I slipped the cab driver some money. "Thanks," I said, my voice hoarse from last night's events. I had drunk most of the bottle of wine myself and finished off my rainy-day vodka, which helped me loosen up."Take care, ma'am," he called back as I shimmied off the cab seat. My heels hit the sidewalk with a loud click. I felt like a stranger in my own body as I walked toward the house.I pressed the button on the intercom at the gate, and it immediately began to open. As I walked up the driveway, the hair on my body stood up in anticipation. I looked up and saw a camera peeking at me.I knew the predators were watching.The contract to work for Constantine was straightforward. I would receive a salary of fifty thousand dollars a month, half of which would be deducted to pay for the damages I caused to his one-of-a-kind Lamborghini.It was outrageous to think my life—and my family's—were at risk over a car, that I couldn’t even appreciate the remaining twenty-five thousand I'd be gaining
“So, do you have everything you need?” I asked Evan as we walked hand in hand to his departing gate. “Everything except you,” he said, pulling me close. His hands rested on my waist as he stared lovingly into my eyes. “I wish you were coming with me. I can’t wait to be married to you and for our honeymoon—two weeks in Huawei,” he groaned with pleasure. “And the fact that we haven’t… you know, ever since you suggested we take a break form that so it would be special on our wedding night,” he cleared his throat. I felt my cheeks flush. Evan was my first and longest relationship. My art had always consumed most of my time, leaving little room for anything else until my career refused to bloom from anything beyond the street. “Me too…” My voice trailed off as I pressed a gentle kiss to his lips.The thought of moving to Los Angeles if he got the job there was both daunting and intriguing. The idea of never having to live in the same city as Constantine again was incredibly appealing. I
I pulled up to Constantine’s club and stepped inside, immediately regretting it. My eyes scanned the room for him and there he was, getting a lap dance from a stripper— I assumed— dressed in a glittery two-piece. “Oh, Rosana,” he chirped, smacking her butt. As I approached them I wanted to gag. The air reeked of cheap perfume and sweat, blending with the stale stench of spilt liquor pooling on the sticky floor. The place was a wreck, and I could already feel the need to tack on an extra minute to every shower I’d take this week just for standing in this filthy, poorly lit- pit.“Let’s go,” I snapped, grabbing Constantine by the arm.“April!” he cheered, completely oblivious. “Come sit down! This is Ginger.” He pulled me in the seat next to him and I felt like I'd need a couple of shots after this. “I thought her name was Rosana,” I muttered, rolling my eyes.“They all look the same after a few shots.”I glanced at the stripper. “Nice to meet you, Ginger.” Then I turned back to him.
I woke up late after spending the night putting Constantine to bed. I missed Sunday lunch with Evan’s and my parents because I overslept, and I felt like crap.Sprawled on my couch with one foot hanging off the edge, I was multitasking—texting Evan and researching the Leoné family.I needed to understand exactly what I was up against. Pretending like everything was normal wouldn't help me get through this. There was clearly something darker and more sinister about this family, and they hid it well.I stumbled upon an article titled, "The Three C’s, or Should They Be Called the Brothers of Chaos Instead?"Scrolling down, I saw a photo of Constantine, his brother Cavalon, and the enigmatic gentleman I met on my second day—Carlisle. He was the second oldest, and he hadn’t mentioned they were brothers.The handle on my apartment door turned, jolting me upright. “April,” Rain called out.I dragged myself off the couch and opened the door. “What happened today?” she asked, stepping inside.
"Are you going to sulk all night?" Constantine exhaled in frustration. I wasn’t sulking, per se, but I had nothing good to say, so I decided to stay quiet.It was hard not to speak my mind, especially hard to hold my temper. "I was forced out of my home," I muttered, still staring out the car window."It’s not like you had anything better to do," he said, causing my blood to boil."Mmm," I gritted out."Crying over your lover and stuffing your face with junk food. What a waste of an evening." I glared at his stupid face as he stopped the car and a valet swiftly took the keys. Another opened the door for me, and I stepped out into the cool evening air, taking in the glitz and glamour. The people, the cars, and the venue were illuminated in light.This wasn’t how I pictured my Sunday afternoon going.“So, what’s this event about?” I asked.“A private auction. All proceeds go to charity… or so they say,” he smirked darkly.“And what if it actually does go to charity?”Constantine loop
My eyes struggled to adjust to the blinding white light. I tried to move my hand to shield some of it, but my wrist was restrained. As my vision cleared, I realized I was sitting across from Mr. Chen at a cold, metallic desk. My hands were bound tightly, and panic began to settle in."Mr. Chen?" My voice wavered. What the hell was going on?"I do apologize that you’ve been caught up in this," he said, casually placing a knife on the table in front of me, its blade glinting under the light."Wrapped up in what?" I asked groggily, my head still swimming."Don’t play games with me." His voice hardened as he stood, his dark eyes narrowing. "I want to know everything about the spyware C-Tech is developing.""I honestly don’t know what you're talking about," I said, my voice shaky but sincere."Who is developing the software? Who are the lead engineers?" His voice grew more demanding as he leaned in closer, towering over me."I’ve only been there for a week," I blurted out. "I swear, I don’
I walked into my apartment, and Constantine followed behind. He closed the door softly. "April—" he began, but I ignored him, heading straight to the bathroom and slamming the door shut. I pulled off the dress and threw it in the hamper. I'm never wearing that again. I stepped into the shower, the hot water cascading over my frozen bones, but I was too tense to enjoy it. I needed a few minutes to get my thoughts in order before I confronted him, or else I knew with my temper and his, it would lead to a screaming match. As I screwed my eyes shut, trying to relax, the events of the past week flashed before my eyes—a relentless, chaotic nightmare. Rain warning me about him, Constantine threatening a man in the middle of his living room, making all those threats against me and my family, and then tonight... Who was I really dealing with? He knew too much—about me, about the people I loved. He knew how to find me tonight. I wanted not to care about who he was, but I was afraid
Constantine insisted I take the week off, and I didn’t argue. The nightmares had stopped, but the guilt? That lingered like a shadow I couldn’t shake. I thought I had processed everything, but every time I closed my eyes, the weight of it pressed down. So, I turned to painting again. It was the only thing that eased the pressure, even if just for a moment.It started simple—a three-dimensional orange from a side profile. But as if something inside me snapped, the brush began to move on its own. Before I knew it, the painting morphed into a face, sharp and unfamiliar, dark and unsettling. I’d never painted anything like it before, but I didn’t stop. I couldn’t. There was something in this darkness that drew me in, a release I didn’t understand but craved.Then, my phone rang, shattering the trance. I dropped the brush, hands trembling as I wiped them clean. "Hey, honey," Evan’s face lit up the screen."Hey," I forced a smile."Are you painting?" His voice was soft, curious."Yeah... si