Isla~"You're Santos's only daughter, right?" Kayla's words never left my head after that chilly encounter.I remember the crazed look in her eyes as she gripped my hand tight. Even with the grin on her face, every word coming out her mouth were coming from a place of pain.I could tell. I had been there before."I remember the horrible things I endured from him." Kayla had told me with a cracked voice and shaky lips.It felt like she was reliving a nightmare, right before my very eyes."The horrible things the DeLuca family put me and my papa through... just because he was powerful enough to do so." "He frustrated my papa into selling me as a sexslave to him." "That sicko enjoyed me before dumping me off at a whorehouse." "I remember it all now."Tears streamed down my face and my entire body trembled as Kayla's words from that night kept attacking me.She had said she wouldn't hold it against me, said she would spare me."But that bastard, Santos DeLuca?" She had seethed at my f
Isla ~I came rushing the moment I heard, nearly tripping over my own feet in the hallway. The ache in my chest had been relentless since Kayla disappeared, and now that she had been found, I couldn't get to her fast enough.Dante was right behind me, as always. Silent, steady. A presence I had come to expect whether I wanted it or not.But when I reached the door to her room, the look on Katya's face had me slowing down.She stood just to the side, arms folded tightly, eyes shadowed with worry. Her lips were pressed into a grim line, and that was all I needed to know. All wasn't right.Still, I pressed forward, heart thundering as I stepped into the doorway.And there she was.Kayla.She stood by the window with her back to me, long black hair falling freely to her waist. Her bare feet were smudged with dirt, and her pink nightgown; her favorite was stained, crumpled like she'd been crawling through the woods or something.She looked… haunted. Still. Almost as if someone had hit paus
Isla ~With my continuous pacing, I was pretty sure I was going to wear a hole through the marble floor at this point. Back and forth, back and forth, I couldn't stop to rest, to think properly. My fingers trembled at my sides, nails digging into my palms, but the pain wasn't enough to steady me. Nothing was.Kayla was gone.Gone.The grand living room, normally so full of intimidating elegance, felt like a cage.Dante had stopped me from going in search of her, sending his men instead. Empty, cold. Everything felt useless, meaningless, without Kayla in this house. She was supposed to be safe here. She was supposed to be okay.Was this still my guilt speaking?I bit my lip, hard, trying to keep the panic from slipping out in sobs. Dante hadn't said a word in the last few minutes, just stood there leaning on the kitchen counter like a shadow. His arms were folded across his broad chest, eyes locked on me. Watching like he was expecting some form of outburst.And oh, I was really cl
Dante~Dante~"What the hell, Dante!" Isla shrieked, backing away like I was holding a damn detonator instead of trying to explain myself."This is wrong." She whispered, shaking her head as her eyes darted back to the steel door I had blocked her from entering."So wrong."I frowned, arms crossed, watching her pace in front of me. I had known she wouldn't exactly be impressed by the weapons room or the mountain of gold, but I didn't think she'd react like this. Like I was a monster.She wasn't even listening."Isla...""No!" she snapped, holding up a hand. "You literally have a genocidal weapon sitting in your basement, Dante! Do you even hear yourself right now?"My jaw tightened. She made it sound like I was some kind of terrorist.I sighed, exasperated, stepping closer. "What would you rather have me do? Huh? Let it fall into the hands of El Cajón? You think I wanted this?""My father gave it to me and you know that."Her eyes narrowed.I shook my head. "I didn't ask for it, Isla.
Isla~ "You kidnapped the mayor’s son?" My voice rang out, sharp and accusing, cutting through the air like a blade. The room went still. All eyes turned to me, his men seated around the living room in a loose circle, cigars half-smoked, whiskey glasses halfway raised. Dante sat at the center, relaxed in a high-backed leather chair like a king among pawns. His cold, unreadable gaze lifted to meet mine. A flicker of amusement ghosted across his face before he spoke. "Leave us." No one hesitated. Not a word was exchanged. Chairs scraped quietly across the marble floor, men stood, nodded, and exited in silence. The last one closed the door behind him, leaving just the two of us in a room thick with tension. I stood near the entrance, breathing hard, my heart hammering in my chest. He hadn't denied it. He couldn't dare. The air itself told me everything I needed to know. I took a step forward. Then another. Each footfall echoed faintly, matching the pounding in my
Dante~Mayor Alaric.I watched him from the tinted window of my car, as he paced restlessly.He was no doubt waiting for my arrival, afraid for the life of his only son.Good.That's what greed gets you.He should have looked away. He shouldn't have attempted to take what belongs to me."Boss!" Miguel, my driver called out to me."Shall I go over there and invite him in?" "There'll be no need for that." I said to him, letting out a small sigh."I'll step out to meet him myself."I had to. I wanted to understand what gave him so much guts to mess with me.Miguel took the hint, hurriedly stepping out and rushing to open the door for me.This seemed to attract Alaric's attention and his wide eyes landed on me as soon as I stepped out of the car.The fear that earlier reflected on his face was now transformed into anger as he marched towards me with heavy, uncoordinated strides.I watched him, a smirk tugging at the corner of my lips."You bastard!" He seethedAnd in an instant, his fis