DARRENI was sitting in my hotel suite with Lucien, who arrived in the morning. Fortunately, Mia stayed in New York. I didn't think I could have handled her and Amelia in the same hotel. I had my reasons to kill Amelia, but Mia had her own, and since Mia had always shown less restraint, the bloodshed would have been unavoidable…“Have you checked on Lilly today?” Lucien glanced at me, shifting his attention from the pile of documents.I shook my head. “I told her that I'd give her time, and that's what I'm doing.”His brows rose. “Do you think that it's wise given that Amelia is in the same building?”“She might be vicious, but she is not stupid. She would never attack her in a public place,” I said, reaching for my cup of coffee.Lucien scratched his chin. “Well, I'm not so sure about that. I've done some digging after you told me she's here. Let's just say that she might be a little less predictable than usual right now.”I frowned. “What do you mean?”“Cantrelle Publishing is on th
Callan, Lucien, and I were walking through the woods in Hangetsukohan Park for almost an hour. Most of the heavy rain was stopped by the densely growing trees, but it took us less than ten minutes of walking to become completely soaked. Certainly, umbrellas were not an option, and the raincoats would only restrain our movements. That was something we couldn't risk, knowing there could still be armed men lurking around. Lucien groaned, leaning his back against the tree. “Correct me if I'm wrong, but I think we've checked the area Fen marked twice already. She's not here.” He wasn't wrong. We separated at first, each one securing a certain part of the terrain, but we found them completely empty. If there were any signs of anyone's footsteps, they had been washed by the rain a while ago. When I didn't answer, Lucien continued. “What if they found her and we are wasting time and freezing our butts off just to find out she is in danger elsewhere?” I tried not to think of that possibilit
LILLYI vaguely recalled what happened after Darren had found me and I had felt his body warmth against my rain-soaked skin. I remember thunders around us as the storm had become more vicious than before. I remembered him calling someone on the phone and then carrying me somewhere in his arms. I wanted to help him. I wanted to tell him that I could walk on my own, but that was a lie. I couldn't even open my mouth and voice out a full sentence, not to mention keep my feet steady enough to walk.I must have drifted into unconsciousness again at some point because, when I finally woke up, I was in bed, under a warm quilt. It wasn't our hotel or a hospital bed either. This place looked like a wooden cabin with tatami floors—neat and cozy, but also kind of luxurious. My bed looked like an enormous futon resting on a two-inch wooden podium, covering most of the room. As more of my awareness returned, I glanced under the sheets. I didn't see any dirt on my body, and I was dressed in a simple
Darren woke me up a while later and carried me to the bathtub. He let me soak in warm water and then joined me, allowing me to thoroughly enjoy the sweet intimacy between us. Once we dried up from the bath, he carried me back to bed. I protested, trying to convince him I was fully capable of walking on my own, but he didn't let me test that theory. Soon I was lying in the same position I had fallen asleep—with my head resting on his chest and his arms around me. The only thing that changed was his heart, now beating slowly and evenly.“So… what now?” I asked softly as my hand idly traced the carved lines of his abdominal muscles.He blew out a breath. “We would have to leave this bed, eventually, and eat something.”I chuckled. “I rather meant after we leave this cabin.”His arms around me tightened. “I've already transferred the money to Amelia's account, and my lawyers sent her proper documents concerning the deal my father had made. Legally, it solves everything between her and me,
DARRENLilly told me about the letter she found in her father's study and about the deal her father had made with Ansel Holloway before he died. I couldn't blame her for keeping it all a secret from me. She still hoped that her father could be innocent, despite the terrifying evidence she had found. Surprisingly, I began to believe this case might have been more complicated than I thought.Since it turned out to be the night of revealing all the secrets, I told her what I had learned about the formula my father had bought from the so-called professor Stephan Masterson. I described the meeting with that man's wife and that she had claimed that they had only received fifty thousand dollars instead of the four million my father had paid. After adding my story to hers, the whole picture seemed even more messed up.“Have you ever thought that this was a little too convenient?” Lilly asked as we were still lying in bed. “This man appeared out of nowhere and sold your father a formula just w
I hid in one of the alcoves as Alim Nassar stormed out of the patio and headed to the exit. Then I waited there until Amelia emerged, rubbing her neck and cursing under her breath.“Fine friends you have there, Amelia.” I stepped out of the alcove, a smirk curving my lips.She flinched and stepped back, her lips peeling back in a snarl. “What the fuck are you doing here?”I shrugged and inched closer. “You didn't reply to my texts, and you should have. I brought a deed to your building after all.”She scoffed. “I don't give a damn about that deed.”My brows rose. “I thought you wanted to have your New York headquarters. You'll need it when you launch your magazine's American edition.”“Please, don't pretend you don't know about my financial problems,” she strained through her teeth.“Is that why you decided to sell your soul to Alim Nassar and whoever his boss is?”A grim smirk twisted her lips. “You know nothing about the deal I made, and, for your own good, it'll be better if it sta
LILLYThe concern Callan had shown when I had been kidnapped must have evaporated as soon as he returned to New York. A day after we arrived, I received documents stating that Hayes Global had officially nullified the license agreement I had signed with my father. Additionally, there were claims concerning the rights as well as an official demand that my team and I deliver the project's full data.Of course, I expected that much, and after talking to my lawyer, I wasn't peculiarly bothered by what I received. I was even relieved since the license agreement worked in our favor only if we were still working for Hayes Labs. Now all I wanted was for the judge to state that all the rights belonged solely to me and my team. Once it happened, I could start thinking about founding my own company…Unfortunately, I couldn't focus on my work just yet. Not only because I had to move out of my apartment, but because I had to show up in court... Nicolas Rogers's case was about to begin.Raven happi
I breathed in sharply, but it felt as if no oxygen filled my lungs. I tried again and again, but it only became worse. My body began to shiver, and my hand reached for Lucien's arm, curling around it and squeezing until I caught his attention.His head finally snapped toward me. “What's wrong?” His eyes traced my features, his brows knitting.“There,” I breathed out, slowly raising my hand to point to the opposite side of the room. “The man in the black cap.”He turned around, blocking my view again. “I don't see anyone wearing a cap.”I leaned out to see. “An Asian guy…” My words faded as I found nothing but an empty space where I saw him. I swallowed, turning to Lucien. “He was here. The man who kidnapped me.”Lucien studied me for a moment. “Are you sure? Maybe you saw someone similar, or maybe it's just your mind playing tricks on you.”I shook my head. “I know what I saw.”He gave me a thin-lipped smile and nodded. “All right. Stay here while I check the corridors. If it's him, h
LILLY Four Months Later “One more signature at the bottom, Ms. Hayes.” The smiling lawyer pointed at the empty dotted line on the last page. “Of course.” I drew a deep breath and signed my name where he wanted me to. Then I rose to my feet, and so did the man sitting in front of me—Doctor John Pearson. “Congratulations,” he said, not without a hint of sadness in his voice, before extending his hand toward me. “The clinic is officially yours.” “Thank you, Doctor Pearson. I promise I will take good care of this facility,” I told him. A soft smile appeared on his lips. “I do not doubt that you will.” I still couldn't believe it happened. John Pearson Clinic—soon Lillian Hayes Clinic—finally belonged to me. Of course, it was going to take a while before I would implement my plan and make the necessary changes, but I was already madly excited… and so was Raven. “I've never been friends with my boss before.” She chuckled, catching me as soon as I walked out of the meeting room where
DARRENI didn't want to believe what that son of a bitch had told me. I had to trust that Lilly was alive. Nonetheless, after Almarri's confession, I told Chris to leave the room. I gave Almarri a moment to recollect himself until I beat the shit out of him, breaking at least five of six of his bones in the process. He was still breathing until I left the room. Chris had friends in the CIA, and we promised to try delivering Almarri to them in exchange for covering whatever was going to happen at his casino. It took most of my willpower to stop myself before I delivered the final blow. It had nothing to do with being merciful; Chris assured me that the CIA had no intention of granting him anything but torment.Once I wiped Almarri's blood off my knuckles, I stormed through the long corridors. I swore that I would find Lilly, and only seeing her lifeless body would have stopped me from burning everything in my way to get to her.Chris caught me at the end of one of the corridors. “We ch
LILLYI couldn't move. My body's exhaustion turned opening my eyes into an almost unbearable struggle. It took me a while before I lifted my eyelids and instantly winced at the light filling the room. I blinked several times before I established what I was looking at… Ceiling. A bright, well-lit ceiling.I needed an additional minute or two to acknowledge that this wasn't a dream. I was lying on a bed with an IV drip connected to my arm. The bed had multiple pillows and fluffy sheets, as if someone cruelly decided to give me a moment of questionable luxury before turning me into a slave.Another white cotton dress replaced the old, stained one. My body had been cleaned from all the sweat and dirt. I didn't have the strength to wonder who bathed me and dressed me. I felt violated enough without acknowledging how many hands touched my body.I could have died. Perhaps it would have been a blessing if that had happened. Now I was lying numbly on a bed, waiting for more torment to come. Sl
DARREN I paced around the hotel room in Doha, waiting for Naila to arrive and deliver what she promised. The adrenaline kept pumping in my veins, increasing the restlessness that kept me awake the entire night. Unlike me, Lucien was napping on the sofa whenever he found a moment of silence. I couldn't even close my eyes without seeing Lilly locked up somewhere, tormented, scared… “God…” I dragged my hands down my face before glancing at the time. It was seven in the morning, which meant that we had fourteen hours before the auction started. I kept telling myself that they needed her alive and unharmed to sell her, but what if I was wrong? Those what-ifs were driving me insane, and I couldn't shake off the feeling that, even at that moment, she was greatly suffering. The soft knocking on the door snapped my head toward it. Lucien's opened his eyes and instantly leaped to his feet. He nodded my way and cautiously opened the door. Naila silently sneaked inside, and he closed it behind
I lost count of how many times I had been stabbed with a needle, and I wasn't sure my veins could withstand another injection. I quickly realized how pathetic my relief was after Callan told me I wouldn't be beaten, cut, or burned. The torture he had designed for me went far beyond the physical pain…Every inch of my body burned from within. My blood turned into a living flame, scorching my veins. My skin covered with an itching rash I couldn't scratch. It lasted for hours. I didn't want to give Callan satisfaction, so I remained silent, biting my lips until they bled. But the third or fourth dose of the drug broke the final restraint… A scream tore through my throat, and I kept screaming until my vocal cords gave up. I quietly begged Callan to stop. I thought he would if I told him I was ready to give him what he wanted. I thought that if I pretended I wanted to cooperate, he would give my tormented body a break… He didn't. He just walked closer and served me another drug dose.I los
LILLY“Wake up, sleepyhead.” The voice I heard filled me with nausea, and the soft laughter that followed sent chills down my spine.Slowly, I opened my eyes, blinking until the sight adjusted to the dim light. Every inch of my body felt sore, and I quickly realized why. I was sitting on a chair with my legs tied with a rope to its wooden ones and my hands restrained at the back. Another rope was tied around my waist, keeping me in a still position most likely through the long hours I had been unconscious.I was cold. The freezing concrete hurt my bare feet with the slightest touch and the simple cotton dress resembling a cheap nightgown formed no barrier against the low temperature and humidity of the room I was in. I didn't even want to think who dressed me and if I was naked underneath…Drawing a shaky breath, I looked to the sides. This place must have been some kind of a basement. The room seemed to be nearly empty, or at least I couldn't see any furniture from my limited perspec
DARRENMy lungs filled with a greedy push of air. My eyes opened wide and roamed around, hectically trying to process my situation. The car, I was inside the car… My car was upside down, and I…Everything hurt, including my weak attempts to breathe, but I knew I had to ignore the pain. I had to live. I had to get out of there.My consciousness gathered the pieces of memory together. Someone had rammed me, pushing me off the road while I had been driving to the residence. The fuckers had chosen a part of a perfectly secluded road to do it. Perhaps it was fortunate that they hadn't been as thorough as to check whether I had been dead or not.My limbs weren't broken, although at least one of my ribs was. I clenched my teeth and crawled out through the broken side window. My car lay in a ditch on the side of the road, with not a single building around.How long had I been out cold? The returning memories painted an ominous picture that slowly filled me with dread. Lilly had been waiting f
LILLYIt had been three days since Uncle Norton's funeral and the fight with my father. My heart still ached whenever I thought about it, but I finally felt that my chest had loosened, allowing me to breathe.Darren's presence had become my remedy. His touch and warmth soothed me, healed me, and filled the hollowness that appeared after Uncle Norton's death. I didn't even want to think about what I would have become without having him close.Since the danger had become more palpable than ever, each member of my team was assigned their own security team. Of course, Darren organized two new bodyguards for me as well. I hadn't protested, even if I hated buying groceries accompanied by two men in black suits.My mood significantly improved after Kenneth's and Doctor Rogers's trials finally ended. Kenneth had been sentenced to fifteen years in prison for assault and attempting murder, and another five years for terminating the pregnancy against my will. For all his deeds, Rogers received t
DARRENI found Lilly sitting in the precinct's corridor, staring down at her hands that limply rested on her lap. Dried blood covered the sides of her palms and fingertips. My chest tightened as I saw her in her numb state. I rushed forward, pushing through the policemen standing in the way, until I pulled her up from her seat and wrapped her in my arms. Only then did she start crying, and her tears kept falling long after I brought her back to the penthouse.Rage filled every inch of me. I wanted to kill everyone responsible for Lilly's state. If only I could get to New York sooner. If only I could somehow prevent this, protect her better, spare her from the pain and anguish...I left Lucien in Qatar to deal with our end of the bargain with Naila. He wasn't happy about it, but I gathered enough people and resources for him to plan a flawless rescue mission. Getting Naila's brother out of Almarri's residence wasn't going to be easy, but I knew that Lucien would figure out how to do it