LOGINTabitha:I walked carefully, my heart racing inside my chest. Collin was guiding me, but I still had my hands out, feeling around every time we took a turn or climbed up some steps. “Still don’t trust me to guide you to where you need to go?” Collin asked with a chuckle for the third time already. I didn’t answer. It was already clear that I didn’t trust him. Every now and then, I would snatch my hand back when I felt something cold and damp. Collin chuckled, stroked my hair and pulled me away from there. Sometimes, he would leave me alone and tell me to walk forward on my own, and I heard him laugh as I fumbled forward, taking slower steps and dragging my feet along. “You look so adorable,” he’d remark, watching me fumble forward. My face would burn with embarrassment, and he’d quickly join my side. I hated how sick it made me; I hated how he thought that I was a toy for his amusement.We took another turn, and there was a door right in front of me. Collin let go of me and left m
Enzo:The train ride back was deathly quiet. I couldn’t think. I could barely even breathe. Tabitha was with them. She was probably hurt and scared. I didn’t need to look across to feel Chase looking at me. He had had a frown on his face ever since we left that mansion. I didn’t care. It wasn’t his lover who was kidnapped by that Mafia, so I didn’t expect him to understand a damn thing.“What is the plan, Mr. Ross?” he asked, his voice dripping with condescension. “We just missed the only opportunity that we had to get prime information about them.”I raised my head fast enough to catch Riley nudging Chase hard in the side. “Don’t say that to him,” she scolded. “Someone he cares about is in danger, and you are more concerned about gathering evidence.”“Oh, come off it, Riles,” Chase snapped back. “The mafia has hurt thousands of people. Sandy is in the hospital because of them. His… lover isn’t any different, and more people are going to be added to the list if we don’t find a perma
Tabitha:Collin got off the phone. His eyes were all over me, but I kept myself focused on my food. It was delicious, but I couldn’t enjoy it. Not with the knowledge that my life and Enzo’s life were in danger and with that gun on the table.Ernie was still on his knees. His shoulders were shaking; his body was glistening with sweat. Once Collin picked up his phone, it was like Ernire had faded from existence. I saw the way he relaxed through the entire call, but now, the tension was back. I was still eating when Collin reached out and took my hand, squeezing it gently. I still didn't look at him and continued eating. “Enzo is such a good dog,” he said, smiling and rubbing his thumb on the back of my hand. “I am surprised he is being this obedient.” He reached across the table with his other hand and forced my chin up, so that I would meet his gaze. He had a smile on his face that made me shudder. “What on earth did you do to him to have him so twisted around your finger? I would ve
Enzo:“Enzo, Enzo… my dear Enzo,” Collin chuckled, his voice loud in my ear. “And what makes you think that you are in any position to make demands. I’m with Tabby here, and I will dictate where she goes or stays.”“I want to make sure that she is alive,” I growled, fighting to keep my anger under control. For a long time, there was silence. My heart was racing in m y chest. What the hell was that bastard up to? “My boys will be there in twenty minutes to pick everything up, and you better make sure that it is what we are looking for, else we’ll be speaking about your lover in the past tense.”The line went dead, but I hurriedly dialed it again. It rang and stopped, a female voice telling me that the number I was dialling didn’t exist. “Shit!” I slammed the phone hard on the table. “Shit, shit shit!” I dropped onto the old couch and ran my hands frantically through my hair. That son of a bitch better not have hurt her. “What do we do now?” Steve asked, stepping forward. “We wait fo
Tabitha:Everything hurt. My bones felt like they were filled with bags of cement. I tried to sit up, but a hard throbbing in my head forced me back down to the ground. I whimpered in pain. I wasn’t sure how long I slept. I wasn’t even sure if it was day yet. No one had come to wake me. Collin did say that he needed me up early.I pulled myself up, and a loud sneeze shook my body. “Shit, I caught a cold,” I muttered, sniffling, feeling the mucus running down inside my nose. It was expected. This place was damp and cold. The door clicked, but I couldn’t scramble to my feet fast enough. “Rise and shine, sweetie.”Collin walked in, spinning the key around his finger. He was in a deep crimson suit with a matching tie. He looked down at me, and his smile faded into something else. “What are you doing on the floor?” he asked, slowly lowering himself to my level. My heart raced in my chest, and I backed away instinctively as his hand reached out to touch my face. “I fell asleep on the f
Enzo:Everyone was in the study, shirts over their noses, backed away from the wall. I did the same and entered the room slowly. My jaw dropped at the hole in the wall. It had been smashed through, and behind it were stacks of a pale blue power, tightly packed, looking like bricks. “Is that…”“PH-C4,” I added, cutting Riley off and taking a step forward. There had to be about a hundred or so bricks stuffed in there. Were there more stashes around the house? How long had it been here?“Let’s take it in as evidence. We all heard when the Mafia guy called. This must be what he wanted us to find.”Chase stepped forward, but I stopped him and pulled him back. “We are not going to turn this in. They have Tabitha, and if this is what they want to get her back, then so be it.”“You are aiding and abetting a crime," Chase argued, snatching his hand back. “I am trying to save the one person that I care about,” I retorted. “Besides, what good will it do for the police? I hear that you guys al
Enzo:I couldn’t help myself. I had been talking with Mr. Bolden. We were finishing the discussion about the prototype, and that was when I saw it: Andrew leading Tabitha around the house. My gaze had followed them until I could no longer see either of them as they disappeared behind the house. My
Tabitha:I was outside with Drew, his hand on my waist as he comforted me. My eyes stung, my throat burned, but I was going to be fine. Drew sat me down on the porch and waited for me to catch my breath. I smiled at him with teary eyes, and he chuckled. “I really have no idea what to do,” he said
Enzo:Mr. Bolden stretched his hand out to shake mine. For a man his age, his grip was strong. He smiled at me and gave a thoughtful nod to Tabitha, who was at my side. “My daughter was the one who set this all up.” His voice was surprisingly clear for a man his age as well. “I’m not really all f
Enzo:It was almost 6 pm. My phone buzzed; the driver was waiting downstairs. I sighed. I was able to get some work done, but every time I remembered that I was supposed to have dinner with Natasha and her father, my energy was siphoned. If only I could skip this part of my day. The driver was qu







