Epilogue- Sage
It’s my birthday today, and I’ve never been so happy. I have the man that I love next to me, my friends and my mom. Maleah made this gorgeous cake decorated with edible pearls and spun sugar diamonds that everyone tore through. Sophia gave me season tickets to several Broadway shows, Santana gave me a gorgeous Pandora bracelet, Jade bought me tickets to the Ballet, and Ivy gave me strippersize lessons. I will never forget the look on Aidan’s face when we explained what it was.
Connor gave me a calendar with dates marked for us to sing Karaoke together, and Corbin gave me a pair of rose-gold headphones and an album with pictures of Aidan when he was a boy. Tariq’s mother helped him compile it. He looks so much like what I imagine Aidan looked like as a teenager.
Standing in the middle of the dance floor, our arms wrapped around each other, I pull Aidan close and whisper, “Thank you for the surprise party. I love it.&rd
PriestFinding a dead body in a hotel is something that happens more often than anyone might think. Every day, in many places around the world, a hotel employee or guest will find a dead body frozen in its final moment of life. The media will then report a homicide or suicide, which in most cases occurs in a bathtub, bed, or shower. Sometimes the body will go sailing over a hotel room balcony to grotesquely land near a fountain near the front entrance and create quite a stir. There will even be occasions where a hotel guest will find someone’s body floating in the pool or hanging from the ceiling.Of course, it’s the dealer’s choice on how an assassin wants to end someone’s life. Especially a high-profile asshole like John Treadwell, who has been selling children on the black market for his client’s pleasure. In this case, the children are tortured and killed in some gruesome way while the customer watches. Yes, you heard me right—th
Sage I know I should be more enthusiastic about being here, but all I can think about is my comfy spot on the couch and all of the shows that are waiting for me to download. I just couldn’t say no to Tariq when he asked me to be his date. He has been pretty persistent about asking me out for a few months. If you saw what Tariq Santos looks like, you’d probably give me a “Why the hell are you keeping this gorgeous, hunk of a man waiting?” look.It’s hard for me to explain that as beautiful and compelling Tariq is, with his dark as sin eyes, silky mahogany hair, and tall, slick, muscular body, I still don’t feel anything. Perhaps before I met... No, no, I refuse to think about him.It’s just not fair to think about him. Not when anything has really happened between us. All I know is that Tariq is a gorgeous man who is offering himself up to me on a silver platter, and I’m
Chapter 3: Is blood thicker than water?Priest I was eighteen when I decided to join the Navy and twenty when I choose to join the elite Navy Seals. My family was not very happy about it, but I was adamant, and there was Nothing they could do or say to stop me. My father argued that I was the heir to his vast fortune and that I let my family down by not following in his and his father’s footsteps. But being a wealthy mogul was never in my plans. I wanted to save the world. Therefore, it fell onto my younger brother, Casper, to take over the family business’s reins. Unfortunately, to my father’s dismay, Casper fell short on the mark. He was immature and liked living the party life without responsibility. My cousin Tariq, however, was the epitome of a businessman. Tariq thrived in the business world as if he was born in it. Believe it or not, Tariq, Casper, and I was inseparable as boys. It wasn’t until we were
Sage It’s a damp, gloomy morning, making it even more depressing due to lack of sleep. I guess I have to be grateful that my sleepless nights for the past week star Priest.Ever since I saw him last week, I’ve been on an emotional high. I recall every moment of our conversation─ down to the secretive nature of his real name. A private part of me likes knowing his true name when only a few people know it. Especially people who know him intimately. I guess I should be grateful that in my dreams, I call out his real name in the throes of passion— instead of crying out in fear. Every other night, for the past couple of months, all I’ve done is have nightmares about Smiley Alvarado and the day he kidnapped me from my apartment. I play it over and over in my mind. Every night I remember how he drugged me and chained me on top of a bare mattress with the sole intent of raping and torturing me. Sometimes I wonder wha
PriestOf all the places I needed to get to today, I never expected to be back here. It has been years since I stepped inside this building. And I would have gone another thirteen years not coming through the Santos Trade Corp’s (STC’S) tower doors. Regrettably, I wouldn’t be here if it wasn’t for my cousin, Tariq. Damn that noble son of a bitch for not adhering to the status quo. It all started this morning when a courier showed up on my doorstep with an official letter from STC. The sentimental asshole is abdicating the CEO throne because he feels that I am the rightful heir. Of course, he’s ignoring the fact that I walked away from it all years ago. And the fact that I never looked back because I didn’t want anything to do with my father’s legacy.Adjusting my navy-blue suit jacket, I roll my shoulders and step through the lobby’s doors. I have a meeting with one of the top Confradia directors, Stryker Owens, in the af
SageI sip my wine and lean back on my couch as I scroll through a couple of channels. It’s been a long day, and I’m glad that it’s finally over. In between meeting with clients and running around, I’ve only thought about Priest and Smiley. I feel like I’ve been put through the wringer today. The cherry on top was when I walked into Tariq’s office and found him with Priest. For a moment after we stepped into the garage, I felt like we’ve hit a pivotal moment. But of course, I’m an idiot because it was all in my head. One minute he’s tender, then he has no problem pawning me off to his cousin. And I have no one to blame but myself for hoping.I startle from my thoughts when the sound of my doorbell resounds through the room. Rising from my seat, I straighten my loose t-shirt and flannel drawstring pants. Nerves wrack me as I cautiously make my way to the door. Pushing my ponytail back, I walk to the door and gaze thr
PriestStryker Owens is one of the toughest men I’ve ever met. He and I have known each other for years. As a matter of fact, he became my mentor when I joined the Confradia and was my former CO when I was in the Seals. The bastard is as tough as nails. His real name is Decker Owens. We call him Stryker because he’s a genius strategist. He would strike at our enemies with singularly, deadly intent. The man is bigger than life, and I owe him a great deal, including my eyesight. He was the one that recommended me for the experimental eye surgery. Stryker is taller than I am, measuring six feet six inches and heavily muscled. He’s in his early forties with a short haircut and a five o’clock shadow that shows a sprinkling of gray.We both agreed to meet at his home. I wasn’t lying when I told Sage that I was heading down SoHo when I offered to give her a ride. Stryker owns a large brownstone in lower Manhattan. Being divorced for nearly ten ye
Sage I open the door and smile, pulling my visitor inside. “Tariq, what are you doing here?” I cross my arms in front of my stomach and sigh.Tariq gives me a wry smile and gestures toward my apartment. “Hey, Sweet. Can I come in?” I flush in embarrassment, realizing that I’m keeping him standing in the hallway. “Oh, yeah, sorry. Come in.” I say, waving him in. Tariq steps through the door leaving a whiff of his manly cologne in his wake. He looks gorgeous in blue jeans and a blue and white striped, button-down shirt.I watch as he walks into my modest one-bedroom apartment to stand next to my cream-colored loveseat. Somehow the apartment seems smaller with him in it. The apartment has dark hardwood floors, cream-colored walls, and pink and gold curtains covering the large bay windows. It’s modestly furnished, with a rustic dining tabl