FIFTY NINEANDRESI sat motionless in the dark den, fury coursing through my veins as I drummed my fingers to a steady rhythm in front of me. I had sent Ana on her way because I wanted to be alone to think of what punishment I shall bestow on Miguel when I finally caught him. I could hardly do anything at this point, not when I knew that Catherina was at his mercy and he knew this; the man had read my feelings for her all too well.My heart pounded furiously in my chest and I could almost hear the blood rushing in my veins in the quiet of the den. I wanted blood, I wanted Miguel’s head and I was going to get after I was sure Catherina was safe and not a minute before.The door to the den opened and Ana walked in, the sound of her feet contrasting with the quiet.“I have gained no information about the whereabouts of Miguel but I know that he cannot be far” she said“I asked that you do not return until you have something for me” my eyes snapped up to meet hers.The harsh edge of my vo
SIXTYCATHERINAI was blindfolded; my hands bound tighter this time since I had been caught trying to escape. I listened very carefully as Miguel barked out orders to the men in front of my door; orders to be prepared for Andres’ arrival.The door opened and he stepped in; I could tell he was the one judging from the chuckle he gave as I shrunk farther to the side of the bed. I wanted to disappear so he did not touch me with such filthy hands.“Andres is on his way to rescue you as I have heard” he announced.My heart stilled for half a second before it began pounding mercilessly against my ribcage. If Andres was coming here, he was going to die… I knew that Miguel would not let him live to challenge for the throne again.“Why are you doing this?” I blurted, tears threatening to fall.I could feel his presence in front of me right before he snatched the blindfold away from my eyes.“I have served Andres for a really long time; don’t you think it is time I finally claimed my place as h
EPILOGUEANDRESI stormed into the hospital with an unconscious Catherina in my arms.One look at my face and I was ushered into a room immediately where a doctor was waiting.“Please leave, we have to be sure she has no internal injuries” the doctor said“I will remain here; now get to work” I snapped.The man’s face paled but he said nothing as they scrambled around her, checking and proddingMy gatita, my heart sangShe looked so pale and small, laying there and she had bruises all over her face and her wrists were swollen and bloodied.Bastardo but I was going to enjoy torturing Miguel and then I was going to kill him but he will suffer slowly until his heart gives out, I swore silently to myself.“She is going to be okay; she is stressed, dehydrated and has probably not eaten in days” the doctor concluded“She will be fine?” I echoed“Yes Mr Cruz; now I need you to fill in a form and state your relationship with the patient and to do that you have to leave the room and come with
PROLOGUE“You have to leave now” Ana said as soon as she had freed Alejandro.He could barely walk and his face was a bloodied mess of scar tissues which were healing atop each other.“Why?” he mumbled.The man was incoherent and she wondered if she was doing a good thing by setting him free. She needed someone on the outside and Miguel had said it was a good enough distraction for Andres who was frantically searching for the traitor in their midst.She supported him slowly as they walked with him stumbling but maintaining his grip on her shoulderHe wanted to live, she realized and she was going to help me one way or the other“You are going to be safe when we get you outside the gates. Your people are waiting and they have a yacht ready to take you anywhere you want, Alejandro” she whispered urgently, hoping he understood what she was saying.She kept to the walls, holding up Alejandro and stopping when some of Andres’ men passed. If she was caught, it was going to be all over for h
ONEAUDREY“Explain to me again why a man that very nearly killed you is being celebrated?” I asked, the phone hooked to my ear as I turned to the corner of the road.“It is not a celebration but more like a remembrance and it is their crazy culture; please tell me that you will show up this time” My sister begged“You know that I cannot, Hermana. I have to be at the art studio; then I have to go to that party for cosplayers that I told you about; besides I do not want to be in a celebration for dead killers”I could hear Catherina sigh heavily on the other end and was almost tempted to change my mind. I knew she was longing for there to be a meet-up between us or reunion of some kind but I wasn’t ready to go back to Spain just yet and she knew this. I already had a life here with a couple of artist girls such as myself and the cult I had joined for cosplayers.It was exciting and something I loved to wake up to.Spain wasn’t it for me and after I had lost my baby during one of their
TWOALEJANDROMy blood pounded with renewed force as I watched her walk away and it continued long after she was gone. This was the last place that I had thought to meet Audrey Salvador and judging from the painting she had been carrying, she was here for the presentation.What is a little bird like you doing so far away from home, I thought“Is everything alright?” Gonzalo asked, stopping behind me“Everything is perfect; get me the owner of this place” I commanded.I was here because I was collecting in on the debts that were owed my father before his rather unfortunate demise and it would seem that the owner of this art studio was owing a rather large sum.Did he think that because my father was dead then he was free to not pay back?I would have to educate him properly on how that was unwise.Gonzalo and Felipe sauntered into the studio while I followed closely behind them. I could see the inquisitive gaze of the students follow me but none of those eyes belong to Audrey.I was go
THREEAUDREY“You did not tell me that your boyfriend was coming over, girl” Valerie, whispered excitedly as I entered the offstage room.“He is not my boyfriend; I only just met him today and he is the one I told you bumped into and ruined my painting” I told her, helping her support the painting she was about to present“He looks like quite the snack; I would want to bump into him every single day with my other part” she sighed, wiggled her brows at me“You are disgusting” I laughed, rolling my eyes.Valerie was French but her mother was American and they had moved over to the states when her parents divorced due to her father’s infidelities. She had applied to art school at almost the same time that I had and we had been friends ever since.We rented an apartment together but it was mainly mine because Valerie was always at her boyfriend’s and then other men whenever her boyfriend upset her which was what she always classified their fights as.She was adorable and loyal but an extr
FOURALEJANDROAudrey SalvadorI climbed out of the car and walked stealthy to the yacht with Gonzalo and Felipe bordering me in case there was someone from my cousin who had found me.I had managed to keep out of his sight for a full year and even now I was still afraid that he might find me and take me back to the dungeons to rot.I ground my teeth against one another as I tried to push back the memories of that place from my mind. Those memories were for the nighttime when I could not control the demons and they raged unchecked in my dreams not now.I was master of my day and they had no authority to torment me.“You are back” Sergio; my right hand man commented.“Yes and there is a new plan to be hatched, follow me” I told himThe yacht had many rooms and enough space to accommodate as much men as possible; people ready to support in my fight against Andres and in the reclaiming of the throne.We passed the armory and the men nodded, acknowledging my presence and that of Sergio.W
EIGHTEENALEJANDROShe was sitting too quietly for my liking… just there with her legs bunched together like I had taken the life force from her when we were barely started in our question for revenge.I had sent the nude pictures I had taken of her, straight to Andres’ through an untraceable network and I was now waiting for him to call me with the number I had dropped alongside the pictures. If there was anything I knew about my cousin, he was going to try and trace where the picture had come from and only when he is sure that he has exhausted all possible ways to find me will he place that phone call.I was giving him an hour at most before I heard from him… the empty threats. I call it empty because he would not be able to catch me so easily ever again. The last time I had allowed him do his worst to me even when I had not been directly involved in what had happened to his pet.I had given the order so yes, that would make me the most guilty in the matter but he and I were family
SEVENTEENAUDREYI don’t know how long I sat there, naked with my legs drawn up to my chest and my head bowed low as I thought about how the fuck I had allowed myself to be so seduced.I don’t know how long I slept before I woke up in a cold sweat, my heart pounding furiously in my chest as my eyes took a sweep round the room.It wasn’t a dream… not a nightmare either, I thought as the memories flooded back; memories of my own shame.I buried my face in my hands and berated myself for my stupidity.How could I have been so blind? The truth had been staring at me in the face but I had been so fucking stupid and horny.I had hoped that he loved me but how could a man… I should have figured out immediately he started paying special attention to me that there was something wrong. I had let myself be seduced by his smooth words and charming demeanor, never once suspecting that he was the same man who had caused so much pain and suffering in my family.Now, as I sat in the dimly-lit cabin,
SIXTEENALEJANDROShe remained sitting, her arms folded across her chest and her eyes pinned somewhere above my head. She had her mouth in a thin line and was trying not to look in my direction even as I stared pointedly at her.My cock twitched as I pinned her with a glare, my mouth also set in a grim line. She wasn’t supposed to have heard about what Sergio and I had talked about; I wanted to do this my own way but oh well… it was what it was.I pushed back from the wall I was standing, twirling the knife she had almost used to stab me in my hand; the very same that her brother in law and my cousin had marked me with.I could feel the rage spinning in my chest and welcomed it, allowing it fuel me as I approached her until she had no choice but to look up at me.She was glaring, her eyes twinkling with distaste and disgust, two emotions which were so foreign to her countenance and person…As foreign as the scar on my face, I musedI wanted to think that I knew her but she was the ene
FIFTEENAUDREYI heard him climb out of the bed and muttered my protest as he carried the whole heat of his presence with him. I had had sex before, with a boy my age and in the house of my papa where we had to be quiet and afraid as we did the deed.It was the last time that I had allowed anyone of the opposite gender touch me until Victor. He was everything I envisioned powerful lovemaking to be and we had continued well into the night in as many positions as I could imagine.My eyes fluttered open as I sighed deeply and contentedly, stretching and wincing at the sore I felt in between my legs. I sat up slowly, rubbing the sleep away from my eyes as I stared around the room, taking in its appearance. I was fascinated by the way he had designed it and although I considered it really odd to have whips of various sizes strung to the wall and…I scampered out of the bed, reaching for the knife that was hung at the far end of the room. It had a very peculiar hilt and it was somewhat curv
FOURTEENALEJANDROShe looked like an angel sleeping there with her hair thrown back and her mouth slightly agape but it was not watching her that kept me awake; it was the energy thrumming through my body in waves and I wanted to tell myself that she hadn’t just touched something within me that had died with my torture but it was impossible not to feel everything she had given me and everything I had not returned.I smiled as she sighed, snuggling in closer to me and my arm involuntarily locking around her waist; she was beautiful and so innocent in many ways.I frowned hoping the hurt in my chest was because I hadn’t eaten in a while and was quite hungry and not because I was feeling sorry for what I was about to do to her. She needed no pity from me after all I had to endure from Andres and because of her sister; I wanted her to get the same equal measure of punishment and I wanted to break her so bad that she would never be able to smile ever again.As if on cue, her lips curved i
THIRTEENAUDREYThere were so many scars and I knew that it was the sign that I needed to be running for the hills but I was more intrigued with him than I had ever been with anything in my life and I could not tear my eyes from his body nor could I move as he stared at me with black eyes while I trailed my fingers over his scars.He looked like I was doing the exact opposite of what he had thought I would do and it fascinated him tooI rested my gaze on his chest, swallowing painfully at the scar that matted it even then; he must have been tortured to have been scarred this bad and I wondered who the hell would hurt him in such damning way.I watched his lips turn up in a smile before they descended on mine, his tongue forcing my mouth open and plunging deep. I was hit by the intensity of this kiss and clung to him to steady myself against the onslaught of heat pooling in my belly.He tasted like absolute sin and the danger I had been trying all my life to run away from but I was com
TWELVEALEJANDRO“I want to do this” she murmured as soon as we satI had no idea what she was talking about of course and told her so.She blushed beautifully, twirling her fingers in front of her as she sought words to properly convey what she was talking about.“Yesterday you said you felt something…I just… I really”My eyes twinkled as I watched her struggle to form words, glancing at me for help“Dance with me, Audrey” I murmured, putting out a handShe smiled, glancing around the quiet room.“There is no music” she pointed out“Isn’t there?” I asked.As if on cue, music filtered through the speakers I had positioned and had covered at the edge of the room. I watched her eyes widen in surprise and then amusement as she placed one hand in mine and allowed me drag her up so we were inclined against one another.I twirled her first before placing my hand on the small on her back and guiding her through the steps while she laughed.She was stunning; absolutely and deliciously stunnin
ELEVENAUDREYI was giddy with excitement and then terrified that I was giddy with excitement.How could I be excited that I was about to have sex with some man that I barely knew; I had no idea who he was and if he was even who he said he wasIt is just sex, I had tried to reassure myself and it could never be more, I had said but the shivers my body was making and the war that had been raging at the pit of my belly for the whole day was saying otherwise.Not even Valerie’s reassuring words was helping the terror and nervousness threatening to overwhelm me. The last intimacy I had had with a man was with Bruno and it hadn’t been as earth shattering as Valerie always described her rounds of sex with men.It had been something between two people that were scared of being apart and it had been done under my father’s roof with the fear of being caught overruling the passion and pleasure of the moment.There was also the case about an orgasm; I had no idea what that was like and I would h
TENALEJANDROMy eyes moved from the laptop in front of me to Sergio’s faceSomething was wrong“What is it?” I asked urgently“We have to proceed with the girl” he sighed“What is the hurry?”“Ana thinks it is a horrible idea and while I think it is fantastic, she is of the notion that it was going to make the revenge more complicated”“But?” I proddedHe blinked, confusion dotting his forehead“But what?” he asked“You have a but there” I told himHe chuckled, grabbing a seat“I think it is bullshit and she is only saying that because… well she is Ana and she is crazy. I wouldn’t take whatever that woman says serious”“I didn’t think so” I smiled, returning my eyes to the laptop“We need to…”“We will do it my way, Sergio” I interrupted, whipping my eyes to meet his.He remained silent while I boiled with anger.Every one of them wanted their moment with Andres but couldn’t find the guts to fucking go for him themselves. They wanted me to do it so they could hide in my shadow and po