LaraOnce Dexter leaves, I realize that I really donโt want to see the apartment anymore. I wish I could say that he was following me or that heโs even stalking me, but I could tell that our meeting in that apartment was coincidental. And imagine my embarrassment. Iโm home-hunting with his money and he caught me red-handed. Thatโs how I felt. But now heโs gone and even tried to make me feel more comfortable about the fact that he gave me a million fucking dollars. And the worst part? I am reassured. I am calmer about it now. Itโs so messed up. I apologize to Nina and decide to go home and stop hunting for apartments. I donโt want to have to run into him again. I just feel so mortified. Itโll take a few more hours for Ander to be free, and so I decide to just drive around. I even go to car dealerships and look for new cars. There are so many that I like. I think Iโll ask Ander what he thinks. Heโll undoubtedly choose something big, shiny, and red, but thatโs okay. Why canโt I have
LaraI walk into the private room, way ahead of Dexter, and he closes the door.Tingles spread all the way to the tips of my fingers at the thought of us being alone in the same room. To think that we'll be alone in this room for two hours is...I just have to find a way to see this through and not lose my cool. I have to remind myself that I'm doing this to survive. Nothing more, nothing less. I take a deep breath and try to remember to stick to my professionalism. Although I hate him, I have to treat him the same way I treat all my other clients. On top of that, he has his additional requests. He wants me to be more verbal."So, are you ready to have a mind-blowing evening?" I ask him, trying not to cringe. I hear him let out a short, humorless chuckle. "Vanessa, come on."I close my eyes and force myself to calm down. He's not looking at my face so it's easy for me to make these little facial expressions of annoyance. I tell him, "I'd appreciate it if you would let me do my job,
LaraI take a sip of water and try not to think about how heavy my cheek feels. The woman was gone by the time we went outside to look for her. Goddess, I have no idea who she was or why she did that to me. Who would just walk into a strip club to attack someone?Is she crazy, perhaps?Jensenโs eyes are on my face as he says, โWeโll talk to Ambrose about this. I think we need to really keep an eye on who comes in here. This is dangerous.โโYeah,โ Angela agrees. Sheโs seated right beside me. She saw the whole thing and is as equally horrified by what happened as I am. โIf she had a gun, she would have shot you dead.โI shudder and take another sip of water. The whole thing was so random and honestly, I donโt know what to think about it. My cheek really hurts from that punch. Iโm pretty sure itโll be bruised tomorrow. โYouโre sure you donโt know who she is?โโNo,โ I insist. โNo, I have no idea who she was. Iโve never seen her before in all my life!โโHm,โ Angela says, deep in thought.
Dexter Leaving the strip club never fails to make me feel a certain way. I don't want to say that it's sadness because that would be me grossly exaggerating it. But if I had to be honest, then I'd say that I really don't want to leave even when I'm supposed to. I want to be around Vanessa all the time. It's kind of hilarious, really. I've never been in love, not once. I suppose this is what love must feel like. She's on my mind all the time and as I'm leaving, I'm thinking about the next time when I'll be able to see her again. I start the car and drive out of the parking lot. I don't see the kid anywhere near the staircase, so that's a good thing. At least he listened to me. I'm on my way to the hotel because what else is there to do? I'm finalizing the paperwork for the new apartment I bought and things seem to be coming along smoothly. After that, I'll have it furnished and I'll throw my very first dinner, one in which I'm planning on inviting the people who will help me acco
Lara I stare at Dexterโs body, feeling frozen and rooted to the spot. I donโt know if heโs dead and thatโs the part that scares me the most. When I slid out from under him a minute ago, I didnโt think he was dead. Looking at him now, Iโm not so sure anymore. Heโs immobile and doesnโt look like heโs breathing. This is insane. I cover my face with my hands and then quickly think about what Iโm going to do. I canโt leave him here, thatโs for sure, and I have to find out whether heโs dead or not. Thereโs only one way I can do that.I push him further into my apartment so I can close the door behind him and then hurry downstairs. Ambrose is the only person I can think about right now. Heโll help me resolve this matter because Iโm genuinely lost and donโt know what to do. I push the door open and hurry inside. Itโs one of those days when everything is silent and nobody is around during the morning period. The other girls are only here when thereโs a new dance routine that needs to be
Dexter I peel my eyes open slowly. My vision is pretty blurry, so I have to blink a few times to clear it. Afterward, I look around with a crinkled brow, trying to make sense of where I am. I try to move. My back is sore. I try to figure out why and then it hits me as quickly as a bullet would. The attack. The fucking knife. I try to reach behind me to feel my back and I realize thereโs nothing there. Rather, I canโt feel it. I sit up quickly and look around. Iโm in a room that I donโt recognize, and for some reason, the knife isnโt in me anymore and I feel better. The door of the bedroom is closed. I look around and spot womenโs clothes. Where am I?I stand up and walk toward the door. I press my ear close to it and donโt hear a thing. Thereโs only silence. I then turn the handle and open the door. This floorโฆl recognize it. I hear footsteps heading toward me and then I see Vanessa staring at me. Her eyes are wide, and I instantly notice that sheโs wearing a red top and jeans t
Lara I hand the list of names along with their phone numbers to Ambrose. โThis is everything I got from his phone. I also took pictures of some of his messages. He doesnโt seem to talk to anyone by text, though, but you never know. You might find something useful.โGoing through Dexterโs phone gave me a thrill thatโs hard to describe. My fingers were shaking as I scrolled through his phone, trying to get as much information as I could while being cautious not to get distracted so he wouldnโt catch me red-handed. โYouโve done a great job, Lara,โ Ambrose says to me as he takes the list from me along with some of the pictures I printed out. He skims over them briefly before asking, โWhere is he now?โโHe left but he said heโd come back,โ I explain. โWhat about Ander? How is he?โโHeโs with my associate. Iโll give you her number. Call any time you want to talk to him.โ He grabs one of his business cards, flips it, and notes the number down. โHere.โI take it from him. โThanks.โโLet me
LaraโI think itโs a good idea, Lara,โ Ambrose says to me. โIt would be a way for you to get close to him.โI sigh. The worst part is that deep down, I know heโs right. I know that he means well when he says that I have to get closer to Dexter and make the most of the opportunities presented to me. My only concern is Ander and I was thinking about him even when Dexter made me the offer. I had to ask him for some time to think the offer through because I didnโt feel ready to give him an answer then just as I donโt feel ready now. Ambrose must be sensing my confusion because he stands up and moves to stand in front of me. His eyes soften as he says, โItโs your decision to make. I canโt force or convince you into doing something you donโt want. I wonโt either. But as an outsider and as a friend, Iโll have to tell you that I think youโre making a mistake in not seriously considering this. It could change your life. While this man is alive and powerful, youโll never have the guarantee t
DexterA month has passed since Finchโs untimely death, and Lara hasnโt quite been the same. Sheโs been suffering quite a lot, and honestly, I understand why. Nothing he said made sense to me. Yesterday, she told me that she started to understand a little, but this is all a mystery to me. Maybe she gets it because she knew him better than I did. She grew up with him even though he was my biological brother and not hers. That gives her a pretty fair advantage over me. Iโm haunted by the brief conversation we had over the phone. I hadnโt guessed at the time that it would be our first and last one. To sum it up, he told me that he wanted me to be Beta, and that he wanted me to promise that Iโd take care of Lara and never hurt her again. But before that, he told me that he wasnโt as forgiving as she was and that he was glad I lose a hand. It was a crazy damn day, and it ended so tragically. But slowly, sheโs been crawling out of her shell. Of course, her grief is only noticeable to t
LaraโIs it done?โ Finch asks me over the phone. I find myself nodding, and then say, โYes. It is.โPutting my father down was a decision we all made. It was ultimately what was best for everyone. Weโve all been hurt by him, and I think now, we can have that closure. With him being alive, thereโs always that fear that he might run away from prison and target us. Heโs always been vindictive. We had an incident with Jensenโs father, who had been Ambroseโs employer. When he heard of his sonโs death, he orchestrated a prison break and came after us. Well, thatโs what we gathered from the Gammas and Deltas who protect us. He never got close, but that didnโt mean the worst couldnโt have happened. Heโs dead now, but he was a reminder that Lycans are very vindictive and will stop at nothing to get revenge. Weโre all part-Lycan, so we understand this better than anyone else. Weโre also vengeful in our own ways. All of us. Finch heaves a sigh. โWell, thatโs the end of it.โFor some reason,
DexterโYouโre free to pass through,โ the prison guard tells me as he opens the door to the visitorโs room. I never thought that I would find myself here. After I sent Victor to prison for the murder of my mother, I thought I wouldnโt need to speak to him again. I didnโt need him to explain to me why the fuck he killed my mother so brutally. I didnโt want to hear any of it. But since I got together with Lara, I started feeling this sense for closure. My story doesnโt feel complete yet, and thatโs because there are loose ends that I havenโt tied up. Well, thereโs one, and thatโs Victor. Heโs sitting alone at the metal table. His hands are out of sight, and he looks older than I remember him. Maybe itโs the orange uniform thatโs giving me that impression.When he sees me approaching, his eyes donโt leave my face. Thereโs not a single thought behind them, and as I sit across from him, I try to convince myself not to lose my cool and end this in a way that wonโt land me in prison.โD
LaraI stand in the balcony of my room and stare at the moon, which is high in the sky.The sky has never looked more lovely. Itโs like a velvety canvas dusted with thousands of glittering stars. Then, thereโs the moon, of course. Sheโs the star of the show. I canโt help but feel gratitude spreading all through my body as I stare up at Her. Things worked out well for me. For us. The air is cool and still, and itโs carrying this fresh scent of pine from the surrounding forest that invades my nostrils every my time the wind blows. Itโs so serene at this time of the night. Everything is still and peaceful. Arms encircle my waist from behind, and I feel the coldness of the metal of his prosthetic against my bare belly. I nestle into Dexโs warmth. I know itโs him. His warm scent envelops me like a cloud, and he kisses the arch of my neck sensually. โAwake at this time?โ he asks hoarsely. โCouldnโt sleep,โ I say. โToday was a good day, wasnโt it?โI think about the trial that happened
Lara"So," Finch begins when I sit directly across from him. "What happens now?"I've been asking myself this for the past few days and honestly, there's no answer. I don't think that's such a bad thing, though. Sometimes, it's great to not be able to predict anything. I want to see where this goes, too. Why should there always be an answer to everything?I tell him this, and add, "I'm happy with the progress that we've made. Isn't that great? We're taking it a day at a time. All of us."Finch looks right and stares out the window to the spot where Ander is flying a kite with Dex. The two of them are inseparable and it's a joy to see. Ander is a lot more active and they get along. "Hm," Finch says. "What?" I ask, my lips curving into a smile. "Stop being so pessimistic all the time. Why can't you be happy with me for once? I know how you feel about Dex, but he's a part of the family now. You have to put in an effort."Finch scoffs. "When hasn't he not been a part of the family?"I
DexterThree days later, I'm as good as new.As soon as I step out of the hospital, Lara is outside. Sheโs in the driverโs seat of the car, wearing dark sunglasses. The sight of her fills me with a fresh new will to live. When I left her room that nightโright before getting jumped by fucking Jensen and his menโI thought there was no hope for us. I left that house with no expectations. But look at where we are now. I climb in the passengerโs seat. I lean toward her and press a kiss to her lips. Theyโre soft and she smiles against me. For the past three days, sheโs barely left my side, and weโve gotten close in a way that I didnโt think would be possible for us. Iโm a brand new man, and suddenly, my life is full of possibilities. โItโs so fucking good to see you,โ I tell her as I tuck a strand of her hair behind her ear. She smiles, but then it falters. โWeโve got our work cut out for us. You know what today is.โThe reminder makes my heart skip a fucking beat. We both agreed that
LaraWhen we reach the house, I tell the men to stay outside with Dexter. โIโm sorry,โ I tell them, looking at the injured man. โItโs only going to be for a few minutes. Iโll send a signal for you to come back.โDex grabs my hand before I step out of the car. He stares at me and says, โPromise me that youโre going to take care of yourself. That you wonโt get hurt.โโI promise,โ I say. We stare intently at each other before he pushes me toward him. Our lips collide and we share a brief but passionate kiss. Itโs time to go, though. I head toward the house and the gates open. I step in. I canโt meet them yet, not when Iโm in only a coat and have my scrapes and cuts on display. I have to get dressed. There canโt be signs of a fight on me. It only occurs to me as I step inside the house that someone couldโve called Jensen to warn him that we attacked. But they didnโt have the time to do it, not when they were fighting for their lives. A man meets me at the door. I think his name is G
Lara But wait. Something keeps tugging at me, and when I pay close attention to it, I realize that itโs the background noise that caught my attention. The rattling chains. That almost metallic sound of the door opening. Thatโs all familiar to me. I chew my bottom lip and think deeply as we head home. Itโs been three minutes since I last spoke to Jensen and I havenโt stopped thinking about that tiny detail. Whyโs it all so familiar to me?I close my eyes and try to think. Chains. The first thing that comes to mind is Dexterโs ex. She was tied up in them when he took me there so I could decide her fate. And then there was the sound of him opening the door to the warehouse. Thatโs how I figure out where Dexter is. Jensen took him to the warehouse where the money had initially been stashed. The realization makes my heart pump faster and I tell the driver. โStop. Weโre going someplace else first.โMy nerves are making my fingers shake with anxiety. I just have to take a deep breath
Lara Thereโs no way that Jensen has Dexter. This has to be another bluff. Thatโs what I tell to myself to calm down. My heart is slamming against the base of my throat and I find it hard to breathe. โYouโre a damn fucking liar, Jensen.โโAm I?โ he asks quizzically. โThe plan was always to use capture Dexter. Only, we figured it would be hard to get him to talk, considering heโs tough as nails and would rather die than tell us where the money was. I suppose you know about that by now, donโt you? That Iโm the one who was your employer? If not, now you do. This filthy fucking rogue took my money and I want it back. Iโm prepared to take this to hell if necessary. What the fuck do I have to lose?โI say nothing for a good few seconds as I try to figure out what I have established so far. Jensen is my employer. Earlier, he told me he had someone I cared about and that he wanted to negotiate. I thought it was Ambrose, but itโs actually Dexter. Suddenly, someone comes to mind. I was talkin