I step outside and close the door hurriedly behind me.I'm lightheaded. I can't quite believe that this is happening. What's my mother doing here? This is surreal. I'm speechless. I finally turn to face her and I don't know what to say. My mouth is dry, like I've swallowed sand.She says, "Hello, Amelia."I look around. If there's anyone listening, I'll have some serious explaining to do. Her tone is cold and distant, like she doesn't know me at all. I say, "I can't believe you're here.""You and your brother didn't give me a choice," she says in that strange tone. "You said you were in trouble, and I came to help you."I frown. "That doesn't explain how you found me. And oh, mom. You can't help me. No one can.""I know everything," she admits, and it's like a blow to my stomach. "Had I known what Devon's intentions were, I would've never allowed you to leave with him. But he promised to give you a good job, and we needed the money." Hearing her talk this way is odd. This tone, these
Devon needs a drink.Amelia is going to drive him insane. Literally. Her stubbornness will be the death of her. He hates it when she doesn't listen to him and she's been doing a lot of that lately. Deep down, he knows that she's in love with that Keller fuck. She's just an inexperienced girl who fell in hands of the wrong man. He introduced her to a world she didn't know existed, and now she's hooked. Wealth does that. The more you have, the more you want.Now, there's this shit with Elizabeth. He told himself that he wouldn't let her harm Amelia, but killing a Consuelos isn't easy. Pascual is her godfather, and he's bad enough. Her entire family are known psychopaths. He's surprised that Keller ended their engagement so easily, without informing her family. He's brave for that, or really stupid. In any case, he hopes they come for him. The more enemies he has, the better. The Browns already have Pascual on their side, so it's only a matter of time before the Consuelos family joins th
Damien turns his back to Amelia's ex.He recognized him immediately. He'd never forget the face of an enemy, after all. He has always and a good memory, even as a child. From the day he looked at those photographs, he kept that face engraved in his mind. Thomas disappeared after he sent him on that mission, and he'd always been trustworthy. It's either Damien had been wrong and Thomas decided to quit the job without a word, or someone got rid of him. Finding him here was not something he expected. Upon seeing him, he felt unusually calm. Back in the day, he would've pulled his gun out and shot him right there, in front of everyone. He isn't as impulsive now. He knows he'll get to him someday, and his death will be slow and torturous. Nothing infuriates him more than someone who messes with what's his, and Yara belongs to him. The mere thought of her cowering in fear before this man ignites something within him, something that has been dead for a long time. However, he will not undere
Devon just hung up the phone. I stare at the black screen, confused as ever. That was the strangest phone call I've ever gotten. Damien? Killing someone? I hadn't heard anything like that. He left after that mysterious phone call, said he'd be done for a couple of days. That was that. However, I'm concerned now. Devon wouldn't call for no reason. Something serious is happening tonight, but what could it be?I was trying to call for an Uber when Devon's call came through. Mom won't be able to take the bus home, or back to wherever she'll be staying. An Uber is much safer. I make the call and give them the address. I tuck my phone back in her my and return to the living room.She looks up. I stop in my tracks. She's aged since the last time I saw her, which was a little less than two months ago. She's disappointed in me and I don't blame her. I'm disappointed in myself, too. She did her best to convince me, but I've already made my decision a long time ago. I approach her sheepishly. A
I've bumped into a couple of passersby on my way to the coffee shop. I apologize quickly without looking back. The closer I get to it, my anxiety exacerbates. It's weighing me down, and every step I take takes effort. The sun's glare is too bright, my skin too prickly. I feel everything around me intensely. Something is off, I don't know why I didn't notice it before. I can't get the sound of his voice out of my mind. How he sounded. If it's another tactic to get me out of the city, I might just punch him. However, I have a strong feeling that it isn't. This is driving me insane, especially with everything going on with my mother. I don't even know where she is. I'm worried sick. I tried to call her on my way here, but her phone must be off. I finally cross the street. I look through the window to see if I can spot him. I can't see him right away, so he must be at our usual seat, right at the back of the room. I push the door open and the bells above jingle merrily. The sound is irr
When Daisy—she refers to herself as that whenever she's in LA; it's the nickname her husband gave her a long time ago—hears the news of her son found in the dumpster of some club in the city, she crumbles to the floor.It was her estranged husband who informed her. He came into the room she was using and told her, bluntly, that their son had been killed. Her first instinct was to throw the bedside lamp at him, but the pain crippled her. All she could do was sit on the carpeted floor and weep for her son. She had weeped for him before, when he was arrested, but at least she knew he was alive. Now, he's dead. The last time they spoke, she expressed her disappointment and oh, how she regrets that. Had she known that that would be the last time she would ever hold her son, she wouldn't have let him go.When he didn't call and didn't send word, she took matters in her own hands. She went through her husband's things, found properties that the Keller family owned, and set off. She had money
Damien wants nothing more than to have a rest and wash the last thirty-six hours off his body, but he needs to stop by the office first. He needs to ensure that everything is being taken care of, and he needs to talk to Ethan about Aaron's demise. He did everything without informing them, so he has to let them know that it's over. His father has been avenged. It's a weight off his shoulders. After that, he's taking Yara with him. He can't get her out of his mind. It's been a long time since he's been this infatuated with a woman. Scratch that. He has never been this infatuated with a woman before. When he first met Elizabeth, he was enchanted. She was young and confident, beautiful. She was off-limits at the time, Eduardo had warned him, and perhaps that's what made him chase her. It wasn't love per se, it was the thrill of the hunt; he knew that what he was doing was wrong, and yet he couldn't help himself. It's different with Yara. He isn't sure why he feels this way towards
Devon can't believe he's here.He promised himself that he wouldn't waste any more time with Elizabeth. He's grown tired of her incessant whining, which almost always amounts to nothing. All she talks about is Damien Fucking Keller, but it's nothing he's interested in.But here he is, sitting beside her at yet another expensive restaurant, and he's most probably going to be paying the bill. Richard's a nice guy, he never forgets his wallet. However, that might change. Depends on how the afternoon goes. If she keeps talking shit, he might just forget it. She ordered a Caesar salad for lunch—typical—and he's cutting into a steak. She's still talking about Damien, and he zoned out ages ago. He's worried about Amelia, all alone with that fuck. He's bugged about Aaron, too. He can't get his lifeless body in trash out of his mind. And that bloody hole in the middle of his forehead. He's seen death, he's seen gunshots, but he's never seen the body of someone he cared about. Yes, he cared. H