The meeting room was a magnificent extravaganza display featuring towering marble columns, intricately carved ceilings, and glittering chandeliers. The spacious room, furnished with plush velvet sofas and antique mahogany tables, serves as the meeting room. The soft glow of dimmed lights created an eerie ambiance, casting long shadows across the room.Adler sat at the head of the table, his fingers playing around the rim of his glass of wine, settling back against his seat, his eyes struggling to capture Dimitri's mood.Which was quite challenging in the dim space they were in, where the men appeared restless and tense, although ammunition had been collected at the entrance to the meeting room.For they all knew the outcome of this meeting would either shape or even mar the underworld.About twelve men were surrounding the table, Consisting of him, Domenico and Priest, and the Capos who spearheaded the minor regions. Besides him, Priest was passed a small tray of white powdery subst

"They almost had her; we were there just in time," I heard the familiar voice.My forehead creased, and through tear-filled eyes, I saw the frame studying me while holding the phone to his ear.When I saw Rune peering down at me, a weak relief filled me when he reported into the phone, "Adler, she's fine. It was a close call, though."I smiled through my tears, threw every discomfort I felt around him; unable to control the relief, I hugged him."Thank you... Thank you so much."He appeared rigid. I knew he was staring down at my head as my shoulders shook, and I cried into his chest, "I thought I was going to die."Rune patted my head awkwardly, then muttered, "It's alright, dollface,"But I still clung to his shirt, refusing to let go, afraid to let go. I wasn't in danger anymore, but I couldn't overcome the fear that had enveloped me, the terror that consumed me.It was so extreme that it blurred my vision, and although a part of the reason I held onto Rune was

LILY'S POV.I folded the last of my clothes, placing them carefully in a box.It was morning, a day after the event that had almost gotten me killed, and throughout last night, I couldn't sleep; with my eyes wide open, I stared up at the ceiling, planning my exit out of the manor.It was a tough decision, especially when my subconscious seemed to remind me I was behind on my rent, might have gotten fired from my job, and had absolutely nothing to get Eva going.But still, it was better than staying past my welcome, parasitizing on a help rendered. So at six that morning, I had begun to get my things in order, ignoring the migraine that pierced through my skull from the hangover from last night.I smiled when I remembered Priest scrunching his nose at the smell of alcohol oozing from my breath, but still, he had stayed around.At seven, I was done packing, and in the next thirty minutes, I was walking towards Eva's room, situated in another part of the house.I knocked quietly on her

[LILY'S POV.]"...I won't act like I'm not pleased, you know," Salvatore confessed as he swerved the car towards my working place.I narrowed my eyes at him, and he smiled sheepishly. He was driving me to work, my bag on my lap, and my hands still fidgety from the last time I and Adler spoke."Come on, Lily, don't act like it wasn't for the best. Yes, Adler might have presented it unconventionally, which is Soo him," he shrugged, "But I'm sure it was for the best."Unconventional was an understatement to his presentation. Correctly, it should be aggressive, and he still managed to send it across poorly.***"Sit down." Adler had ordered two days ago as I stood in his room. Making me wonder, why room? Didn't they have an office for this sort of thing?I noticed a video projector sitting just at the edge of the large, black spread covered bed as I entered the room. The curtains were grey, and I noticed he had rushed to throw a gun into a drawer.The sight of a big bed was setting off a

AUTHOR'S POV [ADLER]"Athena," Domenico pushed the pile of pictures to his son across the table, who stared at it confusedly, "She's beautiful, smart, and the perfect choice for getting more influence and unique heirs."If only his father understood he wasn't here at the moment, he checked his watch for the thousandth time that evening.Lily wasn't back yet, and Salvatore, as usual, left his fucking phone; he wondered what was keeping them. And while he decided to reassure himself she was okay and might be a few delays, with each minute that passed, he became restless.To give himself something to do, he stared down at the pictures.He'd give it to this 'jewel of Italy,' she was a beauty, more like a glittering pearl. He dropped the first picture, feeling bored already.The thing was, if he were still running around, still finding Lily, she still wouldn't have done it for him. With hair darker than coal and eyes a beautiful shade of brown.But still...Where the hell was Lily? He look