EVELYNThe Henderson brothers were back again the following week for the business meeting that was cut short because of Luke and his shenanigans. They were exactly as insufferable as I remembered. I sat at the head of my polished mahogany table, tapping my manicured nails against the leather of my portfolio. “From what we were discussing last time we met, your projections are overly optimistic, Evelyn,” one of the brothers said, sliding a report across the table with that condescending smile I wanted to wipe off his face. “Given the current economic climate—”“The current climate…” I cut him off, my voice sharp enough to make his brother flinch, “...is exactly why you should be begging to get into this deal.” I flipped open my tablet, displaying our latest quarterly earnings. “My tech division has outperformed every competitor by eighteen percent. Your hesitation isn't caution—it's costing you money.”The other Henderson brother who was always sweating and always nervous, cleared hi
LENAThe rest of the car ride home was silent. I sat stiff in the backseat, Adrian’s jacket draped over my shoulders, the scent of gunpowder and sweat clinging to the fabric. My wrists still ached from the zip ties, my throat raw from screaming. But none of that compared to the questions burning through me. Who was that man? Why did he call Adrian brother? What did I do wrong to be taken against my will?And why the hell was I caught in the middle of all these? Adrian hadn’t spoken since we got back to the safe house. His knuckles were split, his jaw clenched so tight I could see the muscle twitching. Dimitri slumped against the window, pressing a bloodied rag to his ribs, while Marco and Jax exchanged quiet words in the front. No one looked at me, not that I gave a fuck.I looked around, studying my environment, the safehouse was cold and well hidden—nothing like Adrian’s penthouse. I stood by the fireplace, my arms crossed, watching as Jax patched up Dimitri’s side. Adri
ADRIANThe scent of my father's cologne—that oppressive mix of sandalwood and cigars that clung to every room in the Morellis mansion filled my nostrils.I was twelve again, sitting stiffly at the dining table while Gabriel was fourteen. He kicked my legs under the table.“Stop fidgeting, Ian.” he hissed. The front door slammed. Father's voice boomed through the foyer. “Adrian. Gabriel. Come meet your new responsibility.” We exchanged glances before shuffling into the grand hallway. Father stood there, his meaty hand clamped on the shoulder of a skinny boy with a split lip and bruised knuckles. The kid couldn't have been more than thirteen, but his dark eyes burned with defiance. “This is Dimitri Petrov,” Father said, giving the boy a rough shake. “His father was... indiscreet with his loyalties. You'll train him.”Gabriel sneered. “We don't need some Russian brat—”The backhand sent Gabriel crashing into the console table. A vase shattered. I didn't move. Father didn't even r
LENAThe first thing I noticed was the pounding in my skull. The second was the warm body pressed against my back. I kept my eyes squeezed shut, praying to whatever god might be listening that this was just another nightmare. That when I opened my eyes, I'd be in my own bed, alone, with nothing worse than a hangover to deal with. Then Ava sighed in her sleep, her arm tightening around my waist and my stomach dropped. Last night came rushing back in jagged pieces—the vodka, the crying, Ava's hands in my hair, her mouth on mine. The way I'd kissed her back like I was drowning and she was the only air left in the world. I carefully peeled Ava's arm off me and sat up, wincing at the light streaming through the curtains. The sheets pooled around my waist, and the cool air against my bare skin made my breath hitch. Ava stirred beside me, her dark hair fanned out across the pillow. There was a hickey on her collarbone. I'd put it there. “Good morning,” Ava murmured, her voice rou
ADRIANThe night air hit my face as I got to the carpark. I started the engine and moved to the warehouse Marco said they were at, running past every red light.The warehouse lights were blinding when I burst through the side door. Tony lay sprawled across a makeshift stretcher, his breathing shallow, face swollen beyond recognition. Blood soaked through the bandages Jax was hastily applying to his abdomen. “Morellis…” Tony rasped when he saw me, his one good eye fluttering. “Warehouse...red doors…”His body went limp. “Put some pressure here!” Jax barked at one of our men, shoving a fresh wad of gauze against Tony's side. “We need to move him now if you want him alive.” I knelt beside the stretcher, examining Tony's boots while the medics worked. The soles were caked with thick red clay—the distinctive kind from Gabriel's private dockyard near the old shipyards. “Get him to Dr. Chen's clinic,” I ordered. “Make sure there are no hospital records and pay them in cash.” As they
ADRIANI gripped Gabe’s arm tighter as we got into the warehouse, my fingers digging into his leather jacket. “This is a bad idea. There’s another way.” Gabriel shook me off with a laugh, the lighter flickering in his hand casting shadows across his face. “Since when do you question Dad’s orders? We have to always do whatever dad says.” “Since they involve burning a building with people inside, Gabe! We're better than this.” My voice cracked. I turned as I heard the sound of a child’s laughter from somewhere inside the warehouse. Gabriel’s smile didn’t reach his eyes. “They’re just collateral, Ian.” I stepped in front of him, blocking his path to the door. “No. Let us wait until it’s empty.” For a second, I thought he’d listen. His expression wavered—just like it used to when we were kids and I’d beg him not to steal candy from old man Rossi’s shop. Then his fist connected with my jaw. I stumbled back, tasting blood. Gabriel loomed over me, his voice low. “You don’t get