OCTAVIA'S POV I stepped out of my father’s office, my heart weirdly heavy; I clutched the knife in my hand as I grieved for the mother I never met. This piece of weaponry is like a connection to a life I have never known. I walked back to my room, and when I opened my door, I stopped in my tracks, my eyes widening. About twenty shopping bags were arranged side by side at the foot of my bed, and as I walked closer, a sleek, brand-new iPhone sat on the nightstand. Its glossy black surface reflected the dim light of the lamp. I shrugged off my coat, letting it fall onto the bed, and picked up the phone. It was already set up with my number, Lionel, Bree and Bryon's number were also saved om it. My stomach twisted as I thought about Rose. She would be worried sick by now. I changed into a pair of comfortable sweats and sat on the edge of the bed and dialed her number. The phone rang twice before her familiar voice came through. "Hello,""Rose, it's me," I started cautiously. “Octavia
OCTAVIA'S POV Rose looked absolutely stunning in the blue jeans that hugged her hips snugly and then flared out at her feet, her orange top hugged her waist and the neckline showed a decent amount of cleavage, her outfit accentuated her curves with her full hair pulled up in a high ponytail accentuating her face and she walked into the resturant confidently ignoring the heads that turned as she walked by. "Damn she's drop dead gorgeous, " Bree breathed beside me as soon as she caught sight of her. We are meeting up with Rose today, we got here not long ago and I had invited Bree to come along, partially because I don't want to go out with the "guards" all alone, I don't know if I'll ever get used to it and I am sure she and Rose are going to get along perfectly. The restaurant we are at is nestled on a quiet cobblestone street in the middle of the city, it's the kind of place that felt warm and inviting as soon as you stepped inside. The golden glow of the lights, the clinking of
OCTAVIA'S POV The next morning, I stretched lazily as I opened my eyes and dragged myself out of bed. The sun filtered through the curtains, bathing my room in a warm morning glow. I shuffled to the door, still rubbing the sleep from my eyes as I headed to the kitchen to get my daily cup of office. I nearly jumped out of my skin when I saw someone standing unmovingly beside my door. “What the he—” I yelped as one hand clutched the doorframe for support and the other clutched my chest as if to stop my heart from falling down. The man turned slightly, his broad shoulders blocking most of the hallway. It is the man that was talking to my father yesterday evening, his expression was unreadable and his sharp jawline clenched. His dark eyes regarded me with a hint of boredom, like this was just another day at work. “Good morning, Miss Octavia,” he said in a deep, smooth voice. I blinked. Okay this is not how I expected my morning to start. “Uh… hi? What are you doing here?" “I’m Aaro
I rummaged through my drawers in the closet and pulled out a pair of black leggings and a matching sports bra, I threw on a tank tops over it, I get the feeling I might have to take off the tank top when I start sweating but I kept it on. As I changed, I caught myself glancing at the door, half expecting Aaron to burst in and tell me to hasten. I can't help it, that's what I'd do if I have have wait for someone and act like a shadow all day. I pulled my hair up and tied it in a lose ponytail and i stepped back out. To no one's suprise she was still standing there, beside my my door with his hands crossed and hist face blank.“You didn’t move an inch, did you?” I asked, unable to hide out incredulous it seems to me. “No need,” he replied simply, turning on his heel to lead the way.“This is freaking weird,” I muttered under my breath as I followed him down the hallway.“I heard that,” he said without turning around.I blinked in surprise. “Oh, so you do have a sense of humor?”He di
OCTAVIA'S POV The sound of my fists hitting the heavy punching bag echoed through the gym, a rhythmic thud that somehow felt as satisfying as it was exhausting. My knuckles would probably have become bloody now if it had not been protected by the worn boxing gloves Aaron had handed me weeks ago; my hands stung slightly with each hit, but I had somewhat gotten used to the pain. My breaths came in steady bursts as I focused on my stance, my form, and the power behind each punch. I stepped back and wiped a bead of sweat off my forehead with the back of my gloved hand. The past six weeks had been grueling, to say the least. I had gone from barely knowing how to throw a punch to being able to confidently hold my own in a fight... I think. I had thought I was just going to learn self-defense, but for the past six weeks, Aaron has been thorough... maybe a bit too thorough. He taught me hand-to-hand combat, I learned knife-fighting techniques, and we sparred often, and he always makes it l
OCTAVIAI hurried back to my room and as soon as I got in, I made a beeline for the bathroom to take a shower, I almost groaned as the cool water hit my skin washing away my sweat and easing my sore muscles. I rounded it up fast though because I didn't want to keep Bree waiting, knowing her, she would barge into my room if I keep her waiting too long, she is as patient as a five year old.Once I finished, I wrapped myself in a towel and rummaged through my closet wondering what to where, after trying on a few outfits, I finally settled on a navy blue sweater dress and a brown belt, pairing it with a pair of white leather boots, I quickly brushed my hair and applied mascara and eyeliner and then a light coat of pink lipstick and just as I was putting on my earrings, my phone buzzed on the nightstand. Bree’s message popped up: “I’m outside. Hurry up before I die of boredom.”I rolled my my eyes and grabbed my bag and made my way
OCTAVIA'S POV “Octavia?” Bree’s voice pulled me out of my daze.“Huh?” I blinked, tearing my gaze away from the door, from him. “You okay?” Rose asked, her brow furrowed in concern.“Yeah,” I said quickly, forcing a smile. “I just thought I recognized someone.”They both glanced toward the door to look at him; he had started walking towards us, his piercing gaze on me, unmoving. “Who is that?” Bree asked, her curiosity piqued."Why is he looking at you like that? Wait, he is walking this way." Rose whispered loudly. "It is Axel," I said, my voice sounding breathless. Their eyes widened, and realization dawned on them at the same time he reached our table. “Fancy seeing you here,” he drawled, standing in front of me and looking down at me with that cocky smirk. At first I froze in place, my breath catching in my throat. Slowly, I raised my eyes to look up at him as I tried to calm my racing heart. I am not that girl anymore, I can most likely kick his ass in a fight right now, I
OCTAVIAWe started walking back toward the car when I heard footsteps behind us. My heart sank before I even turned around. I turned and saw Axel coming towards us again, but this time three huge men stood behind him, their faces looking dangerous and menacing."I see you have another boy toy. Don't tell me he got tired of you already." His irritating voice grated in my ear."If you know what is good for you, Axel. You will leave now while you still can." I said."What are you going to do, huh? Give your body to another man to buy your freedom." I could feel my blood start to boil. The car park was secluded; the only people there were Axel and his men, Bree, Aaron, and I. The guards that came with us parked their car at one end of the park, and they walked quietly towards them from behind, and it was obvious he did not see them earlier.Aaron brought out his gun and pointed it at Axel."Just give the word,
CHAPTER SIXTY TWOOCTAVIA'S POV My heart raced slightly as I stepped into the restaurant, and my eyes immediately scanned the room until they landed on Zion. He sat at a table at one corner of the resturant doing something on his phone and nursing a glass of water. My heart clenched as I drank in the sight of him, he still looks almost exactly the same, the same messy brown hair but he now has a faint stubble along his jaw. It made him look darker and more mature and his piercing green eyes popped even more. It suited him though because I can point out why but he has gotten even more handsome. I quickly reminded myself that this is not a date. Yet, as I watched his gaze move upwards and his lips curve in a smile as he looked at me, i felt my heart squeeze again. Memories of everything we used to have flooded my mind, the late night talks, our share jokes the laughter, even when we used to fight, the way he used to look at me like I was his entire world, the memories of the hurt an
CTAVIA'S POVEvery person we passed as we walked by stopped what they were doing, and nodded their heads in respect to my father. Lionel walked ahead with his usual commanding presence, and I followed closely, Aaron walked silently to my left like an unshakable shadow, while Mikel trailed slightly behind. It was hard not to notice the curious, borderline scrutinizing stares of everyone. They weren’t even trying to be subtle. I told myself it wasn’t personal and held my head high not betraying my nervousness. I'm just an unfamiliar face in a world where everyone is practically like family. But still the whole attention made my skin prickle, and this is just the start, I almost laughed to myself. The man leading us, he is a huge man and he had a complicated tattoo that covered his arms and part of his jaw, he was the one that welcomed us and he seemed to be the head of the warehouse. His eyes kept darting to me, and I'm not sure if it is just in curiosity. Either way, it made me want
OCTAVIA'S POV Bree popped out of nowhere, startling me as Aaron and I stepped out of Lionel’s office; she had clearly been eavesdropping, and now she is practically bouncing on her toes with excitement. "Was that really Dimitri, like the main Dimitri, leader of the Russian mob?!" She gushed. I almost laughed at her facial expression and her enthusiasm. "Yeah," I said. "You know him?" Her look turned dreamy, "Well, not personally, but that can be rectified, she sighed. "Dimitri is the youngest vor v zakone there has ever been and the most dangerous too. He took power from his uncle when he was just twenty years old, and he is feared by everyone in Russia." Bree continued as we all made our way to the living room."I have only seen him in pictures; he is the most handsome man ever," she shot Aaron a look. No offense to you, Aaron, but we are talking about Dimitri here." Aaron just looked bored. "I wonder if he wants to get married anytime soon," she continued dreamily, and I burst
OCTAVIA'S POV The first thing I remembered when I woke up was Zion's text from yesterday; I had completely forgotten to reply to his message after I got home. The sunlight streamed through the curtain, and I checked the clock on the wall, and it was already past nine am. I didn't know I still slept in till this late; it's been a while. I blinked and sat up, rubbing the drowsiness from my eyes, and groaned as I stretched out across the bed. I grabbed my phone from the bedside table, and I opened my messenger app and saw the text. I started typing a reply, "Good morning, Zion. I'm sorry I didn't," I deleted the whole thing and decided to give him a call instead. I took a deep breath, dialed his number, and pressed the phone to my ear. The dialed twice before he picked up “Octavia?” Zion’s familiar deep voice came through, and my heart squeezed slightly; hearing his voice stirred up a mix of emotions. We have spoken properly since… well, since things fell apart between us. "Hi," I
OCTAVIA'S POVMy body moved swiftly with a practiced ease that I still find fascinating as I kept punching the bag, my fists almost in sync with the beat of the music blasting in my ear, I didn't hear the sound of anyone come in but I saw the door of the gym open through the side of my eye making me still for a brief second. My breath came out in soft pants and I looked at the entrance to see Aaron coming in still in his outfit from earlier. He walked inside and leaned causally again the wall opposite me, his stoic expression still intact as he watched my watch him, he raised a questioning eyebrow at me when I didn't do anything. I felt a bit self conscious under his steady gaze, but I ignored him and turned back to the bag and threw another punch, trying to shake the. But the weight of his presence and his silence was unnerving, and I found myself slowing down. "Are you done?" He asked flatly, his voice breaking the silence. I stopped mid punch and lowered my fists. My knuckles
OCTAVIA'S POV My eyes met Aaron's from across the room, and the buzz, the murmurs, and the quiet conversation—all of it faded to the background. He was leaning casually against the back wall, arms crossed over his broad chest, his face, as usual, was unreadable and stoic, as though nothing in the room interested him. But then, his mouth quirked ever so slightly into the faintest hint of a smile. I blinked, taken aback by the subtle change in his expression. Something flickered in his eyes, something very similar to...pride? Approval? Whatever it was, it made my heart race. For a moment, it feels as if the weight of the day has lifted; I don't feel the stares of the people looking at me; I feel at ease. I held his gaze, the corners of my lips tugging upward instinctively. The room and everyone in it blurred into insignificance, and for a fleeting moment, it felt like it was just the two of us in the world. Wait! What was that?I broke the eye contact, looking around the room to make
OCTAVIA'S POVEvery person we passed as we walked by stopped what they were doing and nodded their heads in respect to my father. Lionel walked ahead with his usual commanding presence, and I followed closely; Aaron walked silently to my left like an unshakable shadow, while Mikel trailed slightly behind. It was hard not to notice the curious, borderline scrutinizing stares of everyone. They weren’t even trying to be subtle. I told myself it wasn’t personal and held my head high, not betraying my nervousness. I'm just an unfamiliar face in a world where everyone is practically like family. But still the whole attention made my skin prickle, and this is just the start; I almost laughed to myself. The man leading us, he is a huge man, and he had a complicated tattoo that covered his arms and part of his jaw. He was the one that welcomed us, and he seemed to be the head of the warehouse. His eyes kept darting to me, and I'm not sure if it is just in curiosity. Either way, it made me wa
OCTAVIA'S POV I just finished dropping my coffee mug inside the dishwasher when I heard someone walk into the kitchen. I turned back to see Aaron walking casually into the kitchen. My eyes widened slightly at the sight of him. He was dressed in a crisp black suit; his broad shoulders filled it out even more perfectly than a mannequin would, and he completed the look with black shades. Even though I have seen him in suits before, something about him today was different. He looked more polished, intimidating, and, as much as I don't want to admit it, exceptionally handsome. “Are you ready?” he asked in his usual low, calm tone. I made to clean my hands over my pants before I remembered that it is leather, and I let it hang awkwardly on my side and gave him a small nod. “As ready as I’ll ever be.” “Good,” he said. “It’s time to go.” Without another word, he turned and headed for the door. I followed him outside, my heart pounding a little faster with each step. The sight that greet
OCTAVIA Bree gasped, clutching her chest like she was genuinely offended. “What’s wrong with it? Everything! You’re about to meet the cutthroat people in the Mafia, and you’re dressed like you’re going to a grocery store!”“Ohh, I thought this was fine,” I muttered, feeling a bit self-conscious.“No, no, no,” she said, shaking her head as she grabbed my hand. “Come on. We’re fixing this. Right now.”Before I could protest, she got in front of me and grabbed my hand again.“But Bree, is it really necessary?” I tried to argue as she pulled me down the hallway that leads to the rooms.“Trust me, it’s very necessary,” she insisted, practically yanking me toward her room.When we finally reached her door, she flung it open. This is my first time entering her room, and as I stepped inside, I immediately noticed how different her room is from mine. The layout is very similar, but where my room has a minimalistic and neutral decor, Bree’s room is an explosion of color and her personality. So