Ava's blunt question hit me like a slap, making me choke on the orange juice I was sipping. ''You had sex again, didn't you?'' she accused, her voice dripping with a mix of amusement and annoyance. I almost spat out the juice, my eyes widening in surprise as I struggled to swallow. I shot her a withering glance, trying to convey a silent 'mind your own business' warning. But Ava just raised an eyebrow, her expression unrepentant. I huffed, taking a bite of my cookie to avoid responding, the crunch of the sweet treat a welcome distraction from the awkwardness."You need to stop reading me, you witch!" She let out a loud laugh and shook her head before walking away to hand the tray of cookies in her hands to one of her workers.I sat on one of the cozy seats nestled beside the window, the warm sunlight streaming in and casting a golden glow on the rustic wooden table in front of me. I had managed to convince Alexander to relent and let me visit Ava, despite his initial resistance and st
ALEXANDER'S POV I'm seeing red. My vision is blurred, my heart racing, my mind consumed by a singular thought - Ivory. My Ivory. She's been taken from me. Kidnapped. The thought sends a wave of fury coursing through my veins, and I can feel my control slipping. I stormed into the bakery, my eyes scanning the room for any sign of her. But she's not here. The guards, those incompetent fools, are still standing around, oblivious to the fact that she's gone. "Where is she?" I demanded, my voice low and deadly. They exchanged nervous glances, and one of them stepped forward. "We don't know, sir. She was with Ava, and then...and then she just vanished." My anger boils over, and I lunged at them, my fists clenched. "You were supposed to protect her!" I roar, slamming my hand into the wall. "You were supposed to keep her safe!" I grabbed my gun, my finger hovering over the trigger. It's a good thing that there were no customers here to witness this. The only people here were Ava's four e
IVORY'S POVI slowly opened my eyes, groggily taking in my surroundings. Everything was blurry, and the room was spinning. I tried to sit up, but a sharp pain shot through my head, making me lie back down. As my vision cleared, I realized I was on the floor, tied up with ropes. Panic set in as I frantically looked around the room. It was small and bland, with only a bed and a table. Where was I? How did I get here?Memories started flooding back - the bakery, Ava, the storage room... Oh God, I'd been kidnapped! And Ava, was she...?I looked around the room again, my heart racing. That's when I saw her, sprawled on the floor, unconscious and tied up just like me. Ava! Oh no, oh no, oh no...I struggled against the ropes, trying to break free, but they were too tight. I was trapped. We were both trapped. I tried to call out to Ava, but my voice was hoarse and barely audible.I looked around the room again, desperately searching for something, anything, that could help us escape. But the
Before I could process my thoughts, the door immediately banged open, and in came Russo, his menacing and dangerous aura filling the room. His hands were casually tucked into his pants pockets, and a smirk played at the corner of his lips. I wanted nothing more than to smack that smirk off his face."Well, well, well," he said, his voice dripping with sarcasm. "Look what we have here. The little princess, all tied up and helpless."I fixed him with a seething stare, pouring all my loathing and disdain into my gaze. "Russo," I hissed, the name itself a curse on my lips, my tone laced with a poisonous intensity that made my words feel like a slap in the face.A low, throaty chuckle rumbled from his chest, his eyes sparkling with mirth as he gazed at me with unbridled amusement. The warmth in his gaze was unsettling, making my skin crawl as he seemed to revel in my anger. "Ah, Ivory," he drawled, his voice dripping with indulgent pleasure, as if savoring the taste of my name on his lips.
My heart sank, and my blood ran cold as Russo's voice sliced through the night air, its sinister tone making my skin crawl. Ava's hand tightened around mine, her grip almost painful as we both froze, our bodies paralyzed with fear. "You think you can escape?" He taunted, the words dripping with malice. "You think you can really escape from me?" I swallowed hard, my throat dry with fear. We had to move, had to get away, but my legs seemed rooted to the spot. Ava's hand was my only anchor to reality, and I held onto it for dear life. Russo's laughter cut through the air, a bitter, mirthless sound that sent shivers down my spine. "Go on run! Run damsels! I love the chase, anyway. I've been playing a game with you, Ivory. A game of cat and mouse. And now, it's time for the final act." I felt Ava's grip on my hand tighten, her eyes fixed on some point behind me. I tried to turn, but my legs seemed rooted to the spot. Finally, I forced myself to move, my heart heavy with fear. I turned,
I slowly opened my eyes, groggily taking in my surroundings. My head pounded with a fierce intensity, like a thousand drums beating in unison. My vision was blurry at first, but as I blinked, it began to clear. I was in a room I would always recognize - a luxurious bedroom with cream-colored walls and a massive four-poster bed. I tried to sit up, but a wave of dizziness washed over me, forcing me back onto the pillows.That's when I saw him - Alexander, sitting beside the bed, his hand clutching mine. His eyes were red-rimmed, his face etched with worry and fatigue. He looked like he hadn't slept in days."Ivory?" he whispered, his voice cracking with emotion. "Oh, thank God you're awake."I tried to speak, but my throat was parched and dry. Alexander quickly poured me a glass of water from the bedside table and helped me take a sip."What...what happened?" I croaked, my mind foggy and unclear.Alexander's expression turned grim. "You've been through a lot, Ava. Russo...he's dead. You
ALEXANDER'S POVI paced back and forth in my dimly lit study, my mind consumed by the events of the past few days. If only I had arrived sooner, maybe Ava would still be alive. Maybe Ivory wouldn't be lying on a bed, her heart broken and her spirit shattered.Three days ago, our mission to rescue Ivory and Ava from the clutches of Russo and his brother had gone catastrophically wrong. We were racing against time to reach the docks where they were being held hostage, but fate had other plans. Russo's men ambushed us, and we found ourselves entangled in a fierce battle that seemed to have no end. Wave after wave of his henchmen attacked us, each one more relentless than the last. We fought valiantly, but the sheer number of opponents slowed us down, and precious minutes ticked by.As the fight dragged on for over two hours, my anxiety grew. Every second counted, and I knew that Ivory and Ava were running out of time. Finally, after what seemed like an eternity, we emerged victorious, bu
IVORY'S POVI stood frozen at the foot of the stairs, my eyes fixed on the scene before me as five pairs of eyes locked onto me, their gazes piercing and intense. Alexander's words hung in the air, a confession of secrets and lies that threatened to upend my entire world. My mind reeled, struggling to process the words he had just dropped, as if trying to solve a puzzle with missing pieces.My head spun, a dizzying sensation washing over me like a wave, leaving me breathless and disoriented. I felt like I'd been punched in the gut, the wind knocked out of me, leaving me gasping for air. My legs trembled beneath me, and I reached out for the stair railings, grasping for support as the room seemed to tilt around me.Alexander immediately took a step towards me, his eyes filled with concern, but I stopped him with a raised finger, my hand shaking with a mix of anger and fear. I shook my head at him, a silent warning to stay back, to give me space to process the chaos that was erupting in