OCTAVIA'S POV I opened the door humming to myself. I woke up feeling rather energetic this morning and decided to give my house a deep cleaning. I had been working all morning, scrubbing the kitchen floors and cabinets, washing the bathroom, changing my curtains, and rearranging my wardrobe. My house looks as clean as ever. I disposed of the trash, and my hand and I waited for the elevator doors to open, and I walked inside, still singing to myself as I pressed the button for my floor. When a hand suddenly appeared in between the doors as it was closing, the door opened, revealing the last person I would imagine seeing here. He looked up and saw me, his striking green eyes still taking me aback like last time. I see the recognition click in his eyes. As he stepped into the elevator, I felt my heart race; he leaned against the wall looking at me, that cocky grin plastered on his face. He looked like he owned the place, and I lowkey regretted standing leaving that night. "Well, well,
ZION’S POV I leaned against the wall of my new apartment; the movers had brought in all the furniture, but there were still lots of boxes left to unpack. I am still trying to wrap my head around the fact that Octavia lived next door. I was shocked when I first saw her; I honestly thought I’d never see her again after she literally ran away from me at the club. The mix of disbelief and excitement hit me hard.I couldn't help but think back to when we ate together this afternoon. We clicked instantly, sharing jokes and laughter. Octavia has this incredible sense of humor that makes everything feel so easy and fun, and she makes it so easy to tease her. I love how she can make me laugh, even when I’m trying to play it cool. And let’s be real, she's incredibly attractive. The way her eyes light up when she laughs is something I could get lost in.There’s this tension between us that I can’t ignore. I feel drawn to her, and it doesn't help that she is so attractive. Her hair is so full an
OCTAVIA'S POV I turn in my bed, unable to sleep; the noise of bodies slapping fills the air; he is at it again. This guy Zion is such bad news. I really thought he was a reasonable person. Even since he moved to the apartment next to me, it's almost always noisy. It is like he throws a party every fucking night. He plays music so loudly every time he is around and late into the night, and that is like the least of it. I never knew that the walls of this apartment were so thin because I can hear almost everything that happens in his house, and it doesn't help that he makes no effort to tone it down. I punched the wall a few times to let them know that noise is disturbing me. It seems like his bedroom is on the opposite side of the wall from mine, and saying he had an adventurous sex life is an understatement. "Uhh! Yes, baby!" I hear the sound of his flavor of the night moaning. He could have at least put on some music as he does normally to protect my ears from this. Disgusted, irri
OCTAVIA'S POVThe cold air bit at my skin as I hurried through the dimly lit streets, my breath puffing out in frantic clouds. I clutched my phone in one hand, the other gripping the strap of my bag tightly. The call had been brief but alarming. Why am I the only person they could call? If it is serious, how will I be able to reach out to his family? And really, that is the last thing I want to do. I never wanted to be a homewrecker. I can't help but hate Nile a little for putting me in this situation. Despite everything that had transpired between us, a part of me still cared deeply for Nile. He is the reason I was able to get out of the darkest part of my life; without him, I would still be that stripper that anyone could touch anyhow at the casino. I had already given up on running away and life in general till he came into the picture. As much as I am hurt by him keeping his marriage from him, I could never hate him, and I will always be grateful for him. The sliding doors of th
ZION'S POVThe sun was barely peeking over the horizon as I woke up this morning. My apartment is a cluttered mess of camera equipment, scattered notes, and empty alcohol bottles from last night. With a yawn I get out of bed and walk to the bathroom. The girl that spent the night at my apartment has most likely left. I prefer it that way, really; I don't like the expectations I wake up to and the awkwardness when a girl spends the night at my apartment and refuses to leave. I grabbed my favorite camera and headed out the door, locking it behind me.I made my usual stop at the coffee shop on the corner. I found out not long after I started living here that Octavia owns it; this is her friend. The barista, Lily, greeted me with a warm smile as I approached the counter."Morning, Zion. The usual?" She asked, already reaching for a cup."You know me too well," I replied, leaning against the counter
Zion's POV The pulsing bass of James's party reverberated through the walls as I entered the house. Normally, this kind of scene would have me hyped up and ready to dive into the chaos. Tonight, though, I felt like an observer, detached from the frenzy around me.I scanned the room, spotting familiar faces and exchanging half-hearted greetings. An old flame, Sarah, caught my eye, but the spark I'd once felt wasn't there. She gave me a playful wink, and I smiled back, but my heart wasn't in it. What was wrong with me?As I made my way to the kitchen for a drink, I spotted James. He waved me over, a broad grin on his face. "Zion! Glad you could make it, man.""Wouldn't miss it," I replied, trying to match his enthusiasm.He handed me a beer, eyeing me curiously. "You okay? You seem... off."I shrugged, taking a sip. "Just one of those days, I guess."James nodded knowingly, but I doubt he has an idea of what I am talking about. "Well, if anyone can snap out of it, it's you. Just enjoy
OCTAVIA'S POV The night was starting to wind down, and the party's energy was slowly ebbing. I was half-heartedly chatting with Rose, who looked slightly distracted. She glanced at her phone for what seemed like the hundredth time, her brows furrowing.“Everything okay?” I asked, curious and a bit concerned.Rose sighed, tucking a stray lock of hair behind her ear. “I just got a message from the granny that stays next door to my house. She said she is feeling funny. I need to go check up on her; she stays alone. I’m really sorry to ditch you like this, Octavia.”I shook my head, offering a reassuring smile. “It’s fine, Rose. Family comes first. Do you need a ride?”“No, I’ll call a cab,” she replied, already tapping away on her phone. “Are you okay getting home on your own?”Before I could respond, a familiar voice cut in. “Actually, I can give her a ride.” I turned to see Zion standing there, his expression surprisingly earnest. “We’re neighbors, after all.”Rose’s eyes lit up. “Pe
OCTAVIA'S POV I kicked off my shoes and was about to start undressing when I heard a knock on my door. My heart skipped a beat, and I hesitated for a moment before opening it.Standing there was Zion, his gaze dark and intense, igniting something deep within me. "Zion, what are you—"Before I could finish, he stepped forward, closing the distance between us. "I couldn't stop thinking about you," he murmured, his voice low and husky."Zion, I—" I started. "Fuck it," he murmured, words caught in my throat as he leaned in, his lips capturing mine in a searing kiss. For a moment I stood there frozen, and then it was like something disappeared inside me; I gave in, kissing him back with equal fervor. His tongue grazed the entrance of my lips, beckoning me to open up. I opened my mouth, and our tongues battled for dominance. The world outside faded away, and I lost myself in the moment. His hands moved from my hair to my waist, pulling me closer. I felt the hardness of his erection poking
‘’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
I watched her face twitch with concern as she looked at the photo. I wasn’t sure what was wrong but she seemed quite concerned.‘’Do you know the name of this guy she is getting married to?’’ she asked finally, raising her head from the screen.I shook my head. ‘’No. But i heard he’s like a distant cousin.’’The Bravta guys had done it before. In fact, I had heard there was a time one of the Dons married his sister. It was hard to believe that something like that could be happening in the twentieth century.She furrowed her brows again and looked at the photo before stretching the phone back to me.‘’Is there any problem?’’ I asked. ‘’It seemed as though you know him or something.’’She shook her head and pulled the duvet over her head. With Octavia, it was best to just trust her blindly. It was one of the few things I was learning with her. Whenever she didn’t want to give information about something, it was for the best. I looked at the photo one more time before responding