Heat fluttered in my belly, I shouldn't be feeling like this but then this is a sweet gesture and he feels sorry about it, maybe something actually came up. I open the door, as I walked in phone rings. It's Nile "Hello," I said as I picked "Hi Octavia, did you get the flowers." He asked"Yeah, I did but I don't get the point, what you did was not cool, at all." "I'm sorry baby, let me make it up to you." "How?" "There is a pouch in the bouquet of flowers." I look down at the flowers in my hand, truly a rose coloured pouch hung rested in the middle of the flowers, I put my phone on loudspeaker and placed it on the table, Sitting on the sofa, I felt a mix of sadness and confusion. I picked up the box, feeling its weight in my hands, and curiosity began to replace some of my anxiety.As I carefully opened the box my heart raced. Inside, I found a delicate silver necklace, its chain glimmering in the light. The small heart pendant caught my eye, and I could almost feel his presence a
NILE'S POV I tap my feet impatiently as I wait for the elevator at Octavia's building to reach the ground floor. I have to get home before my wife and the kids wake up. I should not have spent the night here really. I know what I did last time hurt her, and she has been wanting me to spend the night, which is not surprising, and I have admitted to myself that I enjoy spending time; it's better than the silence at home. The parking lot is deserted; that is expected because no one in their right mind will be up and about by four am in the morning. I hear a sound to my right; I see what looks to be the figure of a man. I rub my hands together; it must be cold to sleep outside. I check my wallet and put the cash inside it under a bundle of cloth beside. I check the time as I pull out of the parking lot; it's four thirty already. I remember the argument Miranda and I had this morning; she has an issue with me coming home late; she probably suspected I'm seeing someone; I don't know what
OCTAVIA'S POVRose arrived before me today; the doors were already open as I got there, and the sound of Celin Dion's 'Heart Will Go On' drifted in from the kitchen. As I walked into the kitchen, the warm scent of vanilla and sugar enveloped me. Rose was standing at the counter, completely immersed in her task. She had her back to me, her hair tied up in a messy bun, and she was mixing a large bowl of batter with enthusiasm. I leaned against the doorframe, watching her for a moment. She was singing softly to herself; it was one of her favorite songs, and she was swaying slightly as she stirred the batter, completely lost in her own little world. Flour dust danced in the air, and I could see splatters of ingredients on the counter, evidence of her spirited baking session.Unable to contain my laughter any longer, I stepped forward and said, “Looks like I walked in on a baking concert!” Startled, she turned around, her eyes wide with surprise, but then she broke into a grin. “You caugh
I can't even talk right now; I take in deep breaths as I try to get my emotions under control. "Who was that? I saw him freeze as soon as he came in," she continued. "He is a friend of Axel, the person that made me work at the casino; I don't really know if they are friends, but they are together quite often." Realization dawned on her features, and she looked at me with something close to sympathy. I avoid her eyes; I don't want anyone to pity me; I'm done with that life. "It's probably nothing; I don't know if he recognizes me or not. She wraps her arms around me."I'm going to bring a baseball bat tomorrow; if he comes back here and tries anything, I'm going to break his legs and make sure he doesn't walk out with his feet intact." I laugh and relax into her embrace. "That would be nice." "I have to go check up on customers' orders; are you going to be okay?" she asks. "I'm fine, Rose." "You sure you don't want to go home? Joel and I will have everything under control." "Na
OCTAVIA'S POVAs I wiped down the counter, the familiar sound of the café's doorbell rang in my ears, but today it felt different, almost electric. For weeks, I had been on edge, glancing up every time the door creaked open, half-expecting to see that man or even Axel walk in again. I expect Axel and his goons to walk in here every minute. The memory of our last encounter lingered in my mind, his unsettling note echoing like a haunting melody. I could still feel the chill that ran down my spine when he had looked at me, eyes piercing through the small talk, making me feel exposed and vulnerable. Each day without his presence brought a strange relief but also a nagging sense of unease, like waiting for a storm that never came. I had convinced myself that maybe he had decided to ignore my existence and that I could finally breathe easy in my little café sanctuary.But then, just as I thought I could relax, the door swung open, and there he was, casually strolling in as if he hadn’t haun
***"You seem tensed and distracted, what's wrong," Nile asked twirling a lock of my hair between his fingers, I turn to face him, the sunset rays coming in from the window cast a soft golden glow on his already olive skin making him look almost ethereal. I trace his jawline with my finger then his shoulder, precipitation of sweat from our earlier activities moisten his back, I'm fully sated and exhausted but knowing he is not wearing anything except the cover of the blanket does little to stop my thoughts from going back to what happened with that man at the café earlier this week, I shrug the thought of, I shouldn't let this bother me anymore, if push comes to shove, I'll get a restraining order against him, he doesn't look like someone that can can afford to have the police on his payroll. "Nothing, I'm fine. I think I'm just a bit tired," "Is it the café? Is it getting more demanding? Do you need help? Should I hire someone?" He shot question after question. It was at times like
OCTAVIA'S POVAs I sit on my bed, the silence in the room feels deafening. My phone lies next to me; its screen is dark, but I can’t help glancing at it every few seconds, hoping for a notification that never comes. I feel a mix of sadness and anger swirling inside me, like a storm that won’t pass. Why did he have to storm out like that? My mind races back to the argument, the harsh words we exchanged, and the way his face twisted in frustration. I thought we could work things out, but now I’m left here, staring at this lifeless device, waiting for a call that I know might not come. I pick up my phone, scrolling through our old messages, trying to find a moment that reminds me of how we used to be. But all I see are the echoes of our last fight. It feels so unfair. I want to scream, to throw the phone against the wall, but instead, I just sit here, feeling trapped in this whirlwind of emotions. I can probably reach out to him first, but my pride won't let me. I want him to realize
OCTAVIA'S POVThe sound of the doorbell startles me away. Rose and I had fallen asleep in the middle of the movie. I look at the wall clock; it is twenty minutes last eleven. Who would be knocking on my door this late in the night? The doorbell rings again. Why is the person so inpatient? I check to see the person outside through the intercom. Nile's face came into view. I pressed the button and told him I'd be out in a minute. I walked into my bedroom to put on a robe over my pajamas. I opened the door but stepped out before he could come in. Rose is asleep in the living room, and I wouldn't want us to wake her. I looked up at him; he is dressed in a suit and still manages to look immaculate by this time of the night; the only thing that gave him away is the tired look in his eyes. I leaned on the wall and looked at him. "What are you doing here, Nile?" I asked"I wanted to see you." "This late at night? You disappear on me all day, and now you suddenly knock on my door when the w
I reached out for a napkin from a server and stretched it towards her. ‘’This might not help much, but it can reduce the wetness.’’She raised her head, looking at me with her doe eyes a second more than necessary. ‘’Thank you, Zion,’’ she said. ‘’But I may need to change this. Can you point me to the ladies?’’‘’Of course.’’We continued to walk arm in arm into the hall. I could see my father sitting by the fireplace and eating some barbecue with the ‘’men’’. Nike was standing at a corner talking to his wife, Miranda. He saw us approaching then and he watched us with curiosity.‘’She spilled her drink,’’ I said to both of them. The napkin was sitting on her chest, covering the ugly red mark on her beautiful white gown.‘’Oh my God!’’ Miranda exclaimed. ‘’I’m so sorry about that. Your beautiful dress is ruined.’’She smiled awkwardly, tugging at my arms but I ignored it. Nile was watching her with a new interest.‘’’The ladies is just on the first floor, by your right. I’ll b
‘’You are still in bed, Zion?’’I opened my eyes slowly and looked at the disapproving look on Nile’s face. I rubbed my eyes and rolled to the side. ‘’Can’t I sleep in peace?’’ I grumbled. I had partied the night before and my body was still trying to recover from all of the fatigue.‘’No,’’ he said, walking in and drawing the blinds away. It was almost dark outside. I glance at the clock. Past 6.‘’The party doesn’t start until 8, Nile. I can sleep for another hour,’’ I said, pulling the duvet over my chest. I was interested in any parties my brother was organising, especially a ‘Family reunion.’‘’We are hosting, Zion. I need you out of bed,’’ he said and finally walked out of the room.I laid still on the bed for minutes, staring at the ceiling. I pulled myself up into a sitting position and felt nauseous. Beside me, Sophia was still sleeping deeply. I pushed the covers off and my feet hit the cold tile. The bedside rug had been ruined and it was threadbare in some places
I tossed in bed for hours. I had barely slept for a few minutes when I was woken up by a nightmare. I stared at the ceiling, clutching my arms and reminding myself that it was a dream. I was safe at home in Palmero. The clock ticked slowly but i could not return to sleep anymore. Thoughts of the men brutally assaulting me played in my head nonstop, despite all my attempts to block them. The screams of those men as Dmitir fired lethal bullets into their heads added only to my torment. I turned to my side and twisted my finger into a fist, grimacing. I laid there for hours, my eyes and mind awake, but my body tired. Finally, I got up and strolled out of the room in my night wear alone. The house was silent and the corridors were dark. I took two flights of stairs until i arrived on the first floor. Then I walked to one of the rooms. Without hesitation, i turned on the handle and opened the door. He always left his door unlocked.He opened his eyes and reached for the light swi
I met Rory on the way. I wished I had not. I just wanted to return to my room, to bury my head in my pillow. Dad had not been able to hide his disappointment. I could see it all over his face even though he said nothing. He was going to get revenge for what had been done to Bree, and he would be killed and my life would be in ruins. I thought of the prophecy that man had said about my past and I shivered as I walked down the corridor.‘’Hey, Raven,’’ she said, leaning on the wall and clutching at her loose robe.‘’I can’t deal with this right now,’’ I said, walking past her.She held my hand. ‘’We’ve been together before we met, raven. I didn’t go behind your back.’’I pulled my hand away. ‘’Stay away from my father,’’ I said and walked away.It felt like ages since I left on this trip to Russia. So many things had gone wrong in just a few days. I had lost the respect I had just earned and I had lost a friend too. I pushed the door open and flung myself on the bed. Strange
The flight back to Italy was quiet, but there was a storm brewing in our minds. I couldn’t look at Bree without being consumed by guilt. I had promised to watch over her, and I had failed woefully. The mission had failed also, and I was at the verge of setting both families into war. How would I face my father and tell him that the mission had failed? How could I explain it without mentioning what happened to Bree?Byron was standing in front of the mansion, anticipating our arrival. I looked at the large smile plastered on his face as our car parked and I felt my heart brea. He was healing well and the bandage over his shoulder had been removed. I was responsible for that too. I looked at Bree.‘’Bree?’’She raised her eyes to meet mine. ‘’Don’t tell anyone yet, please,’’ i said, feeling my voice crack with guilt. She nodded. I touched her hand and rubbed it gently. I was going to make the Bravta guys pay for what they had done to Bree, and the humiliation I had faced..
It was almost 8pm when Dimitri arrived at the hotel. This time, the look on his face was different. It was a sullen look and I was almost too afraid to ask what their search had yielded. They had found Bree, I could tell.‘’We found her,’’ he said, walking into the room and reaching for a bottle of water on the fridge which he emptied. My stomach was in knots. He let out a deep sigh as he dropped the empty bottle on the table. ‘’There was some mix up,’’ he continued. ‘’She was mistakenly taken by some of our men.’’I clenched my teeth. Mistakenly? They were going to pay with their lives if anything happened to Bree. ‘’But we were able to find her.’’ He turned to the man beside him and barked some orders. ‘’She is here with us.’’The door opened and closed as the man stepped out. Few seconds later, I saw Bree being rolled in on a chair. She was in a clean dress and her hair was packed up nicely, but I could see the bruises on her skin and the pain and exhaustion in her ey
My worst fears were beginning to happen. I realised now that saying I had gone to get food was such a bad story. What kind of bodyguard left their ward for two hours in search of food in a strange city?‘’Huh?’’ he asked again, raising his brows. He looked furious. ‘’Is this a plan to destroy whatever alliance we may want with da Vinci? Who are you working with?’’The questions came out in a flurry of words and I was surprised to see the angle with which he was viewing the whole affair. He thought this was a mission to sabotage, that I had planned the kidnap of Bree. I wasn't sure if it was a relief or not.‘’And why did you wait so long before you informed us?’’He stood erect and began to pace. Midway, he turned towards me and a heavy slap landed on my face. It stung to my feet and my hands flew to my face in reaction.‘’When I ask you a question, you respond. Do you understand?’’I was outnumbered. There was no way I could react. I thought of the prosthetic nose. If it
Her phone was unreachable. I paced back and forth in front of the lobby, anger and worry boiling within me. Where could she have run off to without telling me? Why was her phone unreachable? I glanced at my watch. It was just fifteen minutes to the wedding. If we don’t show up, there would be questions. If I showed up without her, there would be questions too.I rubbed off some dust on my forearm as I approached the front desk again.‘’I’m unable to reach her,’’ I said in English. ‘’Can I check the CCTV camera? Maybe someone picked her or something. We don’t know anyone here.’’The woman looked at me blankly and for a second I thought she probably did not understand English. ‘’Give me a moment,’’ she replied in English with a heavy accent.I drummed on the counter as I watched her walk to one of her colleagues. They spoke for a while and I could see them looking at me and shaking their heads. She made a sign that she was going to consult someone else and she disappeared d
I watched him walk away. I wasn’t sure who he was. I had never met him before.‘’Is that a problem?’’ Bree asked, watching me. I could hear the panic in her voice and I was beginning to regret telling her what I had noticed.‘’I don’t think so. We just need to know they know we’re armed.’’Deciding to have the wedding on a yacht instead of the family house seemed strategic to me. We were far away from where I could get vital information I came all the way for. The only way out of this predicament was to slip away in the middle of the party without raising suspicion. But that would be hard to do since we had a marked table.I picked the glass of champagne and emptied half of it in the vase quickly. Bree raised her brows. I said nothing.Half an hour into the event, I knew all was not well. The wedding had not started. I could see the look of concern on the faces of the women, the hushed whispers and the going back and forths. Perhaps Natalia had escaped just as she had thre