"Tesoro [Treasure], Listen to the words that are coming out of my mouth very carefully," He says fiercely, taking no prisoners. "No one is going to touch you, no one can get to you ever again, they would have to get through me first."My fingers bite into his skin as they tighten around his comforting words."And that will never happen." He says with conviction.I speak through the ache in my throat, "He's dead," my voice shudders, "My mother had come in to check on me, with Uncle Viktor by her side like she usually did. But this time, something had compelled her to come to check on me earlier and she told Uncle Viktor to bring her gun with him. Just as my attacker was..." I sniffle, shaking my head as I release a shuddering breath, "... just as he was entering me, stretching my insides... the light came on, and my mother yelled something out in Russian. She took the gun Uncle Viktor had passed her and ... She shot him." I whimper, letting the torrent of tears free; releasing the press

I step out of the uber out front of the airport and I slam the door behind me. The icy cold feeling of bitter annoyance at myself invades my mind like a plague. I still can not believe I pulled a fucking gun on Amani. He didn't deserve it but in the heat of the moment, I didn't know what else to do. If I had told him to stay, he would have fought me at every corner until I gave up. I walk through the airport cautiously looking over my shoulder, scrutinizing everyone near and far from my proximity. I'm so out of my element, if someone was to rush up behind me, place a pillowcase over my head and shove me into the back of a white van with blacked-out windows, I'd still be trying to find my voice to scream for help. "Hello, my name is Alicia, thank you for flying with us, how may I help you?" A petite female with exotic taupe colour eyes addresses me with her focus on the computer in front of her, and her fingertips effortlessly glide across the keyboard. I pull out one of my alias

I gaze out the window as the jet glides through the sky as if it were on sleek and perfect tracks.The scenery is breathtaking, like a paradise that you could only reach through the clouds; just out of your grasp.Every single nerve in my body is vibrating, and every single pore on my skin is throbbing and prickling with the soft hum of the engines.It's so much different flying by jet than by plane. The silence between Amani and me is perfect. I hate looking in his eyes, being reminded of the passionate moments we innocently shared. Being in his presence is stirring old feelings.Feelings that should be dormant and have no right to confuse me. "So... what's the plan?" He asks, potentially derailing us from one heated conversation into another.I tuck my hair behind my ear as I frown looking at the table that separates us, in silence."Christ, Zeynep!" He growls, "You don't have one do you?" "I'm going to Diamond Ridge Construction," I state bluntly."And?""And... I'm going to d

The gunman doesn't bother to make eye contact with me as he raises his gun and points it toward the table that is now infected with grown-arse men shitting themselves. They definitely don't look so big and tough now!"Is there anyone else in this room that wants to second guess a Volkov?" The man asks, his piercing blue eyes scanning the table through thin slits and his chest rises and falls with each savage breath he takes.Curly jet-black hair frames his fierce face, he has a large scar running from one corner of his mouth to his ear, it's deep, and looks like it could be painful during the cold nights he spends alone, sipping on a tumbler that's filled with Vodka and no ice.As his eyes find mine, I turn away with my cheeks blushing knowing I was staring at him longer than I should have. He looks brutal, like a man who has seen and done things your mind can't even begin to imagine.Mafia.Everything about him screams Mafia, a Volkov soldier."Net! [No!]" One of the men cries out,

I squeeze my eyes shut, fear paralyzes me, forbidding my body to move, only allowing me to take shallow breaths as I am too afraid to make any sudden movement. I want to scream and shout, to try and fight him off me, but I can't. My body refuses to listen to my mind, my mind that is going crazy trying to figure out how everything turned to shit and hit the fan in less than 20 minutes upon our arrival.Amani said it would be simple, we will sign the papers, and return home where I can go and see Dmitri. Shit! I should have consulted with Dmitri first, and I should have ignored Amanis' advice.This isn't how I saw myself dying, at the hands of a cruel man who shares my blood. "You won't kill her." Amani grunts. "You need her alive, you are bluffing.""Net, you're probably right, I will refrain from killing her." Konstatin purs. "I will just have to save the fun part for later on, once the company is legally mine."I peel my eyelids open, my gaze falls on Amani, a look of contempt engu