LOGIN~Fiona~ "Listen here, bitch. You can never leave me. You got that?" Rico's voice was low and threatening as he stared down at me and grabbed my chin. I was still struggling to catch my breath, my throat aching from the pressure of his fingers, but he didn't seem particularly concerned about that. All he wanted was an answer. I swallowed painfully and gave him a small nod. "Use your words, Fiona." "Yes..." "Yes, what?" I looked at him, my lips trembling. "I understand." "Good." He finally loosened his grip on my chin, but his expression remained hard. "Because I won't let you go. I don't care what you think you want or who you think you can run to. You're mine, babe. Do you understand that?" I nodded again, hoping that would satisfy him. He studied my face before brushing his thumb over my cheek. "That's better." I hadn't even realised I was crying until I felt a tear slide down my face. I tried to turn away, but he caught my chin again, making me look at him. "What's
~Fiona~I panicked.Still sitting close to Rico, I quickly reached for my bag, hoping to retrieve it before he noticed. I wasn't even sure why I was reacting this way, but the moment I pulled out my phone and saw the name flashing across the screen, my stomach dropped.Richard.Oh, God.I immediately swiped across the screen, silencing the call before turning the phone over.Thankfully, Rico hadn't said anything.Although, considering what I had saved Richard's number as, I couldn't exactly relax.Big Grey Man.A ridiculous name, I knew, but it was better than having his actual name appear whenever he called."Who is it?" Rico's voice made me look up."Nobody." I slipped the phone towards my bag, hoping that would be the end of it.But he wasn't convinced. "Nobody?""Just a call.""From who?" He asked.I forced a small laugh. "Does it matter?"His brows lifted slightly. "You're acting strange.""I'm not." I swallowed. "Then why are you hiding your phone?"I stared at him, unsure how
~Fiona~I took a slow breath before walking towards him.Rico watched me the entire time, his eyes following my movements until I finally reached the bed and sat beside him. I kept a little distance between us, but he didn't seem particularly interested in that.He shifted closer, placing his cigar in the ashtray before turning towards me."Come here, babe."Before I could respond, his hand found the back of my neck. His fingers settled against my skin as he leaned forward, bringing his face closer to mine.I flinched slightly.It was almost instinctive, a small reaction I hadn't planned. But Rico noticed. His eyes lingered on mine, and for a moment, neither of us moved.Then I looked at him properly.There was something familiar in his expression, something I had known for years. He was still the man I had once been so eager to kiss, the one whose attention could make my entire day, whose absence used to leave me restless.Perhaps that was why I finally relaxed.I closed the remainin
~Fiona~Rico was sitting on his bed, wearing nothing but his briefs, a cigar resting between the fingers of one hand while the other was tucked inside the waistband of his briefs.I froze.It wasn't as though I hadn't seen him like this before. I had walked into his room countless times when he was dressed similarly, and there had been plenty of occasions when I had caught him in far less presentable positions.But looking at him now made me feel strangely conscious of myself.My gaze lingered for a second longer than it should have before I quickly looked away. I swallowed, trying to shake off the unfamiliar feeling settling in my stomach. There was still an attraction there, I supposed. It hadn't disappeared completely just because we were no longer together.But it wasn't the same.Not the way I felt when Richard looked at me, touched me, or even simply stood close enough for me to catch his scent. With Rico, it was more like remembering something familiar, something I had once wan
~Fiona~ I slept surprisingly well last night. Perhaps it was because I had spent the night in Richard's arms, or maybe I was simply too exhausted to keep worrying about everything happening around me. Whatever the reason, I woke up feeling a little better than I had in days. That feeling didn't last long. I had just left the hospital after visiting Mom. Since it was the weekend, she had asked why Ivy hadn't come with me. I made up an excuse about her having something to do at home, hoping Mom wouldn't ask too many questions. Lying to her was becoming easier than I liked. I hated that I couldn't tell her what had happened, but I couldn't risk worrying her while she was still recovering. She had enough to deal with already. Now, I was heading to the palace to see Rico. Richard's words from last night kept coming back to me. He had told me to let Rico handle things, but I couldn't stop wondering whether he genuinely meant it or if there was something else behind his decision. M
~Fiona~By the time I stepped out of the shower, my mind was still a complete mess.What the hell was Richard plotting?I mean, what if he'd already decided to kill me in his head and was simply waiting for the right moment to do it?I stared at my reflection in the bathroom mirror, rubbing my damp hair with a towel as I tried to make sense of his strange behavior.He hadn't questioned me about anything. Not my sudden appearance at his door, not my failure to call him, not even the fact that I looked like a miserable creature who'd spent the last hour crying in the rain.He'd simply told me to shower and go to bed.Who did that?Richard Blackwood, apparently.I let out a frustrated breath and pulled the oversized shirt he'd given me over my head. It hung loosely around my thighs, the sleeves covering most of my hands. I had to tug at them repeatedly as I left the bathroom, my fingers fumbling with the material while the questions I'd been dying to ask him sat heavily on the tip of my







