My toes sink into the scorching black sand, and I groan with the slight pain that's left in its wake with each dreadful step I take. The air smells of saltwater, seagulls fly above me squawking and the drumming of merciless waves breaking against the shoreline fills my ears. It's a perfect scenery for a summer's day.  Only it's not summer, nor is it anything close to a perfect day.  Guilt bites at the edges of my heart. If I had simply kept my mouth shut, the Russian family's princess would still be alive, and I would not be the one dragging her lifeless body along the hot sand that burns my bare feet and soul at the same time. "I suggest you put your back into it and hurry up if you still expect Sandro to be alive by the time we return to the bach," Castello mutters, flicking his zip lighter open and shut as he casts his gaze out towards the ruthless ocean. I stop pulling on the princess's feet wiping the beading swe

I wait for the knife to make contact with my chest and pierce my heart, which is hammering relentlessly. My rapid breathing drowns out the sounds in my immediate vicinity.I feel Trent's body leave mine. The weight of my troubles is abruptly lifted from my torso and I can take my next breath with ease. Long and deep which fills my lungs with salty air.I open my eyes and shock washes over me as I watch Aydem dragging Trent across the sand with his forearm wrapped tightly around Trent's throat. Aydem releases Trent, shoving him forward.Trent staggers forward until he regains his balance. He turns to confront Aydem and is surprised to see him lunge forward and tackle him to the ground. He lets out a loud grunt as Aydem hits Trent in the face with his closed hand.Aydem does it again and again, and the horrific sound of flesh smashing flesh surges through the air between us with each time his knuckles make contact with

I can hear Aydems sweet accented voice through my reigns of terror and feel his soft lips trying to bring me back to him.  But it's not enough.... I don't know if it ever will be... I feel like something is holding me here, like, I'm meant to find some sort of peace within myself.  The sound of Aydems voice quickly fades and his touch is no more. I let out a scream, yanking on the roots of my hair in pure frustration.  But I know he can not hear or save me.  I am stuck in my paralysed body that is nothing but a sleeping vessel to those on the outside.  "What am I meant to do?!" I cry out.  My voice echoes through the darkness and unexpectedly I feel a hand land on my shoulder, shoving me against a hard, unwelcoming wall.  "What..who are you and what do you want?"  'I am your conscious and I am here to tell you that your life is about to get a whole lot harder.' A v

He doesn't say anything, instead, he closes his eyes shutting me out as he tries to deal with my outburst of anguish. I watch as he inhales and exhales deeply a few times before he finally peels back his eyelashes to look me in the eyes as he emotionally destroys me. "I want you to come with us too, askim." [My love.] He finally says and I close my eyes saying a silent prayer of thanks. "You do?" I ask, double-checking that I heard him right. [Yes.] "Evet." He looks at me like I've lost my damn mind. "You are my fiance, soon to be wife. Why would I dream of leaving you behind when it is dangerous?" His nostrils flare with displeasure. "Is that how little you think of me?" Swallowing the built-up saliva as I frantically shake my head, "No! Gods no!" I sob. "I trust you with my life, shit. You saved my life and you were at my side slitting Trent's throat with me." I sniffle, wiping the corners of my eyes. "I guess, it's

As the car draws to a standstill, Aydem exits the mansion with a bounce to his step and a few people following close behind him. I look at Neriman with my nerves thrumming wildly and my stomach twisting into knots."Who is Aydem accompanied by?" I ask her in a hushed tone as I look at Sandro still fast asleep in his car seat."That man with the phone pressed to his ear, is Sandro and the woman waddling with her hand on her belly is his wife, Mercedes. She's also from New Zealand so you'll both have a lot to talk about." She doesn't bother waiting for one of the guards to open her door as she pushes it wide open herself and walks straight over to her brother embracing him.Aydem opens my door as I unbuckle Sandro and pick him up. "Askim." [My love.] He greets me with a dotting smile and holds his arms out for his son. I carefully place Sandro in his arms and slide out of the car with his help. Standing by Aydem, I nervously meet Mercedes gaze. "Hi,"