No Surrender : My Thirty-year War Novels & Stories

“I want to know who you were. Tell me about a mission from your Bratva days. Something that stayed with you.” Richard’s arm tightened around her, his dark eyes clouding with something heavy—regret, maybe, or sorrow. He shifted, propping himself up on one elbow, the moonlight catching the hard lines of his face, softening them just a little. “You sure, sweet thing?” His voice was low, rough, but there was a tenderness in it, a warmth meant only for her. “Those stories… they’re not light. They’re heavy. Full of things I’d rather forget.”

Instead, it carried a strange coherence that did not rely on singular identity. “It feels like it forgot how to fight us,” he whispered. Evelyn looked down at him. “Forgot?” He hesitated, searching for a way to describe something that had no sharp edges. “Not forgot like losing memory,” he said. “More like… it stopped separating itself into something that could fight.” Lucien’s gaze shifted slightly. “So the opposition was never a stance,” he said quietly, “it was a structure.” The First Existence stepped forward, eyes narrowed in careful observation rather than confrontation.

But he was stopped by Jeffrey. "Audrey, be good and come home with me." With a command in his tone, Jeffrey always felt that I was the one making a scene. He tried to take me out of Kash's arms. Kash refused. "Mr. Chaney, this is Audrey's home." "Audrey? Since when you could call her name? Is that your reason for quitting?" Kash resigned? I tilted my head, but all I could see was his angular lower jaw. We were in a stalemate. Joanna suddenly screamed out in pain, "Mr. Chaney, I'm hurting so much."

But I couldn’t say the safe word. WHACK! WHACK! “One, two!” I cried once more. Remembering I had to start again if I stuffed up the counting. He nodded. He placed the leather item on the table. He removed the lead and collar. He took in my body. My face. His face was also somber. Like he really didn’t want to do what he just did. He took out a now visible ear peace. “It’s over Anna. I’m sorry”. What was over. Us. Was it because I cried. What was over.

It was a secret he’d fought to keep. For the majority, Nelly’s identity was linked to the description of blue eyes and fourteen-inch black hair; not the low-cut billionaire he really was. To maintain that image, he’d had the hats custom-made after his long hair had been cruelly trimmed back then. Whenever he had to make any kind of appearance to certain unsavory people, the hat was the effortless trick between Nelly and Josh. One no one had yet to figure out. He checked his weapon in his ankle holster, then checked the CZ 75 Matte in his hip holster. Not like he really needed weapons. He was confident enough in his rank to know none of these fools would try anything stupid.

Lucien nodded, “He’s a much meeker version of me. Nik wants peace, same as I.” I was much calmer now that his flirtatious tendencies had turned down a notch, “Then why can’t you be allies? You should fight against the common enemy.” “Enemy?? You mean Atlas?” I nodded. He laughed again, “The history of the three packs must’ve been kept hidden from your people. Nik and I can’t just go against the moonhaven pack, they’re the largest pack across all territories. Atlas controls the biggest army, we don’t call those heathens a pack…they’re an army being ruled by a blood lusting Alpha.”

Thirty days to comply or face war. We'd face war. Because what we'd built here—this family that shouldn't exist, this integration that violated eight centuries of tradition, this world where Grace said "Uncle Cas" and it meant something real—that was worth fighting for. Worth dying for, if it came to that. The Council wanted to preserve their old ways. Their separation. Their fear disguised as tradition. We were going to show them the future. Whether they liked it or not. Thirty days. The war started in thirty days.

His hand halts at my intimate area, and the toy smoothly slides inside. My moans intensify as I teeter on the ropes, the leather from his gloves caressing my skin. I moan, feeling myself nearing the edge. I should say 'Blue', according to the rules, but a rebellious desire whispers against following them. Not only would breaking the rules incur punishments, but he might cease the entire session. "Blue", I utter, my body racing towards climax. His hand withdraws the toy, and he stops all contact, leaving my body suspended on the precipice. Gradually, the heightened sensations begin to recede.

"Be good. I've already arranged for you to join the project department at Sullivan Group. Other than marriage, I can give you anything. If you want children, I can give you that too. But don't cross my bottom line." Outside, I sat in my car gripping my phone so tightly my knuckles turned white. Tears fell without warning, one after another. The dark screen reflected my pale face. The argument inside had long since ended. All that remained were their whispered sweet nothings. I took a deep breath. Then I accepted the study abroad offer to Ardenia. In my previous life, I gave it up for her. In this life, she wasn't worth it anymore.

, I said, raising my voice, “is that I fell in love with her. And she loved me back, despite every reason not to” Then I ripped the contract right there in front of them. The sound of the tearing paper cut through the room and I let the pieces fall to the table. “She left to protect me. To protect this company because my mother threatened to expose everything and destroy my life if she didn't”. My mother stood. “Roman, don't be dramatic—”. “Sit down”. She stared at me. “I said sit. Down”. She didn't sit but she stopped advancing. I turned to the board. “I’m renouncing my claim to my grandfather's inheritance. The company will pass to a trustee until a new CEO is appointed. I surrender my con