Iris’s POV I stared at Damon, my mouth hung open in shock. I couldn’t just pick my jaw from the floor. No wonder he was so damaged.I tried to imagine what he’d passed through, being separated from his mother at such a young age. Not everyone would remain the same after that. I knew what it felt like to some extent because I’d been abandoned by my parents too. But there was a difference in our cases, as I hadn’t gotten to bond with mine the way he did with his. Even though he tried to mask the pain, I could still tell he was terrified by whatever had happened, from the creasing lines on his face to a hard set of his jaw, to the flat lining of his lips. And I’d been so clueless, doing all that cheesy stuff, and reminding him of a trauma he’d probably forgotten. “I-I’m sorry to hear that,” I stuttered, swallowing hard. He just stared at me for a while, saying nothing, his gaze sober. “I’m sorry I did all that too. I wasn’t—““It’s not your fault,” he interrupted, waving his ha
Damon’s POV I’d gotten the second-greatest shock of my life, just minutes ago. The first had been on that day, twenty years ago, when my mother had turned me away from her.And now, Iris has shocked me too.What was it with the women closest to my heart and throwing me off guard?My little petal. How long has it been since I’d called her that? I couldn’t remember.She hugged me. She’d circled her arms around me, deeply healing a scar I thought would never go away. Or did she reopen the scar instead? I felt a burning sensation on my hidden injuries as she’d hugged me back, so I wasn’t sure if it was healing, or reopening. I was just very certain of one thing. I needed that hug more than anything else in this world.I couldn’t deny the fact that she’d surprised me, because she’d always given me the impression that she despised me so much, with every fiber in her being. But I wasn’t so sure about that anymore. I am even more confused now.I’d voiced my concern, asking if this meant s
Iris’s POV We sat around the table, a heavy silence enveloping us, the aromas of steaming hot mashed potatoes curling up into the air. Damon sat at the head of the table, not very far from where I sat, while Luca sat to my right. We ate in silence, the only sounds in the room were the clattering of metal spoons against ceramic plates. I stole glances at Luca now and then, wondering where he had gotten the guts to show up at Damon’s doorstep. I had so many questions for him. All of which I couldn’t ask him in Damon’s presence. I still couldn’t understand how he and Damon had ended up together at that hospital, and from the way he smiled at me now, I knew he was here because of me. Or was he?And Damon seemed to be quite lenient with him, despite knowing Luca was interested in me. A mystery I had yet to solve. Damon never took it lightly with any man who showed even the slightest bit of interest in me, so what was so different about Luca?I noticed Luca staring so openly at me fr
Damon’s POVI couldn’t describe perfectly, the wave of panic that washed down my veins as I spotted the trickle of blood on her leg, and before she could say a word, I picked her up in my arms and bolted up to her room, shouting out instructions to Mary to get the doctor.How could she be so careless?Getting to the door of her room, I kicked it open and carried her inside, gently setting her down on the bed.“I’m fine,” she argued, trying to push me away as I tore a small fraction of my shirt and tied it around her leg.“Stay still,” I grumbled out, nudging her back into the bed as I settled in next to her. “The cut might be little, but you’re consistently losing blood.”“But it’s not enough reason to get a doctor,” she argued, a frown tainting her features. “We could just—“A knock sounded on the door just then, cutting off her words, and I snapped my gaze up to the door, hoping that the doctor had somehow arrived by magic already. And silently hoping that it wasn’t Luca.I’d slamme
Damon’s POV“It’s none of your business,” he spat, a smirk tugging on his lips.Sighing, I decided to let the matter rest. “C’mon,” I said, nodding towards the hallway that stood in the opposite direction. “I’ll show you to the room you’ll sleep in tonight.”He stole one last, uncertain glance at Iris’s door before following me. “Is she getting treated? I saw that lady go in there with a first-aid kit.”“It’s not your place to worry about her, Luca,” I replied, trying to keep the irritation out of my tone. I understood he cared about her, but no man, not on my watch.We walked for a while in silence, saying nothing of the words that brimmed in our chests, and as we got to the door, I paused, turning to look at him. “So, tell me. Are you still interested in working with me?”He paused in his tracks, glancing sideways at me. He said nothing for a long time, and I was forced to look at him, slightly raising a brow.“F-for real?” He stuttered the surprise painted across his face.“Of cour
Zach’s POVIt was already two days after I’d encountered Damon at the hospital, and I was still brimming with pure white rage.“Pass me the bottle, Anna.”I was tapping my foot restlessly against the floor, agitation coursing through my veins.She stared at me for a long moment, and when she didn’t make a move, I turned to glare at her.“The bottle, Anna!”Sighing, she picked up her glass and took a sip from it, then set it down and picked up the bottle, moving towards me.She set down the bottle on the table in front of me, moving behind me and placing her palms on my shoulders. “I’ve told you not to raise your voice at me, Zach,” she said, her tone rigid. Then she leaned into me and brushed my hair away from my ears.“But I’ll let it slide today,” she whispered in my ear, her fingers working on my shoulders, “because you look so agitated already.”I sighed, uncorking the bottle and pouring the brown-colored whiskey into the glass cup.“Tell me,” she continued, kneading my shoulders
Damon’s POVI stepped into the junkyard, glancing around cautiously. There were so many cars here, so many of them, and I wondered if I’d be able to spot that truck in the next few hours.The type, color, and plate number had been imprinted in my brain since that day. I’d barely forgotten.Just as we’d been rammed into, close to that bridge, and as we fell off, I caught a glimpse of the truck, speeding away in the distance.But a truck was a truck, after all. It hadn’t been fast enough, and I’d been quick enough to cram the plate number.A cream-colored box truck. Plate number: NY234DMVI’d made sure to write it down somewhere, in case my memory decided to play me.But I knew I’d hardly forget a thing like this because there was nothing I hated like backstabbing cowards.I knew exactly where I’d find the truck—a junkyard. It was used to commit a crime, so the normal thing to do would be to discard it. In the least suspicious place. Probably exchange it for a few bucks.I’d postponed c
Damon’s POVI jumped on the motorbike that was parked just at the entrance of the junkyard and quickly turned the key in the ignition, the engine roaring to life, I went after the man.After my treasured motorbike had been destroyed by that hit, days ago, I’d purchased a new one.Being on these motorbikes, sent a different kind of power coursing through my veins, rippling like lightning.And it was exactly the power I needed to chase down this bastard.I’d caught him flagging down a taxi just as I got to the entrance, and now, I gave the taxi a hot chase, weaving through the streets and alleyways the taxi took. The man had probably tipped off the taxi driver because he drove like a madman trying to escape his nemesis.Seeing that the taxi was quickly evading me, I powered up the handlebars and sped past the cars and taxis on the street, scaling over a small truck that obstructed the way.Just as we approached an intersection, I geared up the speed limit and sped past the cars in front
Damon’s POVThree months earlier“So, you got a new tattoo?”The voice of the therapist pulled me out of my thoughts, and I pulled my gaze away from the window facing the garden, looking down at the still-fresh tattoo on my arm.“Yeah..” I murmured, tracing a finger across the face on the tattoo, lingering around the eyes that stared back at me.“When?” The female therapist asked, and I shrugged, not taking my eyes off the tattoo.“Just a few weeks back, I guess.”“Really? Can I see?”“Sure,” I mumbled, heaving a sigh.She rose to her feet and moved around her desk, coming over to where I sat and leaning forward behind me.“Wow,” she exclaimed quietly, a little amazement in her voice. “That’s a unique face. A pretty one, at that.”“Yeah, I know right?” I replied, the corners of my lips tilting up in a small smile. “It’s a face I keep seeing in my dreams, Andrea.”Andrea, my therapist, stood back then and observed me closely, almost lik
Iris’s POVA year laterI stood at the floor-to-ceiling window on the balcony of the condo, admiring the beautiful night view, my mind a melancholic mess.It had been that way since that night after Damon had fallen off that cliff.And we hadn’t seen him since.There was nowhere we hadn’t looked.But Damon was nowhere to be found.I’d cried and cried for months, but to my greatest despair, that was all I could do.Sometimes I wished Luca hadn’t showed up with Gary when he did, because then I’d have been killed too, and I wouldn’t have to deal with this pain.At least I’d be dead and buried, probably alongside him.It was as I’d seen him falling off that cliff that I knew I was in love with Damon Vyon, my heart falling right out with him.And I never got a chance to tell him how I felt…“What are you thinking about?”I whirled around to see Luca standing at the balcony door, watching me with a sober expression on his face.He too, had not remained the same ever since Damon disappeared
Iris’s POVThe gun fell out of my trembling hand, clattering to the floor.Did he just ask me to shoot Damon?No, no. I couldn’t.Sighing and pushing his fingers through his hair, Zach bent down and picked up the gun, approaching me menacingly. “Don’t piss me off, pretty girl,” he snapped, his tone laced with derision, as he pressed the gun into my hand again. “Shoot him, I said.”“No!” I screamed now, intentionally throwing the gun far from me, and as it tumbled over the cliff, Zach let out a deep growl and whirling around, he struck me heavily across the cheek.“Fucking bastard!” Damon yelled, struggling viciously to break free of his chains, and tears blurring my vision, I stared down at him, knowing very well that this would end badly.How could we possibly get out of this?What miracle could happen?“Hey you,” Zach snapped his fingers at one of his men, “get me another gun.” They quickly came forward, presenting him with a new gun, and he took it, observing it closely.“Now,” he
Damon’s POVI stared up at the chief coward—Zach, was it?—my vision blurring.Ah. So it was him? The one I’d replaced?This story he recounted.. triggered the memory of a day I’d kept buried and locked up, unconsciously, the pain coming right back and whipping me emotionally.That little boy from back then. I stared at the scar on his chest, remembering how I’d felt seeing him bleed out on the floor that day.“You seem to be getting your fucking memories back, don’t you?” Zach spat, his eyes growing darker than they were already.Of course, that day had been a fucking bloody day. So how could I forget?*****Fifteen years ago“W-what are you doing here?” The man who called himself my father stuttered, staring at me with a fear I’d never seen in his eyes before.We stood facing each other on the rooftop of his new law firm, a stick of cigar in his hand, dark circles underneath his eyes.Had he even been sleeping? Well, how could he sleep, after he sold me off to that maniac of a mafia
Damon’s POVHe glared at me for a long time, saying nothing, his eyes taking on a distant look. Then rising to his feet, he cleared his throat.“It’s your money, quite alright,” he started, shoving his fingers in his pocket, alongside the flash drive, “but this money is nothing compared to what you stole from me, Damon.”What the heck was he talking about? What exactly would I steal from a stranger like him? Someone I knew nothing about?He stopped pacing for a while, staring down at me. “You might have forgotten,” he scoffed, “seeing how fucking clueless you look right now.”“Look,” I started, frustration climbing into my tone, against my will, “I don’t know what the fuck you’re talking about, or how you got your hands on that. But if it’s the money you want, you can keep it.” “Just let her go,” I added, nodding in Iris’s direction. “She has nothing to do with any of this.”He looked back at her for a moment, then threw his head back in a maniacal laughter, shaking his head.“Who sai
Damon’s POVThe slap of the wind on my face was what woke me up this time. Slowly, I peeled my eyes open, every part of my body aching, my head throbbing painfully.Where was I now?Fuck…Iris..There was no time, and here I was..lying around, letting that weird woman keep putting me down.Looking around, I slowly realized where I was. On a cliff? How come? How did I get here? That weird woman couldn’t have carried me here all alone, right?This was a cliff..had to be. That was one explanation for this much breeze and open space.Grunting, I tried to move around, and I was a bit disappointed to find that I was still bound by wrists and ankles. What was I expecting?I tried to turn around then, and someone’s foot pressed into my back, pushing me back to the ground.“Well, well,” an unfamiliar voice rang out from behind me, cold and rusty, and excited, “look who we have here.”I tried to turn around, to see who had joined us, but the person that had their stinky foot on my back pressed i
Iris’s POV“Where the fuck have you been?”I was jammed in the backseat of the moving car, between a woman who smelled heavily of putrid blood, and the man who had slapped me earlier, my hands and feet still bound very tightly, the ropes cutting into my flesh.I had no idea where we were headed.“Well,” the woman cleared her throat, “is that how you thank me for making this fucking easy for you?”Sighing, the man leaned back in his seat and pulled the woman into his lap.“Unlock the windows, Dante,” he ordered, twisting his nose upwards, “it smells so fucking rotten in here.”Then he turned his attention to the woman in his lap. “I’m sorry, my beautiful Anna,” he murmured, stroking her hair. “I was just carried away with all that’s happening, you know. Everything’s happening all at once, and I mean, it’s good. Trust me.”She smiled, reaching into her pocket and retrieving a pack of cigarettes. “Okay..” she murmured, “what do you have to say about my performance?”“I’m duly impressed,
Iris’s POVI’d thought this vile-looking man could be bluffing when he’d insinuated that he had Damon, but from the way his eyes sparkled right now, I feared it wasn’t just an insinuation. He’d meant it.And what was that he said? He wanted me to kill Damon? Why would I do that? Why would he want that? I mean, it was clear now that this man was an enemy of Damon’s, but why would he want me to kill Damon?As I glared up at him, my eyes burning, my heart ramming hard against my chest, I tried to regulate my breathing. Tried to mask the fear that now clouded my senses, making my tongue as heavy as lead.I swallowed hard, wincing from the pain of my hair being pulled right down to the scalp. “You want me to do what?” I demanded, my tone laced with that same fear I tried so hard to mask.Scoffing, he let go of my hair and rose to his feet. “You try to hide it,” he started, “but you seem to be quite distressed by what I’d just said.” He paused, shoving his palms into his pockets and glaring
Zach’s POV“Anna did all of that?”I stood with my back to Dante, staring out the floor-to-ceiling window, the corners of my lips turned up in a satisfactory smile.“Yes, boss,” Dante replied. “We were just on our way to send a message across to Damon Vyon when she called with the information.”Throwing my head back, I let out a small chuckle, clapping my palms dramatically. “She’s a real vixen, isn’t she?” I muttered, shaking my head. “It baffles me, you know, how very alike we seem.”“So,” I continued after a few moments of silence passed, “we have Damon Vyon in our hands right now? Is that truly so?”“Yes, boss,” he replied. “He’s currently at the warehouse we’ve prepared. We await further instructions from you.”“Great,” I murmured, thumbing my beard.I didn’t think it would be so easy to capture Damon Vyon. I’d spent all these years planning, envisioning, dreaming, wishing. Seeing how deadly he was. And now, Anna had pulled it off like it was a fucking walk in the park.I was dul