ZARA
I looked around, I was in a deserted street… There weren’t even cameras around here. In my distraction I hadn't even realised I had gone so far out… Oh god. I could see his growing shadow that was cast on the ground, getting closer now.
"I hate people who eavesdrop." His chilling voice made my heart hammer loudly.
The man from the club. I wanted to turn to see his face, but more than that, I knew I needed to run.
Pushing aside all my thoughts, I broke into a run. All I needed to do was find a cab! I have always been a fast runner and I was not going to let anyone catch me. Whether it was those men who I owed or this creep. If he was willing to kill Uncle Hadid, he was dangerous. Something told me that if anything came in his way, he wouldn’t hesitate to remove it from his path.
I saw the lights of an approaching car. My heart leapt in relief when I saw it was a cab. I hailed it down and tapped on the window.
"I need a ride!" I sai
Thank you for reading. :( Poor Zara...
DAHLIA We had returned home and it was now much later in the evening. Dane had tucked Aria in, something she had been so happy about, exclaiming how her old daddy never did. That broke my heart, I never realised she had noticed such things. Although I encouraged Warren to spend time with her, he never wanted to. I was grateful for Dane, I could see the concern in his eyes for me and the fondness for Aria. He had kissed me before taking Aria. The very scene was one I wanted to embed in my mind forever. I had showered before slipping on a dusky pink silk nightdress. I combed my hair, letting the curls dry naturally. Returning to my bedroom, I turned my diffuser on, letting the changing light illuminate the room, the soothing oils calming me. A knock on the door made me look up and I picked up my matching gown, slipping it on. "Come in!" The door opened to reveal Dane holding two mugs of hot drinks. My heart skipped a beat
DAHLIA I had tried to ring Zara all morning and I was now getting worried. It wasn’t like her not to reply. The bathroom door opened and Dane stepped out. My heart almost stopped beating seeing him standing there with only a towel wrapped around his waist. It hung low, showing off his refined Adonis belt. Oh, how I wanted to pull that towel off, drop to my knees and worship him in the way I knew best… Oh lord… Forgive me for the dirty thoughts that are filling my mind. A sexy smirk crossed his lips as he walked over to me. "Distracted princess?" He mocked. I rolled my eyes. "You wish." I said with a toss of my hair as I turned my back to him, trying to hide the blush that coated my cheeks. His arm wrapped around me from behind, his hand wrapping around my throat. My heart thundered as he squeezed it slightly, making pleasure rush to my core. Lord… this man. "I do." He murmured, sucking on the tip of my ear.
DANE She had taken it better than I had expected. Telling her I was into kinky stuff wasn’t exactly something I was sure she’d be ok with. I would have broken her into it slowly but the way she reacted… It had messed with my self-control. I knew she wanted me, probably close to how much I wanted her, but before that, I wanted to take her out on a date. We were together now, but I wanted to officially take her out and have the chance to treat her like the queen she was. I now tapped my pen on my desk, I had a conference call in ten minutes. Maybe I should book a reservation for tomorrow night… Should I buy her a dress? Ask her to wear it when we go out? I like that idea. She was the sexiest woman I had laid my eyes on, there was something about her…. "Focus Dane." I muttered as I decided to book an Indian restaurant, I knew Dahlia liked the cuisine and I aimed to impress. I’ll get her the full ensemble, lingerie… heels… Maybe book a hotel room?
DAHLIA The police had arrived fast and although I had wanted to pull Zara into my lap, I realised I had possibly already tampered with a crime scene. Trying to remain calm, I had stared at Zara’s face, tears streaming down my cheeks. What had happened? The message… This wasn’t to do with the message right? The police had begun questioning me. They knew who I was and spoke calmly. I showed them the message and they instantly went for Zara’s phone in hopes for answers. The rest was a blur. I told them what I touched since coming here and then I went to the police station for some more questioning. I wasn’t sure if they suspected me but I didn’t care, I wanted Zara’s killer found. I rang Dane wanting to tell him what happened. In all honesty, I just wanted his support, I was unravelling and I felt that my entire life was slipping from my grasp. I couldn't control anything, something bad kept on happening. It rang once before it was answered. "Dane!" I sa
DANE Zara’s death had shaken Dahlia and although she tried to keep it together, she broke down often. Something she would have refused herself if I didn’t encourage her to let her pain out. Something about this time made us even closer, and although I wanted to fuck her every time I laid my eyes out on her, she wasn’t in the right frame of mind yet. With so much going on, I was glad I told her I loved her. I had seen light return to her grey eyes, even if it was fleeting. Zara’s house had been kept locked off for two weeks and her parents had wanted nothing to do with her. Apparently, they blamed Zara for her own death, something that had really angered Dahlia. Dahlia had a habit of taking everything in her stride and just dealing with it silently. I knew her fear of losing everyone she loved had affected her but I also needed her to stop taking everything wordlessly and keeping it bottled aside. I feared she was going to have a
DAHLIA I looked at the boxes of Zara’s belongings that now sat on my living room table. Her parents hadn't wanted anything to do with it, and although I myself couldn't bear to go back to the apartment, I had sent my staff to gather her things and bring them to me. It had been hard since Zara’s death; I still can’t believe she’s gone. I wish we’d had more time together. I took a deep breath, trying to calm the emotions that filled me. These last few weeks had made me reflect a lot on life. Zara always said to live without regret, where as I tried to live to make others proud. I took out the picture frame of Zara and me at Disney land with Aria and hugged it to my chest. Zara had always wanted me to face the world, telling me what Dane now told me. To be myself and those who truly cared would always remain. I looked at the picture again and traced my finger over the picture as my eyes filled with tears. What had I truly achieved i
DAHLIA It was later in the evening and I had just put Aria to bed, I felt rather uncomfortable leaving her home alone these days. Even with two of my most trusted security guards with her, along with Josephine, I felt slightly more at ease but not entirely. "Have a lovely time tonight. Don’t worry about Aria, I'm here." Josephine said as I silently slipped out of Aria’s bed. "Thank you, Josephine. If anything happens or she wakes up, just call me. I'm going to keep my phone on me." I said softly. "Of course." I left the room, closing the door behind me. The security guard gave me a small nod and I headed to my room. I had about an hour and a half to get ready, Dane had told me he was heading to his apartment for some more clothes. I entered my bedroom, my eyes instantly fell on the large black box and dress bag that sat on the bed. On top of the box was a single red rose and a card. My heart skipped a beat as I lifted the card.
DANE The moment she said she wore red… It had struck me, now looking her over, the shape of her body… With her angled jaw, the dimples in her cheeks and her tiny waist. It had been Dahlia. The woman I had danced with that night was Dahlia. I didn’t need any more confirmation. Something about that revelation made my heart leap with satisfaction and happiness. I had felt a connection with her from day one. The only difference was that Dahlia had been a lot more at ease with herself. Was it because she wore a mask? The Dahlia I knew was more refined and composed… Unable to control myself, I had kissed her with a hunger that needed to be fulfilled, one that only she could satiate. We were interrupted by her pathetic ex, one I truly wish I didn’t have to see, but then again, what better way to show him that she had moved on than by kissing her publicly? His face seemed to have lost all colour as he looked at the very woman he