Mikael’s POVMio Dio, seeing her face again, even the disgruntled expression, sent me reeling with emotions I could hardly place a name to, although relief was one of them.I was still angry with her, after the revelation of the children’s existence to me, and the fact that she had LIED to me and to Madden.Still… she was still the woman I did love and I was willing to look past it, even if it would take time for my brain and body to sync up with that decision.“There has been word from Cross,” I finally said and gestured to the study. I wanted to ask her what had caused that look of annoyance on her face as she sighed. I had Cleo briefly come to the house for a debriefing. Not because she was important but because somehow I had gotten myself involved with the assassin again. She was a wily one and I was going to keep her in my sights until I was sure she wasn’t a the great.Had Alicia noticed her presence?I pushed that thought out of my mind and focused on taking her to the study an
Alicia’s POVThe study was silent.I hummed, clasping my fingers together and tried to not fidget at my spot i the couch.I had promised Mikael I would be patient and sit but that alone would not stop me from worrying.They were my children, after all.The memory of Mikael looking dashingly at me replayed in my memory.“Trust me.”Trust.I didn’t know if I could.I let out a heavy breath, my eyes flitting back to the laptop that lay open, the picture of my two boys, my world, with Andy’s torso in the frame.I reached for it and curiously clicked out of the photo to reveal…Nothing.I scowled.Was this a burner laptop?My curiosity began to burn and I wondered what exactly I would find from Mikael’s own laptop. This would be interesting and enough to distract me.I began to move the cursor over the screen and clicked on the files icon.My skills at hacking had helped me numerous times once I actually began to learn. I was a quick student, even now, and it hasn’t been hard to make a nam
Alicia’s POV“What happens next,” Acker spoke while Mikael stared at me and the twins as if we were some interesting creatures. “Is that we find a way to dismiss the charges on you.”“I see,” I hummed, and suddenly felt a tugging at my shirt which made me glance down to see the green eyes of one of my sons.“Mom, what’s going on? When can we go back home?” Dante asked, and Ashford stayed quiet but I could see him nod in agreement with his brother.The two of them were going to be the death of me.I sighed inwardly and leveled them both a calm and gentle look.“We’ll leave soon,” i promised even though deep down I felt like I had no idea where the future would lead. “How about this? You two need a bath and some rest, okay?”“That will not be a problem,” Mikael spoke, stepping forward as he clicked his fingers. A maid suddenly appeared as if out of thin air and he ordered, “Take the children upstairs, and make sure they are taken care of.”“Si.“ the woman bowed and began to lead the chi
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