Andrew’s POVOne of the guards called me to let me know that they couldn’t find Sierra. I didn’t know how I was supposed to tell that to Jordan, but I had to. Perks of the job. Obviously, he was mad. I would be too. The next thing I did was open up Sierra’s location on my phone. She was still in Crystal Bay which was a good thing, but according to the map, she was driving out of town.My bodyguard instincts kicked in. I was trained for moments like this. If Sierra was frightened out of Crystal Bay after visiting Charlotte’s, then something wasn’t adding up. Even if they had a disagreement, it wouldn’t have been that deep.I left Leila’s at the front of her parent’s house and started driving towards Charlotte’s. If I didn’t like the woman, trust me, I wouldn’t have been so bothered. There was just something about her. She was the second person I’d met who could easily read me.To many people, I was indecipherable. I knew Sierra thought the same thing too because I never really gave he
Jordan’s POVLeila was working with Dominic.I was livid. She even had to stoop to the point of dragging Jeremy into her dirty game. How could she use her father like that? I sprang forward in an attempt to hold her in place before she noticed me. My right foot hit a metal rod causing Leila to look up at me. I watched her face morph into horror, as if she had just seen a ghost.If she wasn’t careful though, she was going to be one too.Leila jumped out of the van, running away from me, scared that she had been caught. She was certainly no match for me, but I loved that she was playing the predator and his prey game. I enjoyed the thrill of having to hunt her down.When I thought I was in on her, she took a gun out of her back pocket and pointed it at me.“Bitch!” I snarled “You almost ruined my marriage. You’re going to regret lying to me and my wife.”We began to turn in circles, with Leila still pointing the gun in my face. I was getting tired of her drama already. My plan was to d
Jordan’s POVThe back and forth with Leila lasted for a solid thirty minutes. I looked at my wristwatch, Andrew had been gone for about an hour. Now that I had more authentic info, I knew where to start. Leila’s tracker was still on. That was a sign that Dominic hadn’t gotten to her yet. If he had, he would have broken her phone or thrown it out. When I called Andrew, he said he still had Sierra. I wondered why it was taking so much time. Andrew was a faster driver compared to Sierra. As a matter of fact, Sierra had just learned how to drive before we got married.About twenty minutes later, Leila had snapped out of it. She was in the passenger’s seat of my car with her hands tied in front of her and her seatbelt in place. If she was going to try something funny, it was going to be with her legs, and I knew she had no special training whatsoever. My phone rang about the same time. It was Andrew. Good news, I hoped.“Boss, you might want to see Sierra’s tracker. She’s turned the car
Sierra’s POVDominic?“Shhh, baby. I need you to reverse calmly, and take us out of here. For your sake, Sierra, don’t try anything funny. If you ask me, this is the best time to remember everything Charlotte told you about me. So, drive. Now.” Dominic threatened.“Am I being kidnapped?” I asked“Less talk, more action.” Dominic grunted as I pulled out of the gas station. “We’re going back to Crystal Bay.” He announced.“What’s going on, Dominic? Is Jordan okay? Is anything the matter?” I inquired, worry etched in my voice. “Awww. You didn’t think about your lovely husband before disappearing on him, did you? Quit the act, it’s making me sick.” Dominic said sarcastically.I thought of running the car out of the main road, probably into the forest or something. However, what mostly happened in those cases was the driver ending up dead because they would suffer more from the impact of the accident. I didn’t want to risk it. I decided to try something different. Get Dominic to talk.“H
Sierra’s POVDominic wanted me. Dead or alive. I watched Jordan’s reaction after Dominic made such a declaration. To my surprise, he didn’t seem very pleased. He pointed at my sister, whom I hadn’t noticed, and told Dominic he was going to kill her if he didn’t let me go. Even after knowing Leila had planned to kill me, I still wasn’t comfortable hearing that Jordan would waste no time in giving up her life for mine.I looked closely at Leila, hoping to see some sign of regret. We might not have been best friends, but we had an understanding. At least, I thought we did. Like me, Leila’s hands were tied behind her back too. She was crouched low on the ground with Jordan towering over her. When she caught my eyes, she rolled hers at me and glared ferociously.“Bitch!” She said “You always ruin everything. I wish I never met you. I wish you were never a part of our family.”“I’m sorry, Leila.” I pleaded. I didn’t know what else to say. I wanted my sister back. If I had to grovel regar
Sierra’s POVIt’s been two weeks since Dominic tried to abduct me. I tried to explain everything to Jordan in the car, but he shushed me.“You don’t have to say anything, Sierra. I’m not mad at you. I only wished I had found you sooner.”I knew, however, that he deserved an explanation. I had thought about him in ways that made me ashamed. I mean, he came back for me. He chose me.But I decided to give it a rest. We both had just experienced losses. I wasn’t sure what he was thinking, but I was struggling to get over what had happened. Jordan threw himself into work and more work. I avoided answering my dad’s calls. He was probably wondering where Leila had been. My life had become almost mechanical. No matter how early I got out of bed in the morning, I never caught Jordan before he left for work. His side of the bed was either slightly warm as if I had just missed him or too cold as if he didn’t spend the night at home.In the evenings too, I tried to stay up as late as possible t
Jordan’s POVI couldn’t look Sierra in the eye. I had failed her. How could I have allowed Dominic to get to her first? Maybe I shouldn’t have shut her down all the times she tried to ask about the mafia; maybe I should have explained a few things. I couldn’t bring myself to even get angry at her for opting to leave. I didn’t give her much of a choice. She saw an out and she took, like any sane person would. You know this thing where they usually say you don’t know the value of a person until you lose them? I could relate to it.Sierra tried to explain her side of everything that happened, but I didn’t want her to. After we finally got home, I told her I wasn’t mad, and that was the truth. However, I wished I had found her sooner. In the mafia, your wife was more than a trophy to make you look good. She was living proof of your capabilities as a leader. If your wife looked miserable, your empire would be miserable. If she looked satisfied, you wouldn’t be lacking as a leader. If she
Sierra’s POVIf Jordan didn’t have my time when there was nothing major brewing, I wasn’t surprised he barely remembered he had a wife since Lorenzo threatened him to go to war. On several occasions, I had to tiptoe around the house because Jordan and his men seemed to be everywhere, planning and making arrangements, and doing this and that. Whenever I was in a good mood, I’d stop by and serve the boys drinks and maybe food, depending on what the chef left in the freezer that week. Sometimes, I refused to come downstairs.Dominic had taken away the only friend I had, so I didn’t have a life anymore. If my husband were more available, I guess things would be a lot different. Our relationship was like the weather, it was quite unpredictable.One minute, we can’t get our hands off each other. The next minute, we can’t stand each other. I don’t remember Jordan ever confessing to me that he loved me, but I did love him. I mean, my willingness to give myself to him must mean something.**
Sierra’s POVAmelia stood just inside the door and held it half-open, fingers clenching the edge as if she was weighing whether to slam it in the guard’s face. But the man didn’t move. His eyes were dark and inscrutable as he scanned the space behind her as if he were a predator hunting for prey.My breath hitched. He was looking for me. I melted deeper into the shadows, flattening my spine against the cool tiles as though I could make myself unseeable.My pulse thundered in my ears, blocking out all sound except that too-loud silence stretched between Amelia and the guard. Then, he spoke again.“We received a report.” His voice was low, too calm, like a small storm right before it let loose. “Someone was screaming here.”Amelia gave a soft, incredulous laugh. “That is my friend,” she said smoothly. “She fell and hit her head. I was just helping her up. No need for concern.”I could hear the steady firmness in her tone, too, but I also knew Amelia well enough to detect the faint edge
Sierra’s POVA loud tap on my shoulder shook my body awake. My eyes snapped open, and before I could process where I was, panic rippled through me. My arms flailed, panting and heaving, the scream itself ripped from my throat.“Leave me alone! I don’t have the necklace! There is no key! Why are you after me?” My voice broke with fear, and I scrambled backward, flailing my arms blindly in defense.“Hey, hey! It’s me! It’s Amelia!”Her voice sliced through my hysteria like a knife, pulling me back from the trench of my fear. My thrashing slowed, and I blinked up at her, my sight blurred. Amelia knelt next to me, her face set and terrified, her hands ghosting above me as if she feared I’d shatter.My chest felt heavy, and I looked at her as if she were someone I didn’t know. The bathroom walls felt like they were closing in on me, the shiny tiles glistening under the fluorescent light. The realization crashed over me, I was not running. There weren’t any dark alleys, there weren’t any
Sierra’s POVHe took a shaky breath. “The guards, they’re not here to protect me.My blood ran cold. "What do you mean?"He opened his eyes again, piercing me with his stare. "They're here… for you."I looked at him, my mind spinning. "For me? But why?"“Because,” he said eventually, his voice growing fainter, “because you’re not who you think you are, Sierra.”I frowned, confused. "What are you talking about? Of course, I'm Sierra. I'm your wife."He shook his head slightly. "No," he whispered. "You're… you're not my wife. My wife … my real wife … died years ago.” My heart pounded in my chest. "What are you saying?" My voice trembled as I stuttered.“You’re … you’re an imposter,” he said as his eyes closed once more. “They’re here to take you … home.”"Back?" I whispered, my mind racing. "Back where?"He didn't answer. His breath shortened, and it became ragged. I moved in closer, straining to hear what he had to say.“The… the necklace,” he stammered, voice just a breath. "It's… t
Sierra’s POVMy mouth filled with the metallic tang of blood. I attempted to sit up again but this time I felt lighter, like my spirit was out of my body. Immediately, I felt my head making a weird noise, and another wave of nausea washed over me. I groaned, shutting my eyes against the whirling room. I needed to get up. I needed to find Jordan. But my body felt heavy, unyielding. I tried to call out for help, perhaps Amelia might hear me and come to my aid but it seemed like the muscles of my vocal cavity were limp.I remained on the floor, my body getting weaker by the second. The tile under my body was as cold as ice. It was as though it were the actual earth, the cold creeping up from underneath it like ice water and penetrating my skin, leeching into my bones and freezing me from the inside.Through a fog of pain and disorientation, I heard a faint knocking at the door. "Ma'am? Ma'am, are you alright?" It was one of the guards. His voice, muffled by the door, had an edge of conc
Sierra’s POVWhen I got to the entrance of the mansion, which was my home, the wrought iron gates, normally a welcoming beacon, now leered at me. Two huge figures in black tactical gear I had never seen loomed as sentinels. Their faces, hard and impenetrable, were lit by the bright glare of the porch light. Before now, I hadn’t seen such a uniform on them, let alone the fierceness of their faces coupled with the air and authority that sat boldly on their faces.There was something about how they conducted themselves. They had a kind of inflexible formality that spoke to something far more than just routine security.I began to wonder how they managed to get to my doorstep at a time like this. A twist of discomfort pulled tight in my gut. This wasn’t right. This was my house, but it felt like it wasn’t my house.I tiptoed up, pretending to be nonchalant. My heart thudded against the cage of my ribs like a bird on the prowl for exit. “Evening,” I shouted, attempting to make my tone ch
Sierra’s POVI got talking with Amelia as we drove, I wasn’t very sure if she would stop by at her house first or head straight to mine. She had been the one assisting me with picking Luca up from school.In fact, Luca now had a handful of his things in her home that he need not come over to pick anything up if he needed to crash there. I was more than grateful that I had Amelia in my life at a challenging time like this. I couldn’t thank her enough.For some reason, I decided to sit in the passenger seat as Amelia drove. From time to time, Amelia would always check up on me asking if I was okay or needed anything and I would respond that I was fine.It kept happening for close to four times till I told her to just focus on driving that I would and can take care of myself. Little did I know that I had set myself up for a lot of untold troubles.I reached into my bag and picked up my phone to call Jordan and see if he was faring well. Of course, I knew that I had just left the hospital
Author’s POVCarlos took another swirl of whiskey and tilted the glass until the amber liquid gleamed in the dim light, and then he took a slow sip. He said this with a smirk that never left his face as he looked Lorenzo up and down, glancing between amusement and contempt.“Jordan was attacked,” he said, finally, gauging Lorenzo’s reaction. Lorenzo stiffened for an instant, but he held his surprise in check. “Attacked?” he echoed.Carlos laughed and pounded his glass on the desk. “Oh, yes. Right in his hospital bed. Imagine that. The mighty Jordan, the vulnerable, the helpless, with a needle in his neck.”Lorenzo’s brows furrowed. “Somebody tried to kill him in the hospital?”Carlos nodded. “When it was all functioning, it was beautifully orchestrated, well, almost. Someone got past his guards. Slipped right into his ward.” He sighed dramatically and shook his head. “Such a shame they failed.”Lorenzo exhaled, rubbing his jaw as he registered the news. Jordan was never supposed to be
Author’s POVLorenzo faced Carlos Moretti and his face was still bruised from the battle he had escaped from. His normally crisp suit was crumpled, evidence of a rough night he had just endured. He squared his shoulders, took a sharp breath and started his report.“It was a fucking mess, boss,” he confessed, bitterness rolling heavy across his tongue. “Everything was in place but the element of surprise was on our side,” he sipped from the glass of wine in his hands and took his time to puff out a smoke before he went ahead to continue his report.“The plan was tight. But Ethan …” He said the name like it was dripping acid on his tongue. “He fought like a motherfucking animal. I mean, I didn’t see that coming…”Carlos perched behind his grand mahogany desk, the low light of the chandelier throwing menacing shadows over his sharp features. The glass of whiskey in his hand was swirling, a sign of his unblinking expression, but the small glint of disappointment that took up residence in
Jordan’s POVThe thought of being confined to a three-week bed rest brought with it some crippling effects that had me reeling over in thoughts upon thoughts. I couldn’t yet bring myself to accept the imagery that it evoked in my mind's eye.I knew how much stress that would be for Sierra, her eyes were already sunken in from staying awake for too long on end. She had refused to admit it to my face but I knew from her looks that she needed rest.Not the kind that the hospital is willing to offer me right now but the Kind that gives her liberty to wake, sleep and eat at any time she wants. I didn't want to ask about work. I remember that she planned on resuming work after we returned from the vacation but here she is sacrificing her work to keep me company and ensure that I got myself by all means. More and more thoughts kept strolling into my heart till I returned to the bed-rest issue.“Bed rest? Three weeks lying here, doing nothing at all,” I murmured grudgingly. It sounded worse