A warm breeze brushed my skin as I sank into the pool’s lounger, back rested, wine glass in hand. The infinity pool stretched into the horizon, the moon’s silver reflection rippling across its smooth surface.The city lights flickered below, but I barely registered it. I stared at the water, thoughts too heavy to escape.The wine touched my lips again—rich, smooth—but my focus remained fractured. Luxury couldn’t chase away loneliness.Guards stood at every turn tonight, silent sentinels dressed in black, armed to the teeth, earpieces coiled around their ears like they were wired into something bigger. They were everywhere—doors, railings, even here with me. This wasn’t security. This was lockdown. It was like being in the White House, only I wasn’t the president—I was the prisoner.I sighed, tightening my robe.Dontrell was somewhere in this building. The moment we arrived, he planted a brief kiss on my forehead before disappearing with Andrew into the surveillance room on the 17th fl
I went still.Not from the cool night air or the water sliding down my skin, trailing rivulets. No. It was Andrew’s voice—flat, cold, final."I’m leaving. Tonight."I clutched the pool’s edge. A deep, ugly weight settled in my chest, pressing against my ribs like something was trying to crawl out.The guards were gone. The night stretched empty between us, but the silence wasn’t comforting. It was suffocating.Andrew’s gaze held me, unreadable—just like when he arrived. Indifferent. Cold. Distant.I swallowed, my throat tight. “Y-you’re going back — to L.A.?” My voice cracked before I could stop it. I cleared my throat, forced my shoulders straight, and tried to pull some of my usual confidence back—but my grip on it was slipping.His jaw ticked—barely. Then—“No.”The word cut through the night.I blinked, lips parting—but nothing came.Andrew shifted, weight rolling onto his heels, his posture still as sharp as before. His hands slipped into his pockets, but his forearms stayed rigid
Andrew’s words left a suffocating silence. His breath lingered, his whisper curling down my spine like a serpent. Water dripped down my frozen body, but inside, something writhed.“You don’t see it yet,” he murmured. “But you will.”I shivered, ice and fire colliding.“Soon, Allison…” He exhaled, slow and deliberate. “You’ll become worse than Clayton, your father, and Mr Blade.” His voice darkened, rough with something deadly. “You’ll be filthy, vile and cunning. A master in manipulating.”His voice was steady, but there was something beneath it—something like fear."Hell, you might be worse."The words sliced through me, sharper than any blade, cutting past flesh and bone, straight to something deeper. My heart.He shook his head. “I see it already, Allison. You’re on that treacherous path, and I—” His breath hitched. His grip tightened, then released. “I won’t be here to watch. I know the cost of this life—past, present, and future.”A sharp sob tore from me, but he looked unfazed.
I stared out the jet window as Ireland’s city lights melted into the countryside’s darkness. The engine hummed, but my thoughts were louder. It had been years since I last set foot here—since my father’s death, since I left my mother and siblings behind.Her face came back to me. I remembered it like I had seen it just yesterday. Soft eyes, tired but kind. Would she recognise me? Would she even care that I was back?The wheels hit the tarmac. I exhaled. I was home.I stood outside the airport, staring at the land I swore I'd never return to—the soil that held my father’s bones, the city that spit on us when we were nothing.And now, I was back.Sixteen years. Since I left. Since I saw her.The drive from the airport to the compound was long, cutting through large cities and then to the quiet farmlands and open fields. My driver, Coleman, was silent most of the way until we finally reached the outskirts of my family's land.Ireland had changed, but its scent remained—earthy, raw, steepe
The house was much smaller, its wooden planks warped by time. Each breeze made the walls groan, and beyond the backyard, only dry grass clung to life. Inside, the air held the scent of aged wood—and faint traces of my father, though he was gone.We had only the large soil he once dreamed would make him a wealthy farmer and gardener.I lay beside my mother, her body trembling as she clutched my six-year-old siblings, Elijah and Elsie, who tried to comfort her in their childish ways.“Don’t cry, Mama,” Elsie said, her little voice serious. “Maybe Papa will come back.”Elijah nodded, puffing out his small chest. “Big Brother, why did God take Daddy? When will he come back?”I exhaled shakily, pressing my forehead against my mother’s shoulder. I wanted to tell them the truth, that Dad wasn’t coming back, but instead, I found myself whispering, “Heaven needed him because the workers in the sky are very busy now. God asked him to help make more clouds so kids like you could be happy. He’ll
I ran into her arms, breath hitching as I crushed myself against her. I buried my head in her lap. Her scent—warm. Familiar. Home.She yanked my hair. Pain flared, but I didn’t pull away. I let her. I deserved it. I buried my head in her lap, a boy again, clinging to comfort long lost.“Andrew.” Her voice wavered. “A son after my own heart.” Her grip loosened. Trembling, she wiped the tears I hadn’t noticed.My name left her lips like a ghost.My throat was thick, my voice hoarse. "Mom—"She slapped me.It didn’t hurt. What hurt was the look in her eyes.“Sixteen years.” Her voice cracked.I clenched my jaw, her words pressing down on me. “I had no choice.”Her breath shook. Her gaze was desperate. Accusing.She laughed, brittle. “That’s where you’re wrong, Andrew.” She turned away, whispering. “You always had a choice.”Silence stretched between us, thick and suffocating.I exhaled slowly, the words I had never been able to say finally escaping.I tensed. Years. Silence. Distance. Cr
Alone in the mansion, I curled up on the velvet couch, flipping through a book I wasn’t even reading. The television murmured in the background, its flickering images failing to distract me. Security was everywhere. They had been in here with me before, but I had asked them to stay outside —their presence was suffocating.In the past twenty-four hours, my life has been a whirlwind. Mr Blade had called, demanding to speak to me, but Dontrell refused to hand me the phone. Then my father called—cold as ever. He boasted about his bank’s new investor, thanks to me and our ties to the Blades. As if that wasn’t enough, he reminded me I was taking too long to have a child, asking, ‘What was my problem?’ I hung up without a word. I wouldn’t let his voice poison my thoughts.Despite the chaos, Dontrell had been genuinely worried about me. He continuously asked if my father’s call or Mr Blade’s demand had upset me. "I’m fine," I lied, and he also didn’t believe me.Paranoid, more than usual. He
The moment I stepped out of the airport, the first thing I saw was Dontrell—he leaned against the bulletproof SUV, arms crossed, unreadable. Clayton sat in the front, scanning the surroundings.Immediately I got in, Clayton fired up the engine, jaw tight, steering through the busy street.Five armored cars flanked us—two ahead, three behind, like an iron wall. But inside our bulletproof ride, it was just us.Dontrell sat beside me, loading his gun with practiced ease. I did the same, checked my rounds, cocked my weapon, tightened my vest. The car smelled of gun oil and adrenaline."Trust’s a luxury I can’t afford," Dontrell muttered, reloading. "That’s why Clayton’s driving." He tossed me a gun. "This conversation stays between us."I nodded, my fingers tightening around the cold steel in my hands, fully loaded. No safety. No bullshit. “Talk to me.” Clayton pulled onto the road, leading the convoy as we sped out of the city. The silence was heavy. The kind before war.Dontrell unzip
Celine and I had been sparring for what felt like forever. Arms aching, chest burning. She moved like a trained warrior—stronger and faster. Her punches slammed heavily — overpowering me every time.I was just a rich girl with ballet training— completely out of my depth—while she looked like a soldier turned milk tart. She landed a blow, knocking me backward. But I wasn’t going to give up that easily.With a quick jump, I managed to land a blow to her chest. The impact made her stumble back, but it wasn’t enough to stop her. I used the opportunity to kick her, my heel driving into her soft spot. Celine shrieked, clutching her chest and crotch, face twisted in pain. She gasped and bent over.I sprinted toward the table, fumbling for the remote, my fingers trembling. I slammed the green button three times before the robotic voice said, ‘Door Open.’"Yes!’ I screamed, sprinting for the door… Before I touched the handle, the door slammed open from outside with brutal force. I staggere
The bass thumped under my heels as I slipped through the hallway, my heart pounding in warning. Guests danced below while something ugly twisted above. I shouldn’t have followed her, but pain and jealousy don’t ask permission.Clayton warned me to stay low. But jealousy cuts deeper, and pain drowns reason. I saw Celine slip into another corner. She walked like she wanted to be followed. She glanced back once, just enough to bait me. Her fake confidence infuriated me enough to follow.Fifth floor. Sixth. The party noise disappeared entirely. It felt like I’d stepped into another world. With each step up, the world grew quieter. Now it was just the two of us—she leading, I hunting.She turned into a hallway and entered a door, leaving it slightly ajar. I waited—five, ten seconds.She didn’t come back out.I walked up and pushed the heavy door open without knocking. No pretending.The room was cold, too bright. No sunlight—just chandeliers spilling light over velvet drapes, marble f
The car stopped, cameras flashing from all angles, their lenses like hungry eyes trying to pierce the tinted glass.I adjusted the slit of my dress, trembling more from rage than from concern for my appearance. My jaw tightened, teeth gritted. I hadn’t forgiven him. Not even close.Back in the penthouse, I had nearly ripped that burgundy suit off his body and set it on fire. But Dontrell didn’t flinch, didn’t even raise his voice as my fury crashed over him. He stood like a goddamn wall of storms and blood, letting me throw my tantrum.“You done?” he asked, his voice as cool as ice on fire.I blinked, stunned by his nonchalance. “Excuse me?”“You want to kill someone tonight?” he asked, calm as ever, when I threatened to end Celine. “Fine. Let me hand you the match, but why kill only her when you could burn them all out there?”I cursed, flung my purse at him, and told him I wasn’t a pawn to parade. He didn’t argue. He stepped closer, his breath fire on my skin, voice low.“I’m not
I opened the door and stepped into the room, every nerve in my body fried. I kicked off my heels and dropped my bag. Their thud against the marble barely registered. My chest tightened, my skin prickling. Shame coiled around me, dragging the weight of my guilt.‘What have I done?’I’d let that bastard touch me.My stomach twisted as I crashed onto the bed, face up, trying to process how I went from hating him to begging him to ruin me. I used to hate everything he stood for. He was filth, a reminder of every bad decision I vowed never to repeat. And still… I spread myself on that table for him. I let him into my body like he hadn’t violated my soul.I rubbed my arms like I could erase the feel of him. The way I let it happen.I groaned, disgusted with myself, but my body didn’t care—the heat still burnt between my thighs. I tossed on the bed, arm over my eyes, trying to drown the memory.CLICK. A door creaked open, snapping me back.My heart slammed as I sprang up, adrenaline slicing
I was pinned. His cock was inside me. Deep. Stretching. Filling. “Fuck,” I gasped, nails scraping the wall.Clayton’s hands gripped my thighs like he owned them, spreading me wider, fucking me harder. His cock slammed into me, brutal and thick, every thrust shaking my bones.“Don’t look at me like that. You know you don’t matter to me.” He growled into my ear, voice jagged with heat. “The moment I cum, I'll forget this ever happened. I’m not the type of man who stays around for aftercare sex. So don’t wait for one either.” He thrust again.I choked on a moan. “Fuck you.” He laughed.His mouth latched onto my neck, sucking hard as he drove deeper, faster. His body was fire against mine, sweat-slick between us, his abs tightening with every thrust.I was already trembling. He hadn’t even slowed.He reached down, grabbed my ass with one hand, and used it to bounce me harder onto him. My legs dangled. I couldn’t speak—only moan.“Clayton—fuck, keep going—”He heard.He shoved deeper. Th
The room was cold—or maybe it was just him. Arms folded, gaze sharp like a blade.My heart hammered, but I refused to back down.“How are you this calm? Someone just died.” His eyes locked on mine. Cold. Because he already knew.Of course, he did. Clayton didn’t just play the game—he built it, set the rules, and broke them when it suited him.I stared at him. He didn’t deny it, just watched me. But his silence said everything.“My contact told me a few hours ago. The official report says he touched a naked wire. But that’s not what happened. And we both know better. It was a hit. A clean one.”He went on, calm like he was reading a weather report.“Dontrell did it. He didn’t like that I left that cell untouched. And he’s trying to be extra careful since I’m out now. So, he tied the loose end.”My mouth went dry. “He had him killed?”Clayton nodded once. “Suffocated. With a pillow laced with carfentanil—the kind that stops your heart before you scream. Then they finished him with a w
“I didn’t do it to betray you,” I said, my voice barely above a whisper.Clayton didn’t flinch. He didn’t even blink. He just stared at me, cold and still, like my words were just noise blowing through a storm he had already survived.“Then why, Allison?” Clayton snapped. “Why pay some street rat to tail me, digging through my business like I’m just some suspect on a list?”My stomach twisted into a hard knot. “You weren’t giving me the truth. I needed answers.”He sighed and sat on the edge of the desk, his body so close to me. “So instead of asking me, you go behind my back like a coward?”I exhaled.“No,” he laughed bitterly. “Not a coward. A traitor.”“Don’t call me that,” I said quickly, but my voice broke.He tilted his head, his eyes burning into me. “Why shouldn't I? You went snooping where you had no business. You treated me like the enemy. Like I haven’t bled for you these past few days.”“I needed to protect myself,” I said, voice shaking. “You kept me in the dark.”“I told
I turned off the main road long before anyone could see me, slipping through the narrow, unmarked path that wound between tall hedges and rustling trees. The evening light cast everything in gold and shadow—perfect for disappearing.The compound was quiet. No guards in sight. No movement. Just high walls, iron gates, and a silence that buzzed like static in my ears.I killed the humming engine and parked in the corner where the cameras wouldn’t catch me—if there were even cameras at all. My heart thudded once, hard, as I stepped out, leaving the car behind. An unsettling calm that felt anything but safe came upon me.My heels crunched against the gravel, every step echoing louder than it should’ve.The house loomed ahead. I walked fast but careful, every footstep a risk. No one must know I was here.Before I could even lift a hand to knock, the door clicked open.He’d been watching.I stepped inside without hesitation. As soon as my heel touched the marble floor, the door clicked shut
“How could you even think that?” I whisper, my voice shaking. “After everything we’ve been through?” My back rested against the bedroom wall. Dontrell stood before me, chest heaving like a brewing storm, jaw ticking with fury.”“You think I’d trade your love for his lies? After all we'd survived?”He stepped closer. My breath hitched, but I didn’t flinch.”“Clayton’s a distraction. Don’t give him the relevance he craves —don’t let him win.” I touched his chest, letting the silence carry my words. “If you have to ask me that… then maybe he’s already won.”He still looked unconvinced.“You’re the only man I’ve ever needed,” I whispered, looking away, hurt. “If you don’t know that by now… Maybe you never really knew me.”He stood still, but I could see the tension start to fade from his shoulders. My tears spilt freely, on purpose.“I didn’t want the world to think I came between you two,” I whispered, trembling. “I didn’t want to be the reason the Blade bloodline went to war.”I reached