TWENTY FIVEAlexander Russo continued staring at the painting, even when his men came to inform him on the arrival of the girl he had asked them to bring to him… Mara Sinclair.He had thought it would surely be a hard mission judging by the way he had made a fool of himself by grabbing her in her office and muttering such words of hate. He had let his anger show and he had sufficiently punished himself for that.Alexander winced as he got up from where he sat, walking over to where the painting hung. He had gone over to her office the next day to offer his most sincere apologies but had been told of her break for the rest of the week. She was hiding from him and it was fine but he was a Russo and that was one thing she had underestimated.He had figured out where she lived almost immediately and had gone visiting but as usual Lucien Rodrigues had taken her from there; tempting him.There was only one place they had to be and it had been hard trying to figure out where Lucien lived. He
Something was hurting… a dull throbbing pain at the back of my head, Lucien thought as he groaned.“Is he awake?” A voice filtered through to himHis eyes opened and then closed, seconded by another groan. The light had hurt his eyes and where was he“Lucien, can you hear me?” Another voice, this one feminine spoke againLucien opened his eyes again, he could make out the faces of his family and he also realized he was in a hospital. He had been heading home after an amazing dinner with Mara and then they had parked in front of his…MaraHe jolted out of the hospital bed immediately, shaking to his bones with his eyes darting around“Where is she?” he said to no one in particular“You need to calm down, Lucien. The police are out searching for her as we speak” Jason told his brother.“No, I need to be there… they have to… Alexander” Lucien managed to get out.“I thought as much but the cops say that is impossible and his yacht already left the harbor” Jason told him“Of course it alre
You might have wondered who sews pockets into dresses but did that not come in handy? Mara had always had unconventional fashion ideas; it was why she became a fashion designer and why she was always so sought after. The pocket on a dress idea had been one she had always had since she was a child and wanted to take cookies home from a party but had no place to stuff it so it wasn’t seen by anyone till she got into the safety confines of her own room.If they had pat her down, they definitely would have felt the bulge of the phone against her dress but siting in the dark right now, Mara’s mind spurned as to how she was going to get in contact with Lucien. If there was anyone who could locate her, it was him.She did not want to be caught, her face was still smarting from where Alexander had slapped her twice but if only she could turn on her location, Lucien would definitely be able to find her. She lifted her dress a little bit hoping there wasn’t any camera monitoring her movement or
The fucker had put a bounty on my head, Alexander thought as he stared incredulously at the paper in his hand.In Italy, the word bounty was always sought after especially when it involved someone like him. He had to admit that he never thought the Rodrigues could pull off something like this and because of a girl; he wasn’t one to believe in love, it was kind of an abstract concept to him but judging from how much Lucien had put into the location of Mara Sinclair… they were in love?“Motherfucker!” He bellowed, slapping the paper down on the table.Mara flinched as she observed him; she had been taken back to the den where she was first brought in and although he had unbound her hands, he moved the chains to her legs. She sat quietly hoping to disappear into one of the furniture but even that wasn’t possible. Whatever he must have seen in that paper was getting him worked up and she could only imagine it had something to do with her.A phone rang in the background, jolting her from h
Mara opened her eyes to a white ceiling. She noticed two things almost immediately, that she wasn’t in the basement or the den and she was lying down.“I can see you are awake” A voice said, alerting her to the fact that she wasn’t alone.“Who are you?” Mara moaned as she tried turning.The pain from her ankle shot up to her spine and she could barely move“Do not try moving for now. That ankle is in bad shape and I have given you something to lessen the pain so you must be feeling groggy.” The man saidHe was a doctor which means they had docked somewhere“I have been kidnapped” Mara started to say but stopped when the doctor pinned her with a stare.Of course he knew she had been kidnapped“I will give Alexander some drugs for your leg and you should be better in no time, miss Mara” He said.This was him trying to let her know that he knew exactly who she was and how she was here on the yacht.“Thank You” Mara muttered, her eyes darting around the room.He nodded and left her alone.
EPILOGUE“You are lucky he was brought in immediately and the bullet missed his brain by inches” The doctor told a bloodied Mara.“Will he be alright?” Mara asked“Yes but I must warn you, the shock trauma to his brain would make it recognition hard but hopefully his brain will pick up in time.”After the shooting, they were discovered by the others. Alexander was already dead by the time they had gotten to the hospital but Lucien was immediately operated upon and was stable at the moment although he had yet to open his eyes. Elizabeth and Lucien’s mother were on their way to the hospital and Mara refused to leave Lucien’s side, she wanted to be there when he opened his eyes.She must have dozed off because there was sudden pressure to her hand, the one she held his own in.“You are awake” She screamed, bursting into tears again.Jason nodded to his brother, relief flooding his veins.“I feel like shit” Lucien muttered“You will be fine, the doctor says you will probably begin experie
BONUS CHAPTER A YEAR LATER“How does a person disappear from the surface of the earth? Are you that utterly incompetent that you cannot locate her?” Lucien was heard screaming into his phone.Ever since he got his memories back… painful memories of himself and Mara, he had been trying to locate her but to no avail. It was like she was running from him, like she did not want to be found.“Any news?” Elizabeth asked. She was carrying Mara Jnr in her arms who was gurgling with content at being fed“No, nothing” Lucien sighed, collapsing on the chair behind him.“I am sure she will turn up. I have sent series of messages and have even informed her of your regaining your memories” Elizabeth said, trying to reassure him“I have to find her” Lucien mutteredHe was feeling lost without her and he was angry at himself for not remembering“I am sorry, Lucien” Elizabeth whispered softly.She wasn’t about to tell him that Mara had indeed replied her message about him regaining his memory and s
CHAPTER ONEDIANABeing the only daughter of the Rodrigues family has been exactly what it was… thrilling and not to mention the fact that I was always spoiled silly by my brothers and parents which did nothing to help the manner in which I grew up. I would admit I am spoilt and who wouldn’t be when you have the world at your feet and everyone literally dying to be in your circle. I am a Rodrigues, being the richest family in all of New York and also insanely popular as my brother Jason has made his mark as the owner of one of the biggest clubs in New York; club forte and my other brother; Lucien was an artist and the very best as the New York times have clearly stated numerous times so why am I not feeling as fulfilled as I should and why is there like some hollow in my chest waiting to be filled by some achievement of my own. Till next time, dear diaryI