LOGINJOSHI lean back in the leather seats overlooking the casino floor.Below, cards slide across poker tables, roulette wheels spin, and the constant murmur of conversation blends with the clinking of glasses.Taking a sip from my glass of whiskey. Lukas sits across me scrolling through his phone, going through some messages and information.A few moments later, Lukas finally looks up.“Victor Petrov has agreed to meet you.”“Finally.” I say with a grin.“But there’s a condition.”I already know I’m not going to like it.“He wants you to go on a date with his daughter.”“Are you fucking kidding me?” I snap.Lukas only nods.I pinch the bridge of my nose and close my eyes, not saying anything for a moment.The Petrovs are exactly the kind of alliance we need. Their influence would make things considerably easier for me, and I can't afford to let a meeting this important slip because of a fucking date.“Fine,” I say. “Tell him I agree to his condition.”Lukas nods.“Okay.”“Any word from t
STACYI stare at Mom in disbelief and anger.“I don't need my therapist, Mom. I'm perfectly fine.”She looks at me with concern and pity.“Honey, I know everything that's been happening has been too much for you,” she says calmly. “But hearing voices proves you need to go back to therapy.”“I'm not hearing voices!” I snap. “I'm telling you, I heard Jacob talking to someone in his room.”“Sweetie, calm down. I understand how stressed you've been with the marriage, the move and everything. Just go see Wendy and tell her about the voices.”“Why won't you listen to me?” I ask, anger rising. “Nothing is wrong with me, but something is definitely wrong with you, Mom.”Her eyes narrow, her nostrils flaring as a flush creeps across her face.“What is that supposed to mean?”“It means you've changed. Since the night Dad died, you've been acting like an entirely different person.” I stare straight into her eyes. “It makes me wonder what actually happened that night.”Her jaw tightens.Then she
CHAPTER TEN: DOES JACOB HAVE ANOTHER SON?STACY “Mom!" I call out the instant I step into the house. “Mom, where are you?" She comes running downstairs, dressed in an expensive dress. Her hair and makeup is all done like she's attending some charity gala. Guess she's got to keep up the title of future Mrs Henderson. “Honey, is everything okay?" She asks, walking up to me with a concerned expression on her face. “You look mad. What is it? Talk to Mom." “Oh I'll talk to you alright." I snap. “How could you do something like that? How could you sell off the apartment, knowing fully well that's our only connection to father?" Her expression falls and she sighs. When I called her earlier, we didn't talk much. She sounded too busy to talk on the phone and had to hang up the call. I on the other hand was not the least satisfied with her answer so I came straight home." Stace,” she begins in her gentle voice. The one she uses whenever she thinks I need coaxing. " We're no longer living
STACY Josh steps back and folds his arms across his chest. “You know, you are pretty wet for someone who claims not to be interested in me." “I'm not wet for anyone!" I snap. “Stop making things up you psycho."He laughs. “I smell your arousal from here, and you were practically dripping on my hand earlier. If that's not arousal, I don't know what is." I'm about to say something, but he turns around and strolls away. With shaky hands and breath, I quickly adjust my dress and gather my books. I rush out of the library like my ass in one fire and settle in the lawn. I try to do some studying but it is all in vain as my head travels somewhere else. The man who approached me earlier. I want to dismiss it as just a weird rando, but something in me tells me it is more than meets the eye. My father didn't have any lawyers, at least none that I knew of. When he died, the bank took everything he owned as payment for some mortgage.If this lawyer guy is genuine like he expects me to believ
STACY " Uh, excuse me Sir I don't understand what you mean,” I tell the man standing before me. “As much as I knew my dad, he didn't have a lawyer." The man shakes his head, his expression pitiful. “There's much you don't know, little Stacy. Your father was a good friend of mine, and before he died, he had me draw up his will…" “Hey there girlie!" Nica’s voice from afar interupts whatever the man was saying. He freezes for a second, his body going pale, then he removes a piece of paper from his pocket and hands it to me. "I have to go.” He says, voice almost frightened. " But what about…”I'd love to stay and explain more, but I really have to go," he rushes out. “If I don't contact you in three days, contact the number on the paper and tell her who you are. She'll know what to do.” Without allowing me the chance to ask any further questions, he hurries away like someone's chasing him. I shrug and shove the paper into my bag. Nica jogs up to me, her ever present smile making he
STACY I wake up very early in the morning and quickly get ready for school. I head to the bathroom and in no time, I'm dressed in a red gown and matching slides. I pack my books into my bag and quietly make my way downstairs. It's still quite early so I'll head to Nika’s and we can head to school from there. I'm grateful she attends Preston, else my life would have been an official nightmare. I make my way downstairs and I'm about to open the main door and step outside when I'm stopped by a sickeningly familiar voice. " Sneaking off very early in the morning just to escape me?” He asks, his voice getting closer. " You must definitely be afraid of me.” He's getting close to me and I can't risk him getting hold of me so I step out of the door and hasten my footsteps. But luck isn't on my side today because he gets hold of my hand and spins me around. One second I'm running away from him, the next I'm pinned to the wall, his broad statue hovering over mine. His gaze rakes over my
JOSH3 HOURS Earlier**Hena tugs at my sleeve, taking her lower lip between her teeth. “ Come on, you can't still be pissed.” She exclaims, and I push her off as I stand, walking to the balcony to take a drag.The party noise seems to fade, the silence engulfs me in its embrace.Footsteps click as
STACY“Are you coming for the party tonight? They say it's going to be the biggest one of the semester!” Nika chimes excitedly as she scrolls through her phone. Her gaze shifts, and her frown dips. “Oh right, you don't do parties.”“Exactly!” I reply as I shove the last textbook down my backpack. “
STACYI can't breathe.I don't want to breathe.His lips capture mine in a warmth, breathtaking embrace, our bodies collide and my heart skips a beat. It’s even more perfect than I imagined, His hand cups my cheeks, moving my head in directions he wants me.His tongue grazes mine, the feeling is fo
STACYMy mother tells me she has a boyfriend.They’re engaged.Engaged.The word sounds so wrong. So out of place and the worse part was she couldn’t even tell me.She loved Dad.I know she did.She said it—over and over again.Right? That was love wasn't it?So what changed?Or was it all just… wo







