When I get to my dorm room and turn on the light, I practically jump out of my skin.Luca is perched on the edge of my bed, smirking at me."What the fuck are you doing in here?" I cross my arms over my chest. "You realize the girl's dorm is off limits to guys?"He chuckles. "It's not off limits to faculty staff." He stands and walks over to me, his expression turning serious. "We need to talk."I narrow my eyes. "About what?"He tilts his head. "About the fact that you're fucking a professor."It feels like all the blood drains from my body as I blink a few times, wondering if I heard him right and if perhaps I'm asleep and this is a nightmare. The last thing I need right now is for my family to learn about my relationship with Blaine."I don't know what you are talking about."His expression turns furious, which is rare for Luca. "Don't play games with me, Azira," He warns, the normally carefree brother I've always known nowhere to be found. "I'm putting a stop to it."I draw in a d
Oak is sitting behind my desk when I barge in. He looks up, brow furrowed. "What's wrong, Bly?" He knows me well enough to know when something isn't right."Where is she?"He shakes his head. "Where is who?""Azira."His eyes narrow. "What is it to you?"I bare my teeth, a growl rising from my throat. "Don't play games with me, Oak." I clench my fists, knowing that I'm on the edge of losing it. "Tell me where the fuck she is."Three days now she hasn't replied to my texts or calls. I thought she was playing games since it was the weekend and she was probably busy with her friends, but when she didn't attend class today, I knew something was off.His brow raises. "So the bullshit you gave me about her just being your student was a lie?""At the time, it wasn't.""And now?""And now if you don't tell me where the fuck she is, I'll rip your goddamn head off." I've not felt so angry or out of control in a while. Her cell is disconnected, and she didn't meet me as arranged in my classroom.
"Bly, wait up," Arch calls as I chuck my hold all into the trunk of my car. Anyone who sees me would think I've just packed a few things for a few days away, but actually the bag is full of guns.I'm not leaving Chicago without Azira. Those fuckers think they can steal her away from school early and force us apart, well they're wrong."What is it, Archer?" I slam the trunk shut."Where are you going?"I sigh heavily, as I don't have time for this. "Chicago.""Oh, so you know already?"My brow furrows. "Know what?""About Azira's wedding."It feels like my friend just took a knife and slammed it into my gut as my entire body turns ice cold. "Wedding?""Yeah, Adrianna told me that her brother just called and he's in Chicago because Massimo arranged for her to marry Alejandro De León."It feels like my world tilts on its axis and the need to get to Chicago becomes even more pressing. "When?""Two days from now."I scramble for the driver's side door and open it. "Fuck.""So you didn't kn
"Are you sure you don't want to come in?" Mia asks.I shake my head. "Look, I'm sorry, I'm just so not in the mood for shopping."She gives me an apologetic look. "Of course you're not. I can't believe Massimo is making you marry Alejandro."I sigh heavily. "Me neither."She squeezes my hand gently. "There's still time." I know she thinks that perhaps I'll get lucky and find a way out of it just like she did, but Killian loves her. He was going to do anything to ensure he didn't lose her. It's a completely different situation between a Blaine and me. At least, from his side, it's different."I'm not holding out any hope."Sandro clears his throat. "Shall I stay out here or go inside with you, Mia?"Mia shakes her head. "It's just a little boutique. You can see inside through the windows. Stay out here with Azira."Thanks a lot.I'd rather be left alone to mope around in the street, but before I can argue, Mia dashes into the little boutique she loves so much.To say I'm not up for sho
"Are you insane?" Azira asks, pacing up and down the old abandoned dock warehouse that I picked to hide in.Her face is stained with tears and red, but she still looks as angelic as ever.I shrug. "Possibly."There's an acute pain in her eyes. "You murdered Sandro!" She's hysterical.I walk toward her, but she dodges away from me."No, stay away from me." Her eyes are wide with a mix of fear and anguish."Sandro, I assume, is your bodyguard, and I didn't kill him." I draw in a deep breath to keep calm. "I purposely gave him a flesh wound that will heal within weeks, but I had to make your kidnapping realistic.""How can you be so sure you didn't hit something major?"I stare at her, waiting for the penny to drop. Her anatomy professor knows exactly where to shoot a man to kill or to maim. "You do realize that's literally what I teach week in and week out?"Some of the tension eases. "Of course." She shakes her head. "But you can't kidnap me, for fuck's sake. My brother will kill you."
I hear the engines shut off and then counting in my head, twenty seconds later, the explosion rocks the entire building. A group of Sidorov men come barreling into the warehouse, all guns blazing. And the bomb I set up explodes, sending them all to the ground.Azira screams, pulling away from me as her eyes go wide, watching the carnage unfold. The bomb will injure people, but it's unlikely to kill. "Oh my God. Did you just kill men from our famiglia?" She stares at me in a way I never expected to see her look at me like, as if she thinks I'm as insane as everyone else.I have to give her the benefit of the doubt. She doesn't know my plan. I shake my head. "Just wait and see."I'm not sure whether it's my calm attitude, but she seems to settle down, glancing toward the entrance.Massimo Sidorov appears through the smoke and debris, with Leo Sidorov following him. And a few of their men behind."Get behind me," I hiss.Azira glances between me and her brothers a few times before finall
Bly moves suddenly and grabs a gun from a holster attached to his belt, pointing it at Massimo's head, and all the blood drains from my body.In that moment, I realize I could lose my entire world in the blink of an eye. My brother and the man I love. If Bly killed Massimo, his men would soon shoot him dead, leaving me with nothing but emptiness.I've never seen my brother defeated so easily in combat, but Bly is some kind of martial arts expert or something. He danced around my brother as if he was totally inexperienced, but Massimo has always been a good fighter. Blood runs down my brother's face, as I'm pretty sure Bly broke his nose."Blaine, please don't," I plead.Massimo may try to force me to marry someone I could never love when I've fallen hard for someone else, but I'd never want him dead. I love my brother, despite everything.Bly looks at me with a madness that scares me as I approach him. "He's my brother. I can't lose him."He bares his teeth like an animal. "The son of
Once they're gone, Blaine turns to face me. "Still want me now?"It's a good question because what I witnessed was honestly insane, but somehow I want him more. All of that he did for me, and while he may not be able to admit his feelings in words, he just demonstrated them with actions instead. "Of course."He gestures for me to approach him and I run into his arms, squeezing tightly.The fear I felt at the prospect of losing him was enough to carve my heart from my chest. "I meant it," I murmur softly, my face buried against his chest."What?""I love you, Blaine." I squeeze tighter and crane my neck to look at his face.His eyes are bright with emotion, his throat bobbing. "I—I..."I shake my head. "Don't say anything. You don't need to."He draws in a shaky breath. "You make me a better man, Azira.""I'm not sure that's true. You just almost committed mass homicide for me."There's a haunted look in his eyes, and I wonder what terrible deeds his past holds. A part of me is curious