LOGINLiora Voss
I never meant to expose myself like that.
The sun had been blazing, the bikini strings digging into my skin, and I just wanted a moment of relief. I untied the top, lay back on the lounge chair, and closed my eyes. I didn’t think anyone would see me. I didn’t think it would matter.
But it did.
PAST — 11 YEARS AGOOLIVIERPARIS, FRANCE — PHYSIOTHERAPY CLINICMy muscles burn as if someone has driven needles into every fiber.I try to lift my right arm, but it trembles like an abandoned puppy in the cold. The physiotherapist — a woman with a persistent smile and merciless hands — holds my elbow, guiding the movement."One more time, Mr. Lefèvre."I swallow the bitter taste of effort and obey. The arm rises, centimeter by centimeter, until the tremor becomes uncontrollable and it falls back onto the mat like a piece of dead meat."Shit," I mutter, dripping sweat.Henri watches, standing in the corner of the room, arms crossed over his impeccable suit. He says nothing, but I see the tension in his jaw. Eight months ago, I could have lifted that same arm to drive a knife into a man's throat before he could blink. Now, I can barely hold a glass of water."You're making progress," the physiotherapist lies with professionalism.I give a smile that doesn't reach my eyes."Of course I
The morning light cuts through the smoked glass of my office with surgical precision, but my eyes remain fixed on that damned quadrant of the monitor. Already dressed in an impeccable Tom Ford suit, the knot of my tie feels like a reminder of the restraint I should maintain.On the screen, the studio camera captures in close-up her fingers — long, precise, lethal — sliding over the fabric as if exploring a lover’s skin. Every movement is a provocation. The way her index finger presses a pin, the curve of her wrists as she smooths a fold, the shadow between her fingers when testing the thickness of the silk.Fuck…The Chinese porcelain cup trembles in my hand, the bitter coffee spilling over the saucer. The drink that was supposed to wake me only feeds the poison she insists on injecting into my veins.Elizabeth turns the mundane act of creating clothing into an intimate performance. And I, like a voyeur in my own hell, cannot look away. The aroma of coffee mixes with the imaginary sce
ELIZABETHThe elevator rises with a slowness that makes my pulse race. When the doors open, the cold air of his office envelops me like a warning.He's standing before the panoramic window, his imposing silhouette outlined against the Parisian night sky. The city lights shimmer behind him, creating a golden halo around his powerful frame. His broad shoulders under the impeccably tailored suit, his hands—large, strong—clasped behind his back.He doesn't turn when I enter, but I know he's noticed me. The reflection in the glass betrays him — his eyes follow my every move as I advance through the room."Mr. Dumont," I announce my presence, keeping my voice steady.That's when he turns.Slowly.Deliberately.His eyes — as dark as the Turkish coffee he prefers — scan my body with an appreciation that makes my blood boil. From the tips of my high heels to the loose strands of my bun, he studies me as if I were a project to be dismantled and reassembled to his tastes.The silence stretches a
PRESENTPIERREPARIS, FRANCEThe morning light pierces through the smoked glass of my office with surgical precision, but my eyes remain fixed on that damn quadrant of the monitor. Already dressed in an impeccable Tom Ford suit, the knot of my tie tightens like a reminder of the restraint I should maintain.On the screen, the studio camera captures a close-up of her fingers — long, precise, deadly — gliding over the fabric as if exploring a lover's skin. Every movement is a provocation. The way her index finger presses a pin, the curve of her wrists as she smooths a fold, the shadow between her fingers when they test the thickness of the silk.Holy fuck…The Chinese porcelain cup trembles in my hand, the bitter coffee spilling onto the saucer. The drink that should wake me only feeds the poison she insists on injecting into my veins.Elizabeth transforms the mundane act of creating clothing into an intimate performance. And I, like a voyeur in my own hell, can't look away. The aroma o
PAST — 12 YEARS AGOOLIVIERLEFÈVRE MANSIONThe sound of the violin drifted through the mansion's corridors, intertwining with the murmur of conversations and the soft clinking of crystal glasses. Leaning against the marble fireplace, I watched my father, Carlo Lefèvre, raise his Bordeaux glass in a solemn toast."To my son," he declared, his deep voice echoing through the hall. "To the new Don of the Black Hand."My mother, Élodie, smiled beside him, her white silk dress enhancing her serene elegance. My twin brothers, Maxime and Theodoro, only six years old, ran among the guests, laughing loudly, their faces illuminated by the golden light of the chandelier.I couldn't explain it, but an uneasy feeling tightened in my chest. As if this were the last night we would all be together.The first bang didn't come from a gunshot — it was the sound of the French window shattering. Before anyone could react, chaos swallowed the hall."Fuck!" my father growled, drawing his M1911 from its hols
ELIZABETHThe Parisian sky was still tinged with a grayish blue when I arrived at Maison Dumont, so early that even the pigeons were still dozing on the eaves. First-day anxiety had driven me out of bed like a shot, leaving me planted here before the imposing neoclassical facade, with the access key freezing between my fingers—a small metal cylinder that weighed like a sentence.My mother and sisters had left the previous night, as I knew they would. Two days was the maximum Mom could handle away from my fathers—just as they couldn't handle being away from her, her biological clock marking the hours like a sentry on guard. The twins had left lipstick marks on the mirror and a stash of ammunition hidden in my bed's lining—the same ones I'd given them.The streets are quiet; only the whisper of tree leaves and the scent of freshly baked bread from the bakeries beginning to open break the silence. I breathe deeply, absorbing the sweet aroma of croissants and coffee from the café across t
Zedekiah GreenThe weak light from the bulb swung from the ceiling like a broken pendulum, casting long, distorted shadows that seemed alive on the damp walls of the basement. The air was thick, heavy with the smell of mold and rust and the subtle scent of fear I had learned to recognize so well.A
Noah GreenHeros gathered us in the office and told us everything. Luther’s growing obsession with Liora. How he saw in her a chance for redemption, a living shadow of Alicia. After many questions, we finally understood the real reason behind the Brotherhood Law—the rule our eldest brother created
Liora VossI woke to the constant sound of dripping water. Ploc. Ploc. Ploc. A slow, relentless rhythm echoing off the damp concrete walls, marking time like a macabre clock. The heavy smell of mold and wet earth filled my nostrils, mixed with something metallic I preferred not to identify. The dar
Heros GreenNew York, Todt Hill — 3 days laterThe air inside the office was dense, almost palpable. The scent of aged whiskey mingled with the aged leather of the furniture and the residual smoke of Cuban cigars that still lingered in the environment. I found myself seated behind the imposing dark







