All Chapters of Kiss me in the crossfire : Chapter 1 - Chapter 10

Annika’s POVAres might as well not be present, because even if he is right next to me, his eyes haven't left the Armani watch on his wrist for the past hour. I should ask if he is expecting something.Or someone.But I know very well how that will end. "Mr. and Mrs. Brooker," someone chimes from the small crowd at the gala. Automatically, I lift my hand to arrange my hair. Ares has said it time without number that he hates it when his friends see me in any condition that is less than perfect.“Hi,” Ares murmurs, stretching out a hand for a shake. I just stand like a doll beside him, flashing my teeth in the dim light. He likes that too. I should be seen and not heard."It's nice what you're doing in the investment sector," the person continues, and I zone out of the conversation immediately. My eyes filter through the growing crowd, searching for any familiar face but turning up empty.I shouldn't have even bothered. Ares doesn't let me keep friends in his world, and the one person

Annika’s POV It is a twisted ankle. Or at least, that’s what the doctor said a while ago when he was in here with me. I have been through so much pain this last hour, but it is nothing compared to the one that hits each time I think about the fact that Ares made me apologize to his whore. “Don’t tell me you are thinking about Ares again?” Vivienne, my best friend, says as she waltzes into the room, a box in one hand. “You should focus on getting better.”“When did the doctor say I can leave again?” “Annika!”“You don’t understand, Vivienne,” I murmur, shaking my head. “My husband needs me. He might not act like it, but I know he does. I know he is in there somewhere. Maybe this is a test to see how much I can endure for him.”“Can you hear yourself?” she asks in disbelief, placing the box on the table. “You just had your ankle reset. He should have been the one with you, holding your hand through it all after his little wench pushed you to the ground. But where is he, Annika?”"Ma

Ares’ POV Annika hasn’t been home since she stormed off unceremoniously five hours ago. It’s raining now, the patters hitting the windowsill in a soft lullaby that would have calmed me down a year ago.But now, everything seems to be on the verge of falling apart, and I cannot let it.It took everything in me not to stop her from running out those doors, to pull her flush against my skin and pat her gently until she calms down. But if this is going to work, if Athena’s sentence isn’t going to be in vain, I have to distance my emotions from what I have to do.I cannot fall for the enemy.Bringing my glass to my lips, I lean into the high-backed chair, my eyes still on the window. I have been drinking quite a lot in recent times. It is the only affordable escape I have right now. The one thing I want has to remain far from reach.A nondescript car strolls into my driveway, and I sit up as I watch Annika stumble out. She is drunk. I can tell by the way her legs move, made even slower

Annika’s POVI don't know how to wrap my head around the message I just read and I hate that it was sent to me by Vivienne. The nerve she has. She didn't think to apologize to me or check in to see if I am doing fine. She wants to push me further away from my… I feel a blank space in my heart as I put my thoughts together to who Ares is to me now.“That's enough. You need to get some rest. You've been glaring at your screen.” Sloane took my phone from me and turned it off. She didn't look at the screen as I expected her to. She places it on the small brown table next to the bed. “You should get some rest. The world will continue when you wake up.”I don't think I deserve Sloane. Despite how nicely she spoke to me, I wished I wasn't in her house sobbing and feeling devastated about how my life was unveiling. I love Vivienne and I love Ares, but how is it possible that the two people I love the most in this world would leave me in shambles at once? I sunk into deep thoughts mixed with e

Chapter NineAnnika's POV Unknown to Sloane and me, we were walking into a private business party that my dad had put together to spite Are’s business.We glance at each other as we approach the front door.“I think there's a party going on inside.” Sloane cut into the silence. “Are you sure you'd be able to speak to your father in a gathering like this?” She stopped walking forward.“He must be expecting me. Despite knowing all that I must be going through, I can't believe he's throwing a party like nothing happened yesterday. Does that man even consider me his child?” I push open the door. Standing still, I scan the room to locate where my father is. Thanks to Sloane, my outfit wasn't looking so bad for the party, but my hair was. “He's over there.” Sloane caught sight of him before I did. I was happy he was in the midst of people who were high investors in his business. At least, for once, he could pretend to be the respectable man society painted him to be. But all I could feel