MAEIs this really how I die? Is this how my life ends, cornered and helpless? Marco? Of all people, why him? What kind of ill luck do I have? And how the hell did he know I was here? He must have been watching me. He never trusts me, not even for a second. I bet he has been keeping tabs on me, waiting for me to slip up. That’s how he found me here. This is bad. Really bad. “I asked you a question.” His voice was quiet, too quiet. The kind that sent a chill down my spine. He slipped a hand into his pocket, his eyes on me. “Who were those people, and why did you come all this way to see them?” I forced a breath, trying to regain control“Just someone who came by the boutique,” I said, keeping my voice light. “He was interested in me. Asked me out. I wasn’t interested, but he’s been… persistent.” It wasn’t the best lie, but it was the only one I had. Marco’s expression didn’t change, his eyes still on me. He didn’t believe me. Not one bit. I gulped and prayed he wouldn’t p
MAE"Ye deserve to be fucked in the arse by a man who knows how to do it proper!"That was Mr Marcello. He was not only a frequenter at the strip club where I was, but my father's former 'friend'. Their friendship which was built from going to the same gambling house sadly ended when my father decided to add him to the long list of people he owed.I forced a smile and took the old man's tip off his wrinkled hands, slipping the wad of dollar notes in my little bra with my eyes focused on his reddening face which was obviously due to his arousal.He grinned, flashing the best set of pearly whites I had ever seen in my direction. Obviously fake, but still beautiful… must have cost him a lot. "Two thousand for the night." He offered.I shook my head. "I only strip, Sir, nothing else. My colleagues here can take up your offer though, if you want.""Five thousand."His hand reached upward to feel my boobs which was only covered with a small, glittery, almost non-existent bra.I slapped his
MAEFilled with fear, I quietly took a few steps back and hurriedly texted Liam on my phone.He was online, thank God, I thought as I typed out my message.ME: He's here. The Owen Powers is here, in our house. He has my dad. I think dad is owing him some money. You need to come over.How could dad be owing the most powerful businessman in Houston, literally? He owed a lot of people, granted, but how the hell did he even get the guts to add this to the list?My heart thudded in my chest as I waited for Liam to read the text, then start to reply. Dad was groaning in pain as he took every hit, but I knew I had to finish making these plans with Liam before I could even think of heading downstairs.My eyes were transfixed on the screen, so much that I had not noticed how the entire place had grown dead silent.Liam's reply popped up on my screen,LIAM: Stall them. Stay where you are. I'll try to see if I can get backup. Please, Mae, don't fuck this up. I know my colleagues will not be wil
OWENI never hesitated during a kill.This was business. It was meant to be a smooth in and out. Probably cut off some hands, some toes, an ear… some slow torture before I called it a night.Nobody told me Miguel had a daughter—a redhead, to be precise.She sat there on the dirty floor, begging for her father's life, even if we both knew that it would be a lot easier for her to just let me put him down, to make sure she would not have more debts to clear in the future.Her answer to my question was, "He cares about me. He just has a bad drinking habit, we are working on it."I scoffed, thinking hard. Her offer was sensible.After all, what would I gain by killing off her father for nothing, when I could just take his daughter for myself, have her work for me as whatever I want for free.She was making a point. Maybe Miguel could live."Get up." I ordered and she hesitated, probably thinking of telling me that she could not, because of her hurt leg, but thinking against it in the end.
MAEAfter what he had said to me, I pretended to remain calm. But the moment dad was deposited beside me, I got an idea.I could escape.There was another man in the front, seated beside the driver's seat. I heard dad mutter from beside me, "Mae, don't do anything stupid, please.."Knew me so well, and well enough to know that I would still do whatever I wanted no matter what he said. How could I still trust that this man would spare our lives after watching him kill Liam like that? Kill those men without batting an eyelash?As soon as the car slowed slightly to navigate a sharp turn, I lunged. My hands shot forward, grabbing the driver's arm and yanking it hard to the side.The car swerved violently, tires screeching as the driver yelled, "What the fuck?!" The guy beside him twisted around at once, struggling to get a hold of me."Stop the car!" I screamed, clawing at the driver's arm. He cursed, his elbow slamming into my ribs while he struggled to maintain control over the car.D
MAE"I didn't run. I mean, you guys ended up getting me back." I quickly said as soon as Isis was out of the room and Owen stood by the edge of my bed.I could tell that he rarely came here only by the way Isis acted. She looked really, really surprised to see him here.I was practically looking up to him from where I sat, and I noticed that the guards were looking at me funny. Was I supposed to stand?He was just an employer, not some sovereign Lord. So, I decided that until he personally asked be to get off the bed, I would remain in place.He said nothing about it though, just started with, "You are lucky to still be alive until now. I do not condone traitors. I was ready to kill your father before you stepped in with your promise. What makes you think you can just break it, because you want to?"I shrugged, not really having anything to say. "Words." His dark eyes pierced through mine, and I cleared my throat, answering,"I'm sorry. Also repeating that I didn't end up escaping, y
MAEI slept alone that night as Isis had gone for 'work', and the next morning, she took me to meet Scar—the woman who managed the strippers and also doubled as the head of the salon and boutique. The ground floor in total."There she is! Thank God, I did not want to go all the way to her office, even if you would have to go there anyway. I have to go back to the room to get some sleep." She said, taking a few steps back, and then forward when I did not let her go.But then the moment my eyes landed on Scar properly, I walked towards her, damning the consequences. Though mg legs were a bit shaky as I walked. Anyone's legs would be too in that moment.This woman was an epitome of beauty. She had my shade of green eyes, which was actually very rare, and she had the sexiest body. Her tits were probably too firm to be real, but they were beautiful nonetheless.Scar looked like a doll, with her coffee brown hair and green eyes, and a doe eye-shape. She looked absolutely irresistible and I
OWEN"What does he offer in return?" I asked, pudding a large balm of smoke from my lips.Marco replied, "A few more ghost workers were added to our list, and ten million dollars."I thought about it. He wanted my best snipers to track down a man who had posted online that he was the minister's competition and would be contesting right after he stepped down.The minister did not like competition, and so he wanted him gone. Well, both men were criminals so I had no problem agreeing. It was not like the person he asked us to take down was a saint."Do we go for it, Boss?" He asked me, and I nodded."Go for it, Marco. Pay the returns into the usual account when you are done.""Alright boss." And then he spun around and walked off.I stayed in my office, doing nothing for the first few minutes before deciding to check the surveillance cameras to see the people who had graced the club tonight.I looked through the clips, through different cameras, and I noticed that there was someone I d
MAEIs this really how I die? Is this how my life ends, cornered and helpless? Marco? Of all people, why him? What kind of ill luck do I have? And how the hell did he know I was here? He must have been watching me. He never trusts me, not even for a second. I bet he has been keeping tabs on me, waiting for me to slip up. That’s how he found me here. This is bad. Really bad. “I asked you a question.” His voice was quiet, too quiet. The kind that sent a chill down my spine. He slipped a hand into his pocket, his eyes on me. “Who were those people, and why did you come all this way to see them?” I forced a breath, trying to regain control“Just someone who came by the boutique,” I said, keeping my voice light. “He was interested in me. Asked me out. I wasn’t interested, but he’s been… persistent.” It wasn’t the best lie, but it was the only one I had. Marco’s expression didn’t change, his eyes still on me. He didn’t believe me. Not one bit. I gulped and prayed he wouldn’t p
MAE“It is not exactly easy doing what you want, but at least I am working on it,” I muttered into my phone, tucked away in a quiet corner I was sure had no CCTV. My eyes flicked back every few seconds, making sure no one was coming. “All you have to do is plant the devices we gave you in his bedroom and office. That shouldn’t be too difficult, should it?” Mike—Joan Castellanos’ assistant replied, his voice as cool and emotionless as ever. I ran a hand through my hair, exhaling . “If I don’t do this carefully, I could get caught. And if I get caught, I am as good as dead.” I paused, letting that sink in before adding, “Right now, I am the only weapon you guys have against Owen. I don’t think you want to lose that.” There was silence on the other end before Mike finally spoke. “Mr. Castellanos wants to see you tonight. We will send you the address.” Then the line went dead. No chance to argue. No room for negotiation. I let out a slow breath, gripping my phone tighter. Bug
MAEThe silence between us was heavy. Owen leaned back against the couch, his sharp gaze locked onto me as I paced the room, my thoughts tangled into knots. I could still feel the weight of their stares—the shock, the unspoken judgment. Ashtex’s words replayed in my head like a haunting echo. ‘When you’re done with her, you should pass her over to me.’I swallowed hard, wrapping my arms around myself. “They don’t like me,” I said finally, breaking the quiet. Owen’s jaw tightened. “They don’t know you.” “They don’t want know me.” I turned to face him, meeting his gaze head-on. “Owen, I saw it in their eyes. They think I make you weak.” His brows drew together, his expression darkening. “I don’t give a damn what they think.” “But you should.” I took a step closer, hesitating before reaching out and touching his hand. His fingers twitched but didn’t pull away. “You’ve fought too hard for your place. You just came back, and they’re already questioning things. If they see you
OWENAre you sure you’re searching right? Because there’s no way he just disappeared into thin air.” I said to Marco, raising an eyebrow as I watched him puff on his cigarette. He didn’t answer, his eyes showing he was in deep thought as the smoke curled around his face.“Funny, isn’t it?” Marco finally spoke, his voice low, almost thoughtful. “Somehow beat five of our men and escaped. I gotta admit, the little fucker’s actually strong, considering we had him beat to a pulp before his escape.”I rubbed my chin, trying to piece together what had just happened. It didn’t add up. But then Marco’s eyes narrowed, and he started staring at me like I was the one hiding something.“What?” I asked, confusion in my voice as I raised an eyebrow, noticing the way he was studying me.He didn’t answer immediately. Another drag of his cigarette. Then, he tossed out the question with a casual shrug. “You pretty sure you didn’t let him go to please your little girlfriend?”I froze. Surprised by his a
OWENMy men were back. They filed into Casa Eleganza like the victors they were, and I could see the easy smiles on their faces, an evidence that they had recovered from those killer drugs, even if not completely, but at least they had done a good enough job.Dave was the first to step in, his sharp blue eyes scanning the room like he was assessing a battlefield. He didn’t look much different, but there was something in the way he held himself—much like he wasn’t carrying as many ghosts as before. Grey entered next, his cigar lodged between his lips, and he was actually smiling, his eyes assessing the ladies in particular.Then there was Ashtex, my best sniper, the man who had held my empire together while I was gone. He smirked when he saw me, like he knew exactly what kind of chaos was about to unfold now that we were back. “The clan is back,” Ashtex said, his voice edged with something between excitement and nostalgia. “The top made men—the deadly three. Even your best sniper is
OWENI don’t know where Mae suddenly found this confidence, but I wasn’t about to complain. Without breaking our kiss, I guided her backward toward the bed, flipping her over with ease so she lay beneath me.She trembled beneath my touch, her breath hitching, her body pliant but still radiating the tiniest hint of resistance. I almost smirked. I hadn’t even started yet.Her wide eyes searched mine, hesitation flickering in their depths, but it was layered with something else. Need. Desire.“You’re shaking, kitten,” I murmured, dragging my fingers down her arm, leaving goosebumps in my wake. “Scared?”Mae swallowed hard. “No.”Liar.I reached for the clasp of her bra, undoing it with deliberate slowness. The second the fabric fell away, exposing her to my hungry gaze, she let out the softest gasp. My lips found her nipple, circling it with my tongue before sucking gently. Her back arched, a whimper escaping her lips as my fingers rolled and teased her other peak. She was already unrave
MAEI gripped the table, my fingers digging into the wood as Owen picked up the pace. His good hand held me firmly, pulling me closer with every deep, punishing thrust. My breath hitched—caught between pleasure and something else, something darker, something dangerous.“Owen…” I gasped, barely able to get the words out. He filled me so completely, so overwhelmingly, I couldn’t think beyond the sensation of him stretching me open, claiming me in ways that made my heart race.The sound of skin slapping against skin echoed through the room, the raw, primal rhythm making everything feel chaotic, out of control.Owen groaned, his grip tightening on my hips. “You feel so fucking good, Mae,” he muttered, voice rough, desperate.God, I felt the same.I tried to steady myself, but there was no slowing down. He drove into me with relentless force, each thrust sending shivers down my spine. My body burned with need, but beneath the heat, beneath the pleasure, there was something else—something I
MAE“Are you serious about that?” Owen asked, his tone suddenly changed. His eyes stayed locked on me, waiting, no, expecting me to take back my words.But I wasn’t going to.“Yes…” My voice trailed off as I said, “I know you might not want to consider the idea, but think about it. What do you have to lose?”“My freedom, that’s what.”I saw the anger flash across his face, his jaw clenched. He didn’t like my idea—not one bit—but I had to make him believe it was the right choice. The only choice.“What do you mean?” I asked, keeping my voice steady.Owen scoffed, shaking his head, but I pushed forward.“Look, I don’t mean to get involved in your business,” I continued, “but I can’t just ignore this. I am worried about you. The freaking Castellanos, Owen. Who knows what they are planning? While you are hesitating, refusing to make reliable allies for the battle ahead, they could be securing their own.”I paused, taking a slow breath before delivering the final blow.“Don Paulo is powe
MAEFuck. I somehow managed to get myself kidnapped.My head was pounding, an annoying pain that felt like someone had taken a hammer to my skull. The sting where they had jabbed a needle into my neck was still there, faint but burning like an afterthought.I forced my eyes open despite the weirdness I was feeling as I looked around the room that I was in.The room was dark, like a creepy-movie dark, with this tiny bulb barely doing its job. Shadows were everywhere, and for a second, I couldn’t even tell how big the room was.I screamed. Like, full-on screamed, my voice bouncing off the walls. “Hello? Somebody! Help!”Nothing. Just dead silence.I started yanking at the restraints, twisting my wrists and pulling as hard as I could. The ropes dug into my skin, and the chair made these loud creaking sounds, but yeah, nothing. I wasn’t getting out of this.My eyes darted around the room, looking for something sharp—anything that could cut me loose. But nope. Nothing. Just empty walls an