LAURA DIEGO“Jesus fucking Christ,” I groaned, kicking out the thick wood of the barrel cover to crawl out of the sloppy mess of rich wine that had soaked through my clothes and wounds.I drew in a large gasp, feeling every bit like that one girl from The Revenant movie as I crawled out of the barrel, the red juice sloshing noisily onto the floor as I squinted through the sharp sizzling pain that clawed at my sides and back.I had lost the gun in the mess of neatly arranged barrels after I had contemplated going up the damned stairs and shooting that bitch Darlene in between the eyes once and for all, imagine MY surprise when the sound of footsteps pounding above me and rushing down the stairs reached my ears.“Fucking hell Laura,” I chuckled dryly, knowing it was a good thing I had been fast on my feet, limping to one of the barrels and searching for an empty one, before throwing myself headfirst into one of the tubular coffins just as the door snapped open behind me.I’d listened to
DARLENEThe car ride back to the McKenzie manor had been quiet and stiff. I stared out the window, my eyes raking over the blurred spine of trees as they whizzed past in my vision.Alexander’s knuckles were white on the steering wheel as he sped through the highway, making me pause on a long, drawn-out inhale as I resisted the urge to tell him to slow down.I didn't trust myself to speak past the burning in my throat, and I couldn't bare the way his eyes seemed to burn a hole into my head as he stared at me through the rearview mirror.”How’s your brother doing these days Xade? Same old?” Dennis cut in suddenly, breaking the awkward silence so that I cringed, shaking my head at him when his copper-red shock of hair turned to look back at me.Alexander ignored him, his eyes narrowed at the road that seemed to be stretching on for hours.I let my eyes wander over the chiseled line of his side profile, feeling something stir between my legs as I took in the wash of his obsidian hair, the
ALEXANDERI watched Darlene’s slender back as she shuffled into our room and I closed the door with a quiet click behind me, the conversation from downstairs still leaving a bad taste in my mouth.There was something off about Frederick r, something I couldn't quite put my finger on. Darlene seemed happy about it though, would it make me any more of a douchebag if I ruined it with my suspicions?I watched her whirl to face me, mirroring the small gentle smile on her pink lips and raking my hands through my hair exhaustedly.“You okay?” She whispered, her gold-speckled green eyes glistening as I watched her shrug out of her dress, the sight of her bare rounded shoulders making I swallow the moisture that had gathered in my mouth.Was I okay? I wasn't certain I could boast of the fantasy.“Are we okay?” I tried instead, craning my head to watch with my heart hammering against my ribs as she claimed up, rearing back like I had slapped her in the face.“I don't want to talk about that rig
FREDRICKI could see the Umbrella man’s Jerry curl of jet-black hair and the bright red umbrella he had laid carefully on the small dark wood of the coffee table long before he turned to run watery brown eyes over my rigid frame.“Christ,” I swore, grinding my teeth uselessly before I marched through the revolving glass doors, pulling the hood of my sweatshirt lower over my face when the ding of the overhead bell signaled the waiter to step up to me, his pale face that had been stretched in a polite smile falling slack when I shoved past him.The high leather stool seemed to dig painfully into my asscrack as I settled into the stool, bracing my elbows on the table and meeting Stefan McCoy’s caramel-brown eyes.The man regarded me for a moment too long before a sensual smile deepened the grooves around his mouth, one large hand gripping a small wine glass poised dramatically under his black flaps.“Fredrick McKenzie, we meet, finally,” He boomed, his voice deep and rich, like velvet.
GHOSTI unclipped the red-striped tie that had been pressed firmly against my Adam's apple, allowing me to breathe deeper.“It wouldn't do to make a habit of strangling myself like this,” I whispered to my blurry reflection in the dirty mirror of the bar’s private restroom, turning my head this way and that to catch familiar hints of the rugged-looking man in the mirror.I had gotten my hair slicked back, the long forest of obsidian silk locs brushing unnervingly against the nape of my neck before I raised my fingers to scratch through the stubble that had covered the sharp line of my jaw.My heart rate had gone back to normal, thudding fully in my chest the way it had been just before the Umbrella man waltzed through the doors of the bar where I had been sitting with the purple-eyed man.I felt my brows furrow with concentration as i thought back, had that been me inhaling sharply? Had the ring chief heard? It has been one of the rare moments where I was caught off guard, I had blan
DARLENEThe scent of bacon and eggs had my mouth watering long before I could feel my eyes fluttering open.“Mmhh,” I moaned, stretching like a snake with a bad case of arthritis on the soft cottony fabric of the duvet and wincing when my leg muscles cramped almost immediately.I yawned, sleepily palming the rumpled sheets where Alexander’s hard body should have been before snapping awake, the redwood furniture in the room bleeding into focus as I squinted at the ivory-white floor-to-ceiling curtains stained yellow with the sunlight that was seeping through.“Saints,” I crowed, my back cracking like thunder when I finally swung away from the bed, taking a moment to preserve s my hands t only sore core, and sleepily brushing the sourness from my mouth.I splashed cold water on my face like it had been blessed by the pope and threw my hair into a loose bun that swung this way and that. I had started to grow it out, more so that Alexander could grab onto it when he took me from behind th
FREDERICKI watched the ring chief’s bow-shaped lips curve into a menacing smile, his silver-speckled violet eyes twinkling with insidious delight.My hands shook where I had hung them beside me, cold, as I blinked slowly, trying to reason through the panic that made the blood pound hotly in my head.How had he found us? Did the Umbrella man know he had been watching the whole time? Curse this purple-eyed bastard!“What is this Prince Charles? Are you threatening me in my own city? Mighty wise that is if you ask me.” I gritted through the spaces in my clenched teeth, squinting my eyes so that it resembled a tight smile when it was more like a baring of teeth, a come-on for his veiled threats.I risked a glance at the table to see that there were two wine glasses on the black formica. He had company! The thought alarmed me more than it should have.Who the hell had he been watching me with?“But it’s not your city anymore Frederick chan, is it now?” Prince Charles muttered, batting his
ALEXANDERI buried my nose in the woman’s neck, sniffing the faint vanilla and lavender of her scent until she giggled animatedly, squirming underneath me, pushing against the bulge of my cock as it pressed heavily on her sex.“Fuck Dar, you get me so freaking hard,” I groaned, breathing raggedly after I had caught her lips in mine, her tongue worming deliciously in my mouth.“I can't be held responsible for what I do next,” I whispered in her ear, feeling my dick twitch when she shivered visibly, arching her back so that her breasts pushed into my bare chest, her nipples pressing sweetly against my chest.My arms tightened around her trembling body as I nibbled on her neck, resisting the urge to bite into the supple flesh, to taste her, savor her...devour Darlene.Her smell was intoxicating, so cold, slender in my arms, It was all I could do not to plunge into her wet sheath, burying myself in her.“God Alexander, please,” Darlene whispered, turning her head this way and that, her ho
DARLENE“Rise and shine sleepy heads! Breakfast’s ready!” Prince Charles’ booming baritone cracked through my skull before a wash of yellow light bored through my closed eyelids so that I groaned, breaking into a chuckle when Alexander groaned beside me.“Fucking hell Charles, did your parents not teach you to knock?” My husband hissed, throwing the soft white duvet away from his hard body and stretching to his feet to snatch the coffee mug the purple-eyed man held out like a peace offering in one hand, his gaze sliding over to me and darkening a shade before he smirked.“I don't believe they did,” He whispered breathlessly, nodding his head to the door where the strawberry blonde-haired man was leaning against the doorframe in brown capri pants, a pearly grin stretched across his smooth face.“Have some decency Frederick, my wife’s in the room,” Alexander whispered, scoffing loudly and sipping his tea as I stretched a yawn and shimmyed away from the bed to rest my head on my husband’
FREDERICK“Die motherfucker,” I gritted, pressing my finger into the claw of the trigger and feeling the gun jerk in my hands, the impact pulling me forward so that I tumbled into the stone flooring.“Come on! Go go go!” I screamed through gritted teeth, waving my hands wildly at Darlene and pushing her around the car as she surged through the barrage of shots pummeling us and firing off a few more rounds as the Umbrella man roared with pain, tearing the knife from his eye with an impossibly loud sucking sound.“I need to get closer,” I hissed through my teeth as I rounded the bend of the car to meet Alwxander’s tense body where he was hunched, hiding from the rain of bullets with Darlene curled in his arms.I swallowed the bile that had risen in my throat, jabbing my fingers into my palms to battle the wooziness that stabbed the sides of my head and peering through the rim of black sedan to see that the man now had a gaping hole in one eye that still spurted blood as he glared around
STEFAN MCCOYMy knuckles were white on the trigger as I watched the man’s hard body as he walked slowly into the room, his eyes never leaving the gun I had pressed dutifully against his wife’s empty ass head.“No sudden moves Alexander or I’ll have the woman’s brains plastered across the floor,” I growled through clenched teeth as Alexander staggered into the room with his father and more of my men surrounding them.I had known something was off the minute I left the penthouse, even before the sound of gunshots echoed out behind us and I asked Markov to turn the car around.The white penthouse with its flashing lights and tall pine trees loomed as ghastly as ever, as I motioned the men every which way, feeling adrenaline rush through my veins when the sounds of gunfire exploded around the sides of the house as my men sniffed the bastards out like the rats that they were.“Please, McCoy, don't do this, My wife has nothing to do with this okay? I’ll, I’ll give you whatever it is you wan
DARLENE“Something’s wrong,” I whispered breathlessly, feeling the hairs on the back of my neck stand straight as I watched the man with the Jerry curls stride away from the large lattice silver gates, a gun held tightly in his right hand.“What the fuck do you mean something’s wrong? McCoy’s going with most of his men! This is our cue to go in, grab the twins, plant the bombs, and hightail the fuck out of here in time for Mrs. McKenzie’s dinner special,” Erwin snapped blithely from his crouch beside me, the rim of a sniper rifle held tightly in his hands, as he peered through the scope.“Lassie’s right, this seems too easy, they must have found out about the decoy car approaching already, that's the only reason for him to leave...and yet,” Williams McKenzie growled on my right flank, raising the tight hulk of his frame into a low squat and inching to slap himself against the tree, the burnt orange blackness of the forest blending perfectly with our camo gear.“We should-” Erwin start
ALEXANDERThe bright fluorescent lights tore through my eyelids to fry my eyeballs before I had even opened my eyes. I groaned, the soreness in my arms and stiff legs making me groan louder as I let my head fall back into my chest.What the hell did the bastard hit me with? Fucking hulk?“Ugh!” I groaned, screwing one eye open to lock gazes with my brother’s blanched face and watching him sag with relief when he saw that I had opened my eyes.“Alexander? Fuck! Thank saints you're okay,” He rasped breathlessly and I felt the scowl deepen between my eyebrows as I glared at the swollen purple bruises on his face that had left the skin of his face puffy and red.“Your buddy didn't take too kindly to you I reckon, stabbed you in the fucking balls just like you did to me you piece of shit!” I barked acidly, watching my brother rear back on the chair that he was strapped to like he had been slapped.I looked down to see I was lying on some makeshift gurney table, feeling my heart pound wildl
DARLENE“Where is he? Where’s my husband?” I whizzed when I caught up to the ring chief scowling in the middle of the road, his hands fixed patiently on his narrow hips.“He’s gone Dar, that McCoy took him,” Prince Charles gritted, eyeing me carefully before I noticed his hand cupping the large gash on his chest, the trickle of blood pooling on the purple suit staining the area black.“Here, let’s get you to the car,” I gritted through clenched teeth, managing to push the words past the lump that had grown in my throat and tugging the man’s hand free when he resisted before hooking it over one shoulder, grunting when he leaned his weight on me a little.I could hear the whirl of sirens in the distance as they got closer and I yelped, slamming to a stop when the purple-eyed man stopped suddenly in his tracks.What the hell was it with mafia men and having death wishes? I tried not to look at the nasty knife wound on his abdomen or the purple and red bruises on his chin and focused inst
FREDERICK“Did you have to do it that hard?” I whispered, feeling tears gather in my eyes as I watched the Umbrella Man tower over my brother’s limp body, his brown eyes almost luminescent in the dark.“Quiet Frederick, you're ruining my groove, take him.” Stefan McCoy growled and I felt my heart hammer in my ribs as the masked ninjas dropped from the trees like banana monkeys, hooking my brother’s hard body onto the stretcher as I watched on with widened eyes.“Is he dead?” I rasped breathlessly, feeling panic burn in my chest as I trotted after the men, the crunch of dried leaves under my feet sounding loud in the silence as the masked men marched my brother to the large white van that had been parked off to the side of the highway.“Not yet,“ The Umbrella man whispered, rubbing his hands together in glee as they loaded him into the van and I felt a flicker of doubt spark in my chest.“So it’s all good now right? Everything will go as planned now?” I coughed, scarcely trusting mysel
ALEXANDERIt took longer than I would have liked for my eyes to adjust to the near blackness as I entered the forest.“Where are you? You son of a bitch,” I ground through clenched teeth, waving the gun this way and that and aware of the way I was panting loudly, carefully placing one foot in front of the other.My arms were starting to get sore from holding the gun up and high, my knuckles white on the trigger as I crept along the line of trees, freezing when I thought I had heard the distinct sound of a tree branch snapping.Could this get any fucking worse? Did the motherfucker have to pick the shittiest forest in the whole of New York to make his dramatic comeback?“Go on and run away like the coward that you fucking are McCoy, I can smell that cheap perfume from a mile away,” I jeered loudly, feeling goosebumps rise on my skin when my distorted voice echoed back to me in the blackness.I tried to focus past the hum that had started in my ears but my mind was not following my eyes
DARLENEMy husband hadn't made any sense when he got off the phone with the purple-eyed man and it made even less sense now as we sped toward the edge of town with his knuckles white on the steering wheel.I braced myself against the cool leather of the dashboard, trying to calm the staccato beating of my heart in my chest as we sped through the stretch of asphalt and felt a wave of nausea press insistently against the roof of my mouth.“Are you sure about the address?” I wheezed, unable to bear the silence any longer and risking a glance at the chiseled line of Alexander’s jaw, the way his piercing green eyes were starting dead ahead, his flock of obsidian black hair falling over his face as the muscles of his shoulder and bicep flexed when he fishtailed the steering wheel.“White Villa at Maple Street, I didn't know he lived there, there's only one of the kind, you can't miss it,” He whispered, and even though I knew the steel in his voice couldn't have been meant for me, it made sh