LOGINðððð¢ð'ð¬ ðððŠðð¬ð¢ð¬Â°Â°Â°Â°
âWhat?â Sophiaâs head whipped to her. âDrive? To where?â Breanna's gaze flicked back at the street. âWe need to change the wardrobe....It has been a while,â she replied calmly. âYouâve got to be kidding meâ. Sophia blinked âAre you seriously thinking about shoppingânow?â The car's door slammed to that question and Sophiaâs jaw dropped. âJesus Christâwhat a Creature of youâ Without wasting another minute, she creaked open the driver's door. Words evaporated from Breanna's mouth just before she started the car. âSince they wonât let the badge through the door, then we donât walk in as detectivesârather, something else.â The car doors clicked shut and Sophia gripped the steering wheel, zooming away. ââðð ðð¡ð ððšð®ðð¢ðªð®ð ðð¡ðð§ð ð¢ð§ð ððšðšðŠââ Sophia sat stiff in the chair, eyes locked on Breanna, as the artist gave her makeover. âAll doneâ the lady announced giving her a final touch on the lips Breanna cocked a brow at Sophia, a gesture that asked if it was good. Sophia related to her gesture with a nod. Breanna exhale heavily at that nod before she looked into the mirror, Her reflection stood there transformedâno badge, no blazer. Just a sequined underwear that put every of her curves on display. Her face was masked in heavy makeupâsmoky eyes, glitter trailing her cheekbones, lips glossed to a wet, sinful shine. âTremendousâ she held stares with her reflection, lips curling in triumphâshe looked nothing like the law. âYou are about this ?â Sophia swallowed, still stunned. âAbout what?â Breanna smirked, tugging the strap of her bra into place. âMaâam, youâre really going in there like that?â âObviouslyâstrippers donât get bounced here, that's the only pass key.â She gave Sophia a curt smile before draping her blazer over her almost nude body. âShall we?â ### Sophia parked the car across the next street, and Breanna slid out. âBe on the look-outâ She instructed, rolling her shoulders once, as if shaking the badge off her body. âYes maâ Sophia concurred, clasping the chain hanging a rose pendant on Breanna's neck. âIt doesn't look obvious right ?â Breanna askedâunsure. Sophia ran her fingers on the small sized rose jewelry and brushed it off. âNahâitâs inconspicuousâ. âOkay thenâ Breanna hushed, straightening fully. Her eighth inch green velvet Hella heels clapped against the pavement, as she walked back toward the Casino Sophia watched with a mix of horror and aweâhips swaying, chin tilted down, her hard Senior melted into something dangerous and sultry, all to arrest Antonio. âMa'amâ she called out. Breanna turned with a domineering glare. âGood luckâ. ###### ââð ð«ðšð§ð ðð ðð¥ ðð«ðš ððð¬ð§ð¢ðšââ ððððšð§ð ðððððŠð©ð. The crowd at the rope line stirred when she approachedâheels sharp as a trigger pull. Breanna. She didnât walkâsashayed, every hip roll choreographed to tease. âSuch a hottieâ one of the onlookers half-gasped. âAre you booked for tonight?" another patron's voice rang out. The taller bouncer stiffened as she got closer, âF**k my world" His lips twitched like he wasnât sure whether to sneer or stare. The other bouncer held out a hand like a stop sign. âLineâs back there.â His tone was a growl, but his eyes lingered too long on the leather and lace peeking beneath her jacket. Breanna slowed her steps, stopping inches from him, one heel grinding against the pavement. âMe?â she purred, She tilted her head to the line behind her, a slow grin unfurling. âYou really want me in that line?â she whispered, pressing herself closer to his palm, blazer gaping. Her breasts crushed into his huge palm, The bouncerâs breath shuddered. His palm dropped an inch. Breanna stroked his cheek with her nails, âOr better still, greasing your long man after the party?â. She slipped down, slow, bold, then grabbed his crotch hard, giving a playful squeeze. The man buckled with a grunt, a strangled moan tearing out of him before he bit it back. The line eruptedâgasps, laughter, catcalls. âLet her in!â âBook her in , she's pure filth.â Breanna giggled low, dirty, and shifted her hips deeper against his thigh. âTell me⊠you gonna bounce me, or fuck me in?â she whispered, biting his ear lobe. The taller bouncer made to snap out of her seduction, but Breanna caught him before he could. âCareful, big man. You donât want to make a scene.â âWhat scene?â Breanna let her eyes trail down to his zipper, his erection was threatening to push through. âThat's quite huge,â she remarked, licking her lower lip. âMay I ?â Her hand reached out to touch himâuncoiling from the other guy. The taller bouncerâs throat bobbed and he stepped aside, cheeks red with something between shame and desire. The other followed, silent, defeated. âChristâŠâ he under his breath as the doors hissed open. Breanna blew them both a wet, mocking kiss, winked, then strutted through the entrance like it was her runway. The crowd screamed behind herâphones flashing, voices chantingâalready booking her in their minds, convinced she was the casinoâs newest act. From the car, Sophia watched her disappear into the Casino. She blinked hard. This wasn't the Breanna she knew. âââðð§ð¬ð¢ðð ðð¡ð ððð¬ð¢ð§ðšâââ Breanna snapped a whip against her body lazily, as she walked into the noisy room. Fishnet legs slided into heelsâblazer hanging loose, concealing, but not quite hiding the glittered straps of lingerie beneath. Her tongue licked over her blood-red painted lips, and the crowd stirred instantly. Gaspsâwhistles, rippled everywhere like a fever. âDamn, sheâs fire!â one half-rasped âI bet that ass is tight as a viceâimagine splitting it open.â another remarked. Breanna turned her head violently to that statement, and there in the pit was the remarker stroking his hard cock. She choked on her breath as he waved it shamelessly to her face, âBi*châcome ride me and I'll give you protein you will never forget.â âF*ck you, As*hole.â she spat in disdain, rather too fast. Startled gasps rolled through the line like thunder. Men clutched their chests, women shrieked in surprise, A whore was refusing a c*ck. A patron near the front shouted, âThis is unacceptableââ That was all that was needed for the dam to burst. âSuck it. Suck it .â A chant started somewhere in the pit, low and pounding.ðððð¢ðâð¬ ðððŠðð¬ð¢ð¬Â°Â°Â°Liza walked slowly, hands clasped white-knuckled. She didnât look at Antonio as she took the stand, but he was watching her every moveâ maybe resent or remorse.She swore in without blinking, awaiting the prosecutor's question.âMrs Liza Minnelliâ native of Sombra Azul and also John Minnelli mother?â the judge read from the file in front of him, and she replied with a nod. âCounselor!â the judge called, slouching forward, toward the prosecutor. âYou can go aheadâ The prosecutor adjusted his cufflinks and called up Antonio to the stand, then he turned to Liza with a confident aura. âMrs Minnelliâ do you know this man?âThe courtroom held its breath as Liza scrutinized Antonio from head to toe. âYesâ she managed after a long pause. âI know himââOkayâ the prosecutor clasped his hands in triumph, dismissing Antonio. âMaâam can you please give this court an account of how he murdered your Willow.ââWillow?â Liza repeated âonly this time her voice cracked
ðððð¢ð'ð¬ ðððŠðð¬ð¢ð¬Â°Â°Â°An hour laterâŠ.The visiting room smelled of stale coffee and old sweat. Antonio sat cuffed to the metal table, wrists raw, shirt still stiff with dried river water and Nevenaâs blood. His face was stoneâeyes fixed on the scuffed linoleum as he awaited his visitor.The door opened quietly and revealed Grinch, alone. He stood in the doorway a long moment before stepping inside the holding cell. The door clicked shut behind him. Just two men whoâd grown up bleeding together.He didnât speak at first, he just looked at Antonioâ trying to recognize someone he used to know. Cuffed wrists, blood-stiff shirt, this man before him was different.âYou signed it,â he said at last. The words came out quiet, almost careful, like he was afraid saying them too loud would make them real. âNo lawyer. No call. Nothing.âAntonio didnât lift his head.âWe had everything lined up,â Grinch continued, voice dropping lower. âHe offered Malaysia for your extraction route. Cle
ðððð¢ðâð¬ ðððŠðð¬ð¢ð¬Â°Â°Â°Antonioâs world narrowed to the wet heat spreading across his chest. He looked down at Nevenaâs face, hand pressing to her arm, but blood seeped between his fingers.He shoved her behind the nearest bridge supportârusted I-beam. Then he spun, drawing his concealed Glock in the same motion.âHold fire! Holdâ!â Breanna shouted, but it was too late. Fresh rounds chambered with a click.He shifted his weight, eyes meeting the three people who had just made the worst mistake of their lives. âYou want Knuckles?â he said quietly. âCome and get me.âHe fired three quick, precise shots. Vincenzoâs lead man dropped. Another staggered while Cesar hissed at his grazed shoulder.The shooting exploded in earnest, both the police and goons. When Antonio saw that the two forces were closing in sporadically, he scooped Nevenaâs limp weight and vaulted the railing, hitting the river like a fist.On the bridge, the gunfire stuttered to confusion.Everyone rushed to the ra
ðððð¢ð'ð¬ ðððŠðð¬ð¢ð¬Â°Â°Â° The first thin ray of dawn sliced the horizon just as Antonio stepped onto Otowi Bridge. Though he wasn't tired, Nevenaâs constant, anxious chatter behind him had worn him thinner than any distance. âAre we close to the city now?â she asked. He didnât answer, rather he slipped a hand into his pocket and retrieved his phone. He thumbed the screen alive and dialed Grinch's number. As soon as the line connected, she tipped her head forward, ear brushing his, eavesdropping childishly. He noticed but didn't rebuke her. âGrinch,â he said as soon as the receiver connected. âIâm heading for the border. Negotiate a pass for meâ âWhich border?â Luca's voice floated through, instead of Grinch's. âThailandâ Antonio switched the phone to the other ear. âI will cross Otowi and cut through Sangre de Cristo. That's the route.â âKeep breathing. Iâll grease the wheels.â he assured and killed the line. ----------- Back in the shadowed ship, Lucas took a long
ðððð¢ðâð¬ ðððŠðð¬ð¢ð¬Â°Â°Â°She stared at the bodies a moment longer, then sagged against him in relief. In the darkness, blood looked like shadow and she didnât know the difference and was too exhausted to question it.Antonio scooped her up carefully âone arm under her knees, the other cradling her back. She weighed nothing.âHold on to me,â he whispered.She did, arms looping around his neck, face tucked into the curve of his throat.Behind them, Slimeâs shallow breathing gurgled, and Breanna's net closed in faster.He carried her south through the pines, careful of the bruise blooming across her ribs where his elbow had caught her in the dark. Though guilt sat heavy in his chest, he buried it deep. There would be time for apologies laterâ when he figured out how to get them out safely.The abandoned hunting cabin finally faced them five minutes later, a squat silhouette against the treeline. He shifted her weight to one arm, thumbed the biometric lock, and shouldered the door
ðððð¢ðâð¬ ðððŠðð¬ð¢ð¬Â°Â°Â°Antonioâs boots pounded the earth of the north woods, his breath fogging in sharp bursts under the moonlit sky.The mansion was miles behind him now, yet he utilized every second to push farther.His phone vibrated in his pocketâinsistent, frantic. He yanked it out mid-stride, thumb smearing blood from a cut across the screen.One new text from Grinch.He ducked behind a fallen pine, chest heaving, and hit callback on Nevenaâs number instead of opening the message thread.âCome on, come onâŠâ he muttered with each ring as the call went straight to voicemail.He stared at the screen until it dimmed, then he killed the backlight.There's no point in calling again. Her abductors had surely triangulated her phone by now.He glanced at his compass watch and hastily broke from the treeline, scanning the dark for headlightsâ police or otherwise. Only a thinning forest lay ahead.âI need to get to Nevena.âHe veered left, following a faint path until the silhoue







