Leaning closer, he breathes in her scent, checking if she still carries the familiar aroma. There were times he could smell Richard on her and in her bed, but now he detects remnants of the bar mixed with what he assumes is Alexander's cologne. He struggles to suppress his rage as he leans back, forcing a smile down at her. "I had to shoot you," he reiterates, "there was no other way to ensure your safety. Do you understand that? I shot you to save you, honey." She flinches away from his touch, and he realizes it's a reaction to the trauma of the explosion, the shock of such a harrowing experience. She flinches away from Julius's touch, and he understands that her reaction stems from the trauma of having endured the explosion—an intense experience that leaves lasting scars. It's the kind of ordeal that haunts men in their dreams. Even he wakes up some nights, thrashing about, desperate to escape the echoes of bullets and blasts. He reflects that it's far better to be the one plant
Hearing his words, sadness washes over her, leaving her yearning to cry.His smile fades when he recalls Hernan. "But I'll admit, Hernan got the worst of it."Julius waits for Jenny to say something or at least show a hint of interest. Instead, she remains silent, staring at him with a blank expression, desperately holding back her tears."He died, Jenny," he says, fixating on her with a cool gaze."Oh, I had no idea. Really, Julius," she replies with an expression of false sorrow. It's the best she can do at the moment, she thinks, unsure of how much longer she can maintain this act.Julius raises two fingers. "That makes it the second time I've saved you tonight, Jenny."Jenny pauses, her confusion evident. What is he trying to communicate? she wonders."Romano!" he shouts. "He tried to kill you because of Hernan, and I saved you from him! Seriously, Jenny, are you really this oblivious?!"He scratches his head impatiently, frustration growing."Look," he says, as if he's struck a n
A tender ache between her legs surprises Jenny as she slowly comes to consciousness, the world around her blurred and uncertain. She tries to discern the source of her discomfort before it hits her—Julius gripping her hips, forcefully slamming into her. Memories flood back: the squeaking of the bed and the unsettling realization that no one had intervened. Surely, her father must have known what was happening, yet he remained indifferent to his son's perverse actions, ignoring the evidence that Jenny had spoken the truth all along."Hey," a soft, reassuring voice breaks through her thoughts. A gentle hand brushes her hair away from her face, and she blinks, attempting to sit up, waiting for her eyes to adjust to the harsh light. When her vision clears, she sees a woman in a black jumpsuit with long, dark hair."Jessica," Jenny breathes, astonished to see her after months apart. Jessica looks different—softer, almost. Jenny notices the traces of tears on her face but decides not to com
Jessica nods, turning her gaze away as Jenny notices her lower lip trembling. Despite her tumultuous relationship with Hernan, Jenny wonders if Jessica is still hurting. Being in a long-term relationship—even one that's damaging—takes an emotional toll. She can't help but think about how she might react when Julius passes away.Overwhelmed, Jenny breaks down and shares everything that has happened with Jessica. She decides that she will reveal all the details before Dolf discovers the charges against her, explaining how Alexander had aimed the gun at her head but hadn't pulled the trigger."Listen," Jessica says softly when Jenny finishes, holding her close against her chest. "We've seen the things the Dark Wolves are capable of, okay? We've pulled guys out of the water, beheaded and unrecognizable. He's capable of shooting anyone, but he didn't shoot you. He couldn't. I'm sure he has feelings for you too. After all that time together, you're probably the most important person in his
As she started toward the room that led to the arcade, Jessica, still holding her hand, gently redirected her. With a sly smile growing on her lips, Jessica looked meaningfully at Jenny."This way," she said, leading Jenny up a grand staircase enclosed by a narrow hallway. At the top, they faced a wall adorned with two antique-looking sconces and wallpaper Jenny didn't recognize.To her astonishment, when Jessica placed a hand beneath each sconce, the wall pushed in a few inches and slid open, revealing a hidden passage. Jenny's eyes widened in shock, clearly impressed by the unexpected unveiling."It's heat-activated," Jessica whispered, a proud smile spreading across her face."Why are we whispering?" Jenny asked, matching her friend's tone with a soft curiosity.Jessica turned to face Jenny, placing her hands thoughtfully on Jenny's shoulders as she shared her plan to help her escape. The two girls moved quietly down the hall, and Jenny soon found herself on the second floor of the
A thick, pulsating pain coursed through Jenny's head and down her spine, its rhythm echoing through her entire body. She sunk deeper into the mattress beneath her, wishing she could simply melt into it and escape the pain, longing to return to a time before it had found her again."My little trainee," a voice said, tinged with a heavy accent that carried a note of sadness. Jenny recognized the speaker and slowly pried her eyes open to find Brando standing there, clipboard in hand. He wasn't looking directly at her, which made her wonder if the rest of the Dark Wolves had informed him about what transpired that night. Did he know she was a traitor? Did he realize she was the reason the bar was reduced to ashes?"Where are we?" she croaked. Brando glanced up at her, raising an eyebrow as if this was information she ought to already know. She often felt as if she were being quizzed every time they spoke."In a safehouse," he replied, jotting something down on the clipboard. Jenny lamente
As Jenny continued to cry, she heard the familiar sound of someone sighing behind her. Lifting her head, she wiped the tears from her blurry eyes and barely made out Alexander standing nearby. She quickly scanned the room to ensure that Lemuel had already left. When her tear-filled eyes returned to Alexander, she noticed that he, too, was injured. Overwhelmed with despair, Jenny threw herself at his feet, choking on her sobs as she uttered, "After everything... that's... that's happened... I... I d...deserve... to d...d...die!" She knelt at his feet, begging him to end her life."I'm so sorry, Alexander! You have to believe me! I never would have..." Her voice trailed off, her face red and swollen from crying. She thought to herself, I am completely useless. Julius has always been right about me. I'll never be anything but a failure, ruining everyone's lives around me.Before Jenny could process what was happening, Alexander gently lifted her and set her down on the bed. She shifted i
Less than a day ago, Jenny had been trapped in the Roses' compound. Just a short while ago, Julius had been forcing himself on her once again, violating her while she was chained to the bed. Even as she harbored fears of being labeled a traitor, the Wolves had still refrained from tying her to the bed."Mom helped me understand," Alexander said, his gaze lingering on her hair. "She believes you have a good heart and wouldn't act that way unless you were coerced. She also said someone else's life must have been in danger for you to feel so torn about confiding in me.""She's right," Jenny admitted, sharing the story of Britney and the other girls, hoping that Alexander would grasp her situation. "When I first arrived at the Roses, I didn't know how to escape without hurting anyone. I had no idea about the explosive in my arm, or that the attack would happen that day, or that Hernan would be present.""I had no clue... I always knew the Roses were vile, but I assumed the women were ther
One year later."Thank you for coming," the lawyer said, glancing down at his paperwork while adjusting his predictably dull brown suit. Alexander sat beside Jenny, comforting her with a squeeze of her hand. Both were dressed more formally than necessary for the occasion, as they had a significant event to attend afterward."I understand it's been nearly a year since the passing of Eduardo, Jessica, and Julius Swift. We appreciate your patience while we collaborated with the police and other authorities to settle the estate. We are now prepared to proceed with the distribution."Alexander offered Jenny a reassuring squeeze of her hand and exchanged a supportive glance before she turned her attention back to the lawyer, eager to hear what she stood to inherit from her parents."Eduardo Swift's will stated that his entire estate was to be passed on to his wife, Sharon. However, due to her absence during the initial sorting, the estate was set to enter the public domain. Fortunately, a r
As Alexander finally stepped into the room, he laid eyes on Jenny for the first time in days. Guilt had overwhelmed him, fearing she might not survive the attack. He was both shocked and awed by Jenny's bravery when she pushed him aside and took those bullets with such courage. Never before had he witnessed such an act of selflessness, especially from someone so close to him.Alexander replayed the day's events repeatedly, haunted by the memory of Jenny being shot three times by Jessica, who was supposed to be her sister. But then again, Alexander considered, no one in her adoptive family had truly been family to her, except perhaps her mother.He often wondered if he could have acted differently but always arrived at the same conclusion. Jenny was unpredictable—a trait he admired but which also made it difficult for him to protect her from those who wished her harm, particularly Bloody Sapphire and her adoptive family.He could never grasp their family dynamic. How could they treat h
Consciousness rushes back to Jenny like a tidal wave. It's as if she's awakened in the midst of a snowstorm, or as if her body is engulfed in flames. Every nerve in her body screams, reminding her she's alive. Alive.Once the initial flood of overwhelming sensations subsides, she begins to notice the details in the room. First, she feels a smooth, small hand in hers, then hears the rhythmic beeping of a heart monitor to her right. The scent of antiseptic fills the air, and she suddenly realizes her mouth is incredibly dry."Water?" she croaks, managing to pry her eyes open, finding Malia standing above her, her hand shaking in Jenny's."Oh my god," Malia exclaims, turning and shouting into the hallway. Jenny flinches back into the pillow, unable to catch all of what Malia says, but it results in a swarm of medical professionals entering, all looking perplexed. Jenny feels like joking about the gunshots being a surprise to her, too, but her dry mouth prevents her from speaking properly
"But—" Jenny began as Jessica lifted the gun toward her. She raised her hands in a gesture to halt Jessica. Her plan would fail miserably if Jessica shot her now, something she might actually do. Jenny glanced at Nancy and Luther, the guilt almost overwhelming. If they hadn't met her, they wouldn't be caught in this tragedy. Drawing a deep breath, she steadied herself."Let them go.""What?" Jessica said, her tears momentarily halting as unkempt hair fell across her shoulder. It was nothing like her usually impeccable style."Listen," Jenny urged, closing her eyes. "There's a safe behind that painting. It holds enough money to give you the life you dream of."Jenny had discovered the safe one day while cleaning and had hurried out to keep Alexander from knowing she saw it. She had once watched him access the safe, revealing stacks of cash and gold."If you release them," Jenny continued, sensing Jessica was listening intently. "I'll tell you the code. Alexander shared it with me in ca
Meanwhile, Jenny arrived back at the sprawling log mansion, which served as Alexander's secluded retreat for himself, his most trusted allies, his mother Nancy, and Luther. Her heart tightened with worry at the thought of innocent, defenseless Luther. It was her fault he was caught in this predicament. She needed to act quickly to save that precious boy; otherwise, nothing would ever be the same for anyone involved.She hurriedly stepped out of the car she had commandeered and sprinted along the path toward the mansion's entrance. Gazing up at the moon, she whispered a silent prayer for Luther, recalling the sparkle in his eyes and his sweet, warm smile, before stepping into whatever chaos awaited beyond those doors.A wave of dread washed over her as she entered. The mansion was littered with fallen guards. Moving quietly into the foyer, she navigated around Alexander's fallen crew, careful and respectful of the somber scene.A soft, choked sob emanated from the center of the mansion
"As soon as I'm done with work," Alexander had reassured him, wrapping Luther in a warm embrace. "I'll come right back. You and me, we'll go fishing, okay?"Luther nodded, hugged him tightly, and told him to enjoy his fishing trip. Alexander kissed his head, oblivious to the idea that someone might find Luther there. He reproached himself now for not fortifying security, knowing he had plenty of enemies. What had he said to Jenny about it?"People with a lot of enemies are usually crushed under that weight. People with a lot of enemies sometimes get set on fire."The vision of his home, his son, and his mother in flames filled him with blinding rage and anxiety. He shoved past a few allies in his haste, knowing he'd apologize later, once he knew Luther was safe. Few in the Dark Wolves, apart from Lemuel, Malia, and Dolf, even knew of his son. Rushing past Anton on a stretcher, Alexander couldn't focus on anyone other than Luther.He skidded to a halt in front of his SUV just as his ph
"Yeah," Alexander replies, moving behind the bar in search of a good bottle of whiskey. Lemuel settles onto one of the barstools. Meanwhile, their team continues rolling up bodies and taking them to the incinerator they had discovered—likely used by the Bloody Sapphire for disposing of their unwanted. It's a more discreet option than transporting truckloads of bodies to the river with dawn approaching."He must have caught wind," Alexander speculates, shaking his head as he pours their drinks. Even though the operation went as smoothly as planned, he can't shake the feeling that something is missing. He knows he won't rest until the head of this adversarial group is found and eliminated.Just then, Alexander spots a shadow moving stealthily through an upper area of the tavern he hadn't noticed before. Without a second thought, he raises his gun and fires, certain that none of their men would move with such secrecy. If they had discovered access to a concealed upper floor, they would h
The Bloody Sapphire were taken completely by surprise when Alexander and his team arrived at their location shortly after three in the morning. They had sent two men ahead to release poison gas into the tavern, with Lemuel assisting the team in fitting their sleek gas masks securely before they entered, allowing the gas time to disperse.Inside, nearly every man in the main area of the bar was found slumped over tables or crumpled on the floor. Alexander's team swiftly eliminated them with silenced bullets, avoiding any unnecessary delays. True to his promise, Alexander ensured the women were left unharmed. He noticed them collapsed over the men, some unconscious with a man's hand inappropriately placed.The women were carefully removed from the pile of bodies and moved to the side, where they were handcuffed to a radiator, in case any harbored loyalties to their group. After the situation was controlled, they planned to bring Jenny in to speak with them, hoping they would recognize h
Jenny catches a glimpse of Dolf and Julius still clashing across the room but disregards them as she lunges at her father's legs, knocking him down hard. She hears the sound of his chin hitting the ground along with a muffled curse before scrambling back on top of him. This time, she aims for his eyes, but he raises his forearms to block her fingers. A primal rage surges through her, a tidal wave of anger.As she lashes out, the memories of all he's put her through flood her mind: Julius's assault, the constant surveillance from the bodyguards, his refusal to believe her even when the truth was self-evident, blaming her for her mother's death, and punishing her by sending her to work for the Bloody Sapphire as if it were an appropriate response.Jenny rains down her fists and elbows upon him, aware that she's screaming but feeling disconnected from the sound escaping her throat. She feels like a whirlwind, a tornado, a storm poised to engulf him. She wants him to experience every ounc