NICKLAUSHearing from Lila that Derrick was Rafael's son had me stunned. I mean... Rafael told me himself that he knew the child was his, that he recognized him. But the fact that she manipulated him into believing otherwise? Damn. And I still can't get that scene out of my head, Ava putting on a whole performance, threatening Rafael with emotional damage and a stack of lawsuits. She's such a damn actress and deserves to be awarded an Oscar.I've never seen Rafael that angry, that agitated... like he could burn the whole world down. The moment he mind-linked me, told me to bring my car, I knew something was wrong. I could feel it in his voice.And listening to Lila explain everything... who am I to judge? I've come to realize she's nothing like Linda. She might be her daughter, but she doesn't deserve even a sliver of the pain. And Rafael? I know he wants to make things right. I had completely lost it when Lila told me Ava had been kidnapped too. Knox let out a loud, feral growl.I s
AVAMy head is heavy, feels like I have a third world war dancing in there. My eyelids are heavy, barely lifting. And when they do... I don't recognize this place."Where am I?"Flashes. Flash by flash. I remember getting a call from Derrick's school... and Jared drugging me.Oh fuck!Nicklaus warned me. But of course, I wanted to play the tough girl... Oh damn it!I'm not tied, surprisingly. I stumble to the door, the same one that had me chained in, and of course, it's locked."Where the fuck am I?" I yell, hoping someone, anyone hears me.The door suddenly swings open, and Jared walks in, he has no shirt on. And fuck all those times I used to drool over him.Now? All I see is a man so evil. A man so vile.But one thing I still don't get, what does he want from Derrick and me?"What do you want, Jared? Or is your name even Jared? I mean, a real mob hides under a façade."I'm staring at him, arms folded across my chest, chin high.I know exactly what's going through his head, he thin
LILAMy heart is pounding heavily. Thump. Thump. Thump. Derrick is missing... That's the one word that keeps replaying in my head. The one word that's enough to make my heart accelerate this fast.What has happened? How?"This is what we get finally for neglecting our pup. This is karma punishing us," Lola whined painfully.Rafael and Nicklaus stepped out to talk for a bit. My instincts tell me it's something related to the curse eating me... I had been nervous waiting for him to come back, but right now... that's my least concern.I'm more concerned about the fact that my son-our son, Rafael and I's-is missing.How did it happen? I barely have an enemy to pin this on. Ava wasn't the type to go around creating one either. Instead, if there's anyone she had told me had been more of a stalker, it was Nicklaus. And Nicklaus knows better than to kidnap Derrick and use him against Ava.I'm not thinking as I slide into a casual gown... grabbing Rafael's car key that was on the vanity table,
AVA"You've got such a hot body, I could kill to get you," Jared breathes, his words fanning over my nose as he tugs me closer like I'm some trophy he just scored.I chuckle low, cocking my head. "What? Like you bribed Mr. Brown just to get me off work today?" I ask, voice soaked in sarcasm. "You really pulled strings with the almighty Mr. Brown... just for a few hours of me?"He grins, completely unapologetic. "Ugh, don't act so shocked. At least now I've got you to myself, alone, before Derrick gets out of school and ruins everything."I snort, pulling back slightly. "Oh please. He's seven. You're a grown-ass man acting like you're competing with a kid for my attention.""I am competing." He groans dramatically. "That boy has you wrapped around his finger 24/7.""As he should," I say with a smirk. "He's my son. You? You had to buy me a day off just to play boyfriend."Jared sighs, flopping onto the couch like a man who just lost a war. "Can't believe I'm jealous of a second grader."
LILAI'm going to die. Die. Three words, short, and cruel. But powerful enough to drown me in dread.Turns out my mom was protecting me all along... even if her version of protection meant breaking Rafael piece by piece. Even if her love wore the face of the villain.It doesn't justify anything. But she loved me, i know that. I was all she had left after he died. All she clung to after Theo left the face of this world.I was young. Naive. Loud-mouthed. But even then, I could see her pain. The way she cried quietly at night. The way she never let me see her fall apart in the daylight.She raised me like a soldier, sent me to the best academies, made sure I could fight, survive, win.Only for all of it to shatter... the moment Rafael knocked on our door.Now, I'm trying to piece together two truths: That she hurt the man I love.And she did it to save me.If the curse consumes me, if my love for Rafael isn't strong enough to fight it, there's a ninety-five percent chance I'll die.What
RAFAEL My head is a mess. Ever since the encounter with Linda, the Seer confirmed what I feared.The curse is powerful enough to eat her alive. And it all depends.Depends on how much she loves me.On how strong the bond between us truly is.I can't sleep. Even though Lila tries her best to make me feel okay... I just can't.I turn to the other side of the bed, eyes fixed on the bathroom door.I'm waiting for her to come out.She steps out, towel wrapped around her chest, water dripping down her collarbone. Her legs, long and graceful, trail seductively toward me.My breath hitches as she climbs onto the bed, crawling up my thighs.My lips part to protest, but she shuts me up with a single finger.One minute, she's straddling me.My hands are cuffed to the bedpost.She's like a damn sexy dominatrix.The next... She draws out a knife from beneath the towel.And I gasp. "What's going on, Lila?" "What's going on?" she repeats, voice low and dangerous."The moon goddess knows I want to