I've been having a hard time with Brad.At first, I thought he was unusually calm for a boy who just found out his mother had died. It was unnatural, and deep down I hoped that he'd react more. Cry, anything. Because in that way, I'd know that he understood the gravity of the situation, and he'd heal over time.But this.He's been screaming non-stop in his sleep. It's heartbreaking. This happens whenever he closes his eyes. If he goes to sleep, he'll be screaming in the next thirty minutes. I'll wake him up and he'll stiffly lie on my lap for a while, trying to catch his breath. The bedsheets are soaked with his sweat, and Theo had some men bring tons and tons of clothes for him.Yes, we've come to an agreement on one thing; we're both looking out for Brad. There's not much she can do since she's in a cast, but she helps in every way she can. He wakes up terrified, with bulging eyes and a shaking frame. I'm desperate. I don't know what to do, and I'm worried that it'll have an impact
Hugh Vaughan is here, too.Now this is something he wasn't expecting. A man of his calibre involved with petty criminals? Everyone's a criminal, it seems. Aren't there any honest people left in the world?This is why the world is the way it is.The meeting is about to start and Elizabeth is running late. She'll be representing Eduardo, which is the only reason why they're waiting. It's stuffy in here and he can't fucking breathe. He has another sip of his drink and put the glass down on the table. Everyone's giving him a weird look and it isn't hard to imagine why; they don't know him. They've never heard of him. If Elizabeth hadn't vouched for him, he'd be dead. He's had enough of this, he wants his freedom back. If Amelia will have to pay the price for that, then so be it. He's done protecting her. Let Damien protect her, if he's man enough.Sebastian Brown hasn't taken his eyes off him since he arrived. Devon can't help but wonder why. They've never met before. Devon knows all abou
"You went to see her, didn't you?"That's the first thing Ethan says to him when he walks inside the small apartment. He briefly wonders if Theo ran her mouth, but he doubts that. She wouldn't want them to get into another disagreement. He's just guessing."No," he says. "I wouldn't dream of doing that. Safety first, isn't that what we agreed upon?"He shakes his head. "You're full of shit. Fine, I'll act like I believe you. It'll spare me from having a fucking heart attack. You're an adult, you know the risks. If anything happens, it's on you.""Nothing is going to happen," he assures him. "I've got this under control. Besides, in a few days this will all be over. When we kill Eduardo, they'll abandon their ridiculous plan of wanting to get us killed. We'll get Sebastian after we're done with Eduardo.""Don't count on it too much," Ethan says, lighting a cigarette. "I know how you are. You get overly confident and then the worst happens."Damien watches him as he lights a cigarette o
It's been two days since I last saw Damien.It's strange how weird it feels to be apart from him. I've never felt his absence before, not like this. Something has changed, especially in the way I feel about him. I miss him. I woke up today and couldn't stop thinking about him, from the day we first met to the last time we saw each other, which was right in this living room. I can't stop fantasizing about his kisses and his magical touch, the way I melt when he's near. I can't breathe when he's around. A powerful emotion takes hold of me and only releases me when he's gone.I wonder if he thinks about me like this, too.I wonder if he feels the same way I do.I don't know why I'm thinking this way. Maybe it has to do with the dream I had last night. He was in my room. I couldn't see him, but I knew it was him. I felt his hands on my body, undressing me. He closed his mouth around my nipple and sucked gently in the way he always does. I kissed him with want and need, and an ardor that b
Earlier that day...Devon pops the suitcase open and stares at the stacks and stacks of cash.Fuck. This is what he's been waiting for his whole life. He always had a feeling that he'd put his hands on money like this. He's suffered enough. He can't believe he nearly passed this opportunity up simply because he was trying to the nice guy. Being nice never got anyone anything, that's for sure. He's got the proof of that now."Is it all there?" Elizabeth asks.He's not going to count in front of her. He'll never finish in time. If there's anything missing, he's going to let her know when he'll receive the other half of the payment. "It's good for now."She glances at the paper in her hand, where he wrote down the address to the building. "You're sure about this, aren't you? You wouldn't lie to us.""They're there. I'm sure Theodora is hiding in there, too. He wouldn't separate them. Trust me, I know how his mind works by now." He practically lived in his ass during this past year, tryin
Sweat is trickling down the side of his head.He's never been this nervous before. There's a lot that could go wrong and he's well aware of it. He's out here, exposed, and risking his life in an attempt to end this war. He can only do that by killing Eduardo Pascual.That man started all this when he decided to touch what's his, what has always been his.If Eduardo hadn't joined the Browns, this would've ended long ago. Sure, there was someone backing them up, but whoever this person is would've taken a step back when he got a hold of them and ended them. But when Eduardo hopped onto their side, everything changed. They grew fearless and bold and thought that siding against the Kellers would be beneficial to them.They were wrong.He'll see what they'll do when he sends Eduardo straight to hell. Will they continue this foolishness or will they return to their senses and act as if none of this ever happened? He knows all their names and he'll rid this city of them one by one when he's
Everything happens so quickly.All I can think when those men break into the apartment is not again. I'm getting flashbacks of when this happened at the mansion and I enter panic mode. Every muscle in my body refuses to cooperate and as a result, I'm glued to this fucking couch.Not even the thought of Brad gets me moving.They grab Theo first. She's struggling and screaming at the top of her lungs, swinging her fists and trying to defend herself in every way, but there's only so much she could do with her leg in a cast and that wheelchair. There are too many men to count in this small living room, and when I finally gather the strength to run, I'm being grabbed by two men and forced down on the couch. To my dismay, they close the door to the apartment.Theo spits at the man in front of her."Look for the kid," a feminine voice says. "He must be here somewhere."Elizabeth.She stands before us with her arms crossed over her chest and a sly smile on her lips. Theo stills for a minute.
It feels like she's been in there for hours.It can't have been that long, though. Maybe forty minutes. He wants a cigarette, but he knows that this isn't the place to break the rules. If he gets kicked out, he won't get to see her and that can't happen.Theo was shaking when he arrived. Brad was sitting on her lap, just staring at the wall. She shook her head as he approached her. He stopped right in the middle of the corridor. What's that supposed to mean?"We don't have any news yet," she said."All we know is she's alive," Ethan adds.Alive? So there was the possibility of her being dead? He wasn't told that over the phone. Were they trying to spare him, is that why he wasn't told this? He didn't have the strength to confront them. He just took a seat beside her and held his fucking breath.They've been quiet, no one has said another word. He can't even bring himself to think about the shit Elizabeth did. He's just concerned about her well-being. If he's given bad news, he doesn't
Six months have passed.They've been peaceful and for the most part, quiet. Tremendously busy, but I'm used to that part now. Working alongside Damien is the best part about it. I get to be with him all day and make sure that he isn't exerting himself. He has a lot more work now; he had to take over Ethan's duties. Theo helps, but there are certain things only Damien can handle. When Ethan was here, he took care of it, but he's been gone for half a year and there's no one capable enough to replace him. I think that deep down, Damien doesn't want anyone to take over Ethan's job, but he'll never admit it out loud. I help him whenever I can. There's a lot I still don't understand, but I'll get there.It's only a matter of time.He doesn't ever ask me to go home when there are people coming over to meet with him. We never talked about what happened with Ash, but it changed a lot of things. I gained some respect after I killed him. I see it in the way people look at me whenever we're at so
I help him peel his blazer off.This day has been mentally exhausting for him. He rarely leaves the office early, but I'm glad he did today. I'm glad, because at least we have the whole day ahead of us. It's going to be just the two of us. Theo rarely comes here, she prefers to stay in the city. It's closer to everything else. I love it here, because it feels like we're all alone in the world. I stare out the window and all I see is the vast sky, green hills, nature. I don't even see the guards surrounding the house. They're invisible to me.It's peaceful here, and breathtakingly beautiful. It's home. I understand why Damien is so attached to this place. It's not simply because he grew up here. I feel safe, here, untouchable. The first time I was here, I felt like an intruder. Our relationship was so different back then, I can't help but marvel at how everything is so different now. I never would have guessed that we'd end up here, closer than ever, madly in love. We've come a long wa
Today's an important day.I've been on edge all morning. Damien has called for a Keller family meeting. We're all going to be there, including Ethan and Penelope.He announced that there'd be a meeting only last night during dinner, and he asked Theo to give Ethan a call. I was startled by the news and so was she. He didn't tell me what he'll say to Ethan, but we can guess what it is. He wants closure. Ethan owns a third of everything, and that matter needs to be resolved. I doubt that Damien will allow him to return to the company. I just don't see it happening. Ethan himself never mentioned it to Theo, not that he'd dare to.Theo told me that he's out of the hospital. She said he hasn't left the country yet because he wants to see Damien first. Damien, however, wanted nothing to do with him until yesterday. He's asked after him, but he didn't want to see him. He's still hurt by what Ethan did to us, his betrayal is a wound that will never quite heal for him. And if it ever does, it'
I'm afraid of opening the door.I've been standing here for a full minute with my heart in my throat. My hand is on the knob, ready. I can't bring myself to turn it, though, simply because I know that Damien's on the other side. There's a lot we need to talk about, so much in fact that I wouldn't know where to start.I hold my breath and close my eyes. I've been standing out here for too long. I remind myself that he's my husband, he's the man I love, and we'll get through this. We'd get through anything together. I've been in a far worse position before. This time, I was actually focusing on the well-being of our family.I open the door slowly.Only the bedside lamp is on. I see him right away; he's seated on the couch across his bed. He's staring out the window with a distant look in his eyes. I take a few steps towards him, my eyes on his handsome face. My heart's thumping against my chest. I'm overcome with emotion, but I put a hamper on them for now. He's a little pale, I notice
Amelia's going to hate him for this, but that's okay, because he doesn't plan on ever seeing her again.He means it this time. He's done with this shit. He had his chance, he fucked it up a hundred years ago. It's time to get over it. If there was ever a part of him that thought he'd get a chance with her, that part of him died a while back. She loves Damien Keller. He lost her a long time ago. That doesn't necessarily mean that he's content with the outcome, but he'll admit defeat. Staying here is slowly killing him.She's going to be alright. Leaving her back there was a dick move, sure, but he stands by what he said to her; when everyone finds out that she did it, there will be no revenge. He helped her along the way, but no one needs to know that. The Huntingtons won't dream of touching her, especially when the truth about Damien comes out. It would be an entirely different story with him.He glances at his watch. Five more minutes in there and he'd miss his flight. He can't miss
I've never been so glad to see him in all my life."Devon," I say, the word a gasp. "How did you—"He doesn't let me finish. "Did he hurt you? Are you hurt?"I shake my head. "No, but how did you—""I'll explain later," he assures me. "Right now, we've got to get this asshole tied to that chair. Quickly, before he wakes up. Bring that chair over there. I have rope under the bed."I grab it and Devon grabs a duffel bag from under the bed. He opens it and fishes out rope and a couple of knives. He's been lying under the bed the entire time. It's clear that he planned this thoroughly.He didn't abandon me. He said he'd help me kill Ash and here he is. I tell him, "I thought you weren't going to show up. I thought you tricked me.""I don't blame you for assuming the worst," he says, looking up at me. His eyes are glinting with mischief and something else, something I won't dare name. He points at my gun. "You know how to use that thing?"I stare at it. "Yes."He's watching me intently. "A
It's quarter to midnight.The clock is ticking and my heart is racing. I'm ready, my small gun is hidden in my underwear. I've made sure to wear an extra tight pair just for the occasion. The dress is scarlet and flowy, perfect for tonight.I'm waiting for him in the lobby. This time, I'm early. It makes me feel more in control of the situation even though that's far from the truth. I take a small sip of champagne and look back at the entrance. My heart's in my throat, making it hard for me to breathe. I have to remain cool, though. There's a lot at stake.Everything depends on this."Anything else?" the bartender asks me while pouring someone else a drink. I shake my head, I can't even speak at a time like this.I'm taking another sip of champagne when I finally spot him. There are two men walking behind him. He's saying something to them as he looks around. For me, no doubt. I fix my gaze on him and hold my breath as I wait for him to see me. He doesn't, which is fairly disappointin
"Leave," Damien says to the nurse. She scurries out of the room as soon as he mutters the word.He's in a terrible mood and he doesn't want anyone around him. He has finally moved from that awful, desolate place and he's home. He made sure that they didn't change any decorations. They lost a lot of antiques and furniture that was in their family for decades, but he's made sure that everything else remained the same. He's sure that he'll recover in no time here, he already feels better. He's not in bed, he's sitting on the sofa beside his bed. He's supposed to be resting, but he's done enough of that.He can't sleep when he's worried sick about Amelia.The fact that no one gives him any news is a bad sign as it is. They're hiding something from him, he can feel it. The last time he spoke to her, she told him that she wasn't going to turn back, that she'd go ahead with the plan. He has no idea of what her plan might be, but he knows it won't be anything he'll agree with. He wonders if p
I can't stop chewing my thumbnail.I force myself to put my hand down. I'm in agony; I don't know what to do and I'm running out of time. I'm supposed to be meeting Ash tonight. This was supposed to end it all, according to Devon, but he let Ethan go so what happens now? The only reason why I'm agreeing to everything is because of him. It isn't, but that's what Ash thinks. Am I still expected to show up? Why would he do this?I can't figure it out.I wish I had a way of contacting Devon to let him know that everything went to shit, but I don't have his number. I don't know where he's currently residing. I don't think I'll be seeing him anytime soon; tonight, maybe but not earlier. In the meantime, what do I do? I can't ask anyone's advice. My family is against me entirely. Theo probably thinks that our negotiations with Ash have come to an abrupt end, but she doesn't know half of it. I'm planning on killing him once and for all, I made a promise to myself that I would.For Damien.I h