Acker’s POV“Javier, report,” my voice was akin to steel as I talked with my one and only friend.“Relax, Acker,” Javier sounded calm and I could hear the sounds of cars passing by his location as he replied to me. “I have been keeping an eye on her since I arrived. And none of the men have seen or heard from Cross either.”I grit my teeth, squaring my jaw.That wasn’t enough.It was only last night that I got the word that Cross Serpenti was back in the US. He had hidden away and scurried from the States after his manipulative tactic to hit back at Serrano and myself using Castro. When that hadn’t worked, clearly he was back for more.The flight attendant placed the glass of wine on the table in front of me and I stared at the red fragrant liquid, decidedly angered that I had made the wrong decision.I had not even contacted Alicia after I had left, thinking it would be a distraction to me.My fingers tapped on the armrest of my chair and I turned to glance at the clouds. This high u
Alicia’s POV The professor droned on like a robot programmed to make everyone fall asleep.Looking around me I could see he had been successful.I however was paying rap attention, although I didn’t speak. I was more of a non-participant in this lecture which was on an elective I chose to take.“This fucking blows,” one student next to me whispered in the loudest voice I could adequately call a whisper. “When’s this class ends again? Has he taken attendance?”“Dunno.” The guy’s friend shrugged.I ignored the noise about me and focused on taking the meager notes that I was capable of at that moment.For most of them, being in college was a no-brainer, yet I hadn’t a chance of getting admission if I didn’t have the help of Acker and Mikael. So I wasn’t planning on slacking in any way. It was my way of proving that o belonged here no matter what anyone thought or said.Daya’s sneering face flashed in my head, and I exhaled sharply. I hadn’t been able to stop thinking about the horrible
Alicia’s POV Only after I was placed in the backseat of the getaway car watching the building of my college growing in the distance did I realize that I had been abducted again. Again.Dammit I thought. Whas my life just full of twists and turns designed to drive me mad?I couldn’t imagine that I would end up being placed in such a situation again. Except this time it was because of Acker. Acker Madden.I let out a sigh, turning to gaze at the city’s scenery as the car passed by through the window. My life has become nothing but a pawn to use at any given opportunity by enemies and friends like this was a game. How would I get out of this now of this?Would anyone come tos ave me?Acker was in Germany, last I heard, I was reminded by the memory of speaki mg with Mikael, and that led to disturbing thoughts.I was alone.Cross was right, that time he met me when I was only outo exercise.As much as I wanted to ignore the idea of being in danger or being important enough to require 24
Acker’s POVI stepped in before Mikael could pull the trigger - a task I knew for sure he would be up to. He was very much not pleased, just like I was.“Mikael.” The warning lay in my firm tone. Not commanding, but firm regardless. “Don’t kill her.”He turned to me in surprise, clearly taken aback by my words.“Oh?” He then scoffed and tilted his head in an almost mocking sort of confusion. “Don’t tell me you’re getting soft, Madden.”I cocked a brow at him and replied in the same tone as before. “Not one bit. I need her alive, Serrano. And that’s all you need to know.”He looked put out and liwlered the gun. I knew it grates in his nerves the way I had all but ordered him to drop the gun.Then I turned to the other man, blonde and looking like the picture of a disheveled mess. “But you…” I spoke again, trailing off.“Please,” the man’s voice was shaky now, chock full of nervousness. “Don’t kill me. I… I had no choice.”Choice?I wanted to laugh, but I was not in the mood for silly
Alicia’s POVNeither men answered my question as I had somehow expected. They were both similar and it made me pour at how they ignored me and ushered me into the car. Mikael went ahead and opened the car door for me and Acker was sat right beside me, while Mikael’s took a seat at my other side.As the car began to move I knew that I couldn’t stay in the oppressive silence any more“So… how was Germany?” I turned to Acker, ignoring Mikael. I still felt embarrassed at how our last phone call had gone and just because he had been a part of my rescuing didn’t change a damn thing.Acker raised a brow, looking surprised.I quickly asserted, “Mikael told me about it.”“Did he now?” His voice was just as deep and shiver inducing as usual and I flushed when I felt eyes biting into the back of my skull.“Wonderful Tesoro,” Mikael’s scolding was light and his voice still contained a humorous tinge to it. “Selling me out to Madden of all people?““Well. Uh…” i trailed off, spluttering and lost f
Mikael’s POV I stepped into the room, opening it as soon as I heard Alicia ask that question.I had only come upon her waking up by chance but I wasn’t going to lose the opportunity to have some time alone with her. Acker was hogging her all to himself, the bastard.“You’re in my home, Alicia,” I said as she looked at me in shock. She was half-dressed, as I had the one of the maids change her into a comfortable silk gown. Some hours ago Acker had taken one look at the gown and asked me how the hell I had a gown just sitting in my home.The memory made my lips quirk up into a smile and I stared unabashedly at the straps of the blue satin gown that fell over her shoulders, and exposed more of her cleavage.She hadn’t realized yet.“M-Mikael-“ She finally got her voice to work but before she could continue I raised my hand and she stopped immediately. I turned to Anton, the son of my former butler and gave him a meaningful look of dismissal. He got the gist immediately and bowed to me,
Acker’s POVI finished the call and returned to the Serrano’s house, and just as I walked into the foyer, his young butler, Anton, came in through the other entrance and he bowed to me.Hearing that Mikael had asked me to take charge of Alicia was a surprise; the blonde man always showed signs of jealousy and while it irked me, it was predictable. This wasn’t.I brushed aside the questions arising ib my mind and quoted for Alicia to arrive. And so, she did, and when I saw her downcast expression in her pretty face, I knew something was up.“Darling,” I stood eyeing her from top to bottom. She was still wearing that gown that Mikael had the maid dress ber up in and I had to admit, it looked fetching on her. She wore a coat over it as well, and the butler carried a small bag of what I assumed to be her clothes. “Are you alright?” I asked her, trying to gauge how clouded her mind might be.To my surprise she reached for me and put her arms around my torso, pressing her face into my chest
Alicia’s POVAfter I had begun to get dressed from the quick shower, I began to question myself. Had I really just invited Acker to have dinner with me?My face was red, and I knew it as I muttered words of encouragement to myself. I slid the straps of the shimmery knee length chiffon gown over my shoulders. I had forgone wearing a bra, because of comfort, and now I was questioning it. I was questioning everything.I knew I was doing this primarily to try and forget how badly Mikael’s words and actions had hurt me. I was using Acker in a way… but was it so bad?I left the bedroom after what felt like an hour had passed, but in rral it y it was only about 20 minutes.Acker looked towards me from where he stood and I could see his expression shift. It enticed me, thrilled me to have his attention, and the show of approval in his eyes was intoxicating.I smiled at him, trying to not show how affected I was by him.“Dinner’s ready, I think,” my voice was a low murmur and I reached for his
Dante’s POV Two years later: Dad Mik always had the best stuff. I heard the signal from his fingers. The click. And Ash and I immediately closed our ears. The sound of a loud boom reverberated in the air and the field suddenly burst into chaos. It was glorious to watch. The bomb decimated everything it had been wrapped about. So cool, I Wanted to scream at the top of my lungs. But Dad Mik had said we should be quiet or else Mom would– “MIKAEL SERRANO‼” I Swallowed. Mom’s screech sounded like trouble. I was glad it wasn’t me and Ash and I exchanged glances to commiserate with each other. Dad Mik looked a little pale but he smirked a little as Mom came barely a second later. She turned round the corner and advanced on us as we stood at the edge of the large field next to the garden. We rushed to stand and dust their hands and clothes, looking innocent as Mom strided as gently as she could with a full and round belly. I really wasn't sure about how pregnancies work, but
Alicia’s POVThe knocking didn’t stop. My head pounded from the force of it. I stumbled to the door, bleary-eyed from lack of sleep. I opened the door to find Andy, her face etched with worry, holding a sleeping Bella. Magda followed close behind, her expression stern."What were you thinking, Alicia?" Andy demanded, her voice low but firm. "Leaving the house again in the middle of the night?"I rubbed my eyes, trying to shake off the sleep. "What are you talking about?"Magda's voice was sharp. "Do you know you nearly caused chaos this morning? Mikael nearly ran mad searching for you. Acker had to calm him down. And they nearly fought."My heart sank. I had no idea Mikael had been searching for me. "I...I just needed some air," I stammered.The guilt pricked at the edges of my consciousness again. This time I had caused more trouble just by leaving. I was foolish. I lowered my gaze in remorse.Andy's expression softened slightly. "Alicia, you can't just disappear in the middle of th
Alicia’s POVI woke up with a start, my heart racing and my sheets drenched in sweat. The maid's gentle voice and concerned expression only added to my distress. But it wasn't just the nightmare that had left me shaken - it was the crushing weight of my own guilt.As I lay there, trying to catch my breath, I couldn't shake the image of Cleo's face, twisted in a cruel grin, and Cross's gleaming green eyes. My nightmares were haunting. They taunted me with the reminders of the mistakes I’d made. My own oversights were massive.But it was my own actions that haunted me. I had tried to kill Acker and Mikael, the two men I loved. The thought sent a wave of self-loathing crashing over me.How could I have been so blind? So wrong? The guilt was suffocating, making it hard to breathe. I felt like I was drowning in my own shame. I thought about all the times I had pushed Acker and Mikael away, all the times I had doubted their love for me. And for what? Because of a misguided desire for reveng
Acker’s POV This was unexpected. I exchanged a glance with Serrano after seeing Cleo Abrams breathe her last breath. The syringe in my hand was empty and I dropped it on the ground where it lay to rest beside the pale corpse of the woman who had sought to use it at her weapon and had inevitably ended up dead by it. "How is she?" The words left my lips without preamble as I gazed at Alicia’s shivering form wrapped in the Italian Don’s arms. A part of me stirred with jealousy at the sight but I let it go. She belonged to him as much as she did to me. "Asleep for now. Or rather unconscious. She’s quite the dramatic one isn’t she? Cried herself to sleep just like that," Serrano tutted as though he was angry with her but in fact I could tell the relief in his face. I felt the same way too. In the end we had somehow neglected her. Of course it was just a stroke of luck that we figured out who it was at the last minute that had caused such troubles on our lives. It started aft
Cleo’s POVI had always been a survivor.From the first time I knew what death was, I had always been a survivor.An orphan girl, with no one to depend on but herself.I knew my skills long before I could understand them; my beauty was a privilege I welcomed.It helped me get away with things when I was younger and I learnt that a smile and little tilt of my head would help whenever one of the other kids accused me of stealing their belongings. None of the stupid nuns cared that I was never doing chores on time because I’d act so innocent and my cherubic expression gave me a fucking sweet pass.The attention always made me feel powerful and the way I got away with so much made the other kids either fear me or want to be my friends so they could benefit from it.As I got older I began to notice how much stares the boys would give me more than the other girls. Even the adult men weren’t far from trying to act like they were vying for my attention. And so I discovered another use for my
Alicia’s POVI stared out the window, my eyes tracing the outline of the trees as they swayed gently in the breeze. It was my birthday, a day that should have been filled with joy and celebration. Instead, I was trapped in this prison, a captive of the two men I had once loved.The sound of the door opening broke the silence, and I turned to see Andy walking in, a bright smile on her face. But it was what she was holding that really caught my attention - baby Bella. I felt a surge of emotion as Andy handed her over to me, and I held her close, feeling a sense of peace wash over me.Bella peered up at me curiously, her big eyes sparkling with innocence. I felt a pang of guilt for putting her in this situation, for bringing her into a world filled with danger and uncertainty. Perhaps I wasn’t the best one to take care of her. Perhaps I should have given her to a loving family."Thank you for taking care of her," I said to Andy, my voice awkward with emotion.Andy's expression softened,
Mikael’s POVShe was different. She looked like a wounded animal. My left grasped Dante’s shoulder gently. It was an assurance that our sons had returned to us. And a promise that this wasn’t for nothing.Madden at the very least was able to contain his emotions unlike myself. His voice came out like a crack of a whip. “Take her to her room. There won’t be any chance of her escaping, do you understand?”“Yes Don.” The men chorused.Yet I didn’t feel sane. I felt like I wanted to kill something. I felt like I wanted answers.…The sound of the clock ticking grounded me from spiraling in the study. I listened while seething with anger as Magda and Javier delivered their report.Bella, the newborn baby that had been caught along with Alicia and our boys, was Cross' and Zendaya's child. And to make matters worse, Alicia had already obtained a birth certificate that stated she had adopted the baby.That baby was currently in the care of a bewildered Andy who was mourning her friend’s acti
Alicia’s POVI crept out of my motel room, my heart racing with every creak of the floor. In a few short hours paranoia had become my constant companion, and I couldn't shake the feeling that I was being watched. I just needed to grab some snacks from the store next door, but even that simple task felt like a risk.As I browsed the aisles, my eyes wandered to the TV playing in the corner of the store. The news anchor's voice was a distant hum until I saw the footage of the warehouse explosion. It was on the news.My breath caught in my throat as I watched Cross Serpenti's face flash across the screen. His death was confirmed and the news anchor continued with stating all the known crimes the Serpenti Mafia had committed. He deserved to die and that was certain.The cashier's muttered comment about "those mob people" and how easy it must be to have their kind of money barely registered. My mind was reeling with the implications of what I'd just seen. Acker and Mikael were still alive.
Acker’s POVToday had not gone as fucking expected.I tried to hold back all the thoughts swirling in my head as we left the police officers and flashing sirens behind.It appeared to be a terrible dream. But it wasn’t over yet.The scent of burning and flames was in the air still. I must have inhaled a lot of smoke in there, I thought with disgruntlement as I gave the orders for us to return. My throat hurt badly enough that speaking was a chore I didn’t feel the need to indulge in. Serrano sat silently beside me and I knew it had to do with none other than her. Our woman. And supposedly the one that betrayed us.His hands gripped the phone that Cross had thrown at us tightly. That the Serpenti Don was dead finally was good. We had watched his… body, for lack of a better word, being carried out. He was charred beyond repair. Not even a lick of unburnt flesh on him and he had died in pieces, the explosion tearing him into chunks that had to be pieced together.It had been by the skin