Everything seemed to reel continuously, like a flashback of my earlier memory before I knocked out within my head. It was crisp and clear as though it were not flashback.One of them grabbed me, their grip like steel. Thiago lunged forward, but another intruder blocked him, raising a weapon.“Let her go!” Thiago shouted, his voice filled with fury.The intruder holding me leaned close, their voice low and menacing. “You were warned, Miss Martinez.”Before I could respond, a cloth was pressed to my face.Everything went black.When I woke up again, it was because of the sound of faint murmurs and the sensation of cold steel against my wrists. My head throbbed as I tried to move, only to realize I was restrained to a chair. The room was dimly lit, with a single bulb swinging overhead, casting eerie shadows on the walls.“Finally awake,” a deep voice drawled.My eyes snapped to the source—a tall figure standing near the door, face obscured by the dim light. His tone was calm, but the men
The SUVs surrounded us like predators circling their prey. The glare of headlights cut through the night, casting eerie shadows against the trees lining the deserted road. My heartbeat thundered in my chest as Thiago tightened his grip on my hand."Marcus," Thiago said with steely calm, "be ready to get us out of here if I say the word."Marcus nodded, his jaw set as he shifted the car into reverse. But as we started to inch backward, another SUV appeared, blocking the escape route."They were expecting us," Marcus muttered, his knuckles white on the steering wheel.Thiago leaned forward. "Keep the engine running. Don’t make a move unless I say."He turned to me, his gaze intense but reassuring. "Stay here, Bridgette. No matter what happens, do not get out of this car.""But Thiago—""Promise me," he interrupted, his voice firm. "I can't protect you if you don't listen."Swallowing hard, I nodded. "I promise."Thiago stepped out of the car, his tall frame radiating authority even in t
The tension in the car was suffocating as we sped down the dark road. Sevi sat next to me, his eyes flickering with concern and barely contained anger. Thiago, seated in the front, was brooding, his phone clutched tightly in his hand."Prepare for war?" I repeated, my voice trembling but my resolve hardening. "What does that even mean, Thiago? Are we just going to wait for them to come after us again?"Thiago turned in his seat, his eyes piercing. "It means we strike first. If we don’t, they’ll come for us—and they’ll use your father to do it.""But who are they?" I pressed. "And why does this feel like it’s about more than just business?"Thiago hesitated, his silence heavier than words. Finally, he spoke. "There are layers to this, Bridgette. What’s happening isn’t just about your father’s business or Marlene’s schemes. There are bigger players involved, people who see us as pawns in their game.""Pawns?" Sevi scoffed, crossing his arms. "Speak for yourself, Thiago. Some of us aren’
Thiago’s gaze bore into mine, a mix of frustration and hurt flickering in his eyes. The silence between us was almost unbearable, the tension thick enough to cut. My heart raced as I clutched the file tighter, my mind a whirlwind of questions and accusations.“You think I’m playing you?” Thiago asked, his voice low but laced with a sharp edge.“What else am I supposed to think?” I shot back, my voice trembling despite my efforts to appear strong. “Everything points to you having some hidden agenda. This file, the cryptic calls, your perfect timing—it’s too convenient, Thiago!”He sighed, rubbing a hand over his face as if trying to collect his thoughts. “You don’t know the full story, Bridgette. And honestly, I didn’t want you to know because I thought it would keep you safer.”“Safe?” I scoffed, waving the file in his direction. “This doesn’t look like safety to me. It looks like betrayal.”Thiago’s patience snapped. In three strides, he was in front of me, his hand firmly yet gently
The text stared back at me like a venomous snake ready to strike. My chest tightened as the weight of the threat sank in. Thiago leaned over my shoulder, reading the message. His jaw clenched, and I could see the storm brewing behind his eyes.“They’re taunting us,” Thiago muttered.I swallowed hard, my mind racing. “What does it even mean? Running out of time for what?”Marcus, still standing by the door, cleared his throat. “It’s a warning. They want to keep you on edge, make you panic. And if they have Marlene, they might use her as leverage.”I scoffed, crossing my arms. “Leverage for what? I’ve already refused to give up my inheritance. There’s nothing left for them to threaten me with.”Thiago shot me a pointed look. “You’re wrong, Bridgette. If they can’t control you financially, they’ll try to control you emotionally. They’ll go after your father, your reputation—everything that matters to you.”The thought sent a chill down my spine. My father’s sudden illness, Marlene’s disa
Within the next hour, a plan began to take shape. Thiago would personally oversee the extraction of my father while Marcus and I worked to track down Marlene. Marcus believed she was the key to understanding Hensley’s endgame, and I couldn’t argue. Marlene knew the inner workings of my father’s affairs far better than I did.“I still can’t believe she’d be involved with Agatha,” I muttered as Marcus drove us toward a remote property where his team believed Marlene might be hiding.Marcus glanced at me, his expression sympathetic. “It’s possible she didn’t have a choice. If Hensley threatened her—”“Then she should have come to me!” I snapped, the frustration spilling over. “Instead, she sided with the people trying to destroy my family.”Marcus didn’t respond, but his silence spoke volumes. The betrayal stung more than I cared to admit.We arrived at the property, an old estate on the outskirts of the city. The air was heavy with tension as we approached the door. Marcus signaled for
The seconds felt like hours as Agatha stepped closer to Marlene, her expression as cold and calculated as I remembered. Hensley, towering behind her, held the gun steady, his finger lingering near the trigger. Marlene’s body trembled, her hands raised in a futile gesture of surrender.“You brought the documents?” Agatha asked, her voice deceptively calm.Marlene nodded frantically, pulling a folder from her bag. “They’re all here. Just don’t hurt him. Please.”Agatha’s lips curled into a chilling smile as she took the folder and began leafing through its contents. “You’ve done well, Mom. For once, you’ve actually been useful.”I watched, hidden in the shadows beside Marcus, every nerve in my body screaming at me to act. But Marcus held me back with a firm hand on my arm, his eyes locked on the scene unfolding before us.“We wait,” he whispered.Agatha snapped the folder shut, turning her icy gaze back to Marlene. “Unfortunately, usefulness has its limits. You’ve served your purpose.”
Thiago’s arms tightened around me as if he could shield me from the storm brewing just beyond the walls of his estate. But his warmth didn’t soothe me; it only intensified the chaos in my mind.I pushed him back, my hands trembling. “Fix this? Thiago, this isn’t some business deal you can manipulate your way out of. People are getting hurt. My father… He could die, Thiago!”His jaw clenched, his eyes flashing with something between regret and defiance. “I know. And I’m not going to let that happen. But you need to trust me.”“Trust you?” I echoed, the words tasting bitter. “You’re the one who kept me in the dark. You and my father built this mess, and now you’re asking me to trust you to clean it up?”Before Thiago could respond, the study doors burst open. Marcus strode in, his phone in hand, his expression grim.“You both need to see this,” he said, tossing the device onto the desk.A news broadcast played on the screen. The headline alone made my blood run cold:“Martinez Empire in
I took a step back, my breath coming too fast. I needed space. Air. Something solid to hold on to, but all I had were shifting lies.Santiago watched me, his smirk fading into something more dangerous—anticipation. Like he was waiting for me to break.I wouldn’t give him that.I forced my voice steady. “You don’t get to decide for me.”Santiago sighed, almost bored. “You think you have a choice?” He gestured lazily with the gun. “You were born into this world, hija. You don’t just walk away from it.”Victor stepped forward, his hand subtly shifting toward his jacket. “She’s not you, Santiago.”Santiago laughed. “And you still think you can save her?” His amusement vanished in a blink. “I’m giving her a way out. If she’s smart, she’ll take it.”My heart pounded. “And if I don’t?”His expression darkened. “Then you’ll regret it.”A flicker of movement. A breath of warning.And then Victor lunged.I barely had time to react before he was on Santiago, knocking the gun aside. A shot rang o
The old pier stretched before me, silent except for the rhythmic lapping of the waves against the wooden posts. A single lamplight flickered above, casting long shadows across the damp planks. My heart pounded as I scanned the area, my breath visible in the night air.I checked my phone again. Midnight. I was a few minutes early, but whoever had sent the message wasn’t here yet.Or maybe they were watching.A gust of wind sent a shiver down my spine. I crossed my arms, not just against the cold, but against the gnawing uncertainty clawing at my insides. This could be a trap. Thiago could have sent the message, luring me here to force a conversation I wasn’t ready for. Or worse—someone else, someone more dangerous, could be behind it.I turned, about to leave, when I heard footsteps. Slow. Measured.I spun back, my pulse skyrocketing as a shadow emerged from the darkness.It wasn’t Thiago.Victor.His sharp features were cast in half-light, his expression unreadable as he stepped towar
Thiago kissed me like he was trying to brand himself into my soul—like he could erase every doubt, every betrayal, with the heat of his mouth.And for a moment, I let him.For a moment, I kissed him back, gripping his shirt like it could anchor me to something real.But reality crashed in just as fast.I shoved him away, breathless, my lips still tingling from the force of him.His chest rose and fell, his dark eyes locked onto mine with a heat that burned straight through me.“No,” I said, voice hoarse.Thiago’s jaw tightened. “Bridgette—”“No,” I repeated, stepping back. “You don’t get to do that. You don’t get to lie to me, manipulate me, and then kiss me like I’m supposed to forget everything.”His hands curled into fists at his sides. “I wasn’t lying to you.”“Really?” I let out a bitter laugh. “Then why do I feel like I just walked into a trap?”Thiago exhaled sharply, dragging a hand through his hair. “I didn’t tell you because I knew you’d react like this.”I crossed my arms.
I forced myself to meet Santiago’s gaze, schooling my expression into something unreadable. If he was here, breaking into my penthouse in the middle of the night, it wasn’t just to chat.He wants something.I wasn’t going to give it to him.“You have about ten seconds to explain why you’re here before I call security,” I said, gripping the wine bottle so tightly my knuckles ached.Santiago smirked, the kind of lazy, self-assured grin that made my stomach twist. He took a slow step forward, completely unfazed by my threat. “Security?” he mused. “Mmm… You could call them. But we both know they won’t get here in time, mi amor.”His voice was smooth, practiced, laced with the kind of confidence that came from knowing he held all the cards.I refused to let him see the flicker of unease tightening in my chest.“I don’t have time for games, Santiago.”“I know,” he said, tilting his head slightly. “Which is why I’ll get to the point.”In one fluid motion, he reached inside his suit jacket. I
His lips moved against mine with a slow, deliberate hunger, as if he was savoring every second of my surrender. I should have pushed him away. I should have turned and walked out of this penthouse, out of his life, like I swore I would.But the second his hands gripped my waist, pulling me closer, every ounce of resistance melted away.Thiago knew my body too well. He knew exactly how to unravel me with a single touch, how to make me forget logic and consequences. His fingers trailed down my spine, sending a shiver through me, his kiss deepening until I was breathless.I tore away, gasping, my palms flat against his chest. “Thiago—”His forehead rested against mine, his breathing just as uneven. “Don’t tell me you don’t want this.”My fingers curled into his shirt, torn between desire and the storm raging in my mind. “It’s not about what I want.”He exhaled, a humorless chuckle escaping him. “Then what is it about, Wifey?”That nickname. The way it rolled off his tongue like a promise
The hallway felt too small, too suffocating with both men standing there—Victor rigid with frustration, Thiago exuding that quiet, commanding presence that had always been my undoing.I should tell him to leave. I should push past this moment and pretend my heart wasn’t beating too fast, that I wasn’t already losing this battle.But I didn’t.Instead, I met Thiago’s gaze head-on. “What do you want?”He tilted his head slightly, studying me, before stepping closer. Too close. The scent of him—expensive cologne, faint whiskey, something distinctly him—wrapped around me like a noose.Victor shifted beside me, his tension palpable. “You’re wasting your time, Bermudez. She’s done with whatever game you’re playing.”Thiago let out a quiet chuckle, his eyes never leaving mine. “That so?” His fingers twitched at his side, like he was resisting the urge to touch me. “Because she hasn’t told me to leave yet.”Damn him.Victor exhaled sharply. “Bridgette.” His voice was low, a warning.I swallow
The silence stretched between us, thick with words left unsaid. Victor's gaze remained steady, unwavering, as if he could will me into understanding the danger I was walking into. Maybe he could see the fracture lines forming beneath my skin, the way I was slowly unraveling under the weight of my own choices.But what choice did I have? Thiago was a shadow I couldn’t outrun. No matter how far I went, how fiercely I tried to carve out a life separate from him, he was always there. And worst of all, some part of me still wanted him to be.I exhaled sharply, shoving past Victor toward the kitchen, needing space—needing something to ground me before I lost myself completely in this never-ending push and pull. I reached for the half-empty wine bottle on the counter and poured myself a glass. My hand trembled slightly as I took a sip, the bitter liquid burning down my throat.Victor followed but didn’t say anything right away. He just leaned against the counter, arms crossed over his chest,
The silence between Victor and me stretched, taut and suffocating. He watched me like I was a puzzle he had almost solved but was too frustrated to finish.“Bridge,” he finally said, his voice softer now. “You don’t have to do this alone. You know that, right?”I swallowed against the lump in my throat. Victor had always been my safety net, the one person who saw the mess I was and still chose to stand by me. But even he couldn’t save me from myself.I turned away, rubbing my arms as though that could shake off the cold creeping into my bones. “I’m tired, Vic. Can we just—can we not do this tonight?”His eyes darkened, but he nodded once, reluctant. “Fine. But this isn’t over.”With that, he left, the door clicking shut behind him. I waited, standing frozen in place until I heard his footsteps fade down the hallway. Then, with a shaky breath, I turned and pressed my forehead against the door, letting my eyes close.Not five minutes later, my phone vibrated on the counter.I didn’t wan
The weight of Lucia’s words lingered long after she was gone, settling over me like an unwelcome shroud. The air in my apartment felt heavier, thick with the ghost of Thiago’s presence.I set the wine glass down with a soft clink, pressing my fingers against my temples. My head throbbed, not from the alcohol but from the war waging inside me. Thiago was a storm—unrelenting, consuming, and I was the fool who kept stepping into the rain without an umbrella.I forced myself to move, needing to shake off the static thrumming in my veins. One step, then another, until I was standing before my bedroom mirror. The woman staring back at me looked like a stranger. There was defiance in her eyes, yes, but beneath it, something else lurked—uncertainty.My gaze dropped to the ring, still snug on my finger. I could almost feel the phantom trace of Thiago’s touch lingering there. My hands curled into fists. I should take it off. I should have done it the second he walked out that door.With a sharp