Alicia’s POV“I was afraid of everything. I didn’t want my children hurt. So I hid. And I don’t regret it for one bit, Acker, because if you were in my situation you’d have done the same,” I told him. He didn’t say anything in response and I knew he wouldn’t. How could he, when he knew I was Cross’ target simply because of who my father was and how he wished to antagonize Mikael?I wasn’t such a fool to believe they would be able to protect me, even now. That was why I had to take steps myself to do so, and I would continue to do so, even now.I longed to put some distance between Acker and myself, with the tension of our conversation topic still lingering in the air.“I have to go,” i said. “The children will need certain things explained to them.”I left the living room without waiting for a reply from Acker, and went up the stairs.Mikael had the twins placed in the room across from mine which I deduced simply by following the sounds of my boy’s voices that were loudly asking the m
Acker’s POVAfter the meeting, we walked the lawyer and private investigator out to the foyer.Alicia lagged behind Mikael and I while we shook the hands of the two and they left the mansion to be escorted off the estate by Mikael’s men.“That was faster than I hoped,” I heard Don Serrano murmur and I knew he was talking about the case again. “Hopefully we can get this case dismissed in record time.”I agreed with a hum and turned to gauge how Alicia felt only to find that she had turned away from the two of us, her hands folded across her chest and her expression closed off and withdrawn.“Whatever happens all I care is about moving on from this,” she said with a sigh, and I saw the tension in her movement. She didn’t want to speak to either of us, that much I could tell.The previous conversation we had came to mind.Had I been too harsh on her then?“Don,” a maid appeared from the dining hall. “Dinner is ready.”Alicia nodded and so did I, with Mikael sighing and muttering somethin
Mikael’s POV“Oh? Do you think?” I couldn’t stop myself from asking as my chuckles faded. She appears so innocent that one wouldn’t think she was trying to keep the kids from us even when they ate dinner. “Then what was that action from you at the dinner table?”“Maybe if you hadn’t drunk four glasses of wine I wouldn’t have acted that way. You should know better, Mikael,” she turned on me, her tone firm.“Anyway,” Madden was quick to cut in as though he knew my argument with Alicia could stretch on for hours if he didn’t do anything to stop it. “That went as well as it could have.”“I think so too,” she nodded, beaming at Acker with approval. I rolled my eyes and sipped the rest of my whiskey quietly. “I want to hear what the next step is in handling Cross.”Her statement was loaded; not only because Cross was an enemy to all of us, but because of how difficult it was becoming to handle hi“Cross is slippery to catch,” I stated, dropping the crystal tumbler which was now empty with a
Alicia’s POV My dreams were peaceful, and I was fully swathed in them when I heard a buzzing fro far away. My brows furrowed, and I felt the dream world slipping away from me. When I came to, it was to the sound of my phone vibrating on the desk beside me. “Hmm,” i groaned while reaching for it and sliding the green button on my touchscreen to the right. “M’hello?” “Alicia.” It was my half-brother’s voice and I recognized it instantly. His tone made me sit up and all traces of sleep left my eyes. I noticed on the alarm clock on the bedside table that it was already 6.15am. “Jason, what’s wrong?” I asked, my mind racing. My palms got sweaty and I gripped the phone tightly. “The autopsy results came back. The ones on Dad, remember?” I remembered. “There was something they found. It’s… it’s enough to rule his death a murder.” What? My heart dropped and i gasped out loud pressing my other hand to my mouth. “Oh my gosh,” I could hardly breathe. My dad… was murdered?
Alicia’s POV I expected Mikael to continue with his words but he only turned away and was about to walk to his bedroom (i suspected) when j stopped him with a hand in his arm. “What do you mean she’s alive? And how did you find out? Where is she now?” My barrage of questioning aimed at him mirrored the deluge in my mind. I needed answers and I wanted them NOW. “Mio Dio, tesoro, you ask me when I don’t even fucking know. It was one of our men who found out. Apparently Cross had threatened her and was looking for her as well. When you turned up to the US…” he trailed off but I could read his thoughts. “He thought he could use the murder charge,” i half-whispered. “To catch her and me.” Knowing that she was a target of Cross now didn’t make me feel sorry for her; in fact it made me infuriated and more determined. After how she betrayed me, j had no sympathy for a woman like her who would do anything to come out on top. She was irredeemable in my eyes. “Fine,” I muttered more
Alicia’s POV In the end it wasn’t as difficult as I expected for it to be. We arrived at the door of the bed and breakfast and after a quick inquiry and a $100 note slipped to the receptionist, Mikael and I made our way down the corridor and to the room where they told us Daya was. Or rather, Marissa Rayne. I hoped this was not going to be another dead end. I knocked on the door and waited with baited breath. Music was playing on the other side of the door and I heard footsteps padding closer to our location. The door opened. “Hey, what’s the problem-“ She stopped and appeared frozen in her steps as Mikael wasted no time and shoved his way into the room. She yelled and wrapped her arms around her midsection which had a noticeable bulge over it. She really was alive. And- “You’re pregnant?” I couldn’t believe my eyes.“Alicia,” she looked like she had seen a ghost and shook herself. Then, all of a sudden, she fell into my else’s and began to sob. “Im so sorry! Im so sorry! Pl
Alicia’s POVIt was a knock later that day that startled me out of my gaze. I sat up slowly on the bed, as the door opened. Andy popped her head in and looked concerned for me, and my two boys rushed in and jumped on the bed, disrupting my train of morose thoughts.“Mommy! Where have you been?!” It was Dante who yelled out that question while Ashford rushed to hug me and murmured a low good morning.I had been asleep after a long night, I wanted to tell them but I knew I couldn’t. They were still kids and I was determined to preserve as much of their innocence as I could.Their fathers may be in the mafia but I certainly wasn’t going to let their lives be surrounded by gory details this early on.Communicating my gratitude to Andy with a smile and nod, I got a warm smile back from her.“Ive just been a little under the weather,” I assured the boys, while chancing a glance at the clock on then bedside table. The time read 1.24pm.It was time to get up. And time to properly think about
Alicia’s POV I waited a beat before continuing, noting the dark expression in her eyes. “I’m afraid I have no idea why you’re so combative with me, Cleo,” I sighed. “I have no intention of competing with you with regards to Acker or Mikael. They are my last and I am theirs.” “But you have the key to get them back through the twins, is that what you’re saying?” She seethed, a deadly aura about her. “You’re quite the plotter aren’t you, Alicia Stevens?” “I don’t care what you think I am but I’m going to say this once so listen carefully,” I stood, taking a step towards her. We were at the same height, and I stepped closer to her that our chests were almost touching. “Whatever problem you have with me, don’t even think about bringing it near my children. Since Mik and Acker seem to like you, I can’t stop that. But I won’t have you acting this way in front. My children, do you understand?” “Or what?” She smirked daringly, taunting in her words. “You’ll see. I’m no longer the p