BREA POV.The air was chillier today and I got an eerie feeling that things were not going to go right.Days had passed and I didn't know whether to be relieved or terrified of something worse happening. At least I had been left all alone to my device. No collar. No chains. But every now and then, I could still see the manic look in Nicolai's eyes at our last encounter, and the words he'd spoken as his teeth grazed my heated flesh. "I will hurt you because it pleases me to"His words... They never seemed to fade from my memory, and he was the star of all my nightmares. I couldn't stop thinking about him no matter how hard I tried, and not seeing him made me wallow in a dreadful state of anticipation. Why was he just letting me be? After all that drama. He'd dragged me off to a room, just like the one I'd left, but the new room was much larger, and it was painted a mixture of black and red. Adjusting to the new environment as much as the pain would allow, my gaze roved around the ro
BREA POVIt was funny. I didn't even get to kill one person and yet, I was at a fucking crossroads. I watched, my heart rate beating past the point of normalcy, as Nicolai threatening physique filled up half of the wide open door. He was alone. But could I take him down? It was a huge No. I knew that and he knew it too. The look on his face is unreadable. It was always hard to know what went on in his head. He was so aloof, so mysterious, and so fucking perfect, it was hard to ruffle him.His gaze darted to the gun that I still had in my hand, the nuzzle pointing straight in his direction, but I knew I was out of bullets.He cocked his head. "What were my orders?" Orders. Did he give me any orders? I'd been in so much pain, I doubted I'd have remembered even if he did."If you were going to blow his brains out, you should have aimed better while you had the ammunition". His eyes trailed over the blood on the floor as he pulled the gun out of the holster on his waist.The swish of h
NICOLAI POV.Everything was freaking slipping out of my control and it made my chest tight with apprehension. I teetered on the edge, the image of Brea on her knees replaying in my mind over and over again.I always planned everything to a T, but with Brea, every plan just went out of the window, and all I did whenever we were in the same space, just happened, and I should have known that it was going to be like that after the first time I kissed her. She was beautiful, but it wasn't just that. It was the way she stared at me, the way she really looked at me. No one has ever held my gaze the way she did, and it made my heart beat funny in my chest. Did she see me? It was absurd the effect she had on me when she wasn't supposed to matter. Brea had an innocent aura about her that called to my demons to corrupt but I knew it was all a projection. I could see her, see into her soul where the fierce twisted girl she was, resided. I still got chill when I remembered the way she'd smiled
BREA POV.The scent of familiar cologne and the sound of soft footsteps walking toward my bed woke me up from my slumber, but I didn't open my eyes.After months spent in the asylum, I could pretend to be asleep to save my life.I felt his gaze boring into my face and my skin prickled in awareness. What did he want? Why was he just standing there and staring at me? And how could he have such a powerful breathtaking presence when he was just a man? I don't think I am breathing. My chest was tight with tension but I refused to open my eyes. I couldn't look at him, not after what happened the last time he was in my room.The blood of the dead man had ruined my dress, but I didn't have to worry because I was given two pairs of shirts the next day, and without asking, I knew they belonged to Nicolai.For someone he wanted to kill, he sure was acting like a caveman.It was mortifying to have gotten my first orgasm from Nicolai, and that too from sucking his cock. He hadn't even touched me
BREA POV.I woke up to thick darkness and when I flexed my wrist, I couldn't get it to move in any direction I panicked, my breath coming out in short gasps as I tried to seat up to no avail. The bastard! How dare he treat me this way.The darkness made me more frantic and my tongue weighed like a brick in my mouth.I licked my lips which were parched and got out the first muffled word I could utter_ a stupid cry for help that just bounced off the walls. My own voice sounded foreign in my ears and I struggled to swallow, as the panic I'd tried to reign in surged to the surface. I hated the dark, hated it more when I was tied down and vulnerable. How long was I out? And what did Nicolai do in that time frame? My mind ran rampant, assuming only the worst. Did he kill Ryder already or was he waiting for me to wake up, so he could carry out his threat? It was frustrating. One minute I was left all by myself, and the next, I was being tortured by the fucking psychopath for things that m
NICOLAI POV"Going once... Going twice..." The man gave a pregnant pause. "Sold to Sir Enrique Lesias!" His voice boomed through the hall.My hands twitched by my side, itching to do something. Brea was an obsession alright and she seemed to have worn her way into every cervix I possessed.I'd wanted to kill her, and watching her face turn blue as her pulse beat wildly against my palm had been so arousing that I almost did. Her words had been venomous- I could still feel them poisoning my blood; and because of her, I'd come almost close to seeking out Ryder and killing him, but it wouldn't have been only him dead. I would have killed Lucas if I ran into him too because he had touched her that day, and the thought of it still made me see red. I shouldn't have stabbed his arm, I should have cut it all off or dragged out his suffering by snapping his fingers off one after the other.Vicente cleared his throat and I turned to face him."The casino license is next on the list" he informed
LUCAS POVXavier was dead. The news was a shock and I could still feel the tremors of it. The damned stupid bastard. I wondered if he even put up much of a fight... But really, no one could fight Nicolai, no matter how powerful, and I should have known that and not gotten entangled with Xavier's plan when I doubted how successful it was going to be from the beginning. Mostly I had been more worried about him stabbing me in the back because every time we met alone, I made myself vulnerable to attack. The bastard should have just listened to what I told him at our last meeting. I'd warned him to let go of the casino and he'd assured me that he wasn't going to push through with acquiring it, but he'd gone ahead to cross paths with Nicolai, thinking that the information I provided him was enough to outwit Nicolai. I should have known he would do something like this since he always wanted to compete with Nicolai, and yet he was the one who had everything to lose. And if there was one thin
NICOLAI POV "I have intel that Xavier's soldiers are planning to attack us. They have been rallying for recruits for the past two days..."I glanced up from the files I was going through and stared at Vicente. "Do I have to be bothered about such a trivial issue"?"No boss"."Do what you must to stop their movement. Kill them all if you have to and declare the Sagrada clan as my new territory" "Of course. I'll see to it immediately".I flipped the file. "Were you able to secure the shipment"?"Yes, boss. All the weapons are now in our infantry."I smirked, then snapped the file close. I wondered what step Lucas would take now that I had cut his wings off.He was really dumb if he thought that he could team up with a rival of mine to destroy me. He'd already dug his grave too deep and all I needed now was for him to mess up, just one more time... Then I'd feel no remorse sending him to meet his beloved mother."Tell me, is Lucas obeying my order not to leave his house," I asked and V
BREA POV The hall got so quiet, you could hear a pin drop. A little hole appeared in front of Angrav's neck and I watched as red blossomed from it, and then a spray of blood hit me in the face before the man dropped to the floor. Zeus and Ryder stared shock-shelled, their jaw almost touching the floor. Then Ryder screamed, rushing towards me and brandishing a knife. Another shot swished through the air and I watched him crumble to the floor, screaming in agony as blood dripped down his thigh. "Fuck! Fuck!" He cried, then pulled out a tab and started pressing on it repeatedly. "Don't bother doing that Ryder, there is no one coming to save you. The Angrav clan is no more since your leader is dead. This house is under new management now" I smirked, taking in the horrified look on Ryder's face. I cocked my head at Zeus and watched in delight as he trembled. It wasn't from fear but rage, but there was nothing he could do about the situation. I bet he wasn't that dumb to figure out t
BREA POV.I gasped as Angrav's nails dug into my chin, and then glared into his ugly-looking face."Hmm, such a fierce look. I can see why Nicolai wants you so much" he said, turning my face from side to side before letting go.My chin itched from the pressure, but my hand was bound at the back of the chair I was sitting on, so I couldn't scratch it off. Ryder stood pressed to the wall, watching me with no expression on his face. He still looked the same, except he was missing some fingers and his hair had grown longer. I met his gaze and he frowned, murderous intent swirling in his eyes. So he wasn't sorry for what he did? I came to a decision. I was going to cut his fucking arm off when all this was over. He'd injected me with those same hands and delivered me to Lucas anyway, so it was only fair for me to return the favor.A big screen stood in front of me, and that was the only thing that occupied the space we were in. Were they planning on showing me something? I didn't know h
NICOLAI POVBrea was right, there was something fishy about the whole thing with the Angrav, hence why I was secretly making a plan B.I wasn't going to let them hurt her, but I also needed to wipe them out for good, or take over the territory because if I left them unchecked, they were only going to keep trying to obliterate me. I didn't even understand what Angrav's deal or obsession with the death of Xavier Genovese was. Had they been lovers, if they were, it would explain a lot. I would never stop seeking vengeance if anyone touched the hair on Brea's head, or put a bruise on her skin. But If I didn't put Angrav in his place, others like him will grow balls and they would try to challenge my authority, and in this fucking business, reputation was everything.I was already being disrespected anyway, and all because I chose to play nice for once. Zeus being an example... I should have just killed him earlier, but stalking my prey and instilling fear in them worked just fine to kee
BREA POVThe gym was packed, and as I took out my frustration on the punching bag I couldn't help but glance at Zeus at the opposite corner.He'd been a fucking spy, and he'd tried to seduce me... Was that all part of their plan? What would he have accomplished by getting me to fall in love with him?No wonder he'd been so cocky when I told him that Nicolai was going to kill him if he didn't leave me alone.I could still remember his words from that day. "You underestimate me Brea, but don't worry, I am going to make sure that that doesn't happen. I won't allow Nicolai to hurt you anymore" he had uttered, fire burning in the depth of his gaze. I should have seen then that he wasn't ordinary, especially since everyone revered Nicolai. Then there was Ryder who was now on my kill list. The manipulative son of a bitch was going to die at my hand, I swore it.He'd betrayed me to Lucas and now he was trying to sell me off to the Angrav's.There was only so much I could take before I snapp
NICOLAI POV"So this is all a big conspiracy" I mused, scoffing, my hand clenching the phone I held to my ear.I glanced back at Brea who still had her eyes closed with her mouth slightly parted, soft air escaping her lips as her chest rose and fell. She was so cute, it tugged painfully at my heart.The blanket half covered her and I could see the marks I'd left on her skin, gleaming as the lights from the lamp cast its glow over her. She was perfect, just like I'd known she would be.She'd told me she loved me, and it had caught me by surprise, because how could she love me after everything I did to her, but someone she did, even though she knew I was a monster?Brea had put her trust In me and even though I was a maniac, my brain always firing off and trying to deviate from the normal norms, I was going to keep her trust, I was going to protect her, and I was going to give her anything she wanted.I haven't seen her smile in a while and on a normal day, it wouldn't have mattered, ju
ZEUS POVHer rejection shouldn't have hurt, especially since it was something that I had anticipated, but it did, and I did not like the dark feeling it evoked In my chest. I wanted to fucking smash something, but the gadget in the house I stood in was freaking expensive and I didn't want to be indebted more than I already was to my piece of shit older brother. Brea was a victim in all this mess and Nicolai Fernandez was the fucking bastard who didn't deserve her. He was a psychopath anyway and Brea should know better. He was only going to hurt her in the end.I dragged my hand through my hair, sighing in exasperation. For all of my life, I never thought that I would get involved in my brother's plot for revenge, but after the death of Xavier, and the attack of Nicolai against his syndicate, he'd been voracious for it and had come to me seeking for my help. I'd refused at first since I wanted to do nothing with the syndicate, but Angrav knew some things about me that could land me in
BREA POV His words raised goosebumps on my skin and I am so disoriented by the sudden, power shift that I don't even fight back as he took my wrists and cuffed them to the bed.I swallowed hard as he yanked the bathrobe off my shoulders, almost ripping the material in half with the force he used. And then he did rip it, the tear ringing like a Canon in my ears. I gasped, shutting my eyes for a second as I burned up from the adrenaline coursing through my naked skin. I tried to wriggle away from him, but he put a stop to my movement as he straddled my thighs, holding me in place, his capable hands cupping my ass. His touch fucking scalded my skin and a harsh breath punched out of my lungs."What the hell do you think you are doing" I managed to get out, licking my lips nervously."Reminding you who you belong to" he growled, then yanked my hips back to get himself in a better position, holding me still with his dominant hands.“Relax, Brea,” he whispered, leaning forward to press a
BREA POVSomeone was watching me and I could tell who it was even though I was still asleep. I jumped from the bed, my eyes flying open and blinking rapidly in the darkened room. I hit the light switch, trying to regulate my panic-induced breathing.I was alone, but there was a gut feeling that told me I wasn't. I dragged my hand through my hair, exhaling tiredly. Last night had been draining, maybe that was why I was feeling paranoid. I'd forced myself to go out with the rest of the crew... Andre had been really excited about the win, and the proud way he'd announced me to the rest of the crew had made me feel all warm and floaty inside. It was good to win, and as we all had fun, I'd been able to forget about Nicolai and Zeus for a while. Zeus literally disappeared after our encounter in the changing room, and Melissa recalled him saying he was going home to crash.Well, that was all over now. He was going to stay away and I was going to make sure of it. Nicolai on the other hand
BREA POVMy body was wound up tight like a rubber band and I couldn't bring myself to move as I gaped at the spot that Nicolai had occupied just some seconds ago. The ghost of his finger against my throat still lingered and my lips throbbed, the feel of the harsh way he'd kissed me ingrained into my memory for good.I counted my heartbeat as it ricochet beneath my ribs. I couldn't breathe or gather my thoughts, especially not when my body fucking burned like I'd been lit afire.My head felt fuzzy as I dragged my fingers against my swollen lips, then down my throat, my eyes slipping close as I tried to relieve his touch.A door slammed outside and I jerked, my eyes flying open as my heart rate increased, almost to the point that it fucking hurt.What the hell are you doing Brea? I asked myself, dragging my hand through my hair and wincing from the dark bruises that littered my torso from the fight earlier.Nicolai was back, and contrary to what I thought, he hadn't forgotten about me