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CHAPTER NINE
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BLOODSTAINED HEARTS CHAPTER TEN
ALEXEI Zoey’s defiance rattled me. I had expected fear, submission, anything but the steely resolve that burned in her eyes. She was a viper in a velvet dress, her beauty a disguise for the venom she carried within.I watched her leave, her emerald gown trailing behind her like a war cry. A slow smile spread across my face. I had underestimated her. That was a mistake I wouldn’t make again.As I sat alone in the dimly lit private room, I replayed our conversation in my mind. Her words echoed in the silence: “You are not invincible.”A wave of anger washed over me. Invincibility was the very foundation of my power. I had built an empire upon it, brick by bloody brick. To let even a shred of doubt creep in was to weaken the entire structure.Zoey was a threat, yes, but a manageable one. She was a lone wolf, armed only with words and a fragile sense of justice. I, on the other hand, had an army at my disposal,
BLOODSTAINED HEARTS CHAPTER ELEVEN
ZOEY The fluorescent lights of Gotham Press buzzed like angry bees, their harsh glare reflecting off the clutter of my desk. Papers piled high, coffee mugs forgotten in their wake, and a half-eaten donut provided the backdrop for my latest battle—a battle not with shadowy mob figures or elusive informants, but with my own infuriating boss, Theodore. Theodore, resplendent in a pinstriped suit that could probably buy a small island, stormed into my office, his face contorted in a scowl that would curdle milk. “Zoey,” he barked, his voice dripping with disapproval, “what in God’s name have you been doing?” I braced myself, already anticipating the lecture. “I’ve been working on the Pushkin story, Theodore,” I replied calmly, trying to keep my own irritation in check. He scoffed, a sound that resembled a particularly disdainful cat. “Working? You call this working? You’ve barely scratched the surface of this story, Zoey. Weeks ha
BLOODSTAINED HEARTS CHAPTER TWELVE
ZOEYI watched him walk away, my mind reeling. The audacity of the man, demanding my hand in marriage like it was nothing! My heart pounded against my ribs, anger and fear warring within me.His last words, the chilling threat about someone close to me, echoed in my ears. I knew he wasn't bluffing. This man was dangerous, capable of unspeakable acts, and I had inadvertently put myself and those I cared about in the crossfire.But I wouldn't let him win. I wouldn't become a pawn in his twisted game. I had a voice, and I would use it. I wouldn't sacrifice my dreams, my life, for his convenience. He may have the power, but I had the courage.Taking a deep breath, I squared my shoulders. The path ahead would be fraught with danger, but I wouldn't back down. I would find a way to expose him, to protect myself and those I loved. I would not be another victim. He may have underestimated me, but I wouldn't make that mistake.The phone vibr
BLOODSTAINED HEARTS CHAPTER THIRTEEN
ALEXEIThe metallic tang of blood filled my nostrils, the scent mingling with the acrid smoke that choked the air. Adrenaline pulsed through my veins, a primal response to the chaos that had unfolded before my very eyes. Zoey lay still on the asphalt, her face pale and drawn, her eyes tightly shut.Panic, a monster I knew all too well, clawed at the edges of my control. It was the same fear that had haunted me for years, the fear I had worked so hard to suppress.As the orange tongues of fire licked the metal, a surge of memories flooded my consciousness—a haunting echo of the past that refused to be silenced. The world around me seemed to blur, and for a moment, I was transported back to a night marred by tragedy.The acrid scent of burning rubber and the crackling of flames filled the air. The night was etched with despair as I stood, paralyzed, watching my brother Kirill’s car engulfed in an inferno. His wife, my sister-in-
BLOODSTAINED HEARTS CHAPTER FOURTEEN
ALEXEI The old warehouse loomed before us, a skeletal silhouette against the moonlit sky. The air hung heavy with the scent of salt and decay, a fitting backdrop for the confrontation that awaited us. Yaz pulled the car to a stop, his eyes gleaming with anticipation. “Ready, boss?” he asked, his voice a low rumble. I nodded, my heart pounding a steady rhythm against my ribs. This was it. The moment I had been waiting for. We stepped out of the car, the silence broken only by the lapping of waves against the pier. The warehouse stood before us, a dark and ominous presence. “Stay here,” I instructed Yaz, my voice firm. “I’ll handle this.” He hesitated for a moment, then nodded curtly. “Be careful, boss.” I gave him a reassuring smile, though it didn’t reach my eyes. I knew the risks involved, but I wouldn’t let fear deter me. With a deep breath, I approached the warehouse, my footsteps echoing in the sti
BLOODSTAINED HEARTS CHAPTER FIFTEEN
ZOEYThe acrid tang of smoke clawed at my throat, searing my lungs with every ragged breath. Flames danced before my eyes, licking at the tattered wallpaper and gnawing at the wooden beams above. Each crackle and hiss was a taunting whisper, echoing the inferno that had consumed my childhood.I was six again, small and terrified, huddled against the inferno with my mother. Her comforting embrace, once a haven, was now a scorching cage. The heat warped the air, blurring the lines between reality and nightmare. Was I trapped in the burning embers of the past, or was this the chilling reality?The inferno pulsed around us, a monstrous heart spewing licks of fire like venomous tongues. The screams of my mother, raw and desperate, pierced the cacophony of crackling wood and roaring flames. She shielded me with her own body, a frail barrier against the searing heat."Mommy, it hurts!" My voice, a thin thread of terror, was lost in the inferno's
BLOODSTAINED HEARTS CHAPTER SIXTEEN
ZOEYThe tears, hot and silent, streamed down my face, carving salty trails through the soot stains of my mascara. It wasn't just the fear, the chilling reality of my situation, that choked me. It was the humiliation, the burning shame of being so easily subdued, my defiance crumpling like a dry leaf under Alexei's icy grip.My gaze fell on the luxurious surroundings, the plush chair that felt like a throne of mockery, the sunbeams dancing on the polished floor like mocking laughter. This opulent cage, meant to be a haven, now felt like a gilded tomb for my freedom.But amidst the despair, a tiny spark, a stubborn ember, flickered back to life. I wouldn't let him win. Not completely. Not yet.Sniffling back the tears, I straightened in my chair, wiping the mascara smudges with a trembling hand. My voice, when I finally spoke, was shaky but firm."You can keep my job," I said, my words ringing out in the silence he had left behind.
BLOODSTAINED HEARTS CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
ALEXEIThe click of the lock, a clear punctuation mark against the velvet hush of her gilded prison. I watched her, in the mirror of my study, the reflection a sliver of defiance fluttering in the luxurious room. Her anger, palpable even through the polished glass, was a delicious heat against the ice of my control.She'd thrown her tantrum, a petulant child flinging accusations and tears against the bars. Predictable, in a way. But beneath the surface, something else glinted. A spark of cunning, a flicker of resistance that intrigued me. I'd expected compliance, a hollow echo of her broken spirit, not this simmering defiance.Her scream, raw and desperate, had echoed through the halls, a primal cry against the gilded silence. I almost smiled. It was the first genuine sound I'd heard from her, the first hint of the fire that burned beneath the ashes of her captivity.I watched, a predator observing his prey, as she approached the feast, h
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