CHAPTER SIXTY EIGHT
GABRIELLE~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~I didn't know how long I stood out here gathering the courage to enter inside, but my legs were starting to hurt, Inhaling deeply through my nose, my fingers touched the handle of the door, then I slowly pulled it open."Why the hell would you bring her to this place!" I heard Lucian yell and entered just in time to sew him slamming his hand against the table as he glared at Devin. Perhaps he suddenly got aware of my presence as his head snapped in my direction. I thought I saw surprise and warmth flashed across his features as he stared at me a bit too long, I also took that moment to stare at him, my heart missed a beat as I thought of how long it had been. A part of me wished to throw my arms around him and tell him how much I've felt his absence and touch, the night and days were never the same without him. The moment was short-lived when his face transformed into a frown. My aCHAPTER SIXTY-NINEGABRIELLE~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~"You are not leaving me! I don't allow you." His hot breath blasted my ears just before he turned me around to face his angry glare."You will never speak of that ever again, I need you with me!" He spoke in a lower more serious tone as his eyes kept me pinned.My heart squeezed tightly as I realized that his last statement wasn't out of anger, he was pleading with me. A quiet sigh escaped my mouth if he wasn't the most complicated person on the planet. If he didn't want me to stay or leave, what was I supposed to do! Would I ever understand all of him?"Why do you need me to stay?" I questioned, unconsciously placing my hand on my abdomen. "You don't trust me, Lucian, you don't want to be in OUR life! And you can't let us go? What exactly do you want?" The helpless confusion caved into my voice. I don't think I've ever been so exhausted, physically and mentally.
CHAPTER SEVENTYGABRIELLE~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~That evening, we lay down together, and Lucian switched off the light, enclosing us in the darkness. I was lying on my sides when he pulled me closer to him so my head is pillowed on his chest.He appeared to be in deep thoughts and this was one of those times when I would give anything to read through his mind. Draping a hand across his ribcage, I closed my eyes, even though I was not feeling sleepy."There's something about me that you need to know, I probably should have told you sooner..." His voice was barely audible, his warm breath tickling the side of my cheek made my eyes flutter open. I lifted my chin to meet his stare. His tone and stare held every bit of seriousness and my heart was suddenly hammering in my chest, my mind thinking of all the possibilities that could make him be this serious."My mother was the daughter of one of the men in my father's organization, t
CHAPTER SEVENTY ONE~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~For the next few hours, I was anxious. I called mom from time to time but there was no positive update, how could my father and Phoebe just disappear without a trace.Mom spoke that Phoebe had gone for her dancing classes but had sneaked away from the men that were supposed to protect her. This wasn't the first time she had done that, only this time, she never returned home. As for dad, his assistant said that he had insisted on leaving alone after receiving an urgent call.I couldn't help the worry that gnawed my insides, we weren't close but they were still family after all. I only prayed that they were alright where they are.I thought about telling Lucian but quickly decided against it. What if it wasn't anything serious? My mother had always worried about the slightest things. Who knew, Phoebe might be having a hangover after partying hard, she might be at one of her friends' places. Then what ab
CHAPTER SEVENTY TWOGABRIELLE~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~"Please wait here! don't go anywhere." Devin told me."But..." I started, but he was already gone, I watched anxiously as he blended with the slight crowd.What was that sound all about? Why was Derek here? Was Loretta alright?I was too nervous to standby and wait any longer, I hurried after him, and at the same time, I could hear the sound of sirens.I finally found Devin, he said the first thing I noticed was the bloodstain on his hand which spiked my anxiety, I looked behind him but there was no sign of Loretta, nor Fred."What happened? Where are they?" I barely finished talking when my eyes fell on the paramedics walking out with a stretcher, I couldn't tear my eyes away, not even a blink. The person lying unconscious was Fred. Was he dead?god no!Without a word, Devin grabbed my arm, hurrying us out of the mall and more security that wer
CHAPTER SEVENTY THREEGABRIELLE~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~"You have to take me with you." I said, his reaction was immediate."No, you are staying here" He asserted, frowning.I had only an hour to reach the location Derek had given to me. I was to come alone or he promised to kill everyone I cared about.Derek seemed to have lost it, I was scared for Lucian's safety and my family's as well. I wanted to meet Derek, maybe I could make him change his mind, things don't have to end tragically between us."If he doesn't see me, he's going to kill them! We can't risk it, Lucian!" I urged as he yelled something to Devin about preparing the car. I started to speak again when he grabbed my arm, tilting my chin to meet his gaze."I'm not about to use you and our baby as bait!" He glares at me. "You are going to sit your pretty ass down here while I go get the job done! I will be back in an hour and I promise you that nothi
CHAPTER SEVENTY FOURGABRIELLE~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~I could only seat helplessly as Devin drove us farther away from Lucian.He started to answer a call and I turned away in frustration. Tension was building its root inside of me until I felt like I would burst from it all.I inhaled deeply closing my eyes, there was no option left but to believe Lucian and wait for him to return unharmed."What the..." The startling sound left my mouth when the car suddenly screeched to a halt.My head spun to meet Devin's grave expression and knew instantly that something was wrong, I was almost terrified to ask."What happened? What's going on?"Devin stared at me, his expression filled with urgency and uncertainty. "One of our men reported to have spotted Vladimir, why would he arrive in New York all of a sudden?"Vladimir Petrov? Why would Lucian's rival be here, dad and Vladimir were part
CHAPTER SEVENTY FIVELUCIAN~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~It was too late, there were already inside the building.Fuck!The cold rational part of my mind registered one thing, there was nowhere to run!They were no doubt searching for us across all the rooms right now!"We need a plan now!" Devin spoke.There wasn't much time to think but the last thing I wanted was for Vladimir to use my sister as leverage against us, or worse, she could end up injured or dead.I met Loretta's panicked gaze, she shouldn't be going through this all over again. I doubted she would ever forget this event and had never been so thankful that I had found out Brie just in time and sent her home.A mixture of rage and panic filled me as I suddenly thought if I didn't make it out of here, I would never get to see Brie ever again, never hold our baby in my arms.No!All the more reason I had to get out of
CHAPTER SEVENTY SIXGABRIELLE~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~I collected fresh flowers from the garden as I had been doing for the past two weeks. Has it been two weeks already since my world fell apart?Yesterday, I had visited the cemetery along with mom, we were all going through a tough phase, Phoebe was still convinced that I was responsible for our father's death, we haven't seen or heard from her after dad's funeral service. Mom told me that she was only confused and grieving at this stage of her life, and it was easier for her to just put the blame on another person but I had also been thinking about it every single night and hated to admit that if I had allowed Lucian to kill Derek back then, he would have been beside me right now.Words could express how much I miss him and it hurts so much.I finished arranging the flowers and walked to join Loretta and Devin."Anyone could have done that, why do yo
CHAPTER SEVENTY-EIGHTLUCIAN~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Months went past, soon it was spring once again, we had lived the past months to the fullest and I could say it was the best of my entire life.I lay in bed fully awake and conscious of my wife's warmth and familiar smell. It was the best fucking place to be. Not until the sound of low whimpers which soon transformed into full-blown cries reached my ears. It seemed Brie heard it as well as her eyes fluttered open almost immediately."I'll get her baby, you stay in bed." I kissed her forehead, kicking the blankets off my body as I walked right to the crib only a few feet away.There she was.Our precious Jasmine. The name suited her just right. She was the only perfect and innocent thing I had a hand in creating. Her eyes were shiny with tears, her little face was red from all the crying as I gently picked her up and her pink blanket. My protective fatherly instincts
CHAPTER SEVENTY SEVENGABRIELLE~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~It started off as another dream. I could see Lucian calling out to me, his lips were moving but I couldn't make out his words. I was pleading with him not to leave me while holding on to him."I won't." He murmured in my ears and it dawned in my brain, Lucian had never spoken in my dreams before..."Brie, open your eyes!"Suddenly, the grip I had onto him felt too physical, all too real. With a gasp, my eyes popped open, and then I saw him.Lucian!I froze. Staring at him, my heart pounding hard and loud against my rib cage.He was sitting beside me, looking very much awake and vital. This had to be one of my many dreams, or my head was playing cruel games with me.I blinked twice, my vision dimmed and cleared but he was still here, staring at me. A bandage was wrapped across his head, he looked slightly pale but his grey eyes ha
CHAPTER SEVENTY SIXGABRIELLE~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~I collected fresh flowers from the garden as I had been doing for the past two weeks. Has it been two weeks already since my world fell apart?Yesterday, I had visited the cemetery along with mom, we were all going through a tough phase, Phoebe was still convinced that I was responsible for our father's death, we haven't seen or heard from her after dad's funeral service. Mom told me that she was only confused and grieving at this stage of her life, and it was easier for her to just put the blame on another person but I had also been thinking about it every single night and hated to admit that if I had allowed Lucian to kill Derek back then, he would have been beside me right now.Words could express how much I miss him and it hurts so much.I finished arranging the flowers and walked to join Loretta and Devin."Anyone could have done that, why do yo
CHAPTER SEVENTY FIVELUCIAN~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~It was too late, there were already inside the building.Fuck!The cold rational part of my mind registered one thing, there was nowhere to run!They were no doubt searching for us across all the rooms right now!"We need a plan now!" Devin spoke.There wasn't much time to think but the last thing I wanted was for Vladimir to use my sister as leverage against us, or worse, she could end up injured or dead.I met Loretta's panicked gaze, she shouldn't be going through this all over again. I doubted she would ever forget this event and had never been so thankful that I had found out Brie just in time and sent her home.A mixture of rage and panic filled me as I suddenly thought if I didn't make it out of here, I would never get to see Brie ever again, never hold our baby in my arms.No!All the more reason I had to get out of
CHAPTER SEVENTY FOURGABRIELLE~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~I could only seat helplessly as Devin drove us farther away from Lucian.He started to answer a call and I turned away in frustration. Tension was building its root inside of me until I felt like I would burst from it all.I inhaled deeply closing my eyes, there was no option left but to believe Lucian and wait for him to return unharmed."What the..." The startling sound left my mouth when the car suddenly screeched to a halt.My head spun to meet Devin's grave expression and knew instantly that something was wrong, I was almost terrified to ask."What happened? What's going on?"Devin stared at me, his expression filled with urgency and uncertainty. "One of our men reported to have spotted Vladimir, why would he arrive in New York all of a sudden?"Vladimir Petrov? Why would Lucian's rival be here, dad and Vladimir were part
CHAPTER SEVENTY THREEGABRIELLE~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~"You have to take me with you." I said, his reaction was immediate."No, you are staying here" He asserted, frowning.I had only an hour to reach the location Derek had given to me. I was to come alone or he promised to kill everyone I cared about.Derek seemed to have lost it, I was scared for Lucian's safety and my family's as well. I wanted to meet Derek, maybe I could make him change his mind, things don't have to end tragically between us."If he doesn't see me, he's going to kill them! We can't risk it, Lucian!" I urged as he yelled something to Devin about preparing the car. I started to speak again when he grabbed my arm, tilting my chin to meet his gaze."I'm not about to use you and our baby as bait!" He glares at me. "You are going to sit your pretty ass down here while I go get the job done! I will be back in an hour and I promise you that nothi
CHAPTER SEVENTY TWOGABRIELLE~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~"Please wait here! don't go anywhere." Devin told me."But..." I started, but he was already gone, I watched anxiously as he blended with the slight crowd.What was that sound all about? Why was Derek here? Was Loretta alright?I was too nervous to standby and wait any longer, I hurried after him, and at the same time, I could hear the sound of sirens.I finally found Devin, he said the first thing I noticed was the bloodstain on his hand which spiked my anxiety, I looked behind him but there was no sign of Loretta, nor Fred."What happened? Where are they?" I barely finished talking when my eyes fell on the paramedics walking out with a stretcher, I couldn't tear my eyes away, not even a blink. The person lying unconscious was Fred. Was he dead?god no!Without a word, Devin grabbed my arm, hurrying us out of the mall and more security that wer
CHAPTER SEVENTY ONE~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~For the next few hours, I was anxious. I called mom from time to time but there was no positive update, how could my father and Phoebe just disappear without a trace.Mom spoke that Phoebe had gone for her dancing classes but had sneaked away from the men that were supposed to protect her. This wasn't the first time she had done that, only this time, she never returned home. As for dad, his assistant said that he had insisted on leaving alone after receiving an urgent call.I couldn't help the worry that gnawed my insides, we weren't close but they were still family after all. I only prayed that they were alright where they are.I thought about telling Lucian but quickly decided against it. What if it wasn't anything serious? My mother had always worried about the slightest things. Who knew, Phoebe might be having a hangover after partying hard, she might be at one of her friends' places. Then what ab
CHAPTER SEVENTYGABRIELLE~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~That evening, we lay down together, and Lucian switched off the light, enclosing us in the darkness. I was lying on my sides when he pulled me closer to him so my head is pillowed on his chest.He appeared to be in deep thoughts and this was one of those times when I would give anything to read through his mind. Draping a hand across his ribcage, I closed my eyes, even though I was not feeling sleepy."There's something about me that you need to know, I probably should have told you sooner..." His voice was barely audible, his warm breath tickling the side of my cheek made my eyes flutter open. I lifted my chin to meet his stare. His tone and stare held every bit of seriousness and my heart was suddenly hammering in my chest, my mind thinking of all the possibilities that could make him be this serious."My mother was the daughter of one of the men in my father's organization, t