LOGINXavier~“That’s it. I’m involving the cops.”Larry abruptly got to his feet, the chair scraping harshly against the marble floor as he stormed toward the door.I barely lifted my eyes.Bad idea. Very bad idea.Before Larry could get any farther, Damian stepped in front of him with both hands raised.“Woah woah, slow down big bro.”Larry looked ready to punch him straight in the face.“The hell do you mean slow down?” he snapped. “My sister is missing!”“And calling the cops won’t magically fix that,” Damian shot back immediately.Larry clenched his jaw.I stayed seated in silence, watching the two of them go at it while nursing the untouched glass of whiskey in my hand.Truthfully?Neither of them understood how dangerous this situation actually was.Marcus Grigo wasn’t some spoiled rich brat throwing tantrums. He was mafia.And not the kind you threatened with police badges.Damian sighed tiredly before trying again.“The man currently holding Carla is probably one of the most danger
Carla~Warm water slid down my skin as the two maids worked in silence around me.One stood behind the marble tub carefully washing shampoo through my hair while the other knelt beside the water, gently scrubbing my arms with a sponge. The scent of lavender filled the massive bathroom, almost suffocating in how luxurious it all felt.I hated every second of it.The girls couldn't have been much older than Minnie. Or at least, that's what I thought.One looked barely twenty while the other seemed even younger. Petite frame, pale skin and nervous eyes that seemed to dart around a lot.Neither of them would look directly at me.Not once.Their movements were quick and practiced, almost robotic, as though they had done this many times before.I swallowed hard."Listen..." I tried again quietly. "You both really don't have to do this."No response.Not even a glance.The older one simply reached for my wrist and lifted my arm slightly to rinse soap away.A bitter feeling settled heavily in
Carla~My fists slammed repeatedly against the cold metal door.“Let me out!” I screamed at the top of my lungs, kicking the door hard enough to send pain shooting up my leg. “Do you hear me?! Open this damn door before I kill every single one of you!”I didn't even realise when I started making murder threats that I could never carry out, but I really didn't care.My voice came out hoarse and strained.I had been shouting for hours.At least, I thought it had been hours.There were no windows in this godforsaken room, no sunlight or clock. No way to tell how long I had been trapped down here like some animal. And the only way to receive ventilation was through some rusted vent in the ceiling above.The dim yellow bulb hanging above flickered weakly, barely lighting up the concrete walls around me.“Marcus!” I yelled again, slamming my palms against the metal. “You psycho bastard!”“Oh, give it up.”I gritted my teeth at the groan from behind me before rolling my eyes in annoyance.“N
Damian~"She what?!"My voice thundered across the entire lobby, drawing startled stares from employees and visitors alike. Somewhere behind the front desk, a receptionist nearly dropped her coffee from the sheer force of my outburst.Greta flinched visibly in front of me, clutching her tablet tightly against her chest."I tried stopping her, Mr. Reeves." She rushed out anxiously. "I swear I did. But Carla wasn't listening to anyone anymore. The moment she saw that interview, she just....""Stormed off to confront a mafia boss by herself?" I snapped, dragging a frustrated hand through my hair. "What the hell was she thinking?!"The tension in my chest felt unbearable.My heart had been pounding violently ever since Greta made that call. At first I thought maybe Carla had simply gone somewhere to cool off. Maybe she'd driven around the city to clear her head.But no.Carla had done the absolute worst thing imaginable.She had marched straight into Marcus Grigo's territory alone.I turn
Carla~"Where is he?"My voice echoed furiously through the massive hall as my heels struck sharply against the marble floor."Where's that goddamn son of a bitch?!"The men stationed around the mansion exchanged uneasy looks but none of them moved to stop me.Good.Because at that moment, I genuinely would've clawed my way through every single one of them if I had to.My chest rose and fell heavily as I stormed deeper into the estate.The familiar scent of cigar smoke lingered thickly in the air.And then I saw him.Marcus Grigo.Seated lazily on a large leather chair like some self-satisfied king upon his throne, one leg crossed over the other.A cigar resting comfortably between his fingers.Completely relaxed, completely calm. Like he hadn't just attempted to destroymy reputation on live television moments ago.His eyes landed on me immediately.And to my disgust...They lit up with amusement."Oh," he drawled smoothly. "You're here."The smug grin spreading across his face made r
Carla~"What the hell?!"My voice echoed violently across the office as I stared at the massive television mounted against the office wall.On the screen sat Marcus Grigo himself.Relaxed and smiling.He was looking entirely too comfortable for someone I wanted dead at the moment."I've always shared a very close relationship with Carla Dunbar," he spoke smoothly into the microphone, dressed in an expensive black suit while reporters practically hung onto every word leaving his mouth.I felt my stomach twist violently.Beside me, Greta muttered a quiet curse beneath her breath.Marcus continued talking."After my grandfather's passing, she remained one of my biggest supporters. Honestly, I don't think I would've managed this transition without her guidance."A reporter leaned forward immediately."So Ms. Dunbar is actively affiliated with the Grigo family?"Marcus smiled.That bastard actually smiled."Let's just say Carla and I understand each other very well.""And yes, she actually
Carla~The moment the front doors shut behind us, Damian’s restraint snapped.I barely had time to take two steps into the foyer before his hands were on me; strong, impatient, everywhere. He grabbed my waist and spun me around, his mouth crashing into mine with a heat that stole my breath.“Damian
Carla~That night, I left a lot behind.My family. My life. Xavier...I left them all without looking back, without a single shred of regret or guilt.I told myself I was doing it all for my unborn child and to some extent, that was true. However I couldn't deny the fact that I still did what I had
Carla~ The shock on his face mirrored my own as he stared down at me, time stretching painfully thin between us. "Carla?" My name left his lips in the softest tone I'd ever heard from him. It was almost like he was questioning himself if I was really standing in front of him or not. That singl
Carla~"Where are you taking me?"My mother froze.Her back remained turned to me for a long moment, her shoulders rising and falling as if she were steadying herself. Thunder rumbled in the skies above, the rain now reducing to only a drizzle.Slowly, she turned around."Somewhere safe, honey," Sh







