear the hysteria in her voice, the way it quivers. She’s been through enough. And it’s Tori. There’s not
I’m trembling uncontrollably too terrified to move or think clearly. What’s happening down there? With three cars, how many men is Sebastian facing on his own? I’ve got to help him!I set the gun down and fish in the backpack for a flashlight. I find it and switch it on to light up the space. I stick my arms through the sleeves of the shirt and pull on the jogging pants. The bag also contains wads of cash, a cell phone, false IDs for us, another gun, and some energy bars and water.I hear muffled noises, the crashing of glass, and the bumping of furniture being knocked over.“Oh, God, Ben,” I cry, clamping my hands over my mouth. I know Bash told me to stay insideI grab the gun out of the bag and stick in my pants pocket. I take the gun Bash gave and bring it to bear. I struggle with the door for a bit but manage to yank it open. I’m dripping with sweat as I shove the boxes aside.I pause as I stand in the closet, mentally preparing myself to do what needs to be done. I could be
I grit my teeth, I’d prayed it'd never get this far. But desperate times…I find the video and open it for him.He watches it eagerly, a slow ugly grin spreads across his face. “Send me this video.”My instincts tell me this is a huge mistake, but what choice do I have if I want his support? “Is that really necessary?”The color rises in his face. “You want my support, you give me the collateral I need. Who knows what this girl will do? She could be the very weapon used to destroy you!”“She won’t because there’s more at stake than just her career.”His eyes narrow as he glares at me. “What else?”“She’s pregnant, we just found out. Our child will serve as the guarantee on her silence.”His expression turns a degree more devious. “Yes, yes. This could work.”I feel like a fucking fiend for even suggesting our child could be used as leverage, but I know it’ll never come to that. This is just a bargaining chip to get what I need right now and that’s Victor Volkov’s backing.“You
Fine, fine, it’s your life.”“It’s our life,” I say firmly. “We’ll work through it, just not now. Can you give me that?”She nods. “Sure.” Her eyes brighten. “Can we go see Red Square now? I’m dying to see the iconic St. Basil cathedral.”“Let’s go.” I toss a few ruble bills on the table and rise. I grab my backpack off the chair as Chleo adjusts her jacket.We spend the rest of the day winding our way around the city, visiting several iconic landmarks.We strolled through the grand entry way with towering columns down toward the fountains. Before entering, Chloe had said she was exhausted, but she had a new burst of energy upon seeing the beauty of the park. Several friendly park goers offered to take our photo, so we’d have plenty to remind us of the wonderful day we’d enjoyed.Once again, seeing it all with Chleo made it magical and creates memories that I’ll always treasure. I look at the happy couples walking by pushing strollers with their babies. And I envision Chleo and
My legs give way and I crumble to the floor. Hot tears sting my eyes and roll down my cheeks. All this time I’d been strutting around here acting like I was God’s gift to the medical world, all the while Ben knew the truth and said nothing. I am so humiliated.I feel Ben near me. Hear his voice in my ear. “I’ll give you the world, Chleo, whatever you want. But don’t youevertake me for granted or try to dismiss me. Your career and the hospital aren’t the center of your universe…I am.” He then takes me by the hands and gently lifts me to my feet. “The private jet leaves for Moscow in 2 hours, you need to be ready.”Feeling utterly deflated, I allow Ben to lead me up the stairs to finish packing. I feel so utterly disillusioned and uncertain. What do I do with this information about the residency? What do I do about this pregnancy? I am so lost and torn.And now I must fly thousands of miles away to a place I’ve never been with this man whom I love but hardly Nathan chartered for our