An Early Morning Temptation

"Helen!" Detective Ivan screamed into the phone, attracting the attention of his concerned team of investigators. "Helen...Helen! What have you done to my family!" He boomed at the top of his voice as his eyes turned red with catastrophic anxiety and imminent tears.

Unfortunately for Ivan, the line went dead. Without listening to Williams's pleas and advice, he ran quickly towards his car, entered swiftly, and zoomed off, leaving a cloud of dust behind

When Ivan entered his home. He was met with a dreadful scene. His wife lay in the pool of her blood with three gunshot wounds splitting her head apart and two gunshot wounds on her stomach. His only child lay beside his mum with a single gunshot bullet wound on his head. As promised earlier, his precious pet dog was not spared in the slaughter.

Walking slowly toward the corpses before him and trembling vigorously, Ivan fell to his knees. Heavy tears, slimy mucus, and saliva flowed from his eyes, nose, and mouth. His lips vibrated as he tried to say, "sorry," to his dead wife and son. He slowly touched his innocent son's tainted head when a cold GM-22 suppressor pistol tapped the back of his head twice.

"Mr. David sends his best regards." The same brutal hoarse voice whom Ivan had spoken to earlier through his wife's phone whispered grimly behind him. "Now, join your family in hell!"

BANG!

BANG!!

BANG!!!

Three shots were released into Ivan's head, rupturing the back of his skull. His lifeless body slumped on the bloodied floor close to his dead wife and son.

Three shots to the head were the merciful execution style of David Kingston's evil empire. However, for a merciless death, thirty gunshots were emptied on the victim's body. After that, the dead victims were hanged by the neck and touched to ashes.

Before the assassins left Ivan's house, they broke the gas cylinder valve, thereby allowing gas to disperse through the entire building. After walking towards a safe distance, one of the assassin snipers shot a single fire towards the building, thereby setting off a massive explosion.

While Ivan's house was blazing, another group of Davids assassins was inflicting horrendous justice on the dead general's family.

Everyone in the general's massive mansion including all his employed house staff were brutally massacred. No one tied to the dead general's name was exempted. Thus, the peaceful and calm night in Duras city was transformed into a night of pain, misery, and death.

By morning, the entire city of Duras was blaring with police and paramedic sirens.

-

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Phoenix woke up early the next morning with a deafening scream. She was panting and sweating profusely. Her whole body shook with fright as the scary dream flashed before her eyes. It had been the same dream that had been haunting her every time she lost the chance of killing her uncle.

In the dream, Phoenix was walking down the aisle of a magnificent cathedral. She was dressed in an immaculate white wedding gown and a transparent white veil covered her angelic face. Master Lin took the place of her dad as he delicately led her in his arms, down the aisle.

The Atricon gang members were seated in the front row of the church with no disguise. They looked so happy and cheerful like normal people. The church was packed with over five hundred guests who were all smiling and cheering at her.

Everything was peaceful and serene at first until Master Lin handed her over to a masked groom with devilish red glowering eyes. Instead of running away from the scary groom, she happily took his hand and he led her toward the priest.

After exchanging awful vows, the wedding ring was brought forward. However, instead of wedding rings, Master Lin's chopped head was offered to her. When she turned in the direction of her gang, she was horrified to see their butchered bodies scattered all around the place. She was about to scream when a rough hand grabbed her neck and shook her violently. The groom had removed his mask only to reveal her uncle's scowling glares.

"There is nowhere to run, Lara. It's time to join your miserable parents. Your head belongs to me." He was about to slit her throat with a clawlike dagger when she woke up.

Phoenix sat up on her still panting slightly. She scrutinized her room like she had no idea where she was. When her memory reassembled, she leaned back on the bed headrest. She was trying to plan her next action when a gentle tap on the door startled her.

Picking up a combat dagger from under her pillow, she stood up and walked slowly to the door. She looked through the eyepiece of the door only to find Dex beaming face.

She hissed, dropped the dagger, and slightly opened the door. "Why are you smiling like a quokka?" Phoenix's face furrowed in annoyance. She blocked the entrance to her room with her enticing frame. Except for an oversized white tee shirt and her black lingerie, she wasn't wearing anything. The tee shirt only covers the top part of her body and waist. "What's so funny? Why are you disturbing my peace? Is this how you taunt your guest? Did I inform you that I was hungry?"

"Good morning gorgeous." Dex ignored her sarcasm and ill temper. He was here to win her over and not infuriate her. He held a tray of mouth-watering varieties of delicacies that he had instructed the mansion chef to prepare earlier.

The aroma from the different food on the tray was enough to make an antagonist and protagonist put their animosity aside and dine at the same table. Also, Dex's bewitching smile and humility were strong enough to thaw a frozen heart.

Sadly, Phoenix was not moved by this sweet gesture. Instead she was infuriated with the way Dex was staring lustfully at her.

While Phoenix was thinking of how to address Dex, the latter was busy drinking in her beauty.

Dex gawked at her in awe. Her hair though a little disheveled fell delicately on her shoulder. Her tensed body made her hypnotic nipples harden giving her the enticing look like an early morning temptation. Her exposed porcelain skin was to die for.

Dex shook his head to push down his desires. He knew lusting over her body would further irritate her. He had painfully learned this side of her the previous night. He wanted to make amends and also to let her know that she wasn't just a sex object to be toiled with.

"I am sorry to have disturbed you early this morning. I will never taunt any of my guests. Also, I want to make amends for my unruly behavior last night. If you must know, I even apologized to Max, for my harsh attitude. You went to bed without eating anything. So I took the liberty to bring you breakfast. However, if you don't want to eat in your room, I could set up the dining room."

Phoenix was amazed at his humility. "Was he faking it or was he for real?" She questioned her subconscious. Aside from her late parents and late Nanny, no one had treated her with this level of respect, especially the male folk. Not even her lethal-minded gang would go soft on her like this. They were a weird family with common goals.

Living and learning under Master Lin had taught her that softness was for the weak. She also learned the rudiments of perseverance and survival. Master Lin had warned her that the day she lets her guard down, would be the day karma pays a visit.

Phoenix glared at Alex. She was disgusted at herself for a spark of emotion that was beginning to take form in her heart. Something she couldn't explain was pulling her to him. Every time she envisioned snapping his neck and moving on, he would do something to change her mind. She even found herself lusting over him, which was very odd. She had never loved a man and she planned on remaining that way. Love was never meant for her because everyone she had once loved was now dead.

"Get lost!" Phoenix slammed the door angrily in his face. Her heart was thumping and her mind was a mess. Dex was messing with her frigid heart. She didn't want any part of it.

Before she shut the door, Dex caught a bit of softness in her eyes. He smiled and knocked on the door again. He had made up his mind that he wouldn't take no for an answer. He was prepared to take any physical abuse from her as long as she had breakfast.

Phoenix breathed heavily as a stormy rage enveloped her. She went over to the place she kept her combat dagger and picked it up in her right hand. She had warned him to get lost but his persistence was going to cost him this time. She opened the door wide, with her right hand behind her back.

"I am not leaving here until you speak to me or accept my apologies. You need to eat and I will make sure you do." Dex stared into her eyes intently like a parent bent on making his stubborn child listen.

"You asked for this."

Before Dex had time to react, Phoenix struck with her dagger causing the tray of food to fall from his hands with a loud crashing sound.