4: A New Thorny Life

MARCO’S POV

“Your father’s killer is on the run.” 

Kaid informed me, his voice as cold as ice as he yapped. 

We were on the terrace of my 80-foot tall mansion and holding my glass of brandy and my cigar, I dragged and gulped, the strong mix of alcohol and mint-flavored cigar hit me hard in my guts…

Just as fucking hard as Elara! 

I scoffed and bit my lower lip, weird emotions consumed me, spreading smoothly like poison. 

She was young and naive. That night, I had groomed her to be mine, only to meet her absence.  

Somehow, her actions bruised my ego in an irredeemable way, and it made me detest and crave her at the same time. Her smooth skin was like white chocolate beneath my hard brown one, sweet-smelling fragrance, and provocative innocence! 

Never has a lady crossed my bed twice, but with Elara, it was my freaking mind! 

I had caught her sight when she stood afar as if trying to call for me. So, I stalked her and found out who she truly was. 

The daughter of an arch-enemy! 

After her father’s inauguration into politics, he cut off our influx of illegal cash through the community’s charity house. Our group was threatened when one of our dealings was exposed by his smart ass. Tit for tat, we went after his company. And now, his beloved daughter was in my club and on my bed, moaning like my little whore. Perhaps, she was a spy, or she led a double life.

“… we've narrowed down our suspects and Lady B tops the chat.” 

Kaid kept on ranting, ignorant of my absent-mindedness. My back was to him, so the most he could see were the occasional tensing of my muscles. My grip around the glass tightened and it snapped from the hard compress. The broken pieces pierced into my skin, searing deep in my flesh. 

“Hmm,” I sighed softly, enjoying how the pain spread through my veins, bringing ecstasy to my soul.

My groan coincided with Kaid’s groan. 

Following the death of my father, Don Dimitri, he was leading the team in the hunt down of the killers. Lady B was the masked Underground Viper. The most that the world had seen of her, were her daring blue eyes and long blonde hair. Her beauty was her poison. 

“Don,” Kaid rushed to my front. “Need help?” 

I pulled out the last shred of glass in my flesh, dripping blood on the white floor. “You had one fucking job.” 

Venting my frustration on him, I picked up the bottle on the rail and poured the liquor on my broken skin. The harsh sting burned my flesh. 

“Let me-” 

Kaid stopped once he spotted my deadly glare. Adjusting himself, he stepped backward. In silence, I pulled out my handkerchief and tied it tightly to my wound.

“We will find her.” He said instead, keeping a straight face. 

Trampling on the broken glass, it crushed beneath my foot. My eyes bore into Kaid’s brown ones. “I want her head at the foot of Moi Padre’s corpse.” Low and cold, I grunted an order. 

Just like I needed to know Elara’s true nature. Why did she visit my club for a start? 

“We have a man in the cellar, he's an alleged member of her cartel.” He maintained a straight face. “He's yet to speak…” 

“Force it out of the fucker.” I breathed hard in his face. “Or take the fall.” 

Walking out of the terrace, I used the flight of stairs down to the basement. Kaid followed behind with a growling protest but swallowed his words. The guards with heavy-duty guns subtly bowed and stepped aside for me to walk through. It was grossly dark and stuffy in the basement, with the disgusting stench of rotten pureed corpse and dried blood. 

The light came on when I flicked the switch, with the big white bulb channeled in the middle of the dark underground. 

Kaid looked from me to the rows of cells with ancient bones and remnants of traitors, then his eyes landed on the only man in the cell. He snapped his fingers at the guards. They got in and took out the prisoner, the clang of heavy chains and padlocks on the metal door, triggered my beasts at the far end of the basement. While the guards dragged the weak man soaked in his blood, the four Rottweilers rumbled and barked intensely. 

“I need a name.” 

My cold tone blasted and I warmed my fist to deck his battered face. 

Like a moron, he just stared at me and hissed. 

Adding to my frustration, I was irritated beyond words. “Feed them.” 

“He's the only link…” Kaid caught up on his words and wriggled his nose. 

At my order, they set the black bullies free. They ran with their heavy powerful limbs, hauled themselves on the man, and devoured him in seconds, snapping his bones and gnarling on his flesh with their strong teeth and meaty jaws. 

As he struggled for his life, I pictured any man coming for Elara doing the same. She started a dirty game, which would be her grave mistake because I would see to the end of it. 

‘SHE IS MY PROPERTY!’ 

“28B, Oakland Street.” I effortlessly quoted. “Get her.”

He beamed and tapped on the sensor of his ear pod. “Lady B’s undercover.” He spilled to his team. “28B, Oakland...” 

“Elara Saint Clair.” My brash tone cut him off. 

Kaid turned to face me, his brows furrowed in confusion. He knew that name, ‘Saint Clair.’ “Daughter of that traitor?”

With my injured hand in my pocket, I strolled past him with a daring attitude. “Bring her, now.”

*** *** 

Emma’s POV 

“Am I cursed?” 

I cried into my palm. It was supposed to be my honeymoon. But with him gone, what became of me and my child?! 

Already, the news was all over the net. The incident of earlier replayed in my head. I had yet to wrap my head around what could have killed him. The police had taken his body and we were awaiting his autopsy result.

Daily, everything worsened. 

My eyes hurt, cheeks swollen. I looked pale, a total shadow of myself. 

‘Hasten the wedding with Nathaniel. Or get rid of it.’

Acting on impulse, I sprung to my feet, picked up a small suitcase, and began stuffing anything in it. A few stacks of cash, groceries, and essentials. Remaining home would ruin my sanity. There was my father who was in the dark, suddenly cruel mother, and a baby daddy who was the devil himself. I needed to be away to save myself and the baby.

This town was my living hell. 

On second thought, I dumped my phone on the bed. If I must survive, I had to leave all traces of me behind…

Perhaps, I’d take a new one; a fake identity…

I pulled the hoodie over my head. Using the back exit, I left home, and hopefully, Florida too.