Prologue

Zara Howard

It all happened so quickly, anyone could barely process how our living room turned into a gangster scene from a movie. 

A drunkard gambler who borrowed too much money from the Mafia and had nothing to offer except for empty promises when it was pay up time. 

Only difference was this time the drunkard was my stepfather, Chad Hudson and the Mafia was Asher Lancaster, the powerful mob boss, who brought with him 6-7 terrifying armed men. 

My mother was tightly gripping onto my arm as she tried to drag me and my older sister, Scarlett farther away from them. My eyes, however, were fixated on the scene unfolding right in front of me.

My stepfather on his knees begging for more time, claiming that he would definitely pay up the next time, even though we all knew that even if he worked his ass off for a lifetime, he wouldn’t be able pay off his debt. 

Asher had made himself comfortable on one of the chairs. He was wearing a white button-up shirt, making faint outlines of his tattoos underneath visible. Few loose strands of hair were falling in front of his intimidating but beautiful dark green eyes.

“Hudson, it’s high time you pay up, this is your 3rd warning and my patience is running a little thin with you.” Asher spoke as he looked at his gun like it’s the most interesting thing in the world. 

His voice sent chills down my spine. I gulped as I tried to stay as motionless as possible. I heard sniffles of my mother and Scarlett but I knew sympathy isn’t exactly in the mafia cards. 

My stepfather realized begging for more time wasn’t going to work this time. He hurriedly got up on his knees alerting the gang men, causing them to point their guns right at him.

“I am not trying to run. I have something to offer, Mr. Lancaster.” My stepfather spoke shakily. But I couldn’t tell if it was out of fear or too much alcohol. 

His words made Asher finally look up from his gun. He raised an eyebrow, silently asking what he has to offer. My stepfather rushed towards his locker and pulled out a few documents from his safe. 

“These are the property papers of this house. You can take everything you wish to and we can call it even.” My stepfather offered and I could only stare at him with disbelief. 

How selfish could a man be that he is willing to bring his family on the streets because he couldn’t put a lid on his drinking and gambling habits? 

Asher glanced between my stepfather, the property papers and our living room.

“Do you really think this dump is going to pay off even a fraction of the money you owe me?” Asher let out a dry laugh, “We are far from calling it even, Hudson.”

I saw the look on my step father’s face and I knew whatever comes out of his mouth after this wasn’t going to be pretty at all.

“You can take one of my daughters if you please.” He blurted as he pointed at me and Scarlett, making my mom’s grip our arms even tighter.

I didn’t think he would stoop so low. But again, it wasn’t very surprising because he never really treated us like his daughters. That would require him to stay sober for a day. 

“I am sure you’d love Scarlett.” He added, eyeing Scarlett up and down, “She could satisfy all your needs, whatever you’d like for her to do.” He continued as he licked his bottom lip, making no attempts to hide the lust behind his words. 

I could see Scarlett trembling, hurt and fear flashing through her eyes. Her beauty had more often than not, worked against her favour. I squeezed her hand, silently doing my best to comfort her. 

I glanced towards Asher to see what he had to say about the disgusting offer our stepfather had just made.

 To my surprise, Asher mirrored our disgust as he continued to stare at my stepfather, not even bothering to take a glimpse of Scarlett. 

“Chad Hudson making the deal of the day!” Asher’s words echoed but there was an eerie silence about them. He stood up from his chair and bent down to his level. He placed his gun under my stepfather’s chin so he could look at him dead in the eye. 

“Tell me how this works again? You borrow money way beyond your means, don’t do shit to invest it or multiply it to ensure timely repayment. Instead, you get drunk out of your mind every single day and lose the rest of the money through gambling and you expect your daughters to settle it for you? I would have at least respected you a little if you spent the money on your family and provided them with a better place to live than this trash house.” Asher said as he looked at my stepfather in utter disgust. 

Before my stepfather could even say anything to lamely defend himself, Asher spoke again, “That’s it. I am done with this pig.”

And just like that, he shot him in the head.

Screams filled the living room. I could hear my mother and Scarlett going absolutely hysterical. They were on the floor wailing, holding onto each other for dear life, unable to process anything that we just witnessed.

On the other hand, I could just stare blankly at the dead man who was nothing more than a selfish drunk gambler. I felt my throat and ears thumping as I tried my best to process everything that just happened. 

Asher glanced at my mother and Scarlett looking horrified at the scene that unfolded before their eyes. 

Sweat trickled down my spine as I saw Asher walk up to me. I gulped as he stood right in front of me. I looked up to see his devastatingly beautiful face, my body stiff, my hands balled in fists. 

He stuck out his hand to give me something, I glanced down to see him returning the property papers my selfish stepfather had offered him. But my body was too rigid to move. 

I felt his fingers lace around my wrist, making me flinch at the contact. I squeezed my eyes shut, expecting the worst.

“I believe this belongs to you.” He said as he gently placed the papers in my hands. I slowly open my eyes to meet his. He could feel his breath fanning over my face as he stood just a few inches away from me. 

“I don’t want your pity” I didn’t even recognize my own voice anymore but I continued to stare at him like a deer caught in headlights.

“I am not offering any pity. That’s none of my business. You don’t owe me anything, so I can’t take your house away from you. I don’t take things that don’t belong to me.” Asher’s stern forest green eyes pierced my fearful hazel ones. He had the most neutral unreadable expression plastered on his face, making it even harder for me to look away from him. 

“You took his life.” I blurt out as I see all eyes turn towards me. My mom squeezing my arms tightly almost as a warning.

I need to shut up.

I panic when I realize that he is trying to take the papers away, “Sorry sorry sorry.” I chant and look at him, pleading.

“You know how in a lot of horror and thriller movies, the smartass gets killed off first?” 

“Are you going to kill me?” my eyes widen as I stare at his hauntingly alluring eyes.

“No I am not a killer.”

“Again….you just killed a person.”

For fuck’s sake, Zara, please shut up.

“Well, I am not going to kill you.” He says ending the conversation, walking away.

“Thank you, your majesty.” I murmur like an idiot again.

“I am sorry, was that another smartass, sarcastic remark?” He asks as he turns around making me clutch the papers to my chest.

“No no. she is really sorry. She doesn’t mean anything.” My mom intervenes making him bow his head little at her in acknowledgment.

He took one last look at my mother and Scarlett and left.