ππππππ DANIELLayla's eyes fluttered open at my command, ecstasy brightening the color of her amber irises. Without a word, she turned around, lying flat on her stomachβ¦ and then I saw it."Oh, my God, Layla." I reached out and softly touched the skin between her shoulder blades. Earlier in the bathroom, I caught a glimpse of the tattoo, but only now did I see what it was.My fingertips traced the black inked lines. The face of a wolf. A replica of the image tattooed on the top of my hand. I placed my palm flat on her back, identical art engraved on my skin. No words could have described the feeling that flooded my chest β the warmth that spread through my veins."It's beautiful," I murmured, still staring at it in awe.She glanced over her shoulder but didn't say a word. She didn't have to. The ink on her skin spoke a thousand goddamn words, but most importantly, it told me this woman was still mine. That she had always been mine. By God, tonight I would reclaim all of her.Bi
πππππLAYLAI couldn't help but stare in awe before whispering, "Sunrise.""Yeah." Daniel's fingers brushed up and down my arm. "Someone once told me that the birth of a new day is one of the most amazing things to witness. That we should never take this for granted." He placed a kiss on my temple. "Being able to share a new day."I had to bite the inside of my cheeks to keep myself from crying. He remembered. He remembered the last sunrise we saw together, as a couple irrevocably in love with each other. It was heartwarming to know he hadn't forgotten β to know I wasn't the only one who held on to the memories of that day.With Daniel's arm around my shoulder, his body against mine, we watched the sunrise at the far corners of the horizon. The yellows, oranges, and pinks painted the sky like a canvas as if God Himself was creating this resplendent image just for us. Even though it was autumn, there wasn't a cloud in the sky. It was the beginning of a beautiful day, and once agai
ππππππDANIELTime was running out. I could feel it in my bones. Layla was starting to become desperate, and restless. Earlier, Katherine had mentioned something I needed to know, but I was one hundred percent sure Layla wasn't planning on telling me."Daniel."I turned to see Vanessa walking my way. It didn't take a genius to notice the worry lines forming grooves on her forehead.She stepped up and hugged me. "James gave me the in-a-nutshell version." She leaned back. "Are you okay?""I'm fine. You don't have to worry about me."She scowled at me with her dark eyes under thick lashes. "You're kidding, right? Danny, you're the only brother I ever worry about.""What? No way. I'm not the brother who walks around like he has a stick up his ass the whole time. At least I have a personality and this one thing they callβ¦ a life." I winked at her, trying to play it down. The last thing I wanted was for my little sister to worry about me while she was planning one of the most importan
ππππππ DANIEL After pouring the drink, I shot him a sideward glance. "That's very much unlike you, Dad. Drinking before noon." "Oh, trust me, it's not the first time." He took a seat on one of the leather couches, rubbing his palm down his face. Then I notice how tired he looked with the bags of fatigue under his eyes. The old man was getting β well, old. "Dad, are you okay?" I handed him his drink. "What do you think? Our family is on the verge of a full-on war. My son is a walking time bomb because of some woman. And I have a nephew with the potential to be the next American psycho walking around the house." I took a seat across from him. "You forgot having James as a future son-in-law." "Don't remind me." He rubbed his temples, and I was once again reminded why I wasn't envious of my dad, or Antonio, for that matter. All the worries and responsibilities causing the wrinkles around my father's eyes would one day be Antonio's. Thank God for the whole "the firstborn will
πππππLAYLAI couldn't stop staring at him from the side mirror. Daniel.My heart broke over and over and over again the longer I stared at him. He looked defeated as he fell to his knees, screaming after us."Layla!"A tear slipped down my cheek as I closed my eyes. The sound of my name mixed with the heart-wrenching desperation in his voice killed me little by little. But he left me no choice. He didn't know the risk, or what was at stake. And I couldn't tell him. If I did, it would have only placed him in more danger than he already was."He'll understand." Antonio's voice was strong, but the low note of uncertainty echoed through.I fixed my gaze on the road ahead, the large black gates already open, allowing Antonio to race out of the estate. "I'm not so sure about that."Antonio shifted gears. "I am. Once he knows the truth, he will be able to put the pieces together."I sighed, the heaviness in my chest making it increasingly difficult to breathe."Why me, though? Why ask
πππππLAYLA(Flashback Continues...)Kat stared at me in silence. She couldn't hide her emotions from me. It was there, in her eyes, causing her so much pain, so much worry. Gently, she reached out and tucked a strand of hair behind my ear. "Don't blame yourself because you fell in love, Layla." I bit my bottom lip, and my heart cracked in two. For months, Daniel had been my world. He was the sun in my life, our love the air I breathed. He was everythingβ¦ until I opened my father's letter, discovering the truth about the man I had given my heart to. "Talk to him first, Layla. Maybe there's a reasonable explanation for all this." "And so what if there is? So what if he has a hundred different reasons for keeping this part of his life a secret from me? It doesn't change anything. His family is selling drugs on the streets, living off dirty money. And if half of what Dad is saying in his letter is true, then I β we are no longer safe here. It's not just about me and him any more
πππππLAYLAAntonio scoffed at my words before replying, "As my brother said the other day, we've been at war with the Morellos for years now." I turned in my seat, determined to get my point across. "If I don't go back, Mato won't stop until he's destroyed everyone I love." "But this isn't about you, Layla. It's about Daniel. About us. It's never been about you. You are just a pawn he's using to put our family in checkmate. It's Daniel they want to destroy. It's our family they want to wipe out. Even if you go back and give your life in order to stop all of this, it won't. It will never stop." "I know this war between you and the Morellos will probably never end, but I will no longer be used as a weapon to torture Daniel. You and I both know that Daniel will put himself in harm's way as long as Mato has me. Your brother will never stop, and I've been the cause of Daniel's pain for too long." I shook my head as tears welled up. "No more. No more, Antonio. I can't do it anymore
ππππππ DANIEL My heart almost stopped at my father's words. "Is Layla hurt?""No. No, it's not like that."I scowled. "Then what?"The old man stopped and looked up at the roof. "Your brother and Lucio had a run-in with some of the Morellos men." He turned to face me. "It didn't end so well.""Meaning it turned into a bloodbath." It wasn't a question. When things didn't end well, it usually meant someone died. "Antonio and Lucio okay?""Yes. They're fine."Nothing about his demeanor gave me the impression that everyone was fine. The grim look on his face, the way his shoulders were slumped forward said to me that I wasn't going to like the next part of this fucking story."What happened?"He took a deep breath. "I think it best you wait for Antonio to get here."What theβ¦? "Are you telling me Antonio is on his way back here? Jesus Christ, the fucker has balls, I'll give him that." I stormed to the bedroom door. "He better has Layla with him if he wants to live to see another d