CHAPTER FORTY FOUR – SACREDNOVA POVWhen I was seven, my biggest worry in the world was whether my Barbie had the right shoes on her plastic feet. Pink heels for parties, white flats for the doctor’s office, and no matter what, her hair had to stay braided because I was terrible at brushing it once it got tangled.That was all I cared about; my Barbie’s shoes, the little imaginary houses I built out of cereal boxes, and waiting up at night to hear the front door creak open when Dad finally came home.I remember this night like it’s happening all over again. The air smelled faintly of roasted chicken from dinner and the hum of the television filled the living room, something Mom had probably left on in the background. The carpet under my knees scratched a little, and the only light came from the lamp by the couch, its glow turning everything soft and golden.I was sprawled on the rug with Barbie in one hand and a tiny plastic comb in the other, humming to myself and fighting sleep so
CHAPTER FORTY-THREE: Snitch?GRANT POV“You’ve been looking at the same woman for almost an hour now. It’s unlike you, sir.”The voice cut through my focus, grating and familiar. I turned my head just enough to catch her gaze. What was her name? Sandy? Or was it Sandra? Some sand-related name. Didn’t matter. She was average and forgettable. A sub who took what I gave her without complaint, until she got clingy. The kind of woman who thought two whippings and one night in my bed meant she owned a slice of my soul.And yes, she was the same dumb whore who’d once tried to undermine my Nymph—fuck it,— Nova.I should’ve brushed her off, but she wasn’t entirely wrong. My eyes had been glued to Nova the entire night. That scandalous gown she wore was so daring it could cause a scandal in this sterile ballroom and it made my blood run hot. She looked fuckable in a way that had nothing to do with romance or tenderness, just raw appetite. The kind of woman men would burn kingdoms to touch on
CHAPTER FORTY TWO – OYSTER LUCA POVI might be a petty bastard, but one thing I’m not is a fool. That doesn’t mean I don’t enjoy outsmarting fools who play genius.When Calloway casually infiltrated the mafia scene, nobody thought much of it. To most, he was just another American trying to play gangster to feed his ego.I wasn’t threatened. But one thing my bastard of a father drilled into me was never turn your back on anyone, not figuratively, not proverbially. So while the others dismissed Calloway, I kept my eye on him. Made him feel comfortable, even. Let him think he’d earned my trust.At first, I admired him. His plans were bold; cleaner routes for shipments, a legal front for dirty money. He wasn’t just playing dress-up. He saw the bigger picture. And I respected that. For a while, I even called him “friend.”Until the day one of my largest warehouses was busted.I remember it too well, sirens painting the night red, crates split open on the floor like butchered carcasses, th
CHAPTER FORTY ONE : Back to BlackNOVA POV“It’s still not adding up. You got released from a six-month internship way too early, and without even a letter of completion.” Katie looked from me to Lena from her position by the window, her brows furrowed tighter than I’ve ever seen. “Lena, say something.”“She looks heartbroken, take it easy on her,” Lena said gently, ever the peacemaker. If only she knew the true source of my heartbreak.“I’ve been worried about Tyler too, but you don’t have to hurt yourself over that,” Lena continued. “He’ll be back soon.”Oh, poor Lena. If only she knew.“Who else knew you were coming back to the hostel today?” Katie asked after a long pause, still staring out the window. Her sharpness made my stomach twist. She probably saw something.“Nobody,” I replied quickly. Then, after a second thought: “Aside from Lena’s dad, of course.”Katie didn’t flinch. “Someone just dropped something at our door. She’s rushing back with her face covered.”“Who?” I ru
CHAPTER FORTY: When Two Elephants FightNOVA POVI’ve been praying and hoping that tonight would go wrong. It might sound weird, but I wanted Grant to catch me red-handed with Luca so this sham of an inconvenient relationship could be over as quickly as possible, and Luca would finally give me details on who killed my parents once I held up my end of the bargain.“Hang. Up. Now.”Grant’s voice sounded low and dangerous. Deadly, even. But I can’t just give in. I’ve got a role to play, and I’m under scrutiny, so I have no option but to channel my inner actress.“Why?”My voice sounded unrecognizably flat and cold.“Yes. Why, Granny?” Luca, who was enjoying this a little too much, smirked on my screen.I didn’t know how he knew Grant was around, but when he messaged me that it was time to test my acting skills on a video call, I couldn’t ignore the order.“Because someone is going to die tonight.”Grant’s voice was lifeless and bloodthirsty. My heart rate spiked, and I couldn’t ignore t
CHAPTER THIRTY-NINE: Ice ColdGRANT POVI should hate her, avoid her, ignore her, and maybe even intentionally hurt her, but something about her keeps pulling me in. Keeps me on my toes. Keeps me yearning for more.Since the incident with Luca, I’m not so sure of Nova’s involvement with the Ratel Mafia. I know Luca well enough, if Nova works for him, he wouldn’t hesitate to flaunt that fact and gloat until I don’t want to see the next day. But the bastard has been interested in her.The plan was to watch out for any leaked information, and I wasn’t expecting Luca there. But Luca seeing Nova is like me purposely trying to get his attention, and now I regret the very decision that pushed me into taking a delectable, yummy delight like Nova to a place where hungry sharks like Luca roam and hunt for their next meal.Work has been going well, albeit with some mysteries that are yet to be uncovered, but so far the majority of the harm from the Nova system has almost faded.After I fucked N