로그인I didn't know how to act, what to say, or how to say it all through the ride to Alex's house. God knows this was the last thing I would want. Staying in his house? Gosh, that sounded like having to walk on eggshells! It sounded really crazy.But you know what's crazier? Marcus’ face under that tree. Dressed in that shiny black leather outfit that made him look like a black panther in the dark. Ugh!That sight was scary. I stood there, by that window, transfixed, hand turned white on the curtains. Mary knocked again and my heart flew over the roof as I spun fast. By the time she stepped in I was already panting like I had fallen from a tall tree.Then I looked back, he was gone. It was almost like I was hallucinating. Exactly what he was good at, making you lose your mind and question your sanity.I knew it was best to lock up the mansion. Alex was right. I could tell Marcus was still lurking around somewhere. And what happens when he crept up on me in the middle of the night? I couldn
I strutted into the house, coat over one arm, leather bag in the other. I walked up the stairs to my bedroom. The moment I lowered myself onto the edge of the bed, my mind flashed back, back to the interrogation I had with Marcus a few hours ago before I left the office to go meet up with a woman whose son was in custody. “Bro, I know you… Behind that tight jaw of yours, you could barely hurt a fly… Or are you telling me you want to start with your own blood?” He smirked.Each word he said was enough to infuriate me to the extent that he might not need a trial to be sent to heaven, but I watched him gloat. We still needed him to answer some questions. “And the ring? The one you gave to Samantha, where did you get that from?” I asked, voice low and tight.“The ring? It was my father's money! It was the family's wealth… Why on earth should it be in one person's name and possession? She had no use for it. I mean, why was it there in a box? You needed to see how beautiful it looked on h
“What the hell…” I snarled. “This isn’t possible!” My head banged immediately. I pressed a palm over my forehead. What’s this news? How was it possible for Marcus to escape custody? I stared back at the screen. Maybe I had missed something earlier.The news sat there still. THIRTEEN SUSPECTS AWAITING TRIAL ESCAPE CUSTODY AMIDST FIRE OUTBREAK! Then the list of names glared on the screen. I stretched forth the remote control again, the news was too tragic to be true. Turned it off even before the news was over. Then I picked up my phone, maybe Alex would have something to say about this. It was even more shocking that he hadn’t called me yet. The newscaster had said this happened about two hours ago. That was enough time! According to the news, they had waited to compile the names of the escapees, with possibly more names emerging soon. I felt a low rumble in my stomach, jaw clenched tight as my hands shook around the gadget.Just then, a knock sounded lightly on the door. My heart
It felt so good, almost brand new to have a week without any new trouble. I had just walked out of the bathroom, towel tight around me. I pulled the closet door open and grabbed a silky gray robe. Perfect for my mood tonight.It was relieving to know Victoria was still alive. That's the good part, even though Alex thinks someone close by was working with Marcus, and still feeding him what's happening on the outside. I threw the robe around my shoulders. Towel bunched up at my feet. Then my eyes glanced to the mug of coffee that sat on the nightstand, Isabel had dropped it off while I was in the bathroom. The inviting smell had filled my lungs the moment I stepped out of the bathroom. I walked briskly, sat on the edge of the bed, the warm light from the nightstand lamp cascaded on my face.I grabbed the mug and sipped once. Then the square framed picture of Mia and me stared back, I picked it up with my free hand, her soft bright smile glared at me. I had seen them again two days back
Silence had fallen over the room, except for the low hum of the AC. My heart fluttered with each passing second, I lay awake while I watched her sleep in my hand like she was going to vanish again by morning. My free hand shoving strands of hair off her face. For weeks, I had waited, searched, and when I found her, the circumstances were different. I became her arrester when all I ever wanted to do was arrest her heart and make it mine. The air around us grew differently from the one I remembered that night. But not in this room, where we lay locked away from the rest of the world, from all the ugly circumstances that brought us back together, yet kept us apart.“Alex, please I’m not ready,” she had broken away from the kiss, from the tension between us, hazel eyes dazzling in the lowlight of the room, right under me.I understood her perfectly. If she needed time, I would give every one of it. If she needed a shoulder to lean on, I would make my entire body one as long as she didn’
I read through the descriptions on the bottle. It was a sparkling drink, but that was the only thing I noticed about it, because while my eyes ran all over the bottle in my hand, my mind chose another direction.Us at the station. The fear on Victoria's face. The way she scurried like it wasn't her, like she wasn't the poised queen I knew. The way she hurriedly drew the hoodie over her, hiding her scar away from the world.All of that happened because of me. Victoria wouldn't be missing if only I had listened to Marcus. He was right after all. He could have been gone by now and Victoria would still have her life. Who knew what she was up against? But what I knew was that I caused all of this. Yes, Victoria knew no battles before I stepped in. She lived like the queen that she was.There she was on the screen, a shadow of herself, like she wasn't Victoria Langford. And here was I, living my life without fear, stepping into her shoes like it was the most natural thing to do.Anyway, I
The night wrapped around us like a blanket we hadn’t asked for. Night flies occasionally resting on our bodies, their creaking sounds the only evident sounds apart from our own voices.We’d lost track of time completely, no clocks, no phones, just the slow lap of water against the pool tiles, catch
The air felt lighter, even though my head still throbbed. The laptop sat on my legs, legs crossed on the bed. Phone pressed to my ear. Victoria’s voice bounced off in my ears, while my other hand dug into the laptop, carrying out her instructions.Hearing her voice kept me on edge, but there was no
I never knew how much I was used to having Victoria around in this office until this morning. The office felt too calm, too quiet, my own breathing thumped in my ears, too loud.I gasped hard as I ended my call with her this morning. No sharp heels clicking down the hallway. No quiet orders deliver
I tossed and turned. The sheets twisted around my legs like ropes. I stretched, arms high, back arching, toes pointing, until my spine popped softly, gently moving the sheets a bit. My body felt heavy, loose, like it had finally given up fighting sleep. I sat up slowly. My back against the headb







