KIRA’S POV “Is that any way to talk to our Mother? She missed you. You owe it to her to be nice.” I heard someone say. I glanced sideways to see Kayla staring at me, her hands resting on her belly which seemed to have grown slightly since the last time I saw her. ‘So, she's really pregnant’ a voice in my head said. ‘That doesn't mean it's Dylans.’ another thought echoed, leaving a sour taste in my mouth. “She’s not my mother and I don't owe anyone anything,” I said matter-of-factly, walking away from the mother-and-daughter duo. I walked toward the kitchen, drawn by the savory aroma of dinner. Whatever reason they had for joining us tonight felt insignificant compared to the thought of finally eating. “Kira…” I knew that voice all too well, but I didn’t turn around. Dylan’s voice still had that familiar silky edge, wrapping around me like a memory I was desperate to forget. I kept my gaze fixed on the jug in front of me, determined to ignore him for the rest of the evening—ma
KIRA’S POV *** A wide smile stretched across my face as my feet giddily danced down the stairs. What was love without happiness? “Why are you smiling so much, babe?” Dylan asked, an equally broad smile resting on his face. “I’m sorry, I just—” I giggled, my hands rushing up to hide the blush creeping across my cheeks. “I can’t believe you’re actually here.” “I told you I'd be here, didn't I?” “I know, but it’s unbelievable! How did you manage to convince him to let me leave the mansion for this date?” I asked. “You know how paranoid he’s been since the accident. He won’t even let me go back to school, not even to the library. I’ve been caged up like a dog for more than eight months, and now that I’m finally outside, I don’t even know how to feel. Tell me, are the trees still green, or have they evolved into something else?” He smiled, gently taking my hand and leading me out of the mansion. “Stop being so dramatic,” he chuckled, nudging me playfully. “It’s been only eight month
KIRA’S POV.“W…W are you doing here?” I asked, trying to steer away from the tension in the room.“This is my room,” Adrian replied coldly. “And for some reason, when you fainted, Maria thought it would be a good idea to dump you in here. I almost ended up in the guest room. Came in to change, and what do I find? You… moaning my brother’s name. Pathetic.”Shame flushed through me and I swallowed hard, wishing I could disappear. "I'm sorry," I muttered as my gaze darted around the room, finally registering where l was. The room was cold, with high ceilings and dark, heavy curtains that made it feel hollow. It lacked any warmth or personal touch as if no one really lived here. The bed beneath me was massive, with gray sheets—and a small stain, evidence of my vulnerability.I turned to the edge of the bed, ready to climb down when Adrian's hand shot out, stopping me."I didn't tell you to move, did I?" he said, his voice hard.I glared at him, the heat rising in my chest. “Last time, I c
KIRA’S POVI stood in front of the mirror admiring the new necklace sitting delicately on my neck. Aunt Linda stood beside me, her eyes watching me with deep admiration.“Isn't it beautiful?” I smiled at her in the mirror.“Yes, yes it is,” she quickly agreed.“Too bad it has to be on my neck, it deserves to belong to someone who isn’t as sour as I am.” I shook my head slightly at my reflection.“No, my darling. You’re far from sour. You’ve just had a bit of bad luck with the family you ended up with. You are beautiful and you deserve all the beautiful things in the world, Mia.”My heart swelled with appreciation. “Thank you, Aunt. Thank you for always—”But before I could finish, the door opened and Adrian walked in even though no one permitted him to. As always the big bad Adrian never waits for permission or listens to instructions.“I’ll leave you two alone,” Aunt Linda said, giving my shoulder a gentle pat as she walked toward the door. “Try to have fun at dinner, dear.”“I will,
KIRA’S POVFor a brief moment, there was silence—a huge emptiness. The wind screamed in my ears as I jumped, but I didn't move, something held me back. My breath hitched “Dylan?" I whispered, my heart leaping at the thought that he'd run after me. Relief flooded my chest for a split second until l turned back and realized it wasn't him. My dress had hooked on a metal bar sticking out from the ledge."Ugh!" I groaned, feeling frustrated. "Does the universe hate me so much that It won't even let me commit suicide in peace?"I yanked my dress free, the fabric ripping as I stumbled backward. I cursed under my breath and turned back toward the edge of the roof, feeling more determined.“There’s nothing left for me here,” I whispered to no one. The world spun around me as I stepped forward. This time, there was no hesitation, no stupid rod to hold me back. The air whipped past my face, time seeming to stretch. The noise of the city below dulled into an eerie silence.For a moment, I felt w
KIRA’S POVClick.Silence.My breath caught in my throat.No bullet.My eyes flickered to my husband as he laughed crazily."For someone who tried to kill herself, you sure are afraid to die." Adrian sneered.He rotated the gun, and a new magazine clicked into place.My terror reignited and my heart raced. Adrian’s finger wrapped around the trigger again and I shut my eyes tightly as I braced for impact.“Kira dear?” Maria's voice came suddenly from the door breaking the tension.My eyes shot open and I looked towards the door in hope while Adrian glared at it looking annoyed. He wouldn’t kill me with a witness around, would he? I thought trembling.Maria knocked again “Kira darling, are you okay in there? I brought you food.” I struggled against the ropes again, not daring to shout. Adrian sighed and walked towards the door opening it just the slightest.“My wife is a bit… occupied,” he said, glancing back at me with a sinister smirk forming on his lips. He pressed a finger to his m
KIRA'S POVAdrian's father, Paulo walked further into the room alongside Dylan, a stern expression on his face. Their entrance drew attention from the already seated guests, and they all stood up to shake hands. Adrian's father's gaze swept the room, his displeasure evident. He cleared his throat taking a seat, "Good afternoon, everyone. Sorry we're late,” he said, his eyes narrowed at his son’s plate before looking up at him "I didn't expect you to start without us."Adrian unfazed, shrugged and started to eat. I could feel Dylan’s eyes on me as he slipped into the seat beside his father, directly across from me. My hands fidgeted in my lap nervously.“Kira,” Adrian called, and I looked up at him. His expression remained impassive, but his voice took on a hint of annoyance. "Eat.”I grabbed a spoon and started to put food on my plate. Only the sound of cutlery was heard in the room as everyone ate in silence. After the meal, the maids brought Panna Cotta but Adrian rejected his.The
KIRA’S POV“Mrs Vasillos?” Someone called out, knocking on my door. I groaned, pulling the duvet higher to my chin. The knocking stopped and I sighed in relief, closing my eyes.“Mrs Vasillos!” The voice called out again.For fuck’s sake! It’s Saturday! Can’t I get a fucking break?I reluctantly sat up and rubbed my eyes, “Just a sec!” I groaned and got up, grabbing my robe from the nightstand and wrapping it around me. I yanked the door open to see Romano standing in front of the door.“Yes?” I asked, annoyed.“Your stylist is here, the Don wants you downstairs in ten minutes,” he said, before walking away.I stood there with the door open, confused. What stylist?I shut the door and sighed in anger; I wanted to sleep in today. After the talk with Adrian yesterday, I was up all night thinking about ways to prove to Adrian that I needed his help.I packed my hair up and walked into the shower. After my shower, I put on a T-shirt and some shorts before heading downstairs. A stylish wo
KIRA’S POVI turned back and noticed that Adrian had now moved to his minibar behind his chair, pouring himself a drink, completely ignoring me. He was so nonchalant, and it unsettled me. I watched him for a moment, unsure of what to say.He turned to face me, raising the glass to his lips. His eyes locked onto mine as he sipped slowly, deliberately.I wanted to get out of the office but his earlier threat of gruesome torture still ran through my head, why was he keeping me here? He moved from the minibar, the glass still in his hand. I opened my mouth to talk, but his next words knocked the words straight out of my mouth. “Get out,” he said, settling back in his seat. I stared at him for a minute, feeling a mixture of shock and confusion.Was he bipolar? Did he have mood swings?Not that it mattered. I didn't want to stay here anyway so I turned to leave."Wait," his voice stoppe
KIRA’s POV.I stood frozen, staring at the knife in front of me, unwilling to turn around and face him.“I’ve never missed my target twice in one day. Trust me, there won’t be a third,” he said, his voice calm but the warning underneath was very evident. I heard the sound of his chair scraping followed by footsteps moving closer to me, and soon I could feel his warm breath on my back.Oh God.He grabbed my arm lightly, turning me to face him, I kept my eyes down, unable to meet his gaze as I turned. His bare torso was on full display, each muscle perfectly defined, but I forced myself to focus on the floor not knowing how to face him. I had been brave enough for one day, but I knew better than to provoke him further.Without releasing my arm or saying a word, he pulled more like dragged me toward the study door. I heard the heavy drag of the wooden door as he closed it. The sound of the lock sliding into place sent a cold shiver down my spine.
KIRA’S POVBang!The sound of a gunshot echoed through the room, and I instinctively closed my eyes. Oh my God, Adrian shot me, he really shot me. My body froze, my mind racing as I braced myself expecting the pain to kick in at any moment.One…Two…Three…Nothing. I didn’t feel anything. Have I actually learned how to redirect pain and this is my body redirecting the pain?No, that's highly unlikely, I am sure I would feel a bullet in my body.Slowly, I cracked one eye open to peek. The room was blurry, so I opened the other, my vision clearing as I looked down at myself. My hands flew to my body, patting frantically, scanning for any sign of a gunshot wound.Nothing.Once I was sure there wasn’t a hole in me, I turned my attention to Adrian. Our eyes met and his lips twitched into a mocking smirk, one eyebrow arched as he stared at me. Using his head, he gestured upward. Following his line of sight, I looked up and spotted a small
KIRA’S POVJena was sprawled on the desk, Adrian deep inside her. Her tiny frame arched under him, her tiny breasts moving upwards as he thrust into her. The desk was a chaotic mess, papers scattered everywhere, yet neither of them seemed to care.They both looked up when I entered, but their movements didn’t stop.Adrian’s eyes locked onto mine, his face twisted with anger, and his usually slicked hair was scattered and disheveled—no doubt from Jena’s hands running her hands through it. “What the hell are you doing here? Get out!” he barked.I froze for a moment, taking in the crazy scene before me. Jena turned to me, her lips curled into a smile that sent a sick wave of déjà vu washing over me. It was the same smug expression Kayla gave me every time she talked about Dylan. That look of triumph, of winning something they had no right to take.I swallowed my emotions, masking my hurt with indifference, and met Adrian’s furious eyes.“No,” I stated, cros
KIRA’S POV“Oh God,” I gasped, covering my mouth with trembling hands.Dead Ted stood a few inches away from the dartboard, a blank expression on his face, with the knife I had just thrown lodged in his chest. A small, dark stain already forming across his shirt, marking the impact.My body stiffened for a few agonizing seconds as I stared at him. “Oh no. Oh God, what have I done?” I whispered, my voice shaky as I took a hesitant step toward him.Ted raised his hand, holding up the pocketknife I’d thrown earlier. “I was just trying to move this out of the way,” he said, his voice disturbingly calm, his expression unreadable. “Got in the way of your aim, I guess.”Oh God.I blinked in total disbelief. “I …I’m so sorry,” I stammered, as I got within arm’s reach of him. My instinct was to touch the knife or try to steady him, but he raised an eyebrow and shifted back, avoiding my hand.Is he alright, doesn't he see the knife in his chest or feel it? His eyes slowly closed, and I felt my
KIRA’S POVI followed him, my mind reeling. Born in prison? Was that even possible? He stopped in his tracks and turned to look at me, his brows furrowed in what seemed like genuine confusion. Seriously? Was he really confused right now?“What do you mean, ‘born in prison’?” I asked in disbelief. Just when I was starting to warm up to him, he casually dropped this bombshell. Did Adrian hire all the inmates he met in jail?“Oh, that,” Ted said with a chuckle as if he’d just mentioned something mundane. “My mother was convicted of arson.”Arson? My jaw almost hit the floor.“Crazy, right?” he continued, completely unbothered by my reaction. “You know, it’s funny—I think you and her share some similarities.”I nearly scoffed but managed to hold it back. I wasn’t about to risk offending him when he was finally being open without me prying. Still, I couldn’t see how I could possibly be similar to an arsonist.“What do you mean?” I asked carefully.He grinn
KIRA’S POV.“You don't know anything about me,” I retorted.Dead Ted looked at me through the rearview mirror, “Indeed, you’re right, I don’t. But fight for yourself? The weak don’t survive in this cold world.”“I want to.” I chuckled wryly, “Do you know what it’s like to feel the urge to drag someone along the tarmac, punch someone in the face, or scream so loud your lungs give out?”“No. I fulfill my urges. You only live once. Why waste it bottling up emotions?”“That was a rhetorical question.”“As long as it answers yours,” he countered, his tone unbothered.“You can say this because you’re brave. You’ve probably spent your whole life training in some mafia facility, so fear doesn’t even register with you. You can do things without caring about consequences, and even if karma catches up, she’s probably too scared to punish you.”“You don’t know anything about me, Dona,” he said, his eyes darkening and I froze.The car lapse
DYLAN’S POVA low groan escaped my lips as I dabbed my swollen chin with a cube of ice. I took a swig of whiskey as I dabbed.Tiny drops of liquid trickled down my arm, but I didn't seem to care, all I wanted was for the excruciating pain to disappear. “You shouldn't have struggled with them, this was all supposed to be a harmless warning, do you know why? Because I still consider you to be my brother, Dylan.” one of Adrian's lap dog voices rang in my ears again. He said that after dumping me at the roadside. I took another swig to drown the pain and memories.Because he still considered me to be his brother? I scoffed.Brothers don't send men after their brothers. It all began after I had gone out to meet with my secret client, on my way. A van pulled up on me, it double-crossed me and gave me no chance of escape. As I calculated my next moves, five hefty men approached me. In situations like that, I'd be a fool not to fight. What if they wanted to kill me, should I have let them
THIRD PERSON'S POVThe door to the dimly lit warehouse opened and Adrian accompanied by Romano and a couple guards walked in. At the edge of the room, a man was tied to a wooden seat, his arms and legs cuffed together, a black sack covering his head.The loud clatter of keys reverberated as they dangled from the doorknob. The tied man's sore body jerked at the sound, his ears straining to follow the movements drawing closer.Adrian walked at a slow pace toward the man tied to the metal chair, the soles of his shoes clunk as they met the metal floor causing an audible echo that reverberated through the corners of the cubicle.The man's head twitched as he heard footsteps getting closer, he let out low grunts that quickly turned into loud, panicked cries, accompanied by the harsh scraping of the chair as he thrashed violently, trying to free himself from his restraints.He struggled and struggled but to no avail, “Who is there?!” "Whoever you are, let me go now! Do you know who I am? M