LOGINEnzo: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
Tabitha:“You will be sleeping here tonight.”Collin opened a door for me and led me into a room. It was beautiful, with a high ceiling and beautiful bedding on a queen-sized bed. “I hope this is to your taste,” he said, sitting on a sofa in the corner, his eyes not leaving me. “Might be smaller than you are used to, but you are still a captive after all.”My feet shook, unable to take a step forward. Everything felt… wrong. Being alone with him in this room felt uncomfortable.“Why are you doing all this?” I asked, turning around to look at him. “I’m a prisoner; why are you treating me like I’m some kind of guest?”A smile crept on his lips, and he slowly undid his tie, biting his lower lip gently as he took me in. “So you want to be treated like a prisoner?”“I didn’t say that. I’m just saying…”He stood up and walked over to me, still smiling, removing his cufflinks and unbuttoning his shirt. I backed away, my eyes wide, alarms going off in my head. “The room is fine… thank you.
Enzo:The morning was warm… too warm. I stretched, and my chest pressed against something warm and soft. The sun wasn’t yet up, but I could still see her silhouette. I couldn't resist running my hands along her smooth, curvy body. My fingers grazed the stitches slightly, and she groaned a little, s
Tabitha:I lay in bed, curled, hugging myself tightly. I was trying so hard to remember, but even now, even after so many years, I could still see it, still see Gregory’s face after everything that had happened. He looked different, he sounded different, but it did nothing for me. I could still se
Enzo:I was pacing in front of the door when Tabitha stormed out. Her face looked pale, and she was out of breath. “Are you alright?” I asked, grabbing her shoulders and looking into her eyes. She looked stunned, unsettled; her body was trembling lightly. “I think I'm okay. I was just shocked, t
Tabitha:“Nora!”“Oh my gosh! Tabitha!”I rushed to her bedside and hugged her. Her grip was weak around me, and I could hear her groan in pain slightly, even though she didn’t push me away. “How are you feeling?” I asked, pulling away and looking at her. She looked weak and tired, but the smile o







