INICIAR SESIÓN~TIANA'S [POV]~To put it shortly, Jasmine had a very awkward, brief stay before she excused herself from the bedroom. She did invite Demetri to come down to the dining hall for breakfast, but he insisted on eating right here with me instead. I could see the pure disappointment that crossed her pretty face just before she turned and left.When our warm breakfast was brought up by a servant, I insisted on feeding Demetri since he was still struggling a little to lift his injured arm. I carefully brought a piece of buttery toast to his lips."I can eat by myself," he said, his deep voice carrying a trace of stubborn pride."I know, but I'm trying to be a caring girlfriend here," I replied, holding my ground with a soft look.A small smile tugged at his lips, warming his dark expression."Then, in that case, let me indulge you," he said as he parted his lips, letting me feed him without any further protests.I didn't think I'd been this genuinely happy in a very long time, feeling the e
~Tiana's [POV]~I woke up the next morning from a horrible nightmare, my heart racing as I abruptly sat up in bed. I'd been dreaming about drowning in a massive pool. The terrifying images from the dream clung to my mind like a heavy fog. I rubbed my sleepy eyes and dragged my legs onto the mattress, taking a deep breath to steady my breathing before finally getting out of bed.After freshening up and putting on some clean clothes, I left the comfort of my room and headed straight toward Demetri's quarters. I wondered if he was awake by now, hoping he had managed to get some proper rest. Just as I raised my hand to knock, the door swung open, and I froze right on the spot.Demetri stood on the other side, looking slightly surprised to see me standing there before a warm smile slowly spread across his lips."I was just coming to find you," he said, stepping aside to give me room. "Come in."I stepped into the room, and he closed the door firmly behind me. My eyes immediately scan
~TIANA'S [POV]~Eventually, the bedroom door opened, and Jacob stepped out with the other man. I immediately stopped pacing and rushed toward him, my heart jumping into my throat."How is he? Is he okay?" I asked frantically, clutching my hands tightly against my chest. "Please, just tell me he's okay."Jacob gave me a small nod, his broad shoulders dropping slightly. "Yeah, he's fine now. Thankfully, the bullet has been removed."A huge sigh of relief escaped me, and my shoulders finally dropped."Thank God," I whispered prayerfully, pressing a hand against my chest. "I thought something terrible had happened in there. You took so long.""The bullet wasn't in a convenient place," Jacob explained in a low, tired tone. "The doctor had to make sure she didn't cause more damage while removing it."I nodded quickly, my attention already shifting toward the slightly open bedroom door."Can I go in and see him now?" I requested softly, looking up at him expectantly.Jacob hesitated, glanci
~MARCUS'S [P.O.V]~Simply sighing, I said nothing in response.I heard the sharp creak of a wooden chair yielding under weight, followed by the steady drag of footsteps approaching my position."What a long night it has been," she murmured, letting out a heavy yawn as she came to a stop directly in front of me. "I'm going to bed, and that means you have to go to sleep too."Before the words fully registered, she forced my head to the side with a firm palm. A sudden, sharp prick stung the skin of my neck.I groaned, a wave of dark dizziness instantly pulling at my vision. What the hell was wrong with this woman and her obsession with fucking needles."Relax, handsome. It's just a normal sedative," she stated, her voice drifting as my surroundings began to spin. "You'll be up by eight a.m. tomorrow morning, then we..."The rest of her sentence blurred into a low, incomprehensible hum as my head dropped forward, darkness claiming my consciousness once again.******~TIANA'S [POV]~Jacob
~MARCUS'S [P.O.V]~A heavy scent of roses and vanilla ice cream invaded my nose as soon as I regained consciousness, thick enough to make my stomach turn.My eyes were covered with a coarse strip of cloth, making it completely impossible to see where I was. I tried to move my arms, but quickly realized my wrists and ankles were bound tightly to a cold metal chair, the rough cord biting hard into my flesh.The last thing I remembered was leaving the safety of the bedroom to get the firewood I needed before heading back.On the way, I had run into Tiana.Surprisingly, she had changed out of her elegant evening dress. In its place was a sleek black tactical bodysuit that fit her like a second skin, the matte fabric hugging every curve without restricting her movements.Black combat boots reached just above her ankles, while a slim utility belt rested around her waist, giving her the appearance of someone trained for a stealth mission rather than a woman who had been attending a luxury g
~TIANA'S [POV]~"My father tried to backstab Demetri and have him killed," she said, her expression twisting into something dark."But Demetri outsmarted him and instead seized control of half of our family business. My father was furious. He tricked me into coming back home under the guise of safety, and as a way to get back at Demetri, he forced a medical procedure and terminated my pregnancy. With everything thrown to shit, we got divorced a week later.""Married for seven weeks, and then discarded," she breathed out, a single, heavy sigh escaping her lips.A profound wave of sorrow washed over me, completely erasing the fact that I disliked this woman.To lose a child in the middle of a war between the two most vicious men in her life at the time must have been a horrific experience for her.I, for one, had a taste of what a terrible father was like."Sienna, I am so sorry," I whispered, reaching out a hand slightly before pulling it back, unsure if she would welcome the comfort
~TIANA (POV)~The entire place went dead quiet as everyone’s heads turned towards him. I couldn't see their faces but I was certain shock was etched on them.Trying to regain his composure a bit, the auctioneer cleared his throat."Um....I seem to be having a bit of a um.... problem understanding y
~TIANA (POV)~“Fifty thousand going once, going twice, sold!” The auctioneer’s voice rang out, reaching the back of the stage where I was.Dragging myself up to my knees, my fingers curled around the old rusty iron bars of my own personal cage, my gaze trained on the small crack in the curtains sep
~ TIANA (POV)~My entire body jerked.Then another shot followed, quickly turning to multiple fires, popping off in rapid succession.“Get down!” the tattooed man barked, slamming me into the gravel, covering my heS lolad with his arm as bullets tore into the dirt beside us.My heart was hammerin
~ DEMETRI'S [POV] ~When I reached my room, the door was slightly open. I stepped inside without making a sound.My eyes found her immediately.She was lying on her stomach across my bed, bare feet crossed in the air behind her, rubbing together absently as she turned a page. Her entire focus was o







