~VINCENT~
As Vincent entered the grand dining room, the soft glow of candelabras and the aroma of roasted cuisine and salad enveloped him. His parents, adorned in elegant attire, sat at the head and foot of the table, respectively. Elora, dressed in a stunning red gown, sat to his mother's right. "Ah, Vincent, darling!" His mother, Isabella's red tinted lips stretched into a warm smile as she rushed to hug him, "We've missed you so much." Vincent forced a smile, feeling a pang of guilt. "Mother, Father, sorry I've been busy." His father, Reginald, nodded curtly. "We understand, son. But family is important. We need to catch up." Isabella and Reginald had been childless. This further made them consider adoption, and fortunately, they saw Vincent as a sweet boy and decided to adopt him, saving him from the molestations from the orphanage’s home caretaker. Vincent took his seat beside Elora, who placed a gentle hand on his arm. He didn't respond, his body stiffening. He's unsure how to react. The new butler, tall and imposing, poured wine into Vincent's glass. "Shall I serve dinner, sir?" he asked, his voice deep and formal. Reginald nodded. "Yes, Jenkins. Let's begin." As Jenkins served the first course, Vincent's mind wandered to Dimitri. He pushed the thoughts away, deciding to focus on the conversation. He knew his heart is a betrayer and he wasn't even sure if Dimitri would perform his other ‘end of the deal’ like he had said. "Vincent, how's work?" Isabella's voice broke his train of thoughs, her eyes sparkling. "It's...fine, Mother," Vincent replied, trying to sound enthusiastic. Elora chimed in, "I've been worried about you, Vince. You've been distant lately." Vincent's heart skipped a beat. "Just stressed, Elora. Nothing to worry about." Reginald cleared his throat as his hands hovered over the knife placed beside him on the opulent table. “I've talked to Elora’s parents.” He said with a smile. “Yesss.” Isabella chimed in as she speared a napkin on her lap. “We wanted to chose a date for your wedding. You and Elora had been in a relationship for over eight years and we as your parents are not getting younger even if we have this ever-present youthful look.” She said the last part with a small laugh. “I… I…” Vincent stammered, the salad he wanted to put in his mouth poured back into his plate. “Twenty eight! You are twenty eight Vincent. You will be twenty nine in three months. This is the only way you can pay us back.” His foster father, Reginald, with anger issues shouted which made Vincent clench his fist tightly. He sighed and dropped dropped the fork, the silver clanking against the ceramic. He stood up abruptly, the chair screeching against the tiles. “I just remembered I have something to do. Father.” He bowed to him. “Mother.” He bowed. “I will drop by some other time.” With that, he turned back and made his way out of the dining room. “You shouldn't have spoken to him harshly.” He heard his mother's caution. But even with that, he won't turn back, he didn't want to. So, he decided to go back to his apartment. And now, this is one of the reasons he decided to live alone despite their protests. ~DIMITRI~ “Skip the estate, I will be heading to the penthouse instead.” Dimitri said to Mara whose eyes shot to him in curiosity. “But Grandpa San—” “You will do as I say, Mara. Or you are done.” Mara's eyes darted to the intercom and back to Dimitri, then she nodded. “Yes, sir.” Her fingers hovered over the intercom button before she pressed it, her voice steady: “Mara speaking. Alter destination to the penthouse suite, please.” The car smoothly changed course and they continued their car ride in silence. Soon enough, the car parked before a huge building that stood tall, almost reaching far into the sky. It's a gleaming skyscraper. “Should I get you a change of clothes?” Mara asked as Dimitri reached out to open the door. He turned to her. “No. They are aware. Take the car and go back to the mansion. Don't reveal where I'd gone. You know what's at stake for you.” With that, he descended and moved towards the building. As soon as the receptionist saw him, they allowed him to use the private elevator which took him to his penthouse at the top floor of the tower-like-building. The penthouse floor-to-ceiling windows offered him breathtaking views of the city below. As the owner of the entire building, the whole floor is dedicated to him and he had even forgotten what the other floors are used for. As long as there's a stream of income which doesn't dwindle each year, he's good. He stepped out of the elevator, scanned his finger, and stepped into his suite. As he stepped in, he shed the prison's uniform and, standing in the middle of the opulent room in all his naked glory. He walked to one of the floor-to-ceiling windows and stared back at his reflection, even though it's not as clear as using a normal mirror. Dark brown hair which looked tousled as if he had ran his hands through it a million times, onyx black his stared back at him, thin pink lips, strong sharp jaws which looked like it could cut paper, tattooed wide chest, strong looking arms and legs which would bring a gym instructor’s to shame and lastly, his cock which dangles limply between his legs. His eyes wandered to it and, slowly he brought his large palm to it and started rubbing it. His thoughts wandered back to Vincent, the way his lips had wrapped around his cock, the way his teeth gave his pain and pleasure in a weird way. Basically, Dimitri knew that Grandpa Santini had come to the U.S because of the one issue he had with him; get married. The old man knew he was gay but he wished the old man could also understand that he won't change. He had always tried his best to get rid of all his partners but well, he had learned to outsmart him in all ways possible. A grunt escaped from his throat as his eyes fluttered close, his mouth slightly parted as he continued to work towards his climax, Vincent's tear-streaked face as he forced his cock into his mouth on his mind. As he continued, his climax continued to draw closer until it crashed into him like a sea against its shores. He painted the floor-to-ceiling window with his thick whitish cum. “It should have been him.” He whispered darkly. Right at that moment, his black eyes glinted sinisterly. He moved away from the window not caring about wiping his cum, and moved to his bedroom, and then his bathroom. The whole place is painted in black and white with minimalistic decorations. It's time for Dimitri to visit his new prey and he wanted to prepare for just that.~VINCENT~ Even the night air blowing through the open windows couldn't wade off the agony in his heart. It only blew his face and his golden hair but deep inside, he remained hollow like a deep dark hole which sunlight and air couldn't enter. To Vincent, today is a regular occurrence. And to be honest, he had thought that with time, he would get used to feeling like a disappointment. But as time passed, the sting caused by his father continuously escalated and today… just today… it stung him more than he could imagine. “Men don't cry.” “Men don't cry.” He continued to repeat the three words which his father had ingrained into him since he was a young lad like a mantra. Although a week had passed since he learnt of that part of himself, today was when he decided to check it out. Like a coward, he had acted oblivious and when he barely had a taste, even if it's a sinful taste, it just had to be snatched. A bitter chuckle escaped his lips as he pulled up at the garage of his
~VINCENT~ ‘Chaos’ would be an understatement of the century to describe this situation and right at that moment, Vincent knew he was doomed again. He wished the ground could just open up and swallow him. Two pairs of eyes; one with surprise and one with amusement, are fixed on him while he is trying to keep the sweat from trailing down his forehead. After a moment passed, he finally decided to break the silence. “E…elo—” “What's going on, Vince?” Elora asked in suspicion. “Who's he?” Vincent, who'd always been a bad liar stammered, “A–a friend.” Dimitri's brows shot up in amusement. “A friend?” Elora slid past Dimitri, coming to stand between the two men and repeated. “Who's he Vincent?” “I said he's a friend.” Vincent grumbled, dipped his hand into his pocket and his gaze shot to Dimitri. “And you, disrespectfully get the fuck off.” Vincent watched, trying not to gulp when he gave him a smirk and his broad back disappeared. He moved his gaze back to Elora who's still glaring
~Dimitri~ Since his youth, he'd learnt to stop wishing for things, because they won’t come true. He grew up and made things happen on his own. So knowing that, how come he found himself staring at the house he'd just stepped out from, wishing that what's happening behind the closed door is not what he's thinking. Dimitri showed no reaction. His face didn't give away the chaos on his mind as he leaned against his car opposite Vincent's house. He waited, and waited and each minute moved agonisingly slow until the door opened and a disheveled Elora descended the stairs, huffing, and using her hands to smoothen her hair. When she reached the feet of the stairs, her gaze moved to the man leaning on a car across the street. Her eyes widened before she clenched her teeth and marched towards him seething. “You! Who are you?” Dimitri raised an elegant eyebrow, his lips twitching as he moved his hand from under his chin and dipped it into his pocket. “You don't want to know.” He stated.
~Dimitri~ Maybe he's not thinking rationally or this is probably the most rational thing to do. But he found himself opposite Vincent's apartment again. He wanted to turn and speed back to the penthouse but he shook his head. Being lonely had done more harm than good to him and he knew he could use a company right now. So, shutting all his ‘maybes’ away at a deep corner of his mind,he ascended the stairs and tried to turn the knob but it's locked. He shook his head and knocked. He waited but no response. He knocked again but it's as if there's no soul in the house. Even the lights are off. He turned back, his eyes fixed on his car. That's when he heard it; the sound of the door opening. He hurriedly turns back and he's met with a sight he least expected; Vincent stood before him, staring at him in bewilderment. He's naked from the chest and a small towel is draped on his neck while another towel hangs snugly around his waist. His blonde hair stuck to his forehead and droplets o
~VINCENT~ When the fish is caught in the net, the smart ones don’t move; if they do, they exhaust what remains of their energy and die faster. Vincent had been trying to act like the smart fish but he kept failing miserably. And… he did hear everything he said yesterday when he thought he was asleep. Afterall, it's not wrong to be wary of someone who's rumored to be the king of the mafia world and who'd blatantly told him that he's an enemy but his actions refused to show what he really is. Why did he lick his tears when he's meant to be ruthless, why did he pacify him when he had been crying because of him. Did he read his mind by coming back, knowing he needed warmth and company? He's a paradox, a difficult puzzle that's hard to assemble, a riddle he didn't know the answer to despite becoming a judge at such a young age. How did they get here? Why did he feel so comfortingly safe in his arms as if that's how it's meant to be. It's wrong… so wrong. He wanted to escape the deep
~MARA~ And what is unrequited love? Well, to her, it's a killer of joy, a bitch, a mood changer, and a destroyer. For the first time in her life, she'd find it hard to get someone she really wants. Dimitri is a challenge. And guess what? She loves challenges and she won't stop until she conquers him. She had her eyes on someone who didn't even find her worthy as a love partner. She had her eyes on someone who's as cold as ice. But… that's about to change. The mail she just opened is her gateway to conquering him. Her hands fly over the keyboard as her lips stretched into a sweet smile. When she's done, she leaned back into her chair and clutched her cloth over her heart. “Dimitri…” She whispered. “My Dimitri.” Minutes passed before she finally sighed then stood up. Her whole room is covered in purple, ranging from fluffy purple couches, bed spread, wall paper, curtains and carpets. Even the whole room smells of lavender. She opened her wardrobe and picked a caramel cotton g
~ DIMITRI ~ Somewhere in the depth of his hollow mind, he knew it wouldn't end well. It was supposed to be a one night thing, so why did he hold back the previous night, why did he refuse to give in to his sadism tendencies and just take him despite the pain? But the biggest question of all is, why did he sleep over? Dimitri inhaled deeply, taking in the scent of his shampoo. Vincent is snuggled against his chest now after fighting to get away from him some hours ago and he's resting his chin on his head. He sighed before slowly peeling his arm from his body. He watched as he shifted deeper into the warmth left by him and he felt his lips twitching before quickly masking it. He spared him one last glance and silently picked up his cloth and wore it back, resisting the urge to go back into the bed and squeeze him against his chest once more. But he didn't want to draw unwanted attention to him. He clenched his fist and slowly opened the door. It's a few hours before dawn and the w
~ VINCENT ~“Leave. You are not welcomed here.” He said, teeth clenched as he slammed the door to Dimitri's face and pressed his back on the door, slowly sliding down before his butt met the floor.A week had passed and the thought of Dimitri growing bored of him relieved and hurt him but with time, he forced himself to learn to accept it. But suddenly, this night, he saw him at his doorstep again, panting as if he'd run some miles just to get here so he could leave the next morning like he'd left. Again? No. Fucking. Way.The knocks continued for some times before stopping and Vincent sighed — in disappointment and relief — before standing and walking towards his living room.Suddenly, there's another knock on the door followed by Dimitri's threatening voice, “Open the goddamn door before I blow it down.” Vincent gritted his teeth and turned back to the door, his palm turning clammy. “You wouldn't dare.”“You don't want to defy me, Signore Mio.” Vincent inhaled deeply and marched
~ DIMITRI ~The past few days had been a blur. And Dimitri couldn't help but pretend. Not that he cared about people's opinion but for Grandpa Santini whose health was visibly declining, he pretended that he cared. That he cared about Ivan and Mara being locked up.That day, news about them being charged to court finally got to them. They'd been given fifteen years imprisonment each. That was when he finally had peace. Fifteen years of planning.He whispered to himself as he adjusted his jacket in the mirror. Now, he's finally done pretending.When he was done dressing, he went for breakfast. And as he dabbed his lips with the napkin, he cleared his throat,“I'm taking my leave.” He said, loud enough for everyone to hear. The few days where Mara and Ivan were waiting to be charged to court had turned to mourning for the Santinis. No one was allowed to act in a certain way and there's even an untold rule of not going to work. Dimitri was tired. He could only imagine how his first im
~ DIMITRI ~The following day, Selena had woken up early and gave the maids orders. After that, she took her bath and dressed up before going to Grandpa Santini's wing of the mansion.The old man was already awake, sitting on his chair in front of the door to his balcony. He didn't turn before knowing that the person who'd entered his room was Selena.“Good morning Grandpa.” She greeted him.“Good morning.” He greeted her and spared her a glance. When his eyes landed on her, he asked,“Are you going somewhere?”She nodded. “I need to go visit Mara.”The old man sighed and turned back to the view outside. “Make sure you use a facemask. I was just about to tell you that I need to be alone…. Sorry.”Selena chewed the insides of her cheek before suggesting, “Is the mood swing back again? Do you want me to call Dr. Dinna?”“Don't worry. Just… leave.”She said nothing as she turned and made her way out of the room. She shut the door behind her and leaned her back on the door, mouth parted.
~ VINCENT ~To Vincent, there's something about having loud friends —- he couldn't even be miserable in peace.No one said school was going to be easy. When he picked another MSc degree in fashion and clothing apparel, he'd thought it will be all rosy because he has passion for it. But well, school came with the entire ‘bats from hell' package and his not-really-serous friends are not helping.Their temporary lockdown due to the incident at the bar only lasted for a month since that was the time their groceries could last and again, they were forced to go back into the world and resume activities like a normal human.The only ‘good’ thing the incident caused was it made Jenna funnier and more petty. She never failed to remind Remi of what he did that day.Vincent closed his eyes, feeling as the water from the shower head trickled down his skin. He continued to use his palm to scrub his body as he murmured the music which was blasting in the whole apartment to himself.His fingers brus
Things don't always go as planned. When Sinclair's brother started the live video, he didn't expect to do the exact opposite of what he wanted to do. With shock and panic coursing through his veins, his eyes darted to his comment section. It was in an uproar. He'd frozen and when one of his friends tapped his shoulder, his phone fell from his hand to the ground with a clatter. Ivan was as pale as a ghost. He never expected Mara to be this desperate. He shook his head wildly as his eyes met Grandpa Santini's who was staring up at him from his chair.“She's joking.” He said with a nervous chuckle.“I'm not.” Mara declared, her voice form. “If you don't let me go and insist on aborting my baby, I will share the news.” “You are not okay.” Ivan continued to repeat in denial. “You are obviously not okay.” His head was spinning. “I didn't do it. You did. You were the one that exchanged the water which meant you did it.” With each sentence, he took a step towards Mara who was also taking s
“Huh?” Ivan asked in confusion, his brain failing to at first grasp what grandpa Santini had said but when he traced the direction of his jutted chin to Mara, his nostrils flared but he said nothing.“Are you deaf? Why did you have sex with her? You still had the galls to force yourself on her just because you want to get back at—”“ —-wait. She told you that?” Ivan asked, interrupting him with a chuckle. Then he turned to Mara, an amused look on his face. “Why didn't you tell him the truth?” Mara sobbed, shaking her head wildly but she said nothing and could only hope that the ground should open and swallow her. The embarrassment and shame is simply too much for her to handle.With a sigh, Ivan moved to sit at the feet of grandpa Santini's bed. “And point of correction. I didn't sleep with Dimitri's wife. Instead, he married my woman. It wouldn't have been possible if she wasn't a whore though.” He said with a shrug.“He's lying.” Mara whispered.The old man was confused but he turn
Mara's little task to report herself wasn't brought about to her by desperation or, maybe it partly was. But it was due to fear.And this time around, she doesn't even care. She knew Dimitri was one persistent hell of a man. If he promised to divorce her, he would and she knew there's nothing she could do about it. But she only has two oppositions, if she's to lose everything, she doesn't want to lose her baby. And… she doesn't want to go back to Ivan.Dimitri had said it.Maybe he was joking. But Dimitri was never one to crack jokes. Going back to Ivan wasn't an option. She knew without being told that he's a psychopath. The last words he'd whispered to her still echoed in her ear, sending shivers down her spine as she ascended the stairs with the help of the railings.When she reached Grandpa Santini's wing of the mansion, she stopped before a mirror and patted her hair before walking down the hallway to his room. She turned the knob just as her step mother in law opened it.“Oh mo
Dimitri shooting two of his men was like a domino effect. And like usual, Asher decided not to share the crucial part of the story. He'd said they were attacked by him out of nowhere.There's a saying that the moment a saint commits a bad sin, it automatically overshadows all the good he'd done. Dimitri was no saint and this was just an analogy.The rumours didn't stop there until another sprouted out that he's likely responsible for Ava's death and he's not fit to be a leader. Sinclair's brother had requested an audience with Grandpa Santini but he was turned down. He'd ganged up with his friend who also agreed that he's not a good leader and he should be stripped of his position. They said that that was why he hated Ivan and removed him as his second in command after using him.Dimitri heard everything but he was not moved. He was already punishing himself emotionally, he didn't want anyone to add to his already full plate so he decided to pretend he didn't hear everything. He'd ev
~ DIMITRI ~Anger still coursed through his veins as he stepped out of his car, locked it and pocketed his key. The sky was slowly turning dark as he walked towards the direction of the mansion's entrance but he stopped in his tracks as three men who'd been patrolling suddenly walked towards him with a sickening smile on their faces.He raised an eyebrow but decided to keep quiet, waiting for them to speak first. The three men were; Sinclair, Asher, and Jose.“Welcome pakhan.” Sinclair said with a small bow, a small smile playing at the corner of his lips.Jose hung his gun on his shoulder as he stepped closer to him. “Can I take your jacket? You must be quite stressed.” He said slowly as he tried to peel his jacket off him.Dimitri's hands shook by his side, disgust rolling up like bile in his stomach. He inhaled sharply, trying to keep his anger at bay. He knew his anger would get him nowhere except in trouble. His anger had only led people to early graves and hospital beds and he d
When the maids advised Mara to seduce Dimitri again, they didn't know it will lead to an accident. And now, instead of them to take responsibility, they were stupefied.The two maids who were following her from behind exchanged glances before letting out a shrill scream which echoed around the house as Dimitri rushed her down the stairs.“She's dead! Oh my God!” The second maid who had her hair packed in a messy bun exclaimed before placing her palm on her mouth in a faux attempt to shut herself up. The first maid was already rushing down the stairs, after Dimitri. The second maid rushed after her just as the butler and some few maids who'd heard the piercing scream ran out of the kitchen.They all rushed to the door to watch Dimitri place her in his car until he sped off. The lounge area was in an uproar.“What happened?” Ray, the butler asked in confusion. “What's going on?”“It's the first young master. He'd killed his wife.” The first maid whisper-yelled.“What?!” There's another