[Juliette’s POV] Didn’t take long for them to find me. But I can’t make it easy for them. Or they’ll know. They’ll know that Ben is coming back with help. I swam on. I worried that the boat might ram into me. I might get a head concussion and die. Or worse, lose my memory… and forget Ralph. Even so, I kept pushing through the currents. Moving my arms and legs. Is this how Ralph felt back then? Trying so hard, doing whatever he could, just to move forward by an inch. Even if it was less than an inch, he kept moving, going, trudging on, pushing forward. A strong shove on my back. And then, four strong arms came around my waist and underarms, and I was hauled up—fresh air rushed into my lungs and then—. ‘The Don’s wife!’ A rough voice shouted. ‘It’s Don Ralph’s wife!’ ‘Goddamn it!’ My wrists were pressed together. ‘We need to get to the boss asap!’ A cable tie came around my skin. Then, a soft zipping sound and my hands were bound. Tightly. This is it. ***** [Ben’s POV] As
[Ralph's POV] I stood in front of the speedboat, and in a flash, guns were out, their barrels shining under the early noon sun. They know who I am. And they are worried and scared. Yet they still point their weapons at me. They must've sensed a threat equal to mine. I've underestimated Alfeo. I should've known better than to mess with his daughter. I could've just gotten that girl with me on this trip, have her convince her father to let Juliette go. But I can't have that fifteen year old see this. It's already tough having a father who sells drugs for a living. She deserves the peaceful normal life she has now. I stared at the black circles in front of the anxious faces. 'I know you're being forced into this. I won't take this to heart.' I raised both hands and flashed my palms to show that I'm unarmed. 'Take me to your boss and you have my word, you'll stay alive after this. And you'll get a normal job with the family.' The two men on the boat and the other four men s
[Ralph’s POV] Fucking bastard. He’s trying to get a reaction from me. I should give it to him. Humour him so I can distract him and find a way to get the women out. ‘How about me?’ Alfeo was as shocked as seeing a man naked and twirling himself around a pole. ‘What da fuck are you suggesting, Don?’ He cackled even harder and glanced at Juliette. ‘In front of your wife? You sure?’ ‘Come on, Alfeo.’ I fixed my gaze on the face that would soon crush under my knuckles. ‘You have a lot of grievances. No amount of drugs can hide it. I give you the third option—me. Do whatever you want for five minutes.’ Something clicked in his eyes. ‘Five minutes is a very long time—I can find out the taste of your woman in five minutes.’ Sick bastard. ‘Or you can beat the shit out of me—cut off my legs or some fingers—or even my balls—in five minutes.’ ‘NO!’ Juliette screamed in horror. ‘Choose Jewel! Just choose her, goddamn it, Ralph!’ SLAP!—my jaw clenched hard—the junkie bulged his angry
[Juliette’s POV]BANG! Explosion burst my ear. Earthquake shook me. And then freeze. I’m hit! I’m going to die! ‘ARGH!!!’ A bellow of rage and pain tore my ear drums. Then—. ‘I said NO ONE MOVE!’ And the rain of footsteps halted. ‘HANDS UP WHERE I SEE THEM!’ ‘MY HAND! YOU FUCKING PIECE OF—-!’ BANG!‘ARGH!!! ARGH!!!’ I covered my ears, my body trembling with raw fear and pain. Where’s the pain? I should feel it. On my back. He was behind me. I felt a gun pointing at my back—. ‘Juliette.’ A deep voice and then heavy breathing. ‘Juliette. It’s alright. Look at me.’ Ralph! I jerked up and pain shot to my eyes. ‘Urgh….’ A groan slipped through. Then, I realised that even my lips were quivering. My hand was already on the back of my head. ‘He shot me….’ ‘No, he didn’t.’ Ralph reassured me in a calm voice—but I could detect intense worry beneath it. ‘Pain.’ I winced again. And he reached to the back of my head. ‘Jesus… you hit him hard. You whack him in the face, remember?’ Oh—
[Juliette’s POV] ‘I’ll see you later.’ Ralph took a step forward— and I crashed into his back, my arms around his waist, hugging him tight. He stiffened and spun around his waist. ‘For God’s sake, Juliette! Are you trying to give me a new headache?!’ ‘Stay, please. For a while more.’ I snuggled my face into his shirt, inhaling his masculine scent, and he relaxed with a helpless sigh and covered my hands with his. Finally, he got to scoop me up in his arms. Mine went back around his neck and I clutched onto him and buried my face into the crook of his neck. ‘Didn’t you say you’re handling it alone?’ He tried to lay me down on the bed but I wouldn’t let him go. I could feel something coming and it made me scared. I need him to be around. ‘Juliette….’ I rubbed my forehead against his collar. He sighed again and laid down with me. I snuggled into his embrace and his body covered mine like a blanket. I clamped his legs with mine and heard a chuckle above my head. ‘I’m sorry,’
[Ralph’s POV]As soon as I stepped off the limousine, Randy’s housekeeper greeted me—a man as old as Margaret but twice as crafty—those eyes, the eyes of a vulture, they never miss a detail. So I’m always on alert whenever I visit this place. ‘Good evening, Don Ralph.’ The thin lips spread into a condescending smile. Fuck this old man—he’s using my name to differentiate me from my father because he sees a difference. I kept my chin high and focused on the entrance to the mansion. ‘I’m here to see—.’ ‘Master Randy is in Miss Jewel’s quarters, Sir. You may have to come back later.’ I scoffed at the marble floor my feet were stepping on then turned my cheek casually to flash an ordinary kind smile at the elderly—the kind that would pissed him off. ‘I have not met a staff of the Virtus clan who would order the head of the clan around.’ I purposefully left out his name, to show him its insignificance. ‘Perhaps it’s your wish for me to remember your name?’ I heaved a sigh and chuckle
[Ralph's POV]Cold water from the shower rained hard on me. I needed it. The reminder of my cruel reality; one where I was doubted; one where my possessions were ripped from my palms; one where everyone got their benefits from burning me alive. Ever since Juliette, I seemed to have forgotten the violent streak in my family line. The belief that violence will and can solve anything is hard wired in every single person down the bloodline. Who am I to change it? BANG!I glared at my palm flattened on the slick walls. All those eyes devouring what belonged to me. It's mine. Juliette is mine. That soft, flawless skin is meant for my eyes only. WHAM!Pain shot from my knuckles to my skull, but it was useless. The urge to kill was still strong. *****I threw the towel on the sink counter and moved to the exit of the bathroom of the presidential suite. Fuck, I miss her. I want her to imprint on my skin, become a part of me. Sick. The door slid open and I entered the living room. Yo
[Randy's POV]'Ke, ke, ke…!' The limped figure in the shadows cackled a satisfied laugh. 'She's finally come to her senses.'Randy didn't like this, her baby girl being used as a fucking pawn by a pathetic druggie—he raised his daughter to be a princess, not some fucking rag—and a rag for the likes of a rat from the gutters. He nodded and the black suit tore open a tiny bag of cocaine.White powder sprinkled right between the dirty toes of the badly battered creature. Instantly, the desperation sprung into life—his feet kicking and clawing in fierce hunger. Shackles of the other retrained limbs clanked furiously like gunshots. 'ARGH!!! GIVE ME THAT!' Saliva spurt from the lips trembling with sheer need. A smirk appeared on the clean aged face. Randy removed the cigarette from his lips and smoke blew through the metal bars of the cage that imprisoned the junkie. Then, the smirk spread into a satisfied smile. 'Gotta applaud your guts, Alf.' The tip of his leather shoes crushed out
[Chatri’s POV]The EMERGENCY sign was still lit up. Chatri couldn’t tear his gaze away from it, making sure the light doesn’t go out Across him, seated on the row of plastic chairs, nestled safely between his wife and his mother, his precious fourteen-year-old daughter was praying hard for her saviour too. It was near his heart. Guilt burned the back of her eyes. Ralph-kun… I blamed you for destroying the peace that we’ve paid with our blood and sweat to get. Yet, you did not leave me alone. You fought by my side. You kept your word. With your life. Is this the root of your men’s loyalty? Three hours ago, when they got to the van, her daughter was a crying mess, her almost naked body would have been in full display if it weren’t for that bloodied jacket. Ralph Virtus was sprawled at the van’s entrance, hanging on by a thread. Chatri had to get in the chopper. Footsteps snapped him back to the silent hallway. The ex-mob leader turned to them and Ralph-kun’s right-hand man was mo
[Juliette’s POV]“My father has brought us to the next level—there’s no doubt about it. But as you can see, the charts do not lie. Lux Corp will not survive the casino’s first quarter if we sit back and do nothing.”I gazed firmly around the room. These so-called shareholders of Lux Corp. I need to break their resistance and knock some sense back into them. The oldest one of the group cleared his throat and muttered in a haughty slow pace, “So what you’re saying is: remove Harold Lux as Chairman and put you in charge.” Another guy quickly added, “We don’t do this sort of thing.” Then, the third man snorted in derision. “I’m actually surprised that you gathered all of us here today without the Chairman. If he gets wind of this—.” “He won’t if none of us talk about it,” I snapped, frustration in my throat. What’s with the surprised looks and frowns of disapproval? Aren’t they as much of a businessman as Papa? Can’t they see the signs? The fucking obvious signs! Suddenly, Papa’s de
[Sarah’s POV]She can’t believe it. The unbeatable, ever invincible Don Ralph—the monster in the devil skin; a heartless murderer with the killer sense of an Olympic shooter; king of the world’s most ferocious mafia groups—is completely useless against an infant that’s less than an hour’s old. If it weren’t for Sarah’s fierce insistence and fearsome glare, he wouldn’t even hold his own child. ‘What if I break his neck?’ whispered the poor man, his eyes unable to stray from the tiny creature in his frozen arms. ‘Stop it,’ snapped the caretaker. ‘Sway gently, and you’ll be fine.’ She glanced at the bed and Juliette, who was sleeping soundly, and then back at the man, who would probably feel as though he’s on top of the world right now. Is he going to cry? ‘So what’s his name?’ asked Sarah, swiftly diverting those tears from crystalising. Without looking up, he muttered, ‘Milo.’ Then, he glanced at his sleeping wife and a proud smile appeared. ‘Milo Virtus. The first of the many.’
[Juliette’s POV]‘I am not selling anything.’ Papa’s eyes were filled with so much distaste, I felt ashamed for calling myself his heir. ‘I’m surprised that I have to remind you of the rules now. You wanted a vacation, and I gave you one. Now, you can’t even remember the simplest thing.’ My mouth opened, my explanation ready like a debate team, but I clamped my lips tight. He doesn’t want to hear anything right now. Right now, he only wants to vent. We’re losing money fast since twenty of our suppliers had suddenly asked for a price review.‘I do remember them, Papa,’ I murmured sourly. ‘Then why are you even suggesting that we sell off our least money-making businesses?’ he demanded angrily. Because that could stop more money from going out! My mind was screaming like a child being blamed for something that she didn’t do. Isn’t it common sense? When things get rough, tighten your pockets! Or is this yet another test? But I’m so done with all the tests! With the baby about to co
[Harold’s POV]SLAM!The sixty-ish fist slammed on the antique desk with the strength of a forty-year-old boxer. Even in his experience, there’s a limit to how much he can take. How did this happen? How did it slip by him unnoticed? The casino. He’d lost track. Damn his old man’s genes. They’re so useless, they made him useless as well. ‘You had no problems with the price for decades. Now, out of the blue you want—not one percent, not two—but a three percent hike?’ His knuckles were paling, bearing all the rage which only kept spiking. The calm voice at the other end of the phone irked Harold further. ‘My apologies, Mr. Lux. But you know how this works—we can’t hold down the price for any longer,’ replied the thirteenth supplier. ‘It’s been three decades since our last review. We hope you understand.’ Everyone wants his understanding. What about theirs? He’s cash strapped! Whose fault is it? If he didn’t build the casino for these bloodsuckers, he wouldn’t be stuck! If they weren’t
[Juliette’s POV]And then it crashed onto me. Like a boulder. I observed those golden swirls in his eyes burning with hurt and that hurt clenched my chest. Utensils down and my mouth wiped, I reached across the table and covered his hand with mine. ‘Growing up, I imagine the Virtuses as cold-blooded monsters,’ I began. Those brown irises dilated with fury, and I slipped my fingers through that large hand and rubbed my skin against his to calm the fire. ‘Because of all the stories I’ve been fed—we’ve all been fed.’ To his tensed jaw, I muttered softly, ‘I must speak for everyone, Ralph.’ ‘You’re not telling me that your father was fed the same story. He came to me with the aim of stealing my family’s land, Juliette.’ ‘I’m not saying—.’ ‘Stop defending him!’ Ralph jerked his hand out of my grasp, fuming. But his eyes never left me, which was a good sign. So immediately, I leaned forward and pleaded, ‘I’m not defending him.’ ‘Then what the fuck are you doing?’ ‘I’m trying to te
[Juliette’s POV]I smiled at the man gently resting his hand on my belly, so careful, so timidly, I almost couldn’t recognise him. Is this Ralph Virtus, the Mafia King? The one whom everyone calls The Devil? The handsome beast with the wits of a chess master. Those cold, fierce eyes were filled with so much fear that I wanted to hug him and squeeze those bad thoughts out of him. Those same golden brown eyes now widened in amazement as they swung up to me. ‘It moved.’ I chuckled and covered his hand with mine. ‘Of course it does, silly.’ He gazed at my stomach, his pupils dilating some more. ‘It’s kicking.’ He looked up, worried. ‘Does it hurt?’ I shook my head. ‘My chest just feels tight when it happens.’ Then, his ears were on my belly, listening intently. As amusing as it was watching his face change colour every second, I can’t help but worry that the next second something will happen to destroy this peaceful moment. As though he read my thoughts, his attention was back on
[Ralph’s POV]‘D…Did you just—I knew it.’ Her eyes were shaking with such low confidence, I almost couldn’t recognise them. ‘You find me annoying now….’ Her hands slid off my chest in defeat. Is this what a baby does to a woman? ‘I did not say that.’ As soon as I heard my voice, I froze again. Shit—that was cold. Quick—correct it. ‘I mean—I don’t mean what I said.’ I tried to grab her hand but missed it. ‘Juliette….’ Her shoulders were shaking too. ‘Jesus… you’re not crying now, are you?’ What? No. That came out wrong again. What the fuck is wrong with me? She spun around in full rage. With tears gushing down her steamed face, she jabbed a finger at my shoulder. ‘YES! I’m crying like a clingy pathetic woman! And whose fault is it? Who put this thing inside me?!’ She pointed at her round belly protruding proudly through her skirt. “WHO?!”I laughed. It was unplanned. Before I knew it, I was already holding my waist to steady myself. My shoulders were shaking, my chest was rumbli
[Ralph’s POV]I blinked at the Hong Kong mob leader and his voice returned. ‘... do you think?’ What were we discussing? Something that reminded me of Juliette and the baby. Of my fears. Of the baby dying inside Juliette’s stomach… or Juliette dying with the baby—yes. We were talking about that old fox and his shady business. My finger stopped tapping. ‘I’m closing all of it down.’ ‘No offence, nong Ralph.’ The Thai leader burst through. ‘My elders love khun Lux. It won’t be easy to shut them down.’ Chinh was frowning too. ‘You close down one, another will pop up. Who’ll say no to money?’‘Money and power,’ mumbled Andrei. ‘I’ve told you before. Harold Lux is well-connected. I can’t have the boys going against me. There are many who’ll have my head and you said that you’ll handle it. So all I have to do is focus on protecting my family from the ollies.’ ‘And this doesn’t change that,’ I repeated firmly. ‘I failed to see how,’ muttered the cool and collected Isamu. ‘Harold-san gi