SONIA’S POVTaylor is standing right next to Anthony, and I suspect the finger he has looped onto Anthony’s coat is more out of protection so Anthony behaves himself than anything else, which is totally fine by me and thoughtful of him.I would think of giving Taylor a high-five if my main goal wasn’t to walk past both of them without sparing either a glance. This, I must say, I do quite spectacularly, if I do say so myself. Now I’m out of the office building and onto the busy sidewalk as I try to navigate my way through the crowd. I’m walking like a woman with a purpose as I head for the underground garage, not even bothering to slow down my steps despite the large man following closely behind.But Anthony, being Anthony with his deliciously sexy long legs, catches up to me in no time. His large hands cover mine, pulling me back so that I come to a complete halt. I turn around, craning my neck up to meet his gaze.Look at him, not even so much as a bead of sweat on his pretty face
SONIA’S POVAnthony got me another car, and it was something more ‘driving to work’ worthy this time around. The car keys he had given me the previous night were to an almost exact replica of what I had driven back in New Orleans. Except mine was a black Mercedes GLE 350 while this new one’s a white Mercedes GLE 450. I loved it and had put away the keys to the Maybach as soon as Josh had arrived to drive me to work. So in my defense, I couldn’t talk to Anthony first thing this morning, more like I’d said I would last night, because the house had been empty when I came downstairs this morning – no surprise there.But I did shoot him a quick text saying we needed to talk and also thanking him for the gift – again -, just before I had left for work because I figure that if I delay any further in informing him, Lucia might be pushed to tell him herself. Anthony, being who he is, doesn’t respond, and I’m not surprised by it. I’ve come to accept the fact that he might be an undiagnosed
SONIA’S POVFor a split second, I forget if I even know how to swim. My feet just kick against the water that seems to be pulling me down. I struggle relentlessly to keep the water away from my mouth, but there’s only so much I can do about that when I’m trying to stay afloat.I hear the muffled voice of someone calling my name. Is that Anthony?Now’s the perfect time for my inner mind to give me a dry look, but even she is fighting for her life.I want to smile, but my mind is in a panicked state of frenzy, so I can’t tell if I’m actually smiling or crying at the moment.There’s a splash somewhere around me, indicating that I’m not alone in the pool anymore. Then hands come around me, and it’s only when my head is above the pool that I see Lucia holding me like her life depended on it. Maybe it did, after all. Anthony had told her he didn’t want me drowning. My brain suddenly remembers itself now that I’m not flailing and kicking, and I use the chance to support Lucia in pulling u
SONIA’S POVOver the past two months, I had fallen into a routine. It was plain, simple, and boring. Which was why the moment Lucia had texted this morning for a spa date, I had my schedule cleared up immediately. She is in New Jersey today for some hours as her husband, Ivan Dmitry, has some business to attend to here, and she only tagged along so we could spend some time together. She had also asked me to invite some friends over, but when the only one I’d managed to become friends with has been unavoidably on and off at the office, and that was the only place I could see her, I believe I didn’t have a lot of choice but to be here all by myself today.“It’s going to be just us today,” I announce as I step into the massage room where Lucia’s waiting. “Just us is totally fine. You look delicious.” She says with a smile as she turns around and opens her arms for a hug.“Haven’t heard that one before,” I reply with a smile… a laugh even. She always has something to say each time we
TAYLOR’S POV***Present***I’m seated within the four walls of the courtroom for the fourth time in three months as I watch my lawyer struggle to win this case again. It’s not that he isn’t good at what he does, no. The problem is that my ex-wife keeps coming up with new, ridiculous and fabricated means to keep this child custody battle dragging on.“Your honor, my client doesn’t drink.” My lawyer, Allen, grits out as he’s clearly fed up with this bullshit. If not for the fact that I pay him a lot more than his peers are being paid for cases like this, and we’ve known each other for almost half our lives, I’m sure he would have left my sorry ass long since.“Then how do you explain that horrendous scar on his face?”My finger tracing the stubble on my chin stops moving along with the rest of my body. I don’t need to look in the direction of the voice to know it was Elena who spoke. My hands form a fist at my sides until it feels like a vein might pop out. During the course of our mar
ANTHONY’S POVFlashback to thirteen years ago – 19 years old.“You’re such an asshole, Antonio! No wonder you’re still single.” Lucia practically screams in my face and storms off, leaving just me at the training ground with my arms instructor. I tighten my grip on my blades and face Zack again, ready to resume my training. It’s all I’ve had time for since Dad took me along with him for my first meeting with the Cosa Nostra two years ago.I had seen the powerful men in the room and knew I was going to be like them someday. It was just a matter of time. I’ve become significantly better at handling my weapons over the years, to the point where I can say I’m almost as good as Zack now…Nah, who am I kidding? The man’s a beast.Lucia’s words ring in my head again, and I can’t help but wonder what one has to do with the other. She always comes with the hope of dragging me along to play with her, even after I’d stopped over two years ago. I mean, it isn’t news anymore, but she keeps trying