Jordan’s POV Amelia held Sierra close, her shaking hands absolutely revealing that her fear ran very deep. It was deeper than we thought possible. The two women broke out in small shivers and their eyes darted from each other to the lifeless corpse lying motionless on the floor. In the safe house, the room was dimly lit and the silence that had settled inside the room was almost unbearable. The whisper of the wind outside was the only sound amidst the gravity of the moment. Andrew’s body was lifeless, a chilling reminder of the chaos he had wrought in our lives. I gazed down at him, my breaths coming out in sharp bursts as the adrenaline from the scuffle started to wear off. Whatever sick game Andrew had been playing, I was very sure that I had aborted it before it had a chance to take root. Funnily enough, I felt no sense of empathy or remorse for his death yet. The only thing that bugged my mind were several questions whose answers I guessed the Moretti family would have
Sierra’s POVI trailed Luca as he walked into the mini hall, his steps brisk but weighted down by an emotional burden he seemed desperate to shake off.It wasn’t as if the air in the hall was the best. In fact, it was no fresher than the disposition outside, and I knew that Luca wasn’t the type to just walk away for a breath. He wanted to escape from all of the chaos and the additions that layered like lead weight. I knew that he needed his expectations and unanswered questions to be met and answered.As I followed behind him, I kept my distance because I didn’t want to make him feel that I was prying into his affairs or trying to get words out of his mouth. The silence between us stretched like a rubber band, except for the faint sound of our footsteps against the tiled floor. I hadn’t come to interrogate him or to try to force a conversation he wasn’t ready to have. I was more selfish yet I needed to know. I wanted to ask him what Enrico had told him... and more than that, I need
Sierra’s POVJordan’s loud command seared through the stillness of the moment. “Let’s move! Now! Before the darkness catches up with us,” he barked, his voice ricocheting off the empty walls. There was no room for pressure in his tone.Within minutes, the steady whirl of a helicopter’s blades penetrated the space, drowning out any last-minute trepidations or second thoughts. Dust and debris whirled about us as the chopper closed in, its huge blades gnashing the air with a grating, mechanical whirr. One after the other, we got into the cabin, the space inside was enough to take us all but the weight of everything we hadn’t said hovered like an unseen fog.Amelia slid into the seat next to me, clutching her knees as if trying to hold herself together. On her other side, Luca was stiff and silent, jaw clenched, gaze fixed on the window as though the darkening horizon contained all the answers he needed.Jordan settled across from us, his height folding uncomfortably into the tight space
Author’s POV The scene starts in a dark room with the weak brightness of one overhead light making stretched, sinister shadows on the grimy walls. The air was filled with the pungent odour of cigar smoke curling slowly around Moretti who sat in the huge leather chair in the middle of the room. Clad in an elegant black suit mind, he faced away from Alessandro, who stood there bedraggled and beaten. Alessandro’s breaths were shallow and ragged. His shirt, once so pristine, was now tattered and smeared with blood, clinging to a body soaked in sweat but on this night, even in his own battered state, he sounded desperate, his voice quaking just enough to convey the agony of his unsoundness. “Please,” Alessandro stuttered, his voice urgent and scared. “I was ambushed. I didn’t see them responding that soon. It wasn’t... It wasn’t meant to be like this.” The figure in black offered no immediate response. The only sound in the room had been the soft crackling of the Cohiba cigar
Author’s POVMoretti leaned back, the leather chair creaking lightly beneath him, watching Alessandro’s retreating body. His ice-cold, calculating gaze tracked every step he took, his fingers drumming a phantom beat against the armrest of his chair. But just as Alessandro got to the door, Moretti lifted his right hand, and his voice sliced through the silence like a knife.“Wait,” he said sharply.Alessandro froze as the hand of Moretti’s guard extended toward the door handle to block him from exiting. His breath hitched up and a cold sweat formed on his brow. He turned slowly, fear pooling in his stomach. There was a danger there, in Moretti’s voice, one that Alessandro recognized all too well.“Get your ass back here,” Moretti said, his manner calm but filled with menace.Alessandro complied, his limbs heavy as lead as he stepped back toward the statured figure. He halted a few feet from Moretti, his head turned down, unable to meet the detective’s penetrating stare.Moretti’s li
Jordan’s POVI knew I should have assisted Sierra in disembarking the helicopter, but for reasons I couldn’t fully lay fingers on, I found myself walking away. My boots crunched on the gravel as I walked toward the pilot, my thoughts jagged. Sierra’s face flashed in my memory, her wide, poppy-like eyes glimmered. Whenever I saw them, they seemed to hold some secret message for just me. And it wasn’t the first time I’d witnessed that look, a glimmer that suggested something secret. It was a silent wish she never said aloud, a gentle demand she’d sooner bear alone than say to another person and yet, she didn’t have to say it. I always knew.It was like a cold wind suddenly hitting me and freezing me in my tracks. I spun on my heels, eyes flicking around the area surrounding the helicopter. There she was, standing just outside the open cabin door, one hand gripping the frame for balance. The golden glimmer of the setting sun painted her silhouette as amber and gold danced across her w
Sierra’s POV He took my hand in his, his fingers slipping through mine. “You already do,” he said. We sat that way for a moment, the silence between us not heavy now but reassuring. For that moment his hand was in mine, the world beyond was forgotten, and I felt a peace I hadn’t experienced in weeks. I knew without a doubt that as long as we had one another, we could face whatever came next. “Jordan,” I called out, my voice tender but firm. “I have to speak with you about Luca.” He lifted an eyebrow, now fully engaged with me. “What about him?” he said, his tone steady, but instilled with curiosity. I took a deep breath, attempting to calm the emotions swelling beneath the surface. “I’m concerned about him,” I said. “He seems distant and bothered. It feels like he is going to disengage from the world. He was always so obnoxious, so confident, and now not… now I’m not even sure….” My voice trailed off. Jordan placed his cup lightly on the tabletop and stood. He approach
Sierra’s POV As we moved out to the fireplace in the living room, Luca excused himself to go take a piss in his room. I feared that he might not return, so, I sat by the fireplace and stared into the flickering flames. Jordan’s words played over in my head like a scratched record: “Leave Luca and focus on ourselves for now”. How can I possibly do that when I know he is such a sweet kid? I know that Jordan loves him with all he’s got and is also bothered about his mental health but it seems that Luca was given a heavy dose of information which he doesn’t know how to handle yet. I was lost in my own thoughts thinking of how I was going to protect Luca from something I couldn’t even put an end to. The sound of light footsteps behind me broke my train of thought. I glanced around to find Luca leaning on the doorframe, hands shoved into his pockets, his head cast down a little bit. “Hey, kiddo,” I said gently, as casually as I could muster. “Come join me.” He shook his head but did n
Sierra’s POVWe walked out of the pool, water droplets trailing down our bodies as the warm breeze dried our wet skin. The sun was going down, spilling golden light all over the resort grounds. We grabbed our towels and dried ourselves off, joking briefly about who had stayed underwater for a longer period. Returning to the primary building, we passed a reception desk and the lively receptionist stopped us a few steps away.“Excuse me,” she said, beaming so brightly it rivalled the resort. She flashed a small, nicely designed card. “We’re having an event tonight, kind of a mini-auction party.” It’s quite the draw here at Villa Marina. Games, dancing, and an opportunity to bid on some rare items. You and he should absolutely see it.”I arched my right brow and looked at the card then took it from her. "An auction at a resort? And a party, too? That’s..... different,” I replied, my voice laced with curiosity.“It’s one of our signature events,” the receptionist said. “Entertainment, an
Sierra’s POVWe got out of our room and walked to the swimming pool area of the resort, where the afternoon sun bathed the landscaped gardens in gold. Blooming hibiscus flowers lined the path toward the pool, their greens and reds in stark contrast to the cerulean pool.As we moved close, my eyes fell on two couples relaxing at the poolside. Sprawled side-by-side on what appeared to be the highest-priced sunbed in the city, they looked completely at ease, partaking in what could only be termed as a sexified sunbath naked. I instinctively bit my lip, stifling the laughter bubbling in my chest, and elbowed Jordan gently. “This is… different,” I muttered with a filched grin.Jordan cocked an eyebrow, looking both amused and skeptical. “I guess they’re taking advantage of the ‘private’ part of the resort,” he said, shaking his head dryly. “Let’s just go find our own corner.”We chose a shady corner on the pool’s far side, far from the uninhibited couples. I tossed my towel over a lounge
Sierra’s POVThe journey from Crystal Bay to Villa Marina Resorts had been blissfully uneventful, still and serene compared to the turmoil that had just consumed us. This short escape from our bland reality was all that Jordan and I had ever wanted. The resort, nestled on the outskirts of town, promised peace as well, with its lush tropical gardens, twinkling infinity pools and the hypnotic thrum of waves crashing on the far-off shore. Jordan had chosen this spot for its promise of peace, and I couldn’t have agreed with his choice more.The salty air washed over us, mixed with a whiff of blooming jasmine as we turned into the driveway. A glorious and effortless hypnosis in the form of the song of the birds and the faint sound of the waves. I got out of the car and closed my eyes for a moment and took it all in. The briny ocean air felt like a salve on my frazzled nerves, tousling the strands of my hair and caressing my skin with a featherweight that made me feel liberated.Jordan le
Jordan’s POVI sat behind the heavy oak desk in my office, looking at Ethan standing in front of me, calm and collected. I knew deep down that entrusting Ethan into my right-hand man slot made sense, he was charming, well-liked by the workers, and steady under pressure. I wasn’t going to throw myself into the things I did with Andrew.This time, I had to be explicit. No burdening, no doubling up on duties. Ethan would only handle operations, making sure that the mines were functioning, and the workers were inspired. I craned back in my chair and looked into his steady gaze.“You will manage Crystal Bay's day-to-day affairs while I am away,” I replied, my voice steady but quiet. “But I want your attention only on the mines. Leave the expansion plan to me,” I warnedEthan nodded, his face implacable. “Understood, sir. I won’t let you down.”I believed him. Ethan wasn’t merely competent; he was reliable and yet a part of me couldn’t let go of that lingering doubt. Andrew had been reliab
Jordan’s POV “I am meeting with Ethan today about the replacement for Andrew,” I announced the next day to Sierra as we had our breakfast, my voice firm yet touched by a note of nervousness which I hoped she didn’t pick up. “Bless his soul,” she added almost reverently, her tone gentler as she peered out of the window. She sounded like a boom of thunder and her voice whipped my attention back to her. I felt my gaze harden, and then I turned to meet her eyes, my expression as inscrutable as the stone. She must have sensed the change in the room because she faced my glare, confusion furrowing her brow. “What are you looking at me like that for?” she asked as her brows knitted together in earnest. I did not answer right away, allowing the silence to extend between us. The gravity of what she had said hung in the air like an unwelcome guest. Did she not understand the impact her words could have? Or worse, did she know that and say them anyway? “Why?” she said again, her voice mor
Sierra’s POVI woke to the sharp, golden rays of the morning sun forcing their way through the gaps in the curtains, casting a warm glow over the room. I squinted against the brightness, groaning softly as I tried to shield my face with the edge of the blanket. My body felt heavy, weighed down by the lingering remnants of sleep, but something else gnawed at me. It was a subtle sense of emptiness.Turning to my side, I reached out instinctively, only to find Jordan’s space cold and vacant yet again. My hand rested there for a moment, the absence oddly palpable. With a sigh, I let my gaze drift to the nightstand. The last time this had happened, he’d left me a note, a little scrap of reassurance that he wasn’t far and that I was still on his mind. But today, there was no such note waiting for me.I bit my lip, brushing off the faint pang of disappointment. I shook my head, my hair falling messily over my face as I pushed myself upright. M
Jordan’s POVSierra nodded, squeezing my hand a little tighter. We said nothing more as we lay back in bed, the heaviness of the night sank in around us.But as I lay there, looking up at the ceiling, I couldn’t get Luca’s frightened face out of my head. So whatever healing he needed, we had to get a way to help him. I scooted over on the bed closer to Sierra, wrapping an arm around her and tucking her snugly up against me. Her warmth enveloped me, driving off the residual chill of the night. It was like she was made to be in my arms, something about the way she settled into me made me happy. Her skin was impossibly soft and was as smooth as silk, the warmth she exuded felt like home. As my fingers traced lightly across her arm, I couldn’t help but notice the fragility of it, the way it seemed to glow softly in the darkness of our room.She smelled amazing, a hint of the floral lotion she always used mixed with something uniquely hers,
Jordan’s POV“I am meeting with Ethan today about the replacement for Andrew,” I announced the next day to Sierra as we had our breakfast, my voice firm yet touched by a note of nervousness which I hoped she didn’t pick up.“Bless his soul,” she added almost reverently, her tone gentler as she peered out of the window.She sounded like a boom of thunder and her voice whipped my attention back to her. I felt my gaze harden, and then I turned to meet her eyes, my expression as inscrutable as the stone. She must have sensed the change in the room because she faced my glare, confusion furrowing her brow.“What are you looking at me like that for?” she asked as her brows knitted together in earnest.I did not answer right away, allowing the silence to extend between us. The gravity of what she had said hung in the air like an unwelcome guest. Did she not understand the impact her words could have? Or worse, did she know that and say them anyway?“Why?” she said again, her voice more empha
Jordans POV A comfortable silence settled over the room as we started clearing the table. The soft clinking of plates and the humming of the refrigerator echoed through the room. My thoughts were anything but still amidst the calm in the room. A nagging question tugged at my heart as to why Sierra hadn’t called me to tell me what was happened at the supermarket. It wasn’t in her nature to hold such a thing in. I looked at her as she stacked the plates, her actions purposeful but far off like her brain occupied a different place. Her lips compressed into a thin line, the edge switching barely seeing through the effort she was exerting to hide her feelings. “Why didn’t you call me?” I asked gently, shattering the silence. She hesitated before smiling at me, surprised. “I didn’t want to worry you,” she said, her voice low. “It wasn’t a big deal after all. The manager cross-checked the webcams and tendered an apology,” she said, her shoulders shrugging casually. I frowned and