All Chapters of Tempted by the blind beauty : Chapter 21 - Chapter 30

The Operating RoomLana's POV"Lie down on the table. Face down."Elena's voice was clinical. Detached. Like she was ordering coffee, not preparing to cut into my spine."Please," I said. "Don't do this. There has to be another way.""There is no other way. The chip is embedded. It needs to come out. Now lie down or I shoot Margaret in the knee."I heard Margaret whimper through her gag.Derrick's hand found mine. "It's okay. I'll be right here. I won't let anything happen to you.""You can't promise that.""I know. But I'm promising anyway."I let him guide me to the operating table. The surface was cold. Hard. I lay face down, my cheek pressed against sterile paper."Strap her down," Elena ordered."That's not necessary," Derrick protested."It is if she moves during surgery. Strap her down. Wrists and ankles."Hands grabbed my arms. Pulled them to the sides. Leather straps tightened around my wrists. Then my ankles. I was trapped. Completely helpless.Panic clawed at my throat. "I

The Cole LegacyLana's POV"That's impossible. Margaret is tied up in the other room."Elena's voice was shaking. Uncertain for the first time since this nightmare began."Not that Margaret," I said."Margaret Cole. Derrick's mother. She's supposed to be dead.""She is dead," Derrick said from across the room."She died ten years ago. Cancer.""Read the file," I told Elena."Read what my father wrote."Elena's breathing was harsh. Ragged."It says, it says Margaret Cole faked her death. Wentinto hiding. She's been running a syndicate. Multiple corporations. Shell companies. Bribingofficials. Eliminating competition.""That's insane," Derrick said."My mother was a socialite. She didn't run anything.""That's what she wanted you to believe," Elena read."But your father, he was the front man.The face. She was the real power. She built the empire. He just smiled for the cameras.""Keep reading," I urged."She hired me," Elena whispered."Twenty-seven years

Blood TiesLana's POV"Everyone freeze! Hands where we can see them!"Armed men poured into the warehouse. Boots on concrete. Weapons cocking. At least adozen from the sound of it.Margaret's heels clicked closer. Measured. Confident."Did you really think you could run from me? I built this empire. I control everything.Everyone. Including the trackers in my own equipment.""The laptop," Elena hissed."I should have checked.""Yes, you should have. But you were always sloppy, Elena. Emotional. It's why you're usefulas a weapon but useless as a partner."Sarah was trembling in my arms. I held her tighter."It's okay," I whispered."I'"ve got you."I'm scared,"she whimpered."I know. Me too. But we're going to be okay.""Liar," Margaret said."You're all going to die. Starting with the child. She's a liability. Awitness. Can't have that.""No!" Elena's voice cracked.anything.""Please. Not Sarah. She's just a child. She doesn't know"She knows you

The Double CrossLana's POV"She's dead. Elena's dead."Derrick's voice was hollow. Empty. It had been twelve hours since Elena disappeared. Nowthis."What? How do you know?""Video. Someone sent it to my encrypted email. It's, God, Lana, it's brutal."My stomach turned."Don't tell me the details. Just, what happened?""The syndicate. She went to them. Tried to make a deal. The files for money and protection.They took the files. Then they killed her."Maya made a sound. Broken. Anguished."No. No, she can't be.""I'm sorry, Maya. But she'"s gone.Sarah was in my arms. She didn't understand what was happening but she felt the tension.Started crying."Shh," I whispered."It's okay. You're okay.""Is Mama dead?" Sarah asked.I didn't know how to answer. Didn't know if an eight year old should hear this."Yes, baby. She is. But she loved you very much. You need to know that. Whatever else shedid, she loved you."Sarah buried her face in my shoulder. Sobbi

The Gift of LifeLana's POV"He has days. Maybe a week if we're lucky. Without a transplant, Mr. Doe won't survive."The doctor's voice was clinical. Detached. Like he was reading a weather report, notdelivering a death sentence."There has to be something you can do," I said."Medicine. Surgery. Anything.""We're doing everything we can. But his heart is failing. The damage is too extensive. Atransplant is his only option.""Then find him a donor. Test people. Do whatever it takes.""Miss Smith, finding a donor isn't that simple. Your, your husband has a rare blood type. ABnegative. And his tissue markers are even more unusual. Finding a match could take months.Years. Time he doesn't have."My hands were shaking. I gripped the chair to steady myself."Test me. I'll donate.""Hearts aren't like kidneys. You can't donate a heart and survive.""Then test me for compatibility. Maybe I'm a match for someone else. We could do a chain. Idonate to them. Their fami