Allison's POV.I pulled my hoodie down further, the cold wind biting at my cheeks as I walked briskly down the sidewalk. The city was alive with noise—the hum of traffic, the distant chatter of people, the occasional horn blaring from impatient drivers. I kept my head down, focusing on the cracked pavement beneath my boots. Just another day blending in, hiding in plain sight. That was the life I had chosen, or rather, the life that had been forced upon me.But then, through the thick fabric of my hoodie, I felt it. That inexplicable sense of being watched. It wasn’t just paranoia—I knew this feeling too well. My instincts screamed at me to keep moving, but something made me glance up, just for a split second.And that’s when I saw him. Williams. His piercing gaze locked onto mine through the tinted window of the sleek black car gliding past. My heart skipped a beat. Damn it. I yanked my hoodie lower, picking up my pace, pretending I hadn’t seen him, that it wasn’t me he had just recog
Allison’s POV“Allison!” Williams grabbed my arm, spinning me around to face him. “What’s going on? Why are you running?”I jerked my arm free, glaring at him. “You need to leave, now.”“If they’ve seen you, they’ve seen me,” he shot back, his voice firm. “I’m not going anywhere.”I could see the boldness in his eyes, the way his jaw was set. He wasn’t going to back down. Before I could argue, the unmistakable sound of gunshots rang out, echoing through the streets. Screams erupted from the crowd as people scattered in every direction, panicked and desperate to escape.“They’ve already started shooting,” I hissed, pulling him into a nearby doorway as the crowd surged around us. I peeked out, spotting Viktor’s men weaving through the chaos, guns drawn, their eyes scanning for any sign of us.“We need to move,” I said, my mind racing. I couldn’t let them find us—not with Williams here. If anything happened to him, it would be on me.Williams nodded, but there was a determined glint in h
Allison's POV.We stayed silent for a while, the sound of our breathing mingling with the distant footsteps of Viktor's men outside. The tension was thick, a coiled spring ready to snap at any moment. My mind raced, calculating our options. This storage room was a temporary sanctuary, but it wouldn’t hold for long if they decided to sweep the area.Williams leaned against the wall opposite me, his eyes still locked on mine. There was a question there, something he was holding back. I could see the wheels turning in his head, trying to figure out what exactly he’d gotten himself into. But instead of asking, he simply nodded, a silent acknowledgment that he was ready for whatever came next.A sudden crash outside made both of us flinch. I pressed my ear to the door, straining to hear. The voices were louder now, closer. My pulse quickened. We needed a plan, and fast.“Look,” I whispered, turning back to Williams, “they’re closing in. We need to create a diversion, something to throw the
Williams' POVAs I walked back through the city streets, the adrenaline from our narrow escape still pulsing through my veins, I couldn’t shake the image of Allison’s face—determined, fierce, and yet, beneath it all, vulnerable. I had seen that look before, in those brief moments when her guard slipped, and it twisted something deep inside me. I hated that I had to leave her like that, alone in the middle of a war zone, but what choice did I have? She insisted, and I knew better than to argue when she was in that state.But damn it, it felt wrong. Every step away from her felt like a betrayal.Jonathan was waiting by the car, his expression impassive as always, but I could tell he’d been tense. He’d seen the gunfire, heard the commotion. “Is everything alright, sir?” he asked as I approached.“No, Jonathan, everything is far from alright,” I replied, my voice sharper than I intended. I yanked open the car door and slid into the back seat, trying to calm the storm in my head. “Drive.”
Allison's POVThe door to my hideout clicked shut behind me, the sound echoing in the empty space. My breath came in sharp, painful bursts as I stumbled towards the old, worn couch. The wound in my side throbbed with each step, the adrenaline that had kept me going finally wearing off. I pressed my hand against it, feeling the warm, sticky blood seeping through my fingers. "Dammit," I muttered, my vision blurring as I sat down heavily on the couch. I grabbed the first aid kit I kept stashed nearby and tore it open with shaking hands. The pain was excruciating, but I welcomed it—it kept me focused, kept me grounded. I winced as I cleaned the wound, biting down hard on my lip to keep from crying out. The stab wound wasn't deep, but it was enough to slow me down, enough to remind me of just how close Viktor's men had come to finishing me off. But I wasn't done yet. Not by a long shot.Just as I finished wrapping the bandage around my waist, the door burst open. Viktoh stormed in, his
Allison's POV.When I finally stirred, the cold floor beneath me was the first thing I noticed. My body ached from the uncomfortable position, and for a moment, I couldn’t remember where I was. My vision was hazy, and in came light, and I squinted, trying to make sense of the world around me. It was dawn.Someone was moving in the background—faint, careful footsteps that drew closer until they stopped right beside me. Panic flared in my chest, but before I could react, they sat down, their presence both familiar and comforting.I blinked rapidly, trying to clear the fog from my mind. Slowly, the room came into focus, and so did the person beside me. My heart skipped a beat when I finally saw him—Edward Blackwood."Allison," he said softly, his voice rich and smooth, like the calmness after a storm. The sound of it hit me like a wave, crashing over the walls I’d built around myself. Before I knew it, I was reaching for him, wrapping my arms around him as if my life depended on it."Edw
Williams POV.I stood in front of the massive floor-to-ceiling windows of my penthouse, watching the city below as it buzzed with life. But my thoughts weren’t on the people scurrying like ants or the usual hum of the city. My mind was focused on one thing: Viktor Romanov and his filthy empire.This wasn’t just business for me—it was personal. Everything I had planned over the past few days had been for Allison’s sake. She didn’t know yet, but I had made sure Viktor Romanov and his men would feel the weight of my wrath. Money, power, and influence—I was willing to use every bit of it to bring that bastard down."Sir, they’ve made the arrests," Jonathan, my P.A., said as he walked into the room. His voice was steady, but there was a slight hint of excitement. He knew the gravity of what had just been accomplished."Good," I said, my voice cold and flat. I didn’t turn to face him just yet. Instead, I let the satisfaction of hearing those words settle in. "How many?"“Six were arrested,”
Jessica's POV.The cold cement floor of the prison cell had become all too familiar to me. My body ached from the endless nights of discomfort, and my mind was worn down from the constant fear. I pressed my hand to my stomach, feeling the slight swell beneath my fingers. Four months. I was four months pregnant, and I knew if I didn’t get out soon, I wouldn’t survive—let alone the baby.My brother, James, had promised he would get me out. I clung to that hope like a lifeline, knowing that he was the only one who could make something like this happen. He was a five-star general, powerful, connected, and cunning enough to pull off the impossible. But still, there was always that creeping doubt in the back of my mind. What if he couldn’t? What if I was stuck here forever?A sudden, quiet knock on the bars of my cell snapped me out of my thoughts. I stiffened, my pulse quickening. It was late—far too late for anyone to be here. I peered through the dim light, squinting to see a figure dres
Allison's POV.Two months had passed since that nightmare, and Jessica was finally where she belonged: back in prison. Turns out, she had escaped with the help of her five-star general brother, James. But justice had a way of catching up to people like her. She was given more life sentences, no chance of parole this time, and James? Stripped of his rank, kicked out of the military, and sentenced to 15 years behind bars. The news was the most satisfying thing I’d heard in a long time.And Viktor Romanov? He couldn’t take the heat. The torture got to him. He’d ended his own life rather than face more of what was coming to him. It was hard to feel anything for him, knowing what he’d done to me, but at least that chapter was closed.I was still healing, but at least I was on my feet again. Viktoh had given me a six-month leave, after everything I’d suffered, and I wasn’t about to argue. I needed the time away. Time to breathe, to heal, to focus on what truly mattered.And today, it was ti
Allison's POV.My chest tightened, but I forced myself to sit up straighter. She shouldn’t be here. "You’re supposed to be in prison," I said, my voice steady despite the flood of memories—memories of how she had turned my life upside down, destroyed everything I had with Williams, and left me broken in more ways than one.Jessica’s smile only widened, her eyes gleaming with malice. "I got out." Her tone was casual, like she was discussing the weather. She stepped closer, and I could feel the venom between us. This woman… she had ruined everything. She had turned Williams against me, manipulated him, and made sure I lost our baby that night when I ran through the rain, heartbroken. That accident had ripped my world apart, and Jessica’s hands were all over it.And even after I came back, stronger and more dangerous than before, Jessica hadn’t stopped. She had tried to kill me more times than I could count. The desperation in her had reached insane levels, trying to trap Williams with
Allison’s POVThe steady beeping of the machines was the only sound filling the room, but I couldn’t focus on it. The sharp scent of antiseptic lingered in the air, making the sterile hospital walls seem even colder. My body ached in ways I hadn’t known were possible, but I was alive. I was here.The door creaked open softly, and I turned my head. It took a second for my eyes to adjust, but then I saw him—Williams, standing in the doorway, looking at me with an expression I couldn’t quite place. Was it relief? Concern?He stepped inside, his movements tentative, like he wasn’t sure if he should be here. His gaze swept over me, taking in the IVs, the bruises, the bandages. I could tell he was trying to hold it together, but the tension in his jaw gave him away.“Williams,” I whispered, my voice was shaky and low. I watched as he came closer, his eyes scanning my face. There was something in his expression I hadn't seen before—a softness, a vulnerability. When he reached my bedside, I
Jessica's POV.“Jessica?”I smirked as his voice rang through the office, laced with confusion. He hadn’t expected this. He hadn’t expected me. I slowly pulled back the hood of my jacket, revealing my face. His eyes widened, disbelief washing over his usually composed expression."Surprised to see me?" I asked, my voice light, teasing. I watched him carefully, savoring every second of his stunned reaction. His jaw tightened, but he said nothing at first, his sharp gaze piercing into me like daggers."I was released last week." I gave him a coy smile, stepping further into the office, the click of my heels sounding in the silence. His office was just as I remembered it—cold, impersonal, like the man who sat behind the desk. But I wasn’t here for the decor.Williams’s face remained hardened, but there was a flicker of something else in his eyes—anger, or maybe it was disgust. Either way, I had expected it.“What do you want, Jessica?” His voice was firm, devoid of any warmth or welcome.
Allison's POV.I blinked against the sterile light filtering in through the window, the room coming into focus in slow, painful waves. My body ached, every inch of me reminding me of what I had been through. But the confusion in my mind was worse. I didn’t know where I was, or how I had gotten here. The hospital.The smell of antiseptic, the steady beeping of machines—it was unmistakable. I was in a hospital bed, covered in bandages, weak and barely able to move. I tried to piece together how I’d ended up here. The last thing I remembered was Viktor, his cold, merciless eyes glaring down at me as his men... My stomach twisted at the memory. The torture, the pain. It was all too vivid, too raw.How did I survive?I shifted slightly, wincing as the pain flared across my ribs. That’s when I noticed Mia, fast asleep in the chair beside me, her head resting awkwardly on the armrest. She looked exhausted, her hair messy, dark circles under her eyes. “Mia?” My voice came out hoarse, barely
Williams POV.The world outside the ambulance blurred as we sped toward the hospital. My heart was pounding, faster than it ever had before. Mia sat across from me, her eyes wide and focused on Allison’s frail form, but all I could do was hold her hand, feeling the warmth slowly fade from her skin.“Allison, hold on,” I whispered, more to myself than to her. Her chest barely moved, her breaths shallow and ragged. I gripped her hand tighter, my throat burning. I was losing her.Mia’s voice cut through the suffocating silence, soft but steady. “She’s strong, Williams. She’ll pull through.”I didn’t answer. The weight of everything bore down on me like a heavy stone pressing against my chest. Her bruised face was a reminder of what they had done. Of what I couldn’t protect her from. Every bump in the road felt like a countdown.As we reached the hospital, paramedics rushed to pull her stretcher out, shouting medical jargon I couldn’t understand. My legs felt weak as I at my side, but my
Williams POV.The smell of blood and gunpowder filled the air. The gunfire was deafening, bullets ricocheting off the metal walls of the factory. I could barely hear Viktoh shouting orders to the team, but my eyes were locked on one thing. Her.Allison.She was barely seen through the smoke and chaos, slumped in a chair in the middle of the room, her body bound and battered. Blood stained her clothes, her face was swollen and bruised beyond recognition. It was as if someone had taken all the light out of her. My heart stopped.Viktor Romanov and his men were hunkered down, exchanging fire with Edward and the rest of the team. Edward was pushing forward with calculated aggression, taking out one of Viktor’s men before he had a chance to reload. Viktoh's men moved in, flanking the room, trapping Viktor’s crew.“Take them down!” Viktoh shouted, his voice cutting through the noise.Romanov’s eyes flicked to me for just a second, a twisted smile playing on his lips. He knew what he had don
Williams POV.Five days. Five long, agonizing days since Allison disappeared. And now, I was standing in warehouse next to the one man I despised more than anything—Edward Blackwood. The fact that I even agreed to work with him felt like a betrayal of my own pride, but this was about Allison, not me. I reminded myself of that, over and over.Allison.She was out there, somewhere, in Viktor Romanov’s hands. And if anyone could survive what that monster was capable of, it was her. She was a fighter. I knew it. But as each day passed, doubt began to creep into my mind.I looked at Edward out of the corner of my eye. His jaw was clenched so tight, I could see the muscles twitching in his face. The man was a damn brute, always had been. But there was no denying he was useful in moments like these. He didn’t just sit back and wait for things to fall into place like most people. He took action, even if that action was reckless.Right now, we needed that recklessness."Tell me what you know,
Allison's POV.The pain had no beginning or end. It was everywhere, all at once. I couldn’t tell if my heart was racing or if it had stopped altogether, but I felt the rhythm of agony pulsing through every nerve in my body. My wrists were raw from the ropes that bound me, and I could feel blood pooling beneath me where the chair had already cut into my skin. I barely registered the cold, metallic floor beneath me anymore; all I could feel was the endless, burning pain.Viktor’s shadow was over me, the twisted grin on his face searing itself into my memory. He wasn’t done. I knew it. He was just getting started. Every time I thought I couldn’t take more, he found a new way to make me suffer."Bring her back," he commanded, his voice sharp and cruel. He gestured to one of his men with a flick of his wrist. "I want to hear her scream."A ragged breath left my lips, a pitiful sound I hated myself for making. I tried to prepare myself, tried to push the pain away, but when I saw what the m