《Twin Tormentors By RARE》


 Chapter 1

    Chapter 1


    VERNERO POV


    The drug they used on me was slowly wearing off, and I was slowly slipping back into consciousness.


    However, my body was so damn painful that I could barely move a muscle, probably because I¡¯ve been


    chained on a chair for over 71 hours now with no food, water to drink or anything to keep me sane. I


    had been careless, careless to let my guard down and actually thought I got my shit together.


    But I¡¯ll give them; the Sicilian men had been clever and swift this time. They managed to capture me.


    I groaned softly and winced as the wound on the left of my groin oozed with blood. The fucker¡¯s did me


    a good number there.


    I engaged my ears to pick all the sounds, since my eyes were failing pitch in; I decided to settle with


    hearing. There wasughtering from the left side of where I was chained. The conversation among


    the people seemed to be an easy one, but the smell of pot was intoxicating and I knew I had an easy


    pass out of this ce. If they were really smoking pot, then my escape n was going to be an utter


    sess. The honking of horns and the sound of a very bustling street could be heard loud and clear


    not far from where we were. Which meant one thing; we were inside the city. Probably at some closed


    down factory building or some docks! That I wasn¡¯t sure of since I was knocked out this whole time!


    The chattering outside was of four people, probably keeping an eye on me so that I couldn¡¯t escape. I


    rolled my heavy head on my neck and willed my eyes to open. Slowly, vision came back to me and I


    assessed the dense cell I was caged in. It didn¡¯t seem to be that big and the walls were of metal. No


    iron bars, no stinky walls! Which meant I was in a cargo container. Well, that made things easier.


    I moved my hands behind me and twisted the ring on my finger until the back of it was positioned nice


    and well, then carefully switched on the smallser which made a small vibrating sound as it cut


    through the metal chains. Theughter outside told me that my guards were unaware of what was


    happening. There was a loud ng on the ground as the chains fell off and I winced with the thought


    that they heard me.


    ¡°What was that sound?¡± One of them called out causing the conversation to halt.


    ¡°You are probably high man. I didn¡¯t hear anything.¡± The other contradicted and they all agreed. The


    conversation went on like nothing had happened and I let out the breathe I was holding.


    Stealthily, I engaged theser ring to slice through the chains around my feet and carefullyid them on


    the floor when they were all through. My feet seemed to be numb for a moment and I couldn¡¯t help


    groaning from the pain that shot through my leg. These fuckers did really do me good.


    I got onto my feet and slowly took delicate steps towards the entrance of the container. I was sure to


    stay hidden in the shadows as I took in my surrounding and made a n of my escape. The guards


    outside were really out of it and that gave me a way out. I had to be quick, swift and very stealthy if I


    wanted to make them pay for what they had done.


    With that, I willed my body to be numb, and once the void settled, I sprinted from the shadows and


    leaped right on one guard¡¯s neck, twisted it until it snapped. The pot made their mind heady and they


    took a full minute to contemte what was actually happening. By the time their bodies connived with


    their minds, I had three of them down and one stared at me with so much fear in his eyes as I twisted


    the cocked gun on his forehead. I ced my finger on my mouth and silenced him to keep it down. He


    gave me one nod and I lowered the gun with just an inch.


    I nced around and spotted a broken fence not far from where I was. That was it, my chance to get


    out of here. I looked at the fucker in front of me and ced the gun back on his head, pulled the trigger


    and then boom! His brain was on the floor. There was a moment of still silence as I limped towards the


    broken fence and crawled under the small hole. Right after I made it out, the sirens went off. Fuck!


    I spotted a very narrow passage in front of me and ran towards it. There was yelling and shouting


    behind me as men scattered to make out where I ran off to. I willed my painful body to be in cahoots


    with my mind, and then I ran. Thanks to a decade of diabolic training, I could run around with angry


    wounds oozing buckets and rivers of blood.


    The shouting could be heard not far from where I was. I spotted a soft light seeping from yet another


    alley on my right and took it. I came to a halt when I realized that it was a dumpster of the residential


    building. And it was a dead end.


    A silhouette flickered from a distance and I ran towards it. It was a girl and I cursed myself for what I


    was about to do to her. She didn¡¯t deserve it nor did she deserve being dragged into all this fiasco. But


    if she yed funny¡­ well¡­


    She let out a yelp as I threw my body on her but I was quick to cover her mouth so that she didn¡¯t let


    out another sound. Her eyes widened when she took in my form.


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    ¡°Shhhhh. Don¡¯t make a sound.¡± Imanded trying to sound as normal as possible. The thuds of


    heavy footsteps against the ground drew nigh and I had to do something not to get caught.


    ¡°I am sorry!¡± I called before pulling the small body to mine and mmed my lips on hers. Her body was


    rigid for a whole minute as she tried to stomach what was actually happening and when it clicked into


    ce, she began thrashing and hitting my not-so-in-the-good-condition chest. I held her closer and


    whispered against her lips;


    ¡°Make a sound, and you are dead!¡± I didn¡¯t want to sound like a prick, but really, if she made a simple


    sound; then I was a dead meat.


    The footsteps halted for a second, and murmurs could be heard as they tried to make out which way I


    sprinted off to.


    ¡°Horny teens!¡± one spat as they all took off to another direction. Once the sound of their steps was


    swallowed by night, I pulled myself from the stranger in front of me and before I could exin myself,


    shended a very healthy blow right on my stomach causing me to groan and drop to my knees.


    ¡°You are bleeding.¡± She screamed in a panicked voice as she scrunching down next to me.


    Her small hands fumbled with the buttons of my shirt as she tried to pull it off me.


    ¡°We should call the ambnce. You have bled a lot!¡±


    One thing I made out, this girl was either an A-ss idiot; or she was an idiot. How could one be


    concerned about someone who t out man handled her while she was innocently going to dump the


    trash?


    ~~~


    LEIGH-ARI


    My body was glistening with sweat from the adrenalin rush. Seeing blood had activated my doctor-


    mode despite the fact that this piece of ass in front of me decided to assault me. Was that even an


    assault?


    ¡°N-no. No amb¡­ no ambnce.¡± He whispered as he tried to stay awake.


    ¡°Right no ambnce. Can you walk? You need to have your wounds treated as in right now.¡± I called


    out opening his heavy eyes and looked at his eyes. The low light made it impossible so I had one


    option left, except to take him into my apartment and treat his wounds. At least my apartment was just


    on the first floor.


    I fixed my silk night robe and pulled him up. His limp body weighed a fuckin¡¯ ton and it was rather a


    struggle to get him up. But after a long eternity of struggle, I hauled his body up and wrapped an arm


    around his waist, then walked towards the back entrance of the apartment building, since I left with it to


    dump the trash. That and to avoid the curious nces that were surely going to be thrown my way.


    ¡°Are you even human? You are as heavy as a freaking elephant.¡± Iined taking delicate steps


    towards the small stairs that led to the inside of the building.


    A chuckle followed by a violent cough rumbled from the elephant that was slumped in my hold. And he


    spat blood. Shit!


    ¡°Easy there buddy. We are almost there.¡± I soothed as we climbed the stairs.


    ¡°You¡­ Your voice¡­¡±


    ¡°My voice? What about it?¡± okay, this fe didn¡¯t know when to shut up. Even when he was hurt to this


    extend he still wanted to talk.


    ¡°It¡¯s familiar.¡±


    ¡°Okay. You¡¯ll tell me about itter. Now save your energy so that we can make it to my house.¡± I


    dismissed him as we doodled towards the elevator. The stairs didn¡¯t seem like a healthy option at the


    moment. I prayed to the creator of heavens that there was no one to use the elevators and thanks to


    my luck, there really was no one. Soon, we were standing in front of my door and I shifted his weight so


    that I opened the door with a free hand. once it was ajar, I pulled the heavy weight champion inside and


    sloshed him on my rug in the living room, then ran back to lock the door and dashed to the kitchen and


    retrieved my heavy medical kit.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know why you don¡¯t want an ambnce, but your wounds need to be treated. You might be a


    criminal considering the fact that there was a chunk of armed men chasing you, but as a doctor, it¡¯s my


    duty to save a life. So for now, I will treat your wounds, then call the cops on your sorry ass for sexually


    assaulting me and many other reasons.¡± I rattled preparing all the necessary equipment. Although my


    rug wasn¡¯t an operating table and wasn¡¯t 100% sterile, I made sure to keep it clean and washed it every


    week incase¡­ things like this one happened. And lucky for his life, I had just cleaned it two days back.


    I gloved my hands and took the shears, STAT!


    Then cut through his shirt and actually cursed when I saw not one, but multiple wounds that seemed to


    be infected marring his front. His breathing wasbored as I washed all the angry open wounds and


    attended to them carefully. asionally, I¡¯d call out just to make sure he was awake and when he


    replied, I continued.


    After bandaging his chest, I nced to his legs and realized that they were also covered in wounds.


    ¡°Honestly, I don¡¯t know why you don¡¯t want an ambnce, but this; this is really bad. You are lucky you


    stumbled upon a surgeon!¡± I rattled hurriedly tearing his pants into too.This was going to be a long


    night!

 Chapter 2

    Chapter 2


    VERNERO POV


    I woke from a slicing splitting headache. Although my body was still sore, the pain was lulled by the


    drugs and whatever little fe injected me with. I groaned softly as I tried to get up only to find that I


    was dressed in nothing but bandages, and my boxers. The soft snores caught my attention and I


    nced to my left to find that she had dozed off while watching over me. But what had my eyes


    widening with shock was the little scar on the left eyebrow of the little stranger. The nose, the way she


    sucked on her bottom lip while she slept¡­ it could not be! It could not fuckin be!


    I got up to my sitting position and actually assessed and studied my savior. With every passing second


    of me staring at her, my breathingbored. It couldn¡¯t be her. I have searched the entire world for her


    and I hadn¡¯t found her. For years, I made sure that I left every stone unturned in search of her, but it


    was if all her entire existence has been a sweet daydream; like she never existed. So this had to be a


    very big lie. Or a prank. This was definitely not my Leigh in front of me.


    I carefully pulled my feet underneath her weight and groaned as pain pierced through my skull. But that


    was the least of my worries now. I had to see something, anything to confirm that thedy who I was


    with was indeed Leigh-Ari Montreal. My butterfly.


    With that, I got up and decided to take a tour around her apartment in search of anything that can tell


    me that I was not dreaming, or that I was not being pranked cruelly. The universe wouldn¡¯t just yank me


    off her and then throw me right back onto herp after years of yearning for her presence.


    I walked into the small kitchen and silently opened and closed the shelves, then moved to the small


    office where there was nothing except work crap and all the shit you can think of that doctors write.


    Wait, my girl was a doctor? A surgeon? I nced back to where she was soundly sleeping and smiled.


    Fuck me if I wasn¡¯t proud! But one thing I was actually not well with was that she fell asleep with a


    complete stranger inside her house. But then a memory crossed my mind, this was Leigh-Ari we were


    talking about. That girl couldugh and p death in the face or jump off the cliff with a smile on her


    face. She was reckless, fearless, and fuck! I missed her so much. And she was here, right in front of


    me.


    I closed her small office and walked towards the bedroom, then searched. I knew I was being a prick


    for invading her privacy, but I needed to confirm if it was really her. The bedroom was rather huge for a


    single person. But I made sure to explore every single corner and by the time I was finished, I had


    found all I needed to know.


    My butterfly, she had saved me. Not only that, but the universe has reunited us yet again. I tugged a


    small stand of hair behind her ear and leaned down to kiss her cheek. But one thing that pained me,


    she didn¡¯t seem to know me, at all. Although pain had clouded my senses while she was tending to my


    woundsst night, I heard her loud and clear. She would ask me a few questions and curse here and


    there. But one thing I realized was that she had no idea who I was. She didn¡¯t know me. My butterfly


    didn¡¯t recognize me.


    I got up and nced at a clock mounted to the wall, it signaled that it was a little after 2am. I spotted


    her cellphone on the small ss coffee table that was pushed to the side to create room on the rug.


    With my hacking skills, I was able to unlock it and dialed Ciello- my butler who answered on the third


    ring. As soon as his panicked voice poured out of the speaker, I instructed him to bring me clean fresh


    clothes and gave her the location of where I was.


    While I waited for Ciello, I made sure to explore every inch of Leigh¡¯s house. It was just surreal, the fact


    that she was right here in front of me felt like a dream itself. I couldn¡¯t believe that I had just found her,


    just like that. I mean it felt like a fuckin tale that I met the love of when she was out to dump trash after


    a decade of searching for her. ssic right?


    My thoughts were disturbed by two soft thuds that sounded on the door. That was a signal of Ciello¡¯s


    arrival. I took hushed steps towards the door and stealthily let him in. I chuckled when I found a dozen


    of my men heavily armed, ready to butcher someone right on the corridor andmanded to keep it


    down, that I was okay and I was actually in the house of my savior. I instructed Ciello and all of them to


    wait outside while I changed quickly; they bowed and left. For the second time, I entered her bedroom


    and pulled on a neat suit. I was thankful that I had met a doctor who treated my wounds and bandaged


    me nice and well!


    Once I was settled, I walked into her office and took a small notepad and a pen, then scrabbled a small


    message for her and ced it on the coffee table, then ced a soft kiss on her forehead. She


    mumbled something and licked her bottom lip before turning to the side. I sighed happily and exited her


    room.


    I found Ciello outside the apartment building with my guys. He handed me a new cell phone with which


    I sent a quick message:


    I found her!


    ~~~


    LEIGH-ARI


    The sudden sound of soft music had me jumping from the couch I was cradled on and nted myself


    face first on the rug. That was followed by a loud groan and a series of curses as I crawled to where


    the sound came from and absent-mindedly picked up my phone and epted the call which happened


    to be from the hospital.


    ¡°Dr. Montreal, we have been trying to reach you. We have a patient who needs surgery and Dr. Nickel


    stood in for you. Your presence is required ASAP.¡±


    ¡°Shit! I¡¯ll be there.¡± After cutting the call, I hurriedly washed my face and freshened up and was soon in


    my car driving towards the hospital. The morning traffic was the pain in the ass and I cursed myself for


    not being ready for work, but then, I was attending to the patient who¡­


    Speaking of a patient, where the hell did that guy go? I had left my house in haste and didn¡¯t even


    check if he was still in my house or not. He might have passed out in the bathroom or died in there for


    all I knew. I sighed as I mmed my foot on the brake and actually stopped the car. I was going to be


    late for the operation and it wasn¡¯t good at all.


    I gave another exasperated sigh and decided to leave the car on the road. Life came first before


    everything. When the convoy moved a bit, I pulled up to the shoulder and stepped out of the car with all


    my paraphernalia in hand.


    I spotted a cab overtaking the traffic and thanked my lucky stars after hailing it.


    ¡°St. Andrews Hospital.¡± I barked the location as I settled into the seat.


    ¡°On it Doc.¡± The driver replied teasingly and maneuvered his way through the heavy traffic. Within short


    time, he pulled up right outside the hospital; I paid him and dashed into the building.


    As soon as I entered, a group of nurses rushed my way and began filling me with details of the patient I


    needed to attend to. I paid attention and realized it was the Lumbar Spinal Fusion surgery that was


    going to take more than six hours, considering the fact that the patient had other healthplications.


    ssic! And all that was going to be dealt with on an empty stomach since I didn¡¯t even have a chance


    to grab a bite when I left my ce.


    We rushed to the ss 3 OR where I took a huge swig of protein shake and then was dressed up with


    the hospital gowns and scrubs, then got to work. I was thankful that Dr. Nickel was already there doing


    the most, so I just joined and helped. He was a very cool guy who was in histe 50s, and he was very


    good to get along with; unlike these age-mates who were alwayspeting for credits. Asswipes.


    It took full 7 hours and 45 minutes to actuallyplete mending the sorry guy¡¯s back with screws and


    bones. What made the surgery longer was that we had to dpress the spinal nerves; that and other


    things that just made me want to curl up into a ball and die. By the time I left the OR, I felt like a true


    walking zombie and I was famished.


    I was thankful when Laura-my best friend and the hospital gynecologist burst into my office holding a


    bag of food. Sheughed when I attacked the food without paying her any attention.


    ¡°You really are a life savior!¡¯ I said through a mouthful as I chowed down a donut and took a whole swig


    of juice.


    ¡°Yah. I saw you when you arrived here. And I was actually worried becausest night you went AWOL


    and didn¡¯t even reply my texts.¡± She replied taking a small bite on her donut.


    ¡°You won¡¯t believe what happened. I had a patient in my house.¡± With that, I got into full details of how


    a sinfully hot man manhandled me while I was dumping trash. I made sure to put an emphasis that he


    was being chased by a group of armed men and that he had his whole body covered in tattoos. She


    listened carefully andughed here and there.


    By the time I finishedying the whole story to her, she hadughed so much that her eyes were filled


    with tears,


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    ¡°But you should have been careful babe. And you don¡¯t know where he is. Who knows, he mighte


    back to you or just¡­ at least report it to the police so that they know you had such a man in your house


    and you are very suspicious of him.¡± she said throwing a chip on me.


    ¡°Whoever he was, when hees back, I will be sure to castrate him!¡±

 Chapter 3

    Chapter 3


    LORENZO POV


    The meeting with our partners was rather annoying, provided the fact that I was having a very rough


    day already. And what made me want to scream and yank my hair off my scalp was the fact that they


    thought they could cancel our coboration with just a word of mouth like what the hell did they take me


    for?


    Apparently, they didn¡¯t feel ¡°safe¡± with CAT Holdings after finding out it was involved with Turantello


    Familia, and I wanted tough in their faces because Turantello Familia controlled 80% of the country


    GDP. Little fuckers with small brains.


    I remained quiet at my seat as I listened to them bickering around how it¡¯s not healthy to continue our


    coboration. However, my mind was elsewhere as I tried to think of all the possible ways to reach


    Verzi. Knowing him, he could be trying to escape from captivity and when he did, I knew things weren¡¯t


    going to be pretty for whoever dared to capture him. And I prayed for their lives that they didn¡¯t do


    anything to hurt him.


    The only hurtful thing was that my brother didn¡¯t let me meddle in his mafia business no matter how


    bad the situation was. He could be under guillotine, with his head ready to be chopped off, he¡¯d still


    scream me off to stay the hell away from his business. And knowing him, I knew better than to defy


    him. not that I feared him, but because I cared for him and understood him deeply than any one. He


    was my other half, and I knew when to cross the line! Vernero was a grenade. Nobody knew when he


    was going to explode, and the sad thing is that whenever he did, someone lost their live.


    ¡°President Cattanio?¡± One of the partners called me out pulling me back from my day dream. I raised a


    brow and stared back at him, urging him to say whatever he wanted to say. I really wasn¡¯t feeling it


    today!


    He nervously cleared his throat and said:


    ¡°Ahhmm¡­ we would like to know what you think about the conditions. The revtion of the CAT¡¯s


    dealings with Turantello Familia put us in a very tight spot. We really don¡¯t think that it would be wise¡­¡±


    ¡°And you think it would be wise to cancel our coboration?¡± I cut him off and got up from my seat,


    which made a small sound as I pushed it back and stepped from it. I nodded to my secretary Valerie,


    who walked towards me with a stack of files in her hand and handed them to me.


    I took them and began my predatory steps around the table of brainless twats that thought they could


    get over with their little n. They didn¡¯t know I had long discovered what they had been up to and that


    I knew the reason why they wanted out.


    ¡°If my memory serves me right, our coboration is of 15 years. And it¡¯s been only 7 years now, but you


    already want out? Huh?¡±


    ¡°You im that CAT¡¯s dealings with Turantello Familia will bring harm to thepany and will indirectly


    affect you. For your information, CAT Holdings is the leadingpany of Turantello Familia in business


    world. Sorry, you didn¡¯t know that. Also, my brother, Vernero¡­ I assume you all know him; the head of


    the Turantello. Do you think he will let you off after dishonoring the agreement? Knowing his ¡°mental


    health¡±, do you think he is someone who can let such a mistake go by without ¡°taking care¡± of it?¡± I


    could sense fear and difort resonating deep from their core and they all shifted ufortably in


    their seats.


    Everyone knew who Vernero Cattanio was. Everyone knew what he was capable of doing. My brother


    who was once a sweet angel, who wouldn¡¯t even raise his voice at anyone or even kill an ant, was a


    whole raging tornado with very unstable emotions. He killed without batting an eysh. I remember the


    day we were separated; for five full years, I couldn¡¯t see my brother or hear from him. And when we


    met, he was a whole different person. The Verzi I was knew was gone; and all was left was totally not


    him.


    ¡°Not to sound like a prick guys but in this country and others that share the borders, Cattanio Twins are


    the LAW. Matter of fact, Vernero is thew. Instead of bickering back and forth about how should cut


    ties, I suggest you all think better because you have all been taken care of for years, under his rule.


    And if you defy him¡­ shame.¡± I carefully ced each file in front of the owner and then walked to the


    long floor to ceiling window that overlooked the city. It was a little after 8 so the lights were all on,


    illuminating the dark sky spring.


    There was a rapid shuffling of papers as each one of them opened their respective file, then the heavy


    silence fell inside the board room. I bet one could even hear the needle if it dropped by any chance.


    They knew that I had dirt on them, because each file contained all the shady dealings they have been


    involved in, from personal to professional. So they knew better not to utter a word.


    The small ping was the one that had me moving from the window to the table where I quietly took my


    phone and read the message. It was from him.


    I found her!


    My heart skipped a beat as the three words I¡¯ve been longing for stared back at me. Gosh I wish I


    wasn¡¯t dreaming. Iposed myself and shoved the phone in my pocket, then looked around the table


    at the 12 partners of CAT Holdings who actually thought they could walk over me just like that. It wasn¡¯t


    easy. Sadly they didn¡¯t know.


    ¡°I suggest you all take time to reconsider your decision. The meeting is dismissed.¡± With that, I left the


    board room hurriedly and as soon as I closed the door behind me, an uproar arose inside the


    boardroom, but I didn¡¯t give a damn. I had to see my brother, I had to see her.


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    He finally found her!


    ~~~


    LEIGH-ARI


    Laura insisted on sleeping over at my house and knowing how persistent she was, I knew she wasn¡¯t


    taking a no for an answer. With that, we hailed a cab and grabbed my poor car where I left it in the


    morning due to morning rush. I was actually d when she insisted on driving.


    Soon, we packed outside the apartment building and rode the elevator to my floor. She came trailing


    behind me talking about her dick of a boyfriend who slept with her cousin. Honestly, I didn¡¯t understand


    how men thought. I just¡­ figuring a man was the same as trying to understand why a pizza is made


    make circr, stored in a square box and eaten in a triangr shape. I never really figured them out.


    That¡¯s why I was thankful that I was immune to their charms,tely.


    ¡°Girl, why don¡¯t you just dump him?¡± I asked her for the umpteenth time in a week because all I have


    been hearingtely was how she hurt her.


    ¡°I love him. I just¡­¡±


    ¡°You are in love with an onion.¡± I shot back opening the door and kicked my high heels to the side. A


    long moan escaped my lips when my feet made contact with the cool tiled floor of my living room.


    Laura came in and closed the door, locking it and then upied the big lounger while I went straight to


    the bathroom.


    ¡°I need a hot bath like right now.¡± I informed shrugging the blouse I was wearing.


    ¡°I am joining you.¡± she called back causing me tough. I opened the door to my bedroom and walked


    into the bathroom, filled the tub with scalding water and peeled off my clothes. She came in holding a


    small piece of paper in her hand, looking ashen.


    ¡°What¡¯s that?¡± I asked walking towards theundry basket and dumped clothes, then turned to her and


    yanked the paper from her hand. My breathing hitched when I read what¡¯s on the letter.


    I AM COMING FOR YOU TERESO!


    Yours truly.


    ¡°It¡¯s him right? That patient you had overst night.¡± Laura inquired, but it was clear that it was him.


    Although his words carried a deeper meaning, I didn¡¯t want to read too much into it.


    ¡°I guess.¡± I said throwing the paper into the trashcan.


    ¡°Baby you have to report this. You don¡¯t know what he means by that but I really don¡¯t like the sound of


    it.¡± She chimed in taking off her own clothes.


    ¡°I know what you mean babe. And I am not trying to be the smarty pants. I just want to live a peaceful


    life and not be involved in any kind of melodrama. You people are insane.¡± I said teasingly and walked


    into the bathroom. She came following behind me arguing of how I shouldn¡¯t discard this matter.


    She was right, I knew that. And I didn¡¯t know where the reluctance was brewing from. But all I knew is I


    couldn¡¯t get the picture of the stranger out of my head. Something about him felt so oddly familiar. Yes


    he was clothed in tattoos and actually screamed danger, but I didn¡¯t know why I had let my guard down


    and even let him inside my house. That was just too strange to me to even decipher.


    And Tereso, why did my heart sink when I saw that name?

 Chapter 4

    Chapter 4


    VERNERO POV


    I was seated in my office with Marcelo going all over the things that have transpired since I went


    missing. I was at ck Woods; my home, my castle, my fortress, where no one dared to set a foot at.


    But I couldn¡¯t shake off the unsettling feeling that was gnawing from deep within. I kept on nipping the


    tip of my thumb with my teeth while my knee continued to bounce like crazy underneath the table; an


    old habit I couldn¡¯t just get rid of!


    I had found her, finally. It still felt so fuckin¡¯ unreal.


    ¡°It was the Sicilian gang. They have a base in Cyprus and that¡¯s where they kept you.¡± Marcello


    informed handing me a tablet; I furrowed my brows and scrolled down through the details of the rival


    gang that just kept poking their noses in my business.


    ¡°We have an imposter who gave out your location the time they captured you. And¡­ he has been


    smuggling gold from one of the mines in Piedmont to them.¡± that somehow managed to irk me even


    further. The bouncing became harder and my breathing quickened, my chest rising and falling with


    every intake of breath!


    ¡°Find whoever he is and bring him here.¡± I said dismissingly, trying with all my might to keep my temper


    down and he got up, then left my office. Upon opening the door, he ran smack-dab into Enzo and


    exchanged a few words. After that, Enzo entered, locked the door and took soft steps towards me. I


    watched him carefully as our eyes stayed glued to each other. My brother always managed to calm me


    instantly without having to do anything. Him being in vicinity was like a whole painkiller. And I happened


    to need one very badly!


    ¡°Hey Brother.¡± I said softly and stood up, then rounded the table and met him halfway. He pulled me in


    a tight hug and we stayed like that for a few minutes, with me trembling and quaking in his arms. Of all


    ces I knew in the world, his arms was the safest.


    When my tremors came down, he ushered me to the couch and walked to my whiskypartment,


    filled two sses and joined me on the couch. He hadn¡¯t said anything so I knew I had to break the ice.


    ¡°I found her. She lives in Cyprus and works there. She¡¯s a surgeon.¡±


    ¡°A surgeon? As in a doctor?¡± his eyes widened and he took a small swig from his whisky.


    ¡°Yahp. A surgeon. And look¡­¡± I ced my ss on the coffee table and unbuttoned my dress shirt,


    revealing the gazillion bandages she had bundled me with.


    ¡°This is her doing. She is so beautiful Lorr. She is still her, like nothing has changed. She is still


    reckless, fearless¡­ she is¡­ gosh I don¡¯t know if I make sense.¡± I informed shaking my head slightly.


    ¡°I get you. I do. So how did you meet her?¡±


    ¡°I identally ran into her while I was escaping. She was out to dump trash and I used her as a shield


    from the men that were chasing me. I kissed her. And then she punched me in the gut.¡± That had him


    throwing his head back withughter.


    ¡°And then?¡± he asked after a few second of letting out a full bellyughter.


    ¡°And then she realized I was bleeding. She wanted to call the ambnce and when I told her no, she


    took me into her house and worked on me. In the morning when I woke up, I was wearing nothing but


    bandages. She even cleaned me up, and slept next to me. She watched me for a whole night. She is


    still her.¡± I was suddenly overwhelmed by so many emotions when I thought of how beautiful she


    looked when she sucked her bottom lip in her sleep; just how she used to years back!


    ¡°About dang time! So when do we visit her again?¡± Enzo asked taking a small sip from his ss,


    ¡°She doesn¡¯t remember me! She didn¡¯t seem to remember me, or know me! While she was attending to


    me, she wasining about my tattoos and everything; but she didn¡¯t seem to know me. It¡¯s like,


    she forgot about us!¡± by this time, my tremors were back again, and I so wanted to curse for feeling this


    way! Whenever my paranoia hit me, I always felt vulnerable, so weak; and violence was my only


    defence mechanism. That¡¯s why I roasted people alive, just to assure myself that I was me, that the


    world was not ending and that I wasn¡¯t going to break at any moment!


    ¡°How is that possible?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know. But she didn¡¯t seem to know me.¡±


    ¡°Then we¡¯ll have to find out what happened to her.¡± he said walking to the back of my seat and slowly


    massaged my shoulders from behind.


    ¡°I already sent people to look into it. Where¡¯s Valerie?¡± I asked tilting my head to the side to give him


    room,


    ¡°Don¡¯t know! Probably in her room or by the pools with the others!¡±


    Belongs ? to N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Have you fucked her today?¡± That should have sounded very offensive to someone, but this was my


    brother; and he knew how we do things!


    ¡°Nope! Was nning to actually, especially after that boring meeting I had. But then I saw your text and


    everything was forgotten!¡± He replied softly causing me to chuckle.


    ¡°Alright. I¡¯ll have her sent to my room then!¡±


    ¡°Hmmmmm¡­ And Verzi?¡±


    ¡°Yes?¡±


    ¡°Are you alright? I mean don¡¯t you need to see the doctor?¡± Lorenzo was the best half I could ever ask


    for; he knew all of me than any other soul on this earth and beyond! And he knew which buttons to


    press, when to press them and how hard or soft to press!


    ¡°Yeah I¡¯m good. Really. You don¡¯t need to worry about me!¡± I defended and got up from my seat.


    ¡°Great! Don¡¯t overdo it. You don¡¯t want to open your wounds.¡± He said dismissingly already walking out


    the office. I justughed in return!


    ~~~


    LEIGH-ARI


    The evening rolled over quickly and my body was screaming for a long nice soak in a tub of hot zing


    water! Like my girl had insisted, I went to the police andid everything that had transpired to them; I


    also made sure to leave the note with them (after hunting it from the trashcan) and they told me if I see


    anything unusual around my apartment, I should let them know. I was grateful as to how they handled


    the whole case, especially when I invited trouble to myself!


    But then, they sure let me know of how stupid I was for just letting a suspicious person into my house;


    however, they didn¡¯t leave it hanging above my head because ahhhmmmm¡­ my life was in danger!


    Right?


    I walked into my apartment building and actually ran smack-dab into Mr. Roberts who was carrying a


    big packed box.


    ¡°Miss Montreal, I didn¡¯t see you there!¡± the elderly man called out cing the huge box on the small


    table in the lobby,


    ¡°Mr. Roberts, it¡¯s okay. It¡¯s my entire fault, I wasn¡¯t really paying attention.¡± I said formally.


    ¡°Oh no silly. Rough day at work?¡±


    ¡°You can say that. I am itching for a good sleep right now.¡± I said yawning like crazy. We shared a good


    laugh and that¡¯s when his eldest son, a polite 21 year old with dirty blonde hair and one hell of a body


    came out with yet another box,


    ¡°Okay, where are you all going?¡±


    ¡°Oh! We didn¡¯t inform you earlier. But the house is nowplete so we are moving in! We actually


    nned to get all settled before house-warming so yeah!¡± the glee could be heard in his voice as he


    exined.


    ¡°Oh my God! That¡¯s good news Mr. Roberts! I am so happy for you and I cant wait to see how lovely


    and big it is. Oh my goodness, that¡¯s like! Don¡¯t mind me¡­ I am just too excited for you!¡± I covered my


    mouth with my mouth as I started babbling.


    ¡°Thank you so much. You will surely get an invitation.¡± he said excitedly and just then, the car horn


    sounded from outside. Upon hearing that, we bit each other farewell and hugged goodbye.


    I walked to my room and a little bit of sadness settled in when I spotted the empty entrance of their


    former apartment just right opposite my door. they were such good neighbors and honestly, I was going


    to miss having them around! Especially the signature apple pie Mrs. Roberts made on Sundays!


    With a very tired and sore body, I turned to my own door and wished to the heavens to bless me with a


    good neighbor.

 Chapter 5

    Chapter 5


    VERNERO


    Once again, I was 19 years old. I found myself in the cial, bitternds of Japan, one of the bases


    where I was currently under my ¡°remodeling¡± phase. ording to my father, Lorik Cattanio, I was a


    weakling. I was not even fit to be his son thus needed to be reconstructed, to be remodeled into


    something perfect, something he would take pride in. So he took me here, to one of the Turantello bases.


    The mountains and the thick heavy forest created a false scenery to the viewers, feigning the beauty of


    thends of green, hiding the cruelty of what was at the feet of the mountains and deep within the thick


    forests.


    The whir of the gelid frosty air of winter morning sang along, adding to the fake beauty of white coated


    lands and swallowing the bitter cries of the distressed, creating a nice but harsh tune that bit the earlobes


    painfully; also giving a crisp, but cold air to breath. Thend under the 4 meter thick snow was


    inconsbly hard against my bare feet, the pristine cold harsh and cruel against my bare skin


    Despite all this, the heavy heaped snowkes coated thends, making the scenery appealing to the eye


    and gave a small kiss to the soul of the disturbed. The hope of what lied beneath the heavy forest


    making i t rather hard to breath. Maybe peace lied beyond, maybe outside this cold personal hell created


    by my father there was actually life!


    I knew this very well! Privily! It was not a dream, no! It was a shback, a redo of one of the sickest days


    of my life where I was utterly ready to ept the angel of death and embrace the after-life.


    My body jerked painfully from the bed, convulsing with each passing second as my muscles contracted


    and rxed. I was intimately aware of themotion around me. I felt it when Valerie jolted from the bed


    and ran out in an attempt to seek for help. But mentally, I was not in my bedroom in ck Woods. I was


    in Japan!


    The small piece of fabric I had that covered my abdomen was the only thing that provided heat for me. A


    scream tore through me when the electric bullet of the Chiappa Rhino stung me right on my shoulder


    spade, kissing the bone intently before doing its work. And I instantly knew who fired it. My father!


    This belongs to N?velDrama.Org.


    Only him was capable of hitting the bull¡¯s-eye even when the bull was meander, not steady!


    ¡°The boss is having a pseudoseizure!¡± Valerie¡¯s voice was loud as a group of people rounded the bed


    and began strapping me to the bed to stop my body from convulsing. A strong hand cradled my jaw and


    forcibly parted my very clenched jaw before stuffing a huge rubber band inside my mouth to stop me


    from biting on my own tongue. But it waste; my mouth was already filled with the metallic taste of my


    own blood.


    Once again my mind drifted back to the nightmare and pain shot through me when I felt the electric bullet


    biting into my back, depositing its poison into me. It wasn¡¯t actually a poison, but a corrosive concoction


    that made the victim burn from the inside. The pain that it created was enough to paralyze the victim,


    sometimes even kill them. The chemical spread through the bloodstream and the longer it took, the more


    i t burned like a bitch. If one survived the shot, then they were going to die from the burn caused by the


    chemical


    I stumbled forward and cried out when I kicked the stone which was covered by the heavy snow. The


    pain from the bulletbined with the pain that pierced from my toe, caused my heart to clench painfully,


    rendering me breathless! I screamed and plunged forward, kicking my legs higher as I dodged other


    bullets. I wasn¡¯t going to have another bullet bite into me, not while I already had some poison running


    through my stream. I ran, heaving and trembling from pain and the cold.


    I continued my zigzag motion and ran towards the line that was going to end my misery. Right at the far


    end of the clearing, was a person who awaited me with a warm nket. At the moment, I would trade


    anything for warmth.


    Theughter of the guys boomed around when my fathernded yet another perfect shot on my lower


    back, just a few inches from my spine. This time, I couldn¡¯t keep up. The frigid snow covering my body,


    the iceced ground against my bare feet which has rendered them numb, the chemical which continued


    to course through my blood stream, setting my inside aze, all of that, I couldn¡¯t do it. I was not strong


    enough!


    Only death was going to end my misery. Only death was going to provide me with what I craved the


    most, warmth. Maybe it wasn¡¯t that cold that side!


    Blood failed to flow to my brain. I lost my footing, my vision blurred and gave out. I fell face first inside the


    heavy piled snow. I heard screams as they rushed towards. But I couldn¡¯t care less; I was finally going to


    rest. Death wasing for me; maybe the angel of death would take pride into having him, since I failed


    m y father.


    And then the shback ended!


    The jerking and convulsing came down, my breathing slowly went down too. I heard loud sighs of relief


    and they all worked as they unstrapped my body from the bed. As soon as I opened my eyes, Lorenzo


    was already waiting with the small tter of simutriptan and water. I slowly opened my mouth and took


    the pain med that was going to kill down the splitting headache.


    He softly dismissed everyone and stayed with me in bed. He didn¡¯t say anything; he didn¡¯t have to


    because he knew I needed his presence. As for telling him what had transpired, that was something I


    wasn¡¯t going to do. Not in this life time or next. He didn¡¯t have to know all the evil things my father put me


    through into making the man I am today.


    All those events, all those unfortunate inhuman actions, I vowed to take them to the grave!

 Chapter 6

    Chapter 6


    LORENZO


    It has been a few days since Verzi¡¯sst seizure attack. And luckily this time, no one was killed because


    they saw him during his vulnerable time. Seeing him like that, helpless and very vulnerable, that always


    made my heart clench painfully. But what made me want to yank my hair out of my scalp was the fact


    that he was steel-headed by keeping everything that has happened to himself.


    All I wanted to do was share with him his pain. I had no idea of what our father did to him during the time


    he took him away from me. Before then, my brother and I were inseparables, we were the shadow of the


    other and shared everything. There were no secrets from us. But after that, Vernero was a whole new


    person. That was seen through things he did. It was safe to say there was something that happened,


    something that made him lose his mind.


    After hisst seizure, I had calmed him down by informing him that the Roberts had called. The Roberts


    turned out to be Leigh¡¯s long time neighbors in Cyprus, who sadly had financial problems. ording to


    the investigation, they stayed in the same apartment building as Leigh and lived across her apartment.


    They had a house which was under construction but had no money toplete the building. Vemero


    and I blessed them with a heavy chunk and promised to finish building their house as long as they move


    out o f the apartment. 1


    The offer was too tempting to decline, especially when we hit them right where it hurts. They were cash


    strapped and we promised to take care of everything in regard to the construction of their house, and we


    s o happened to have the money!


    ¡°Give them however much they need. As long as they vacate that apartment for you then I am all game!¡±


    Verzi had informed tly when we went through the n. And he was very right. Money wasn¡¯t the


    problem, even if they asked for a fucking billion in exchange to the small cozy building, we would have


    agreed. So long as we are near her, then everything was merry and beautiful!


    Our men in Cyprus were keeping a safe eye on Leigh and everything that was going on around her. Now


    that we found her, we weren¡¯t going to let her out of our sight..


    After hearing the pleasing news, we made a quick n and informed Valerie that she¡¯d be taking a long


    trip to Cyprus. She was rather excited since she has been dying to who Leigh was. She knew her ce


    in our life and knew when to talk and when to keep quiet. She knew how much Leigh meant to us and I


    loved it that she never raised any questions regarding her.


    The reason we chose her to be our ¡°assistant¡± was because she knew who she was, where she came


    from, and never has she tried to be more than she was. She attended to our ¡°needs¡± without question


    and we gave her a home and a good paying job. When we had otherys, she knew how to handle and


    cater for them. Our rtionship with her was well more of a mutual understanding than bosses/employee


    rtionship. A give and take rtionship and she knew there can never be anything more than that.


    And that made her the very best option to keep close. We didn¡¯t make love, she knew and understood


    that very well! There have been girls who came and left, some got killed because they wanted more than


    we could offer. Some of them were not pleased with the sharing; while some wanted to choose me over


    Vemero iming that he¡¯s a maniac, some wanted both of us at the same time and that¡¯s no how we


    rolled.


    We shared a woman yes. But not share as in do her all at ones. No! That part of us was kept save for the


    right woman. LEIGH-ARI MONTREAL! Only she had a right to have the two of us at once. As for the


    rest, Verzi owned their right side while I owned the left. And that was well known!


    It¡¯s pretty fucked up yes, but that¡¯s just who we are!


    LEIGH-ARI


    The day of my quarterly appointment arrived. I was anticipating this visit than the many I¡¯ve heard before


    I felt like there was something I needed to remember. The nickname, that small name that was written on


    that small note, I swear I have heard that before. And I hated the fact that I didn¡¯t know when or where I


    heard it.


    So I drove to Dr. Kiara, my neurologist who was helping me regain my memories, with high spirits. As


    soon as I entered the office, she read that I was really in a good mood.


    ¡°Someone looks happy!¡± she observed with a smile. At 55, Kiara Maxwell was still as fresh as it gets.


    She was 5¡å4, a nice lean bust with a curvy bottom, a good smile and hair one could die for. She was a


    hybrid, Asian-European woman who was, hands-down an expert in her field. She was a renowned


    neurologist and well known doctors paid respect to her. She was such a big inspiration. 1


    ¡°I sure am. It¡¯s been a crazy quarter I tell you.¡± I replied smiling while walking towards her, we hugged


    lovingly and she ushered me to the loungers in her office. We conversed a bit until she said:


    ¡°Let¡¯s get to work shall we?¡± all this time, she had a smile on her face. That¡¯s what I admired about her.


    She was so easy going and made it feel natural to be around her. But one shouldn¡¯t mistake that as


    being weak. She handed you your shit on a te if you dared try to y funny with her.


    I followed her to the scan room already wearing the gowns, and quickly got into position. I rxed with m


    y back t against the table with my arms on my side. The sample table whirred as it wheeled until my


    upper body was under the bore. I breathed out softly and closed my eyes.


    ¡°This ce looks like you.¡± Dr. Kiara called out from the control console, her voice booming around the


    speakers all around scan zone. I smiled because she was right; I have gotten to this routine that it


    actually felt as natural as breathing!


    OL


    caus


    We worked in confortable silence and soon, I was wheeled from the bore and got up. After that, she we


    sat down and discussed the scans.


    ¡°Your shearing injury was pretty bad girl. And I will always say, you are the luckiest that you had memory


    loss only and nothing more!¡± she mentioned with her eyes glued to the scan.


    ¡°Yah I¡¯ll say that also. Just that the headaches are too intense. Especially when I try to piece things


    together to remember something.¡± I replied studying the scan with her. Perks of being a doctor as well!


    ¡°Your MRI doesn¡¯t show any improvement. Which means it will take time to recover your memories. Don¡¯t


    always try to remember something. That piecing together some clues causes the vessels around your


    Hippocampus to swell,pressing it even further. As a doctor, you should know that! You are lucky


    because your condition is temporary. You will regain your memories with time.¡± she gave me a mini


    scolding. My heart sank a bit when I heard that there was no improvement


    ¡°I know Doc. I know. It¡¯s just that, not remembering who you are or where youe from, that can rather


    b e annoying. Sometimes it feels as if I just existed like boof! No history of parents, or anything that links


    m e to my past. It¡¯s rather lonely.¡± I ryed sadly. She patted my hand and smiled.


    ¡°Ready for the biofeedback therapy?¡±Content is ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Oh I love those. Always work like magic!¡± I cheered getting up from my chair. We left the Scan Control


    Console and walked to the therapy room. I got into position and rxed while she strapped me with the


    wires, readying me for heaven that came next.


    The electroencephalography gave a perfect measurement of my brain function, massaging it intimately


    and working its electric wonders on the swelling, while the electromyography worked on my muscles.


    After the recent crazy events, I needed these more than ever!

 Chapter 7

    Chapter 7


    LEIGH-ARI POV


    Driving home from the doctor¡¯s appointment felt serene. I was rxed from head to toe and the usual


    painful pounding of my head was gone. I was listening to smooth slow music as I swerved and


    maneuvered through the heavy evening traffic. At longst, I arrived outside my t and packed the car,


    then rode the elevator to the first floor where my apartment was. 1


    Upon arriving on my floor, I realized a whole newmotion of gazillion boxes stacked and piled outside


    the t opposite mine. Curiosity had me walking stealthily and sneaked a peek inside. There were orders


    barked from the inside as a feminine voicemanded some men to decorate the house however she


    saw fit. One, I was happy that I had a new neighbor. Two, I was nervous as to what kind of a person she


    would tum out to be. Right when I was about to leave, a voice called out; telling me I was caught red


    handed:


    ¡°You cane in. I might need your help with all these.¡± I raised my head to find ady who was around


    m y age, 5¡¯4, lean body, very long brue hair and a beautiful smile. She breathed that ¡°I am rich and I


    know it¡± vibe because she was wearing knee-breaking, ankle-spraining Loubotin heels with a neat green


    Gi suit. Her nails were manicured perfectly and she had a warm smile! Add her makeup which was


    on


    point!


    ¡°Ahhhhhmm¡­ Are you sure? I can disappear right now and never appear in front of you ever again!¡±


    Goodness I was bbering! Always happened when I was mad nervous!


    ¡°Don¡¯t be silly. Come on in!¡± She insisted with a warm smile and I thought; ¡®Why not?¡¯


    At least she was being nice and not bitchy for some unknown reason. I decided to get inside and was


    awed by her taste in d¨¦cor. The whole ce screamed money. From the lush carpets to the renowned


    wall master pieces. I looked around and listened as she barked orders to a group of 6 men who seemed


    to be


    foreigners. They spoke in very deep ent and often switched to Italian.


    ¡°This ce is nice.¡± Iplimented looking around the luxurious living room. The couches were the


    latest Rolls Royce couches that valued over a million dors. Holy Pregnant Cow!


    ¡°Thank you! But it¡¯s not mine!¡± she replied causing me to stare at her in shock.


    ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    ¡°I am just a help! This ce is my boss¡¯s. I came to furniture it for him!¡± She said through a smile.


    ¡°Then your boss must be stinky rich!¡± I thought out loud causing her tough so hard that I felt antsy!


    ¡°I am sorry! I have this problem of bbering when I am nervous.¡± I apologized staring down at my feet.


    ¡°Ahe on! Don¡¯t sweat it. I actually like it much!¡± she brushed it off and walked out, leaving me to my


    thoughts


    I continued my tour around her ce; scratch that, her boss¡¯s ce and was pretty much convinced that


    whoever wasing to stay here, was a big shot! She came back shortly with a smile;


    ¡°I have nothing to eat so I am going to order in! What would you suggest?¡± she asked with the most


    charming smile. This girl, why was she so open to a total stranger?


    ¡°Oh no! You don¡¯t have to order. I am making mac¡¯ and cheese tonight. You can join since my friend


    bailed


    on me on thest minute!¡± Speaking of that, I was really worried about Laura and her ex. Whenever it


    came to that bastard, Laura seemed like she is not functioning. She was a beautiful sessful young


    woman, but her choice of man sucked elephant balls!


    ¡°That¡¯s fantastic! Let me finish off quickly and I will join you shortly!¡± she said pping her hands


    excitedly.


    ¡°Okay! Great. See you!¡± I said walking towards the door only to be stopped by her voice;


    ¡°I don¡¯t know where you live!¡± I turned with a shocked face. Okay, this had to be one of the most awkward


    but cool things ever. I just conversed with someone like we have been friends for the past 20 decades,


    invited her to my house for dinner only to realize I didn¡¯t know her name neither did she.


    ¡°Just right across the hallway. We are neighbors. And oh, my name is Leigh-Ari. Leigh-Ari Montreal!¡± I


    said with a smile.


    ¡°Oooooh right! Now that is super cool. And you have the coolest name ever. I am Valerie Romano.¡±


    ¡°Well, that sounds like pasta!¡± I teased a bit!


    ¡°That¡¯s why I am joining you for that mac¡¯ and cheese!¡± she winked and turned to walk away, leaving me


    with a huge smile.


    I liked this girl!


    Right when the clock hit 15 minutes after 8pm, there was a small knock on the door signaling her arrival.


    ¡°Coming!¡± I yelled taking off the oven gloves I had on and walked towards the door. And there she stood


    in pink matching lounge room suit that hugged her body perfectly; and mind you, she had a body of a


    model. I was 99.9% straight but that remaining 0.01% made me want to pounce on her.


    ¡°Look what I got! Italian pasta goes very well with red wine. Although it¡¯s not pasta, you are going to love


    i t.¡± She raised her hands to show me two bottles of red wine she had in hands. One bottle being my


    favorite.


    ¡°Oh you are such a darling. Come on in. You are just in time, the food is ready.¡± I announced closing the


    door behind her and invited her to seat in my lounge room. I passed her and walked into the kitchen


    where I dished up and came to her, gave her the te food and went back to take wine sses.


    We sat on the rug with cushions under our butts and gobbled down our food. All along she kept on


    complimenting my culinary skills, telling me how good the mac¡¯ is, its texture and what not and how well I


    cooked it. While in reality, I just cooked without paying attention to all that!


    ¡°SO, Miss Montreal, what¡¯s your story?¡± she asked taking a small sip of her wine. I looked up at her for a


    second as I finished chewing myst bite.


    ¡°Hmmmmmm¡­ Nothing catchy. I am a general surgeon, 2 and half years in the field. I am single, have 1


    best friend. I have no parents. One died in an ident, and the other one, I don¡¯t know where she is!¡± I


    shrugged it off casually.


    ¡°Hmmm¡­ I hear you. I am an assistant to the world¡¯s golden bachelor, I have two little brothers, a very ill


    mother who is currently fighting for her life. She has cancer. Like you, I am single, but I have no best


    friend because I am too busy working or taking care of my mother and little brothers.¡± She announced


    casually also, but I could hear the sadness in her voice.


    ¡°Oh my. That¡¯s very terrible. What cancer is it?¡±


    ¡°Blood cancer. Sucks so bad! I literally have to watch as life slips away from her each and every single


    day. I wish she could just, leave without suffering. If you know what I mean!¡± I stretched out my hand andContent is ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.


    touched hers, gently squeezed it and smiled. 1


    ¡°I get you. I really do!¡±


    ¡°Enough about me! What happened to your parents?¡± she asked with furrowed brows.


    ¡°I lost my father in a car ident. I was with him and only I survived. But that¡¯s all I remember. I don¡¯t


    remember how he looks like or what kind of a person he was. As for my mother, I really don¡¯t know


    whether she¡¯s still alive or not.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean you don¡¯t remember? As in, you injured yourself resulting to memory loss?¡±


    ¡°Uh-huh! I don¡¯t remember anything of my childhood or my past. The life I know is post-ident. As for


    the past¡­¡± I left the words hanging heavy in the air. She seemed to be lost in her head for a moment


    before looking at me again. 1


    ¡°Okay! Now that sucks! Like you don¡¯t remember anything? At all?¡±


    ¡°Nope! Not even one single thing. My memories are filled with faceless people, blurred visions and that¡¯s


    about it.¡±


    ¡°Ah fuck! That¡¯s really bad girl!¡±


    We chatted more for the next hours and before I knew it, it was well after midnight! Upon realizing this, w


    e bit each other farewell and she left to her room. I locked up and went to my room,id on my bed and


    thought of faceless people in my memory!

 Chapter 8

    Chapter 8


    VERNERO POV


    ¡°Boss, we got him!¡± Marcelo announced peeking through the slightly opened door. I raised my head and


    there he was, with that smile that he always wore when we were about to skin someone alive or roast


    them. The look on his face pulled my own lips in a lopsided smirk, because I knew the shit was about to


    go down.


    ¡°Now that¡¯s the best news I¡®ve been waiting for!¡± I called out getting up from my giant ass chair and


    rounded the table, exited my office with Marcello by my side. We walked down the stairs with him filling


    me up with the details of what had transpired during his hunt for the imposter.


    Text content ? N?velDrama.Org.


    I was rather disappointed to find out that it was one of my trusted men who just decided to go behind my


    back. And betrayal was one thing I never knew how to handle or stomach! I never spared anyone who


    betrayed my trust! If I did, then I would be the weak kid my father despised. I got rid of that child a


    millennia ago and I wasn¡¯t going to revive him. The old me, he was easy to kill!


    ¡°Such a shame!¡± I replied tly as we exited the mansion castle and walked to the ¡°woods¡±. A group of


    my men followed suit and we delved deeper into the deep forest. Dark Woods! This ce was known for


    its act of ¡°dealing¡± with the unruly ones. Whenever the smoke rose from the burned scorchednd within


    the forest, everyone knew that it was dancing with the soul of the dead.


    ¡°I can¡¯t believe Eight would do such a thing!¡±


    ¡°Boss trusted him so much, and he had to do this behind his back!¡±


    ¡°Hush! Keep it down. Boss is already pissed off!¡±


    Some men were whispering behind me as we dived deeper and deeper into the woods. The crunching of


    our feet against twigs and fallen dry leafs was heard as we took big strides, the anticipation burning my


    body and causing small tremors to run through me!


    When we reached upon the clearing, there was also a group which was there, waiting for my arrival and


    m ymands. The stench of sulphur was heady as we walked through the white-cinder covered


    clearing o f the forest. This was the very same ce that gave the name ¡°Dark Woods¡±. Because it was


    covered in ash and coal, the remnants and remains of those who were bumed alive.


    Upon realizing my arrival, the small group parted, revealing the perpetrator who was roped tightly to a


    tree. His face was rather disfigured from the fighting he got involved in, probably when they captured him


    and he tried to escape. Or maybe my guys had some fun with him? I took manicured, predatory steps to


    where he was kneeling, with his torso awkwardly pressed against a thin tree trunk! The tree that HE


    chose; the tree that would be carrying his soul to the afterlife! My eyes were glued on his and I could feel


    fear resonating from him, fueling my already boiling and raging blood. My face hardened with every step


    and so much anger filled up to the brim inside me.


    ¡°You don¡¯t look so lovely and handsome right now, Eight!¡± I observed squatting in front of him. His eyes


    followed my movements and small tears escaped his eyes. He knew what awaited him; even praying


    wasn¡¯t going to save him. He knew it very well but he still decided to go against me!


    ¡°Boss, please¡­. I swear¡­¡±


    ¡°Shhh shhh shhh shhh! I know! You didn¡¯t mean to go behind my back? I know!¡± i sarcastically consoled


    him, my eyes travelling his entire body. Tears spilled out of him because he had seen this side of me. He


    knew that there was no turning back; but he did what he thought would save him from his doom!


    ¡°But you did it anyway! Without hesitation.¡± I added up, staring right inside his eyes. He pinched his eyes


    closed for a second before opening them¡­


    ¡°They had my daughter in captivity. I don¡¯t know how they caught her but they had her. She is young,


    boss. She¡¯s only 8. And they threatened me with her. They told me I should give them some gold from


    Piedmont or else they¡¯d send me her fingers. I had no choice Boss. I had to do it.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t tell me you had no choice damn it! You could have told me and I would have solved your problem.


    You know fuckin¡¯ well that I would I have rescued your daughter and none of this would be happening


    right now! Instead, you had to go behind my back, steal from me, and watch from the sidewalks as they


    captured me. You had a choice, and you made it. Now it¡¯s time to face the consequences.¡± By now, my


    voice was above a scream. I was so angry that I felt my veins popping all over my body, my blood


    continued to boil inside me. And the more I thought of it, the angrier I got.


    ¡°I am sorry!¡± he said in a voice that was just above a whisper. He looked down and his body shook and


    quaked as he cried for his life. I stood up and turned to the side, then nodded to the guy who had a


    packet of sulphur in his hand.


    ¡°Yes boss¡± he moved forward, tore the packet open and covered Eight¡¯s whole body in a yellow powder;


    the one that ensured that the burn etched deep to the bone, scorching every tissue of the body until


    nothing but ash was remaining.


    A small vibration from my pocket caught my attention and I fished my phone to find a call from Valerie. I


    picked it up:


    ¡°What is it?¡±


    ¡°Sir sorry to disturb you! But I have some information on Leigh-Ari!¡± she said in a very clear, vivid voice


    that had my whole undivided attention. I looked to the perpetrator who was now ready to ept his


    death!


    ¡°Speak!¡± I took two steps backwards and listened carefully to what she was saying!


    ¡°I know why she didn¡¯t recognize you. She was in a car ident where she lost her father. Only she


    survived, but due to her head injury, she lost all of her memories! She remembers nothing from her past!¡±


    She exined briefly causing my eyes to widen with shock! Now that exined why she didn¡¯t know me,


    or even feel that it was me!


    ¡°Are you sure?¡±


    ¡°Very certain sir!¡± She replied confidently. I tumed back to my men to find them standing, waiting for met


    omand them!


    ¡°Okay! Thanks for telling me!¡± I removed the phone from my ear, cut the call and walked back to the


    feast!


    ¡°What are yourst words Eight?¡± I asked in hard voice!


    ¡°Please! Take care of my daughter. Only under your protection will she be safe!¡± he looked up at me, his


    eyes pleading with me as he counted thest seconds of his life!


    ¡°Okay!¡± I gave him a single nod, then pulled the gun from my waistband and angled it to his head. I


    pulled the trigger, a very loud bang followed by and red scattered all over as his brain decorated the


    white, yellow and ck ground beneath him.


    ¡°Get rid of the body!¡± Imanded and turned to leave. At least Eight reunited me with the love of my


    life. If it weren¡¯t for him, I wouldn¡¯t have found Leigh! It¡¯s a pity that it had to be under the said


    circumstances.


    But he deserved a dignified way of dyeing, that¡¯s why I shot him!


    Instead of burning him alive!

 Chapter 9

    Chapter 9


    LEIGH¨CA*I


    Three full days passed and my new neighbor and I continued our newly formed routine. I would wake up


    i n the moming and go to work, and thene back at night to have dinner with her. Laura joined us two


    days back and like I, fell in love with Valerie. She was such an open, easy-going person that made


    everyone feelfortable around her. Although she was way too ssy and fancier than us, she was


    really a nice person.


    Last night we had ns to go out for drinks, only to pull an overnight shift. I had an 8 hour surgery and


    by the time I left the OR, I was just ready to hit my bed on the bed and get done with the day. I arrived at


    home to find her preparing to leave.


    ¡°I am just going to pick my boss from the airport. I will spend the night here and fly over to Italy tomorrow


    moming.¡± She exined when I looked at her questionably.


    ¡°And you dress like that when you go pick your boss? From the airport?¡± I gestured to her neat attire.


    Thisdy looked like a whole new model that just jumped out of a magazine. It was still early in the


    moming, but she was fresh with washed blue jeans, a white dress shirt tucked only in one side and long


    pair of stilettos. Her hair was in a low bun and she had minimum makeup with a nude lipstick.


    ¡°How do I look?¡± She looked down to herself and stared up at me!


    ¡°Girl you look fancy. Like you are going on some date or shit!¡± I pointed out causing her to cackle up. 1


    ¡°Ohe on girl. If only you can see the girls I live with. Then you will know I don¡¯t even hold a candle.¡±


    She said casually. I shook my head hysterically and stared down at myself. Formal ck dress pants,


    red tunic and a coat thrown on my arm. I looked like a mess and I knew it!


    ¡°Then I am d I am not one of those girls!¡± She may have mentioned that she stayed at her boss¡¯s


    house a s she takes care of his personal needs. Apparently, there were two bosses, and ¡°this¡± one was


    one of the duo! I just went on and assumed that the ¡°other¡± boss was the wife of ¡°this¡± boss. Because


    that was the only exnation of why she lived with them. As for many girls she mentioned, well; I wasn¡¯t


    going to crack my head up trying to figure out what kind of a house can amodate more than 20


    different girls!


    Sheughed and picked up her phone that was ringing. I listened to one ended conversation. She hid the


    speaker and looked at me;


    ¡°I got to go.¡± She mouthed out and I nodded at her.


    ¡°See you when you get back!¡± I called out behind her as she began to walk towards an open elevator.


    ¡°And oh! You soon will be!¡± She smiled and stepped into the elevator, I turned to ask her what but the


    doors of the elevator slid closed, leaving me behind with mouth agape. I just shook my head and entered


    i n my house.


    I had an appointment with my bed and I was so not going to miss it!


    LORENZO


    The revtion of Leigh¡¯s memory loss was rather a shock to me. But as Verzi mentioned, it exined


    why she seemed to have forgotten him. And when looking at the brighter side of things, her memory loss


    paved way for us to implement our n as soon as possible, and very easily. We wanted to have Leigh


    by our side and we were going to do whatever it takes to get her.


    After Verzi dished up the news, I waited for three days, finalized things at thepany by the fourth day,


    boarded the ne and flew to Cyprus. All along the flight, I had been thinking of all the things that were


    going to happen once Inded. How she was going to react around me, how she would carry herself. In


    all honesty, I was looking forward to all of it. And Valerie filled me up with so much anticipation with her


    nightly calls where she told me about everything she did, how she was dressed, her little dance when


    she ate her favorite food. Goodness that made me miss her even more.


    It has been over a decade, full twelve years of fantasizing and dreaming about the day we finally met


    her! Full twelve agonizing years of thinking about her, her smile that could light up the whole world, her


    bravery, her beautiful soul that just made you want to dwell in her care; her everything! And now, now I


    was going to live just right across from her. 1


    The thoughts of Leigh-A*i carried me all the way until Inded in Cyprus. When I arrived, it was still early


    and I had, in advance, told Valerie toe pick me up at the airport. My little assistant was quick and in


    n o time, we were driving down a busy road towards the apartment.


    ¡°She is so beautiful boss. She gives this energy that¡¯s just so awesome. I am now addicted to her!¡±


    Valerieplimented dancing in her seat!


    ¡°I know! I miss her so much!¡± I said almost to myself. God knew I missed her to the point of death! And I


    couldn¡¯t wait to see those beautiful brown eyes and that smile!


    ¡°She is resting right now! She pulled an all night shift and she looked like a wreck in the morning!¡± She


    chuckled softly, and I envied her that she has been spending time with her!


    ¡°I wonder how she will react when she sees me. Did you tell her anything you shouldn¡¯t?¡±


    ¡°I am Valerie, an assistant to a golden bachelor of Italy and the whole Europe. I have little brothers and


    an ill mother. I live with my boss.¡± She recited her speech, causing me to smile. I pulled her by her neck


    and captured her lips in a hot seating kiss. The sudden pang hit me in my chest and I pushed her back!


    ¡°What? Is there anything wrong?¡± Her brows were furrowed as she studied me carefully.


    ¡°No! Nothing is wrong!¡± I said softly and stared outside the car window.


    Why the hell did I just feel like I was cheating? I mean that sense of ¡°You left your wife at home and now


    you are fooling around!¡± hit me so hard that my skin crawled with the thought of it. But I wasn¡¯t cheating.


    At all! 1


    So why did I have to feel this guilty?


    Belongs ? to N?velDrama.Org.

 Chapter 10

    Chapter 10


    LORENZO


    Arriving at 0.X Apartments from the airport took approximately 30 minutes. Upon our arrival, we settled


    the tenant verification process and rode the elevator to where the apartment was. Valerie opened the


    door for me to enter but I couldn¡¯t help embrace the one across mine and breathe it in: it felt like I was


    breathing her! Not the door, but her. I closed my eyes and leaned against the door frame with my front,


    then gently caressed it. Just right beyond this door; she was in there!


    ¡°Come on in boss. You look like a freak when you do that!¡± Valerie teased causing me to unglue myself


    from the door and enter inside my apartment. I was actually gobsmacked and awed by how neat and


    clean the ce looked. The colors were well coordinated, from white, to gray and ck! I guess Valerie


    was highly used to Verzi¡¯s OCDs.


    I walked around taking in the ce, and I was actually in love with it. Compared to the Dark Woods


    Castle, this seemed rather ufortably small; but it was cozy and that was okay with me.


    ¡°Want to have something to eat?¡± Valerie asked prompting my stomach to grumble out loud.


    ¡°Yeah sure! Breakfast will be lovely and then I¡¯ll have you for dessert.¡± I replied winking to her, she smiled


    before disappearing into the kitchen. Ever since Verzi came home with the news of Leigh-A*i, I have


    been in a very demented dry season; and that was entirely not by choice. But because my body refused


    to be close to any other woman except her. Well, Valerie did try but it was still not enough.


    I couldn¡¯t shake off the unsettling feeling, the guilt that always crippled me whenever Iid my hands on


    any other woman. Dark Woods Castle was filled with women; of all types and tastes. They were all there


    for our pleasure. But all that fly and hype ran out the window as soon as Leigh-A*i was mentioned.


    With the thoughts running wild in my head, I finished the house tour and settled for a hot shower just to


    ease the nerves. Since it was still early, I was nning to go out for the day and take care of some


    business. Verzi had a base here and some of the restaurants which were the subsidiaries of CAT


    Holdings. After making a quick mind map, I stepped under the hot spraying water and washed up.


    Content is ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.


    Approximately 15 minutester, I was wearing fresh ck cks with a white shirt. No tie or coat! I


    walked into the kitchen to find Valerie already dishing up.


    ¡°And here you go!¡± She called out cing a hot dish of waffles and strawberries in front of me. They were


    coupled with an insanely thick hot chocte and an omelet. She added cakes with ck coffee just for


    the fun of it and sat across me.


    ¡°ns for the day? Or you are staying in?¡± She asked taking a bite of the soft waffles. I watched the way


    she licked her lips and how neatly she chewed. This woman, if only I wasn¡¯t cuffed up on someone else,


    maybe I would give her a chance. Valerie was a very beautiful, young and strong willed woman I could


    evere across. She knew where she stood with everyone and never overstepped her boundaries.


    She was very brave,petent and very awesome. Having someone like her, despite the titles and shit;


    it was utterly heartening!


    ¡°Going to some offices here and then to the base. Wanna tag along?¡±


    ¡°Can I?¡± She grinned widely pping her hands! She always got excited over very little things. That¡¯s


    what was amazing about her.


    ¡°Of course. You are still my PA remember? Or Cyprus made you forget that?¡± I stared into her bright


    eyes


    causing her grin to widen.


    ¡°Thanks Enzo.¡± She took a sip of her hot chocte and we finished our breakfast with a smooth chatter.


    After a few minutes, she got up to clean up and I sashayed behind her, gently caressing her huge lush


    curves. Her breathing shuddered when I brushed my wood against her ass that was mped in jeans.


    ¡°Aren¡¯t you going to mess up yourself since you¡¯ve already washed up?¡± She asked through a moan


    when I kissed her right behind her ear!


    ¡°I can always change!¡± Imented cupping her breasts into my palm and began molding them. Her


    moans encouraged me and I turned her to face me, then scooped her in an embrace and ced her


    right o n the table. She leaned backwards giving me space to shred the jeans off her body. Once they


    were out of the way, I took hold of her small thong and tossed it to the side, then took a sweet dive in her


    core.


    She moaned and rocked on my mouth as I fucked her with my tongue, her hands gripping my hair very


    tight. Her muscles began to buck and I pulled off from her, causing her to whine:


    ¡°Enzoe on!¡± She unbuttoned her tunic, and then pushed her bra downwards causing her big boobs


    to spill out of the small cramped space. She toyed with one when I worked on my pants.


    ¡°I know you like it!¡± I angled my very hard cock against her entrance and without further thought, pushed i


    n to the hilt; causing her eyes to roll back into her head and her body to buckle from the hard table top. 1


    ¡°Goooooooosh yeeeeeeeeeesss¡­.¡± She cried out as I vigorously pumped into her warm love hole. I


    leaned down and sucked her skin right where my previous hickey was fading. She moaned out loud and


    circled her arms around me, pulling me more into her. Her soles dug into my ass driving me deeper


    inside her lotus!


    ¡°You like that?¡± I grunted against her skin causing her walls to mp tight around her, drinking me fully. I


    know how she loved being talked to!


    ¡°Fuck yes¡­ yes¡­ aaaah!¡± Her pussy began to convulse violently as I continued my merciless thrusts,


    her muscles bucked harder and sweat broke from her skin. I raised my head and kissed her roughly,


    increasing the pace.


    ¡°You want to cum?¡± I dominated her, taking hold of one thigh so that I can fully drive my cock inside her.


    ¡°Please¡­. Yes! Let me cum!¡± she begged staring deep into my eyes. I smirked when I saw the


    desperateness in her eyes. Her face was bundled up in a pain look and her eyes held so much lust that


    drove me insane.


    ¡°Not yet!¡± I denied her, knowing fully what it did to her.


    ¡°Enzo please! I need to cum.¡± She leaned backwards and tried to toy with her clit, but I was quick to cuff


    her wrists with one hand and continued plowing in to her.


    ¡°I! SAID! NOT! YET!¡± each word was stamped with a violent thrust, totally morphing her being with one of


    the table. She let out a cry of frustration as I kept my insane pace and soon, that sensation brewed from


    the pit of my stomach. I knew with her orgasm came mine so I increased my tempo, the tip of my cock


    brushing against her cervix and causing her to cum very hard.


    ¡°I¡¯m cummiiiiiing!¡± she cried out loud as her orgasm mmed into her. Her pussy clenched very tight and


    I couldn¡¯tst any longer. With one final thrust, I spilled my seed inside her, my cock bobbing really hard


    a s she continued to spasm around me.


    I fell on top of her as we slowly came down front our high; with my cock still buried inside her.


    ¡°Go wash up really quick! We need to get going!¡± I pulled out of her and tumed to the kitchen to yank the


    paper towels; without sparing her any nce! That¡¯s just how it was with her: Hot insane sex, with no


    strings attached!

 Chapter 11

    Chapter 11


    LEIGH-A*I


    The day rolled by quickly and at some point, I had to drag myself out of bed and begin with the affairs of


    the day! When I checked the clock, it was well after 3pm and I casually shrugged. So far there have been


    n o calls from work and I was highly thankful! There was nothing that made me want to crawl into the


    earth than being woken up from a very restful sleep and being told you have to go to OR; then spend yet


    another 6 or more house on feet sewing someone close.


    It was good to save lives yes; but good heavens was it tiresome!


    Laura called in to check up on me and filled me in with what had happened with her boyfriend. She


    sounded so down and I knew I had to be a knight in a shining armor and cheer her up. I cleaned up


    quickly and did a few house chores, ced things ordingly and bathed up well. By the time I was


    done, it was right after 5 and Laura was about to leave work.


    The n was to go spoil her at some bar and get a few drinks, and then we¡¯ll see what to do after that. I


    put on a fresh pair of jeans, some low rise sneakers and a pink tunic on top. I bundled my hair in a


    messy bun and took my sling bag. I was about to open my door when an rm went off. I opened to find


    Valerie standing there with a smile.


    ¡°Are those hickies?¡± That was the first thing I blurted out as soon as my eyes fell on her. Sheughed


    and shook her head before pushing me back inside the house.


    ¡°Leave my hickies alone. And where are you going without me?¡± she asked referring to my attire. She


    had changed into some lounge wear but still managed to rock the attire.


    ¡°I am going to pick Laura from work and then go out for drinks with her!¡±


    ¡°Without me? That¡¯s so rude. I thought you guys liked me?¡± she made a small pout causing me tough.


    I had nned to go with Laura alone since we were going to talk about sensitive stuff. So I didn¡¯t just


    want t o invite anyone¡­


    ¡°Let me call and inform her you are tagging along, how about that?¡± I replied gesturing to my phone. Her


    face lit up and she excitedly waited for me as I talked with Laura who didn¡¯t have a problem with her


    tagging along.


    ¡®The more the merrier!¡¯ were her words. After cutting the call, Iid the news to her. Upon hearing this,


    Valerie went ran off to put fresh clothes and when she came out, she was dashing. She was wearing a


    very short pant with a long trench coat. Sheplemented her look with the thigh high boots and just let


    her long ck hair to cascade down her back!


    We left the apartments and drove to the hospital. We found Laura already waiting. but I asked them to


    wait a little longer as I needed to get some files from my office. Valerie asked toe with me and we


    went inside together.


    ¡°Good Evening Dr. Montreal¡± my subordinates paid me respect as we delved deeper into the hospital


    towards my office. I greeted them with smiles and when we arrived into my office Valerie went wild:


    ¡°Girl, I didn¡¯t know you were like, a big shot in this hospital!¡± she gushed pping her hands excitedly.


    ¡°Not a big shot as such. I am a general surgeon, so I work with every department!¡± I replied casually and


    opened the drawer in search for the files.


    ¡°But girl look how those guys were treating you with respect. They were literally worshiping you.¡± She


    gushed walking around to stand beside me.


    ¡°You are just imagining things! Let¡¯s go have some fun!¡± I pulled her with the hand and off we went!


    ¡°Dr Montreal, the ns for the annual gathering has been together. There will be five guest doctors; and


    you will be in charge of them, their stay and everything! You are okay with that right?¡± My HOD, Dr Erick


    announced after peeking into my office. I was busy analysing the reports of our very recent patients. I


    closed the file tab on myputer and looked up to him!


    ¡°Yes Doc. It¡¯s my pleasure to help!¡± I said with a profession smile. He nodded before leaving me to my


    business. This guy, he was hot yes! Matter of fact; he was insanely hot. Hot to an extend that every


    female i n this hospital wanted to have a piece of him. Those kind of guys were trouble with capital T.


    There was just too much traffic surrounding them and I couldn¡¯t be there;peting!


    I focused my attention back on myputer and continued the analysis. My thoughts drifted back to


    yesterday when we went out with the girls. Valerie had gotten a little over drunk and she decided to give


    u san ounce of her rtionship with her bosses!


    Apparently, they were two guys. It took me off guard that he was working for a gay couple. And she


    mentioned how the bosses loved to ¡°share¡± their employees. Although she didn¡¯t go into details, she kind


    o f gave us the clear picture of what transpired in Dark Woods Castle.


    After getting our asses drunk, we had piled back into my car and drove back home. I wasn¡¯t very drunk,


    since I was the driver for the night. We had dropped Laura off and then went straight home. Valerie


    mentioned that she¡¯d be leaving at sunrise, and that; her boss was finally here.


    I had frowned upon the realization that they¡¯d be spending the night together! But after what she had told


    me, I wasn¡¯t surprised. Just that it felt rather; disturbing. It didn¡¯t disturb her so I guess it was cool with


    her. It was me who found it unsettling to be involved with the boss ¡°that way¡±! But then again, who was It


    o question her?


    A sad 28 year old with no boyfriend or anyone to pump mydy bids out? Nope! Defly not me!This belongs to N?velDrama.Org.

 Chapter 12

    Chapter 12


    LEIGH-A*I


    I worked throughout the day getting ready for the annual ceremony and before I knew it, Laura and I


    were driving back to my apartment. She was staying for the night and I was rather happy to have her. I


    loved Laura so much; she just got to me without even trying. We joked a lot, cried together, dissed


    people together! She was my human diary and I appreciated everything about her.


    ¡°So how do you think the boss neighbour looks like?¡± She inquired jiggling her eyebrows! I looked at her


    and then busted out; then focused my attention back to the road!


    ¡°I don¡¯t know honey! He¡¯s probably a guy in his 40¡¯s, with a head that¡¯s already balding, a very ugly


    goatee and a pot belly!¡± I replied causing her to double over withughter. I joined her and giggled along


    at the idea of an old guy, with a big belly!


    ¡°There¡¯s no way Valerie would be involved with such a guy I mean dah! Have you seen her? She¡¯s totally


    fancy!¡± She pointed out stillughing!


    ¡°Yah you are right! She¡¯s not someone who¡¯d shack an older guy!¡± Or at least that¡¯s what I thought!


    ¡°So, you might get yourself a boyfriend!¡± she hit my arm causing me to yelp, which resulted into the


    immediate swerving of the car!


    Hey watch it bitch!


    The driver right on my left cursed out loud. Laura opened the window and decided to rain curses on him:


    ¡°No you watch it, you swine!¡± she shoved a middle into his face and I knew I had to speed off! But I


    couldn¡¯t helpughing when the car began honking and the hazards went off. I loved Laura but she was


    just way too crazy!


    ¡°Okay! Where were we?¡± I asked when we were a good distance from the guy we cursed.


    ¡°We were talking about a hot neighbour who might be your boyfriend!¡±


    ¡°Geeez Laura you are so quick and extra. Who said he might be with my boyfriend? You had Valerie; the


    guy is married. He¡¯s gay. And he shacks Valerie. I wouldn¡¯t date someone who shacked someone I


    know!¡± I tried to reason with her but she was just so stubborn and refused to see my point.


    The argumentsted until we got into the lobby of the apartment building. We walked to the elevator with


    her talking about how awesome it would to have someone to do me good and I just ended up shaking


    my head! There was really no reasoning with this one.


    We got into the elevator and right before the doors ng closed; there was a hand that gripped it,


    causing i t to open fully.


    ¡°Almost missed it! Good eveningdies!¡± A very hot guy stood there with a hot smile but I was busy


    hyperventting here. It couldn¡¯t be!


    ¡°You! It¡¯s you!¡± I called out stepping back.


    ¡°It¡¯s him what?¡± Laura asked already in defence mode.


    ¡°It¡¯s him. The stranger I took into my housest time. Call the police. Oh my goodness he came for me.¡± I


    rattled as I tried to fish my phone from my bag. Laura was in full defence mode as she tried to shield me


    1/3


    from the man who seemed like he had no clue of what was happening,


    ¡°Okaydies; I don¡¯t know what¡¯s going on here, but I can assure you that I am not who you think I am!¡±


    He said in a very clear voice, his hands raised up in surrender mode.


    ¡°Don¡¯t y that trick Mr Hot Pants. My girl saved you when you were being chased by the hooligans and


    stitched you up. You left without saying a word, only a small note saying you areing back for her!¡±


    Laura¡¯s voice stem as she addressed.


    ¡°My phone is out.¡± I screamed as I tried to switch my phone. I had to call the cops as in yesterday! He


    had finallye for me!


    ¡°Me? I swear I don¡¯t know what you are talking about. I don¡¯t know about the hooligans you are referring


    to and I swear I have never even seen thisdy before.¡± Its either he was good at pretending; or he was


    really innocent! But hell no, I wasn¡¯t having any of that!


    ¡°You are lying. I stitched you. You said you don¡¯t want me to call the ambnce!¡± I fired back peeking


    from Laura¡¯s shoulder! I carefully studied him and realized that he really had a bit of difference than the


    guyst time. But don¡¯t get me wrong, he was a spitting image of that guy; but this one had no tattoos on


    the face, while that one had three on his face.


    ¡°I really¡­¡±


    ¡°Show me your fingers!¡± I cut him off and he looked at me like I was crazy!


    ¡°My fingers?¡± He arched an eyebrow.


    ¡°Yes. Show me your fingers or I call the cops right now!¡± I remembered well that the previous guy had


    tattoos on his hands also. He extended his hand towards us, and he was clear; no tattoo, nothing!


    ¡°No no this is crazy! I know you had tattoos on your hands. I saw them. You were literally clothed in


    tattoos I know it. You know what; take off your damn t-shirt. I know you had gun wounds and scars. And


    you have lots of tattoos.¡± I said sternly.


    ¡°My t-shirt?¡± he asked looking at me like I had gone mad. Even Laura turned and looked at me with a


    knowing smirk. I didn¡¯t want to deal with her; we were in a very dire situation right about now!


    Content is ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Yes. Take off your dang t-shirt or I will¡­¡±


    ¡°Okay okay! Jesus!¡± he huffed and manly pulled off his t-shirt over his head, the way his triceps


    contracted with the movement didn¡¯t go unnoticed.


    ¡°Dang! He¡¯s hot!¡± Laura whispered and that¡¯s when I realised I was literally drooling!


    ¡°No! This is crazy!¡± I called out referring to his clean, clear torso that didn¡¯t have even a slightest scratch!


    ¡°What¡¯s crazy?¡± Both of the asked in sync.


    ¡°You! Your body was full of tattoos that time. Did youser them? But there has to be a few scars. No


    way! This is crazy! This is super crazy!¡± It truly was, this man had only 1 tattoo by his shoulder and that


    was it. The scars, the insane tattoos, they were not there. Could it be just a coincidence?


    ¡°For the umpteenth time; I am not who you think I am. I just arrived here yesterday. I am new to this


    ce and it¡¯s my first time seeing the two of you!¡± he said firmly, emphasising the fact that he really didn¡¯t


    know what I was talking about.


    I just stayed silent and chewed on my nail. Laura was staring at the two of us like we were crazy!


    ¡°Should we trust him?¡± She feigned a whisper causing me tough!


    ¡°I don¡¯t know should we?¡±


    ¡°He looks hot so yeah. Let¡¯s forgive him!¡± I looked up at the guy who was intently watching Laura and i!


    ¡°Okay! We apologize for the misunderstanding! You may go!¡± i dismissed him and that¡¯s when I realised


    the elevator has long stopped on my floor! Laura and I took our steps outside and he followed us.


    ¡°You, why are you following us?¡± I barked at him and his brows furrowed.


    ¡°I live on this floor!¡± He pointed to room right across mine and my jaw literally dropped to the floor.


    I had sessfully managed to embarrass myself in front of my new neighbour, on our very first


    encounter!


    Way to go!

 Chapter 13

    Chapter 13


    LORENZO


    Once I was behind the safety of closed doors of my apartment; I let loose. I clutched my stomach tightly


    andughed! Iughed so hard that I had to crawl to the couch and nt myself face first; then continue


    laughing! Never, in my wildest dream had I imagined that my very first encounter, after a decade, with


    Leigh would be that way!


    Man she was feisty! Holy pregnant cow.


    I reached for my phone and quickly dialed Verzi, he answered on the third ring and began chuckling as


    soon as he read my mood!


    ¡°I am listening!¡±


    ¡°You won¡¯t believe what just happened!¡± I cackled as I heaved out for air.


    I spent the next 20 minutes exining to him about what had just happened. How Leigh even had me


    take off my t-shirt just so she sees that I really wasn¡¯t Verzi. Weughed so hard and I was really happy! I


    have neverughed like this in my entire life. She had been scared yes, at the same time; she was trying


    to put the brave facade. Like when she pointed a phone to me like it was a gun! God I so wanted to burst


    out a t that moment!


    Belongs ? to N?velDrama.Org.


    But one thing I realized was how beautiful she was. My little Ati had grown into a full woman! She had


    curves that would make earth stop in its orbit; she had a smile that could light up the whole world! A lot


    has changed in the past decade, but she was still her. My beautiful angel in human flesh.


    as standing at the reception when they entered with her friend clutched tightly on her shoulder. From


    what I heard from Valerie, that had to be her best friend Laura! They were gossiping about something


    and I could¡¯ve swom it was about me. And when her friend went ahead and called me Mr. Hot Pants,


    gosh I couldn¡¯t keep it.


    If I survived those minute without revealing who I was, then I deserved an Oscar. The sudden ding-


    dongo n the door had me pausing the call with Verzi. I walked to the door, yanked it open to find three


    police officer.


    As soon as their eyesnded on me, their mouths went agape and they audibly swallowed, before


    ringa teach then back at me!


    ¡°Let me call youter. Looks like A*i called the cops on me.¡± I announced to Verzi who chuckled softly!


    ¡°That¡¯s my girl!¡± he amused before cutting the call.


    ¡°Good evening gentlemen,dy! How may I help you?¡± I asked with a small polite smile!


    ¡°Mr. Cattanio. Huh! W-we¡­ The call¡­ its y-¡­¡± One officer tried to talk only to end up stammering like


    crazy. The door across mine slowly creaked opened and two shadows flickered behind as the two little


    girls eavesdropped from behind it. A fit of guffaw threatened to spill out of me but I quickly cleared my


    throat before refocusing my attention on the three police officers in front of me.


    ¡°Pleasee in!¡± I stood aside before ushering them inside, and then shook my head when I realized a


    whole newmotion behind the door across. There were hushed voices before the door slowly


    creaked closed with a soft click! I swear I have never seen such yfuldies in my entire existence.


    I went to the living room to find the officers discussing among themselves. Upon being in their vicinity.


    they spilled the beans.


    ¡°We highly apologize for the inconvenience Mr. Cattanio. We received the call from thedy living across.


    She had previously filed a case about a man who she took into her ce and treated. The said man left


    a note which was rather disturbing. We had informed her to quickly call us if anything unusual happens.


    But we didn¡¯t know that the said man was you. For that we highly apologize.¡±


    ¡°Yes Mr. Cattanio we are really sorry!¡± The other one added up nodding his head like crazy!


    ¡°So, what you are trying to tell me is, you won¡¯t take care of the issue now that you have discovered that


    it¡¯s me involved? What about her safety? She went to the police because she didn¡¯t feel safe right? Now


    what if I really came here with ill intentions? And just because it¡¯s ME not some lowlymoner, you


    won¡¯t take actions against me. Is that what you are trying to say?¡± I had my brows furrowed, my arms


    folded against my chest and me ring daggers at them,


    They ufortably shifted in their position as they tried to find the good answer to my question.


    ¡°Ah Mr. Cattanio¡­¡±


    ¡°You are police officers right? Your job is to protect those who can¡¯t, not to kiss the asses of the powerful


    and wealthy.¡± I couldn¡¯t believe I was scolding them.


    ¡°We apologize Mr. Cattanio.¡° By now, they had their heads bowed.


    ¡°Don¡¯t let me be the one to remind you your jobs. And for your information, the one Miss Montreal saved


    was Vernero. Not me. I only arrived yesterday here. And yes I came here for Miss Montreal, she is my


    childhood friend and we haven¡¯t met in years. She lost her memories and can¡¯t remember either me or


    Vemero. But be rest assured, I have no ill intentions towards her. I just need to be close to her! That¡¯s


    all!¡± I shrugged off casually and watched as they nodded their heads, showing that everything I had just


    said was driven home.


    They were lucky that it wasn¡¯t Vernero they stumbled upon, or else he would have been preparing to give


    money for their burials and they knew that! Vemero¡¯s influence spread from countries to countries.


    Everyone knew him and everyone bowed to him!


    LEIGH-A*I


    It has been a little over 15 minutes since the police arrived and we have been perched by the door, trying


    t o catch any movement from across the hallway. But to our rotten luck, it was as still as death. I looked


    up t o find Laura with a very serious look as she had her ear against the door.


    ¡°Do you think they arrested him?¡± she asked staring down to where I was kneeling. After getting into the


    apartment, we have quickly called the cops because honestly, I didn¡¯t want to bet with my life. Iid


    everything to them and how the man lives from across my own house. They arrived here quickly and as


    soon as we heard them, we sat by the door to listen to the conversation and watch as Mr. Hot guy got


    arrested.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know. Maybe? You think they caught him?¡± I asked in return!


    ¡°But isn¡¯t there supposed to be some shouting to show resistance? They went inside. I wonder if they


    have his big body in cuffs against the floor right now!¡± I seriously didn¡¯t know what went on in Laura¡¯s


    mind sometimes. The girl was super crazy. The whole idea of standing against the door was entirely


    hers. And


    good heavens I loved her to bits.


    ¡°This is bad though! I got my neighbor arrested.¡±


    ¡°Not only that! Molested him in the elevator bymanding him to take of his shirt!¡± she dissed causing


    me to fall into giant fits ofughter. She followed along and we doubled up right against the door when


    we suddenly heard the voices in the hall way.


    ¡°Shh shhh! They are out!¡± I warned pointed to the door. We once again perched our ears on the door and


    listened. We couldn¡¯t make out the voices so I looked at her to send the signal, she nodded and I slowly


    crawled for the door handle and carefully turned the knob open, just an inch so we can her what was


    happening outside.


    The voices were now distant and we figured they were heading for the elevator. We opened the door


    then peaked out and there they were, Mr. Hot Pants walking besides three officers. He so looked like a


    mountain next to them and he just stood out.


    ¡°He¡¯s big!¡± I pointed out.


    ¡°And hot!¡± Laura added up from somewhere above me. They all got inside and then turned to press the


    buttons. Laura and I quickly retrieved back into the house before getting caught! ¡°He is arrested!¡±

 Chapter 14

    Chapter 14


    LEIGH-A*I


    The following day, Laura and I got up early and piled up into my car and left for work. Before leaving, we


    had tried to catch even the slightest movement from the apartment across the hallway; but came up with


    nothing! And that meant one thing:


    My neighbor spent the night at the police station.


    Although that was rather unsettling, I felt like maybe I did what I had to do for my safety! Yes I was guilty,


    especially because the guy now, different from the guy previously. However, they weren¡¯t that different.


    The only thing that was different this time was theck of tattoos and gunshot wounds and scars. But


    from there, the voice, the physique, everything screamed the tattooed guy I met that day! And I really


    didn¡¯t believe that it were two different people! Yes there were lots of coincidences in this life bute on


    guys! How can someone be a spitting image of someone and not know that particr person? I mean


    the guy is an absolute replica of that other guy, but then how do you exin the absence of tattoos?


    Because even if he hadser to remove them, there would have been some little scars and remnants of


    the ink! But there was absolutely nothing! Like his skin was as white as a writing pad! Unless it was really


    a coincidence! All these thoughts made me really dizzy and I didn¡¯t want to think of this matter anymore.


    Whoever he was, then he would deal with the cops!


    The day rolled by quickly and I got to help in a small surgery that was 3 hours long. At some point, I had


    thought of calling Valerie to let her know what had transpired in less than 24 hours of her departure. But


    a t the same time, thought against the very possible idea. If she was going to know of her boss¡¯s arrest,


    then i t would be through him; not me! I spent the rest of the noon working on the uing annual event


    and before I knew it, I was driving home and this time; without Laura.


    I wasn¡¯t in the mood of cooking so as soon as I was in the safety of my house, I ordered in and took off


    the tight fitting clothes, changed into loose ones and sat in the living room while I waited for pizza to


    arrive.


    The sound of the bell ringing had me rushing to the door and quickly yanked it open; with the thought


    that it was the delivery! Only to have my jaw drop to the floor when my eyesnded on not anyone but


    my neighbor in his mighty glory!


    ¡°You¡­¡± That was all I managed to say because words seemed to have stuck in my throat!


    ¡°Good evening Miss. Were you expecting someone?¡± His voice was raspy as he turned to the side


    looking for whoever I was expecting. The sudden thought of shutting the door in his face shed in my


    mind but I dismissed it. Iposed myself and then cleared my throat!


    ¡°Weren¡¯t you arrestedst night? What are you doing here? You want me to call the cops on you?


    Because I will definitely do it! You know I can do that right?¡± I tried to sound as brave as I intended but I


    really wasn¡¯t sure if it came out that way! It felt like I was bbering so I had to turn to the side to take


    two deep breathes, then stare back at him!


    ¡°I came here to invite you for dinner. I believe we have a bit of talking to do. To clear some


    misunderstandings! Don¡¯t you think?¡± He emphasized the misunderstanding part which made me feel


    very much like a prick. I cleared my throat again and tried to master the brave fa?ade!


    ¡°And what misunderstanding could there be between us? I did what I had to do. You promised toe


    back at me but I didn¡¯t think that was serious. So here you are, standing right in front of my house inviting


    me for dinner. For what I know, you might be some kind of a hooligan or¡­¡±


    ¡°I am sorry to interrupt but I believe you have met my assistant. Valerie Romano. Did she by any chance,


    mention something about me being a hooligan like you are saying?¡± He asked with a furrowed brows and


    that¡¯s when I got to really see his face. This guy was a total snack. For the umpteenth timedies and


    gentlemen, I cleared my throat and stared straight into his eyes.


    ¡°Yes I have met her. Such a lovely sweetheart! And no she did not mention anything about you being a


    hooligan! But still¡­¡±


    ¡°Do I by any chance make you feel uneasy Miss...?¡± He arched a brow again.


    ¡°Montreal. Miss Montreal. And no you don¡¯t make me uneasy.¡±


    ¡°Right! Now that you say that; how about we talk a little and get to know each other over a te of


    creamy pasta and sausage rolls?¡± he asked clearly aware that I was super hungry! Wait, did he even


    know that I was hungry? And he sure sounded like he knew his way around the kitchen!


    I opened my mouth to reply him but the distant dinging of the elevator captured my attention. The


    delivery boy got out carrying a bag of pizza and walked towards us.


    ¡°That¡¯s mine. Let me go get some cash!¡± I announced leaving the door opened and went into the living


    room, retrieved the money and went back to the door.


    ¡°I have settled it. Don¡¯t worry.¡± Neighbor dearest informed handing me my pizza. The pizza boy danced


    his way back to the elevator and I knew deep down that he got a good tip! Words seemed to fail me


    when I tried to refute him for paying for my pizza. But then I realized I have been nothing but rude to my


    neighbor ever since Iid my eyes on him.


    ¡°Thank you!¡± I said instead and raised my hands to take the pizza. His grip tightened a bit on the box and


    I looked up at him:


    ¡°About dinner? You were not seriously thinking of eating pizza for dinner were you? Now you have more


    reasons than one to join me! Please!¡± the plea was rather too cute to refuse. So I made up my mind atContent is ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.


    that moment. I mean dah! It wasti¡¯t like he was going to kill me or anything!


    ¡°You aren¡¯t nning to kill me are you?¡± I asked thinning my eyes on him! He let out a full richughter


    and dang! He was hot!


    ¡°What? Nooooo! Am I that bad to you? We seriously need to have this dinner so that I can get to know


    you and vice versa.¡± he said with an amused smile and all I could do was nod, close my door, and follow


    him into his house!


    If I died, at least I¡¯ll die with a full stomach! Will I even get the chance to eat though?

 Chapter 15

    Chapter 15


    LORENZO


    Gosh she¡¯s so beautiful!


    I thought to myself as I intently watched as she scooped some creamy pasta with her fork, unhurriedly


    rolled it while she subconsciously licked her lips, before cing the fork into her mouth and slowly


    sucked on it. She went in by shutting her eyes closed and let out a barely audible moan of appreciation!


    She didn¡¯t mean for me to hear it, but my ears were as far as perked to catch any sound that she made!


    My eyes dropped to her lips where a bit of cream was on the side of her mouth. My hand itched to wipe


    it, my mouth drooled to lick that but I had myself in good reigns!


    ¡°So Mr. Cattanio, you own a multi-gazillionpany, you are married to another rich guy and you two


    share your assistant?¡± She opened her eyes and stared at me expectantly. My brows furrowed in


    confusion as I tried to make sense of what she just said!


    Did my little girl think I was gay? Holy crap!


    ¡°Well, our rtionship with Valerie is a little bit unusual. It¡¯s not a normal boss/employee rtionship but I


    assure you we all know our limits. We have strict boundaries that we won¡¯t even dream of overstepping!


    There¡¯s just a lot on stake.¡± I chimed in causing her to zone out in thought.


    She did that small thing where she unknowingly tapped her chin when she was lost deep in thought.


    Goodness she hasn¡¯t changed even a bit. At all! Nothing about Leigh-A*i had changed. She was still


    HER!


    ¡°I see! So what if some other time, you mistakenly knock her up? I mean mistakes do happen you know


    that right? So yeah you are going too hard at it and the condom breaks and then boof, she wakes up in


    ¡°Oh God!¡± she murmured closing her eyes, shimking a bit into her seat!


    ¡°What?¡± I asked with a smile! I sometimes wondered how fast a human brain can work. A*i¡¯s mind had


    always worked gazillion miles per second. I mean in just a split second, she has already created that little


    epic chimera where we have to fight for the rights over the baby with Valerie! And God knows I loved to


    hear it from her! She was just purely enchanting when she just let loose, and went on by spilling her


    crazy mind!


    ¡°I am bbering! I am so sorry! Like really really sorry! I mean it happens and then I start creating these


    crazy scenarios in my head where all things are like a movie and then I just go all out! I actually call it


    verbal diarrhea! When it starts, there¡¯s no stopping. I mean you have eventually seen it right? And


    then¡­.¡± she kept quiet again and took two deep breaths before staring back at me. Good lord she was


    so adorable. I was literally dying in my seat from just watching her!


    ¡°I am actually enjoying your wild imagination so go on! It¡¯s really cherubical!¡± my smile stretched even


    further as I watched her ears turn red! Yahp! Saw that oneing! It has always been easy to


    embarrass this one!


    ¡°Okay! Okay!¡± She said almost to herself and took her ss of wine, then downed the whole liquor down


    and refocused on her food.


    ¡°Again! You can really cook! This is super good! What did you use again? I can¡¯t believe you used the


    same ingredients I have in my house. But believe me, I couldn¡¯t have made something like this!¡± she


    complimented and dug her teeth into the sausage roll. It was so fulfilling to just sit here, watch her as she


    enjoyed the food I made. I knew she loved this dish since young. And just watching her devour it down


    made me think of our crazy childhood!


    Text content ? N?velDrama.Org.


    It stung a little at the realization that she really didn¡¯t recognize me at all! To her, I was aplete


    stranger. I had thought making her her favorite dish would spark something from inside. But I was


    entirely wrong. She didn¡¯t remember me, not even slightly! But it was okay! It really was okay; because I


    was determined to create new memories with her! If ever her memories came back one day, then it


    would just be an add on!


    If only Vernero was here!


    LEIGH-A*I


    ¡°And then you guys didn¡¯t even kiss or touch or anything?¡± Laura inquired crowding my little personal


    space that was left!


    ¡°Yes Laura we did not kiss. Or touch. Or anything! Mr. Neighbor Dearest only invited me to dinner into his


    house because he felt like we needed to clear some misunderstandings! And yes yes yes he is hot and


    he can cook! Will I be dating him? NO! Why? Because he himself stated that he was married! To a guy!¡± I


    made an emphasis on the ¡®married to a guy¡¯ so that it hit home!


    ¡°But still, if he is able to shack Valerie then he can definitely do you a number or two. I mean look at you!


    You are a nun right now! Probably yourdy bits are nothing but a cradle of spiders with cobwebs and


    shit!¡± she pointed out causing me to scrunch my nose. 1


    ¡°Eeeeww! How can you say that?¡± I hit her on the shoulder causing her to fall back andughed out.


    W e were currently seating at the stone benches outside the hospital cafeteria. It was our favorite spot


    because it was so quiet and serene, even though it wasn¡¯t secluded. From here, we could see everything


    from the caf¨¦ and from the street below.


    ¡°But really girl, maybe you can sign up for being their surrogate!¡± she proposed biting into her burrito


    ,


    ¡°Laura Montez Petrou can you kindly get it in your big head that Mr. Neighbor Dearest and I are not


    going t o get involved?¡± I knew she hated it when I used her full name. With that, she threw me the


    stickiest eye which sent me down withughter. She snorted and just ignored me.


    We ate our lunch hurriedly talking about everything and nothing! By the time I got to my office, I busied


    myself with the preparations of the ceremony since there were no surgeries at hand; and I really wasn¡¯t


    in the mood to go address the wounds and change bandages. We had nurses for that! It was really


    wonderful t o go to work, and just rx because it wasn¡¯t hectic.


    My Head of Department sent me to the hotel where the ceremony was going to be held this year!


    They really went out and I was so looking forward to it! I loved this ceremony because it was through it


    we were able to get investors. To a doctor, there was nothing heartbreaking than when you can¡¯t save a


    life, not because it is too difficult to do it, but because there are no funds or money to pay for. That


    always managed to make me tear a little. I always found it unfair that the rich can get absolutely anything


    they wanted, while the poor died because they didn¡¯t have money to pay for surgeries.


    So with this ceremony, things did really go well! And this year was going to be a bomb!

 Chapter 16

    Chapter 16


    LORENZO


    I had previously received some news from St Andrews Hospital that they wanted to host their annual


    party. Not only was I a surprise guest to the party, but it was going to be held at CATT Hotel this year.


    You can imagine my happiness when I realized that I was going to have more of Leigh-A*i to myself


    because o f it! To top it all, the hospital management agreed when I asked them to put her on the guest


    management for the ceremony so yeah! You guessed it! Things were going to be lit! 1


    I hadid the news to Verzi and man was he jealous of me! I teased him a lot just so as to rub the salt in


    the wound that I was near our girl; and he wasn¡¯t! His reactions when I told him what had transpired


    always managed to kill me!


    The day of the party rolled over quickly and before I knew it, the hotel was busy preparing for it! It was


    going to be held tomorrow night and I honestly couldn¡¯t wait to be there! Just like usual, I invited ¡°my


    neighbor¡± for dinner but sadly got declined since she was way too busy preparing for the party!


    ¡°At least let me make you something to eat quickly and then pack it for you!¡± I insisted putting on a very


    convincing look. I couldn¡¯t imagine how my night would tum out without a little A*i-doze! She took her


    minute studying me before bundling her eyebrows¡­


    ¡°What do you do again? You own businesses right?¡±


    ¡°Yeeeees?¡± I replied furrowing my brows also. What was she getting up to this time?


    Belongs ? to N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°For someone who owns multiple businesses, you sure look veryckadaisical and not tied down. I


    thought people who own businesses are always busy trying to meet deadlines and shit¡­¡± I threw my


    head back and busted out! She just always managed to crack me up!


    ¡°Yes that¡¯s how it is! But I am not just a business man. I am a business guru. I have millions of people


    under me who are employed to run around meeting deadlines and shit!¡± I shrugged it off casually.


    ¡°Hmmmmmm! Must be nice to be you!¡± I could hear and taste the sarcasm in her voice.


    ¡°Just please¡­. I swear you are going to love this dish.¡± I raised my hands trying to convince her. I so


    couldn¡¯t believe I was standing in the hallway, of an apartment building, trying to convince MY WOMAN o


    make food for her. I mean that was super insane. She didn¡¯t know that she was mine and Verzi; but she


    would soon. In just a matter of¡­


    ¡°Are you by any chance lonely Mr. Cattanio?¡± the way my sumame rolled on her tongue made me want


    to cum instantly!


    ¡°No I am not lonely. I just want to be on your good side and be friends with you! Seeing as how we


    started off on the wrong foot.¡±


    ¡°Haaaaaaah! But you know I still don¡¯t trust you right?¡± she challenged thinning her eyes at me.


    ¡°I know that very well and all I am trying to do is to have your utmost trust and to do that, the least I cand


    o is to make you a nice hot spaghetti since you are way too busy to cook. Does that sound so convince?


    I hope it does!¡± I mumbled to myself and raised my eyes to find her smiling.


    ¡°Right! You win! How can I say no to such a handsome face? Don¡¯t get any ideas okay? That was just a


    compliment. You are handsome and married and very much gay! So, I am going to continue working and


    you will cook that pasta for me, pack it up and leave it here by the door right.¡± She rattled causing me to


    chuckle. We exchanged pleasantries and both left to thefort of our houses.


    But all I could think off was how she was going to react when she saw me at the party!


    Happy? Surprised?


    Well that remains to be seen!


    The hotel ballroom was buzzing with doctors and all stinky rich fes. I was pissed out of my wits


    because I had been here for the past two hours and nothing has been done yet. The sound of the wines


    sses clinking and the white noise of people chattering made it feel like my head was splitting into two!


    I was standing on the balcony running away from all of the noise.


    But one thing that made me want to kill myself was that I haven¡¯t spotted A*i, not even once ever since I


    made it here! I gave out a disturbed sigh and chucked down the remaining wine in the ss. I turned to


    look somewhere else and that¡¯s when my eyesnded right near the entrance.


    There she was looking fabulous in a silver floor length sheath gown which clung to her body like a


    second skin or a glove with a rather huge giant but utterly sexy slit that made its way right to where her


    leg connected with her waist and I could¡¯ve sworn at that moment she was wearing any panties inside.


    Her right hip was at full disy, her silky caramel skin on view for the world to admire. The gown was


    very exquisite and its front highlighted her perfect sternum. The lining adjoined with the see-throughce


    that exposed her alluring cleavage. There were millions of shiny gemstones all around the bodice that


    caught light with her every move and I swear my cock stood to attention at her sight. She was beyond


    beautiful! The look was coupled with ck stiletto sandals with straps that winded all around her leg from


    her calf, making its way just an inch below her knee. Her hair was pinned elegantly on her head,


    revealing shit


    eating diamond drop earrings. I didn¡¯t realize my jaw was on the floor until I heard soft murmurs. 2


    Heads turned as everyone took in the sight of the real Goddess when she sashayed into the ballroom,


    completely oblivious of the envy, lust and adoration filled stares that were thrown her way! She walked up


    to the table where there were a few men and elegant women, and then she talked to them for a bit. Right


    o n the clock, someone got from their seat and walked to the podium! So they were waiting for the queen


    in order tomence huh?


    I watched with pure fascination as she smiled and talked to some guests who were rather way too


    interested into talking to her! I just stayed there and admired her from afar. The MC called her to the


    stage as it was her time to call upon the important guests she majestically mounted the stage and man; I


    couldn¡¯t be more proud. She looked like something I have never seen, something I can never tire of


    seeing! She was absolutely gorgeous! My eyes moved with every gesture she made,pletely aware


    of the skin that was barely covered by her dress. Her smiles revealed pearl white teeth; she was an art


    piece herself! Every piece of her body was right where it was meant to be! I have never seen someone


    so perfect in my entire sorry life!


    ¡°Up next, we will have our very most distinguished surprise guest who has donated to our hospital, over


    300 Million Euros to fund all the surgeries of patients with heart disease, lung disease and Alzheimer¡¯s


    disease. We sure are in the lucky side of things this year!¡± She teased causing the crowd tough a little.


    ¡°Ladies and gentlemen, wee on stage, Mr. Lor¡­ Oh my!¡± She paused and then furrowed her brows!


    Then raised her eyes to the audience and smiled. Did she know how beautiful she looked when doing all


    that?


    ¡°You guys are going to be shocked. Ladies and gentlemen, let¡¯s give a big round of apuse for the one


    and only golden business guru; Mr. Lorenzo Cattanio!¡± She looked up again her eyes searching for me


    and began pping her hands. I fixed my tie a little and then appeared from my hidinger! There


    were a few people who stopped me from getting next to my woman because they all wanted to have


    handshakes but at longst, I got to the stage and then literally melted into the puddle when she gave


    me a hug.


    I couldn¡¯t help it but went in and ced a giant lip smack on her cheek. This was perfect!

 Chapter 17

    Chapter 17


    LEIGH-A*I


    Belongs ? to N?velDrama.Org.


    There was no way in hell I could have imagined that Lorenzo Cattanio aka my neighbor who cooks panty


    dropping spaghetti was our party¡¯s surprise guest who donated gazillions to our hospital. When I


    mounted the stage and called out everyone who made the donations, I had been so curious as to who


    graced us with such an impable endowment!


    There was no way I thought of him. I didn¡¯t even know he was here today. Imagine my surprise when my


    eyesnded on his name after opening that damn envelope. My jaw t out dropped. And then when he


    appeared from the far corner in his mighty glory, I just¡­ I couldn¡¯t. He was so hot. Like insanely hot. No


    man was allowed to look that way. Especially a married man! I mean that wasn¡¯t fair in all ways! 1


    Tas


    He was dressed neatly in the maroon Armani three piece suite with a ck tie that made him look like


    something that just jumped from a magazine. I had watched him as he gracefully made his way to the


    stage, pulling the whole universe at his hand! He was just so awesome.


    ¡°What are you thinking about?¡± I looked up to him and shook my head! Soft music continued pouring


    from the giant speakers of the ballroom. Everything was all said and done and we justzing around and


    dancing all over the floor. He had insisted that he was going to have a dance with me and I couldn¡¯t find


    in in me to turn him down!


    ¡°You.¡± I admitted tly!


    ¡°Hmmmm! That¡¯s a first! What are you thinking about me?¡± His hot iced mint breath caressed my face


    making me very aware of his vicinity and how my body was pressed against his. His hand continued


    rubbing gently at my exposed lower back and I was vaguely aware of the heat that was exuded from his


    body!


    ¡°How you were able to donate that much money? How did you evene to know that we needed


    funds?¡± I asked looking behind him from his shoulder.


    ¡°Someone kind of mentioned it over a te of pasta so I figured I should do something!¡± He just replied


    t handedly. I looked up at him and paused in my step, then shook my head and continued our


    unhurried swaying!


    ¡°Me and my verbal diarrhea! But you should me yourself for making such good food!¡± I red at him


    causing him to chuckle.


    ¡°So, does your husband know that donated that amount of money? I mean that¡¯s a huge chunk to just


    give i taway.¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t give it away. I gave it out for a good cause! And I should really make one thing clear. I do not


    have a husband. Or a wife. I am happily unmarried and it really hurts to see the beautiful you and then


    know that you think I am married!¡± Wait what? 1


    ¡°Yes. I am not married.¡±


    ¡°I said that loud didn¡¯t i?¡± I asked with a small smile.


    ¡°Yes you did!¡± he replied turning us to the side.


    ¡°What do you mean you are not married? Are you engaged maybe? Because Valerie mentioned she got


    two bosses and you all live together in a giant castle.¡± His steps paused and he gave me that sexy


    chuckle.


    ¡°So you had to go ahead and think that we are married? That might be some crazy living arrangement


    that have nothing to do with blood or family ties.¡±


    ¡°Yes but still, the only logical thing that I came up with was that you are married. To a guy. And the two of


    you are bosses to Valerie!¡± I defended shrugging off!


    ¡°I really want to know what goes up in your mind sometimes!¡± he shook his head slightly and continued


    moving my body with his.


    ¡°So you are not married?¡± I inquired staring him right in the eye.


    ¡°No I am not married nor engaged!¡±


    ¡°But you are bisexual?¡± His steps paused again before he busted out in full bellyughter. He had to hide


    his face into my neck to muffle his loudughter and I found myselfughing along with him!


    ¡°Leigh-A*i Montreal you are so hrious!¡± he cackled up against my neck causing me to smile in return!


    ¡°Hey. If I thought you are married to a guy then it¡¯s only fair to understand you are bisexual. You know


    like half gay, half straight! I mean you have a husband which is the gay side of you, and you shack


    Valerie which is the straight side of you!¡± I exined trying to make him see my point of view,


    He pulled his face from my neck and then brushed his crotch right against my clothed navel. My


    breathing hitched when a bulged crotch literally humped into me and making me lose all the coherent


    thoughts.


    ¡°Does this give you the exnation you need?¡± he asked intently staring down at me. I subconsciously


    licked my lips and swallowed audibly, trying to moisten up my suddenly perched throat!


    ¡°You are horny!¡±


    ¡°Yahp! And it¡¯s your entire fault. I have been like this ever since you walked into this ballroom wearing


    this barely-there dress. And for an entire time, I have been fantasizing about all the things I could do to


    you which one of them is to get you out of this sinful dress!¡± he confessed with a very serious look on his


    face. My jaw was practically somewhere on the floor upon hearing those words spilling from his mouth. I


    tried to engage all my feminine power and flirt back but I was shocked out of wits. I didn¡¯t even know how


    to flirt, or how to reply back because he was definitely wooing me right now!


    ¡°Cat got your tongue Doc?¡± he arched a brow which made him look even more handsome. I think I could


    use a drink! Or a change of topic.


    ¡°CATT hotel! It¡¯s yours right?¡± I asked instead causing him to halt a little, then smirk and re down at


    me before continuing our sway!


    ¡°Yahp!¡± he said shortly and that¡¯s when everything fell into ce. How didn¡¯t I miss this? I mean CATT for


    Cattanio. But still, this guy has been here for not more than three weeks. There was no way I could have


    thought he had so much influence in Cyprus. I mean he is Italian.


    ¡°Want to get out of here?¡± He asked in a sultry voice, ¡°Maybe!¡±

 Chapter 18

    Chapter 18


    LORENZO


    Ari and I quickly left the ballroom hand in hand and dashed towards the lobby where my driver and some


    of my guys were waiting for me. Upon our appearance, they made their way to the limo and we got in


    after them; then drove off!


    Being next to Ari made me painfully hard and I wanted to cool off before I could do something very sinful!


    Without Verzi! I settled with some wine while the limo stretched through the small but morous city of


    Cyprus. The sexual tension was so thick you could cut it with a steak knife; I could almost smell her


    arousal from where I was seated, which was opposite from her!


    We sat in a very ufortable silence and I continued fixing my tie which was suddenly way too tight!


    The sudden vibration of my phone was a perfect distraction and I was quick to ept the call even


    before looking at the caller ID!


    ¡°Are you with her right now?¡± Verzi¡¯s rushed voice poured out of the speaker causing my eyes to shift to


    where Ari was neatly poised seeping her wine.


    ¡°S¨¬!¡± I replied tly switching to Italian! I didn¡¯t want her to have even the slightest idea of what was going


    down!


    ¡°And she¡¯s wearing that sinister dress?¡± Verzi inquired with a bit of interest dripping from his tone!


    ¡°Lei mi sta idendo con esso! ¨¨ cosi be cara!¡± (She is killing me with it man. she is so beautiful!) I


    sneaked yet another nce at her very exposed thigh and which made me grow even harder. I shifted in


    m y seat and adjusted the bulge in my pants. Then focused on Verzi who was yelling on the phone about


    how I shouldn¡¯t do anything that I shouldn¡¯t.


    ¡°But you can at least touch her. If you know what I mean¡± he surprised and I actually had to have him


    repeat what he just said because there was no way I thought he¡¯d let me touch her without him. And


    when he still went over with it, I was the happiest man alive. We cut the call and now I was a man on a


    mission. I tossed it to the seat and took a few seconds admiring her.


    ¡°Hey, Doc.¡± I said softly and she tumed her head to look at me,


    ¡°Come here.¡± I patted the seat next to me and watched as she wriggled her lush hips to get up, and then


    perched herself beside me. Heat resonated from her body, inming my own!


    ¡°That was Italian right? I so love thatnguage! It¡¯s damn sexy!¡± sheplimented chugging down the


    remaining wine! She was slightly flushed and I took it that it was the effect of the alcohol!


    ¡°Did I tell you how beautiful you are tonight?¡± I caught her off guard by the suddenpliment, causing


    her breath to hitch a little. She slightly parted her lips and then slowly licked her bottom lip before smiling


    at me. Good heavens, this girl was a whole new sex goddess with a side of pheromones dripping all over


    her entire being!


    ¡°No Big Guy. You didn¡¯t!¡± she interjected with a bit of a smile.


    ¡°I want to kiss you!¡± it was a very t statement and I wasn¡¯t going to take no for an answer. Before she


    could even utter a single word, I inched closer to her and caught her jaw with my hand, then slightly


    brushed my finger along her sharp jawline before ghosting my lips against her.


    Her breath was hot against my hungry lips; and as soon as her breathingbored,ing out in pants, I


    knew I had to kiss her. I carefully pulled her bottom lip with my teeth, nipped it a bit causing her to yelp


    from her seat. My free hand caught her right by her waist, pinning her down to the seat.


    I reveled in toying with her luscious lips and just making love to her that way! She moaned a bit when I


    slowly licked the inmed part of her lips before pulling it into my own mouth, and literally devoured her.


    Her moans of pleasure were swallowed by my hungry lips and the more she made them; the more I


    became painfully hard.


    It got way too intense at some point that I had her straddling my hips, with her bare love hole right above


    my crotch. Although Verzi told me I could have a bit of her touch; I wanted more. I wanted to feel her


    warm pussy closing around me and drinking all of me in! But I knew I couldn¡¯t bring myself to that to her.


    To Verzi, and to myself!


    So I settled on making love to her with my fingers. Man, I fucked that little kitten so hard that she


    squirted. Not once, not twice; but a couple of times.


    The way her body responded to my touch, the way she danced to the sound of my music, the way she


    let m? e y her, mold her, squeeze and knead her. It was beyond beautiful. I pumped my fingers


    insanely fast into her, awed by how she received all I gave her way too well. It wasn¡¯t much yes, but it


    proved that her body was made for me. For Verzi.


    For us!


    LEIGH-ARI


    Content is ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.


    It has been a week and a half since the limo incident and I have been avoiding Lorenzo Cattanio like a


    plug! I was not ready to face him after what had transpired because man; it was the it! Or was it? 1


    To make matters a little bit serious, I had to temporarily move out of my house and crash at Laura¡¯s.


    Because I didn¡¯t know what or how I¡¯d act when I saw him! Yes, he has been trying to reach out, calling,


    texting. Showing unexpectedly at the hospital in the name of ¡°monitoring the operations since he was the


    investor¡±. And I have been doing all it takes to avoid him.


    Not because I was being a chicken or something. I didn¡¯t trust myself to be around him, especially when


    h e had ¡°yed¡± me that well! I knew if I was going to be anywhere near him; then I was going to jump


    his bones and let him do more than just giving me intense orgasms with his fingers. I mean if he could


    ¡°ALL THAT¡± with just his fingers, what about him? All of him?


    One thing that puzzled me the most was if I went with the flow; how was I going to exin myself to


    Valerie? She was almost a friend and I couldn¡¯t be involved with a man she shacks. At the same time;


    what did I have to lose huh? It¡¯s not like Valerie was married to Lorenzo! They never dated! And possibly


    won¡¯t as in like as long as forever!


    All these thoughts made me crazy and before I had my shit figured out together; I wasn¡¯t going to set my.


    foot anywhere near Lorenzo aka Neighbor Dearest!

 Chapter 19

    Chapter 19


    LORENZO


    The following weeks passed with a blur and Leigh-Ari Montreal was nowhere to be seen! Or at least


    that¡¯s what she thought!


    I had a very perfectly vivid image of what she was trying to paint in my mind and decided to humor her.


    Yes, she yed ¡°hit and run¡± on me! She came so hard on my fingers and was limp and


    half-dead in my arms; then the following morning she had disappeared like water in the sand, with no


    traces of her.


    As I said, that¡¯s what she thought! Little did she know that I was very aware of every single step she took


    i n her day. I had my men following her all over and knew that she was crushing at her friend¡¯s ce. She


    would sneak into her house to get a few files when she thought I am not watching and then silently leave;


    my front door camera would catch every single move. Even when she slightly leaned over my door to ¡¤


    listen to whatever was going inside!


    The first few days after the limo incident, I had called her and texted her; knocked on her door just for the


    fun of it. And all my attempts to reach out to her were unanswered! I showed up at her work some other


    time, only to have her hide in thedies¡¯ room until I left! It was rather funny though; especially because


    she had just a little time before¡­ You know what, never mind!


    ¡°Is everything ready?¡± I asked with amanding voice, turned, and looked outside the morning sky


    from my balcony door!


    ¡°Yes, Sir it is all ready!¡±


    ¡°For how many days will it be? The hotel?¡±


    ¡°It will be for three days and St. Andrews Hospital is on the list sir. I have booked a hotel, 2 separate


    rooms at Sheraton Grand Atasehir¡­¡±


    ¡°No no no! Don¡¯t separate the rooms. Book one room. Make it a penthouse. The bigger, the better!¡± I


    instructed with a smile stretching on my face!


    Content is ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Okay, sir right on it!¡±


    I removed the phone from my ear and hung up, then gave out a well knowing smirk. I looked down at it


    again and punched a few numbers and then dialed them. The receiver answered on the third ring!


    ¡°Mr. Cattanio, good morning sir!¡±


    ¡°No formalities please. Lorenzo will be okay!¡±


    ¡°You are my benefactor Mr. Cattanio. That goes without saying, you have my utmost respect.¡±


    ¡°You have such a glib tongue don¡¯t you?¡± I walked from the balcony and got inside the house,


    ¡°Not at all Mr. Cattanio. And how may I help you?¡±


    ¡°Can you kindly name the candidates who will be elected for the workshop?¡±


    ¡°Okay give me a second¡­¡± There was a few rustling from the speaker before the voice called out;


    ¡°Mr. Catt?¡±


    ¡°Still here!¡±


    ¡°Oh right! We have one doctor from Cardiology, two from Rheumatology, three from Surgery, 3 from


    Endocrinology, two fro¡­¡±


    ¡°Wait up! The names of doctors from Surgery?¡±


    ¡°Oh yes¡­. It¡¯s Dr. Montreal and Dr. Elijah!¡±


    ¡°I see. I would like to put in a few changes into that list!¡±


    ¡°I am all ears!¡± Now that¡¯s what I wanted to hear.


    ¡°From the surgery department, can you put Dr. Montreal only? I mean, it wouldn¡¯t be wise to take two


    good doctors at once. At least one of them should stay in case of emergencies that could arise!¡±


    ¡°You are very right Mr. Cattanio. I was thinking about this and now that you have pointed it out, I will pass


    it to the higher up and have it dealt with today.¡±


    ¡°Okay! That¡¯s about it. Thank you so much for the help!¡± I interjected being as polite as I could possibly


    master.


    ¡°I should be the one to thank you, sir. You are oing so much for our small hospital and it means a lot. I


    am super awed by your warm heart Mr. Cattanio and we will forever be indebted to you. I am hundred


    and one percent sure that this workshop will bring good things to this hospital.¡±


    ¡°Oh yes, it will!¡±


    LEIGH-ARI


    ¡°Avoiding Mr. Hotpants won¡¯t solve your problems. Besides I have no idea why you have to ghost on him


    because he made you squirt! Not all men can do that!¡±


    ¡°You shush!¡± I yelped from my seat and covered Laura¡¯s mouth with my palm and muffled all the words


    she was spitting out. Her voice was raised and I could practically feel the curious nces boring holes in


    my back.


    ¡°Just keep it down dang it!¡± I cursed through clenched teeth and watched as sheughed from my palm. I


    raised an using finger at her and made her raise her hands in surrender, I arched a brow; and she


    nodded rapidly. I took a deep breath and uncovered her mouth.


    ¡°Okay, as I was saying; I do not understand why you are ghosting him. From what you said, he kisses


    like a god, fingers like a devil¡­¡±


    ¡°Laura Montez Petrou, will you keep your voice down?¡± I raised mine causing people in the cafeteria to


    look back at us again! The shameless her went on by waving her hands to everyone who was looking,


    blew kisses, and did some fake gun-shots. I took a dry French fry from my tray and tossed it on her. She


    chuckled and took it with her fingers before throwing it in her mouth.


    ¡°Alright alright! But I really don¡¯t see the point in your running vendetta. From the looks of it; he can make


    you cum to oblivion, and from what I heard, he is perfectly capable of doing it! So why do you run away


    from him?¡± she asked in a much serious tone this time.


    ¡°Because he is involved with Valerie.¡± I pointed out annoyance dripping from my tone.


    ¡°Yeah right! The very same Valerie whom you¡¯ve known for just a week and who made it vaguely clear


    that it is simple, emotionless sex. I meane on, you saw Valerie, you saw what a hot mess she is and


    I guarantee every man on this earth will want a piece of her. No, Mr. HotPants being involved with her


    doesn¡¯t seem to be much of a problem. And if that¡¯s the reason why you are hiding at my house, I tell you


    solemnly; that¡¯s bullshit.¡± She took a sip of her soda, ced it down, and then stared back at me.


    ¡°Unless of course¡­¡± She smirked and I so hated that smirk on her face.


    ¡°Unless what?¡± I inquired with an arched brow!


    ¡°Unless our badass heroine is scared. Afraid!¡± she intoned thinning her eyes towards me.


    I leaned back and contemted on her words. And to tell the truth, I was scared shitless about my


    neighbor dearest. Whenever he was around, he gave me this weird unsettling sense of Deja Vu that


    made me want to jump at his bones in an instant; at the same time made me want to run for the hills. He


    made m


    e feel like I was missing out on a rather important faction of¡­ life in general.


    ¡°Maybe!¡± I whispered.


    ¡°Come on girl. What¡¯s there to be scared of? His cock maybe?¡± she winked at me causing me to smile.


    Heavens bless this girl.


    ¡°Well, yes that¡¯s one of the things I am afraid of. His cock is huge, it¡¯s the size of my arm okay, and that


    time it was still in his pants, now imagine if it was out of the clutches of his tight pants and then¡­¡± By


    now we were both down withughter. She took the French fry and threw it my way.


    ¡°Okay okay! I have heard about this at least a million times now. Tell me honestly; what makes you fear


    him?¡± She leaned forward and stared right into my eyes. I took a good minute and thought of what I was


    going to say next; because I didn¡¯t want it to sound as insane as it sounded in my head.


    ¡°I feel like I have known him before. There¡¯s something about him that is very familiar. And yes yes, I


    know it sounds crazy, but really; it feels like he and I may have crossed paths before. But I do not know


    when, or where!¡± I put forth causing her to give me a small smile!


    ¡°Why are you smiling like that? It¡¯s creepy!¡± I interjected causing her smile to fall quickly.


    ¡°Fuck you!¡± she cursed at me and I doubled up!


    ¡°Ha-ha! Now, what do you think of what I just said? Am I crazy?¡±


    ¡°No, darling. You are not crazy! It may happen, I mean who knows, we live in a very weird world and it


    may have happened that he was your husband a million years back, you two incamated and now here


    you are, found each other again.¡± 1


    ¡°Yeah right? I mean we even had seven babies.¡±


    ¡°And you were phantom spirits.¡±


    ¡°Then we slew the dragons and then thrown into the farthest pits of hades but the high god took our


    souls. and nted them in the future!¡± my mind, when I was with Laura, was a piece of work itself.


    ¡°Uh-huh!¡± sheughed and I just smiled. Maybe we met in our previous lives also?

 Chapter 20

    Chapter 20


    LEIGH-ARI


    My conversation with Laura had made me think of my decision and everything i have done ever since


    that incident. And i knew for a fact that i was really being yellow, running away from my own mess which i


    sadly, would have to fix at the very end. Because truthfully, i couldn¡¯t stay at Laura¡¯s house any longer.


    Not because my girl wanted me out or she wasining about my very unwanted and disturbing


    residence at her house.


    Thus after a very long minute of deep thinking, I concluded on going back to my house and just see what


    life has in store for me. If Neighbor Dearest came to address what had happened, then I would be there


    to give him answers and even ask questions of my own. Although I really didn¡¯t know what I would say if


    he happened to ask!


    I arrived at my housete at night and luckily, I didn¡¯t run into him in the corridor or anywhere and for that;


    I was very appeased! In the morning, I woke up early since I had a lot of patients to visit and some


    documents I had to attend to. I prepared my stuff and at 05:30 sharp, opened my door and locked it


    behind. I gracefully walked towards the elevator, got in and watched as it closed.


    Right before it could sling shut, none but Neighbor Dearest stuck his expensive ck shiny dress shoe


    on the double doors preventing them to close. He gave me a small smile then majestically walked into


    the small cubicle and stole all the air inside; I couldn¡¯t help but shudder a bit.


    ¡°Ahhhh! She is still alive!¡± he said in a small voice looking at me. I decided to give the mirrored doors of


    the elevator my undivided attention and tly replied:


    ¡°Good morning to you too!¡±


    ¡°Hmm. A very good morning indeed!¡± he intoned and then looked forward. I counted seconds, minutes,


    hours, and definitely centuries before the elevator stopped and the doors slung open. In a blink of an


    eye, I was out the elevator and running down the stairs towards my car, outside the apartment building.


    ¡°Care to give me a ride? They towed my car yesterday and I really need to get to work.¡± His voice


    boomed somewhere behind me, which was rather too close to say the least and I had to stop dead in my


    tracks and tum to look at him. And yes, he did follow me.


    ¡°I need to get to work.¡± I pointed out giving him a sharp eye, not that he wasn¡¯t aware!


    ¡°So do i!¡±


    ¡°My work is very important.¡±


    Belongs ? to N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°And so is mine.¡± He shrugged casually and stuffed his hands into his pockets.


    ¡°But mine is more important and if I am a secondte, a life will be lost.¡±


    ¡°No. I beg to differ. Mine is more important than yours because if I don¡¯t provide the funds then you won¡¯t


    have the resources to save that life.¡± Wait what? He didn¡¯t just use that card to get his way with me did


    he?


    I opened my mouth to reply him, only to close it since he had taken all the words out of my mouth and


    turn to the other direction so that he doesn¡¯t see that he had rendered me speechless. A chuckle that


    came behind told me otherwise.


    ¡°I¡¯d be the office by now if we didn¡¯t stand here making an argument out of nothing! Come on, I¡¯ll pay for


    the fuel. Even take you out for dinner or make you your favorite dish tonight.¡± He added up and I really


    couldn¡¯t decline that offer.


    ¡°Okay! Deal. But don¡¯t think you will always get your way with me.¡± I pointed an using finger at him


    and then turned. The clunking of my heels against the hard paved concrete ground was the only thing


    that was heard as I walked towards my car. I unlocked it and ced my paraphernalia in the front seat


    and then got in behind the wheel.


    He opened the passenger¡¯s door and settled down. I will give it to him, he looked really yummy and his


    cologne blessed the interior of my car with its heavenly musk and expensive scent. That made me


    remember how awesome it felt to breathe him in, have him at utmost vicinity and just breathe the same


    air that he breat¡­


    ¡°What are you thinking about?¡± His voice suddenly sounded very near, pulling me out of my trance and I


    yelped in my seat.


    ¡°Eh? Ah no nothing! I am just¡­¡± I covered my face with my hands and shrunk into my seat when the


    whole car was filled with the rich rumbling sound of hisughter!


    After a good minute, he fixed his tie and red at me,


    ¡°You are blushing.¡± He observed making me to redden harder. I decided to ignore him and started the


    ignition, then took off with his stare boring holes on me.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t know thatdies are into the ¡°clinical headphones on the back seat¡± thing.¡± He voiced out of the


    blue demanding my attention.


    ¡°Huh? What¡¯s that?¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s this thing about male doctors, I don¡¯t know if it is some sort of flex which makes them attractive


    o I what. But male doctors put their clinical headphones in the back seat to look hot.¡± He answered


    picking my stethoscope and examined it,pelling me to double over withughter.


    ¡°What?¡± He didn¡¯t call it that! There¡¯s no way he did.


    ¡°The clinical headphones. Or what do you call this thing? It looks like headphones!¡± He replied in a very


    serious voice intensely studying my stethoscopes.


    ¡°That¡¯s a stethoscope. Not clinical headphones!¡±


    ¡°Yeah whatever! But male doctors put them in the back seat to flex!¡±


    ¡°They do that?¡± I asked through fits ofughter.


    ¡°Haven¡¯t you seen it? They always put them in their cars, at the back seat and unbutton the first two


    buttons of their shirts and think they made it in life. And guess what makes that even interesting?¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°It actually works anddies find it attractive.¡± He winked and Iughed harder.


    ¡°No! No! No! There¡¯s no way putting the clinical headphones in the back seat is attractive. And I really


    don¡¯t think the doctors put them there to attractdies.¡± I contradicted taking a turn towards the street


    where his office was located.


    ¡°If it¡¯s not to attract thedies, then why not put it in the dashboard? Or in the boot? Why put it right here


    where everyone can see it? Matter of fact, they put them here on this seat, and then move them to the


    back seat after getting the girl.¡± He exined and I just couldn¡¯t help butugh harder at his weird but


    impable logic and thinking! This guy was insanely hrious and I can¡¯t believe that it came that


    naturally to him.


    After a few minutes, I dropped him at his office and left. But not before being forced to promise that I will


    pick him up after work.


    My drive to the hospital was filled with the thoughts of how he made meugh without even trying. I


    found myself smiling to no one and knew that things were heading in a very wrong direction. But then,


    what did I have to lose?

 Chapter 21

    Chapter 21


    LEIGH-ARI


    ¡°Dr. Montreal, there has been a change in the ns pertaining to the workshop!¡± My HOD informed me


    as soon as I stepped into his office. Right after I settled in my seat in my office, I was summoned to his


    office where he didn¡¯t waste time but spill the news.


    ¡°Okay?¡±


    ¡°You are the only one in our department who will be going. Dr. Elijah isn¡¯ting with you anymore.¡± He


    informed fixing his sses on the ridge on his nose.


    ¡°Oh? Where do we leave again?¡± I didn¡¯t know how to feel about the change, 1


    ¡°Its tomorrow!¡±


    ¡°Oh my god. It totally slipped my mind!¡± I called out mming my palm on my forehead. Lately, I have


    been highly destructed by my neighbor dearest that I didn¡¯t even realize that the workshop was in a few


    hours. And to add the cherry on top, the workshop was actually outside the country and we needed to fly


    there.


    ¡°I understand Dr. Montreal and my apologies for not informing you beforehand. But it was thest-minute


    decision and was done¡­¡± The sudden beeping of my pager interrupted us and I put up a finger up as a


    gesture for Dr. Erick to let me pick it;


    ¡°Yes?¡±


    ¡°ER! Iing patient; a 28-year-olddy, 37 weeks pregnant. Got into a car ident has fractured


    bones. Internal bleeding due to a rapture artery. She is having a premature delivery! The head is already


    crowing! STAT!¡± The paramedic barked into the pager switching on my doctor mode in an instant


    ¡°On it!¡± I nced at Dr. Erick who nodded once and then I was out the door. I arrived out of the ER and


    was


    clothed quickly in the appropriate gown ready to save lives.


    ¡°This is bad!¡± I called out studying the fractured arm of the patient, which was already supported and


    cradled on her front. Her lower bottom was red with blood and I knew that I had to save the baby before


    working on her. At least they had sedated her but that was dangerous to the baby!


    ¡°Prepare for coffin birth!¡± I barked orders and my subordinates obeyed. The room was bustling as we got


    to work and after what felt like forever, the baby was delivered safely and ced in the incubator. Then


    we busied ourselves by sewing the mother close and closed up the arteries.


    By the time I stepped out of the ER, the rtives of the patient rushed to me and nearly knocked me


    over:


    ¡°Doctor, how is my wife? And my baby? Oh my God, I didn¡¯t believe this would happen. We were driving


    in ourne and then suddenly this truck came out of nowhere and crushed on her side of the car. The


    baby¡­¡±


    ¡°I am so sorry to hear that. But you are blessed; your wife and baby are fine. She had some internal


    bleeding which we managed to control in time and the baby was delivered safely. Although it was the


    premature delivery, your little ray of sunshine fought to meet his daddy. They both made it!¡± I informed


    patting his shoulder, with a big smile stered on my face.


    ¡°Oh, God!¡± The man dropped to his knees and some group of people behind him broke into happy sobs.


    There was nothing in this world that was fulfilling than moments like this one. That miraculous time


    when the doctor informed the rtives that not only did he seed, but the life was saved; heck! That


    was every doctor¡¯s trophy.


    ¡°Thank you so much, Doctor. Thank you so much. I will never forget what you did for me and my family


    and I will forever be indebted to you!¡± The big guy was clutching my legs really tight; I squatted in front of


    him and patted him.


    ¡°Hearing the sound of your wife¡¯s heartbeat and your baby¡¯s breath is the only reward I could ever wish


    for. But if you insist on paying me, you can do it by taking a very good care of them when they leave this


    ce. Then your debt will be fully settled!¡±


    ¡°We are sorry to inform you that you just missed your flight ma¡¯am!¡±


    ¡°What?¡± My voice rose causing people to re at me. This wasn¡¯t happening! Yesterday after the


    emergency surgery, I had to go to yet another one which took full 9 hours in cardiology. I had arrived


    home a little after midnight and I was literally worn out. I just plopped on my couch and was out in a


    second. And then I woke upte, packed things in haste only to miss the flight?


    ¡°When did it take off?¡± I asked with a much-lowered voice!


    ¡°17 minutes ago ma¡¯am!¡± Great! Just great! And now I was going to miss the workshop. And to make


    matters a little more intense than they already were, I was the only one from my department who was


    selected to attend, since mypanion was told to stay behind.


    ¡°Ah fuck!¡± I cursed and looked down at my sorry luggage back and nearlyughed when I remember how


    stuffed and messy it was in there.


    ¡°Is there any flight where I can squeeze myself at? If that¡¯s even possible. I need to get to this workshop


    and I really can¡¯t miss it. Its work okay? And¡­ Oh my goodness!¡± I kept quiet after my bbering and


    concentrated on calming myself down.


    ¡°Let¡¯s see if we cane up with something. If you please, take a seat in the lounge and we will call


    once we have something!¡± The kinddy said with a smile and I smiled back, then hauled my trolley bag


    behind me and walked into the airport lounge.


    I slouched myself on thefortable lush velvet leather seats and watched as people milled outside. I


    don¡¯t know what happened, all I know is one minute I was gazing out the big ss watching the


    travelers, and the next I was shaken awake by thedy I had been talking to a few minutes back.


    ¡°Oh shiiii¡­¡± I cursed as I got up and wiped the drool that escaped my mouth! That¡¯s not embarrassing! At


    all!


    ¡°I am so sorry Miss to wake you up, but I came to tell you that we found you a ne to Istanbul which


    takes off in an hour.¡± She informed with a gentle smile. And here I was busy trying to fix up my messed


    up self and hurriedly brushed my hair with my fingers.


    ¡°Really? That¡¯s so nice of you. Thank you so much!¡±


    ¡°One more thing, you will be flying first-ss since there¡¯s only one empty seat in there.¡±


    ¡°You are kidding.¡± There was no way i had just hit the jackpot!


    ¡°I wish I was! But I trust it¡¯ll be a good thing! Seeing as how wom out you are right now!¡± She nodded


    towards me,


    ¡°Am I really that bad?¡± I asked with a wide grin. I appreciated people with an insane sense of humor


    because they spoke mynguage.


    ¡°You can really use some good sleep. Rough night I guess?¡±


    ¡°Oh, you have no idea. I am a surgeon, spent 9 hours in the operating room and woke upte. That¡¯s


    why I missed my flight.¡± I intoned looking at myself in my small makeup mirror that was in my handbag.


    ¡°Oh my! I am so sorry. But you must be good at your thing. And good luck with the workshop!¡± her words


    made me pause a bit,


    ¡°And how do you know I am going to the workshop?¡± I asked with a very serious stare.


    ¡°You mentioned it when you were trying to check in that time.¡±


    ¡°Ahhhh! Right!¡±


    ¡°Okay! You must go and check-in! And have the best flight!¡± She wished politely making me smile


    genuinely.


    Belongs ? to N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Thank you. And thank you so much for the favor.¡± We bid each other farewell and I took my luggage and


    went to check-in.


    All along my mind was filled with what I was to find in First ss Cabin! To tell the truth, the idea of it


    alone made me want to strip everything down and dance naked. I so couldn¡¯t wait to see what was in


    there!

 Chapter 22

    Chapter 22


    LEIGH-ARI


    The anticipation of what waited for me in First ss cabin was suffocating, and as soon as I stepped into


    the First ss Terminal, my whole changed! It was as if I had stepped into a whole new different world


    and it¡¯s crazy how the adventure started right even before I boarded the ne. My poor self always


    thought First ss is on in the cabin.


    I walked to the check-in where I quickly dealt with the process and even before I could turn to leave, a


    neat poised gentleman with a khaki pilot suit and white fabric gloves was waiting for me patiently and


    stoically. He ushered me to walk and that¡¯s what I did, he walked in well-manicured and practices steps


    in front of me, leading us to the doors which revealed a giant airport lounge as soon as he opened them.


    Now this wasn¡¯t just an ordinary airport lounge.


    This lounge was astoundingly smashing! There werefortable luxurious loungers and chairs, as well


    a sa huge assrge spread of gourmet food waiting to be devoured. The space between chairs and


    loungers gave one the benefit of utmost privacy and I couldn¡¯t help but fall head over heels. Since I was


    flying Emirates, the d¨¦cor was a mixture of deep shade of maroon, mosaic khaki and white. The tiles,


    ceramic counters and tables gave a ssic view of luxury, art, and opulence.


    The gentleman politely called me out and that¡¯s when I realized I had frozen by the door for quite some


    time now. I picked my jaw from somewhere on the floor and followed him closely. Looking around the


    lounge made me feel slightly underdressed but I didn¡¯t want to show it. Although I didn¡¯t buy this


    situation, I was going to own it.


    With that, I held my chin up, puffed my chest and then added an extra sway of my hips in my walk. Yahp!


    That¡¯s what first-ss does to you.


    I sat down near the giant windows and instantly got sumbed in the picturesque scenery in front of me.


    Awe and admiration filled me when I watched steel-birds marring the outside of the windows. There were


    small, big, average sized nes with different colors and brands; some held high the gs of their


    respective countries, proudly screaming to the world the pride they took in serving their country.


    I have seen nes before, many aircrafts and had admired them. But seeing them from this height was


    something foreign to me and I just couldn¡¯t help but smile with pure bliss. The respect I held for those


    who monitored the nes, those who created the steel-birds, those who flew them up above the milky


    clouds


    skyrocketed. I was in pure awe.


    Minutes ticked by and I settled with some refreshments to kill time. My flight was in a few minutes but


    things looked different here so I decided to bite my tongue and sit down. I took a sip of my hot chocte


    and continued my intense stare outside the window.


    Right on the clock, the same gentleman who brought me in here approached me and gave me a gentle


    smile;


    ¡°It is time to board the ne!¡± He announced and waited for me to gather my paraphernalia and once


    again, ushered me out the door. We walked until we left the airport building and arrived in an exclusive


    parking where a shiny ck Porsche was waiting. The chauffer opened the door and I slid in. my weird


    ass stopped myself from grinning like an idiot.


    The Porsche whooshed pleasantly andfortably to the craft which was waiting and I took yet another


    exclusive private door into the pale. The interior was exactly how I imagined it to be. Insanely beautiful.


    Like the lounge, the d¨¦cor was the same shades of hue and it was really beautiful. There were 8 small


    cubicles which I assumed were the seats. And it turned out just like I had thought. The stewardess


    opened my cubicle and ushered me in. I wasted no time reclining into afortable seat and just died a


    little.


    The rest of the journey was spentzily in the deluxe surrounding, enjoying the snacks, mouth-watering


    food, the delicious wines and the world¡¯s ss service!


    Soon, wended in Istanbul and it was a little after 6pm. I nned on getting the cab to the designated


    hotel where we were going to sleep with the rest of the crew and hoped that they were already there. Life


    however had different ns, Right outside the exit stood a man in a ck suit carrying a board with my


    name engraved with bold letters on it. Although it was very strange and a little unexpected, I was thankful


    that I wasn¡¯t going to wait for the cab, especially at the ce I wasn¡¯t familiar with.


    Text content ? N?velDrama.Org.


    I walked to the man and introduced myself as Dr. Leigh-Ari Montreal. We exchanged some greetings and


    h e offered to carry my luggage for me and that I did not refute. No one denies a gentleman. We walked


    to a ck Mercedes Benz W206 and I couldn¡¯t believe my lucky star. The universe seemed to be ying


    a weird prank on me but I fuckin¡¯ loved it. First ss cabin, Porsche ride and now the newest Mercedes?


    Wow! Just wow.


    The gentleman opened the door for me and got in to the driver¡¯s seat. The ride to the hotel was short and


    soon, we were inside the grand hotel that breathed money and deluxe.


    I exined to the receptionist that I was here with some doctors who may have arrived earlier before me.


    She was happy to amodate me and gave me my keys. The ma?tre d arrived on the clock and


    escorted me to the elevator. We rode it infortable silence and stopped 18 floors up, then walked


    down a small hallway and stopped in front of a ck door. I tapped the card key on the small scanner


    and the door gave out a soft clink. I pushed it open and stopped dead in my tracks!


    ¡°Ahhhhhm, I think there is a bit of a confusion in regard to my stay here.¡± I called out to the ma?tre d with


    furrowed brows.


    ¡°Pardon me madam but there really is no confusion. This is your room and you will be staying here until


    the end of your workshop.¡± He exined briefly but didn¡¯t help anything.


    ¡°This is a penthouse!¡± I pointed out with my thumb, gesturing the already jaw-dropping room.


    ¡°Yes madam.¡±


    ¡°And the hospital didn¡¯t book the penthouse for me.¡±


    ¡°Yes madam but we were given strict orders to give you this room.¡± What? By who?


    ¡°By who?¡± I asked, confusion settling in harder.


    ¡°By me!¡± The deep heavy ented voice called out from the inside and I turned to find none, but


    Lorenzo Neighbor Dearest Cattanio in his majestic mighty glory. He was wearing a navy blue suit, no tie


    and the first two buttons undone. It took me a second to realize I had been shocked to mute.


    ¡°I can take it from here sir. Thank you.¡± He addressed the ma?tre d who made a small bow and the turned


    t o leave.


    ¡°Cat caught your tongue?¡± The sinfully hot creature in front of me intoned arching a brow, his sharp jaw


    ticking slightly


    ¡°You!¡± Was all I managed to squeak.


    ¡°Me? What about me?¡± He asked with a glimmer in his voice.


    ¡°What are you doing here and what the hell is all this about?¡± There was no way this was happening. I


    could have sworn I left him in his apartment in Cyprus. So it had to be some voo-doo shit that he was


    standing here in front of me. In Turkey to be exact!


    ¡°I am the sponsor of the workshop and the investor in the project. I donated the shitload of money to your


    hospital and the management thought it would be a good idea to grace you with my glorious presence.¡±


    The narcissist replied moving his big arms around.


    ¡°Well that¡¯s insane!¡± Indeed it was!

 Chapter 23

    Chapter 23


    LORENZO POV


    ¡°Can you tell me why you are here?¡± Leigh-Ari intoned from the seat opposite mine. The dinner table was


    the only barrier between us and the light from the candles danced, causing ghost shadows to flicker on


    her face. Her eyes would flutter close when she blinked, she would asionally wet her lips by swiping


    her moist tongue on her bottom lip then bite on it when she was lost deep in thought.


    I took my wine ss and took a small sip, savoring the taste of highly fermented grapes which took years


    and years to reach the savory taste. I ced it gently on the table and looked back at her:


    ¡°I told you, I am the sponsor of the workshop. And in the business world, sponsors are present during the


    workshops. We just want to see that we gave out money for a good course, to something that would


    bring u s profit. Because as harsh as it may sound, business people care about nothing, except profit!¡± I


    exined briefly bringing my arms to the table, then ced my fist into the palm and watched as she


    digested my words.


    ¡°Okay! If you came here for the workshop, why am I sleeping in your penthouse? And that man who


    collected me from the airport, I bet he is your man.¡± She pointed out and I chuckled, she was such a


    clever fox.


    ¡°Well, since you werete and were left behind, I just thought it would be nice for me to offer a little help.¡±


    ¡°A little help? The first-ss cabin was also your doing right?¡± Her eyes thinned as she stared at me with


    her soul-piercing eyes.


    I just shrugged in return. I wasn¡¯t going to tell her that I tampered with her ne ride, made sure that it


    took off before the scheduled time so that she was left behind, and then went ahead by arranging the


    seat i n the first-ss cabin. That was my secret and Verzi¡¯s.


    ¡°Oh my Goodness!¡± She heaved out reclining back into her seat, annoying evident at her face. I saw that


    oneing. Leigh-Ari was an independent woman who was inclined and hell-bent on doing her shit all b


    y herself. Whoever meddled in her business was in for the kill. And with what I did, I knew that I had


    taken her freedom of doing things. But I wasn¡¯t regretting anything.


    ¡°Are you mad at me for making your trip merry?¡± I arched a brow and yed oblivious to the reason why


    she was mad.


    ¡°No, I am not mad at that. The least you could have done was tell me. Now there I was thanking my


    guardian angels and lucky stars for miracles on earth and unicorns while it was all your doing.¡± She


    made sure that her annoyance and displease were well on the table for me to see.


    ¡°Okay okay! I am sorry I didn¡¯t tell you. But all I wanted was for you to have the best ride, and arrive here


    safely. Especially when you missed your flight. If I hadn¡¯t intervened, you would still be stuck at the


    airport trying to find flights with empty seats. And with that, you wouldn¡¯t even make it to the workshop.¡± I


    put forth causing her to chew on her bottom lip as my words sunk in. she nodded a few times before


    rising from her seat:


    ¡°I¡¯ll be back in a few.¡± With that, she sashayed towards the washroom leaving me with my mind. I smiled


    a t my ¡°lucky star¡± for giving me such a staggering gateway. I mean, the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity


    justnded right in myp and I wasn¡¯t going to waste any minute of it.


    I stealthy slipped a white pill inside the untouched wine ss and shook it slightly so that the pill


    dissolved and blended with the wine. I brought the rim of the ss closer to my mouth and sniffed it, and


    when I caught nothing but the sweet and sour taste of grapes, I smiled and ced the wine ss down 1


    I took my phone and typed a message, after hitting send, Leigh-Ari was already settling in her seat.


    She took the wine ss and chugged down a big swig, then ced it gently on the table.


    ¡°Let¡¯s say I forgive you for giving me the best ride. How do you exin the penthouse?¡± She asked with


    furrowed eyebrows causing me to chuckle.


    ¡°Let¡¯s just say I can¡¯t live without you.¡± I winked yfully and she doubled up. Perfect!


    ¡°Okay! So where are you going to sleep?¡±


    ¡°The bed is big enough for the both of us.¡±


    ¡°There is no way I am sleeping on the same bed with you.¡± She refuted shaking her head hysterically.


    ¡°Oh yeah? Come on, Tesoro. I won¡¯t do anything that you don¡¯t want me to do. If you want me to touch


    you, I will explore every inch of your body and make all of your wishese true. If you don¡¯t want me to


    touch you, then you won¡¯t even feel that I¡¯m lying next to you.¡± I voiced out and watched as she winched


    a little, then leaned back into her seat and massaged the space between her brows.


    ¡°Hey! Are you okay?¡± I asked concern dripping from my voice.


    ¡°Yeah, I am okay. Just a little lightheaded.¡±


    ¡°Want me to get you some water?¡± I looked around to see whether a waiter was lurking around.


    ¡°No, no! I am fine. I have to take my meds.¡± She informed searching inside her handbag.


    ¡°Shoot! They are at the hotel. Can we go now?¡± She looked up and then pinched her eyes closed.


    ¡°Yeah sure.¡± I got up and called the waiter, settled the bill, and stood a foot away. I watched as she


    struggled to stand firmly on her feet and went in by grabbing her arms.


    Belongs to (N)?vel/Drama.Org.


    ¡°Here. Let me carry you.¡± She nodded slightly and I scooped her in my arms and left the restaurant


    building.


    VERNERO POV


    The soft ping on my phone pulled me out of my daydream. I powered it on and found a text message


    from


    Enzo.


    It is done.


    It said! My lips tugged up in a lopsided smirk as the realization of what was happening settled in. It took u


    sover a decade to find her. Now we were going to have her in our home. I nced at the clock on my


    dashboard and counted the minutes. It wasn¡¯t going to take long before the drug knocked her out. And


    from how heavy it was, she wasn¡¯t going to wake up until a dayter; and that would make our next trip


    smooth sailing.


    I was seated in my Mercedes Benz Coupe SUV 2014 3D, a ck shiny beast with highly tinted windows.


    Mercedes Benz was our signature car and if you saw it ck, just know it was ours. The Turantello


    Familia. Lorenzo came out of the restaurant building with ady scooped in her arms, like they were


    leaving the church after exchanging their vows. He took delicate steps as if he was holding a ss that


    would shatter into millions of pieces at any moment as he walked towards the car.


    I got out of the driver¡¯s seat and opened the back door for him; heid sleeping Leigh-Ari gently and then


    closed the door. I stopped his hand and stepped forward, then took in the sight of my baby girl sleeping


    soundly. I couldn¡¯t believe she was truly right in front of my eyes, .


    ¡°It¡¯s her!¡± I intoned in a soft voice, to particrly no one. The reality was too good to be true and I found it


    hard to believe that I finally had her, and this time; for good!


    ¡°It¡¯s indeed her. Il nostro Tesoro! (Our treasure)¡± Enzo replied beside me, a small smile tugging on his


    lips. I stepped backward and then closed the door, stepped into the driver¡¯s seat. Then drove off to the


    airport!

 Chapter 24

    Chapter 24


    LEIGH-ARI


    Consciousness slowly dawned on me and I became vaguely aware of my surrounding. My eyes were


    pinched closed and I seemed to be lying on my back with my head snuggled cozily on a plush pillow.


    However, it didn¡¯t feel like I was waking up from a long sleep; it felt like a sedative was wearing off in my


    bloodstream and I was back to thend of the living.


    I groaned out aloud as I turned to my side and searched the side table for my phone. My hand came into


    contact with a hard dang ass frigid post and I let out a curse. What in the actual hell? I got up to a sitting


    position with my eyes still closed. Somehow they fell so heavy that I couldn¡¯t even open them. After


    some brief negotiation with them, they slowly peeled open and I took in my surrounding.


    I was sitting on a huge four-poster king-sized bed covered in white sheets and a deep grey nket was


    draped over my body. The white curtains of the bed were neatly cuffed up the metal posts, revealing the


    cream-painted walls with gold highlights almost everywhere. The room didn¡¯t have much furniture but it


    was opulent enough for one to know that whoever owned it; was some kind of a rich skank. Could this be


    the penthouse?


    The penthouse! Yes!


    I recalled the events of the previous day and I sighed when I realized I was still safe. I would have


    freaked out if I woke up in a different ce because I don¡¯t know what the hell happenedst night. All I


    recall was Lorenzo taking me out for dinner and me raining hell on him for¡­ well, for making me happy!


    Yeah, that was lousy. I didn¡¯t remember what happened after that. And today was the day for the


    worksh..


    ¡°Holy shit!¡± I cursed kicking off the nket and nearly nting myself face first as I got off the bed. I


    hopped on one leg as I tried to untangle the nket that was insanely wrapped around my leg and once


    it was free, I took off to the enjoined door which I assumed was the bathroom. I pushed the door only to


    come to an abrupt stop, it was empty. Like it was just a room, and it was empty.


    I turned and looked at the only other door that was in the room and ran towards it; yanked in open only to


    reveal stone walls and long dimly lit staircases that spiraled down. One thing that I came to realize was


    that this wasn¡¯t the penthouse of Sheraton Grand whatever the hell that hotel was called. This was


    somewhere else in the world and it sure had to be dreand.


    som


    But was I dreaming?


    I took a huge gulp of air and padded down the stairs barefooted. The idea of wearing shoes was thest


    on my mind since I was on a mission to find the bathroom and get ready for the workshop, or walk


    around this ce and see whether I am dreaming or not. The stairs seemed to stretch forever until I


    eventually came to a clearnding.


    The room also had stone walls with stone tiles. Thentems flickered on the sides to give some light and


    the bulbs came to assistant. There was a huge white carpet that stretched from where I was which was


    assumingly the entrance of this¡­ hall-room thingy. There were six white leather couches beside one big


    pir, a ck ss coffee table.


    My bare-footed steps made no sound as I walked deeper into a rather intriguing room. I turned and stood


    gobsmacked, my mouth somewhere on the floor.


    A giant portrait of ady, with long ck hair and a huge smile, stared back at me. Thedy seemed to


    have beenughing at something when the picture was clicked. Her face was in the direction of the


    zing sun, which kissed her lovingly bathing her in its glorious warmth and light. Some strands of her


    hair were all over her face and she was happy!


    ¡°You have got to be kidding me.¡± I took a step back in shock and horror, my eyes still glued at the portrait


    because I knew thedy intimately. Thedy was none but me. And I seriously didn¡¯t have any idea of


    what was happening. 1


    I turned around with an attempt to run out only to run smack dab into a wall of muscles. The fresh scento


    frain forest and musk engulfed my senses, causing me to take a huge gulp and slowly looked up.


    ¡°Nice to see you, Tesoro.¡± Lorenzo stood in front of me in a ck dress shirt that had two top buttons


    undone. The shirt was tugged neatly into his pants with a belt secured tightly on his lean waist. His


    hands were stuffed into the pockets of his ck cks and he looked yummy.


    I stared at his face and my eyes widened in horror. This wasn¡¯t Lorenzo.


    ¡°You? What did you do to your face?¡± I asked referring to the tattoos on his face and he dared to chuckle.


    H e turned and took confident steps towards his wine cupboard and fished out two sses, poured the


    red wine in the sses, and walked back to where I was glued at.


    He handed me a ss but instead, I eyed it as if it was a monster ready to bite me and then shook my


    head slightly. I wasn¡¯t going to drink anything until I took a grasp of what was happening.


    ¡°Suit yourself.¡± He arrogantly said as he ced the ss on the coffee table and sat down, muscles


    bucking and tugging beneath his shirt. One thing that dawned on me was the way he spoke to me.


    ¡°You are not Lorenzo.¡± I pointed out ring daggers at him.


    ¡°I never said I was.¡± He replied ring back at me, his grey eyes insanely piercing me to the core. Anger


    brewed from deep inside me when memories flooded my mind. The tattoos, the arrogance¡­ it can only


    be one person.


    ¡°It¡¯s you. That hooligan I savedst time.¡± He chuckled yet again and took a small swig of his wine before


    slightly tilting his head to the side and stared at me intently without replying.


    ¡°Oh my goodness. You kidnapped me!¡± My voice came out with a bit of a tremor as reality dawned on me


    like a bucket of icy cold water. I shivered, not from the cold, but from how cruel the night turned out to be.


    ¡°Kidnapping is illegal.¡± A much softer and familiar voice called out from behind me and I turned to find¡­


    ¡°No fucking way!¡± What the hell was happening here? I looked back at the tattooed ¡°Lorenzo¡± who was


    sipping wine on the couch, and the ¡°REAL Lorenzo¡± that was standing beside me in a blue suit.


    ¡°Why are there two of you here?¡± Nothing about this made sense. Yes, now I knew that Lorenzo was


    here, and that there was yet another Lorenzo who had tattoos and was the spitting image of the other


    one. The only difference between the two Lorenzos was the tattoos. I stilled my ground and turned to


    look at the real one;


    ¡°You are twins!¡± He shrugged with a smile and bee-lined passed me, then perched himself beside his


    other image and both of them stared at me without uttering a single word.


    ¡°Okay! Let me get this straight. I saved tattooed Lorenzo that other time, and then the real Lorenzo


    arrived not long after and became my neighbor. We went to the workshop in Istanbul where I got


    kidnapped.¡±


    ¡°You are not kidnapped,¡± Lorenzo interjected.


    ¡°Shut up! Just shush okay? I am the one who is dreaming here and there is no way I am seeing two of


    you.


    So I have to figure this whole thing out first. You,¡± I pointed the tattooed one,


    ¡°The hooligan, you said you wereing for me. What did you mean by that?¡± ¡°And you, what is


    happening here?¡± I red at Lorenzo next.


    ¡°My name is not hooligan for crying out loud. I am Vernero Cattanio.¡± He boasted proudly like I was


    supposed to know he was.


    ¡°Should I know who you are?¡± I voiced and his eyes thinned, eyebrows bunched up and I knew I crossed


    a line. Lorenzo¡¯s hand slowly snaked from where it was rested andnded on the guy¡¯s thigh. Magically,


    he seemed to calm down and the furrows on his forehead faded.


    ¡°Okay okay! Calm down, Tesoro. I am Lorenzo, you know that already. And this is my brother Vernero


    Cattanio whom you should know.¡± Lorenzo got up and made a brief introduction.


    ¡°And why should I know him? What makes him special? Because I saved him or because he is your


    spare parts?¡± the two of them stared at each other for a second and they both chuckled.


    ¡°No, Tesoro.¡±


    ¡°Then why?¡±


    ¡°Because he is a mafia boss!¡± Well, hell! This had to be one for the history books!Belongs ? to N?velDrama.Org.

 Chapter 25

    Chapter 25


    LORENZO POV


    After our little conversation, things got a little heated when reality settled in that there was no turning


    back! Leigh-Ari had asked for her phone, Vernero t out told her no; she looked at me thinking I¡¯d put in


    a good word for her but I just shrugged and continued drinking my wine.


    She had then fled out of the lounge running back to the room she was sleeping; temporarily.


    Vemero and I nned to take her to our bedrooms soon. Things were really looking up and I was loving


    every minute of it.


    Vemero turned with a phone in his hand, punched some digits, and then ced it on his ear:


    ¡°Valerie, prepare Madam¡¯s room.¡± He informed shortly and then hung up the call, walked towards me,


    and perched himself beside me.


    ¡°She is pissed.¡± He called out, deep furrows forming on his forehead.


    ¡°She should be. Let¡¯s give her some time.¡± I interjected giving him a manly p on his back.


    I checked the watch on my hand and realized I was running insanelyte.


    ¡°I have to go. I amte.¡± I got up and looked back at him, he had his mouth wide as if he wanted to say


    something, but his own voice failed him.


    ¡°What?¡± I chuckled turning fully to face.


    ¡°You are leaving her with me?¡± He asked bewildered.


    ¡°Of course. I have to work.¡± I raised my hands on my sides gesturing to nothing in particr.


    ¡°Yeah, I know that. But she hates me.¡± he pointed to the direction where Leigh Ari took off to.


    ¡°No, she doesn¡¯t.¡± Was he ridiculous?


    ¡°She calls me a hooligan for crying out loud. She hates me.¡± I thinned my eyes and took a step back to


    the couch, stood in front of him, and just stared down at him, he was being hard on himself and I had to


    step i n to soothe him, or else someone was going to die.


    ¡°Look. I know you are afraid but you got this okay? She is Leigh-Ari. Our girl, Your girl okay? You know


    what she likes and what she hates, you have known her all your life and you may think that we¡¯ve missed


    out on 10 years of her life; but now is the chance to make up for that lost time. You can do this okay?¡± I


    intoned in a small voice, eaming myself a small nod from him. I ruffled his head and disheveled his hair


    while chuckling, then turned and walked away.


    ¡°Remember, there¡¯s no touching other girls anymore!¡± I called out while I was a good distance and exited


    the tower lounge.


    VERNERO POV


    Minutes turned to hours after Enzo left, and I kept on pacing in my office trying to find an excuse or a


    reason to go up the tower and see her. She was finally here, with me, under the same roof, but I didn¡¯t


    have the balls to just climb the stairs and go see her beautiful face.


    After millennia of thinking, I came up with an idea. I was going to take her out, maybe for shopping or


    anything. I didn¡¯t want her to feel like we had stripped her life and freedom off of her. I wanted to give her


    everything she ever wanted and more.


    With that, I called the maids and told them to prepare a hearty meal for her. Once everything was ready, I


    took the tray and climbed the stone stairs to the tower lounge. Standing outside her door, I thought of all


    the things she¡¯d want to say to me and I took a huge gulp of air when I felt the space closing in around


    me. I needed to man up, I wasn¡¯t going to hyperventte here; of all ces in Dark Woods.


    After a heartbeat, I turned the doorknob and pushed the door open, only to find her sitting on the big


    window seal that overlooked the dense forest, a few meters from the castle. She was a little white dress


    she had earlier and nothing on earth and beyond couldpare to her! She was the most beautiful thing


    life could ever have.


    Her head swung my way but then turned back again when she realized it was me. Panic shot through


    me with the realization that she had ignored me.


    I took delicate steps to the coffee table that was at the side of the room and ced the tray.


    ¡°Eat!¡± that came out harsher than I had intended. She paid me zero attention as she focused on


    something below the castle.


    ¡°Leigh-Ari.¡± I tried to soften my voice but that seemed to be as impossible as ever. She cast me one look


    without saying anything.


    ¡°Eat.¡± Why the hell couldn¡¯t I just speak like a normal human?


    ¡°I am not hungry.¡± She cut me short and refocused on her staring contest outside.


    ¡°You haven¡¯t eaten anything in two days damn it.¡± Her head flung my way and confusion marred her


    perfect face.


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°I said it¡¯s been two days since you¡¯ve had food. So you should eat!¡±


    ¡°You mean I have been out for two days?¡± her eyes bulged wide as she tried to make sense of the


    situation. She remained quiet for some time and chewed on her bottom lip, one habit that was part of her


    being.


    ¡°Lorenzo drugged me?¡± she asked almost to herself.


    I decided to remain to stay quiet since I didn¡¯t want to anger her further.


    ¡°You should eat,¡± I said instead.


    ¡°Where is this ce?¡± she narrowed her eyes at me, making me feel uneasy.


    ¡°Dark Woods.¡±


    ¡°And where is that?¡±


    ¡°Italy!¡± she sucked in a huge breath before chuckling softly. But the chuckle held no humor at all. Instead,


    i t was a cold, mocking, defeated chuckle ever that nearly knocked me on my knees.


    ¡°So you guys kidnapped me huh?¡±


    I walked towards her and stood in front of her, my tall figure hovering above her small seated one.


    Text content ? N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°You should eat. I am taking you somewhere.¡± I voiced out hoping that she would get my intention, that


    she would understand I did not mean any harm.


    ¡°The food. Is it poisoned?¡± She asked eyeing the hearty breakfast a good distance from where we were.


    ¡°No. It¡¯s not. See?¡± I took hurried steps towards the table and took one waffle, bit into it, and chowed it


    down. after swallowing it, I looked back at her with the hope that she would see that everything was still


    good.


    I nearly did a happy dance as she unglued herself from the window and walked to the couch, sat down,


    and silently gobbled her food down.


    We sat in deafening silence as I watched her eat her food slowly. I could literally see the wheels turning


    in her mind, trying to think of a way to leave this ce and stuff. But little did she know that there was no


    leaving


    She could hate me, she could resent me; but she wasn¡¯t leaving us again.


    ¡°So, what are you going to do with me after this?¡± She mocked looking straight at me.


    ¡°I am taking you out. To get some new clothes, maybe.¡± That was the longest sentence I have ever said


    to her since I found out that she was still alive.


    ¡°So we are going to town huh?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°Can I at least go alone?¡±


    ¡°No!¡± That came out harsh and I slowly willed myself to calm down.


    ¡°I mean, I can send someone to go with you.¡±


    ¡°Yeah right. That¡¯s expected from a guy that kidnapped me.¡± her words were like a cold p in the face,


    especially of how rhetorical she was being.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t kidnap you, Tesoro.¡±


    ¡°That doesn¡¯t look like it.¡± She mocked, causing my fists to ball tightly.


    ¡°Go take a bath.¡± Anger was slowly brewing deep within me, and I wasn¡¯t going to explode in front of her.


    She didn¡¯t need to see that.


    ¡°Or what?¡± She challenged with one eyebrow raised.


    ¡°I mean seeing as how you guys kidnapped me, you probably have something you want from me. so tell


    m e, what is it? What do you want from me? I don¡¯t have money or fancy cars, I have never offended


    anyone o fany sort. I am just a normal girl whose dream is to save as many lives as possible. I don¡¯t


    even have a boyfriend who gambled his property and ended up falling into the hands of the bad guys, I


    don¡¯t have an uncle who owes loan sharks. Now tell me, what do you want from me?¡± Her words were


    laced with pure animosity and I wasn¡¯t strong enough to handle it. ¡°You don¡¯t remember anything. Do


    you?¡±

 Chapter 26

    Chapter 26


    LEIGH-ARI


    After my little conversation with the hooligan, he insisted I take a bath, and seeing as how he was on the


    edge of losing it; I had no choice but toply with him.


    Something about him was vaguely off, and no matter how much I knew to calm people down, there was


    no calming him down. He was insane in his own way and I didn¡¯t want to tick him off, not while I was still


    clueless as to why they captured me. He seemed to be a very well poised psychopath who would skin


    you alive while he had a poker face.


    So nope! I wasn¡¯t ying anywhere near him.


    After eating, he took me down the staircases and beyond the lounge. I was really in awe of the interior


    and everything about this ce. The room which I woke up in, seemed to be in a tower, and I had


    chuckled to myself when I realized they had locked me in a tower, like some kind of a princess in tales.


    After walking non-stop, rounding corners, and climbing up and down the stairs, we came to a very big


    and opulent hallway that had deep red carpets. the walls were decorated in my pictures and I couldn¡¯t


    help the shudder of panic that tore through me. I wasn¡¯t only kidnapped by the crazy mafia boss and his


    twin, the fuckers had to be stalkers.


    all the pictures on the wall were the ones taken recently, while in some, I looked very young. I had so


    many questions, so many questions I wanted to ask but as soon as he turned, and stared at me with his


    hard face, daring me to question him about the pictures on the wall or anything at all; they all flew outside


    the window. All I did was swallow down very loud, and walk with my head raised high. I wasn¡¯t going to


    give them the satisfaction of fear, I wasn¡¯t


    going to let them see that I was scared shitless.


    We walked a few feet and stopped in front of two white double doors. there were also doors on each side


    of them, one on the left, one on the right. Opposite to the three doors, there were yet other doors on the


    side, but I didn¡¯t know what they held.


    He pushed the big doors open and got in before me, then waited for me toe inside.


    ¡°This is your room. Get ready and I will have someone pick you up in 30.¡± With that, he left the room


    without a second nce and got lost in this maze of a castle.


    After my quick survey and tour around the room, I peeled off my clothes and stepped into the tub of


    water. I went all out and rxed inside the luxury of hot, scalding water that soothed m y muscles and


    my mind. I didn¡¯t want to think of anything at the moment. I just bathed.


    Later, I stepped outside of the bathroom with a fluffy white towel wrapped around my torso and found a


    red ankle-length dress with cream wedgesid gently on the dresser. the size of both the dress and


    shoes was mine and before panic settled in, I remembered that there were


    more than 20 portraits of me marring the hallway just outside the room. the clothes of my size couldn¡¯t be


    creepier than that.


    I pulled on the elegant yet chic dress and put on the jewelry ornaments that were ced neatly on the


    tray beside the garments. the jewelry was a pair of diamond earrings and a diamond bracelet, and I will


    admit it, they looked good on me.


    Right on the clock, a knock on my door was sounded and I braced myself for what came next:


    ¡°Come in!¡± I called out after nervously clearing my throat. The door swung open and in came a man in a


    white dress shirt and ck cks. Like the hooligan, he had neat shiny dress shoes and 2 silver earrings


    on his ears. There was an ugly scar down his right cheek and his sleek ck hair was gelled backward


    and tied in a low ponytail. From his


    d tied in a low ponytail. From his appearance only, I could tell that I was indeed in the mafia den and this


    man right here, was one of the bad guys.


    ¡°Miss Montreal.¡± He made a small bow and I was taken aback by the kind gesture.


    ¡°Yes?¡±


    ¡°My name is Ciello. And I will be taking you out today.¡± He informed in a hard grave voice.


    ¡°What about Vernero?¡± I couldn¡¯t call him a Hooligan in front of his man, I still wanted to live.


    ¡°He had to leave to take care of something.¡± This man¡¯s voice was nice, especially with that Italian ent


    dripping heavily in it.


    ¡°So he is noting with us?¡±


    Text content ? N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Yes ma¡¯am.¡± Great! Fucking, fucky, great! This was the chance.


    ¡°Okay!¡± I said softly with a smile and he gestured me to exit the room.


    I walked out of the room with him trailing behind me and we milled around the maze of a house until we


    came down to the lobby. The ce was abnormally empty, given the fact that i t seemed to be a giant


    ass castle.


    ¡°Where is everyone?¡± I asked as if I had the clue as to how things worked here.


    ¡°They are in their chambers, ma¡¯am. The west wing is for Mr. Lorenzo, Mr. Vernero and you only. The


    east wing is for us, and everyone.¡± He said decreasing his pace, waiting for me to take my time


    appreciating the crazy architecture and decor.


    ¡°So this is the west wing?¡± I asked almost to myself, awed beyond words at the rich, deluxe decor. there


    were gold statues some other crazy shits. there was no doubt to the fact that this; was indeed the lion¡¯s


    den.


    ¡°Yes ma¡¯am.¡± I appreciated his patience with me. after a couple of heartbeats, we exited the west wing


    and spiraled down the big stairs that connected the two wings.


    If one got lost inside this ce, well; good luck finding your way out!


    After a millennia milling inside, we stopped outside the grand house into a clearing. Big palm


    trees decorated the sides of the stone-paved path while the nicely trimmed hedges added to the mix


    There were four cars parked outside and we walked to the ck, shiny Mercedes Benz SUV where


    Ciello opened the back door for me and got in the front seat.


    He handed me a pair of Chanel sunsses and hell; I have never dressed thisvishly!


    We left Dark Woods infortable silence as he drove us to the nearby town. I wasn¡¯t surprised by the


    realization that the castle was at some secluded ce. That was highly expected from well¡­ you


    guessed it!


    The time we drew nigh the city, I had made a quick n of how I was going to leave the ce. There


    was no way I was going back to those maniacs. I had to leave this ce!

 Chapter 27

    Chapter 27


    VERNERO POV


    Sitting in my big leather seat in my office, my eyes were glued to the desktop screen in front o f me. The


    red dot moved from the spot where Dark Woodsyed until it reached right within the city.


    I reclined into my seat and watched steadfastly as it went round and round in circles, assumingly from


    this shop to the next! Just when I thought things were going to be less¡­ fascinating, the spot took off


    hurriedly and ran in a different direction.


    A smirk pulled up on my face and I leaned my arms on the table and watched it, things were about to get


    interesting!


    A sudden vibration of my phone pulled my eyes off the screen; it was Ciello. I clicked on the


    receive button and ced the phone on my ear:


    ¡°Boss, I am so sorry. I lost her.¡± Ciello rattled in the speaker causing me to deepen my smirk;


    ¡°I know!¡± I replied shortly, my eyes moving back to the screen, the dot moved in the direction o f the


    police station and I couldn¡¯t help but swell up with pride. My girl was no dummy, that girl was wholesome


    with brains.


    ¡°I am so sorry boss. I went to the bathroom and she was just here in the dressing room, and then when I


    came back she was gone. They didn¡¯t see when she took off. I just¡­¡± He began cursing in Italian


    causing me tough. My little Tesoro got him nice and well. As expected of the woman I love!


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I know where she is.¡± I informed before ending the call and reclined yet again in my seat,


    watching as Leigh-Ari explored the streets of the ancient, golden Rome.


    LEIGH-ARI


    We arrived in town shortly and stopped at thergest shopping mall. Ciello was like a bodyguard walking


    a good distance behind me while busying himself with some things on the side. I took that he didn¡¯t want


    to engage in any chin music with me so I went with the flow besides; that was a great advantage if I was


    going to escape. Imagine having to ask him t o go somewhere so that I can slip off while he wasn¡¯t


    watching. Sucks!


    We walked round and round in the mall, jumping from this clothing store to the next! The budget was


    unlimited and I made sure to hurt their wallets just a little to make them bleed; since they had so much


    money in the world! I opted for the most expensive items, shoes, and useless shits I didn¡¯t see myself


    wearing! Frankly, none of the things I bought were my taste. They were too shy for my liking but then


    who cares?


    It¡¯s not like I was going to wear them or something!


    Although I had wedges on, I made it a mission to walk in circles to wear Ciello off. If he was tired he


    would ask to sit elsewhere while I finished up my shopping. Perfect right? But this fucking giant mountain


    of a man didn¡¯t seem fazed or bothered by that. He had mepletely under strict surveince with his


    watchful eye and I knew I had to resort to other means!


    I decided to bite my time while I thought of something really quick.


    I entered one clothing store and began my stroll around shelves of exquisite apparel. He tailed me


    without showing, still maintaining a good distance from me. The sales consultant walked us around,


    presenting their best items, and one dress ¡°caught my eye¡±.


    ¡°I am going to try this one on.¡± I put it up for him to see and he gave me a brief nod and led the way to


    the dressing rooms. Panic shot through me with the realization that he was going to enter into the stall


    with me. I gestured for the sales consultant toe to my help but Ciello quickly stepped to the side and


    turned to look elsewhere.


    I entered the stall and quickly pulled thedy behind me, shut the stall closed. ¡°I need your help. I don¡¯t


    know if you understand English but I need your help.¡± I whispered with her body gripped in my hands.


    ¡°Yes, I understand you. What¡¯s wrong?¡± Her look was confused and she turned to see if the door was still


    securely closed.


    ¡°I am kidnapped. And the man out there is supposedly my bodyguard. Not bodyguard. But someone


    who¡¯s keeping an eye on me.¡± Her hand shot up to her mouth as she covered it, terror striking her face.


    ¡°You want me to call the police?¡± She asked already fishing out the cellphone from her. pocket,


    ¡°No! Not the police. I don¡¯t want to drag you into this. I don¡¯t know what my captor is capable o f doing.¡±


    ¡°Madam Montreal?¡± Ciello¡¯s heavy voice called out causing chills to run violently down my spine. I


    swallowed my saliva and looked up,


    ¡°Yes?¡± I answered with a rather pressed voice, and fear tore through me with the thought that he might


    detect that we were up to something.


    ¡°Is everything alright?¡± He asked, his shadow drawing closer to the door.


    ¡°Yes Ciello, I am okay,¡± I replied after silently clearing my throat. I watched from the small space between


    the floor and the door as his shadow walked off to the side. I let out a sigh of relief and turned to


    someone who was going to save my life.


    ¡°Listen, I want you to stealthily go to my bags, take a few clothes, preferably casual. Wait until


    he goes away from the door and then bring them to me. After changing, I will take it from there okay?¡±


    Thedy nodded and hurriedly took off. Her look of concern and worry lingered for a second and I gave


    her a small smile, and then she closed the door, and off she went!


    Text content ? N?velDrama.Org.


    I turned into the mirror and took steady breaths.


    I began stripping off my clothes and neatly ced the posh clothes I was wearing. The jewelry stayed at


    its ce because I believed it woulde in handy. If I seed, I would need cash and trading diamond


    jewelry seemed like a very perfect idea. I then counted seconds, minutes, hours¡­The door flew open


    and the sales consultant threw the clothes at m e before getting in after that


    ¡°He just left the store right now, I don¡¯t know where he went but you have to be quick. And please, take


    care. I don¡¯t know what they will do to you if they catch you. But please, promise me that you will make it


    alive.¡± Her look of concern was utterly genuine and made my heart melt a little. She left the stall to myself


    and I quickly pulled on a different attire, then stealthily left the stall, the store, and the mall with no one


    knowing who I was but importantly, undetected.


    As soon as I made it outside, I ran! I took off to the right and ran. I don¡¯t know how long I ran but my feet


    didn¡¯t fail me. At some point, I stopped dead in my tracks when I realized that I might get lost, and then


    decided to ask for help!


    A small stand from across the road called for my attention and I quickly ran to it. The owner was selling a


    few things and I hurriedly stopped in front of the stand, startling the life out of him!


    W


    ¡°I AM SO SO SORRY TO SCARE YOU! But I need your help. I need to get to the police station right


    now. Can you please give me the direction?¡± I rattled quickly and he took a minuteposing himself. I


    nearly cried when he began directing me in Italiano. But at least I was able to make out where he


    pointed. I took off the diamond earrings I had on and gave them to him. His face lit up at the sight of pure


    treasure. He began to say something but I was already


    on my way.


    I ran in the direction he pointed and after five minutes, stopped to ask again! After asking, I gave out the


    diamond ne. This was going to be a long day.


    After a long painful moment, with my jewelry gone, I stumbled upon andmark written Stazione di


    Polizia, and I will be damned; that meant police station!


    I followed thendmark and nearly cried tears of joy when the building of the police station


    came to view.


    I wasted no time and busted in, then threw myself at the counter and began rattling.


    ¡°I am kidnapped. I live in Cyprus and was out for work and the next thing I knew I woke up in Italy and I


    need to get home.¡±


    ¡°Ma¡¯am, please calm down. That¡¯s right, calm down so that you can tell us what happened!¡±


    the gentle middle-aged male police officer said smoothly, and it was then I realized I was


    hyperventting. I took deep breaths and slowly let them out, then refocused my attention on


    him.


    ¡°I am a citizen of Cyprus, and I flew to Turkey a few days ago for work. I am a doctor, and I went there for


    a workshop. One of the sponsors with whom I was to share a room, took me out for dinner. We sat down


    and talked softly and I began feeling dizzy. I thought I forgot to take m y meds and passed out. When I


    woke up, I was in Italy.¡± Iid my news forth and the guy already had a recording device taking notes.


    ¡°Okay, ma¡¯am. Can you describe your captor?¡±


    ¡°They are twins. Identical twins. The other one was my neighbor back in Cyprus. He owns a few


    businesses. The other one has a lot of tattoos, even on the face. The one who is my neighbor is Lorenzo


    Cattanio. And the one with tattoos is Vernero Cattanio.¡±


    Right on the clock, the police officer abruptly shot out of the seat and red around with fear on his face.


    What the hell was happening?


    ¡°Sir?¡± I called out looking at him with fear and confusion.


    ¡°I am sorr¡­ Miss, aaaaahmm. What is your name?¡± ¡°Leigh-Ari Montreal!¡± I replied.


    ¡°Holy shit!¡±

 Chapter 28

    Chapter 28


    LORENZO POV


    ¡°The Marketing Director has already reviewed this n President. And we would like to know what you


    think of it.¡± One of the employees called out from the end of the boardroom desk. I was sitting at the


    head of it with my big giant seat nodding my head while my mind was evidently out of this ce.


    ¡°Hmmm.¡± I hummed softly and they passed the folder to Valerie who quickly opened it and presented it


    before my eyes. I went through the first page and turned to the second. Suddenly, my phone vibrated


    inside my pocket and I quickly fished it out! The text was from Vernero and it read:


    Your little Tesoro is on the run.


    ¡°Redo the n and submit it tomorrow,¡± I informed closing the folder, and quickly got out of m y seat and


    left the boardroom with people scratching their heads.


    Valerie was quick behind me and soon, the driver was swerving through the roads back to Dark Woods.


    Upon our arrival, I found Vernero already dressed in this two-piece suit with a ck tie on ready to hit the


    road. He wasn¡¯t the one with a tie so the first two buttons of his


    Belongs to (N)?vel/Drama.Org.


    shirt were unbuttoned revealing his manly and tattoo-covered sternum.


    ¡°Where is she?¡± I asked nodding to Valerie; she scurried off towards the East Wing.


    ¡°At the police station.¡± He replied already making his way towards the entrance. A small smile pulled up


    on my lips and we left. The drive to the station was filled with the conversation of how witty and clever


    she was when executing her escape n. I was rather proud of her attempt and her quick way of


    thinking. Especially because she managed to escape under Ciello¡¯s watchful eye. Now mind you, Ciello


    was our best man, and Vernero¡¯s right hand! But our little kitten managed to run off right under his nose.


    She was indeed our woman in more ways than one!


    LEIGH-ARI


    ¡°Tell me why you cannot help a victim of kidnapping. It is totally ouwed and legal actions should be


    taken against them. They stole my life right off my hands and when I ask help from you, you do nothing?


    Seriously?¡± My voice was above a yell as I screamed my lungs out in the police station. I have actually


    managed to catch everyone¡¯s attention and hoped that they could be of some help. But ever since I


    spoke out that I was Leigh-Ari and was kidnapped by Lorenzo and Vernero, things seemed to take a turn


    for the worst. I demanded to see the senior but he kept on sweating buckets and wriggling ufortably


    in his seat.


    I seriously didn¡¯t know what was happening. Because they were all tight-lipped. ¡°I am not asking you to


    do anything to them, seeing as how all of you are about to shit your pants. I just want to get out of this


    ce before they figure out where I am. They are going to kill me. Please!¡± My voice was right on the


    verge of breaking. No matter how strong I was, this was just way too draining. I was fighting against


    forces I underestimated and honestly, I was losing. These people weren¡¯t going to help me even if I cried


    my eyes out.


    ¡°Miss Montreal, we understand your desperation to leave. And we would really love to help you.¡± The


    senior intoned wiping the sweat that trickled down his bald head.


    ¡°Then do something! Call your head, your supervisor, anyone. I need to leave this ce. Please!¡± I


    desperately begged as I halted pacing up and down in his office. The door was open and everyone could


    literally hear me.


    ¡°We are terribly sorry, Miss Montreal. But we can¡¯t.¡± He informed with a small sad smile facing behind


    me.


    ¡°Why?¡± Tears threatened to spill out of my eyes but I managed to hold them at bay.


    He took a small remote control on his table and switched on the small TV mounted on the wall opposite


    to him, right behind me.


    I turned to find none but my picture on the screen with bold ck words written under it:


    IF ANYONE TALKS TO HER, LEST LOOK AT HER, THEN YOU WILL HAVE ME TO FACE!


    VERNERO.


    A choked sob escaped my lips. I mmed my palm on my mouth and muffled the cry that slipped put.


    ¡°We are so sorry, Miss. But Mr. Vernero and Mr. Lorenzo are people we dare to mess with. The whole


    country knows of you now.¡± He said in a small voice and my muscles just gave out. 1


    I dropped onto my knees and cried. Gosh, I have never cried like this before. I cried. It felt like the office


    walls were closing in on me, the air inside the room was not enough. At some point the senior officer


    quietly left the office, leaving me to my own breakdown.


    I cried so hard because the things were now clear. There was no escaping the twins. At all.


    One shiny shoe suddenly stopped right in front of my sight, followed by the other. My breathing hitched


    as the other pair of ck shoes joined in and I knew whom they belonged t


    1. I didn¡¯t have to look up to know it¡¯s THEM!


    ¡°Get up from the floor,¡± Verneromanded in his usual menacing tone, the one that could chill you to


    the bone.


    I sniffed a few times before wiping down the rivers of tears on my face. ¡°You knew I wasn¡¯t going to make


    it. So why let me get this far only to crush my hope?¡± My


    voice was croaked and hoarse from the ugly crying. The silence was golden and I looked up when there


    was no response, only to find them looking down at me, bodies poised and rigid with their faces stoic like


    they were possessed by some kind of weird shit.


    ¡°Don¡¯t cry, Tesoro.¡± Lorenzo tried to smooth out but I felt too much anger boiling inside of me. How could


    he?


    ¡°Don¡¯t you fucking Tesoro me. You are an evil deceiver who lured me into thinking that you are some kind


    of a decent guy. You pretended to be my neighbor only to gain my trust and then what? Stole my life right


    in my palms for God knows what. You are nothing but a piece o f worthless sc¡­¡± My ears suddenly rang


    like a big church bell was nging violently in my head. White dots marred my vision and I swear I lost


    myself for a second there. It took a few heartbeats to dawn to me that I was stricken on the face when


    my cheek began to burn like a n overheated furnace.


    My face was turned to the side with my hair covering my tear-stained face. Vernero squatted down in


    front of me and painfully gripped my face with his steel-like hand, his fingers painfully digging into my


    cheeks. My eyesnded on his ck, fuming orbs.


    He hit me! 1


    ¡°Listen here Tesoro; Enzo and I can, and will give you the life you have never imagined. We will make


    you the queen of this world and everyone will worship the very solid ground you walk on. But don¡¯t you


    dare, not in this lifetime or the next speak to us like that. You hear me? ¡°The furrows on his forehead


    deepened as he waited for my response.


    Words seemed to fail me. I just stared nkly at him with my mouth open and tears streaming down on


    my face. I had no words. At all! ¡°YOU HEAR ME?¡± He thundered in a loud voice causing me to shudder


    violently. I attempted t o close my mouth and then nodded slightly. ¡°That¡¯s a good girl. Now let¡¯s punish


    you for being a bad girl!¡±

 Chapter 29

    Chapter 29


    LORENZO POV


    The drive back to Dark Woods was haste, very rushed and Verzi stepped on it like he was chasing the


    wind. The silence was heavy in the car, the tension so thick you can cut it with the steak knife. Only the


    hard, savage pounding of my heart could be heard.


    Leigh-Ari hated me.


    And I got myself to me for that. She was right about everything she spouted and yes I deceived her


    and disguised myself as someone else. Someone kind, loving, decent and cool. I took advantage of her


    memory loss and yed her because I was just as shrewd as it gets. I was selfish, inconsiderate, and


    very possessive of my own shit!


    And I did what I did because I had to. Is that too much to understand? I did it because I had no choice.


    She belongs in Dark Woods with us. Not in some small crappy and tiny apartment in Cyprus.


    She belonged here, with her two men. Why couldn¡¯t she understand that? Why run away from us as


    soon as she arrived here? 1


    I turned to look at her to find her looking outside the car window at the scenery passing by. The


    beautifully soft, velvet Gi sweater looking good on her angelic figure. Her face was red, tear-stained


    and her lips were slightly parted. The handprint of Vernero¡¯s p visible and evident on her delicate,


    smooth skin.


    I held out my hand in an attempt to take hers, to hold her and say all the things I couldn¡¯t utter with just


    our physical contact; but she was quick to draw hers back, leaving my hand to grasp the cold leather


    seat of the car.


    The silent rejection pierced straight to my heart, rendering me breathless in just a blink of an eye. I


    swallowed audibly and drew mine back, then looked at Vernero to find him watching the blow in the


    rearview mirror..


    He saw it!


    The deep angry furrows deepened on his forehead, and he angrily stepped on the elerator, swerving


    down the wet roads towards Dark Woods. No words were said, just pure animosity and hatred resonating


    hard from Leigh-Ari, utmost anger and rage radiating heavy from Vernero as the seconds ticked by. As


    for me, I was muddle-headed. I didn¡¯t know how to feel, let alone what to say.


    Upon reaching the castle, Vernero mmed the brakes causing the car to stop abruptly. Leigh ¨CAri was


    quick to open the door and run outside, but her short legs couldn¡¯t carry her far before I grabbed her by


    her lean waist and mmed her body on mine. Her face looked up and her beautiful brown fell on mine


    and the look on her face took all the words right out of my mouth,


    Vernero sensed the awkward energy around me and quickly whisked Leigh-Ari from my hold, threw him


    on the shoulder, and left with her caveman style.


    I came trailing behind them, with Leigh-Ari still and silent on Vernero¡¯s shoulder.


    The look on her face dared me to do or say anything to her. She was feisty and very deep, that I knew.


    But that look, that look alone was enough to make my ten years utterly miserable. Instead of following


    Vernero down the stairs, I took the ones for the west wing. After he was done with Leigh, he woulde


    and tell me all that had transpired. As for me, I couldn¡¯t. I couldn¡¯t bear to hurt her again!


    as


    Else I was going to lose her.


    VERNERO POV


    Walking down the stairs with her weight on me kind of soothed the raging storm inside me. I was going to


    punish her, yes, but I wasn¡¯t going to break her. Our treasure just needed to know that there are


    consequences for crossing us, not anything else.


    She was our beautiful angel that deserved to be loved and cherished. 1


    She wriggled a bit in my hold, pulling me from my daze for a second. I turned a bit and my cheek ran


    smack-dab into her lush, plump and soft butt-cheek that was mped tight in the soft pants that matched


    her sweater. That act only got me so rock hard that my pants suddenly felt tight. Too tight to even walk. I


    cleared my throat a bit,


    ¡°Be still,¡± I pped shortly and her breathing stopped. I continued down the stairs with her breathing so


    slow and very quiet.


    I stopped in front of the door of the steam room, put my finger on the sensor and the door responded


    with a soft click and then swived open.


    I stepped inside a very heated, steam-covered space and began sweating out of my own skin. I gently


    pulled her off my shoulder and ced her on her feet, in front of me. Her lean body snuggled to my


    torso, fitting like a glove. I smoothed the strands that were in her face and gently massaged the cheek


    that was inmed from the p.


    ¡°Don¡¯t anger me, Tesoro.¡± I purred gently and continued massaging her cheek.


    ¡°I don¡¯t want to hurt you.¡± She remained still and silent as death. Her eyes not blinking, only glued on me


    like she was staring right into my soul. I took a step back and another walked out of the steam room and


    locked the door behind me, leaving her in there to atone for her sins of talking back to us. But most


    importantly, of trying to leave us.


    The walk to the West Wing was quick, and soon, I walked into the lounge to find Enzo drowning her balls


    and sorrows in liquor.


    ¡°Get it together.¡± I walked to the wine cabin and retrieved a whisky ss, then poured me a good amount


    and perched myself opposite him.


    ¡°For someone telling me to get my shit together, you sure look worse.¡± He contradicted, and then


    chucked down the remaining liquid in his ss before mming it too hard on the table


    We fell into a deep, long pregnant silence, none of us daring to speak out first. But as twins, what


    bugged him did bug me too. I felt him and his fears, his thoughts, and pains. I felt everything that was


    going on in that pretty head of his.


    ¡°You shouldn¡¯t have hit her.¡± He intoned after a long moment of golden silence,


    ¡°I know,¡± I replied shortly. I knew I shouldn¡¯t haveid a hand on her. I knew that was a wrong move and I


    had to make it up to her.


    ¡®Where did you lock her?¡±


    ¡°In the steam room!¡± He nodded softly and got up to refill his ss.


    ¡°Not bad. The steam will also help soothe her body. She must te tired.¡±


    ¡°Hmmm.¡±


    ¡°Are the cameras working?¡±


    ¡°Yeah. I installed new cameras before flying to Turkey. She will be fine.¡±


    We conversed for a few hours, our topic revolving around her only.


    Time seemed to have frozen when Leigh-Ari was on our tongues, she was what made our world spin


    around.


    Right on the clock, the hurried sound of heels clicking against the hard tiled floor was heard. since I was


    facing forward, I couldn¡¯t see who it was but only Valerie and Ciello were allowed i n the west wing, only


    under special circumstances. When there was an emergency, when she was going to sleep here or


    discuss business with Enzo. I wasn¡¯t a business geek so their shit was always theirs. Never bothered.


    ¡°What is it, Valerie?¡± Enzo asked with furrowed brows.


    ¡°It¡¯s madam.¡± Her voice was hurried and I turned to find the look on her horror-stricken and very worried.


    This belongs to N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°What about her?¡± ¡°She passed out!¡±

 Chapter 30

    Chapter 30


    LEIGH-ARI


    Confusion, frustration, pain, and rage were the only things I felt. I had so many questions that needed


    answers. I had to know why, out of bazillion people in the world; why did they choose me? An ordinary


    woman from Cyprus who has never offended anyone since the beginning of ever! Why did they have to


    lock me up in this furnace? And why did they feel entitled to punish me?


    What sin did Imit?


    The steam in the sauna was unbearable. When Vernero brought me here, it was okay. I felt like I could


    sit in here for a long minute. It was hot, yes, but the heat wasn¡¯t bad. However, a few minutes after he


    took off, the temperature rose by a hundred. I began sweating buckets until I shredded the little clothing I


    had on. I breathed it in with my organs, allowing it to fill m y lungs like a gallon of fresh air. I was no


    stranger to the benefits of steam to the body and often rmended sauna visits to some of my


    patients. It soothed the burn on my cheek and lulled the pain in my heart. The sweat covering my skin


    like a glove made me sticky and gummy, but the steam never stopped to swirl around, creating a very


    thick, dense fog in the small room.


    I bundled myself at the corner of the sauna and let my mind wander.


    Where was Laura? Did she know I was kidnapped? At the hospital, were they aware that I was gone? Or


    they had already found a recement for me? Right at that moment, loneliness crashed on me hard, as I


    realized that in this world, apart from Laura, I had NO ONE! It was always me against the world, Alone!


    Even if I died in the hands of the twins, no one would mourn my death and miss me! Has my life always


    been this sad? Full of¡­ nothing? I couldn¡¯t believe it! But it was the hard truth standing right in my face.


    Sitting in the scorching sauna, it dawned on me that I was just one of the most irrelevant things this life


    could possibly have! No wonder why the police officers refused to help me! I mean, who would help such


    a lone dog?


    A sad, lone tear drizzled down my cheek and I unhurriedly wiped it. A very strong wave of fatigue came


    crawling towards me like a lion after quietly stalking its prey. I had no energy to fight it. The heat, the sad


    thoughts gnawing deep inside me, hunger, the hard and strong sense of failure, and all the chunk of crap


    I had in my mind made it all easy for fatigue to swallow me whole. I felt very light-headed like I was


    drifting away on a fluffy, white milky cloud while Adele sang a luby.


    I didn¡¯t fight it. I couldn¡¯t. My eyes fluttered close and the rest of my body gave out in response.


    The thought of dying in here was thest thing on my mind before darkness quickly drank m e in its


    glorious abode.


    LORENZO POV


    ¡°GET THE DOCTOR!¡± I barked at Valerie and tore off after Vernero, then ran to the underground pavilion


    hot on his heels.


    We arrived at the steam room in a blink of an eye and Verzi was quick to scan his finger. As soon as the


    door clicked open, I gave it a strong kick and was inside the room in a heartbeat. The heat hit me hard in


    the face causing me to take a huge gulp of the hot air.


    ¡°Vernero are you fucking insane? How could you lock her in here when it¡¯s like this?¡± I cursed searching


    the heavily fog-covered room. The steam made it hard for me to find her because it was everywhere.


    Literally everywhere. And heavens it was hot in here! It was insanely hot!


    ¡°I didn¡¯t.¡± He defended from somewhere behind me.


    ¡°Switch the damn thing off for fuck¡¯s sake,¡± I growled out loud and stumbled on a small shoe i n my path,


    then followed the small trail of clothes until I stopped right in front of her. My shoe -covered foot made


    contact with her naked thigh and I quickly bunched down towards her.


    ¡°Found her,¡± I informed picking her limp, hot, and sweat-covered body, and exited the room.


    Vernero came walking behind us as I quickly made my way to the west wing. By the time we arrived,


    Lorik and the other guys were waiting for us with eyes wide open. Lorik wasted no time checking her


    pulse right after Iid her on the couch. I stood back and red daggers at Vernero only to find him


    slightly trembling. The look on his face was hard, and I knew he was about to go ballistic. I knew he was


    telling the truth when he said: ¡°he didn¡¯t¡±. The temperature in that room was insanely high, and I knew for


    a fact that he couldn¡¯t lock Ari in that kind of a room. He couldn¡¯t do anything to hurt her. He wouldn¡¯t. I


    knew it like I knew the back of my hand! 1


    It¡¯s either the system had a small error, or someone tampered with it and increased the temperature. But


    who? Because no one had the guts to do that. Dark Woods was out turf, and everyone living here knew


    their limits and where to draw the line. No one, absolutely no one would have the sheer audacity to


    tamper with the sauna system while Leigh-Ari was locked i


    n there. Especially when everyone knew what she meant to us.


    ¡®She¡¯s okay. She passed out from too much heat and dehydration. I will put her on the drip and she


    should be fine in a few minutes.¡± Lorik broke the heavy silence, and I breathed a huge sigh of relief.


    Thank fuck!


    ¡°Okay. Let¡¯s take her to her room.¡± I called out and walked towards her in an attempt to pick her, but Verzi


    beat me to it and hurriedly bundled her to his chest. I followed him while the


    others went to collect a few things.


    We climbed the stairs in deafening silence until we reached her room where Verzi gently


    tugged her in bed facing up after I prepared the bed.


    Lorik arrived shortly with Valerie behind her and he connected the drip to her, when they were done, the


    two left us alone with her sleeping body.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t do it,¡± Vernero said in a small tone.


    ¡°I know. The system surely misfunctioned.¡± I replied still staring at Ari¡¯s sleeping face


    ¡°It¡¯s my fault. I didn¡¯t check it.¡±


    ¡°No silly. It¡¯s not. Anything can go wrong at any time. Don¡¯t beat yourself for it. You heard Lorik, she is


    okay.¡± I looked at him and gave him a small smile. He rewarded me with a non convincing nod before


    looking at Ari¡¯s sleeping face. Knowing Vernero, he was definitely overthinking the whole thing and was


    already nning on how to skin whoever meddled with Ari. If he continued to carry the me, then he


    was going to find ways to punish himself. And boy that was never lovely. He made sure to hurt himself to


    the point where I, wherever I was, felt his pain. Sometimes he would bind himself and let Ciello do things


    to him. His screams would wander this whole dang castle and I so hated that. We had our Ari now, and


    he wasn¡¯t going to go down that trail ever again!


    I shook my head expelling the unpleasant thoughts and walked to the lounge area and perched myself


    on the plush leather seat. I couldn¡¯t wait to get done with this day already.


    It was one hell of a long day in history.


    A/N


    Hey lovelies


    HAPPY NEW YEAR TO ALL OF YOU, MAY YOU ALL CONTINUE TO SHINE AND DO WHAT YOU DO


    BEST,


    I LOVE YOU ALL SO MUCH.Text content ? N?velDrama.Org.


    (I havepiled a video for the main characters on the official I***g page au_rare_stories. If ever you got


    curious on how the twins and their girl look like, go watch that video now. And let me know if they all are


    up to your expectations. And believe me, I found the most suitable models there ever are in the entire


    universe. I hope you find them hot too!)

 Chapter 31

    Chapter 31


    VERNERO POV


    It was a little after 7 when I decided it was time to leave Leigh¡¯s room. She was sleeping soundly and I


    felt like watching her was just going to disturb her peaceful rest. Enzo had long gone, left me to myself as


    I insisted on watching over her.


    Somehow just sitting here, watching as she took small peaceful breaths gave me a sense of relief, made


    me forget for a minute how badly I fucked up. I didn¡¯t want to put the me on anyone or anything else.


    It was with my ignorance that she passed out. Had I checked the system well, things wouldn¡¯t be like


    this. The harder I thought about it, the more I felt like I needed to skin someone alive,


    With that, I left.


    I went straight into the monitoring room and checked the surveince. I had to be sure of what


    happened. And if someone actually dared to turn up the temperature¡­ Oh Lord, help them!


    To my surprise, there really was no one. The only people who went to the sauna today were Enzo, and


    me. Even Valerie saw from the surveince room that Leigh passed out.


    Now, this meant one thing; The system did have a small error.


    I let out a loud growl as I mmed my fists angrily on the keyboards that were on the table, earning me a


    yelp from the guy sitting next to me.


    I left without further ado and quickly dialed Ciello¡¯s phone number. The phone clicked as he answered on


    the third ring:


    ¡°Boss?¡±


    ¡°I want whoever that was in contact with Leigh-Ari in 30 minutes, chained in the dungeons,¡± I


    commanded as I ran to my office to ready myself for what came next.


    ¡°Done, Boss.¡± He replied cutting the call. Upon reaching my office, I walked into my private bathroom and


    stood under the icy cold shower. The cold sprays of water cleared my mind, numbed my body, removed


    all the unwanted thoughts that may lead me to failure. I had hurt one person I cared about the most.


    Someone had to suffer for all she did. And I was going to inflict the pain very, very, well.


    30 minutes on the clock, my phone rang and it was Ciello. I smiled and picked it up, loyal to his words,


    he had everyone that talked to Leigh today.


    It was about to go crazy!


    LEIGH-ARI


    lopened my eyes and blinked a few times, I felt rested, very rested, and very energized. I got u p into a


    sitting position and pulled my knees to my chest, with my back against the headboard. The room was


    dark, signaling that it waste in the night. I nced at the digital clock on the bedside table and it


    showed that it was well after 10 pm.


    After giving out a heavy yawn, I switched on the bedsidemp and padded across the room to switch on


    the main lights. A gasp tore out of me when I saw bags and bags of the things I bought today.


    But I realized that being surprised wasn¡¯t going to do it for me, I mean I was with Ciello, maybe he was


    the one who brought the bags home.


    Still lost in my mind, my stomach rambled embarrassingly and that¡¯s when I realized I hadn¡¯t, had


    anything since the hearty breakfast I had in the morning. Good Lord this had been an insanely long day.


    From finding out that I was kidnapped to attempting to escape only to be found yet again, then locked in


    the steam room where I fainted what happenedter?


    Heck! Just the mere thought of today¡¯s crazy events made my stomach grumble angrily. I looked for


    another set offortable clothes and slipped them on, then left my room on a hunt for a kitchen.


    Right after closing my door, I realized that I had no idea where the kitchen was, let alone theyout of the


    castle. I didn¡¯t even know on which floor of the castle I was on.


    I leaned against one of the neighboring doors trying to make out the sound that maye from inside.


    However, the hallways were as still as death, unmoving, and eerily quiet. I heaved a sigh and walked


    through the hallway where my portraits were staring back at me.


    I don¡¯t know for how long I milled in this maze of a castle, climbing up and down the bare and carpet-


    covered stairs, but eventually, I saw a huge, oak, doubled doors, and ran towards them, then pushed


    them open with all my might to reveal what looked like a rooftop. There were stone-carved seats and


    tables, as well as manicured statues and fountains. The light from the ground created thick shadows,


    making the ce a little bit unsettling. But despite that, it was breathtaking. From here, the rooftop


    seemed to be 2 floors up.


    as


    I turned around and spotted a stone staircase on my left. I took off and walked down the stairs that


    stretched on forever. The stairs went on and on and it was insanely chill in here. I shivered in my small


    ck summer dress and covered my arms in an attempt to keep a little bit of warmth to myself.


    A loud scream jolted me out of my own skin. It sounded like it wasing out from somewhere below,


    instead of walking back, I took hurried steps downwards. The doctor in me surfaced and all I could think


    of was to save a life.


    After a lifetime of running down the cold stairs, I came to a clearing and stopped dead in my tracks. The


    sight in front of my eyes knocked the breath out of me. There were six people, chained to the seats, with


    blood oozing everywhere from their bodies.


    I gasped when I spotted none but the sales consultant I was talking with today, chained and nearly


    disfigured. The vendor, the police officers. Good Lord, no!


    ¡°NOOO!¡± I screamed announcing my presence in the room, tears pricked my eyes and wasted no time


    spilling down my face.


    From my blurred vision, I saw Vernero shirtless, with what looked like an ax grasped tight in his hand.


    ¡°What did you do?¡± That came out as a whisper as I willed my shaky legs to carry me forward.


    ¡°Didn¡¯t you lock the door?¡± He thundered to someone who made a quick apology. The


    In¡¯t evenplete his sentence before a loud qunshot rang around the stone walls, echoing around and


    creating a ghost sound that made my heart palpitate. His lifeless body fell limp to the floor and I


    screamed.


    ¡°Nooo! Please¡­ Stop.¡± I cried so hard as I lunged forward, to no one in particr.


    The vendor whom I gave my earrings to coughed, and blood came out rushing out of his mouth.


    On an impulse, I ran to him and held him upright. Tears didn¡¯t stop streaming down my face. My hands


    were shaking, these people were hurt, and it was all my fault.


    ¡°Leigh-Ari you need to get out of here.¡± He threatened in his usual icy tone, I straightened up and looked


    at him, then angrily wiped the tears that just couldn¡¯t stop on my face.


    ¡°Kill me. Not them.¡± I announced and everyone in the room gasped.


    ¡°You don¡¯t know what you are talking about ma¡¯am,¡± Ciello responded but I wasn¡¯t having it.


    ¡°Shut the fuck up. Kill me. It is me that ran, it is me that got away and not them, and if you are going to


    punish someone, it has to me.¡± I said defiantly, I knew that he might lose and just snap my neck into two


    and the angels would start singing Hallelujah in the very instant. But I wasn¡¯t going to stand by and watch


    innocent people die because of me.


    ¡°Ma¡¯am you should really¡­¡±


    ¡°I said, shut the fuck up!¡± I called out in an angry voice, causing Ciello to take a step back.


    That made room for me to draw straight to Vernero who was standing a foot from me, chest heaving


    deeply, evidently showing that he was on the edge. One more word and we were all doomed.


    I took one small step, waited for him to drawback, but he didn¡¯t. I took the second one and when he didn¡¯t


    react, went straight to him and stood right in front of him. His eyes were glued


    on me, forehead bundled angrily and lips pinched shut, with his nose red as he took gallons of air into


    his lungs.


    ¡°Please! For my sake, don¡¯t kill them.¡± I said in a very small voice, one that was meant for his ears only.


    His breathing quickened and I chanced my hand up, then slowlyid it right where his heartid beneath


    the cage of his bones and skin. It was beating like an angry beast ready to break free. He didn¡¯t


    drawback, didn¡¯t lose it as I had thought,


    ¡°Please!¡± I pleaded once more and like magic, hisbored breathing slowly subsided. He calmed down.


    I said a silent prayer, hoping that it was really the end of it, that he truly heard me, and that h e wasn¡¯t


    going to go berserk and start his killing spree.


    ¡°Unchain them!¡± Hemanded, his eyes still glued to my face. I gave him a small smile and carefully


    rested my head on his chest. Only God knew what I was doing, even his angels had no idea why I


    decided to y the card I yed. But it worked. God, it worked.


    The sound of heavy metals hitting the stone floor was hard on my ears, and Vernero surprised me by


    hugging me tight on his chest, pulling me in a warm embrace. It was then I felt that he was trembling,


    hard.


    This belongs to N?velDrama.Org.


    The stench of blood covered himpletely, but it didn¡¯t make me sick. I let him hold me, for a minute or


    however long it took. The world seemed to have disappeared when I was in his embrace.


    The groans and cries were the ones that pulled me out of the daydream,


    ¡°I need to treat them,¡± I informed in a small voice,


    ¡°Lorik will do it.¡± With that, he took my hand, and left the underground hell with me!

 Chapter 32

    Chapter 32


    LEIGH-ARI


    A few weeks had gone by since thest incident. And since then, the twins were rather easy o n me. I


    was living the life of the castle hostess instead of a captive. Everyone knew me although I had a hard


    time keeping up with their names, especially because we met less. And it was crazy because I hadn¡¯t


    since Valerie ever since, not even a glimpse of her. But I have heard the twins barking her name at least


    a million times. The castle was unusually quiet during the days, then insanely loud at nights when


    everyone was back.


    I had taken a grand tour around the property just to kill time and it was safe to say that the Cattanio


    Twins were the richest in this country. Their castle itself spoke volumes. With the jacuzzis, saunas,


    insane indoor and outdoor swimming pools, y courts, and many more


    ties, the castle was equipped with everything.


    W


    Somewhere between the two wings was a game room and a theatre. I have slipped into the theatre a


    few times to watch a film or two when Vernero was out or when he was distracted b y something. Since


    that incident, he never let me out of his sight. Probably because he thought I would escape or do


    something. He was always there, watching me and everything I did. Some other nights I have woken up


    to find him sitting in the dark, watching me intently. At first, I had screamed, but the following nights I had


    just greeted him and went back to sleep.


    Life at the castle was well¡­ fascinating to say the least.


    ¡°Good afternoon ma¡¯am, Mr. Cattanio requires your presence in his office.¡± the maidservant called out


    from the door of my bedroom,


    ¡°Which one of them is calling me?¡± I had to ask that since each had a private study, one of the things I


    came to discover during my grand tour.


    ¡°The bosses are in Mr. Lorenzo¡¯s office ma¡¯am.¡± The maid exined and I nodded. She gave m e a small


    bow and excused herself, then closed the door behind her.


    I got up and smoothed my dress then took off to where I was called.


    Upon arriving in the lion¡¯s den, I found the two kings sprawledzily on the couch, arms stretched out


    with one hand holding whiskey sses. Lorenzo was in his usual formal suit with a tie toplement his


    look, while Vernero had his signature ck shirt and ck cks with no tie on, two first buttons undone


    to reveal his inked sternum.


    Each one of them exuded the energy that made you weak in the knees. They just pulled the whole world


    on their sleeves and they knew it.


    Upon realizing my presence, Lorenzo¡¯s eyes moved up andnded on me, then a small smile stretched


    on his lips as he stood up and gestured me to sit on a single couch. For a single


    seat, it was sure majestic and glorious.


    ¡°You look beautiful, Tesoro.¡± Heplimented kissing the top of my head and then retreatedt o his seat.


    Vernero wore his usual scowl as if he was ready to murder someone in an instant. I t was always


    amusing how he managed to stay angry almost every second of the day.


    ¡°Thanks,¡± I replied shortly and smoothed the none existing greases on my dress.


    ¡°How are you liking the castle?¡± Ahhhhhmmmm, what was this? ¡°It¡¯s okay. I like it. The pools are fun, the


    jacuzzis also. I love the theatre and the gym.¡±


    017


    ¡°Have you been to the saunas?¡±


    ¡°Yes, two times this we¡­¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t go to the saunas again.¡± Vernero chimed in his cold voice. My eyes shifted at him to find him


    staring at me intently.


    ¡°Huh?¡± I breathed out confused,


    ¡°Don¡¯t go next to the saunas again!¡± He repeated and then sipped his whiskey, dismissing any questions


    that may have risen from me. I managed a small nod and a smile.


    ¡°We want to show you something,¡± Lorenzo informed getting up from his seat. He walked to his giant


    white marble desk to retrieve a big ck folder.


    Belongs ? to N?velDrama.Org.


    My curiosity skyrocketed at the sight of a giant folder because man, things were always yummy in there.


    ¡°Okay.¡± I watched as Vernero shifted ufortably in his seat, the furrows on his forehead deepening


    even further. I was about to ask what was the matter with him when Lorenzoid the giant book in front


    of my eyes and opened the first page.


    ¡°I¡¯ll get you a drink.¡± Vernero offered and tore off from his seat. He was sure one hell of a


    weird man I have ever seen. He was so unstable, in all possible ways.


    I looked back at the folder in front of me,


    ¡°It¡¯s a photo album.¡± I pointed out to no one in particr.


    ¡°Yes. And I presume it will give you answers to all the questions you have been meaning to ask.¡±


    Lorenzo answered and gently brushed my hair off my face. For someone who lied to me, he was sure


    passionate and insanely gentle with me, unlike his twin who was¡­ well, he was that way! Like THAAAT


    way. Unpredictable, very unstable, and very unnerving. But I havee to realize that he actually cared


    for me, even more than Lorenzo did. He just didn¡¯t how t o show it or how to do well with emotions. As a


    doctor, I understood that very intimately.


    As if hearing my thoughts, he got into my line of sight and insisted that I take the wine ss from him, if it


    was before, I¡¯d have thought that he spiked it. But now, I epted it with a smile and said a small thanks.


    Then refocused on the elephant in the room.


    I flipped the cover page and gasped when my eyesnded on a photo of me. The younger


    version of me.


    I was wearing a very yellow summer dress with my hair bundled in a messy bun. I had a cheeky grin


    which revealed my braces and pearl white teeth. With me were¡­


    ¡°This¡­ You are here! Both of you.¡± I breathed out as the two giant teen boys stood unmoving o n both of


    my sides. The other one was broody, with no smile while the other was bubbly. I looked up to find the two


    of them looking at me.


    ¡°You knew me. We knew each other.¡± I called out and stared down at the photo, then flipped t o reveal


    yet another one. Here, it was winter, and we were posing beside a huge snowman with a big tall man


    behind us. The man was a spitting image of me and the sight of him opened a flood gate to so many


    emotions.


    He was my dad. The very same dad I had no memory of, let alone had a single portrait of. After the


    ident, they had tried to find something that linked me back to the past, but there was nothing. Just


    some distant rtives that didn¡¯t want to be involved with me at all cost. When I woke up from a six-


    month-longa, I remembered nothing, nothing at all. After that, I was taken in by my paternal cousin


    who saw me throughout my college life. Sadly, he died two yearster and since then, it was just me.


    ¡°That¡¯s Big Mac over there. He took us to the mountain for barbeque in the woods. It was cold, so cold


    that your cheeks were inmed all over the way to and from the cabin in the woods. But it was fun.¡±


    Lorenzo borated causing me to sniffle. It was then I realized I was crying.


    My dad, my father. Did he think of me as an unfilial daughter for failing to remember the happy times we


    shared together?


    ¡°What¡¯s his full name?¡± I asked in a croaked voice only to be met by deafening silence. I looked up to find


    them staring at me with pitiful eyes.


    ¡°Mac-David Maxwell Montreal,¡± Vernero answered.


    ¡°He was a professor at the biggest university in Pnd. That¡¯s where we all lived.¡± Lorenzo rified


    further.


    Hours ticked by as we sat in there, me watching the short frozen memories of my past, how happy and


    carefree I was. I came to know that the lively bubbly boy in the photos was not Lorenzo like I had


    thought, but Vernero. How much they had changed. How much we all have changed.


    They told me everything there was to know, hiding nothing from me. Iughed, I cried, I was a n


    emotional mess.


    We had lost each other, but they found me.


    It¡¯s true I remembered nothing about them, about me during those times, but these photographs told me


    everything there was to know. The happiness they had when they were with me, the fulfillment in my


    eyes when those silly pictures were taken, was right in front of my eyes.


    We may have changed, but I believed that that fulfillment, that pure joy evident in their eyes when they


    looked at me back then, they were trying to find it.


    And I was going to help them.

 Chapter 33

    Chapter 33


    LEIGH-ARI


    Things between the twins and I were indeed good. Although they still freaked me out at some points, I


    was beginning to rx around them. Except forst night when they behaved like animals. I don¡¯t know


    what was the matter with them but we were just chilling and having drinks in the lounge, then the next


    thing I know they had pounced on me and already trying t o rip my clothes off me. I had stayed numb for


    a second, unmoving while I tried to grasp the situation. And when I felt their hot tongues swirling on my


    naked neck, I had snapped. I pushed them off me and they fell off with eyes wide as if they had no idea


    what had just happened. It was as if they had snapped out of the trance that clouded their thinking. To


    make things worse, Vernero took off right after that and I haven¡¯t seen him since. He didn¡¯t evene to


    my room for his night ¡°watch¡±. Lorenzo however, stayed and mumbled a quick apology before excusing


    himself. And that was it. The only hateful thing was that they both left the monstrous hickeys on each


    side of my neck and no matter what I did to hide them, they were just way too loud.


    Apart from that, all was merry, and I didn¡¯t want that incident to destroy the little improvements we have


    made thus far.


    But good heavens, I have missed working, so bad. This life of doing NOTHING was not what I wanted.


    Not what I was used to. I was well a certified housewife and if I were, to be honest, it was boring as hell.


    Imagine being pampered so bad that you don¡¯t even make your own bed. Heck! I wasn¡¯t used to all of it


    at all. And what was worse was that the twins insisted on it. And what they said was thew, whoever


    went against them suffered an unimaginable doom. So all I could do was just nod my head like a good


    dog and let the drag me all around.


    I missed my work, I missed my patients, I missed the OR and everything about the hospital. The heavy


    scent of life and death swirling in the air, the faint but unmistakable stench of blood and pus seeping


    through a veil of antiseptic, the chloroform in the hallways, food in the cafeteria, the people running


    around, doctors and nurses in different robes and coats; I missed it. All of it.


    The mere thought of it made me heave out a very disturbed sigh. The Friday afternoon was just like any


    other: Boring!


    Without further ado, I walked to my closet and shrugged out of the long buggy clothes I had o n, and put


    on swimwear.


    I left my bedroom and walked out of the west wing and headed straight to the east.


    The guards quickly opened the door for me and I halted in my tracks when I saw not one, but 8dies


    having fun by the pool. Some were in the water dancing like dolphins, while some were stretched out


    under the sun zing sun with sunsses on. Why did no one tell me that there were people around this


    time?


    Text content ? N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Leigh!¡± A very familiar voice called out and I turned to find none but Valerie, as elegant and neat as ever.


    She had on a ck bikini that hugged her perfect body and man, she was a beauty


    ¡°Valerie.¡± I rejoiced at the sight of a familiar being. She came waltzing towards me and pulled me in a


    bear hug.


    ¡°It¡¯s good to see you again.¡± She squealed and rocked me side to side.


    ¡°Well, it¡¯s good to see YOU. Where have you been hiding?¡±


    ¡°I wasn¡¯t hiding. Was just a bit busy.¡± She said and walked us to the small bar where she was seated


    earlier.


    ¡°Busy to even see me? Really?¡±


    ¡°Sorry. But again, I have seen you quite a few times. Remember the time they locked you in a sauna, I


    was the one who got you out.¡± She said with a wink.


    ¡°You are lying.¡± I don¡¯t know why, but I just didn¡¯t believe that.


    ¡°Okay fine. I didn¡¯t actually get you out. The guy on duty saw that you passed out and told me t o the


    bosses. They got you out.¡± now I believed her.


    ¡°Hmmm¡­ What¡¯s the asion? It¡¯s my first time seeing¡­ people.¡± I asked referring to the small party of


    girls.


    ¡°Nah, just azy Friday noon. We are having a party in the evening though, Be sure to be here. Come,


    let me introduce you to the others.¡± She wasted no time as she scooped me up and ran with me to the


    poolside. As soon as we were in the vicinity, thedies gathered around.


    ¡°Hey everyone, meet the hostess of Dark Woods, Miss Leigh-Ari Montreal. She¡¯s my good friend and we


    met when I was in Cyprus. Leigh, meet Anna, Crystal, Jane, Barbie, Rosalie, Bianca, Siena, and Mia.¡±


    They all sang a hi with smiles.


    ¡°Hey, guys. It¡¯s nice to meet you.¡± I waved at them and they decided to engage in small talk. What I did


    for a living, how old I was, and h. One of them, who was Crystal, nudged the one beside her and


    began whispering while stealthily pointing at me.


    I began feeling subconscious about myself and bundled my arms around me. We had moved t o the


    shallow end of the pool and we were all just getting ourdy bids soaked.


    ¡°One lucky bitch.¡± One of them spat calling our attention.


    ¡°Look at the hickeys, on BOTH SIDES.¡± She swam towards me and made it a deal to turn my neck from


    side to side to get a clear view of the hickeys, her skinny fingers digging painfully into my skin.


    ¡°Bianca,¡± Valerie warned in a hard tone.


    ¡°No shut up. Guys, do you see this? They have done you? At the same time? And how long


    have you been here? A week, a month? I can¡¯t believe it.¡± She scoffed and swam towards the stairs and


    got out.


    Oooooookay?


    ¡°Don¡¯t mind her. She is jealous because she fell from grace.¡± One of them, Mia,forted.


    ¡°Fell from grace?¡± What in the ck Jesus was happening here?


    ¡°Hmmm. She was the current bedwarmer before you arrived. For Mr. Vernero.¡± Valerie chimed in before


    sipping her martini.


    ¡°What?¡± I really had no idea what they were talking about.


    ¡°Okay. You don¡¯t know this and you definitely don¡¯t want to know, but everyone here has had a taste of


    one of the twins. Except for me, I have had a taste of both, but not at the same time. S o each one of the


    twins has ¡°a side¡± which they mark. Mr. Vernero takes right, while Mr. Lorenzo takes left. See?¡± She


    pointed on Barbie who had a fading hickey on her right side shoulder spade and up to her neck. The next


    one to show me was Mia and then the others. True to what she said, the girls had faded hickeys either


    on the left side of their bodies or on the right.


    ¡°Okay. This is crazy.¡± I honestly didn¡¯t know how to feel about that. At all!


    ¡°I know. But what¡¯s crazy, well to them not me because I know how they value you, is that you have


    hickeys, fresh hickeys on both sides.¡± She pointed out and that¡¯s when it dawned on me.


    The girls thought I had slept with the guys, and that they both ¡°marked me¡±.


    ¡°Oh my God.¡± I covered my mouth with shock,


    ¡°No that¡¯s not it. We didn¡¯t do anything I promise..¡± I defended hurriedly causing them to double up.


    ¡°It¡¯s okay. You haven¡¯t but you will. Matter of fact, they are patient with you. Because you are different


    from us.¡± One of them said I didn¡¯t know how to feel about this¡­ sure was a harem. And for the fact that


    they were actually cool with it? I mean hell! This was¡­ Something else.


    ¡°No-no-no. I won¡¯t. I won¡¯t do it with them.¡±I defied quickly. I wasn¡¯t going to be part of this, at


    all.


    ¡°Maybe! But you still don¡¯t understand your position in their lives.¡± Valerie said.


    ¡°I do. We are childhood friends.¡±


    ¡°Oh, they came clean? Finally. I was beginning to think they weren¡¯t going to tell you. But you are not just


    a childhood friend to them. You are way more than that.¡± What?


    ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    ¡°The twins had mommy issues when growing up. And when they moved to Pnd, they lived


    across a nice and kind girl who was taking care of her father, a single parent They would see how the girl


    cherished her father, how she took the feminine role in the house and did everything they couldn¡¯t do


    Things they craved. So they grew very fond of you. And for some weird reason, couldn¡¯t live without you.


    You guys started hanging out together and you would go to their house to cook for them, sometimes call


    them to your house. All those didn¡¯t go unnoticed to them. To you, it was just helping friends out, making


    dinner for them, or cleaning up their messy rooms. However, to them, it was entirely a different story. You


    were their mother, their sister, girlfriend, wife, you name it! So to put it in easy words, the twins are


    obsessed with you. And they are madly in love with you. Always have been ever since they saw you.¡± Oh


    my God.


    ¡°And how do you know all these?¡± I asked because the twins didn¡¯t mention any of these when they were


    showing me the pictures.


    ¡°I have been with them for more than a decade. I have served them for that long, I know everything


    about them.¡± Oh shit. This was too much to take in. This was a lot, like a fuckin¡¯ lot to take in


    Yes, I remembered nothing from our past, but from what Val told me, and from the pictures I saw,


    everything was making sense. The pictures that were marred in the hallways of the castle, the paintings


    of me, the stone statues, all made sense.


    The twins didn¡¯t take me as a friend, they never did. ¡°Ah fuck!¡±

 Chapter 34

    Chapter 34


    LORENZO POV


    After the jaw-dropping divulgence, things between Ari and us became vague, more fun, and more


    unrigorous. Sheughed often when we were around, didn¡¯t try to run from us like she used to. She was


    bubbly and very easygoing, just like how we have always known her.


    That made going back home more anticipated. Every time I clocked off, there was a jump in m y step, the


    happy dance I did when Verzi gave me small updates about her days, about times she has slipped into


    ¡®forbidden areas¡¯ while she thought no one was watching, when she explored the castle. Everything was


    going so well it felt like a dream.


    Like every other evening, driving home was done in haste, hurrying so that I could see her in her full


    glory, smiling andughing with everyone she met. She was just so kind, so beautiful, and just so warm,


    even to people she didn¡¯t know.


    It was safe to say that people at the castle adored her for her nature. Well, not the girls because they had


    this belief that she stole us from them. But apart from those bitching around, everyone loved her. 2


    Upon my arrival at the castle, I realized how empty it was inside, and the loud music that came from the


    poolside on the east wing told me where everyone was.


    I hurried to our wing to look for Ari but her bedroom was empty, which meant she was down a t the party


    also. I yanked off my tie and left my suit coat in her bedroom, and then walked to the east wing.


    The doors were open and indeed everyone was this side having some fun. Spotting Verzi was easy


    because of our twin bond, so I just felt where he was and walked there, to find him


    sitting down with Ciello and some of the guys.


    They cleared a chair next to him where I perched myself and looked down by the pool where Ari was


    ying with Eight¡¯s daughter.


    ¡°Everything good?¡± I asked with my eyes glued to Ari who wasughing hysterically with the little girl. It


    always killed me how she made everything so easy, how she was a natural with everything and


    everyone.


    ¡°Hmmm,¡± Verzi replied shortly sipping on his whiskey. ¡°Anything I should know of?¡± he was being weird


    and I knew something was bugging him.


    ¡°We have to fly down to Dubai.¡± Okay, now it made sense.


    ¡°Anything urgent?¡±


    ¡°Hmmm. The meeting with other underground lords. There¡¯s something fishy in the US and w e have to


    grasp it before things spiral out of control.¡±


    ¡°Okay! When are you setting off?¡±


    ¡°Tomorrow. At noon.¡±


    We stayed silent for a heartbeat, pondering on the situation. It was really a big deal that he really had to


    leave. That meant one thing:


    ¡°We are tagging along,¡± I said turning to look at him. He rewarded me with a small smile and turned to


    look at Ari.


    ¡°There is one thing I have to take care of tonight though.¡± He informed in a small tone.


    ¡°Oh yeah?¡± Here it goes¡­


    ¡°Bianca. She forgot her ce and I need to set an example that no one dares to talk to Ari that way.¡± His


    nose red and anger radiated from him.


    ¡°What did she do?¡±


    ¡°She saw the hickeys on Ari and called her a bitch. Talked about how lucky she was and shit. She needs


    to know that she has crossed a line.¡± I knew that at this point, there was no convincing him otherwise, so


    I just nodded my head and continued sipping my whiskey.


    All I could do was pray for Bianca, there was noing out alive of that dungeon!


    VERNERO POV


    The loud shrieks and cries of Bianca had rendered my ears numb. But I was d that I had removed a


    bad weed around my beautiful flower. Leigh didn¡¯t need any bad energy around her and whoever


    stepped out of the line towards her, needed a good lesson.


    After discarding Bianca¡¯s dead body for the guys to clean up, I walked out of the dungeon straight to our


    wing. Right before opening my door, a strong sense of longing hit me hard and before I knew it, I found


    myself inside Leigh¡¯s room.


    She wasn¡¯t on the bed or anywhere, but the sound of running water came from the bathroom and that¡¯s


    where I went. Before opening the door, I sent Enzo a quick message toe to join us for the bath. Yes,


    we were uninvited, but I just needed to be next to her.


    I carefully opened the bathroom door and slipped inside, shredded my clothes hurriedly while she was


    busy massaging her naked body with her eyes closed under the big shower


    sprays.


    The shower was huge enough for all of us, marring the farthest wall of the room. I walked over to where


    she was and stood under the hot water. Her eyes snapped open and she


    screamed:


    ¡°It¡¯s just me, Tesoro,¡± I said with my eyes closed. I didn¡¯t have to look but I knew she had her arms


    wrapped around her body shielding herself from me.


    ¡°What are you doing in here?¡± She asked with that small shriek that always came out when


    she was unsettled,


    ¡°Isn¡¯t it obvious?¡±


    ¡°You are covered in blood.¡± She pointed out as she watched the blood drizzle from my body down into


    the drain.


    Belongs to (N)?vel/Drama.Org.


    ¡°Hmmm. I went hunting.¡± I said shortly, leaving no room for further discussion. She was going to go


    ballistic if she knew that I killed someone.


    She gave me a small nod and turned to the waters, continued massaging her body with her small,


    delicate hands. The door creaked open and in came Enzo, stark naked with his huge junk hanging


    between his thighs. Upon seeing Leigh, he let out a huge growl that startled Leigh.


    ¡°Seriously guys? Can¡¯t I have one moment to myself? Just one peaceful moment of showering without


    you going all alpha on me?¡± She threw her hands in the air dramatically, then her eyesnded between


    my legs. She gulped audibly and I decided to give her a good show.


    While Enzo stalked towards her back, I took hold of my cock and began massaging it, with m


    y eyes glued to her face. That kind of relieved the pressure because it has been rock hard since I walked


    into this dang bathroom and found her gracing her body in swift movements.


    Enzo stood behind her and began trailing his hands up and down her naked body, eliciting a violent


    shudder out of her.


    ¡°You want it?¡± I taunted walking towards her,


    ¡°I have had better.¡± She fired back and that somehow managed to enrage me to a greater extend. The


    idea of her body being fondled by someone else left a bitter taste in my mouth.


    ¡°Liar,¡± Enzo interjected kissing her left shoulder. That was enough to calm me down just a bit.


    She groaned causing Enzo and me tough. She pulled from him and tried to walk off, but I was quick to


    yank her by her small neck and mmed her against my naked chest, the sound of wet skin hitting wet


    skin heady on my senses.


    ¡°You don¡¯t walk away from us, Tesoro,¡± I said in a low menacing voice.


    ¡°Or what?¡± She challenged, staring right into my eyes.


    ¡°Or we will fuck you right against this wall you will have a hard time walking, sitting, or using that sweet


    little lotus and the rear hole¡± Her breath hitched and her eyes dted for a second. We stayed like that for


    a minute or two, until she smirked and said:


    ¡°Good luck with that.¡± Gosh, this girl!


    With that, she turned and stomped off the shower area to the cabs where she retrieved a bathrobe


    and covered her body.


    ¡°We are flying to Dubai tomorrow,¡± Enzo announced to her,


    ¡°I am not going.¡± She yelled, then literally left the bathroom with a stomp in her steps.


    She was the most beautiful woman even when she was throwing a tantrum.


    Whatever this girl had, whatever it is she did, then she knew the procedure very well because, heck! She


    had the two of us wrapped around her little finger and she knew it!

 Chapter 35

    Chapter 35


    LEIGH-ARI


    The rest of the night was spent with the guys dominating my room with their noble presence, not wanting


    to leave even for a single second. In the end, I had to let them have their moment because fighting them


    was futile. They were like clingy toddlers. At least Lorr whined out loud, he mumbled and made funny


    sounds of disapproval when I stood to chase them out, but his twin, Verzi just pouted and went about


    with his business without sparing me a re.


    I have never seen such a thing ever. It was as if they had turned into different people, while still


    managing to be themselves. As much as it infuriated me, I found it amusing. And by now, I was used to


    them. Honestly. And I had long given up the idea of ¡®personal space¡¯. They did not know that term! At all!


    After trying to kick them out and losing, I went to bed and they wasted no time climbing in on both of my


    sides, each taking their respective side. They didn¡¯t budge or do anything, just crawled next to me and in


    a split second, their hot purrs were puffing up my neck, warming m e all night long


    Iid still with their heavy heads resting on my shoulders, my mind retreated to the events of today. From


    finding out about the harem to discovering that the twins are not straight in the head. They truly weren¡¯t!


    And the little friend I made today by the pools, such a sweetheart. She was only 8 and was going to one


    of the biggest private schools in town. She told me that his daddy disappeared and uncle Vernero told


    her she¡¯s a princess and she will be living in the castle.


    I didn¡¯t need to be told to know how her father ended. It was right in front of us that he died in the hands


    of Vernero, but what warmed my heart was that he didn¡¯t leave the little sweetheart to fend for herself.


    He took her under his big wing, and now the girl is living the life of her dreams. It¡¯s unfair that her father


    was killed, but then, the word fair didn¡¯t exist in Cattanio¡¯s world. At all.


    Thest thing on my mind before sleep swallowed me was how happy I was with their annoying beings.


    In some weird crazy way, the twins made me happy.


    The morning came by and I woke up alone on the bec. None of the twins was in bed and from how cold


    the sheets were, it was safe to say that they left during the dinosaur era. I yawned peacefully and got out


    of the bed for a small stretch. My arms felt like I was in a sparring match with none but Dwayne The


    Rock Johnson and he did a very good number on me.


    Right when I was about to walk to the bathroom, there came a soft knock on the door.


    ¡°Who¡¯s it?¡± I asked through yet another yawn.


    ¡°Ciello, ma¡¯am.¡± What¡¯s up so early?


    ¡°Come in Ciello.¡± The doorknob turned and the mountain heap of a man came in followed by a littledy


    behind her. She didn¡¯t seem to be older than 30, and she was in a good shape. Good makeup, good


    curves, and posture.


    ¡°Ma¡¯am, please meet Raquel. She is your personal maid and bodyguard. She will be at your disposal 24


    hours in 7 days.¡± Wait, what?


    ¡°Huh? I didn¡¯t ask for a maid. I am pretty fine with no maid and¡­¡±


    ¡°Apologies if I am no match for your interest Madam.¡± Thedy proimed in a very thick heavy ent


    as she stepped forward and gave a small bow.


    ¡°No no no! It¡¯s not like that. I am actually happy to meet you. Delighted to be exact. But I don¡¯t need a


    bodyguard. Let alone a personal maid. There are tons of them here and really¡­¡±


    ¡°Ma¡¯am, the jet will be leaving in an hour. The bosses are waiting for your arrival at the airport. Raquel is


    assigned to protect you without drawing attention in Dubai.¡± Ciello specified and then it all made sense.


    ¡°Ooooooh that? I said I wasn¡¯t going. They forgot.¡± I chuckled and shook my head. The twins were so


    damn childish. But I knew that they didn¡¯t forget,


    ¡°Ma¡¯am, we were instructed to take you to the airport, and we are supposed to show up with you in a few


    minutes.¡±


    ¡°No really! I am not going. I am staying right here.¡± I wriggled my brows and waved my hand a t them.


    They looked at each other before giving one nod as if they were silently agreeing on something. That


    didn¡¯t seem good at all. Especially because Ciello came charging at me and¡­


    ¡°Whooaaaa! What are you¡­. aaaaaaaaaah!¡± I screamed when he effortlessly picked me and tossed me


    on his shoulder like I weighed nothing, then proceeded to leave my room with me hanging on his


    shoulder like some sort of a prize.


    ¡°Ciello put me down,¡± I screamed and tried mming my fists on his back. But this man was utterly


    unbothered by the act.


    ¡°I am sorry ma¡¯am. I cannot!¡± He replied calmly, climbing down the stairs with me bouncingo n his


    shoulder.


    Raquel came trailing behind us with my duffel bag stuffed with whatever she managed to put in the bag


    in less than 5 minutes.


    ¡°Vernero is going to kill you if this gets out,¡± I whined still hanging on the shoulder,


    ¡°We will ask for forgiveness.¡± Raquel chimed in and I threw her a stink eye. How dare they do this to me.


    Belongs to (N)?vel/Drama.Org.


    Upon arriving in the parking lot, Raquel opened the door for Ciello, who then threw me to a


    seat and strapped me with some velcro-like thingy that was taped from my shoulder to my wrists, binding


    my hands on my chest.


    ¡°You are going to regret this.¡± I seethed as he got in the driver¡¯s seat and started the ignition, then drove


    off with me seeing red in the back seat. The drive to the airport was filled with me preaching of how


    Vernero was going to cook them in a pot of a green concoction with the rest of the scary spiders. But


    none of that talk made them change the direction and drive me back to the castle.


    At the airport, there was a huge aircraft already waiting. A private jet with big bold ck letters engraved


    on it:


    CATTANIO


    The twins were standing outside in their suits, there were a few unfamiliar men as well as Valerie on the


    far left of the group. and they were all watching as Ciello opened my door, then threw me on his shoulder


    yet again.


    I didn¡¯t stop my screaming, but that fell on deaf ears as none came to my rescue.


    Inside the jet, Ciello once again strapped me on the seat and buckled me up, then stood up, gave a


    small bow, and then left. Instead of crying, Iughed. That was all I managed to do because dang! What


    could one do in this situation?


    I nced down at my bare thighs to find myself wearing nothing but a shirt. A man¡¯s ck shirt with a


    strong scent of musk, wood, and rain forest. How had I not noticed this? The shirt belonged to one of the


    twins. But how? When? Becausest night when I went to bed, I was wearing my PJs, safe knee-length


    cotton pants, and a cute top. How did I end up in a man¡¯s shirt? Just how? And I was barefoot! I didn¡¯t


    even get a chance to put them on before Ciello whisked me and ran away with me. I didn¡¯t even brush


    my teeth. Goodness!


    ¡°You let other men see you in that?¡± The oh-so-normally cold voice boomed right above my head. I rolled


    my eyes before raising my head to look at him, and there he was, handsomely and angrily ring down


    at me like I had stolen his favorite candy.


    ¡°First of all, who put me in this?¡± That seemed to have caught him off guard because his eyes widened


    for a second, and then his brows furrowed deeply and he turned to look out the window and cleared his


    throat.


    ¡°Guilty as charged?¡± I asked arching a brow.


    ¡°Are youfortable?¡± He shamelessly changed the topic on the spot and gave me a hard stare.


    Bastard!


    ¡°If this looksfortable to you, then yeah sure. I feel like I am floating on a soft cloud.¡± I said after


    gesturing to the hard ck straps that had me in the good handle.


    ¡°You should be obedient.¡± He said softly like that was to solve my problems.


    ¡°See? That¡¯s the problem. I am supposed to obey everything that you guys say like a good dog. But you


    give no damn about how I feel.¡± I fired back and his features hardened. Did this guy hate the truth? Why


    was he always angry whenever I told him his sins?


    ¡°Kiss me!¡± What?


    ¡°W-what?¡± I stammered, maintaining eye contact seemed to be impossible all of a sudden.


    ¡°I want you to kiss me.¡± He called out again, inly, like he didn¡¯t just ask me to jump off a cliff.


    ¡°I-I¡­ Haaaaaah! You think¡­.¡±


    ¡°Kiss him, Tesoro, then kiss me after that.¡± His evil kindred spirit from hell joined in on my torment. I knew


    he wouldn¡¯t miss out, not in this lifetime or the next! He on the other end walked past his twin and came


    to perch himself right beside me, then the two hawk-eyed me.


    ¡°I haven¡¯t brushed my teeth guys, let alone have a bath. My mouth stinks.¡± I tried to reason with them,


    ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter. I want to kiss you. And so does Verzi.¡± Lorenzo said as he raised his hand and ced


    it on my bare thigh, then ghostly dragged it upward. My breathing hitched when I watched it disappear


    inside the small seam of the dress shirt until it brushed teasingly on my clothed honeypot, tearing a moan


    out of me.


    ¡°Fuck!¡± Vernero cursed and then leaned down, then roughly captured my lips into his hot mouth and


    started sucking on my bottom lip. The feeling of his hot tongue moving aggressively on my lips and


    Lorenzo¡¯s hand that was manipting both my body made me weak in the knees.


    ¡°You taste nice. Like vani ice cream.¡± Verzi pulled back and licked his lips as if he has just eaten his


    favorite convection.


    ¡°And I want that taste too,¡± Lorenzo eximed and hurriedly turned my head to the side, all I managed


    was a yelp before he quickly muffled all of my cries into his mouth and gently made love to my mouth. He


    kissed me unhurriedly, gently tugging on my bottom lip and then licking it. When he was done, he pulled


    back with just an inch and smiled against my lips,


    ¡°Breathe, Tesoro! Breathe!¡± With that, he got up and adjusted the huge bulge in his pants. It was then I


    was able to open my airways and take in a huge gulp of air. I was no virgin but heck! These men knew


    how tomand my body.


    ¡°There¡¯s a shower in the bedroom, go sleep and you will shower when you wake up.¡± Lorenzo said


    gesturing to the back of the ne.


    ¡°But I want to bath now.¡± I contradicted trying to get up, only to be put back in ce by the straps.


    ¡°It¡¯s a long flight, Tesoro. You need to rest.¡± Vernero stamped the words and I knew it was


    final, I wasn¡¯t allowed to repudiate at all. But what the hell just happened?

 Chapter 36

    Chapter 36


    LEIGH-ARI


    The flight was indeed as long as Lorr had imed. After our little make-out, I had retreated into the


    ensuite and freshened up. Raquel ced a neat blue jumpsuit on the bed for me and a pair of t


    sandals. I was surprised that she managed to whisk the good stuff in that amount of time.


    The events of the morning caught up with me and fatigue slowly crippled me. A pang of headache had


    me clutching my head after I lost a footing:


    ¡°Mdy,¡± Raquel called out as she supported me and slowly led me to the bed where she gently ced


    me. I didn¡¯t have to ask, but it¡¯s been a long time since I had my meds, and I even missed the doctor¡¯s


    appointment. No wonder why the headache was this extra.


    eass


    ¡°I am okay.¡± I smiled softly trying to reassure her that everything was well. But I really didn¡¯t feel well. It


    felt like someone was banging my head against the hard metal, loud bells clung in my head violently and


    the more Iid there, the more the pain grew more unbearable.


    Raquel left the room and after a few seconds, the twins came flying with eyes snapped wide open and


    both crawled on either of my sides. Lorenzo picked my head and gently ced it in hisp, then rubbed


    the sides of my head gently. Verzi took my hand and massaged it gently also. I was still very much


    awake, and I could hear everything around me, but my body was failing me.


    ¡°She needs her meds,¡± Lorenzo announced and there was a loud shuffling in the background. Their


    concerned looks soothed me to a greater extends because it showed that I wasn¡¯t alone.


    ¡°Here. This should help with the headache and the pain.¡± One unfamiliar voice called out and the weight


    on my right shifted.


    ¡°Tesoro, can you hear me?¡± Verzi asked as he sought out my hand again. I gave him a small nod.


    ¡°You are going to be alright. Okay?¡± He leaned down and kissed the back of my hand. Another pair of


    hands joined and then a needle pierced me on my arm, causing me to wince at how it bit me.


    ¡°It¡¯s okay. This will help you.¡± Lorenzo smoothed out brushing my hair. I so wanted tough a t these


    guys. I was angry at them to an extent that I found it funny. They stole my life from my hands, forced me


    to live something I never imagined, restricted me in all ways one could fathom. At the same time, if my


    heart skips a single beat, they reign hell on everything and everyone. I mean just how contradictory?


    Text content ? N?velDrama.Org.


    Just how could one take everything from you, thene back to treat you like a precious treasure?


    LORENZO POV


    By nighttime, the jetnded in Dubai and our men were already waiting to drive us to Dubai Marina. Ari


    was fast asleep after the shot and I was d she wasn¡¯t suffering any longer. I hated it when she was in


    pain, and knew that I couldn¡¯t take it from her. When I budged into that room and found her limp,


    breathing heavily with her eyes half-open, I felt like all the air has been ripped from my lungs. I did the


    first thing that came to my mind, massaged her head in an attempt to take away the pain.


    But after the shot, she had sumbed to a deep slumber that she didn¡¯t even make a sound.


    ¡°We need to get her doctor here.¡± Verzi broke the silence in the limo that was stretching to the base. It


    was just us and Ari, other guys wereing behind us with the other cars.


    ¡°The doctor is unnecessary. She needs meds. And someone she knows.¡± I contradicted. Flying the


    doctor here was going to overwhelm her, as long as she had her meds, she would be okay.


    ¡°Laura.¡± He suggested,


    ¡°Exactly. She is her girl, and she knows her more than everything.¡±


    ¡°So we take her to Dark Woods?¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s surprise her.¡±


    The ride to Dubai Marina was uneventful with Ari sleeping peacefully on the seat opposite u s, tugged


    neatly in my suit coat. Verzi and I were stretched rxingly on the seats sipping on our whisky and soon,


    we were at the base mansion with sleeping Ari scooped in my arms as we climbed the stairs to the


    bedroom.


    Upon arriving inside, I tugged her gently and then exited the room to find Verzi barking orders to Raquel


    ¡°If anything, anything at all harms even a single hair on her head, you are going to pay with your life and


    the lives of everyone in your family. You hear me?¡± Although that was a little unnecessary, I wasn¡¯t going


    to intervene with how he dealt with ¡®his people. That was his authority and his alone.


    ¡°Yes, boss. I will protect her with my life.¡± Raquel stood poised, portraying her power. For a littledy like


    that, she was one of the best mercenaries of Turantello. Her underworld name was The Unseen. She


    lived up to her reputation,


    Word has it that she didn¡¯t even make a sound when she was on a mission. She was fast and sharp as


    lightning, and never missed her targets. Even when you were running in circles, just one shot, and bam!


    Your brains are on the floor.


    ¡°Good.¡± With that, Verzi turned and gestured for me to leave with him.


    Tonight, there wasn¡¯t much to be done, the shit was going to go down tomorrow in the noon, and before


    then, we didn¡¯t have much to do. Our Dubai schedule would be decided after the first meeting with the


    other underworld Lords.


    ¡°Raquel will do a good job at protecting her,¡± I said trying to calm down the storm that was raging inside


    him. We were in a dangerous zone, where enemies were staring at us with Hawk -eyes. As the most


    powerful people in the underworld and business world, almost everyone wanted to see our heads hung


    on the sticks. And luckily, no one knew our weakness, but now, we had one! And that made us the most


    vulnerable. Ari may not understand why we were


    always dragging her with us, why we were practically glued to her. People would waste no time hurting


    her to get to us, in a split second, they could spill her brains out just to have us insane. And fuck me if


    that happened, Iwon¡¯tld butcher this whole world and leave nothing in one piece.


    ¡°I know. But it is still not enough.¡± Hemented walking towards a long window in the lounge and


    slightly opened the curtains and peeked outside, then came back to slouch himself on the couch. He was


    so cautious with everything. True, we were in our small turf, and no one dared to trespass the property,


    but he didn¡¯t want to bet on Ari¡¯s safety at all.


    ¡°What are you nning?¡±


    ¡°I arranged other undercover guards for her. 8 of them.¡±


    ¡°Isn¡¯t that going to draw attention?¡± It sure would, if someone saw 8 men dressed in ck trailing behind


    someone¡­ that was too much.


    ¡°No, they wont! They will be dressed like normal people. Normal clothes and they will keep a good


    distance from. Raquel will be with her every second. I have 4 mercenaries also.¡± A small smile pulled on


    my lips,


    ¡°That¡¯s enough big guy. That¡¯s more than enough.¡±


    For her safety, I knew he always went the extra mile. Because beneath the rough surface of a badass


    mafia lord, Vernero was just a normal guy who was head over heels with his girl!

 Chapter 37

    Chapter 37


    LEIGH-ARI


    The morning sun streaked across the room, it¡¯s light harsh on my eyes. I gave out a big yawn and willed


    my heavy eyes to flutter open, but they seemed to have been shut closed. After rubbing them for a good


    minute, I pried them open to take in the mostvish bedroom I have ever seen in my life. The bed was


    humongous, the rich white velvet headboard cradling my backfortably like a throne. The side table


    matched the headboard, with roundmps decorating them nicely.


    From across the room was 118inch t tv mounted to the wall, breathing loudly and heavily for everyone


    to see.


    The lounge area sat proud and silent just a few feet from the bed. The door on the right folded open and


    in came Vernero fixing his suit coat. His eyesnded on me and his features softened, just a bit before


    he wore his usual scowl.


    ¡°You¡¯re up.¡± Aha! So much like him. ¡°Yeah. I had a good sleep.¡± I replied and he rewarded me with a


    simple nod.


    ¡°Get ready.¡± He announced and exited the room, right after he left, Raquel came in holding a huge tray


    with clothes packed on it and pieces of jewelry. I didn¡¯t have to ask to know it was going to be a busy day.


    ¡°What¡¯s the deal?¡±


    ¡°Good morning Mdy. We are going out for some fun while the bosses attend the meeting.¡± She


    announced carefullyying the luxurious garments on the dresser.


    ¡°What meeting?¡±


    ¡°That I am not sure of Mdy. You have to bathe.¡± She reminded me again, and I remembered that she


    was that kind that would haul me into the shower and start scrubbing me all by herself.


    With that, I unglued myself from the bed and ran into the bathroom. The manly shampoo and shower gel


    greeted me as soon as I opened the door. Somehow the scent that was lingering in the air made me


    smile, because even if they were out of sight, they were just there, always there beside me to remind me


    that I was not alone.


    The shower didn¡¯t take a long time and soon, Raquel was helping me in a long, white jumpsuit and


    matching stiletto heels.


    After that, she sat me down and did my hair really quickly. In a total of 40 minutes, I was bathed,


    dressed, and smelling so great I couldn¡¯t believe myself. And when I stepped outside o f the bedroom


    into the dining room, Lorenzo jumped out of his seat and crushed me to his


    chest, then devoured my lips even before I could utter a single thing.


    ¡°You look beautiful, Tesoro,¡± heplimented after pulling back, with a warm smile as he looked down at


    me.


    ¡°Thank you.¡±


    ¡°How do you feel?¡± at least he cared enough to ask, unlike someone I know.


    ¡°Rested. I am okay, thanks again.¡± He ushered me to the chair at the head of the table and sat me down,


    then took his ce on my left while Verzi sat on my right. The silent authority passed to me made me


    dizzy and ready to fall on the yummy breakfast in front of me.


    The dining table was humongous, and there were a total of 12 people who saw the exchange.


    I sat down and Valerie got up to dish for me.


    ¡°Lady boss.¡± She whispered causing me to smile, I was always thankful that she was there, because


    heck, all the testosterone, I wasn¡¯t going to handle it well.


    Raquel made a move to leave the room but I stopped her,


    ¡°Raquel?¡±


    ¡°Yes, Mdy?¡±


    ¡°You should eat!¡± I pointed out gesturing to the table.


    ¡°I have to stand guard Mdy.¡± Her gaze lingered on Vernero for a second before shifting to m


    Sec


    ¡°No silly. Come and eat.¡± I called out and that¡¯s when she looked at Vernero and Lorenzo. The two of


    them yed deaf and obliviously sipped on their coffees,pletely unfazed that the whole room was


    waiting to see if they will snap or not.


    ¡°You heard your master, Raquel.¡± Lorenzo broke the tension and I was thankful.


    ¡°You do everything she says without asking us. All of you.¡± Vernero stamped the words and the whole


    room sang ¡®yes boss¡¯. After that, we just ate our breakfast with easy conversation


    Belongs to (N)?vel/Drama.Org.


    The other guys were loud and cracked jokes that just split me up. More than twins staring at me as if I


    was something new, something they have never seen. But I just brushed them off.


    Once breakfast was over, we piled up in the car and drove through the richest city I have ever seen.


    Dubai was as picturesque as it gets. Sky kissing buildings,vish infrastructure, it was s o lively and


    beautiful.


    We arrived at this high-ss bar where we were taken to the balcony that overlooked the sea.


    The bar itself was built on water and boy was it smashing.


    I was lost in thought taking in the scenery before me when the very familiar voice sounded from afar. I


    turned because there was no way she could be here. Absolutely no way!


    ¡°Where is your boss? Bring him here and let him exin why the hell he woke me up in the middle of the


    night. I am tired, I want to sleep.¡± Laura was standing just a short distance from me and she was


    throwing a fit at the two guys that remained poised by her sides.


    with a mouth agape, I nced at Vernero to find him ring daggers at her, then Lorenzo who was


    watching me with the most loving look ever.


    They did this! They brought her here.


    Excitement tore through me and I couldn¡¯t stay still.


    ¡°Go to her,¡± Verneromanded and who was I to disobey?


    ¡°Laura Montez Petrou,¡± I called out trying to clear the glee in my voice. But it was just so impossible. She


    turned and her eyesnded on me.


    ¡°No fucking way.¡± She screamed as she ran towards me with arms spread out wide. As soon a s she was


    within reach, I scooped her up in a big hug, literally molding her into me. It felt like a dream, having her


    here, in my arms, it felt like I was in dream and I was soon going to be shaken awake.


    We rocked each other and startedughing. Gosh, I missed her so much.


    ¡°You are alive!¡± She pointed out and ced me at an arm¡¯s length, then assessed me from head to toe.


    ¡°And you are rich.¡± She noted causing us to double up.


    ¡°And you are wearing heels.¡± Yahp. That¡¯s Laura there everyone!


    The whole bar was filled with the sound of our squeal and glee and the twins were just standing there,


    watching the exchange between me and my girlfriend. (God bless her if they hear I call her my girlfriend).


    ¡°I can¡¯t believe you are here.¡± I sniffled crushing her to me again.


    ¡°Well, thanks to your boss. Where is he by the way? He still needs to exin why I was woken


    up by 10 pm.¡±


    She pulled off from the hug and took my hand. I walked her to where the twins were standing and just


    like me, got shocked at what she was seeing.


    ¡°Mr. Hotpants? And there¡¯s actually two of them.¡± She whispered while still staring at them.


    ¡°Yeah,¡± I replied busting out.


    ¡°Who¡¯s the other one? Which one is Mr. Hotpants?¡±


    ¡°Laura, meet Lorenzo, and Vernero.¡± I pointed to the guys and Lorenzo was modest to give a small bow,


    Vernero just stared at her, probably thinking of how he was going to butcher her,


    ¡°Right. So who woke me up?¡± She feigned bravery and Vernero stood up,


    ¡°I did.¡± He replied shortly, daring her to say anything more.


    ¡°Yikes. Never mind!¡± She chickened out and kill me now. I bend forward as I burst withughter at her


    unforeseen reaction. Vernero was truly intimidating. If he put Laura down with just two words, then heck!


    He was the shit.


    ¡°Now that Laura is here, we have to go. Raquel will stay with you.¡± Lorenzo informeding towards me


    and then pulled me from Laura¡¯s hold. Laura made a face and yanked back my hand, but one look at


    Vernero had her pushing me into Lorenzo¡¯s embrace. Inded on his chestughing and when Vernero


    growled, I lost it. He was probably angry that she pushed m e, and I knew for a fact he was thinking of


    how I could have lost a footing and nted myself face first and shit. To him, I didn¡¯t even have to trip.


    No. Else he would smash the ground that tripped me.


    I hugged Lorenzo,


    ¡°Thank you. For bringing her here. Thank you so much.¡±


    He returned then hug and rocked me a few times, then cradled my head and kissed me softly.


    I pulled off from him and walked to Verzi, he got up and yanked me with my hand, then mmed his hot


    lips on mine and kissed me mercilessly.


    ¡°Whoaaaaa!¡± Laura¡¯s voice destroyed the mood and I found myselfughing with Verzi, lips against mine.


    ¡°Thank you, big guy.¡± I pecked his lips again and he nodded.


    ¡°Stay out of trouble.¡± He warned brushing the strand of my hair to the side.


    ¡°Okay. I will behave.¡± I said with a smile.


    ¡°Raquel?¡±


    ¡°Yes, boss.¡±


    ¡°You know what to do!¡± He shot her an angry re and Raquel bowed, and then they were out.


    ¡°He kissed you.¡± Laura pointed out when they were away.


    IT


    ¡°Yaaaaah!¡±


    ¡°And then the other one kissed you.¡±


    ¡°Shocking right?¡± I looked at her,


    ¡°No, you understand. Mr. Hotpants kissed you like you were something so precious, and then the scary


    guy yanked you by your arm and literally sucked your face. You, the golden nun who has cobwebs in her


    va-jay-jay. And you let him.¡± I fell into a fit ofughter and sheter joined.


    ¡°I missed you too.¡± I said instead and pulled her to me


    ¡°You¡¯ll miss meter. Now you have to tell me how the hell you are still alive with those two guys


    breathing down your neck every passing second. Did you hear when that one growled? Only because I


    pushed you? And the other one pulled you off like I was trying to steal you or something. I need to know


    everything. Who are they and what in the actual hell is happening?


    And so with that, I began spilling everything from that becursed night in Turkey, up to today. The look on


    her face was priceless. And the fact that she stayed silent to listen to everything, the story of my life


    really got her hooked.


    ¡°So you got not one, but two hot hunks fawning over you?¡±


    ¡°Yeah. If you want to put it that way.¡±


    ¡°One lucky bitch.¡± She imed and sipped on her drink.


    ¡°Beware not to say that in their presence. One girl who said that to me didn¡¯t live to see the next day.¡±


    That had her spitting all the drink that was in her mouth. Causing me to double up withughter. ¡°Fuck. I


    am as good as dead.¡±

 Chapter 38

    Chapter 38


    LEIGH-ARI


    ¡°I really don¡¯t think we should do this.¡± Laura dragged her feet behind me as I continued pulling her in a


    busy street. Gazillion people milling around plus the dang high heels I had on made it all impossible to


    pull a full-grown human behind me.


    ¡°Rx. We will be gone for like a minute.¡± I contradicted pulling her further into the busy street


    ¡°At least we should go back and call that girl¡­ Your girl guard. What¡¯s her name again?¡± ¡°Raquel? No


    way! What¡¯s the fun in that?¡± She was kidding. I sessfully got rid of Raquel and there was no way I


    was going to go back to her again. ¡°The twins¡­¡± Oh hell no I wasn¡¯t having any of that. Not when they


    ran off to God-knows where to do whatever it is they did during the day.


    WS


    ¡°Look,¡± I turned and held her by her arms. ¡± I know you are worried because they are scary with tats


    everywhere but I need this. They are always breathing down my neck and I never have time to myself.


    You won¡¯t believe it, but I can¡¯t even have a simple shower without them showing up and growling next to


    me. They are animals. But you are here, I am safe. Nothing i s going to happen to me and they won¡¯t


    know that I slipped off for less than 5 minutes to watch the fountain of water.¡±


    ¡°Okay that sucks and I definitely think you need this! But remember this was your idea and you were


    dragging me behind you.¡± She said with a mischievous grin and I knew it was going to go crazy! That¡¯s


    my girl.


    ¡°Yay!¡± I pulled her in a hug and off we ran. My heart was pounding a mile a second but I decided to y it


    off. I was going to enjoy this little moment with my girl and nothing was going to stop me. We ran off to


    the railings that overlooked the sea and watched as the water yed from the huge building.


    After a moment, we got tired and decided to hail a cab to the bar.


    Everything was so good I couldn¡¯t believe any of it. I was happy, free, content! With none of the twins


    ring daggers at me or breathing down my neck!


    VERNERO


    ¡°YOU CANNOT GIVE THE WHOLE EUROPE TO CATTANIO. I HAVE PROTECTED THE EAST WITH


    MY BLOOD FOR ALL THE YEARS, AND I GET PUNISHED FOR WHAT MY SUBORDINATES HAD


    DONE?¡± The meeting was heated, the table was filled with angry lords


    who were clearly displeased with the changes.


    ¡°You failed to control your minions, Xander. And you left us no choice. Your side of Europe will be under


    Turantello and you will answer to Vernero from today on. He owns Europe now.¡±


    ¡°This isn¡¯t fair.¡± Xander seethed from his seat, but there was no turning back. He had lost his reigns and


    he was now under my control. Enzo¡¯s hand sought out from underneath and he held mine, silently


    congratting me for acquiring the east. It wasn¡¯t easy, but we had made i t this far. Now the whole of


    Europe was under my hand, my control spreading from nation to nation. Owning Europe was the biggest


    milestone, something even my father had failed to do during his times. We were aiming for the world,


    and, this was just a right step in the right direction.


    A soft vibration called my attention and I fished my phone from my pocket. It was a call from Raquel. My


    brows bundled up and I felt a chill run down my spine.


    ¡°You seem to be upied with something else, Lord Cattanio.¡± The chair of the underworld called out


    and I stealthily ced my phone back into my suit pocket and said nothing. I couldn¡¯t trust myself to


    speak.


    Lorenzo sensed my mood and tensed next to me.


    The rest of the meetingsted for 20 minutes as we were finalizing the agenda. But that 20 minutes felt


    like an eternity. By the time we were told to leave, I was out the door in a split


    second,


    ¡°What happened?¡± Lorenzo was by my side in a sh,


    ¡°It¡¯s Raquel.¡± I punched her phone number again and she answered on the second ring,


    ¡°Boss, thank God you called. It¡¯s Mdy. They ran off. I don¡¯t know where they ran off to but they aren¡¯t in


    the bar.¡± She exined in a panicked voice and I felt bile rise from deep down m y guts. I had told her to


    stay out of trouble.


    ¡°She¡¯s wearing a tracker. Tell Four to spot her in less than 5 minutes.¡± I barked orders as we tore off from


    Burj Khalifa with the rest of my guys hot on my heels, Enzo was behind the wheel swerving and rounding


    the busy city, I couldn¡¯t trust anyone with the driving, they wouldn¡¯t understand how urgent the matter at


    hand was.


    Belongs to (N)?vel/Drama.Org.


    as


    The others sent us the location and she seemed to be moving.


    I had no words, I honestly had no words to say right now but she was going to rue the stupid act,


    In 30 minutes we came to a stop in the parking lot near the seaside, and there she was feeding seagulls


    with no care in the world. She had her shoes off and she wasughing at something her friend had said.


    She was safe, yes, but God help me.


    So much anger boiled inside me, she was so fuckin¡¯ careless, so careless that it angered me.


    I stomped out of the car and Lorenzo was right behind her. The sound of our angry footsteps had her


    turning and the smile on her face dropped instantly when she spotted us. She backed


    up,


    ¡°I can exin.¡± She raised her hands up in surrender, but I wasn¡¯t listening.


    ¡°Oh hell yes you should.¡± I thundered as I whisked her off the ground tearing a yelp from her, then


    walked her back to the car where I threw her on the hood on her stomach with her ass in the air, and


    then ripped the dang tight bottoms off her, to reveal a caramel creamy skin of her plump ass.


    ¡°Vernero stop, you¡¯re hurting me.¡± She let out a scream and thrashed, trying to get off the car. Lorenzo


    came in and held her down, then caught her busy fists in his hand, rendering her immobile. That gave


    me room to do what I had in store for her.


    ¡°This should hurt, Tesoro,¡± Lorenzo called out in a smooth voice,


    I raised my hand in the air and thennded a healthy blow on her big plump cheek, tearing a loud


    scream from her.


    ¡°Please, let me exin.¡± Her cries rose higher but I wasn¡¯t having it, I raised my hand again, thennded


    another loud p on the next cheek. Redness tainted the plump cheeks,


    ¡°You are so fucking disobedient.¡± I roared as Inded other healthy blows. She cried, but I didn¡¯t stop. I


    spanked her until the inside of my palm was numb. When I couldn¡¯t feel my hand anymore, I pulled her


    off the hood and crashed her body to me. She was shaking with a loud cry, her sobs tearing through her


    body violently


    ¡°Here. Her butts are out.¡± Lorenzo shrugged off his suit coat and draped it over her small body. I fixed it


    and continued rocking her as she cried her heart out on my chest.


    ¡°I am sorry.¡± She whispered through a sob.


    ¡°You should be,¡± I replied through clenched teeth.


    ¡°Let¡¯s get her out of here,¡± Lorenzo suggested and I nodded, then turned to find her friend standing a few


    feet from us, with a horror-stricken face.


    ¡°You!¡±


    ¡°Yes?¡± Her voice trembled as she tried to pull a brave face.


    ¡°She didn¡¯t do anything. It was my idea. She tried to stop but I told her we should go.¡± Leigh defended


    even before I could say anything. I nodded and kissed her hair.


    ¡°Can you drive?¡± I gestured to the car and she nodded rapidly. Lorenzo the the keys to her and she


    caught them, then got in the car and started it.


    The drive back to the mansion was filled with Leigh sobbing silently in myp, with her bodyying on


    Enzo¡¯s


    I had been so scared when Raquel told me she lost her. I had felt like I lost it for a second. Especially


    after what had gone down in the meeting. She was in the most dangerous zone but she didn¡¯t even know


    it. 1


    Upon arriving at the mansion, she insisted on showing Laura to her room, I was reluctant to let her leave


    but Enzo told me she will be okay, so with that, I left them behind the closed bedroom door and stormed


    outside.


    ¡°She could¡¯ve gotten herself kidnapped. Only because she doesn¡¯t listen.¡± I roared once I was out of


    earshot.


    enzoS


    ¡°I think it was just excitement of seeing her girl. She didn¡¯t think.¡± Lorenzo smoothed out casually


    ¡°Exactly! She did not think. She does not think. She just does things on an impulse, without even


    knowing how dangerous they are. She could have died. Does she know that?¡± The thought of it slowly


    dawned on me, and I realized just how bad things could have turned out if we hadn¡¯t found her in time.


    ¡°That turf, that ce, it¡¯s under Xander. Xander¡¯s mansion is just a kilometer from where she was. And


    Xander literally swore to kill me in the meeting. He could have shot her, or taken her, or anything.¡± My


    breathing was rising with each second. Lorenzo walked towards me


    and pulled me in a big bear hug.


    The heat from his body calmed the raging storm inside me, my heart which was beating like crazy slowly


    came down. It felt good, and I was at peace.


    ¡°You taught her a lesson, she won¡¯t do it again.¡± Heforted and I hoped so, I really hoped Leigh-Ari


    would stay out of trouble in the future.


    LEIGH-ARI


    ¡°It hurts,¡± I said through ugly sobs and wiped the tears that just couldn¡¯t stop streaming down my face.


    My butt felt like it had been immersed in a tank of boiling water from how painful


    and hot it was.


    ¡°I know,¡± Laura replied brushing my hair gently.


    ¡°And your butts are out girl. Are you wearing a thong?¡± She observed me still brushing my


    hair.


    ¡°Yeah. Raquel brought it in the morning.¡±


    ¡°Hmmmm. The scary guy spanked you in broad daylight. In a city full of people.¡± She said and I could


    hear the amusement in her voice.


    ¡°You find this amusing?¡± I used and looked up through tears.


    ¡°Nope. Not even slightly. I mean you can¡¯t even sit right now so nope, that ain¡¯t super extra at all.¡±


    ¡°Good.¡± Iid back in herp and continued sobbing. My butts hurt so bad I felt like I could sit on ice and


    it would melt in seconds.


    ¡°Does it hurt?¡± She asked after a heartbeat and I snorted augh.


    ¡°No Laura it doesn¡¯t hurt okay? That¡¯s why I amying on my stomach and not sitting down because it


    does not hurt at all.¡± I used causing her to raise her hands in surrender


    ¡°Yikes. I fear that scary guy. He legit spanked you.¡±


    ¡°In front of everyone.¡±


    ¡°With your butts out for all to see.¡±


    ¡°And now I can¡¯t sit.¡± As much as she was annoying, having her here, felt better. She was my medicine


    and knew all the right words just to have me better. I would have been more miserable if she wasn¡¯t here.


    But I had her, and all was well.


    ¡°But it was kind of sexy if you asked me. I mean the way the two of them charged at you and then started


    doing you. He sexy!¡± She said with that annoying dreamy voice.


    ¡°Next time they are angry, I¡¯ll tell them to spank you not me.¡±


    ¡°No thank you. I¡¯d rather be the driver. And shit, that car is dang smooth.¡±


    ¡°Seriously, that¡¯s all you care about?¡± She was such a disappointment. ¡°Sorry. Not sorry!¡±

 Chapter 39

    Chapter 39


    LEIGH-ARI


    The night rolled by quickly and we were all summoned for dinner. The tension at the dinner table was so


    you could cut it with a steak knife, or an ax, Laura even excused herself back to her room. Don¡¯t me


    her! I just sat quietly between the twins and yelped every time Vernero breathed, which was every


    second. At some point, I was just done, with everything. Their angry breathing and stares, but most


    importantly, I was done because I had received my punishment because as of now, I was perched on a


    very fluffy cushion with no undies inside. Want to know why?


    I couldn¡¯t sit. That¡¯s why. My ass was still so sore from the spanking I literally had bruises.


    So when their stares grew very unbearable, I tore off from the dinner knowing well they woulde


    trailing behind me like good dogs they were. And true to my words, as soon as I got into the bedroom,


    the door was pushed open and in they came,


    ¡°Okay, guys I am sorry. Like really sorry.¡± I started mumbling a quick apology and waited on the bated


    breath for them to reply. They didn¡¯t. I sighed and began stripping off the little dress I had on. When it


    pooled by my feet revealing my naked skin, I had them where I wanted them.


    ¡°I don¡¯t even know what I am doing, but I am sorry. I truly am. I don¡¯t know why there are always guards


    tailing me, why there have to be people around me 24 hours a day. Only you know that, and I shouldn¡¯t


    try to question you every time. My peaceful life is well gone, so I might as well make peace with how


    things are now.¡± I finished my speech and held my breath for their response.


    ¡°Why is your dress on the floor?¡± Lorenzo asked instead and I wanted to cry


    ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± I answered truthfully. I did the only thing that crossed my mind which was to get naked in


    front of them, and I did. Now it felt like a nearly impossible mission to just bend, and pull it on back again.


    ¡°Okay. Now you can pull it on right?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s the problem.¡±


    ¡°Why?¡± Vernero asked taking one step towards me,


    ¡°I can¡¯t.¡±


    ¡°Do you have any idea what you are doing right now?¡± Lorenzo followed his twin but took three steps in


    my direction instead of one.


    ¡°No. I don¡¯t.¡±


    ¡°You are provoking us, Tesoro. Very very badly. You are doing something that calls for the


    beast in us and that beast will devour you, sweetheart.¡± He growled in a gravelly voice


    drawing closer to me. His twin was still left behind, but I could almost feel him since he was just an arm¡¯s


    length from where I stood glued to the ground. The sexual tension in the bedroom skyrocketed I could


    almost taste them in my mouth. How did they even taste like?


    ¡°What beast are we talking about here?¡±


    ¡°This one.¡± He pointed to the huge bulge in his pants, causing me to draw in a giant gulp of breath


    because there was no way I seeing it right. They couldn¡¯t be that huge. Well, they were huge.


    ¡°Okay, they look scary.¡±


    ¡°Exactly. They are scary, and they will tear you into two.¡± He said in a low voice.


    ¡°I want them.¡± Wait, what?


    ¡°What?¡± They barked in unison, their foreheads furrowing deeply,


    ¡°I want them. I want you, both of you.¡±


    As soon as the words left my mouth, they were by my sides in a split second. Vernero was growling


    down my throat while Enzo was kissing the back of my neck, impatiently fondling and needing my body


    like they were running on a borrowed time, or like I would disappear at any moment if they don¡¯t touch


    me.


    Being sandwiched between them lit up my body, reveling in the feeling of their big bodies wrapped


    around my lean one.


    ¡°Are you sure you want this?¡± Vernero asked in a low voice, almost as gentle as his twin. I opened my


    eyes to find him looking at me with all the care in the world. I raised my hand and massaged the two


    furrows between his brows and smiled,


    ¡°More than I want my next breath.¡± And thatdies and gentlemen, sealed my fate.


    Lorenzo yanked me from Verzi, spun me around and mmed his lips on mine, then rewarded me with a


    guttural groan as our tongues swirled, his taste flooding my mouth. I moaned into his mouth at the


    sudden roughness and helped him out of his dress shirt. Once i


    t was discarded on the floor, I tore his small vest and came in contact with skin. I couldn¡¯t believe I was


    touching the skin of a man from how smooth he was.


    He gently turned me and Verzi picked me up, I looped my legs around his waist and he walked us to the


    bed where heid me gently and began kissing the right side of my neck, down my right titty and then


    lower,


    His breath was hot against my inner thigh as he pampered hot kisses all over my forbidden


    area.


    ¡°You look so fuckin hot like this.¡± Lorenzoplimented climbing on the bed, then took the left titty in his


    mouth and sucked on it as his life depended on it. I rewarded them with a long


    moan, my hips bucking from the bed.


    ¡°How long?¡± Verzi¡¯s voice boomed from somewhere between my wide-spread legs,


    ¡°W-what?¡± I breathed out in a shaky voice and tried to open my eyes to look at him, but they were ying


    my body so well I felt like I was going to go insane at any moment, like I was going tobust.


    ¡°How long has it been?¡± It took me a millennium to understand his question,


    ¡°I don¡¯t know. Too long.¡± I wasn¡¯t going to tell them that it was somewhere two years back with a d-bag of


    an ex that had stinky breath.


    One groan brought me to the presence and before I could register whom it came from, two big fingers


    plunged knuckles deep in my love-hole, tearing a loud scream from my lungs,


    ¡°Hooooly fuuuuuuuuu¡­¡± My back arched as my muscles contracted in a way I have never redeemed


    possible, Enzo leaned down and swallowed all my screams as he began kissing me lovingly. Verzi began


    moving his fingers, slowly at first,


    as


    ¡°So! Dang! Tight!¡± Each word was stamped with a thrust of his digits in my love hole. The two of them


    yed me, manipted my body, and before I knew it, I felt like my body was erupting into small hives


    like literally, I was getting sick. I spiraled down the most intense, beguiling orgasm with their names


    dancing on my tongue, I came so hard with their words of encouragement ringing in my ears. Their


    heavy grunts and growls of pleasure were what fueled my own, and I came.


    When my breathing came down and my senses reconnected with my body, I found Enzo in front of my


    legs, gently stroking his giant cock at my entrance.


    ¡°It¡¯s not going to fit.¡± I bawled trying to draw back but my limbs were liquid from the orgasm,


    ¡°It will fit just fine. You were made for us baby.¡± He smoothed and ced his tip at my entrance.


    Something about that felt so erotic I felt like I could just sink on it and get done with it already. I have


    never been this horny in my life it felt like my ovaries were screaming a t me, with every passing second,


    and I just wanted him, or Verzi, or both to fill my dry patched pussy and all its hallways.


    ¡°Please,¡± I begged and Verzi smirked beside me. He pulled out the digits that were inside me not long


    ago and ced them on my lips, I looked at him questionably and he nodded, urging me to open my


    mouth.


    ¡°Suck it.¡± I slowly parted my lips to let him in and right at that moment, Enzo pushed in to the hilt, causing


    my eyes to roll back into my head.


    A silent scream tore out of me but I quickly sucked on the two digits to keep them down.


    ¡°So tight.¡± Enzo roared as he pumped with slow, long, deep thrusts, asionally kissing my cervix with


    the tip of his cock. My muscles sucked him in as I continued sucking on the fingers that were inside me


    just a moment ago. I tasted myself on him, and that urged me to


    take something bigger in my mouth. Something that would quit down the sudden hunger.


    I raised my heavy eyes and a silent plea fell on his ears, he smirked and got up from the bed, granting


    my wish. As soon as it was within reach, I hungry pulled him on and ced him in my mouth. He let out a


    long hiss and drew back slowly,


    ¡°No teeth, Tesoro.¡± He warned and then ced his cock into my awaiting mouth again. I nodded rapidly


    and hollowed my cheeks, then did what I had seen in those movies.


    Enzo picked up his pace and began doing me mercilessly, sucking on Verzi became harder with every


    second. And he pulled back and let me have my moment. Every thrust became too hard to handle, and


    with that, I couldn¡¯t keep my screams down. Verzi was there to kiss me and then yed with my lotus


    while his brother plowed it like a maniac.


    Soon, I was screaming down my orgasm with Enzo¡¯s cock buried deep inside my womb, while I held onto


    Verzi¡¯s as if my whole life depended on it.


    Belongs ? to N?velDrama.Org.


    Enzo copsed on top of me with verybored breathing, but Verzi was quick to push him off me and


    then leaned down for a quick kiss.


    ¡°You liked it?¡± He asked against my lips, I pecked him quickly and then rested my head on the pillow and


    stared dreamily at him,


    ¡°Best sex ever.¡±


    ¡°But you don¡¯t know how to suck a dick.¡± He pointed out tearing a snort out of Enzo, redness and heat


    covered my face and I wanted the ground to open and swallow me whole. He didn¡¯t just shame me like


    that. 1


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Tesoro. You will learn.¡± Heforted and kissed me again, I was thankful that h e brushed


    the fact that I nearly chomped off his cock with my teeth.


    I felt his sneaky hands running between my legs again and shot him a nce,


    ¡°I need my orgasm also.¡± He shrugged off before flicking my clit with his finger, tearing a gasp from me.


    ¡°Hmmmm. And I can still go another round.¡± Enzo groaned and Oh! My! God! What did I get myself into?

 Chapter 40

    Chapter 40


    LORENZO POV


    ¡°Will you just sit down already? You¡¯re making me dizzy.¡± Verzi yelled from the couch where he was


    sitting chugging down his whiskey.


    ¡°Is that whiskey?¡± I stopped in my tracks and pointed a finger at a ss in his hand,


    ¡°Nah! We ran out. It¡¯s vodka.¡± He informed and tipped off one swig. I walked to him at the speed of


    lightning and yanked the ss from him, then tossed the whole liquid down. I winced as the scorching


    hotness burned down my throat, settling painfully in my stomach.


    ¡°What is wrong with you?¡± He asked bewildered.


    ¡°This shit burns,¡± I replied mming the ss in front of him. ¡°No shit. What the hell is wrong with you?¡±


    He asked getting up from the couch


    ¡°Everything is wrong.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean?¡± His brows furrowed as he eyed me like I had gone crazy.


    ¡°Just sit down for a second okay? Sit down for one second and think ofst night. Then tell m e which


    part of that felt right to you.¡± I yelled pointed to the door that was closed. His eyes widened for a second


    before he took a big gulp of air, and then slowly sat down.


    ¡°I know you feel it too. I know you do.¡± I called out again and continued my pacing.


    ¡°It felt¡­ Empty.¡± He said after a long moment of silence.


    ¡°Exactly. Itcked emotions. she did that because she felt obliged to sleep with us. She fucked us


    literally, she fucked us so that we don¡¯t get mad at her. That¡¯s whatst night was about.¡±


    The more I thought about it, the more the chills ran violently down my spine.


    ¡°How do we correct it?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know, like book Burj Khalifa or make love to her while we are dropping off the ne with


    parachutes written ¡°I love you Ari¡± on the back.¡± He reclined at his seat and scoffed.


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°You are being sarcastic.¡±


    ¡°Well, yeah, sorry. But I am out of ideas. To her, we¡¯re just a bunch of possessed assholes that stole her


    life from her, then continued to rope her on us and drag her with u She has no idea why we do things,


    why she got spanked yesterday. You saw it, she was happy when we weren¡¯t there. She was having the


    time of her life because for once, we weren¡¯t obsessing over the air she breaths.¡± Hard furrows formed


    on his forehead as the truth settled


    ¡°What should we do?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know man. I don¡¯t know. But we have to fix things before we lose her.¡±


    ¡°No shit! We ain¡¯t losing her.¡± He cursed tearing from the seat as if someone was already outt o get his


    girl.


    ¡°Then we should fix this. We should make love to her, not fuck her like she¡¯s one of the bitches at Dark


    Woods. This is Ari, our girl, the one thing that makes sense in our lives. We cannot lose her.¡± I spoke in a


    very convincing form, only because I needed it more than he did. What happenedst night did not sitThis belongs to N?velDrama.Org.


    with me at all. Not that the Being inside her felt like home, it felt like everything I have always wanted and


    more. But it was not enough. There were no emotions, no strings to it.


    Like I had mentioned, she was just fucking us so that we sweep everything under the rug and just get


    done with everything.


    ¡°Let¡¯s attend this party and then we¡¯ll take it from there.¡±


    Verzi pulled me out of my head and I nodded.


    ¡°You got her dress?¡±


    ¡°Yeah! Raquel did.¡± ¡°Did you see it?¡±


    ¡°No, I didn¡¯t. But I know she made a perfect job.¡±


    ¡°She should. Because if not, those fuckers are going to know who she is and things won¡¯t go pretty.¡± Just


    the thought of those hungry dogs seeing her beautiful face made my skin crawl painfully.


    ¡°Everything will be alright brother.¡± I can¡¯t believe he was consoling me right now, like how


    fast the tables had turned.


    ¡°I hope so. I fucking hope so.¡±


    LEIGH-ARI


    ¡°So you went in and had sex with them.¡±


    ¡°You are judging.¡± I pointed out looking up from the big ck box that was lying on the bed.


    ¡°No, I am not. I am just¡­¡±


    ¡°Hey, this was your idea. You said I should get on good books with them. And I did. They fucked me


    okay? Like they banged me so hard I feel like my cookie might drop at any moment.¡± I barked causing


    Laura to double up. I found myselfughing with her because


    everything was just¡­ crazy!


    ¡°Okay fine. I am not judging. But I didn¡¯t think you¡¯d actually get down with it and sleep with them.¡± She


    pointed out holding out a big ck mask.


    ¡°Is it a masquerade?¡± She asked with one brow lifted up.


    ¡°Well, I guess.¡± I threw the arm length gloves at her and she caught them,


    ¡°Do you know what happens in those parties?¡± She ced them down and stared right into m y eyeball..


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°Orgies. Those rich fes have sex all around the floor with rich wives and they cuckold each other in


    there. The president is holding the billionaire¡¯s wife and the wife is holding the bachelor. It¡¯s a mess.¡± She


    exined throwing her hands around. I ced the silky dress back in the box and looked at her with


    thinned eyes,


    SS


    ¡°And how do you know all this?¡±


    ¡°Well, I watch tv.¡± She shrugged off like it was no big deal. I smiled and then shook my head. Laura was


    just a whole work of art.


    ¡°Guess what?¡± She squealed and jumped off the bed.


    ¡°Nope. I can¡¯t guess.¡±


    ¡°Boring. But you need to guess.¡± She rolled her eyes before cing her hands on her waist and looked


    at me,


    ¡°What? My vagina is about to fall off.¡±


    ¡°No you swine! Not your vagina.¡± She threw her hands in the air defeatedly and walked off to the couch


    where she pulled a big ck box.


    ¡°I am tagging along.¡± She sang as she held the box up.


    ¡°No way!¡± She ran to the bed and opened the box to reveal a beautiful emerald green gown with a ck


    mask. Unlike mine, her mask was nice and small,


    ¡°Yay.¡± we rejoiced because the idea of having her around was so great, especially when I had n o idea


    what the hell was about to go down in there.


    ¡°To the masquerade party,¡± I screamed holding out my mask,


    ¡°To the orgy with the president.¡±


    ¡°Where are you taking us?¡± I thinned my eyes in the mask and stared outside at the moving scenery,


    ¡°Burj Khalifa,¡± Vernero called out shifting carefully in his seat of a limo.


    He was mped in a ck suit with a big floor-length cape that was secured with diamond and white


    gold brooches on his chest. His tattooed sternum was slightly revealed up at the undone buttons of his


    dress shirt, He had his mask pushed off to the top of his head and his tattooed fingers were decorated


    with expensive rings.


    His twin was dressed the same, but he had a tie on. The guys wore something close to 500 grand and


    they knew it. The strong scent of their cologne was heavy in the air and they were, super yummy.


    ¡°Your marks are covered well.¡± Lorenzo pointed out with his finger and I reclined in my seat, then refixed


    the neckline that was secured safely around my neck, covering each and every single hickey on my front


    and back.


    From there, the drive was filled with Laura¡¯s crazy whispers and my snorts ofughter. She didn¡¯t dare


    speak out her mind in front of the twins. Nope! They just silenced her with a re.


    Soon, the limo stretched in front of the renowned tallest building and it was breathtaking. The red carpet


    was rolled outside with gazillion guards in ck standing at the edges of it. Crime and money could be


    smelled in the air from how tense and he was. You didn¡¯t need to guess, just one look at it, and then you


    know that things are shady inside. Because it was insanely opulent. That¡¯s right, it was insanely rich!


    Our door was pulled open and out stepped Enzo who stood aside to create room for his brother. They


    extended their hands out and I took them, then began walking with Laura trailing behind us.


    ¡°Hey!¡± She whined as she tried pulling the heavy gown that was pooled at her feet.


    ¡°Got a problem?¡± Vernero turned and asked,


    ¡°No! No! Not at all.¡± Her eyes were snapped so wide that I found myselfughing.


    The second limo stretched by and out came Ciello who happily took her on his arm and strolled behind


    us.


    We got into a big hall that had a million chandeliers and people that were dressed just like us, with shy


    gowns and jewelry, and masks. I couldn¡¯t make out their faces since they were all hiding behind their


    masks and heavy makeups and lipsticks.


    ¡°Remember, do not talk to anyone.¡± Vernero turned and started lecturing me.


    ¡°It¡¯s not like I know anybody here.¡±


    ¡°No really, Tesoro. You don¡¯t talk to anyone here. These people in here, we¡¯re all enemies, but we love to


    y it cool. If they knew who you are, what you are, they wouldn¡¯t hesitate to snap your neck into two.¡±


    Whoa! It was really intense because he managed to speak more than 5 words.


    ¡°Okay. I will behave.¡± I nodded rapidly, still looking around.


    ¡°You don¡¯t leave our side. If we leave, there is Valerie and the others. I don¡¯t trust Laura. She makes you


    stupid.¡± Lorenzo added up and I shot him a death re. How dare he say that about my best friend?


    ¡°Fine.¡± I scoffed and turned back, and there she was, my girl with Ciello. She spotted us and pulled Ciello


    along, then came and stood where Vernero had stood before, looped her arm with mine, and looked


    ahead,pletely ignoring Vernero and Lorenzo.


    ¡°It¡¯s not an orgy.¡± She said in a hushed voice.


    ¡°Thank God.¡±


    ¡°Pity. I thought I was going to bang the president.¡± That yearned her a stink eye from the twins. She


    raised her hand to her lips and made a zip motion, causing me tough so hard I had to heave out a few


    times.


    One day if I died, then it was all going to be on Laura.


    UNKNOWN POV


    The hallway was dark, with no shadow or soul around. The chattering could be heard from the big hall


    which was just a good distance from the little hidden terrace.


    The sound of shoes clicking against the hard floor made a sound as they approached where I was


    standing


    ¡°You look fancy today. Love that piece around your neck.¡±


    ¡°Hi, Xander. Good to see you.¡± I said looking around to see if someone had spotted him, or us. Because


    if they did, well¡­


    ¡°Hmmmm. What¡¯s this about?¡± He looked up with that corky smirk that was enough to melt thedies¡¯


    panties.


    I pulled a photograph from where it was stuffed securely and handed it to him.


    ¡°She¡¯s beautiful,¡± he announced studying the picture.


    ¡°I want you to get rid of her.¡± He looked up like I had grown an extra pair of eyes. ¡°What¡¯s in it for me?¡±


    His lips tugged up in his usual smirk, ¡°You get the East back.¡± That captured his attention and the smirk


    dropped.


    ¡°Who is she?¡±


    ¡°Leigh-Ari Montreal. The hostess of Dark Woods and the woman to the Cattanios. She is always heavily


    guarded. She has a mercenary as her bodyguard and maid, then she has 8 guards tailing her. There are


    also some hidden hitmen who are always ready to burst your brains out if you dare take a step near her.


    Most importantly, the twins are always around


    her. She is never alone!¡± I informed in a shaky breath. But I had to do it.


    ¡°Dang! She is somebody. Why do you want to get rid of her? She looks decent.¡± Seriously?


    ¡°You want the East back or what?¡± I snapped at him and he raised a brow at me,


    ¡°Of course, I want the east. They stole it from me.¡±


    ¡°Good. Now get rid of this girl here, and the east is yours.¡± He kept quiet for a second, silently assessing


    the picture in his hand.


    ¡°What did she do?¡± One could ask why I hated her. She was good, honestly. But she couldn¡¯t live. She


    had to be removed from this earth. As soon as yesterday.


    ¡°She stole my boys from me!¡±

 Chapter 41

    Chapter 41


    LEIGH-ARI


    The party was well in full swing, and funny because nothing serious was actually done. We just arrived


    here and started drinking from expensive, bling wine sses with gold linings, then the ssic music


    came along and we all began dancing. I guess the event was more of a social event than anything else.


    So Laura and I went with the flow.


    I was sipping on my champagne when Valerie stormed to our table looking so flushed. Her mask was


    slightly tipped to the side and she was shoving something in her purse. 1


    ¡°Are you okay?¡± I asked leaning towards her. She looked up at me and smiled,


    ¡°Yah sure. Why are you asking?¡± She breathed out and pulled a ss of wine from the collection in front


    of us, and chugged the whole thing down.


    ¡°Ahhhhhh¡­ You don¡¯t look fine.¡± She fixed her mask and began ncing around as if she was afraid to


    be seen.


    ¡°No. No shit. I am good. really.¡± She insisted and I decided to let it slide. I knew she would eventually spill


    the beans when she feltfortable so I wasn¡¯t going to force her.


    The twins walked from the small group they were mingling with and stood protectively behind my chair,


    silently announcing to the world that I was off-limits.


    ¡°Tesoro?¡± Enzo called me, I looked up to find them staring down at me through their masks,


    ¡°Yes?¡±


    ¡°Want to dance?¡± He asked with a small smile and I looked at therge dancefloor. It was in full swing


    and people were swaying gently to the ssic piano touches, It really looked fun.


    ¡°Yeah sure,¡± I eximed and they pulled my chair back, then each took my arm and let me to the dance


    floor.


    ¡°So¡­ How do we do this?¡± I asked when they both let go of my arms,


    ¡°Easy!¡± Verzi called out from my back as heid his hands on my waist ever so gently like he was holding


    something that would break at any moment. Enzo drew closer, took hold of my arms and looped them


    around his neck, and thenid his just above his twins. Then we began swaying to the music.


    I found myself smiling to nothing in particr, but the unhurried swaying was just so calm I felt like I was


    about to die. Not that I knew how dying felt like, but I am sure it was something close to this, calm,


    peaceful, and pure bliss. It felt calm and serene, the quick drumming of their hearts, against my back and


    front, the heat resonating from their bodies, that was all so peaceful. In some weird way.


    Minutes ticked by and eventually, the whole world disappeared, only me, the twins and the music


    mattered


    Enzo pulled back and turned me gently with his hand, passing me to Verzi. Upon looking at him, his


    furrows deepened as he pulled me to his body, his twin taking his ce at my back. I had thought it was


    going to be hard trying to dance with them, but it was natural, so natural that it felt like I have done it


    before.


    ¡°You look amazing.¡± Heplimented and nipped the skin behind my ear. Enzo brushed his hips against


    my butt, his bulged crotch making me very aware of how hard he was.


    ¡°Thank you. You look great too.¡± I replied with a smile, very aware of his crotch that was brushing slightly


    against my front. Can someone tell me why they were horny?


    ¡°About yesterday, sorry.¡± He said and everything seemed to have stopped for a second. I looked up at


    him to find him staring down at me, through his ck mask,


    ¡°You¡¯re apologizing.¡± I pointed out and he took a big gulp of air.


    ¡°Yes. At least I am trying.¡± He said and his twins kissed the back of my head lovingly.


    ¡°We¡®re terribly sorry, Tesoro. We truly are.¡± Enzo added up and I really had no idea what was happening.


    ¡°Okay.¡±


    ¡°No really. We are sorry for everything, for stealing your life and forcing you to live this, for being with us.


    We love you, Ari, so much. You are our everything and I know it¡¯s crazy because you don¡¯t feel it, but we


    do. We just don¡¯t know how to love you. We are toxic, ruined, unworthy of you, and this isn¡¯t the first time


    we try to force ourselves on you. But that¡¯s because you mean the world to us. All of this, the empire


    we¡¯ve built, is all because we want t o give you the whole world. So please, don¡¯t give up on us. Show us


    how to love you, because w e want to be better for you.¡±


    Wow!


    It was then I realized that the music had slowed down to a painfully slow song, that our swaying had


    decreased also, we were barely moving, but the rapid drumming of their hearts and their quick breathing


    against my neck was all that showed that time was ticking, and the earth was still spinning in its orbit.


    ¡°Please say something,¡± Verzi begged in his deep voice, I was really out of words. I didn¡¯t know what to


    say to them right. Because even Vernero the angry guy was down to earth at the moment.


    ¡°You¡¯re right. You guys took everything from me, then forced me into your world which I am not familiar


    with. I don¡¯t know what it is you guys do, and when I get something wrong, I get locked up in the steam


    room or I get spanked till I can¡¯t sit. But at the same time, I have realized how much you guys care for


    me. It¡¯s fucked up because you¡¯re denying me my


    freedom, but at the same time, you guys can burn the whole world for me. I am also trying, to b e what


    you guys want. To be ustomed to your world, I am really trying.¡± I poured my heart o n the tter for


    them, they decided to open up, and if this is where we were going to do it, so b e it.


    ¡°Our world is dark Tesoro.¡± Verzi was the one who replied.


    ¡°Very dark,¡± Enzo added up.


    ¡°I kill people like swatting a fly. To me, life is nothing. And no one is worthy of living except you. Only you


    deserve to have the world.¡± Verzi said and I was actually surprised that he himself, went out and spilled


    his heart.


    ¡°It¡¯s okay. I can¡¯t say it makes sense, but I will try to be out of trouble. Be a bigger person in all of this¡­¡±


    ¡°You guys should get a room.¡± A very unfamiliar voice boomed not far from us and I felt Verzi tensing.


    They slowly untangled themselves from me and stood protectively by my side, inching closer and closer


    to me. I nced up at the intruder who busted out the bubble to find a guy in a three-piece grey suit with


    a red mask on. His eyes were a very deep shade of blue and I am sure he had contacts, there are no


    such blue eyes in this world. He was lean, a bit shorter than the twins who were bulky, and hand an


    eagle tattoo protruding on his neck, its wings spreading right from his Adam¡¯s apple. That must have


    hurt.


    ¡°Mydy, nice to meet you. I am Xander.¡± He made a small curtsy and extended his hand. I tried to pull


    mine from Verzi to shake his, but one re at him had me refraining my hand. The silent warning was so


    loud I could literally hear the sirens going off in their heads.


    ¡°Xander.¡± He said in a gravelly voice.


    ¡°Oh! I didn¡¯t see you there. The Cattanio twins.¡± He mocked sarcastically and I made up my mind right


    there, this guy was bad news. Exins the alpha mode and sudden shift in the twins¡¯ behavior.


    ¡°Yeah, I am very sure you didn¡¯t. Because we are that invisible.¡± Enzo spat stepping forward while


    pushing me towards his back protectively. The tension quickly shifted and I swear someone was going to


    die in a second.


    ¡°I know right. But it¡¯s not my fault that no one can see you. I just want to talk to the prettydy behind


    you.¡± He informed taking a step forward. Verzi stepped forward and the two literally covered my small


    frame from Xander. I didn¡¯t want to question them, they mentioned that everyone here was their enemy


    so I wasn¡¯t going to be smarty pants and try to be a big girl. Nope! Not this time.


    ¡°You sure are protecting her well. This makes her more intriguing. I mean, one would think she is not just


    one of the manyys you guys have. So I have heard.¡± Xander continued pressing the wrong buttons. I


    felt a violent tremor coursing through Vernero, and knew that if we spent any other second here, well,


    things were going to head south.


    With that, I pulled on their capes to gain their attention. Enzo half turned to me with his eyes still glued on


    the Xander guy like he would do something very vile if he took his eyes off him even for a split second.


    Belongs to (N)?vel/Drama.Org.


    ¡°I want to go home,¡± I whispered so that my voice can reach only him and Verzi.


    ¡°Okay, Tesoro.¡± He said smoothly before turning back to Xander.


    ¡°Give it up to Xander, you lost the East, and now you answer to us.¡± Enzo taunted before turning without


    much further ado, then took my hand in his and began pulling me out of the hall. Verzi stayed behind in


    the heated stare-down with Xander before he left without a word and followed us.


    By the time we stepped outside, our ck Limo was right insight and we quickly hopped in. A s soon as


    the doors closed us in, Verzi shifted in his seat until heid down, with his head in myp. Enzo on the


    other side ced his head on my shoulder.


    I tangled my fingers in Verzi¡¯s silky hair while Iid my own head on Enzo¡¯s. For the first time ever since I


    met them, they looked vulnerable, they were human. Not some insanely Greek gods that had everything


    in the world.


    For the first time since the beginning of forever, they were weak, and they bared their weakness in front


    of me to see.


    I don¡¯t know what tugged at my heart the most, but just holding them, while the limo stretched through


    the city at the ghostly hour, made me swear to be with them. They were fucked up, so fucked up that


    there was no redemption for them, but if I was that piece that held their sanity together, then so be it.

 Chapter 42

    Chapter 42


    LEIGH-ARI


    The merry times in Dubai eventually came to an end, and we all had to fly back home. After the incident


    at the masquerade party, the twins doubled my ¡°security¡± and restricted my movements in all ways


    possible. I was against it at first, but I had to deal with it because they weren¡¯t going to change their


    mind. They never did. They were hell-bent on protecting me and after a nce at what they actually did,


    I wasn¡¯t going to ask questions. It wouldn¡¯t do me any good.


    And Laura, she flew back home. She had a life, and it sure as hell didn¡¯t involve underground lords with


    guns and tattoos and mercenaries. Although it was hard to let her go, knowing that I was going to be


    alone again, I had to. I had to let her go.


    And I missed her already, so much. She made living this life a hundred times better in all ways than one.


    But here I was, back in Dark Woods where it all started.


    Behind the closed stone walls of Dark Woods castle, life was well boring. A lot of maids roaming around,


    the harem in the other wing, and nothing else. Just that. The twins were busy with whatever they were


    busy with, and all I did was to be a perfect housewife and stay a t home doing nothing.


    It waste in the night when I left the tower lounge and padded bare-foot back to my room. There was a


    gazillion of cameras in the castle so I told my ¡°maids¡± to rest when we were at home, a girl needed time


    to herself.


    I arrived at my room and found it empty, like always. A sudden thought of getting a pet crossed my mind.


    Maybe it wouldn¡¯t be this boring if I had a little furball keeping me on my toes. But that thought was well


    dismissed when a tattoed guy crossed my mind. He would probably roast it or deep fry it because I spent


    a lot of time with it. So to save a life of a poor animal, I was well off by myself.


    I walked straight to the bed, plopped myself down, and looked up at the ceiling in the dark, unlit room. A


    shadow flickered at the terrace got my attention and I tore from the bed. It was s o swift that I nearly


    missed it, but I swear I saw something move. The twins weren¡¯t around, so it sure wasn¡¯t them. And my


    maids were all in their quarters. I wanted to dismiss the thought but something about the whole thing felt


    really unsettling. With that, I took silent steps towards thece curtains, careful not to make any sound. I


    didn¡¯t know what it was and I wasn¡¯t going to anger it by making noise. Although I lived a sad life, I still


    wanted to see the sunrise and sunset, at least for the other 20 years.


    The whir of the air outside added to the pent-up anticipation, I found my heart beating louder and harder


    than usual. I could even hear myself breathing. The more I got closer to the ss double doors, the more


    unsettled and unnerved I became.


    My eyes were as wide as saucers and I knew if there was really something out here, I had to show it a


    thing or two. Because it would take a million years for my guards to get here. A bullet would reach in a


    heartbeat, yes, but for that to happen, I had to hit the panic bed


    somewhere on my headboard.


    Standing an inch from the curtains, I pulled on my big girl panties and abruptly yanked them


    apart, to find¡­


    Nothing!


    The outside stood unmoving, with four flower pots that Enzo insisted I keep on the terrace sitting there


    and breathing the chill air of the night. The blue light bulbs on the balcony railings were all lit, illuminating


    the night sky with their glorious blue hue. The loungers and cushion were all in ce, everything was in


    ce. And there was not even a soul present at that ce.


    I huffed out and stormed back to the bed.


    I justid there and thought of my life. But the more I sat there, the more I got the sense of being


    watched. It was as if there was a phantom spirit around like I wasn¡¯t alone in the room.


    And it was really strange. I knew I had people watching every move I made, every ticking second of the


    day but that has never unnerved me. This, this one here felt different.


    Deciding to stop with the thoughts, I pulled in the nkets and tugged myself in.


    Minutes ticked by and I grew antsier and antsier. For an umpteenth time, I got up and switched on the


    bedsidemps. A scream tore out of me when I spotted a man seating in one o f the couches, facing my


    bed and just looking. I


    ¡°Shh shh! Keep it down will ya?¡± He shushed with his hands and got up. He was dressed in a ck


    denim jacket, a pair of ck jeans, and a ck dress shirt that was buttoned all the way down. His hair


    was well cut down and trimmed neatly, to an extent I could see the skin of his scalp.


    ¡°Who are you?¡± I asked in a panicked voice, slowly pulling myself into a sitting position and searching for


    the panic button.


    ¡°Ohe on mama, that hurts.¡± He tilted his head and watched at me intently. I studied him for a good


    minute, and then my eyes fell on the eagle wings that spread around his front neck.


    Belongs to (N)?vel/Drama.Org.


    ¡°Xander,¡± I whispered and my movements froze.


    ¡°I knew you wouldn¡¯t forget me that easily.¡± He smiled, revealing pearl white teeth, and stalked towards


    the bed predatorily. I just sat there, frozen with all thoughts running up in m y mind. First of all, how did


    he make it past the guards? Because there were like a million of them here, and they were all armed.


    The security cameras, just how?


    ¡°What are you doing here?¡± I asked trying to pull up a straight face. But if I were, to be honest,


    I was scared shitless.


    ¡°Me? Just paying you a visit.¡± He said walked around with his hands sped at his back, with no care in


    the world. He was light on his feet, very swift, and utterly rxed. ¡°I don¡¯t get it. How did you get here?¡±


    ¡°Me neither.¡± He replied shortly and then abruptly turned his head to the side, and whatever that caught


    his attention wiped the yfulness off his face. Leaving him with a stoic, straight, and bone-chilling


    expression. He turned and stared at me, the yful look on his face gone without a trace. I pulled all the


    strength that was left in me and tried to hit the panic button, but he lifted a finger, silencing me.


    ¡°Don¡¯t do that.¡± He warned softly, and I slowly sunk back into the bed.


    ¡°Looks like your twins are back.¡± He informed and walked to the terrace, and that¡¯s when I heard the soft


    murmurs just right outside the door. How the hell did he even hear that?


    ¡°Don¡¯t lock the door next time. I hate scaring you out of your wits.¡± And with that, he opened the door and


    disappeared into the cold night.


    The bedroom door suddenly opened and in came Verzi with Enzo on his heels. Their eyesnded on me


    and they both looked at me with a puzzled look.


    ¡°You aren¡¯t asleep.¡± I just sat there with a mouth dry, unable to speak. How was I going to tell them that


    Xander was around? And that he came here, in here?


    ¡°Yeah, I am just sleepless,¡± I said instead. I didn¡¯t know what to say. They both shrugged out of their


    clothes and then climbed to bed, on both of my sides, and in a blink of an eye, they were


    out!


    Leaving me to my thoughts.


    One, I was very sure that Xander was going to pull this stunt again. But I didn¡¯t know how to tell the


    twins. And if I did, what would Xander do to me? Because if he made it past the security, he surely wasn¡¯t


    that simple.


    For the millionth time ever since I stepped foot in Dark Woods, I found myself asking whom did I offend in


    my previous life to be caught up in this mess?

 Chapter 43

    Chapter 43


    Chapter 43 UNKNOWN POV


    The street was buzzing with the afternoon traffic, cars honking their horns and chatters could be heard


    from every corner of the street. People were milling on the sidewalks under the zing sun of mid-


    autumn. I spotted the ¡®said¡¯ restaurant a few meters from where I was parked with the engine running,


    then turned the key and killed the ignition. I looked around to see if anyone was looking and then slipped


    out of the car, keeping it secret, yet normal to avoid attracting some unnecessary attention. Although I


    didn¡¯t understand why he chose this ce, where Vernero¡¯s men were literally everywhere, I was at his


    mercy and needed his help, so I had to run with whatever he said.


    I pushed the door of the restaurant open and stepped into a very shabby interior. The seats were round


    leather couches which were well off finished from how worn out they were, the table with bumps of


    moisture. This ce may have been quite a diner back in the days. But now, not so much!


    Belongs to (N)?vel/Drama.Org.


    There were a lot of people around and it was really stuffy in here.


    ¡®Watch it.¡± A waiter called out as he dashed past me at the speed of light almost knocking me off, then


    walked by without much of a nce leaving me utterly disgusted that I got knocked over by such a pig


    with no manners.


    OV


    While I was still trying to figure out why, of all ces, did Xander choose this one, I spotted his head from


    the far end of the restaurant and made my way there. He was sitting with his back on me and I hurriedly


    walked by him and plopped myself right in front of him.


    He raised his head for a second, then refocused his attention on his te, and ignored my very possible


    existence.


    I scoffed and reclined into my seat, looking so calm but inside, I was seething. I have never worked with


    such a maddening person.


    ¡°You had a chance to get rid of herst night. What is it that you were doing in that room?¡± I half-


    whispered, half yelled at him. He took a fork and rolled a good amount of pasta and ced it in his


    mouth, then chewed slowly, taking his precious time while he stared at me like he was thinking of all the


    possible things he could do to me. But I wasn¡¯t afraid of him. I have dealt with the worst!


    ¡°I had a little conversation with her.¡± He replied and looked back at his te. What the hell?


    ¡°What? I turned everything off so that you could get to that room without drawing attention. D o you think


    it was easy? If I was caught snooping in the security room, the twins would kill m e. You had a chance


    yesterday¡­ and you¡­¡±


    ¡°Will you shut up for a second? I am really trying to eat here.¡± He barked instead, with his


    American ent dripping heavily on his tongue.


    I took a second and really stared at him. He was arrogant, insanely arrogant as if he was the most


    untouchable. I don¡¯t know why I even thought working with him on ¡°this¡± would be a good idea.


    ¡°I hate people who stare at me.¡± He informed licking the white sauce off his fork. I just remained silent, he


    wanted to finish his lunch in peace and peace was what I was going to give him.


    ¡°You want some?¡± He offered, pointing to his te with his fork,


    ¡°No. I am good.¡± I replied,


    ¡°Are you sure? Because they kinda like added some cheesy thingy here and then its sooo¡­¡±


    ¡°I just don¡¯t get it.¡±


    ¡°Me neither. I mean it tastes so good. It¡¯s gooey and very good, like the best pasta I have ever eaten.¡±


    Was he been serious right now?


    ¡°What is so good about that bitch that everyone wants to have her? To protect her?¡± I asked finally,


    exasperated about what I have been keeping inside.


    ¡®She¡¯s quite a charmer if you asked me. Got those perky tits and a very round ass. I¡¯d hit on that every


    second if I got a chance.¡± He said while pushing the te aside and then grabbed a serviette, then wiped


    his mouth, and leaned back on his seat.


    ¡°Sorry about that one. I don¡¯t work on an empty stomach.¡± He said with a very straight face and I so


    wanted to murder him right now or not. If only I was still in the game.


    ¡°Do you want the east or not?¡± I asked furrowing my brows.


    ¡°M.m! It¡¯s not ¡°do I want it.¡± It¡¯s when are you taking back what¡¯s yours.¡± He contradicted staring right into


    my eyes.


    ¡°The twins have the east, it¡¯s theirs, and¡­¡±


    ¡°You mean my east? Mine?¡± He said smugly and cocked a brow. Anger brewed very intensely from deep


    inside me.


    ¡°Yes fine. Your east. You want it or not?¡±


    ¡°Let me tell you something, you and I, we are different. You wear silky expensive suits and pretend to be


    the good guy around them, but I don¡¯t. But instead, you are just a good dog that barks to its owners. I


    give zero shits about your grudge with Leigh-Ari. And I can sure as hell tell you that I don¡¯t take orders


    from no man. And I definitely won¡¯t be taking them from you. The east is mine, and I will get it with or


    without your help. And maybe Leigh-Ari will be a little bonus. Now, you better watch your back, else the


    twins will know you¡¯ve been snooping around. And I bet things won¡¯t be too pretty for your old grey hair.¡±


    He said with a very straight face


    ¡°You are threatening me.¡± I pointed out and heughed,


    ¡°Me? I don¡¯t do that.¡± He said and got up, then stuffed his hands in his pockets,


    ¡°You¡¯ll pay the bill, won¡¯t ya?¡± And with that, he stormed out of the restaurant.


    VERNERO POV


    Sitting at therge dinner table with almost everyone around, I nced around and silently assessed. I


    didn¡¯t want to believe that among all of these people here, there was actually someone who tampered


    with the security system. For what? Because nothing was stolen. And everything seemed to be in ce.


    I had questions, and they all needed answers. But if I was working on an insider, then I had to be careful


    with how I dealt with the case. Because it sure wasn¡¯t simple.


    ¡°Are you full?¡± Leigh¡¯s angelic voice pulled me from my daydream. I turned to find her staring at me with


    a look of concern. I reclined back to my seat and continued my stare. Leigh just shrugged and stared


    down at her te.


    ¡°There¡¯s been a security breach. Someone tampered with the system.¡± I announced and everyone halted


    with their eating. Forks and knives clung against the tes as people stopped with what they were doing


    to pay attention.


    ¡°What happened?¡± Enzo voiced out with furrowed brows.


    ¡°The mines in the woods were all turned off, the cameras on the outside of the west wing were also off.


    And what¡¯s worse, there were no guards on patrol that side.¡± I said all these, staring intently at anyone


    who may act weirdly.


    ¡°Is there anything stolen from your wing?¡± Lorik broke the silence,


    ¡°M.m. Nothing is out of ce,¡± I answered and turned to find Leigh-Ari looking ashen. Enzo spotted this


    and then looked at me with questioning eyes.


    ¡°Did you do it?¡± The words left my mouth before I could stop them. And before I could mutter a quick


    apology, her head turned and she stared at me with the most heartbreaking look.


    ¡°Why would I even tamper with your security system? I don¡¯t even know where to start to do that. All I did


    was tell my maids to take a night off because there is no point hawk-eyeing me while I am in the castle.¡±


    She fired back with an angry stare.


    ¡°Okay.¡±


    ¡°No, it¡¯s not okay. Whatever goes wrong in this house is always pinned on me. Why would you even think


    that I was the one that did something to your damn security? Am I that bored with life?¡± She seethed


    throwing her hands in the air.


    ¡°Calm down Miss Montreal. Boss didn¡¯t mean that.¡± Lorik intercepted and she just continued


    ring daggers at me.


    ¡°Or do you have something to tell us?¡± He said surprising us all. Leigh focused her attention o n him,


    then opened her mouth to say something, then closed it again. She fidgeted in her seat and then


    abruptly tore from the table. ¡°I am going to bed.¡± And just like that, my evening was well ruined.

 Chapter 44

    Chapter 44


    LEIGH-ARI


    The following days passed in a blur. The twins decided to have a new security system installed and


    doubled up on the guards on patrol. The motion sensors were upgraded by a hundred, the CCTVs in the


    west wing were also installed. I had fought with them tooth and nail for installing the cameras in my


    room. They imed it was for my safety and I understood that, but I wasn¡¯t going to be under


    surveince even when I was sleeping. The bedroom was my safe fortress, where I escaped to when


    everything got too much. It was the only thing that was keeping me sane even though it didn¡¯t belong to


    me alone (since the ; twins had taken the liberty to sleep with me against my will.). Having the cameras


    installed was going to deprive me of the little sense of privacy that was left and I wasn¡¯t going to let them


    take that little piece of me away. They had taken too much already and I didn¡¯t have anything left of


    myself. 1


    Vernero wanted to be pig-headed about it, and then I told him if they go ahead with that and don¡¯t


    respect my decision and my feelings, then I¡¯d leave. I remember their reaction vividly. They had frozen


    for a full minute. Just stood there and stared at me, unmoving as if someone had hit pause on them.


    Then they had shaken themselves out of the daze and gave in. And just like that, I had sessfully


    saved the little strand of sanity I was hanging on.


    And Xander on the side, he was still as mysterious as before. Very unseen. His movements were swift


    and very undetected. Despite the gazillion cameras, top-notch sensors, and guards, he managed to slip


    a few things into my room and remained undetected. Within days, I had gotten used to his unannounced


    appearance and the little ¡°gifts¡± he left behind when he didn¡¯t show himself, just to let me know he was


    still there watching me. It didn¡¯t freak me out like it had the first time he just popped up in my bedroom.


    I didn¡¯t know how to feel about him, about his stalking ways. Because he was an expert at it. A t the


    same time, he didn¡¯t seem to be fostering any malevolent intentions towards me. But that didn¡¯t mean I


    was going to recline on my throne and just rx. I was so alert and cautious about everything, one thing


    I have learned since stepping foot in this castle. 1


    As of now, I was caught up between telling the twins about him. But the only thing that made me bite my


    tongue was the thought of what they¡¯d do to him. They wouldn¡¯t just butcher him, they would destroy his


    possible existence as well as one of his ancestors and descendants. H e would be a history in a matter


    of hours, minutes and it wouldn¡¯t be pretty. I hated it when people died, especially because I was


    involved.


    I couldn¡¯t have his death or anyone¡¯s pinned on me or have someone¡¯s blood on my hands, even if my


    safety was at stake. It¡¯s not like I hadn¡¯t experienced the worst things ever in my life. Trust me, I have


    seen the devil all by himself. And one of his evil spirits is not knowing


    anything about me before the ident.


    Additionally, Xander didn¡¯t seem to harbor any ill intentions towards me, or at least that¡¯s what I thought.


    The second night, he left a note. And it read;


    Beware of those you keep near,


    Xander


    I didn¡¯t know what it meant or what he was implying, but he was definitely warning me about something


    or someone. And that made me soften a little when I thought of him. Although I still didn¡¯t understand


    how he made it past the security into my bedroom without getting caught every time or why he was


    stalking me. Maybe he wanted to use me as a bargaining chip in their shady shenanigans, I honestly


    didn¡¯t know.


    The note, I burned it to ashes, I couldn¡¯t keep it and risk it being found the twins. I honestly didn¡¯t want to


    think what they would do if they knew Xander has been here on multiple asions and I stayed quiet


    about it.


    OCC


    Everything was a mess and in all honesty, I was tired of this life, I was drained, mentally, physically, and


    emotionally. Everything was just so crazy. The twins who didn¡¯t allow me to step outside the ¡®walls of the


    castle, Xander the ninja stalker, and whoever that was working i n shadows against me that Xander


    warned me about, not being allowed to connect to the outside world, it was all too much for me. I missed


    my old life like crazy. I missed the morning rush, I missed driving through the morning traffic, the little


    beeps of my pager when there were emergencies at the hospital. The OR, my doctor, I missed cotton


    candy outside the kids¡¯ hospital. I wasn¡¯t happy here. At all. In fact, I was miserable.


    I was a prisoner. Yes, one would think I am crazy, I mean no prisoner wears designer clothes and lives in


    a castle full of maids.


    But like a caged butterfly, pping its wings inside the bars of the cage, seeing the goodness and luxury


    of the outside world and craving freedom. While the freedom it hungered for was just here, just right


    outside the golden bars of thevish cage. Simultaneously, it was out of its reach, because it couldn¡¯t p


    its wings in the cramped space of the golden cage. The cage which it was forced to live in.


    I was that butterfly. Lonely, sad, missing my old life, and craving freedom.


    The sudden gunshots jolted me out of my seat, spilling the popcorns out of their little bowl. And that¡¯s


    when I realized I had spaced out.


    I was currently hiding in the theatre between the two wings, with a bunch of snacks to kill time. The


    movie had rolled by while I was lost in thought. Instead of rewinding it, I huffed out and leaned for the


    remote control, then switched off the screen and got up from the seat.


    Belongs ? to N?velDrama.Org.


    A little pang of headache had me wincing just a bit.


    The meds! I hadn¡¯t taken any. That made me recall the good times in Dubai, with Laura. The


    twins sent her to collect my pills from my apartment and then flew her to Dubai. Their little acts of


    kindness always managed to cocoon my heart with warmth. Just how could they be s o warm yet so


    cold? That question was always nagging me, and sadly, I didn¡¯t have an answer to it.

 Chapter 45

    Chapter 45


    LEIGH-ARI


    Days flew by and the secret grew heavy in my chest. With each passing second, I weighed my options


    and the pros and cons of telling the twins about Xander. It was just way too much. But I had decided


    against it when Xander took four full nights without visiting.


    Maybe he had found whatever he was looking for. Because he just disappeared without much of a word.


    But still, I felt guilty for carrying all this by myself. Xander was the twins¡¯ enemy, and he wouldn¡¯t waste a


    chance to destroy them and vice versa. The twins had to know.


    At the same time, I feared for what they would do to each other. It was their world, it was what they did,


    what they knew. I get that very well. But I wasn¡¯t going to allow any bloodshed. Not under my watch.


    So instead of telling the twins, I decided to put on my smallest bikini and sunbathe by the poolside just


    right outside the west wing.


    Raquel was also with me and the other maids were dismissed. We were sitting in a veryfortable


    silence, with me staring at the blue sky with milky white clouds.


    The protective ss house shielded us against the harsh autumn wind.


    I shifted into a morefortable position and my eyesnded at the thick heavy forest just ahead.


    Without further ado, I called out


    ¡°Raquel?¡±


    ¡°Yes, Mdy.¡± She was by my side in a split second.


    ¡°What is in that forest?¡± I asked the question with my eyes glued to the heavy trees that had their leaves


    already falling. The brownish-yellow hue marring the ground, birthing a false ssic view of a very t


    teau on a nice spring day, full of bright colors.


    When there was no answer, I nced up to find her chewing on her bottom lip.


    ¡°It¡¯s nothing, Mdy. Beyond the forest is the border of the castle. Then nothing.¡± She said refusing to


    look me in the eye.


    ¡°Hmmmm. Have you been there? Beyond the forest?¡± I asked staring right into her eyes.


    ¡°No Mdy. Dark Woods is a restricted area.¡± Huh?


    ¡°Dark Woods? Isn¡¯t that the name of the castle?¡±


    ¡°No Mdy. Dark Woods is the name of the forest. And the castle was named after it.¡± She rified. And


    God help me! That just made my curiosity go through the roof. I gave her a small nod and stared right


    into the thick trees. Minutes ticked by with me having a very intense internal war.


    I was trying to get myself into not going there and exploring, but the other side was winning.


    Without any other thought, I sprinted out of the chair and pulled on my ck kimono. There was a pair of


    slip-ons I had brought earlier and I pulled them on, then ran towards the ss door.


    ¡°Mdy you can¡¯t go in there,¡± Raquel warned, erupting from nowhere, and then stood by the door


    blocking my way.


    ¡°Why? I just want to see what¡¯s beyond the forest. I won¡¯t die right?¡± I said casually, but she seemed to


    be horror-stricken and I really didn¡¯t understand why she was making it a big deal.


    ¡°Mdy, my job is to keep you safe and protect you with my life. And I tell you that it is not a good idea to


    go to that area. The bosses don¡¯t allow anyone in there. Please don¡¯t make it hard for me.¡± Her words


    prated deeply, and whatever they were keeping in there, it was huge.


    I smiled and patted her cheek.


    ¡°I know my safety is all you care about. I am just going to take a stroll, won¡¯t even go inside. Just stay


    here if you aren¡¯t allowed, I¡¯ll be back before you know it.¡± And for that reason and many others, I bee-


    lined past her and waltzed towards the outside stairs that led to the ground.


    ¡°Mdy you aren¡¯t supposed to go there, please.¡± Raquel called out yet again and I decided to wave at


    her. No one was going to change my decision now.


    Whatever it was they didn¡¯t want me to see, then I was going to see it.


    My heart pumped harder with every step I took towards the forest. It was as if there was something that


    was calling me in, and I just couldn¡¯t say no to it. It was as if I had been consumed by this bewitching


    spell that called for my name, and so I delved into the forest.


    The rustling sound of the drying leaves under my feet lulled all my troubles, kissed away all m y pain.


    The wind that brushed through the branches, pulling the leaves off their stalks made a soft whir that


    sounded like a soft melody that made everything seem normal, just for a split second. I closed my eyes,


    then took one step forward, then another.


    I was so consumed by the sound of the drying leaves and my thoughts when all of a sudden, a loud


    explosive went off just right in front of me, sending me flying backward where I hit a tree log with my back


    and then nted my face-first into the dirt.


    I let out an ear-shattering scream that was drowned by the sound of explosives and bombs that


    tornadoed on and on without stopping.


    Thest thing I remembered was a bomb that went off just a foot from me, then darkness.


    LORENZO POV


    Sitting in a meeting, I was so tired and wired up. It felt insanely quiet and way too peaceful, like the calm


    before the storm. Nothing in my life was this peaceful, well except Ari. But yeah.


    We were currently in a meeting with the nning department, going through all the schemes of


    expanding to the east.


    Acquiring the east added our workload by a hundred, there was just so much to be taken care of. While


    Verzi took care of the underworld deals, I stayed on top in a clean three-piece suit and did the good


    work. That¡¯s just how our world worked.


    The team leader went on exining the n, while I just sat there staring nkly at therge screen, the


    sudden vibration in my pocket called for my attention.


    I whisked my phone and then switched it on to find a little text, it was Verzi.


    My blood ran cold when I read what it said, Ari triggered the mines.


    One minute I was sitting in my chair at the head of the table, the next second I was outside already


    heading for my car. I don¡¯t know, but everything seemed to have happened in just a blink of an eye.


    If Ari had triggered the mines, where was she?


    VERNERO POV


    The hacking system of the new base in the east was taking forever. I had just finished creating the first


    firewall when a loud BOOM! Rang around and then followed by a series of more explosions and sirens.


    I reclined in my chair before slowly getting up and began arming up with my favorite toys. A very satisfied


    smile on my face. It¡¯s been a long time.


    Whoever it was that was trying to enter my humble abode, he was going to die a horrible death. And I


    was ready to take him down. The rush of adrenalin pumped through my system and I flexed my arms as


    I pulled my small des and tugged them neatly in theirpartment on the belt I was wearing. I had


    just strapped it securely when the door flew open and in came Valerie with wide eyes.


    ¡°Boss.¡±


    ¡°I know, we are under attack. I have never felt this good.¡± I flexed and gave her a big grin. She shook her


    head rapidly and ran towards my desk,


    This belongs to N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°It¡¯s Madam. She went into Dark Woods.¡± She announced causing my stomach to drop in a pit within a


    second.


    I stayed glued to the ground, staring nkly at her moving lips. I could see she was saying something,


    but my senses refused to cooperate with me. All I could hear was the sound of the


    sirens and the mines that continued going off, wreaking havoc in the forest.


    ¡°Boss!¡± Valerie¡¯s scream jolted me out of my daze and I sprinted out the door.


    I have never been so scared in my life. I had passed through the worst, been through a lot of shit that no


    one can possibly think, but none of that has ever soured my heart like what was happening right about


    now.


    I gathered the little strength in me and ran to the forest, I don¡¯t know what I was going to find i n there.


    But whatever that had happened, it was going to kill mepletely. Just the thought of it knocked the air


    out of my lungs, making it so hard to breathe.


    Through that haze, I ran into the woods, staring everywhere like a mad man trying to spot her, or


    anything of her. God no! Please don¡¯t let it get to that.


    My men were also on the search, armed and ready for whatever was there. I felt lifeless, with each


    ticking second, I felt like life was slipping through my fingers.


    ¡°Found her.¡± Someone called from my far right. I ran on my wobbly legs and found her covered in leaves


    and dirt, with the guys already turning her on her back. Her beautiful face was covered in dirt, showing


    that he had fallen right on her face,


    ¡°She¡¯s breathing.¡± They announced and that¡¯s when a whole load left my shoulders. My knees gave out


    and I dropped to the floor next to her torso, then crawled towards her and pulled her i na big hug. And


    then, I cried!


    The walk back to the castle was filled with me crying and sobbing the life out of myself. Lorik and the


    others left with her on a stretcher and left to the medicine room where they cleaned her back that had a


    few scratches. It was as if something scraped her back, but that was nothing,pared to what I had


    thought. She could have died. God, she could have died a horrible death


    I sat on the floor right outside the medicine room and sent a quick text to Enzo. He was going to kill me

 Chapter 46

    Chapter 46


    LORENZO POV


    Arriving at the castle, it took me a heartbeat to climb the stairs to the west wing. I was a heaving mess


    with my eyes wide open, and my nose ring as I tried to breathe all the air I could possibly master.


    The thought of what might have happened when the mines went off ripped all the air out of m y lungs. No


    amount of oxygen could make up for the burn inside of me,


    I was fuming. But to top it all, I was weak in the knees. The fear was heady on my mind and


    senses.


    Upon arriving in the west wing, I kicked Ari¡¯s bedroom door open to find it empty.


    ¡°They are in the medicine room, boss,¡± Raquel informed as she emerged from the closet holding pieces


    of Ari¡¯s clothes.


    I gave her a simple nod and took off again. It didn¡¯t take me an age to arrive in the medicine room which


    was on the other side of the castle, 3 floors down.


    I had had all the energy when I wasing, but standing in front of the closed door of the medicine


    room, I felt powerless. Feeble. I felt inanimate. Taking a deep breath, I pushed the door that slowly


    creaked open to reveal the inside of the room. When I got a clear view of the inside, I found her sitting


    with her back against the giant pillow, her right hand in Verzi¡¯s. They both looked up and Ari gave me a


    small smile.


    ¡°Look who¡¯s here.¡± She wiggled her eyebrows yfully.


    At that moment, the relief I have never felt before, the pain that had engulfed my senses when I thought


    that she had died, the promises of the future, the helplessness when I thought she was gone, they all


    consumed me whole. Creating one giant ball of rage. Pure rage.


    Without further thought, I stormed inside and yanked Vernero from his chair, thennded a strong punch


    right where his cheek connected with a bone. The blow took him off guard and sent him flying across the


    room where hended on his ass. I charged to him again, followed by Ari¡¯s scream


    ¡°Aaaaaaaaahhhhh!¡± Ari screamed from her bed. I gave her one stink eye and refocused my attention on


    Vernero who was getting up from the floor.


    WE


    Once he was at his full height, he flexed his muscles and grinned, revealing his bloodied teeth.


    Motherfucker still had time to grin!


    ¡°She could have died.¡± I thundered aiming for another blow somewhere in his guts. But he was quick to


    dodge it and whisked his arm around my torso, then nted his knee in mine instead, eliciting a loud


    groan that rumbled around the entire room.


    ¡°GUYS STOP IT.¡± Ari¡¯s panicked scream sounded from somewhere across the room. Verzi¡¯s kick had


    rendered me senseless for split second.


    I pulled off from his grasp, my elbow making contact with his groin causing him to stagger backward. But


    quickly found his footing and lunged for my head, then smashed it against his knee for how many times?


    I don¡¯t know.


    ¡°VERNERO STOP IT.¡± extra pair of hands wrapped around his that were tightly pulling on the strands of


    my hair. The kicking stopped, and so did his hold in my hair. And then he pulled m e up straight and


    pushed me back, causing me to fall back on my ass.


    ass


    ¡°What the fuck is wrong with you?¡± Ari yelled at him, or me. I don¡¯t know.


    ¡°He started it.¡± Vernero pointed at me usingly and Ari turned to look at me. His nerve!


    I decided to y oblivious to his usation and rxed on the floor while wiping the blood off my face.


    ¡°Why the hell did you hit him?¡± She questioned ME with a very pitched voice.


    ¡°His stupid system could have killed you,¡± I replied tly and got up to a standing position, then groaned


    when a sharp pain shot in my abdomen where hended his kick. Yahp! He kicked the shit out of me.


    ¡°It was for her safety you asshole,¡± Vernero countered in a neutral tone.


    ¡°Just shut up. Both of you. Shut the hell up okay?¡± She was so furious and so beautiful at the same time.


    She was still alive. She was still here. With us.


    ¡°Sit down.¡± She instructed folding her arms across her chest. No one seemed to make a move and the


    look on her face turned from angry, to insanely furious.


    ¡°Lorenzo?¡±


    ¡°Yes, Tesoro.¡±


    ¡°SIT DOWN!¡± Shemanded through clenched teeth and I couldn¡¯t help but obey. I walkedt o the bed


    and slouched myself on it.


    Then she turned to Vernero who silently walked to the chair on the far end of the room and perched


    himself. Unlike me, he let his mouth bleed without bothering to wipe the disgusting redness off his face.


    ¡°Lorenzo, why did you hit Vernero?¡± She questioned once again and I just stared at her, without replying.


    ¡°I am going to say this now, and I won¡¯t ever say it again. If you guys ever pull such a stunt again, this¡­¡±


    She pointed to her chest. ¡°you will never have it. You im to love and want to protect me. You told me I


    should teach you how to love me, how the fuck am I supposed to do


    that when the two of you are knocking each other¡¯s teeth out? I care for you. Both of you.¡± What? She


    cares for us? That music to my ears.


    ¡°I love the both of you. But can you once, just behave like normal people? Because you guys are fucking


    abnormal. You are crazy. You are retarded. And I mean the two of you.¡± She turned to look at me.


    ¡°Lorenzo, you were wrong to hit Vernero, and you Vernero shouldn¡¯t have fought back.¡±


    ¡°So I should have let him hit the crap out of me without fighting back?¡± Vernero argued causing me to roll


    my eyes.


    ¡°Look what you did. Look at his face. Look at YOUR face. What am I even supposed to do with you when


    you are like this?¡± Leigh-Ari continued fuming between us. In some crazy way, her angry voice somehow


    lulled the pain in my abdomen.


    ¡°Listen, both of you. It is my fault for going into Dark Woods. Raquel told me I shouldn¡¯t go in there but I


    did. Out of curiosity. In case you didn¡¯t know, it was Vernero who found me after the bombs went off. I


    understand both of you were scared. And I am sorry. But this, this fight won¡¯t do us any good. So please,


    just stop okay?¡± she said in a much softer voice. She looked s o beautiful as she took the mistress duty


    to the next level.


    ¡°Okay, Tesoro,¡± I replied with a small smile.


    ¡°Good Now, apologize to each other.¡±


    ¡°WHAT?¡± Vernero and I barked simultaneously, shock and disbelief pure in our voices and faces. This


    wasn¡¯t happening. In all my life, I have never apologized to Vernero. Not the day I identally broke his


    new guitar in Pnd. And he never said sorry to me. Since the beginning of forever!


    ¡°You should both acknowledge your mistakes, and apologize.¡± She repeated herself very clearly. I had


    thought that maybe I misheard what she said.


    ¡°Oh hell no.¡± Vernero retorted ripping from his seat and charging towards the door.


    ¡°Vernero Cattanio get back to your seat.¡± Ari¡¯s loud angry voice stopped him dead in the tracks. He


    turned and nced at him.


    ¡°Sit!¡± She pointed to the chair while she angrily red at her. I could literally see the smokeing out of


    her ears.


    ¡°I am not apologizing to this dicktud.¡± Vernero spat,


    ¡°I said, SIT! DOWN!¡± She drew closer to him, her feet taking their precious time to touch the ground


    ¡°He should apologize first,¡± Vernero said instead, causing me to scoff.


    ¡°In your dreams,¡± I said through my teeth and continued my work of cleaning the blood off m y face.


    When did he get so good with fistfights? I mean he was the gun guy.


    ¡°What was that?¡± Ari¡¯s sharp voice came my way and I looked up to find her looking at me.


    ¡°I said in his dreams. If he didn¡¯t install that stupid system, this wouldn¡¯t be happening.¡± Ari just stayed


    quiet, looking at me with disbelief.


    ¡°See that? Why the hell should I be the one to apologize when he doesn¡¯t want to?¡± And with that, he


    turned and yanked the door open.


    ¡°Fuck you.¡± I called out behind him.


    ¡°Fuck you too.¡± And then he was gone, leaving Leigh-Ari very helpless in the middle of the medicine


    room.


    I really wished her luck in getting us to make up! She needed it.N?velDrama.Org ? 2024.

 Chapter 47

    Chapter 47


    LEIGH-ARI


    It has been TWO-FULL dang days and the boys haven¡¯t said a single word to each other. I was honestly


    out of words or even means to try to get them to make up. I have tried. Trust me I have. But they were


    way too stubborn to even listen to me.


    They even stoppeding to bed at night. They slept in their separate rooms to avoid bumping into one


    another. They were that pigheaded.


    The first morning after the incident, at the breakfast table, the atmosphere had been so tense that all you


    could hear was the sound of knives and forks nging against the tes, the rapid chewing, and the


    swallowing. I swear you could have taken an ax, then plucked it out. Even a steak knife wouldn¡¯t cut


    through it. No one said any word, and heck, I was so out of it.


    Dealing with the Cattanio twins reduced my life span by a hundred years. I swear if God meant for me to


    live 130 years, then I was going to die at 30, young and ugly.


    A sudden thought suddenly crossed my mind. If this one failed, then fuck them!


    I was going to bomb this dang castle.


    ¡°Raquel?¡± I called out from my lounger and Raquel came to me.


    ¡°Yes, Mdy?¡±


    ¡°Between a swimwear and a lingerie, which one is suitable for jacuzzi?¡± I suddenly missed Laura,


    because she was going to doll me up within seconds and help me with the whole setup.


    ¡°Anything that you will befortable in, Mdy.¡± She replied earnestly,This belongs to N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°What would you suggest I wear?¡±


    ¡°If you are alone then you can enjoy the bath while naked, it is the most rxing that way. But if you will


    be havingpany, a nice bra and ace thong can do the trick. That¡¯s only if thepany is well¡­ one


    of the bosses or both. But when you are with your friends, swimwear is okay.¡± She exined briefly and I


    so wanted to kiss her.


    I grinned and tore from the lounger, then kissed her cheek and ran into the house.


    ¡°I hope you are not going to do anything stupid this time, Mdy.¡± Her voice called out from behind me.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I learned my lesson. The bombs nearly whacked me.¡± I said through fits ofughter.


    Because heck! That was one for the books.


    We walked to my bedroom and upon reaching, walked straight into the closet and went through my


    lingerie collection.


    I scrunched my nose at the piece of strings she held up in the air, I was even surprised that I had some


    of the items.


    Since her arrival, Raquel has been taking care of my shopping, while she had a smashing taste, some of


    the pieces in her were meshuga. I mean they were literally strings attached with rings and then that was


    it! You have to put that thing on! Nope! Not me. 1


    We settled with a ckce bralette that cupped my breasts firmly, pushing them together to create that


    bewitching, irresistible cleavage. The base of the bralette wrapped to my back and was held together by


    the snaps. The top of it was held up by the knot I fixed at the back of my neck. The bralette went with the


    matchingce thong that cupped my coochie all nice and well and then disappearedpletely in my


    butt crack, leaving my plump ass cheeks to the disy. The feast for their eyes.


    Raquel insisted on a gold body chain that hung high on my waist and looped down my two thighs,


    sping just right behind my mid-thigh. The body chain was like a garter belt.


    After trying it on, I knew it was going to work.


    Step 1! Find a sexy thing to wear. (CHECK!)


    I quickly shrugged them off and gave her a list of things that she needed to bring, fresh lemons, salt,


    vodka, bourbon (the special bottle), strawberries, chocte, and many more. Verzi had a crazy sweet


    tooth, while Enzo was hard on his liquor and I was going to take advantage of that.


    Step 2. Bring together everything they loved. (Check.) While Raquel left to collect the ingredients, I


    padded to the room across the hallway and opened it, revealing a giant-ass room with a big jacuzzi in the


    middle and the big floor-to ceiling window.


    This room had a very different interior inparison with the rest of the house.


    The whole room was covered in the rich oak tree, from the floor to the walls and the ceiling. The light


    bulbs were drilled into the ceiling, making the light to be very dim, yet so cozy.


    I pressed the button on my right and the grey curtains covering the window slit open, revealing the nice


    warm afternoon sun outside.


    I walked around and brought forward everything that was going to be used tonight, and once everything


    was ready, I slipped out and gently closed the door.


    Step 3. Setup the jacuzzi. (Check.)


    When all was said and done, I left the west wing and went straight to Verzi¡¯s office. However, he wasn¡¯t


    in.


    So I walked around until I found him punching the living life out of a speedbag. Instead of telling him to


    stop, I just leaned against the door-seal and watched him.


    Their private gym was also humongous, just like the rest of their things here. It had everything you could


    possibly think of, from the treadmills to the cheesy-ass dumbells and


    more.


    It took him quite some time to realize that I was there. But knowing him, he was aware that h e had an


    audience. After 5 minutes of him kicking the punching bag, he stood back and his eyesnded on me.


    The look on his face softened, but the deep furrows on his forehead remained


    ¡°Why so furious at the punching bag?¡± I teased walking deeper into the gym. He pulled back from the


    bag and yanked off the straps of his gloves.


    ¡°What are you doing here?¡± He asked instead, in his usual cold voice.


    I shrugged casually and took small steps towards him, my eyes roaming around the gym.


    ¡°Nah! Nothing much. Just bored. So I thought of doing something less risky this time.¡± I replied smiling at


    him. The furrows on his forehead deepened as I stood a centimeter from him, my boobs brushing against


    his chest.


    ¡°I am sweaty.¡± He pointed out the obvious.


    ¡°I know.¡±


    ¡°I need to take a bath.¡±


    ¡°I know.¡± My eyes were glued on his perfectly sculpted face, his sharp jawline, and the tattoos on his


    face. Who would have thought that there would be a time I stand in front of him without wetting my


    pants?


    My eyes dropped to a giant face of a roaring lion inked across his perfect chest, my hand reached up


    and I gently brushed the deep scar that was covered by the mane of the lion, tearing a small shudder out


    of him. His skin was gummy with sweat. But I did not mind. I came in here for a reason, and I was going


    to aplish it.


    ¡°What caused this one?¡± I whispered gently,


    ¡°A de. We ambushed a base in Russia and they threw des at us. I wasn¡¯t wearing protective gear.¡±


    He exined and I nodded. That was enough. I didn¡¯t need him to exin further because he didn¡¯t


    know how to.


    I slowly leaned on his chest and pecked my lips right on the scar, causing him to gasp from shock. My


    lips lingered for a long minute on his chest, and then I pulled back and smiled at him.


    He just stared down at me like I had stolen his lollipop. That look didn¡¯t scare me anymore. I saw it in the


    morning when I woke up; saw it again before sleep washed over me at night.


    ¡°Care to join me in the Jacuzzi?¡± I asked trailing my fingers up and down his chest. His muscles rippled


    from the contact.


    ¡°Which one?¡±


    ¡°Our floor. I haven¡¯t used that one since I arrived here. Let¡¯s pop its cherry.¡± I said teasingly causing him


    to smirk.


    ¡°Time?¡±


    ¡°A little after 8. Then we will see what happens next.¡± I seductively stated and licked my bottom lip. He


    rewarded me with a guttural sound that reached deep inside my panties, his arms grasping on my lean


    waist.


    ¡°Hmmmm!¡± He said inly. I snaked my arms around his neck and pulled his head down, then stood on


    my tip-toes and whispered:


    ¡°You don¡¯t want to miss out.¡± After that, I quickly perked his lips and left him there, with a huge boner


    tenting in his pants.


    His stare boreholes behind my back as I exited the gym without much of a back nce.


    Step 4. Get one hooked! (CHECKED.) A few more steps to go and I will be having them right where I


    needed them

 Chapter 48

    Chapter 48


    UNKNOWN POV


    With every passing second, my loathing and animosity Leigh-bitch bloated by a ton. But what she did


    recently was just way out of my imagination. She had been pressing all the wrong buttons since the


    beginning of forever and now, she pressed the red one. I had reached my limit with her.


    Never have the boys everid a hand on each other and then gone days without talking. Never! They


    loved each other more than anything on this, well except for the bitch. They had a deeper bond


    than anyone, they shared a womb, they grew up together. They got each other on greater extends..


    But because of this bitch, my boys fought and they were not on good terms. This girl was destroying


    everything I have achieved and all she did was just exist.


    I was done with her. The fight was the limit. If Xander wasn¡¯t going to do the job, then I would do it


    myself. He might as well as kiss the east goodbye. If only she died when the mines went off. But since


    the universe is always on her side, she managed toe out unscathed.


    I was going to kill her. All by myself. Fuck Xander. Fuck everyone.


    Leigh-Ari was mine to kill.


    non


    LORENZO POV


    Arriving home from work, I was so tired I even felt like I would pass out while walking. Ever since the


    fight, I had doubled up on my work and took extra hours just so to avoid Vernero. The only reason I was


    even going to the castle was because of Ari. If not for her, I wouldn¡¯t even bother going back. There are


    gazillion apartments in town waiting for people, and I would have been d to upy one.


    I know I was wrong for hitting Vernero. That one I know very well. But it was just a reaction, it just came


    without me knowing and when it dawned on me, he was already on the floor. My brother meant the


    whole world to me and I wouldn¡¯t hurt him. But he was so stubborn and dealing with him needed a lot of


    energy. And this time, I had no such energy. I was drained. And apologizing to a prick like him was just


    going to suck every drop of blood left in my body so no thank you. At least not today.


    It was well after 9 pm when I arrived and I knew everyone had retrieved to the safety of their bedrooms.


    The west wing was as still as death, one thing that has be a norm for the past two days. Without


    much thought, I opened my bedroom and switched on the lights. It has been a long time since I held Ari


    in my arms when I slept. And I missed being with her, her rosy scent all around me for the whole night.


    Her smooth purrs and those little sounds she


    made in the back of her throat. They were the highlight of my day


    I yanked off the tie with the thought of seeing her before bedtime, and right on the clock, the door slowly


    creaked open I turned to find her standing by the doorway, holding the knob and looking as beautiful as


    ever.


    ¡°Hey.¡± She said in a small voice as she entered inside and softly closed the door behind her


    ¡°Tesoro.¡± She was wearing a lush bathrobe that covered herpletely, her hair was bundled on her


    head in a messy bun and she looked like a fucking goddess. Whenever I counted my blessings, I made


    sure to count her at least 20 million times.


    ¡°How was work?¡± She took small delicate steps and walked around me, then helped me out of my suit


    coat. It felt good to be taken care of.


    ¡°Tiring. Very tiring. We are still working on the eastern project. And it¡¯s taking forever. I didn¡¯t know it was


    going to take this long to get it done.¡± I exined and sat on the bed after she gently pushed me. She got


    in front of my parted legs and began unbuttoning my waistcoat, got rid of it, and went to my shirt.


    Whatever she was doing, I was up for it.


    ¡°Hmmmmm! I know just a thing to help you ease the nerves.¡± She mentioned in a very seductive voice


    as she slowly trailed her lean hands against my chest, letting her curious fingers wander and explore my


    rippled abs.


    ¡°Oh yeah?¡±


    ¡°The Jacuzzi.¡± She mentioned and slowly leaned down, before I could reply, she pulled my head and


    mmed her hot lips against mine. My tongue took a good lick of her mouth that tasted like a damn good


    whiskey with a mixture of red grapes. This girl knew just the right ways to make me bend the knee and


    worship her.


    I pulled her up by her waist and settled her on me so that she straddled my legs; she arched her back,


    her lean waist fitting perfectly in my hands. She began rotating her hips on my crotch while she devoured


    my lipspletely. It didn¡¯t take a second and I was impossibly hard with my cock straining in my pants,


    crying for attention.


    I let out a loud groan and broke the kiss:


    ¡°We can¡¯t do this without him,¡± I informed and she rewarded me with a warm smile.


    ¡°I know.¡± She said.


    ¡°But I want to do it.¡±


    ¡°I know.¡±


    ¡°I missed you, Tesoro.¡±


    ¡°I missed you too baby.¡± Ah, fuck me now.


    A loud guttural growl escaped my throat and I pulled her more into me, hugging her tightly as


    I ced my head on her neck. She smelled so good. And some strands of her hair were wet.


    ¡°You started without me?¡± I inquired pulling back and looking at her beautiful face,


    ¡°More reasons for you to join.¡± She teased and untangled herself from my embrace, and then stood in


    front of me. If this woman was a bloody goddess, then I would dly spend the rest o f my life in a


    temple worshipping her with everything I have.


    ¡°Now how about we get rid of this¡­¡± She said in a sultry voice while unbuckling my belt. Her movements


    were swift, steady, but painfully slow.


    When the belt was through, she unzipped my pants and pulled them down, then dropped to her knees


    where she unhurriedly unfastened my shoces, taking her precious time to take each shoe off, and


    then helped me step out of the pants.


    I don¡¯t know who filled her head with ideas, but whoever that is, she needed a fucking raise.


    When I was all naked in my briefs only, she got up with a small smile while her eyes stayed glued on me.


    My little wild kitten was so docile, so meek, and fuck me if I didn¡¯t love that on her. Because heck, she


    was everything and more.


    Once she was at her full height, she got on her tip-toes and pulled my head down, then ced a soft kiss


    on my lips.


    ¡°The water is getting cold.¡± She informed and then pulled back, took my hand in hers, and then exited the


    room.


    I don¡¯t know what she nned to do with me, but I was a fucking game!


    VERNERO POV


    The bubbling water felt unbelievably good on my sore muscles. The training had done a good number on


    me since I was pushing my limits. That and dealing with the eastern base. I was mentally and physically


    tired. Like really worn out. And I patted myself on the shoulder for agreeing to join Leigh in the Jacuzzi.


    When the hot liquid bubbled all over my naked body, I knew I made the right decision. Not that I could


    deny her anything though. But she hade in like a wrecking ball and made me jump out of my mind


    with that little stunt she pulled. I don¡¯t know where she took the balls to tempt me like that, but I¡¯ll admit I


    loved it.


    And the funny thing is she knew I would cave in.


    I shook my head and stretched my arm to take a bar of chocte from the stash of goodies she


    prepared. There were wines, fruits, sweets, like she really prepared for tonight. I popped the brownish


    goody into my mouth and leaned back on the headrest. I moaned as the rich and creamy thing melted in


    my mouth, making me salivate with every swipe of my tongue against it. I was in heaven.


    The door clicked open:


    ¡°You did take your time huh,¡±I said with my eyes closed. She had excused herself a few minutes back


    iming she was going to get something. I couldn¡¯t say no. Because just then,


    she had kissed me so hard I thought I saw stars and angels.


    ¡°Yeah. But I¡¯m here now.¡± She replied causing me to open my eyes.


    ¡°Ah fuck no. Not today.¡± I cursed as my eyesnded on Lorenzo who was standing just a foot from Leigh


    in a pair of ck briefs. His cock was as hard as mine. Leigh worked her magic on him too. He rolled his


    eyes at me after I cursed. ¡°Vernero, please.¡± She begged with a little sadness added to her tone. I


    couldn¡¯t bear to hurt her. So I slowly reclined back where I was sitting and watched as she peeled the


    bathrobe from her body, revealing that bewitching thing she had on.


    The chain that was wrapped around her waist added to the mixture. She was one hell of a gorgeous


    woman and none, absolutely none held a candle to her.


    Text content ? N?velDrama.Org.


    Lorenzo let out a very appreciating groan, admiring the look in front of him. Leigh nced at him over her


    shoulder and then beckoned him with her finger. Lorr came running like a dog o na leash. Not that I


    med. No one would say no to that


    She pushed him into the water and then came in after him.


    ¡°Something to drink?¡± She swam to the stash of goodies and took three sses, then poured some


    whiskey in each. It was then I realized which bottle she took;


    Brothers¡¯ Bond. The fuckin¡¯ little seductress!

 Chapter 49

    Chapter 49


    LEIGH-ARI


    ¡°Something to drink?¡± I offered already reaching out to pour my weapon for the night. If I was going to


    deal with these babyish boys, then I had to use my brain.


    I didn¡¯t wait for them to reply, just poured the brown liquid into the sses and handed them each a


    ss, then proceeded and swam to the middle of the giant tub. They remained quiet as they sipped on


    their whiskey unhurriedly. They were still mad, I get it.


    ¡°Listen up guys. ¡°Ooooooookay. I have a confession to make.¡±I waited on a baited breath as I watched


    each one of them shifting in their positions, strongly gazing at me. They were going t o murder me for


    this one.


    ¡°Sooooooo00oo¡­ You are kind of going to get mad at me, but please promise you won¡¯t raise a ruckus.¡±


    I said with a stupid grin as I tried to clear the path before things got way out of hand because I bet a


    million they were going to go berserk.


    I took a deep breath, and ripped off the band-aid;


    ¡°Xander has been here. For multiple times.¡±


    ¡°WHAT?¡± They roared simultaneously and each got up to a standing position, trying to make sense of


    what I had just spouted.


    ¡°Xander has been to Dark Woods Castle, multiple times in the past few weeks and he seems t o be


    having a helper from inside.¡±


    ¡°AND YOU FUCKIN¡¯ KEPT QUIET WHEN THE ENEMY WAS HERE?¡±


    ¡°WHY THE FUCK DID YOU KEEP QUIET ABOUT IT?¡±


    ¡°DO YOU UNDERSTAND THAT¡­¡± Their raised voices came from both of my sides as they both went


    crazy. Yah! I saw that oneing.


    ¡°Please. Just listen to me. I didn¡¯t call you in here to fight me.¡± I said looking up at their figures that were


    towering over me. I so looked like a child who was getting a good scolding from, her parents.


    ¡°I am going to murder that piece of shit. I swear when I get my hands on him I am going peel off his skin


    right¡­¡±


    ¡°Vernero, please. Calm down and listen to me.¡± I said in a very calm voice, still seated down. They both


    seethed, their chests rising and falling rapidly as they took huge gulps of breaths. But the only things I


    could see right now were their two cocks that were way too hard for the current mood.


    They slowly got into the sitting position, but they were so angry that their faces were red.


    Maybe it was the water. Just maybe.


    ¡°The first night when the security system was off, Xander came to my bedroom and¡­¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s been in your damn bedroom and you didn¡¯t say anything about it?¡±


    Belongs to (N)?vel/Drama.Org.


    ¡°Leigh-Ari what in the actual hell is going on in your head? He could have kidnapped you, or murdered


    you in your sleep¡­¡±


    ¡°But he didn¡¯t okay? He didn¡¯t. And he sure didn¡¯t kill me for the following consecutive nights he visited.


    While you two were busy pissing in each other¡¯s breakfast, I was dealing with the enemy. Not you! Yes,


    you changed the security system and installed the million-dor mines that nearly shattered me into


    pieces, but Xander still managed to get through them ande to my bedroom. That did not stop him!


    Whether I told you or not, he would have stille and done whatever he nned to do. But I tell you


    this, Xander means no harm. It is not him whoi s fighting against you. It¡¯s someone from within, someone


    you try imposter in here.¡± I thundered in a loud voice which had them as still as death. I am sure they


    were surprised that I could yell at them like that.


    I drank my whiskey and ced my ss behind me, then got to my knees,


    ¡°Listen up guys; we have a bigger problem here. And that problem needs us to work together, not bite


    each other¡¯s heads off. If we are going to catch the imposter, then we are going to have to stop bickering


    and cursing each other because we have a dictionary of full curse words. That¡¯splete bullshit.


    Whoever it is that is working in the dark, they know what they are doing. Who knows, there could be


    more than one of them and we don¡¯t know that.¡± I mentioned pulling my hair from the bun.


    ¡°What makes you think Xander isn¡¯t the enemy?¡± Verzi asked with a very angry voice. For someone who


    always lost it, he managed to do a good job of holding his temper at bay this time. He needed a good


    reward.


    ¡°He left a note the other night. And it said I should beware of those I keep close. From the looks of it, that


    person wants to get rid of me.¡±


    ¡°Oh hell no. God help if I find them¡± Lorenzo cursed, fists clenching tied and his jaw ticking.


    OZO CU


    ¡°He didn¡¯t say anything further. But think of it, Xander is your sworn enemy, but he managed t o invade


    Dark Woods without getting caught, not even when the system was upgraded. This could possibly mean


    two things. One, Xander is a badass ninja whoes and goes without being detected. And if it¡¯s that,


    then you are truly fucked because you underestimated him. Two, someone has been helping him, and


    that someone knows the ins and outs of the castle like the palm of his hand. He knows everything in this


    house. And I am going to go with thetter. So the bigger question is; who is it?¡± I asked and rxed in


    the bath, letting the bubbles massage my back. This had gone so well; I actually didn¡¯t think I would get


    them down like


    this. But they were, and I was happy. I couldn¡¯t have them fighting..


    ¡°Even if I find them, I¡¯m still going to deal with Xander for all he has done.¡±Good lord, please


    show me anyone more stubborn than Vernero Fuckin¡¯ Cattanio.


    ¡°Verzi, Xander isn¡¯t the enemy. In fact, you should thank him for giving us the warning. We should head


    that instead of plotting his murder.¡± I smoothed with a small smile, hoping that i t would prate through


    the crust of hatred to his core.


    ¡°But still¡­¡± You know what, never mind!


    ¡°Listen up guys; I know I have fucked up with your minds at least a million times ever since I arrived


    here. I know I haven¡¯t been the obedient girl you all thought I was. I¡¯ll be honest, I was full of hatred and


    anger that you guys took me from my old life without any exnation, and then confined me in this castle


    while you all went on with your lives. I felt trapped, I felt caged. And when you imed that you loved me,


    I didn¡¯t believe that even for a single second. But now, things are different. I have seen the extends you


    guys can go for me. I have no doubt i n your intentions and love for me. For the first since forever, I know


    I am not alone. I have two stubborn men who would burn the entire world for me. And I can never be


    thankful enough.¡± I paused a bit and looked at them, they both had their eyes glued on the whiskey in


    their hands, but that didn¡¯t mean they had forgiven me. Talk about mad twins. They were so alike they


    didn¡¯t even realize it.


    ¡°I remember one thing that you asked me. In Dubai. You asked me to teach you how to love m e. I am a


    simple woman, I don¡¯t require much. But I want to tell you that this¡­¡± I gestured between them.¡±-this isn¡¯t


    how love is supposed to be. If you want to love me then you should both learn how to be patient and


    kind. Because ording to me, love is selfless and it is never jealous. Love is never boastful or


    conceited; it is never rude or selfish. It takes no pleasure in inflicting pain and sadness to others, but it


    takes pleasure in honesty. That means there is no peeling Xander¡¯s skin, Verzi. Not this time. Love


    forgives, love APOLOGIZES, Enzo. But most importantly, love never gives up. And that is why I am not


    going to give up on you guys. Because I have seen that deep down there, you are all capable of being


    the men I want, the men I have always dreamed of. I mean heck! I always dreamed of a nice quy, whom


    we¡¯ll get married and build a house in the countryside, go for horse rides and stuff


    ¡°Well, we can be that guy¡­.¡± Enzo interfered.


    ¡°Let me finish. I shushed him with a small smile.


    ¡°Never had I ever dreamed of being loved by two, mad hot and crazy guys. I have never felt this, like


    ever. But I want you to know something; I love you two so much. And I want you to always remember


    that. It pains me a lot when you fight; it breaks my heart because my whole world revolves around the


    two of you. You are the two sides that make me whole, you are my left¡±I faced Enzo, ¡°-And you are my


    right.¡± Then Vernero who had his brows furrowed deeply.


    ¡°If not for the sake of brothers¡¯ bond, but me, please, stop fighting,¡± I said atst and waited for them to


    say anything.


    ¡°Can I at least knock his teeth out? That isn¡¯t killing right?¡± Vernero asked in the most


    innocent voice. I closed my eyes and breathed deeply. Patience. Patience. Patience. 1


    ¡°Didn¡¯t you hear anything I just said?¡± Good lord, I was so done with this one. They both remained quiet


    for a long minute until I had to intervene.


    §ä§Ö


    ¡°Aren¡¯t you going to say anything?¡± I asked looking at Enzo. He took a good swig of his whiskey and


    mmed the ss on the wood flooring behind him,


    ¡°She¡¯s right, man. We have a much bigger problem at hand. And being mad at you won¡¯t do us any good.


    I shouldn¡¯t have busted your face.¡± He said in the most emotionless voice ever.


    ¡°Yeah. At least I got to practice my newest moves on you, so we¡®re cool.¡± Gosh, I couldn¡¯t believe them.


    Couldn¡¯t they just apologize like normal people? Was it so hard? I mean it was a simple,


    I am sorry I overreacted.


    You are forgiven, I am sorry I overreacted too. See? So damn simple.


    But no, they had to go ahead and mention busting and knocking each other out.


    ¡°So we are cool right?¡± I asked with a grin and got up while pping my hands excitedly.


    ¡°Yeah. We good.¡± They said at once, with much rxed voices this time. Phew!


    ¡°But you should have told us about Xander.¡± Enzo barked causing me to roll my eyes. I wasnt going to


    hear the end of this one.


    ¡°Enough about Xander. Now it¡¯s time for the after-bath exercise.¡± I took Enzo¡¯s hand and pulled him into


    a standing position. They both raised their eyebrows in confusion but didn¡¯t question me, even when I


    pushed him down until he was seated next to his brother.


    I got settled between their legs and teasingly trailed my fingers up their thighs underwater, causing them


    to clench their muscles tied.


    ¡°Can I have that chocte please?¡± I called out in a long stretchy voice and therwent ahead b y cupping


    their hard cocks, eliciting panty-dropping groans from their throats. I smiled mischievously as I began


    massaging them gently, and then slowly parted my lips for Verzi to pop a bar of chocte in my mouth.


    I pulled in his finger and sucked on it, with my eyes glued to his face. I added a little pressure on the


    hand that was working on Enzo.


    ¡°Aaaaaaaaah fuck.¡± He rewarded with a long moan and rested his head on the headrest, closing his


    eyes


    ¡°You like?¡± I asked teasingly and then leaned to Verzi. He leaned forward and then took my lips in a hot


    kiss, his tongue darting out to lick my inside. The taste of the creamy chocte and HIM made one


    concoction that made me weak in the knees. I added just enough pressure and began pumping their


    cocks faster. Verzi¡¯s lips on mine began moving faster with each passing second, we kissed hungrily until


    the taste of chocte disappeared from our mouths,


    leaving that little trail of sweetness that just made me heady.


    I broke the kiss and then smiled dreamily at him. He had his brows furrowed deeply as he stared at me


    through hooded, lust-filled eyes. I nipped his bottom lip and then climbed on top of Enzo.


    His sneaky hands wasted no time finding my butts and he kneaded them earnestly as he pushed his


    hard cock into my clothed pussy. I moaned and rocked on him just to create that friction. He rewarded


    me a loud growl and tore from the headrest, then cradled my head with one hand and captured my lips in


    a kiss that made me feel like I was floating on a fluffy cloud. For a second there, I swear I died a little.


    ¡°You are a little tigress aren¡¯t you?¡± He moaned against my lips and then pulled my lips yet again, even


    before I could reply. He rolled his tongue with mine, making mepletely wild with lust. Verzi climbed


    up behind my back and unhurriedly untied my bralette, causing my breasts to spill into his awaiting


    hands. He flicked my nipples with his fingers, making my core drip with so much wetness.


    The feeling of the two of them, plus the hot bubbly around me made me feel everything all at once.


    Verzi¡¯s hot cock that was nestled against my lower back bobbed from the temperature o f the water, and


    the lust-filled tension in the air.


    ¡°She¡¯s a little seductress,¡± Verzi replied kneading my breast at a painfully slow pace. The pent -up


    tension in my body made me want tobust with each passing second; I have never been this horny in


    my entire existence.


    He went in by kissing the right side of my neck, asionally biting me gently just so he got a response


    from me. The way my body responded to their touch always marveled me. It was something I have never


    deemed possible, doable. Like never have I imagined myself reacting t o any man the way I did with


    them. But these weren¡¯t just any man, they were my twins. My boys, my guys, my men. They were mine.


    Verzi trailed his hand down my front and cupped my crotch through my panties, then went ahead by


    delving his hand right inside and began flicking my clit roughly. I went wild.


    ¡°You like it when he rubs your wet pussy?¡± Enzo asked while he popped a very protruding nipple into his


    mouth, then intensely bit on it before sucking it as if his whole life depended o


    n it.


    ¡°God yes.¡± I moaned as I arched my back, pushing my ass more onto Verzi¡¯s hard cock, and m y boobs


    more into Enzo¡¯s face.


    ¡°Let¡¯s get you out of this, shall we?¡± Verzi teased gently as he grabbed the seams of my panties at each


    side, and then roughly yanked them up causing thece material to bite painfully, yet incredibly good in


    my already wet and throbbing lotus. Gosh, I nearlybusted right at that moment.


    I gave out a loud moan and winced just a bit, the pain adding way too much to the pleasure.


    Verzi got up in the standing position, then effortlessly pulled me from Enzo by my waist and walked out of


    the hot tub with me. He gentlyid me down on the floor while Enzo made his way to us.


    ¡°You look so damn hot like this.¡± Hemented as he slipped the wet panty down my legs, I tried to take


    off the body chain but he shook his head gently. ¡°Don¡¯t. Leave it right there.¡± Enzo barked from my side. I


    looked at him to find him sipping on red wine. Okay, these guys were freaks.


    He smiled at me and took a swig, then leaned down in an attempt to kiss me. I parted my lips and then


    moaned when the rich vor of fermented grapes spread throughout my mouth, the liquid flowing easily


    down my throat. Before I could say anything, he closed his mouth around me and kissed me so hard.


    Just when I thought I was going to go wild from his kiss, a long hot and wet tongue swiped all across my


    clit down to my entrance, then back up again before the mouth closed around my clit and sucked


    intensely on it, causing me to buck harder. My stomach dropped in a pit as Verzi drank from my honey


    pot with so much intent and attention like he was a fox sucking off a life force from its prey. Gosh, I went


    wild.


    I pulled my lips from Enzo to scream, but he was too caught up in making love to them than paying


    attention to me. He swallowed all of my screams as his hands sneaked to my breasts.


    They took hours loving me, appreciating me, and making love to my body, to the point where my whole


    body exploded. I came so hard that ck and white dots marred my vision. My body convulsed and


    trembled under their touch, but they didn¡¯t stop worshipping it. They left every inch sated, and kill me if I


    wasn¡¯t ready for having them inside them.


    When my body was limp from the intense orgasm, they bothid by my sides, each taking his respective


    side and continued touching me earnestly. When I was back to thend of the living, they got all got up


    and left me there. I looked at them questionably. That¡¯s not how I nned it to go.


    ¡°Where are you going, guys?¡± I asked in a very hoarse voice.


    ¡°Oh, nowhere darling. We are just getting started.¡±


    ¡°We are going to fuck you so hard.¡±


    And fuck is what we did!


    For the whole DANG! NIGHT!

 Chapter 50

    Chapter 50


    VERNERO POV


    ¡°Please¡­ I can¡¯t take it anymore.¡± Leigh cried out as her body began to quake from yet another bone-


    shattering orgasm. Her eyes rolled into the back of her head, her back arching from the bed. We had her


    on the fifth orgasm and we just loved the pleasure we were giving her, right before sunrise.


    ¡°Fuck yeeeeeeeeesss¡­¡± Enzo hissed as he moved his fingers rapidly in her wet dripping love hole,


    causing its juices to qush out. I never deemed her as a squitter but heck! I loved that on her.


    ¡°Yes, baby you can.¡± I smoothed out as I bit down on her right nipple, and then sucked on it. I


    N?velDrama.Org ? 2024.


    rubbed her clit roughly, prolonging her orgasm. Enzo didn¡¯t stop his assault on her pussy, causing her to


    spiral down the pinnacle with so much force.


    SS


    When she came back down, I smiled at her and pulled her up, thenid down between her


    legs with her pussy hovering above my oh-so-hard cock.


    ¡°Now we are going to have you,¡±Enzo announced with a glee in his voice. This was all his idea. As soon


    as my eyes popped open, I found him already touching and kissing Leigh. Well, who was I toin? I


    silently joined and when she woke up, she was a second from her first orgasm. And I was knuckles deep


    inside her.


    ¡°Guys, please. I can¡¯t.¡± She whispered with a dreamy look. Her hair was disheveled and her lips swollen


    from the violent kissing. The hickeys on her body added to the mix and boy I loved that on her. They


    were literally on every inch of her body, and that warmed my heart to a greater extent. With those on, the


    whole world would know that she was ours, and whoever dared to mess with her had to die a horrible


    death.


    ¡°Man, you are spacing out.¡± Enzo barked out pulling from my daze. I shook my head gently and looked


    up to find my babe staring down at me with a look of concern.


    ¡°I am here baby,¡± I said smoothly and then attempted to smile. She leaned down and kissed m e softly on


    the lips, tearing a growl from Enzo.


    ¡°Fuck it! I am going in.¡± He mentioned while he crawled upwards, and settled behind Leigh with his


    weight crushing down on me.


    ¡°Stay like that.¡± He said and held Leigh down with his hand. I cradled her ass cheeks and spread them


    wider, giving him much more space to move freely while I continued making love to her lips, tasting her


    and everything she offered.


    A gasp tore out of her, as a signal that Enzo was pushing his cock inside her.


    ¡°Easy baby.¡± I smoothed and licked her bottom lip. Her mouth was open with a silent scream, her face


    scrunched up in a pained look as Enzo moved in and out of her withplete ease.


    Last night we had gone a million shades on her, getting her ustomed to our sizes, and today, she was


    going to have the two of us.


    I was the happiest man in the world.


    ¡°Fuuuuuuuuuuck¡­¡±Enzo cursed out as he moved in and out of her with gentle, slow strokes. That had


    my balls clenching painfully because I knew what he was feeling. The feeling of being in her was


    unparalleled, nothing on this couldpare to that feeling ever. It consumed everything inside of


    me and left me bare, bare, and open to her.


    ¡°Shit.¡± I let out a curse also, and then held the base of my cock and rubbed it against her clit. She leaned


    towards Enzo, giving me ess to her body.


    ¡°She¡¯s so fucking wet, man. So damn wet and tight. You like it, babe?¡± He whispered against her ear,


    ¡°Yes¡­¡± Leigh moaned and then caught her right nipple in a firm grip. Hell no! That was mine. I pulled her


    hand from the nipple and then sucked on it, causing her to moan and shift on top of me.


    ¡°You like it when I fuck you slowly? Like this?¡±


    ¡°Yes¡­ Please.¡±


    ¡°Please what?¡± the dirty talked hyped me with every passing second, I didn¡¯t know if I could hang on any


    longer, and if this went on, I was going tobust as soon as I entered her.


    ¡°You want Verzi also?¡± He asked halting his strokes.


    ¡°No¡­ Yes. Please.¡± Leigh cried with frustration, I felt for her.


    ¡°I am here baby. I am all yours.¡± I said and then massaged her waist. Enzo went in with his painfully slow


    strokes, taking time to move in and out of her.


    ¡°Lube?¡± My eyesnded on him and he shook his head gently.


    ¡°No. No lube. She¡¯s so wet she can take us without breaking a sweat.¡± He said furrowing his brows and


    then increasing his pace, only to slow down and rotate his hips, driving Leigh insane. She rewarded him


    with a long moan that shot straight to my balls. I couldn¡¯t wait any longer; I had to be inside her too.


    ¡°Lean back,¡± I instructed and she quickly obeyed. I held the base of my cock and then ced i tat her


    entrance where Enzo was balls deep inside her. My hard cock bobbed painfully as her juices coated the


    tip of my cock, making it slippery in an instant.


    ¡°I¡¯m going in.¡± I gave a warning and then pushed in with just the head, tearing a loud moan from the three


    of us. I felt Enzo¡¯s hot cock twitching, but I was too consumed in having my cock inside my woman while


    he did too. I pushed it with another inch, and Leigh bucked and twitched on top of me, giving us an ear-


    shattering scream.


    I gathered all of my energy and gave her one angry supercharged thrust and then I was in,


    She cried out as our two hard cocks stretched her even further. We stayed like that for a few minutes,


    unmoving and just reveling in the feeling of having her warmth wrapped around us, holding us together


    like a strong clue holding two pieces. Inside her, we weren¡¯t just mad twins, we were one. We were hers,


    she was ours. It was intense, it was a pure inferno. And I never knew it would feel this way. But one thing


    that was proven right at this moment was that Leigh-Ari Montreal was meant to be ours with everything in


    her.


    We weren¡¯t just connected physically. No! At that moment, I felt Lorenzo. I heard his demons, I felt his


    pain, and I felt him and everything. I felt Leigh, her love, her kindness, the light she brought to us. And I


    knew they felt me too. We weren¡¯t just inside her pussy, we were connected inside her soul, the core of


    her being.


    And I have never felt something so powerful.


    After that beguiling moment, I pulled back with just an inch, and Enzo followed suit and we began moving


    in and out of her. It was out of this world, it was something so hot and intense we came so hard that


    Leigh copsed on top of me,pletely spent, sated, and undone.


    But most importantly, we were fucking in love with this woman.


    LEIGH-ARI


    I woke up from a small knock at the door. My body was so sore and painful it felt like I had been run over


    by a damn truck. Although my n had worked out perfectly fine, I had to pay a prize. And my littledy


    bids suffered the most.


    I turned to the side and the door creaked open.


    ¡°Mdy?¡± Raquel¡¯s voice boomed and I tried to get up, only to wince as a sharp stab shot through my


    pussy. I winced.


    I looked up to find Raquel trying to stifleughter and then pointed an using finger at her


    ¡°Don¡¯t! Just don¡¯t.¡± She cleared her throat and moved further into the room.


    ¡°I was instructed to bring you out for training. Boss Lorenzo will be teaching you some self defense


    moves.¡± She mentioned as she walked into the closet.


    ¡°Today?¡± I asked bewildered.


    ¡°Yes, Mdy. Right now. They are waiting.¡± She replied, and oh fuck no! These guys were intended to kill


    me. They stayed me up all night fucking the living soul out of me, then woke me up before dawn broke


    with their cocks, and sexed me till I couldn¡¯t sit, or use mydy bits. Now they wanted me out for


    combat?


    ¡°Can I not go?¡± I asked falling back onto the bed.


    was


    That wasn¡¯t the option Mdy.¡± ¡°Ah fuck¡±I cursed out and slowly got out of bed. I went straight to the


    bathroom and took a good look at myself. And oh my goodness! Every inch of my body was clothed in


    hickeys, and teeth marks. Were these guys dogs? Because they definitely bit me. My hair was standing


    on its ends, each strand facing in its desired direction, my face puffy and my lips were swollen. The was


    one word and one word only that could describe me right now and it was FUCKED,


    Yah! I looked well and nicely fucked. Hard.


    ¡°Can I at least wash up first?¡± I asked pulling my toothbrush from its stand.


    ¡°Yes, Mdy. But it will be a quick shower.¡±


    I brushed my teeth quickly and got under the hot shower. In less than 10 minutes, I was out and had my


    body wrapped in a towel. I got into the bedroom to find Raquel setting my attire for the next activity.


    ¡°Feeling better Mdy?¡± She asked as she set a new pair of trainers down by the bed.


    ¡°Yeah! Refreshed.¡± I replied as I hurriedly creamed my body.


    ¡°I see you had a rough night.¡± She said with a small glee in her voice. Even if you were a badass


    mercenary, if you were a girl, then you¡¯d attract gossip.


    ¡°Rough doesn¡¯t even begin to describe it. It was wild.¡± I said while shaking my head slowly. I could


    literally still feel them when I moved. Yeah, they indeed went a good shade on me.


    Million Shades of Cattanios. 1


    ¡°Well, there¡¯s only one way to get up and about and that isbat.¡± She mentioned with a small smile.


    ¡°But seriously Raquel, couldn¡¯t your bosses give me just today to recollect all of my energy? Because I


    tell you, they drained me everyst drop. Plus I am hungry.¡±


    ¡°There are shakes down. So you are good to go.¡± She said while she watched as I pulled the long Nike


    tights on and a matching spot bra.


    ¡®No sweater? I need to hide these.¡± I gestured to the hickeys that were on disy and she slowly shook


    her head.


    ¡°No sweater Mdy.¡±


    ¡°But everyone could see them.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s the point.¡± She called out with a smile and I couldn¡¯t believe her.


    ¡°They made you do this.¡± I pointed out thinning my eyes at her. She just shrugged and handed me my


    trainers then stepped back.


    When I was all dressed up, we went all the way outside to the back of the castle near the


    forest. There I found a lot of guys who were still moving the trees that had fallen when the mines went


    off.


    I found my guys dressed in the track pants looking so hot and handsome.


    They were shirtless! A feast for my eyes!


    I gave myself a small pat when I saw a few teeth marks on them. At least I wasn¡¯t alone with crazy


    marks. Their eyesnded on me and the smiles that spread on their faces warmed my heart so much.


    ¡°Hey, Tesoro,¡± Enzo called out moving forward, then pulled me in a long hug and kissed me earnestly.


    When I pulled off him, he said:


    ¡°Your hair is still wet.¡±


    ¡°Of course it is. I was dragged out of bed and had to bathe in haste.¡± I said feigning an angry face. He


    just booped my nose and walked off. Verzi came forward carrying a bottle of a protein shake in his hand.


    ¡°You¡¯rete.¡± He barked and just like that, we were back to the ol¡¯ good cold Verzi.


    ¡°Hello to you too.¡± I mocked staring at him and then opened the cap of my bottle.


    ¡°Drink.¡± Hemanded and watched as I chugged the whole thing down, and it actually tasted good.


    Once the bottle was emptied, he yanked it from my hand and ced it down, then pulled me i n his hand


    and walked me to Enzo. If only he knew how sore my pussy was after being pummeled by them for the


    whole night and morning, he wouldn¡¯t be doing this. But then, he didn¡¯t know, And he¡¯d never know.


    ¡°Okay. Now we got to get you all ready.¡±Enzo pped his hands excitedly. Wasn¡¯t he supposed to be at


    work? What was he doing here?


    ¡°What am I supposed to do?¡± I asked cing my hands on my waist.


    ¡°Tenps around the castle.¡± He called out like he didn¡¯t just sign over my death contract.


    ¡°What?¡± I screamed and then red at the castle, then back at him.


    ¡°Tenps around the castle. Chop chop.¡± He repeated again. ¡°Oh hell no. I am not doing that.¡± I refuted


    shaking my head furiously. There was no way I was


    going to run tenps around the castle. I couldn¡¯t.


    ¡°It¡¯s either you run, or we haul you back to the bedroom and continue fucking you. Your choice.¡± Verzi


    voiced and I found myself already jumping up and down, prepping myself for the gruesome exercise I


    was about to have. 1 ¡°I¡¯ll run.¡±

 Chapter 51

    Chapter 51


    LORENZO POV


    Ever since Ari revealed to us about the imposter, my time at thepany was cut off as I was helping


    Verzi to catch the mole. It wasn¡¯t like he needed help, he was perfectly capable of doing it all by himself. I


    just wanted to share the burden with him, more so because Ari was involved. And wherever she is


    concerned, it goes without saying; I had to be there.


    If it were just anything, he would have had the reigns all to himself.


    We¡®ve been doing things secretly, not showing because there were eyes and ears everywhere. And if


    that was how things were, we weren¡¯t going to just go head-on towards this issue. We did most of our


    talking in Tower Lounge because it was private. We didn¡¯t trust anyely around the west wing,


    because maids were parading the whole wing and who knows, (This novel will be daily updtaed at


    .noveljar) the mole might be just anyone of those. So the Tower Lounge was the safest ce to


    go about the


    issue.


    After making the thorough ns, Verzi would go out to dig, and then we¡¯de to discuss his findings.


    That routined just fine.


    And Ari, our baby girl was doing very well with her training. I loved her enthusiasm and the fact that she


    didn¡¯t need to be reminded about something she had to do. On more asions than one, we found her


    in the gym on the treadmill, and then this one time she was sparring with Ciello and I was really proud of


    her. Raquel took her smoothly on a match but I was proud of her improvements. Her speed has


    improved a lot and she was so alert and sharp. Things were going really well.


    I can still remember her first day of training. She had looked like a train wreck. Just the mere thought of it


    sent me doubling up withughter.


    I was currently typing some document when Verzi burst through the door looking so furious like he¡¯d


    butcher anything in his way.


    ¡°Found something?¡± I asked even before he could say anything. He didn¡¯t need to. It was written all over


    his face and whatever he found, it wasn¡¯t good.


    ¡°You¡¯ve got to see this one.¡± He said and then turned back to leave. I shut off myptop and followed


    him. (This novel will be daily updtaed at .noveljar)  He was stomping angrily as we made our


    way to the security room. As soon as we entered, he barked to the poor guy who was on duty, and he in


    return didn¡¯t even question, just scurried off silently leaving us in the room.


    I turned the lock on and it made a soft clicking sound as it shut us inside.


    ¡°What have you found?¡± I asked walking closer to where he was. He was typing insanely fast a t the


    keyboards, and after a few heartbeats, a few clips appeared on the huge screen that marred the entire


    wall.


    ¡°No fucking way!¡± A shocked gasp tore out of me. It couldn¡¯t. It just couldn¡¯t!


    ¡°These are the deleted clips. I don¡¯t know why, but Valerie has been up to something very shady.¡± He


    pointed to the small box which showed Valerie sneaking out of her room, at night. And she was sure to


    avoid all the cameras and be in their blindspot.


    ¡°But why? I don¡¯t understand.¡± I said defeated. I couldn¡¯t have thought that of all people, SHE, I mean


    She, Valerie Romano would be plotting something against our woman.


    ¡°Shit!¡± I cursed and slowly sunk into the chair while staring defeatedly at the monitors, showing her as


    she sneaked out of her room at night. These were just a few clips Verzi managed to retrieve, although


    they didn¡¯t show the whole picture, the truth was right in front of our eyes.


    The whole videos have been deleted, leaving just a few clips. They could mean anything, just anything at


    all which had nothing to do with the imposter. But why were they deleted? What was it that she¡¯s been


    doing in secret that had to be deleted from us?


    ¡°I am going to kill that son of a bitch.¡± Verzi yelled as he mmed his hands against the keyboards.


    ¡°But why would she want to get rid of Ari? I thought she knew her ce?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t care. I don¡¯t give zero fucks if she knows her ce or she doesn¡¯t. But she is going to exin


    what she has been doing when everyone went to bed. See? All of these clips show that she sneaked off


    around 1 am. Why? Because all of us are sleeping at that time. Yes. And she thought she could take that


    as an advantage and n something evil against Leigh. Oh, God help her.¡± Verzi let out a series of


    curses as he began pacing up and down. I was just as baffled as he was.


    I tried to find reasons why she could possibly hate Ari to the extent that she wants her dead, but I came


    off with nothing. I thought they were cool? I mean they hung around a lot, they had fun when they were


    together and I¡¯d find them gossiping andughing on more asions than one. Didn¡¯t that mean


    anything to Valerie? Like she hated Ari so much that she bared her teeth to her while being in cahoots


    with her? Who would hate someone to that extent? And Ari liked her.  (This novel will be daily updtaed at


    .noveljar) I have seen how she looks at her with appreciation. And all along this bitch has


    wanted to get rid of her? And Xander, how the hell did she even manage to get Xander scooped in all of


    this? Has she been nning it all along? Because if Xander was in the picture, it meant things weren¡¯t as


    simple as they looked. But why? Just why would she want t o take Ari from us?


    The more I thought about it, the more my blood boiled. I couldn¡¯t begin to think of the things I was going


    to do to her if Iid my hands on her. She could steal my wealth, sell off mypany¡¯s biggest trade


    secrets, kill me for all I care, but for goodness sake,ying a hand on Ari meant doom for her and


    everyone she cared for.


    ¡°This is going to crash Ari.¡± I pointed out. My girl was so pure and so kind. And this world


    didn¡¯t deserve her. No one deserved to be Ari and her pure heart Heck, even the wretched us weren¡¯t


    worthy of her. We were sinful, full of hatred and scars, impure, unworthy of redemption. But she, our


    beautiful angel chose to love and ept, despite everything we¡¯ve put her through. Since the very


    beginning, we have always been full of greed when it came to her. Possessiveness, being territorial,


    that¡¯s how it has always been because that¡¯s how fucked up we were.


    In middle school, we crippled a fucker with braces because she put a fake rose in her bag on Valentine¡¯s


    Day. We beat every asshole who imed to love her to poop. And she never knew a thing about that.


    She didn¡¯t have to. Because she has been ours. And we even went on by taking her innocence, even


    when she was unwilling. But we forced ourselves on her You see that right there? That showed we never


    deserved her. For all the things we have done, we never deserved her. But our girl still epted us,


    regardless of us being so ruined and damaged. 1


    ¡°More reasons to kill the bitch before she knows.¡± Verzi spat and halted his steps.


    ¡°You know she¡¯s going to ask where Valerie is. She will be suspicious if she just disappeared into thin air.


    You know her.¡± I said staring at him. He was right on the verge of losing it. He was at the pinnacle, just


    waiting to tip over the edge. And if he did, God help whoever stood in his way!


    ¡°We don¡¯t say anything. I get rid of Valerie and it¡¯s all done Simple. The bitch deserves to burn in Dark


    Woods. Even burning is a smooth way to die. I have to cut every finger from her hands, and then break


    every single bone in her. One by one. If she passes out from pain and shock, I will put her in a tub of ice,


    let her freeze until she is blue and frosted¡­.¡±


    ¡°Guys¡­¡± A soft muffled voice followed by a small knock sounded on the door.


    ¡°Hello, are you in here? I am done with Ciello, ready for the next round¡± Ani¡¯s angelic voice prated


    through the door, reaching to us and freezing us in our positions. Verzi stared at m e with wide eyes and


    then looked back at the monitor.


    ¡°Shit!¡± We both cursed and jumped onto the keyboards, then typed hurriedly as to hide the clips on the


    monitor.


    ¡°Vernero why is the door locked?¡± She asked in a much louder voice this time.


    ¡°Are you doing something shady in there? I bet you have a girl with you.¡± She said in a sing song voice.


    ¡°What? No¡­. I am just deleting these clips.¡± Oh, fuck!


    ¡°Shut up.¡± I whisper yelled and kicked his leg. This fucker couldn¡¯t take a joke. Ari was joking, and he got


    so worked out and even spilled that he is deleting something.


    ¡°Enzo is that you?¡± She asked and that¡¯s how I knew we were fucked. She heard me too.


    ¡°Yes, Tesoro I¡¯m in here,¡± I said and got from the seat Verzi looked at me like I was crazy


    ¡°I have to open for her,¡± I whispered and pointed at the door. If I didn¡¯t open while she was still in a good


    mood, then we were all as good as dead.


    ¡°What? We have to get rid of this before she enters in here.¡±


    ¡°I am waiti n g!¡± Ari taunted from the door and I couldn¡¯t help myself. My feet moved o n their own ord


    and I unlocked the door, and then softly opened it. I found her seating down with her back against the


    door. As soon as it creaked open, she jumped up and smiled, then stood on her tip-toes and sneaked a


    quick kiss on my lips that shot a sharp shock of electricity to my brain; and then pushed me to the side


    and maneuvered inside.


    ¡°So, whom are you shagging in here?¡± She asked as she walked towards Verzi and hugged him from the


    back.


    I shook my head and closed the door, then walked further inside. Leigh-Ari was one hell of a kitten full of


    curiosity. She was just so full of energy and always supercharged like oh my goodness. And seeing her


    in the cute tights and bra with trainers, her hair all messy on her head, I just had to remind myself how


    blessed and lucky we are every day to have this woman by our side. She had on this pair of gloves that


    she was so obsessed with. She always put them on and imed they give her some energy! As to how


    they do that, only she could answer that question.


    ¡°What are you doing?¡± She untangled herself from Verzi and walked beside him, then stared a t the


    screen as Verzi typed furiously at the keyboards. Why were these things taking forever?


    ¡°Wait, that¡¯s Val?¡± She pointed out and ced her hands on and stopped him,  (This novel will be daily


    updtaed at .noveljar) but Verzi quickly swatted her hand away and increased his speed in


    typing.


    ¡°Nope. That¡¯s not her.¡± I said casually and walked to her, then pulled her so that her attention was all on


    me while Verzi finished up.


    This belongs to N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Hey, I am not stupid. I saw Val. What was she doing? Show me.¡± She turned in my hold and stared at


    the screen. Luckily, Verzi had justpleted deleting everything and then strained up and looked at her.


    We had to change this system. Itplicated things!


    ¡°It¡¯s nothing. Stop being so nosy.¡± Verzi said in his usual cold tone. She thinned her eyes at him and


    stared at him for a good minute, and the said:


    ¡°You are hiding something from me.¡± She pointed out in, and t.


    Verzi seemed to be caught off guard. He opened his mouth to say something, then looked at m e with a


    bewildered look and closed his mouth yet again. We were caught!


    ¡°Enzo, what is it?¡± She stared at me from her shoulder.


    ¡°It¡¯s nothing to worry your pretty head with.¡± I leaned in to kiss her neck, but she turned full and looked at


    us, then bundled her arms across her chest.


    ¡°Lorenzo, Vernero, I am not going to ask again. What are you hiding from me?¡± She asked in a


    much more serious voice this time. I looked up at Verzi to find him staring at me. He wiggled his eyes


    urging me to say something. I arched my brow at him because there was no way I was going to walk into


    the lion¡¯s den. How could I possibly tell her that Valerie, whom she held in the highest regards was the


    one who wanted to kill her?


    ¡°Fine! Since you all don¡¯t want to talk, and then just keep with it.¡± She said and angrily walked away, after


    bumping us with her small body.


    ¡°It¡¯s Valerie.¡± I blurted out just right before she yanked the door open. She huffed and turned, then ced


    her hands on her waist.


    ¡°Yes I saw that it was Valerie on the screen. What about her?¡± She was pissed off right now.(This novel


    will be daily updtaed at .noveljar)


    ¡°We did a little digging and it¡¯s her.¡± I tried to exin in a much smoother way, but my brother had a very


    different n.


    ¡°She¡¯s the imposter!¡± Verzi ripped off the band-aid, causing her jaw to drop with shock ! ¡°What?¡±

 Chapter 52

    Chapter 52


    LEIGH-ARI


    ¡°What?¡± The word escaped my lips in a whisper. I was too shocked to even speak out loud. I took a small


    step backward, not knowing how to react, what to feel or what to do.


    ¡°Are... Are you sure it¡¯s her? There has to be a mistake. I mean Val and I are cool.¡± I rattled in a small


    fading voice, trying to turn the table. There was no way it could be her. I mean we were cool, we were on


    good books with each other, and never would she think of hurting me.


    ¡°Sorry Tesoro. But everything points at her. From the day you fainted in the steam room, she was the one


    who came to report to us. How did she know that you fainted from too much heat unless she was the one


    who turned the heat on? She has been working in the dark since. And we wouldn¡¯t have caught her if


    Verzi didn¡¯t retrieve the deleted footage. They were all gone. Why did she have them deleted? If she


    wasn¡¯t trying to hide something? Verzi managed to find a few clips.¡± Enzo exined calmly with his


    hands stuffed into his pockets. (This novel will be daily updtaed at .noveljar) How were they so


    calm when I was about to jump out of my skin right now?


    ¡°No! No! No! The clips don¡¯t mean anything. There could be some sort of a misunderstanding o r at least


    let¡¯s hear what she has to say. She can¡¯t betray me. She can¡¯t¡± I felt a tight grip enclosing around my


    neck, the lump rising from deep within my stomach and settling right o n my air passage. I swallowed my


    saliva audibly, trying to keep the tears that threatened to spill at bay.


    Verzi tore from the keyboards and walked towards me, then yanked me to him and crashed m y small


    body with his hard one. He enclosed me in a bone-crushing hug and gently caressed my back. Even if I


    wanted to be strong, him holding me like this opened the flood gates. I


    cried.


    ¡°Leigh¨CAri?¡± He called out in his cold voice; I just continued sobbing on his chest. I was so full of


    questions. So much confusion. What is it that I did that made Val hate me like this? All along, when we


    were together, be it at the pools, out on trips, the little getaways, she has always hated me? Why? I


    thought she understood me, pitied me to be exact. What could she possibly despise me for?


    ¡°Are you sad?¡± Verzi asked with a small voice. Although I was an ugly mess, I wanted tough at his


    question. Of course, I was sad.


    I nodded against his chest and in return, he kissed my forehead before rocking me from side t o side.


    ¡°It¡¯s okay baby. I am going to kill her.¡± He offered so inly and simply like he didn¡¯t just talk about taking


    someone else¡¯s life. I didn¡¯t even have the energy to stop him. I was so hurt, drained. And the exhaustion


    from the hard training was finally catching up with me. But that didn¡¯tpare to the lump in my throat,


    the painful clenching of my heart at the thought of


    being betrayed by one I held so dear.


    At that moment, I remembered Xander¡¯s words;


    BEWARE OF THOSE YOU KEEP NEAR


    VERNERO POV


    No amount of sugar candied words would make up for the raging tornado deep inside me. I was so angry


    I felt like I was going to st if I didn¡¯t do something about it. The realization that Valerie was the one


    working in the dark, trying to harm our girl, was one thing that made me want tobust. We had trusted


    her with our deepest secrets, confined in her with our shadiest shenanigans because for once, we had


    someone who understands us. And return, she had stabbed us in the back while we weren¡¯t watching.


    I never dealt well with traitors. They all died a miserable death with my hand, and this time, m y Tesoro


    was involved. And I couldn¡¯t even begin to imagine what I was going to that excuse o fa woman once I


    Gosh, I was going to destroy her!


    ¡°What now?¡± Enzo asked from the couch where he was slouchedzily drinking his whiskey. But I could


    feel the pent-up tension resonating heavily from him. There was a raging storm inside of him, just like


    me. And his power charged mine, making my hatred hit the roof.


    ¡°I am going down at 1. Tesoro, is she asleep?¡± I asked instead.


    ¡°Yeah. She went out as soon as she finished bathing. You should¡¯ve been there.¡±


    ¡°I couldn¡¯t. I just¡­¡±


    ¡°I know. You don¡¯t have to exin.¡± He said dismissively and reclined on his couch.


    We sat in a long, cold, and still silence, our minds doing most of the talking. The only thing I was waiting


    for was to go down there, get that bitch, and pull her off her high horse. Because she had so much to


    answer for. I don¡¯t know if we were missing the bigger picture here, but all I knew was that I was going to


    make her die a slow, painful death.


    When the ghostly hour crawled slowly over the earth, I put on my very light clothes and exited the room.


    ¡°I¡¯ll be down,¡± Enzo called out behind me, I nodded and then left.


    The hallways were quiet, with people frolicking the fields of theirfortable, warm beds. There were a


    few murmurs that prated through the walls, the soft giggles, and touches ofughter of those who


    were utterly unbothered by the ungodly hour.


    I moved swiftly in the hallways, careful not to make even a single sound. My feet were light against the


    carpeted floor, but the tension inside me was at the edge of rupture. I reached Valerie¡¯s floor and stood a


    good distance from her door, careful to stay hidden in the shadows. The lights werepletely off, giving


    space for everything to lurk freely.


    I leaned against the wall and waited. Minutes ticked by, and finally, her door slowly creaked open. I


    smiled and tore from the wall, then watched as she silently closed it behind her, ever s o slow without


    making a sound. After that, she fixed her skimpy nightgown and looked behind if someone was looking. I


    leaned back yet again to avoid being caught. I couldn¡¯t mess this up.


    When she was satisfied with what she was seeing, she bare-padded along the hallway. (This novel will


    be daily updtaed at .noveljar) I was sure to stealthily follow her. She rounded the stairs and left


    the east wingpletely.


    Got you bitch!


    ¡°Sleepless tonight?¡± I called out in a loud, clear voice that boomed all around the empty halls. The


    silence of the cold night amplified my voice, making it sound ghostly, full of evil. She halted in her steps


    and slowly turned to face.


    ¡°Boss.¡± She looked up at the stairs where I was slowly descending, ever so rxed. My hard gaze was


    fixed on her, watching every single move of her body.


    ¡°¡­ I just¡­ it¡¯s too stuffy in the room. So I was going out for fresh air.¡± She mumbled before righting her


    speech. Hmmmm! Looks like she had everything nned.


    ¡°It¡¯s okay. I get it! You need fresh air at 01:30 midnight.¡± I pointed out causing her to shudder visibly. She


    gently pulled her nightgown to shield her revealed chest.


    ¡°How about I take you somewhere? Since you want some fresh air?¡± I suggested, but she knew well


    enough that it wasn¡¯t just a simple offer; it was amand and she was going to obey it.


    ¡°I¡¯d rather return to my room boss. I wouldn¡¯t want to disturb you.¡± She saidpletely shocking me. I


    did not expect that, at all. Looks like someone had grown a pair of panties.


    I stared at her for a good minute, my hard gaze burning holes in her skin. She fidgeted ufortably


    and fixed her baby-doll gown.


    ¡°Follow me.¡±


    I descended the remaining stairs and walked past her. I was past the point of return. Her disobedience


    just now was the final nail in the coffin. She needed to be dealt with or else, I didn¡¯t even want to begin to


    think what would happen.


    We walked silently towards the stairs that led into the cold dungeons underground. Upon realizing this,


    she halted and called out;


    ¡°Boss?¡±I turned and stared at her,


    ¡°If it pleases you, I would like to go back to my room. It¡¯s quite chill down there and I didn¡¯t


    put on something warm.¡± She said avoiding my gaze.


    ¡°What? I thought you wanted fresh air?¡± I turned fully and raised my arms to the sides.


    ¡°I think I have it, boss. So can I kindly go back to the east wing?¡± She grew some nerve.


    I took predatory steps towards her, causing her to take one step backward. I continued my hard,


    unhurried steps until I was standing right in front of her, then raised my hand and tightly gripped her


    lower jaw, my fingers digging the skin of her cheeks. She winced from the pain.


    ¡°What do I do to people who defy me?¡± I asked carefully studying her face.(This novel will be daily


    updtaed at .noveljar)


    ¡°You qill them shir!¡± Her words were incoherent because of the tight grip. Tears formed in her eyes,


    making them sparkle in the dim light.


    ¡°I don¡¯t just kill them. I BURN them. I take them into the forest, tie them to the tree and leave them utterly


    helpless, begging for mercy. You know what I do next?¡± She tried to shake her head, but I had her in a


    good, firm grip.


    ¡°I strip them bare and then cover them with sulfur. From head to toe. Do you want to know what sulfur


    does? It makes their bodies bone dry, paving way for the fire to lick every single inch of their bodies,


    scorching them to their bones until they be nothing, but the midnight ck ash. The remainder of


    their once despicable beings! The white cinder from the burnt trees mixes up with the ash, creating a


    lovely, deep gray hue. And just like that, they are


    the surface of the earth.¡± By now, tears were streaming crazy on her face. Her body was trembling with


    so much fear and I swear I have never seen someone so scared i n all my life. She didn¡¯t fathom that it


    would be her facing my wrath. ¡°Now, do you want to defy me?¡± I asked in a very low voice. She shook


    her head hurriedly. I smiled and then dropped my hand from her face, leaving the angry red fingerprints


    on her porcin skin.


    I turned and left, knowing well she was going to follow. And that¡¯s what she did.


    We arrived deep inside the dungeons, and it was freezing in here, which made the surroundings perfect


    for what was about to go down. We found Enzo already cing the ¡®toys ¡®on the table. When he heard


    us, he turned and beamed at us:


    ¡°My two favorite people. Val, you look hot in that.¡± He pointed out and winked at her. I wanted to give him


    a good punching forplementing this snake. But I wasn¡¯t going to waste my energy on him; I had


    Valerie to take care of.


    ¡°Sit,¡±Imanded and she slowly padded to the cold iron chair that was in the middle of the


    room.


    ¡°What¡¯s all this about, Boss?¡± She asked in a trembling voice, the cold biting into her exposed flesh.


    ¡°Oh, you will know sooner,¡± Enzo said with a smile and then strapped her on the seat. Valerie¡¯s chest


    was rising and falling rapidly with every passing second. When she was all strapped and secured, I took


    the first ¡®toy¡¯ and stopped in front of her: And then started.


    Text content ? N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°We are going to y a game. 20 questions.¡± I stated and stared her dead in the eye.


    She just stared back with her mouth hanging open with shock. She couldn¡¯t even muster a single word.


    ¡°I¡¯ll start! Were you the one who tampered with the security system?¡± Enzo wasted no time and dived into


    the game while taking azy stroll behind her,


    ¡°No no no! I don¡¯t know what you are talking about boss and I haven¡¯t stepped foot in the security system


    in a long time, let alone tamper with the system and put Leigh-Ari in danger. I swear on my mother¡¯s life.¡±


    She shook her head hysterically,pletely denying. I was infuriated by the idea of her, mentioning


    Leigh.


    ¡°19!¡± I intoned while staring at her with so much hatred. It¡¯s either she was really innocent, or we have


    been embracing a cold snake and now it was biting us.


    ¡°Why did you delete your footage in the security?¡± I was the one who asked,


    ¡°I¡­ Because¡­ I was¡­¡± She mumbled and faced down. Enzo¡¯s brows furrowed and he stared at me,


    she was indeed hiding something.


    ¡°17. Next question. What were you doing outside your room? I don¡¯t believe the fresh air excuse because


    it¡¯s bullshit.¡± I spat raising her chin with a small dagger.


    ¡°I¡­ To meet Ciello. I am seeing him.¡± She said brazenly.


    ¡°Oh, so you are dragging Ciello into this? Huh? Ciello is my right hand and he would never¡­¡±


    ¡°No boss it¡¯s not that. We just didn¡¯t want you to find out. It¡¯s not what you think. I am loyal to you, to the


    both of you.¡± She said through tears, making me even angrier. She had the guts to pull my man down


    with him.


    ¡°Why didn¡¯t you want us to find out?¡± Enzo asked in a calm voice. At least one of us was still o n the right


    side of the mind.


    ¡°Because I serve you and you two only. We didn¡¯t want to make you angry by enclosing our rtionship.


    I swear that¡¯s all it is. That¡¯s why I deleted the footage. I was going to him now when Boss V caught me.¡±


    She exined.


    ¡°Why would we be angry at you for shagging Ciello? Bitch we don¡¯t need you. We have Leigh Ari, our


    woman. You can fuck whoever you want and we won¡¯t even bat an eyelid.¡± I spat through clenched but


    Enzo was quick to throw me one nce that had mepletely silent. Damn him for being my anchor!


    ¡°If what you are saying is true, and I called Ciello here, would he say the same thing?¡± He asked in a


    calm tone,


    ¡°Yes. Please call him. He is probably waiting for me on the rooftop. That¡¯s where I was going t o meet


    him. The rooftop.¡± She said hurriedly, pleading with eyes full of tears! I straightened u p and my mind


    went into a full riled up mode. If Valerie is not the one plotting against Leigh, then who the hell is it?

 Chapter 53

    Chapter 53


    LORENZO POV


    Things had not turned out as we had hoped. After calling in Ciello to prove Val¡¯s words, we found out that


    we had caught the wrong guy, and that Val was well innocent and had nothing to do with the imposter.


    Verzi was a bit skeptical at letting the whole thing just slide, but Ciello had provided us with a few videos


    of them shagging, of which we clearly had no interest in.


    I felt bad after that, especially because they even pledged their loyalty to us. They were literally on their


    knees with faces down as they swore to serve us, even their children and their children after them.


    Getting three generations of loyal servants was something I didn¡¯t see happening, especially in a


    moment like that.


    The things had gotten a little heated and Verzi had pped Val a few times, pricking a bit of blood. He


    was never someone to do well with backstabbers. And the idea of being betrayed always tipped him off


    the edge. But my presence had saved Val¡¯s life because had I not been there, Val would have been six


    feet underground, or very ck ash in the woods. Innocent or not.


    After the confrontation, we had sent them to the medicine room where Val was treated and then


    retreated into our room. But that didn¡¯t mean we were at ease. We were now even more riled up than we


    were before because we were working against forces we underestimated. But I was d we cleared


    things between Val before the fucker got his hands on the footage. Else the whole thing was going to be


    pinned down on her, which wasn¡¯t going to be good at all. And in all honesty, (This novel will be daily


    updtaed at .noveljar) Valerie was the best assistant we could possibly have. Her punctuality,


    dedication to word, and consistency were unparalleled. And losing her would be a great loss.


    Not only would that set us off the trail, but we would put Ari in more danger.


    Verzi was a wretched mess after that. Being helpless and clueless always crippled him. Although he tried


    to be strong for Ari, he was crumbling, I could feel it. But I was here, like before. And with me around, I


    would help him. We were going to find the fucker and make him rue the day he was born.


    LEIGH-ARI


    The morning arrived quicker than I had thought. I was drained from crying my eyes out all night. Enzo


    had left shortly after I feigned sleep to God knows where, and they never came back until dawn. My mind


    was all over the ce with questions. I needed to ask Valerie why she resented me so much. I needed to


    know why. At least I will be at ease after knowing where I went wrong. I mean you don¡¯t just hate anyone


    without a reason, right? You got to


    have a clear reason why you hate someone, to even want to kill them.


    Could it be because of the twins? But I remember vividly when she told me that she doesn¡¯t love them


    because she knew she never stood a chance. So if she knew that, then why?


    ¡°Ugghhhh!¡± I called out turning to my back.


    Verzi mumbled something in his sleep before pulling me closer to him, his leg settling on top of my body


    and pinning me to the bed. I turned to look at him to find deep furrows on his forehead. Even when


    sleeping, he was just still angry.


    I shook my head and turned to my left, where Enzo was sleeping on his front, his handsome face rested


    on a pillow just next to mine. He had his left hand clutching mine in a firm grip as if he was afraid I would


    disappear at any moment.


    I looked up at the ceiling and thought hard.


    ¡°Go back to sleep,¡± Enzo mumbled sleepily pulling me out of my daze. I turned to him and smiled,


    ¡°I am sleepless,¡± I whispered, careful not to wake Verzi,


    ¡°Are you okay?¡± He asked in a small voice.


    ¡°No.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡±.His head tore from the pillow abruptly and stared down at him.


    ¡°I just don¡¯t understand why Val would want to hurt me,¡± (This novel will be daily updtaed at


    .noveljar)  I replied and his features softened. H e chuckled softly and leaned in to kiss my


    forehead, then plopped himself back on the pillow.


    ¡°It¡¯s not her.¡± He said shocking me for a second,


    ¡°But yesterday¡­¡±


    ¡°Yah! Verzi went to get her at 1 am and we had a little interrogation session. She¡¯s innocent.¡± H e


    rified.


    ¡°So that¡¯s where you guys ran off to?¡± I asked and he nodded.


    ¡°Hmmmm. She¡¯s seeing Ciello.¡±


    ¡°What? You are kidding.¡± I tore from the bed tearing a frustrated groan out of Verzi.


    ¡°Shoot.¡± I slowly leaned back and in return, he turned his back on me, his cold-ass butt cheeks kissing


    my naked thigh. The boys made it a point to sleep naked. As for why? That I cannot answer.


    ¡°Ciello and Val are dating?¡± I whisper-yelled. The little witch! How dare she not mention this?


    ¡°Yeah. Got to see their videos as they pounded each other. Wasn¡¯t exciting as watching Verzi pummel


    into you though.¡± He said causing redness to taint my cheeks with embarrassment. H e looked up and


    then chuckled.


    I stayed quiet for a good minute still processing what I just heard.


    ¡°Where are they now? In Val¡¯s room or Ciello¡¯s? Or they are keeping things low?¡±


    Belongs to (N)?vel/Drama.Org.


    ¡°That I don¡¯t know. And I don¡¯t keep a record of who fucks who in this castle. Not my concern because I


    have my own woman¡­¡±He bit my shoulder before kissing it gently, tearing a loud ouch out of me.¡°-right


    here with me!¡± He smiled dreamily as he settled on his pillow and closed his eyes.


    ¡°SO FUCKING LOUD!¡± Vernero angrily erupted from the bed and walked to the dresser where h e


    yanked his boxers and pulled them on. I couldn¡¯t help but burst outughing at his sudden paroxysm of


    anger. Enzo just chuckled and didn¡¯t bother himself any further,


    ¡°Sorry baby. Come back to bed. I will keep it down okay?¡± I smoothed out through fits ofughter, and


    then patted the empty ce where he was sleeping. He stood there for a good minute, contemting


    whether he shoulde back to bed, or leave.


    ¡°Please. You need to rest.¡± I said in a much gentler voice and in response, he took gentle steps and then


    plopped himself on the bed and got in the nkets. He went in by snuggling deeper and ced his head


    on my bare stomach, doing all this without uttering a single word.


    I threaded my fingers through his hair in an attempt to calm him down. Vernero was always raging, every


    second of the day there was a storm inside that tornadoed angrily, sending his emotions berserk. And


    little things just sent him off. And I always made sure to give him a little bit more attention than I did with


    Enzo. Not that Enzo was less retarded, but Verzi was a special case. In my eyes, they were just two little


    boys that needed to be loved and taken care of, nothing more than that.


    ¡°There, there!¡± I called out gently while I massaged his scalp. He went in by hugging my thighs tightly


    and in a matter of seconds, he was out. On my side, Enzo¡¯s soft puffs of breath caressed my left


    shoulder, as a signal that he was also out.


    See what I told you, two little boys.


    Later that day, Verzi had revealed that Val was in the medicine room, being taken care of after the


    ¡°interrogation.¡± I had gone wild at the thought that they¡¯d hurt her. But staying mad a t the boys was just a


    waste of time so instead of being all broody at them, I went down to the medicine room myself. There I


    found Ciello who was sitting by a so not-looking-good Valerie. Upon seeing me, she gave me a sad smile


    before excusing Ciello.


    Ciello made a small bow and then left. I walked further into the room and sat by the bed.  (This novel will


    be daily updtaed at .noveljar) I didn¡¯t know what to say, especially after the boys did all that to


    her. When Enzo told me, I thought it was a peaceful talk, not this. Valerie had angry handprints on her


    face that were very evident, and there was blood pricked from her porcin skin. They looked so painful


    that my blood froze by just looking at them,


    ¡°Hey.¡± I said softly and took her hand in mine. Her wrist had reddish bruises of chains and I felt even


    smaller.


    ¡°I am sorry,¡± I said softly looking at her. She smiled and then shook her head.


    ¡°Don¡¯t be. You did nothing wrong.¡± She said and squeezed my hand.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t know they¡¯d do this. I just¡­¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s okay. Really. I am alive, which is what we should be d about. You know the chances of making it


    out of that cold ce with my head still attached to my neck and shoulders and my nose still breathing


    are way too slim. But here I am. Bruises are nothing.¡± She said casually, but I could hear that she was


    hurt.


    ¡°I saw the clips. And I thought that, like the boys, I thought it was you.¡±I informed reclining into the seat.


    ¡°Yeah. I would have thought that too had I been in your position. I mean there is a mole inside these


    walls who wants to kill you. And then you go ahead by seeing someone sneaking out at midnight and


    avoiding the cameras. I was a good suspect.¡± She said settling on the big pillow behind her.


    ¡°I heard you are seeing Ciello. That¡¯s why you¡¯ve been sneaking out.¡± I thinned my eyes at her and in a


    sudden; her face was covered in a cute blush making her so flustered.


    ¡°You witch! And you didn¡¯t think of telling me?¡± I used with a loud voice,


    ¡°We just¡­ we didn¡¯t want the word to get out, you know. Like Ciello and I are the ones who are way too


    involved with the bosses. And if we are doing each other, it didn¡¯t look like a good idea to tell anyone.


    Especially you.¡± She pointed her finger. I clutched my chest feigning heartbreak,


    ¡°But why? Aren¡¯t we friends?¡±


    ¡°Oh, that we are darling. But you, you so don¡¯t know how to keep a secret. And if I told you, you¡¯d have


    gone off running to the bosses already nning my wedding so no thank you, ma¡¯am.¡± She mentioned


    sending me over withughter. She was right about that one. Somehow the idea of Valerie finding


    someone (This novel will be daily updtaed at .noveljar) , lifted the burden off my shoulder, the


    burden I never knew existed. Had it been there all the time?


    ¡°So tell me, you love him huh?¡± I wiggled my eyebrows yfully causing her to blush yet again.


    ¡°Well, he is not as hot as the bosses, but he makes me so happy. Like I feel alive with him you know. At


    the times we¡¯d be sneaking out nces at each other and I find him staring at me with that look and I


    just¡­ I mean gaaaaah¡­ He¡¯s so sweet.¡± There it was, the sparkle. Cupid¡¯s arrow had struck at the right


    ce.


    ¡°Okay girl. You are sparkling.¡± I mentioned with a huge grin. Like I was so not expecting this.


    ¡°I am right?¡± She smiled happily.


    ¡°So tell me, when did you start?¡± I asked probing for more, because well, a girl is a girl and a girl can¡¯t go


    without gossip.


    ¡°Well, it¡¯s been on for a few months now. Like before we went to Dubai.¡±


    ¡°What? No fucking way. And you kept quiet all this time?¡±


    ¡°Sorry girl. I couldn¡¯t risk my job.¡± She said,


    ¡°So that day at the party, you disappeared for a second and came back looking all flustered and shit.


    Was it his doing?¡±


    ¡°Yahp. In the bathroom and oh my goodness. Best day ever!¡± She screamed out loud before mming a


    soft pillow on her face. I doubled up withughter. I was so happy for her, like really happy for her.


    ¡°Gosh, I hate you so much. And you didn¡¯t share the details with me?¡±


    ¡°I couldn¡¯t okay? I just couldn¡¯t.¡±


    We talked for a few more hours, her telling me things I was so sure I never wanted to hear. Knowing that


    at some point in time, she wanted and craved the boys¡¯ love kind of didn¡¯t sit well with me. Although I


    didn¡¯t understand why I was suddenly so possessive and territorial, I was just relieved that she was off


    the harem of all the bitches who have been hogging my men. And if she was out, that meant others were


    also going to be out. And soon.


    But a sudden realization hit me hard in the face. If I was jealous and mad at what had happened


    between the guys and her, then it meant one thing, and oh my goodness! I WAS IN LOVE WITH THE


    CATTANIO TWINS.

 Chapter 54

    Chapter 54


    VERNERO POV


    A few days had passed on and the swindler stayed hidden in the shadows. To avoid attracting


    unnecessary attention, Enzo had to leave for work ande back at his usual time. And that meant


    working out the rorter casete at night. It was so infuriating knowing that there was someone who could


    harm us and our girl just right under our nose, but then still managed to stay so well and hidden.


    To ensure Leigh¡¯s safety, I doubled up yet again on the security, guards, and systems. Although we were


    battling some kind of unknown force here, I didn¡¯t want to bet with her safety. She was my whole world


    and I couldn¡¯t risk anything happening to her. But I continued digging, hard and very attentive. One thing


    that was for sure was that if I found him, good heavens. Just the mere thought of it tore a very violent


    shudder from me, the excitement and that thrill of inflicting pain!


    Sitting in my office, I was going over all the possible people that could be involved in this case. But there


    was none. Absolutely none. Not that I trusted everyone here. God no! There were a few that I knew


    they¡¯d take a bullet for me ory down their hearts on the tes for m e. Others were just here to work


    and nothing more. Getting rid of them wouldn¡¯t even break a muscle from me. Like it wouldn¡¯t even sting


    a bit.


    Unless it was HIM! Only HE could have the guts to challenge me and my authority. But I know he knew


    better to stay in his ce than meddle in my business. And if by any chance he was involved in this,


    blood ties or not, I was going to let him die a miserable death.


    In this world, only Enzo and Tesoro. He, the power over the world, and all this shit meant nothing.


    I left my office feeling so riled up like ever. The more I thought about this case the more it made me even


    crazy. I was right at the edge of losing my mind and I was thankful that I hadn¡¯t had the ¡°seizures¡±. I


    mean they never wasted a second to cripple me. And I being berserk was the bridge for them to reign


    freely. It was a miracle that I had gone this long without them. Maybe it was because of Tesoro?


    The thought of my girl had me smiling like an idiot. With her in mind, I rounded the stairs and made my


    way to the general gym.


    On the first floor between the two wings, we had installed the gym for all the guys here to go all out. And


    it was always in use. Babe refused to use ours because she imed it was quiet in there; she wanted to


    train with other people. As much as I had hated the idea of them seeing her in those tight leggings and


    bras, I was d because she was able to pick a few moves from them. And the bonus was them seeing


    the hickeys we painted on her glorious body.


    She was ours.


    Upon reaching the gym, I stayed at the door and it didn¡¯t take a second to spot her. She was in


    a ring wearing a pair of ck short tights, and a white sports bra. She was sparring with some girl from


    the east wing. What¡¯s her name again, Maya? Mia? May? Whatever her name


    was!


    I leaned against the door and watched as she swiftly dodged Maya¡¯s fist. She gave her a sinister smile


    before sneakily attacking, punching her right under her ribcage. Well, that was a good one! I shifted in


    my position so that I can get a clear view of her. She perfectly swayed back afternding the blow and


    then taunted her opponent to attack. I like it. She wasn¡¯t boastful, she waited for the enemy to lose


    concentration so that she attacked right when they least expect it. That¡¯s my babe there!


    Maya went in hurriedly and attempted to kick her, but Leigh gently leaped into the air,pletely


    avoiding the hit, and then wlessly and perfectlynded on her feet. While Maya was righting her


    footing, Leigh made a quick swift 360. rotation and deposited a healthy kick on Maya¡¯s abdomen,


    sending her flying across the ring where shended painfully on the ropes.


    Fucking beautiful!


    I couldn¡¯t help but p out loud. Heads turned and people stopped what they were doing as I walked


    further into the gym. Leigh¡¯s eyesnded on me and she beamed brightly with a beautiful smile. Then


    walked to the girl and helped her up. The girl had suffered some brutal kicks from her, (This novel will be


    daily updtaed at .noveljar)  but she was the least of my concern and I wouldn¡¯t give zero shits


    even if Leigh crippled her.


    ¡°You good?¡± She asked after helping the girl to her feet and gently hugged her.


    ¡°That was a good one. Thank you for ying with me.¡± She said with a warm smile and then pulled


    herself from the girl, then walked towards me with that crazy smile. My girl was just s o beautiful and


    always kind. Her beauty was unmatched, even when she was sweating buckets with her hair messy.


    ¡°You sure learned some moves huh,¡± I called out pulling her to me, crushing her small body against


    mine. She chuckled softly and then wrapped her arms around my waist, then looked up at me. I just


    never understood how could one be this small yet have mepletely with the balls. I knew Enzo wasn¡¯t


    an exception. She did things to him also!


    ¡°I can take you down without breaking a muscle now.¡± She said boastfully while staring at me right in the


    eye,


    ¡°Oh yeah?¡± I smirked; she was so brave and gorgeous. Like honestly, there was no one like her.


    ¡°Fuck yeah, wanna try me? Boy, I can kick your ass so bad.¡± She said while scrunching her nose, making


    her so cute I couldn¡¯t handle it.


    ¡°Later. Now I have other ns for you.¡± I announced and held her by her lean waist and then tossed her


    on my shoulder, cavemen style.¡¯I stepped out of the ring and walked out, with her


    hanging on my shoulder like a prize.


    Her soft giggles could be heard as I climbed up the stairs with her.


    ¡°Where are you taking me to?¡± Her voice came from my back,


    ¡°Going to teach you how to use a gun.¡±


    ¡°Oh my goodness.¡± She yelped trying to shoot out of my hold, but I tightened my grip on her thighs and


    halted in my steps,


    ¡°You want to fall?¡± I ask and she quickly stilled on my shoulder. I snorted because it was just s o easy to


    get her to behave.


    We arrived in the shooting arena with her bbering about how she admires James Bond and how she


    loves when he does this and shit. To be honest, I was kind of hurt that there¡¯s some random guy out


    there whom she loved. Upon arriving inside, I ced her down and then cradled her face in my hands,


    then stared down at her. 1


    ¡°Leigh-Ari Montreal, you are not allowed to talk about other men when you are with us. You hear me?¡± I


    stated inly with a stoic voice and face. She took a good moment just looking at me and then busted


    outughing. I was caught off guard by her reaction, but then she went in by standing on her tiptoes and


    then pulled my head down to hers, then ced a soft kiss against my lips.


    ¡°Vernero Cattanio?¡± She called out while looking at me,


    ¡°Hmmmm?¡±


    ¡°Are you by any chance jealous of a fictional character?¡± She asked abruptly. I felt a wave of heat rising


    from my neck and settling right my face, making me so flustered. I tilted my headt o the side and looked


    somewhere else. Somehow I couldn¡¯t keep a straight face after she pointed that out!


    ¡°Who is jealous? I just don¡¯t want you mentioning other men in my presence. (This novel will be daily


    updtaed at .noveljar) ¡± I said instead, and sheughed so hard that I found myself smiling too.


    Gosh, what was this girl doing to me? 1


    ¡°Goodness, I love you so much.¡± She called out shocking me to the core,


    ¡°You¡­¡±


    ¡°What?¡± She asked through fits ofughter.


    ¡°You love me?¡± I wasn¡¯t sure if I had that right.


    ¡°Of course I do. Why would I be here if I didn¡¯t?¡± She said herughter subsiding. And oh my goodness. I


    so didn¡¯t expect it. I mean this was¡­ She said it sometime before but my mind had been upied with


    Xander¡¯s shit that I didn¡¯t pay much attention to her confession.


    ¡°You love me,¡± I stated this time.


    ¡°Yes, dummy. I love you and your little crazy anger fits. They are like the highlight of my day.


    I love Enzo because, in a very weird way, he manages to get you to behave. You are a handful you


    know, but that makes you so adorable I can¡¯t help myself. And Enzo is like the big guy in this


    rtionship. He knows how to handle us just fine. Which makes the two of you so perfect for me? I love


    you, and I love Enzo.¡± She mentioned while poking me in the chest.


    Belongs to (N)?vel/Drama.Org.


    I was so happy to hear this and I decided to ignore the fact that she said I throw crazy anger fits. We


    would settle thatter. I hugged her tighter against my chest and kissed the top of her


    head.


    ¡°I love you, Tesoro.¡± I felt a rush of emotions clouding my brain. I was so in love with this girl i t felt like I


    was going to lose my mind.


    After holding her for a good moment, she reminded me about the gun training which I hadpletely


    forgotten about. That¡¯s what she did to me. She made me forget myself. Whenever I held her, she was all


    I saw and felt. Nothing else!


    I pulled her by her hand and walked her to the storagepartment. She was gobsmacked at the sight


    of so many guns, in different shapes and sizes. If only she knew how many weapons were in this castle.


    ¡°I like this one.¡± She chose a silver Diamondback Firearms pistol. And somehow that was predictable. I


    mean the toy looked so much like her.


    ¡°Pick it up,¡± I instructed and she looked at me before staring down at them. She leaned her small hand


    towards it, and then cursed out:


    ¡°Oh shit! It¡¯s so heavy.¡± She said looking back at me with a very surprised look. (This novel will be daily


    updtaed at .noveljar)


    ¡°That¡¯s the smallest gun here. Which means it weighs less than all of these.¡± I gestured to all the toys


    with my hand.


    ¡°No way. And now does James Bond hold it with one hand?¡± She asked out loud and then mped a tiny


    hand against her mouth to stifle herughter.


    ¡°I meant how do you guys hold it with one hand?¡± She corrected causing me to smile.


    I took hold of the ck SIG Sauer and then picked the bullets. I cocked it up and turned to the targets,


    then fired, a bullet after the other and each hitting the bull¡¯s-eye.


    ¡°Bull¡¯s eye.¡± Ari cheered by my side and excitedly pped her hands.


    ¡°You need the ear covers,¡± I said and walked to thepartment and retrieved the small pink ear muffs


    that were specially made for her. I knew this day would arrive and I had long prepared for it. I stood


    behind her and carefully ced them securely on her head, covering her ears from the hush gunshots.


    I turned her to face me and she was just way too cute to handle. It was really unfair for someone to be


    this beautiful.


    I took the goggles and ced them on her face, she helped me by fixing them properly, and


    then we got to work.


    For the next 4 hours, I stayed by her side and watched as she fucked up the sses because she just


    couldn¡¯t hit the target. And she was so infuriated by that. At some point, I had to whisk her away and she


    wanted to cry. I have never needed Enzo as I did at that moment!

 Chapter 55

    Chapter 55


    LEIGH-ARI


    The gun training didn¡¯t work out as nned. Although I had been thrilled by the idea of learning how to


    use a real gun without shitting myself, it was safe to say I sucked in all ways possible when it came to it. I


    mean I didn¡¯t even know the basics.


    Apparently, there was a badass way of holding a gun and how you should deal with it. Such a s rolling it


    with on hands and fingers and shit. And man Verzi looked so damn hot when


    demonstrating. I had managed to drop my pistol on my toes at least a few thousand times


    that Verzi had to put something to protect my poor feet.


    N?velDrama.Org ? 2024.


    I sucked so bad that I didn¡¯t know how to hold a pistol, I didn¡¯t when it was the right time to cork it, pull


    the trigger, and shit. At times I pulled the trigger without corking it, and then nothing happened. I even


    gave up on myself after trying forever.


    I was thankful that Verzi was so patient and lenient with me. He cradled me gently and tutored me


    without even feeling drained. But damn! In all honesty, I was royally wasting his time and mine. He didn¡¯t


    have to tell me I sucked, because I could see it all by myself. At some point, I just gave it all up. It wasn¡¯t


    working.


    In the evening when Enzo arrived, Iid everything down for him and cried on his chest. They had


    ridiculed me for a few seconds before consoling me, then took me to CATT HOLDINGS offices. I was


    thunderstruck at the sight of the building. Not only was it the tallest building there, but it was humongous.


    And it was just ss. Although it was at night, I still got to experience such a beguiling thing and I felt so


    refreshed. After that, they had given me a tour around the building. We ended up making love on the roof


    top while overlooking the skyline a t night. One of the most memorable nights ever. And one thing I


    understood at that moment was that the twins were stinky! Heck! They were the richest bachelors I have


    ever known. 1


    It was when we arrived back at the castle I realized that we needed that little sneak out. I mean it had


    been just us, the big three. No guards and shits. It was the first time I have ever been so rxed, without


    all the care in the world. And they also were light on their feet, for


    the first time, they were free of all the burden. The imposter case was still a mystery. And heck! Whoever


    that was, he knew how to hide well. And that had caught up with us without even realizing it. That little


    tour plus the hot sex against the protective ss railing was exactly what we needed to unwind. If there


    was by any chance, any reporter who got a click o f what happened, then it was going to be a feast for


    those whoid their eyes on it.


    The following day, I was busy working out with the rest of the guys in the gym. It was just so lively in here


    whenpared to the twins¡¯ gym, I preferred this one. Not because the boys¡¯ gym wascking. Heck no.


    It had everything and more. But this was good because I had people to spar with and I picked on a few


    moves, which made it all fun.  (This novel will be daily updtaed at .noveljar) Thebat had


    quickly be one of my favorite things to do. Because it kept me busy.


    I was currently pinned under Raquel who didn¡¯t even nudge no matter the tricks I was using. And shit!


    This girl weighs a fuckin ton!


    ¡°Get up M¡¯Lady. You have to.¡± She called out pinning me even further to the ground. Her arm was


    painfully nuzzled on my neck, making it so hard to breathe. But I knew I had to get out of her grip. I


    attempted jabbing her abdomen with my fist, but she quickly caught it with her hand and pinned my wrist


    down.


    ¡°Nice try. But that was predicted.¡± She called and settled a heavy knee on my abdomen, causing


    everything I had eaten to rise and settle right in my throat. Shit!


    She shifted slightly and I spotted a chance. Fuck me if I was going to miss it.


    I raised my knee and jabbed her behind her thigh. She yelped and her weight slightly lifted from my body.


    I took that moment where she lost her concentration andnded a healthy punch on the side of her face.


    On the smooth skin right between her hairline and eye. She


    to pin me down vet again, but her nice t belly came in contact with m y knee that was bent protruding,


    waiting for her tond on it. The force she threw herself at m e caused the hit to be amplified. She


    mewled and I took that chance and kicked her with both of my feet, causing her to fall a foot from where I


    was.


    I stood on my feet and heaved out, taking huge breaths of air. This girl utterly drained me out!


    ¡°You are a tough one.¡± Iplimented staring at her. She expertly flipped from the ground andnded on


    her feet, then looked at me. I was surprised that she could still stand on both feet, looking so unbothered


    while I was to pass out from all the hits she fed me.


    ¡°And that was a good one Mdy. You have finally learned something.¡± She said and Iughed. How


    could she say that after beating the crap out of me? And heck! She didn¡¯t go easy at all. Although I was


    always merciful and avoided using all of my strength, these people didn¡¯t go easy on me at all. When


    they kicked, they made sure they kick where it hurts. I had kissed goodbye the idea of being merciful.


    Being a doctor and mother hen was only going to get my ass kicked all the time.


    ¡°Let¡¯s rest for today Mdy. You did a good job.¡± She offered her hand, I smirked. Then hurriedly yanked


    her by her arm and tossed her over, causing us tond down with her pinned under me. I had her arm


    bent awkwardly and sandwitched between our bodies, causing her joint to twist in the most abnormal


    way ever!


    ¡°Gotcha!¡± I beamed and then got up, letting her rollover. She got up with a big smile.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t see that oneing.¡± She said as she flexed her arm.


    ¡°It didn¡¯t hurt, did it?¡± I asked, the doctor in me surfacing.


    ¡°There won¡¯t be any mercy when facing the enemy mydy. One day you¡¯ll be battling someone stronger


    than me or all of these peoplebined. You can¡¯t always be merciful.¡± She said,


    ¡°Are you sure there¡¯s someone stronger than all of you here? Because girl, you are the strongest


    opponent I¡¯ve ever sparred with.¡±


    We conversed lightly as we left the gym. I then dismissed her to her room as I walked back to the west


    wing. I wanted to take the shower before the twins arrived because I was so stinky and sweaty. One


    thing I knew is that they would want to lick me even in this condition! Those boys were so damn whipped.


    It was well in the evening, 10 minutes before 9. I was actually taken aback by the time I have spent in the


    gym today. But then I didn¡¯t waste it, I used it for a good cause. The thought of the twins with Xander


    crossed my mind and I wondered how they were doing.  (This novel will be daily updtaed at


    .noveljar) They decided to contact him and get some information about the imposter. Although


    Xander wasn¡¯t the bad guy, I am sure as fuck that he was going to give them a tough time, just to annoy


    the living life out of them. I mean Xander was the sworn enemy here, just the mere mentioning of his


    name sent the guys berserk.


    I shook my head and then pushed the door to my bedroom open. I stopped dead in my tracks when I


    found that it was dark, all the lights were off including the ones at the terrace. Weird! Because that had


    never been the case. And I could have sworn that the lights were on when I left for training!


    One thing told me not to take this lightly as I wanted. I carefully entered inside and then leaned my hand


    against the wall, in search of the switch. I flicked it on and nothing happened. The tension skyrocketed.


    This didn¡¯t feel good at all! I took a silent step backward, i n an attempt to run back outside when


    suddenly, a strong hand yanked me inside and roughly pushed the door closed.


    Everything happened so quickly that I didn¡¯t even have time to scream or do anything. A rush of panic


    shot through me as the hand tightened on my mouth,pletely muffling all the sounds I was making. I


    had to calm down. I had to think of how to take this mountain of a man down. Enzo had taught me, I was


    good. I can do this!


    ¡°Good girl.¡± The intruder called out when I stopped struggling, but he didn¡¯t loosen his tight hold on me.


    He had my small frame pinned against his front, and from where my head was settled, I could tell he was


    a giant of a man. Something about his voice was oddly familiar, like way too familiar. And I knew it was


    none but the imposter himself. So he decided to take action when the twins were both out? Perfect


    timing!


    ¡°We are going to make this really quick okay? You are going to keep your little mouth shut and we are


    going to leave this ce silently. You don¡¯t want to make any noise and alert the guards now do you?¡±


    He rattled and trailed a cold de against my naked back. He was armed. Shit!


    I gave him a small nod and then he shove me towards the ss doors. I had to distract him so that I


    could have an upper hand on things, or else I was going to die.


    I stomped on his feet causing him to chuckle coldly:


    ¡°Now I know why they call you a little kitten. You arepletely helpless now, but you still want to fight?¡±


    He said and painfully added pressure into his hold, his fingers digging into my cheeks. I jabbed my elbow


    into his stomach, causing the de to take a sweet dive into my skin. I hissed and then stepped out of


    his hold.


    I jumped on my feet lightly and waited for him toe.


    ¡°If you do something to me, I will scream. And all of the guards wille running here and the twins will


    catch you. You know what will happen if theyy their hands on you.¡± I said in a rough voice. I couldn¡¯t


    see who it was because of the darkness, but his silhouette waltzed towards me.


    ¡°Oh, my bad! I forgot to mention that all the guards are out. I mean it took me time to get through them


    but, no one will being for you assistance princess.¡± He called out causing all the hope to fly out the


    window. I waspletely on my own, and I had me to depend on!


    With that thought in mind, I kicked high in the air, aiming tond it on his side, but he expertly caught my


    leg and roughly threw me to the side, where Inded on my vanity table with my back, eliciting a loud


    crash that rattled painfully in my ears. The scent of bloodpletely engulfed my sense of smell. And


    from what I know, the vanity was a red mess because I was a bleeder. Girl I bled rivers and oceans!


    ¡°Mewl all you want kitten. The boys made this roompletely soundproof. And those little devices are


    all off. You are mine now!¡± He said as he took smooth steps towards me. He pulled me up on my feet


    with my hair, painfully pulling my strands from my scalp. I tried prying his hands from my head but he


    didn¡¯t budge.


    ¡°I told you to behave. Now, look what you made me do. (This novel will be daily updtaed at


    .noveljar) ¡± He called out before knocking me in m y face with his forehead, I swear I saw stars


    at that moment. I fell back on the shattered sses, causing them to pierce through my skin.


    I yawled as he angrily kicked me in my stomach, causing my body to coil in an attempt to protect myself


    from his merciless kicks.


    ¡°Why?¡± I called out through sobs. Gosh, it was so painful.


    ¡°Because I hate the mere thought of you.¡± He spat before pulling me by my hair and dragging me all over


    the shattered sses. I was strong, I was going to make it out alive. I had to make i tout alive. For the


    boys!


    I attempted to get up but he madly threw me down, causing my head to bang against the carpeted floor.


    ¡°Bitch don¡¯t waste my time. Don¡¯t you fucking waste my time because whether you like it or not, you are


    going to leave this room with him.¡± He angrily stomped towards me and then snaked his fingers around


    my neck and pulled me up, his hand blocking all the air. I felt so lightheaded as he just held me like that, I


    don¡¯t know for how long. But I felt consciousness slipping through my fingers. My heart clenched


    painfully, my body fighting for the deprived


    air.


    I wasn¡¯t going to make it. My heart yearned for the twins. For Enzo. For my crazy Verzi.


    If only they were here.


    ¡°Well, well! You finally learned how to behave.¡± His voice which was full of hatred and anger was thest


    thing I heard before darkness consumed me!

 Chapter 56

    Chapter 56


    LEIGH-ARI


    From the deep slumber of stupor, I felt I wave of icy coldness covering me. It took a second for my mind


    to register that my body waspletely drenched. The biting cold caused wild shivers to erupt intensely,


    pulling me back from the dark world. My senses slowly connected with my body, my mind regaining itself.


    My ears were ringing loud, and my head felt like it had been banged against a hard concrete for at least


    a million times. My body was pinioned in a very cramped position making me immobile in all ways. I tried


    to move my arms, but what felt like cold chains held me back in ce, and that exined why I felt like I


    was tied down.


    An aggrieved groan escaped my much-patched throat, causing it to hurt even more. I willed m y heavy


    eyes to open but everything was just so blurry and unclear. ¡®Rise and shine princess.¡± A voice called out


    from somewhere behind me, ringing painfully in my already disturbed ears. The unending throbbing in


    my head made it feel like someone took an ax and plunged right through the skull, splitting it into two


    halves. Why was I in so much pain? And the headache?


    I tried to engage my mind to function but everything wasn¡¯t just cooperating. ¡°Water.¡± I croaked, my voice


    scratching painfully against my dry throat.


    ¡°We don¡¯t want you to die early. So here.¡±


    I opened my mouth to take a sip of the water but what I received was more! A whole bucket of cold water


    sshed right on my face and my body, the hard ice cubes hitting my already abused body bitterly. The


    cold water clothed my already wet bodypletely. The shivers just went on and my teeth began


    cluttering against each other. No matter how heady the pain made my mind be, the bucket of icy water


    cleared everything. I heard better, I saw everything.


    Through that haze of pain and confusion, I fully opened my eyes to take in my surrounding. I was still


    dressed in my gym clothes, my body covered in angry wounds that were oozing blood, goosebumps


    from the cold, the ice cubes that fells on me, and the droplets of water. I was chained on a metal chair


    with big chains that had me secured in one ce, restricting m y every movement. I looked up to find a


    huge empty warehouse, with a few lights illuminating the dark space.


    Pieces of memories flooded my mind and I remembered the heated collision between the intruder and


    me. He hadn¡¯t gone easy on me at all. I remembered him dragging me against the floor full of broken


    sses, him banging my head against the floor and then repeatedly kicking me on my front. That


    exined the splitting headache, painful ribs, and muscles, the sting on my lower back. My arms were


    covered in angry scratches, a few wounds that had pieces of broken sses inside. And the burn on the


    wounds told me that they had been


    inmed.


    ¡°How are you feeling, Tesoro?¡± The oh-so-familiar voice called out again and the owner stepped in my


    line of sight


    My mouth hung open from utter shock. All the words seemed to have been stuck in my throat as I stared


    at my captor with shock, horror and so much trepidation. I tried to piece everything together, tried to


    make sense of why HE, of all people, could do this? Betray the boys? Hurt me? My puzzled and


    confused look amused him and he chuckled stepping further in front of me.


    ¡°Shocked right? I get that every time¡±


    ¡°Lorik!¡± I managed a small whisper.


    ¡°In the flesh!¡± He waved his hand and then folded his giant arms across his chest. I tried to find all the


    words; I really wanted to know why he was doing this.


    ¡°I thought we were friends,¡± I called out in a small voice causing him to throw his head back and let out a


    burst of huge bellyughter that echoed around the empty warehouse, creating a ghostly sound that


    multiplied my tremors. By now, I wasn¡¯t just shivering from the cold, I was scared, terrified!


    ¡°See? That¡¯s where you are wrong. You and I have never been friends.¡± He spat with a mocking face, his


    hateful eyes boring holes into me.


    I felt my heart clenching immensely.Xander had been right. One person I thought I understood was the


    one who harbored ill intentions towards me. It hurt when I found out about Valerie but this was a different


    kind of hurt. This one was way too much! 1


    ¡°All this time, you hated me,¡± I said almost to myself while looking down at my knees. There was so


    much I wanted to say. The times we had sat together talking about the OR, the operations, the patients,


    and how awesome it felt to bring someone back to life, all meant nothing to him. Lorik had been one of


    those I just clicked with because of our medical profession. Yes, he wasn¡¯t a surgeon like me, but he


    knew a thing or two about it. He was even the one taking care of patients in the castle, he attended to the


    wounded. And that¡¯s why I just got too along with him. So all along¡­


    ¡°I don¡¯t just hate you Leigh-Ari. I despise your possible being. I hate the idea of knowing I breathe the


    same air as you. I hate everything about you.¡± He spat angrily ring daggers at m e. I just looked up,


    feeling so inanimate and out of it. I didn¡¯t even know why he hated me so much for crying out loud.


    ¡°But why? Why do you hate me so much? What have I ever done to you?¡± I asked with a small tear


    drizzling down my face. The sight of my tears was like a sweet confection that marinated his anger and


    hatred, causing him to be even crazier.


    ¡°Oh, you did nothing sweetheart. You just had to exist.¡± He said stepping backward and began taking


    unhurried steps around me.


    Belongs to (N)?vel/Drama.Org.


    ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    I have never been so perplexed. Was it normal for someone to hate the other without a reason? What


    problem did my existence cause to him? Lorik was one of the big respected guys at Dark Woods.


    Although I knew little to nothing about him, I knew he was a big fish. ¡°You stole everything from me


    Leigh-Ari. My boys. You stole them from me and kept them all to yourself. That¡¯s not how I nurtured


    them. That¡¯s not what I taught them. They have everything, they could get anyone they want. You know


    that yourself because the east wing is full of women they¡¯ve fucked. But then there you are; your mere


    existence sends them crazy. I hate you because you make them weak. And I don¡¯t do weak.¡± He said


    angrily with a raised voice. I tried to make sense of all his words but I was failing miserably. What does


    did even mean? The twins are the ones who popped into my life, turned everything upside down, and


    then stole my life from me. This fucker had no right to tell me I was the one who destroyed his world. 1


    ¡°You don¡¯t know what you are saying Lorik. The boys are the ones who just popped out of nowhere like


    they fell from the sky, took everything for me, confined me in that damn castle, and forced me to live


    THIS life. And now you dare to say I stole your life?¡± I seethed from my seat, wishing that I was out of


    these damn chains. Because help me God, if I was, I was going down with this psycho.


    He stopped in front of me and then smirked. I red at him angrily and he raised his hand in the air, and


    then pped me so hard that I felt like my head had rotated two times before swinging to my side. That


    fueled my anger further!


    1


    V


    ¡°Beat me all you want coward. But at the end of the day, you are just a damn sick bastard who has no


    balls but can only hit a woman who is chained down. You have me in chains because you know so


    fucking well that had I been free, I was going to fuck you so hard you won¡¯t even recognize your own


    fucking ass.¡± I yelled at the top of my lungs, feeling so much anger brew inside me.


    He didn¡¯t retaliate, he just took a step backward and then left my eye side to my behind. After a few


    heartbeats, I felt the clunking of metal and cursed my unruly mouth for saying those words to him. I was


    completely bound and helpless, and I didn¡¯t even know where this becursed ce was. Good lord he


    could do anything he wanted and no one would even know.


    ¡°You have a sharp tongue girl.¡± He said in a calm rxed voice, still working on whatever he had on his


    hand. But the continuous clunking of the metal made me wince and shrink into myself.


    I chose not to reply to him and shut my eyes close. The sounds of his footsteps sounded as he rounded


    the chair and stood right in front of me yet again.


    ¡°See, I know so much, little Ari. I know way more than you think. I know things that you can¡¯t even begin


    to imagine. And yes, you may think I am being a little unreasonable but no darling. I am not. I am not


    going to watch a low life like you destroy everything I have built.¡±


    e informed in yet another calm tone, but this one held so much authority that I had to open m y eyes and


    look at him.


    He had a big crowbar mped in his hand, his body towering over me. ¡°You don¡¯t have to do this. You


    know that.¡± I said in a trembling voice. Even if I wanted, I wasn¡®t going to make it out alive here. Lorik


    was a very big guy with giant ass muscles. I may have taken a few guys down during the training but


    now¡­


    ¡°Oh, I have to darling. I have to. Because even if I let you free and took you far away to where the sun


    doesn¡¯t shine, they would look for you, find you and bring you back. And that¡¯s the game I am not ready


    to y.¡± He said crouching lower to my eye level. 1


    ¡°But why?¡± Was I really going to die here?


    ¡°Because I am their father.¡± 1


    LORENZO POV


    ¡°Calm the fuck down will you?¡± I spat throwing an exasperated nce at Vernero who was going under a


    very serious outburst.


    ¡°How the hell am I supposed to calm down? That bastard doesn¡¯t know his ce at all. He isi n my turf,


    my turf. But he still thinks he can waltz here and do all he wants. I am going to kill him. I swear I am


    going to kill him.¡± he raged throwing curses. He went in by smashing his whiskey ss to the floor of the


    limo, causing the liquid to spill all over. I decided to pay him zero attention. I had my own thoughts to


    battle against, and although I didn¡¯t like my brother having his crazy episodes, I wasn¡¯t going to pamper


    his little tantrum fit this time.


    I took a small sip of my own whiskey and leaned my head against the headrest. Meeting with Xander had


    been a bad idea. I was surprised at his cooperation at the beginning. Although it was hard to locate him,


    he had agreed to meet us and have a little talk with us. The location had been this deluxe bar


    somewhere in town. We set off early to meet him but when we arrived there; the bartenders gave us a


    small note that pointed us to another location. We drove there, and the same thing happened.


    We drove around in circles until we arrived at this shabby diner that pointed us towards Mn. By that


    point, we were fed up with his little game, but we couldn¡¯t leave things unfinished because Ari was


    concerned here. So with that, we took off to Mn. For full dang six hours, we stretched to Mn to that


    said location, and luckily we found him.


    Upon seeing us, he had stood up and weed us warmly, then ordered a drink for all of us. Verzi had


    wanted to punch him in the face for toying with us and for many other reasons, but I stopped him just in


    time. Xander on the other hand seemed unbothered by Verzi¡¯s attempt t o maim him. I guess he was too


    used to him. He was surprisingly so calm, and I was a little wary of his sudden nice attitude. It was just


    way too good to be true, but at the same time, we couldn¡¯t enrage this lunatic because we needed his


    help. While everything was well served, weid our news on him, asked him about the imposter.


    He gave a little information by telling us the imposter wanted him to kill Ari in exchange for the East. Well,


    that had sent me over. I flew from my seat ready to fuck his little handsome face and wipe that dang


    smirk, but his words stopped me halfway across the table. If I hit him, then he was going to go ahead and


    kill Ari. And that was something I couldn¡¯t afford to see it happen.


    After that, he hadughed like a maniac he is, stood up, and left us in there. So yeah, I was pretty pissed


    off. Mind you, the fucker didn¡¯t even foot the bill for the drink he ordered.


    ¡°That fucking son of a bitch with a scar on a dang face¡­¡± Verzi¡¯s curses rang around the whole limo. I


    get it! He was pissed, and so was I!


    The trip to Mn had been a true failure. But that was highly expected from Xander. We never saw eye to


    eye. So what good would he gain from helping us?

 Chapter 57

    Chapter 57


    XANDER POV


    Feeling utterly spent, I plopped myself on the lush bed in a hotel room which was rented under the name


    of some innocent citizen who had no idea how cruel this world is. Although I was a prick who felt guilty


    for not feeling guilty, pointing a gun and threatening the poordy didn¡¯t sit well with me. But I couldn¡¯t


    use my own name; else the renowned Cattanio Twins would find me in a split second and eunuchize me


    without a second thought.


    Toying with them had been the best thing ever. I knew the east was well off gone, and as much as I


    hated to admit it, they did a good job at running the underworld shit. I was tired honestly. The blood on


    my hands was crying out loud, haunting me every day and night. I knew I couldn¡¯t just leave; I was part


    of this world now and there was no going back. It was that kind of a thing that once you are in, there¡¯s no


    going back. It was a vicious hole where you just kept falling and falling and falling deeper into the


    bottomless abyss.


    Having the twins take the east had reduced the burden off my shoulder, now I had a few things to run,


    and most importantly, I had time to myself. For the very first time since the beginning of forever, I felt


    alive again. And that¡¯s all thanks to the twins. Not that I would go tell them that! Oh hell no! Our feud was


    something that wasn¡¯t going to end today or even tomorrow.


    One thing I admired about them was their love for their girl. The na?ve little sweetheart was s o alluring


    one couldn¡¯t help falling in love with her. And when Lorik came to me telling me that he wants her dead, I


    had been so surprised. Leigh-Ari was naively cute and so warm. I didn¡¯t find the reasons why someone


    would want to kill her. So with that in mind, I made sure to keep tabs on her. It was the first time I did that


    and I couldn¡¯t even give find an answer to why I decided to drag the mission and not just get done with it.


    Unbeknownst to me, the little girl grew deep in me. She grew so big I actually got addicted to those little


    visits I made into her bedroom when her men were out. Although I let Lorik believe that he had the upper


    hand, I concluded that nothing bad was going to happen to her. Leigh-Ari didn¡¯t deserve all of this. She


    deserved an uplicated life, somewhere far away from here, where she took care of her patients


    without all the care in the world. The mafia vendetta and fiasco were something she was well off without.


    A sudden quick beeping of my pager had me tearing off the bed where I wasying on my back. I


    reached for the side table and picked up the small device, powered it on, and cursed out loud!


    ¡°Shit!¡±


    The fucker decided to take action. I had known long ago that he was going to take matters into his hands


    and so I prepared myself in advance. The beep was a signal that the nanochip I had nted on Leigh-


    Ari¡¯s vanity was attached to her body. Not only was it an rm, but it


    was a tracker.


    I ran to the wardrobe and quickly armed myself, put on the bulletproof vest. Once I was well loaded and


    steeled, I ran to the window and pushed it open, then jumped out. Had it been anyone, they¡¯d have


    shattered their skulls spilling their brains all over the concrete ground. But I smoothly on my feet at the


    hard ground behind the hotel. I quickly fished my phone from the pocket and shot a quick text to the


    twins. I don¡¯t care whether we were enemies, but Leigh-Ari was in danger.


    And I wasn¡¯t going to sit back and watch from the sidewalks! 1


    VERNERO POV


    My eyesnded on Enzo who was utterly oblivious to my temper tantrum. Although I hated being


    pampered by him at times, him being fully unfazed by my outburst kind of stung me a bit. I was expecting


    him to sit next to me and calm down like he always did. But instead, he ignored mepletely. I


    smashed bottles to gain his attention, cursed out loud, but he didn¡¯t even badge. Just sat there with his


    eyes closed and unfinished whiskey in his hand.


    That only added up to the riling storm inside me. I grew even angrier. The thought of Xander made me


    tremble violently in my seat. I wanted to cry because my brother wasn¡¯t having any pity on me. It was as


    if he told himself he wasn¡¯t going to dance to my guitar this time. But deep down I knew I needed him to


    calm down. I needed his power, his energy to dilute the tornado in me. 1


    After cursing for millennia with no sess, I felt drained and settled in my seat. The limo continued


    stretching back to Rome. It had been an angering ride to Mn, and that was highly expected. I cursed


    myself for even thinking that Xander aka dickturd would actually help us this once. Well, we didn¡¯te


    back empty-handed; we knew that the imposter wanted to trade the east for Ari¡¯s head. And kill me if I


    was going to let that happen.


    A loud siren went off and Enzo abruptly tore from his seat. I knew that sound so well. It was the secret


    device I installed on Leigh¡¯s bedroom ottoman. When pushed against violently, it was triggered sending


    the rms to Enzo and me.


    We shared a panicked look before focusing on our phones and began sending orders.


    Gosh please let her be alright. The was only one way the device could be triggered, and the thought of


    what was going on at that very moment chilled me to the core. She was all alone, with the intruder.


    ¡°How far are we from home?¡± Enzo called out yanking his tie off. I know he was trying to stay calm, but I


    could feel the fear resonating from him heavily.


    ¡°Two hours plus,¡± I answered cursing, Ciello answered the phone and I barked orders hurriedly into the


    receiver. He was calm like always, ready to fuck the world at my order. He had to catch that motherfucker


    before he left Dark Woods.


    ¡°Got it, boss.¡±I cut the call and made the next one,


    N?velDrama.Org ? 2024.


    ¡°I got Raquel, she¡¯s checking on her. Leigh-Ari wasn¡¯t wearing the ¡®bracelet¡¯ in the gym today¡± Enzo


    announced still looking down. A cold wave of hopelessness nketed mepletely. For two hours,


    anything could happen, and my baby would be alone. And didn¡¯t even wear the tracker.


    I didn¡¯t know what to do, but what I felt inside was so much.


    ¡°Valerie ising to get us. This shit-ass bucket is slow.¡± He announced yet again in a hurried voice. For


    the umpteenth time, I was thankful to have him by my side. Had I been alone, I was going to lose it!


    My phone rang in my hand and I quickly picked it up, it was Ciello.


    ¡°Where¡¯s she?¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s gone, boss. The imposter knocked out all the guys guarding her room and silenced all the security


    devices.¡±


    ¡°Noooo!¡±


    ¡°And boss?¡± He called out in a low voice,


    ¡°Yes?¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s so much blood here.¡±


    voor


    LEIGH-ARI


    Minutes ticked by as I sat there with my mouth hanging open from shock. What I just heard numbed all


    the pain from my body, leaving my mind reeling with so many questions.


    ¡°High school mistake. Was 17 at the time, pretty lousy, and very much drunk. Had a steamy night with


    my girl and 9 monthster, she dropped two boys at my doorstep. I had the same reaction as you.¡± Lorik


    pointed the crowbar at me, exining further. My eyes traveled on his face shocking me further when I


    saw a bit of resemnce. The eyes were so much like Enzo¡¯s, and the hairline was t out Verzi¡¯s. From


    there, they were different people.


    ¡°Oh? You must be wondering why we look so much different right? They took after their mother.¡± He said


    stalking towards me.


    I was still out of words as I tried to make sense of everything he was saying. I just didn¡¯t believe that he


    was the twins¡¯ father. Heck! They had one hell of a rtionship, nothing about them screamed ¡°sons and


    dad¡±. I have heard Verzi cursing and biting Lorik¡¯s head a few times than once, he even instructed him


    like one of his men.


    ¡°Where is their mother?¡± I asked after finding my voice.


    ¡°Six feet underground. I killed her.¡± He said with a face so nk, so casual like he was talking about the


    weather. I felt a cold sweat drizzle down my spine and settle on my drenched leggings waistline. If this


    man had mercilessly killed his wife, the mother of his sons, then I was nothing in his eyes.


    ¡°Why? Were you married?¡±


    ¡°Naaaah! Engaged? Yes! But she wanted to teach me how to raise my sons so I couldn¡¯t keep her alive.


    You see, everyone who stands between my boys and I has to die Leigh-Ari. And you are no exception.¡±


    He said crouching lower to my level. With each heartbeat and him reciting the story of his life, I felt a


    wave after wave of hopelessness settling in.


    ¡°See, a very long time ago, I took them to Pnd, I had some business to take care of and I couldn¡¯t risk


    their safety. There they lived happily across a little girl with silly piggy tails and her dad. I thought, my


    boys, will be safe here. Who knew that as the years went by, they would grow so fond of the girl that they


    refused to part with her. One day I told them they had to leave Pnd, they refused. Their condition was


    that they take you along, or they aren¡¯t leaving. That¡¯s when I knew that you are an obstacle. So I


    brought up an idea for them. Wanna guess what it was?¡± He grinned joyfully, but I knew what was


    coming next was so spiteful and hateful, so I shook my head!


    ¡°Bummer! Anyway, I told them they can take something from you, something which is very precious to


    little girls. Like the good boys they are, they listened. And they did it very well.¡± He smirked causing my


    blood to run cold. He couldn¡¯t mean what I thought. My eyes snapped open at the sudden realization of


    his words. How could someone be so evil?


    ¡°I see you finally caught up on it. They took your little virginity. I didn¡¯t think they¡¯d be fazed b y the idea of


    taking you, ¡®forcefully¡¯, but they enjoyed it. To the maximum. Only after popping your cherry did they


    agree to leave Pnd because they had imed you by then. So years went by and they still couldn¡¯t


    forget you. Every time they¡¯d fantasize about how grown you must be and how they¡¯d love to relive ¡°that


    day¡±¡­ I knew I had to do something. So I sent my men to take care of you. Who knew that you¡¯de


    out unscathed from that ¡®ident¡¯, with


    only a concussion that led to memory loss? Sad that your dad died though. He was a good man.¡±


    At that moment, I felt like I had been thrown into a very cold sea and I kept on going further down no


    matter how hard I tried to surface. I didn¡¯t even believe every word he was saying. How could he be so


    cruel?


    ¡°You killed my father.¡± I choked out a sad sob.


    ¡°By my mistake. The n was to kill you, not him. But who knew that he¡¯d die. Anyway, you didn¡¯t die,


    right? You are still alive. Not for long though.¡± How could this man even breathe the same air as other


    people? He was a total psycho. A real maniac. He was the real devil walking among the living! So all


    along he had been manipting my life, taking and taking everything from me. My life, my only parent,


    everything was all taken by him. And he showed


    zero sign of remorse. Just why did I have to cross paths with such an evil man?


    ¡°You know they won¡¯t forgive you if they knew this.¡± I looked up through teary eyes at his blurred


    silhouette. My heart hurt so badly I felt like someone was clenching his fist around it, the rapid pounding


    of my head just intensified the whole thing. The pain around my body made everything all worse. God, it


    hurts so bad! Not the headache, not the wounds, but my heart. The fact that he killed my father. This


    man had long hated me, and I had been an idiot for thinking we bonded because of a little medical


    knowledge!


    ¡°Oh, that I know very well. But don¡¯t let that fool you, little girl. In Dark Woods, I call the shots. All that


    empire, it¡¯s me behind it. The power and glory were all bestowed upon them by me. And I am not going


    to sit back and watch as you destroy everything.¡± He said rocking the crowbar in his hand and stepping


    backward. He slowly pulled backward and I knew what wasing next.


    I pinched my eyes closed and prepared my shock absorbers, readying my body for the agonizing pain


    that wasing next.


    ¡°You aren¡¯t nning to hit a chaineddy with a crowbar now are you?¡± a familiar voice called out from


    somewhere above. My eyes tore open to find none but Xander swinging on thentern just right on top of


    me. What is the actual hell?


    ¡°Xander?¡± I asked with a very perplexed look. How did he even get here? How did he get on thentern


    and manage to swing on it without falling?


    ¡°Hey, babe. d to see you alive.¡± He grinned before applying the force to swing which threw him


    towards the far end of the empty warehouse. Hended expertly on his two feet and walked graciously


    towards Lorik who was seething, his chest rising and falling rapidly.


    ¡°What the hell are you doing here Xander?¡± He asked through clenched teeth as he watched Xander


    sashay on smooth steps. This guy was a true maniac.


    ¡°Me? Don¡¯t mind me, I¡¯m just watching as you make a coward out of yourself. Hitting a restrained


    woman? Seriously? And I heard you shamelessly admitting that you let your sons rape her.¡± He said


    standing a foot from Lorik. Somehow I felt a rush of relief washing over me. With him here, the chances


    of survival were high.


    ¡°You failed to do the job. Now I am doing it myself.¡± Lorik spat crazily and flexed his arms on his sides,


    the tight muscles of his back rippling from the movement.


    ¡°Hold it up big up. Are you flexing because you want to hit me? I am not your opponent. Your opponent is


    thatdy there¡­¡± He pointed behind Lorik at me. My anxiety skyrocketed hitting the roof. On whose side


    was Xander on?

 Chapter 58

    Chapter 58


    LORENZO POV


    The trepidation piled up with each heartbeat, my knee kept bouncing rapidly against the hard ground and


    my muscles clenched so tight I felt like I was going to have dead ass cramps all over my body. I didn¡¯t


    even want to look at Verzi to know how he was, I already knew. He was a whole bughouse with emotions


    sending him over the edge.


    A lot of things shed through my mind like a tape recorder, the otiose trip to Mn, had it been Xander¡¯s


    n? To get us away from Ari so that he can take her? And my girl, where was she? Was she still¡­ God


    forbid that.


    I couldn¡¯t even begin to imagine what I was going to be if anything happened to her. The loud rumbling of


    our Chevy Camaro sounded from a distance. I looked to Verzi to find him already gathering his


    paraphernalia with a very angry face. I felt for him, in more ways than he could ever imagine. I wasn¡¯t


    being a dick for not being his shoulder. It wasn¡¯t that and it would never be that. But I wasn¡¯t the strong


    one this time, I was the weakest. And he had so much power to hold me up or else I was going to


    crumble. As soon as the sound was near, we piled out of the limo and ran towards the midnight ck


    beast. We hopped on and Valerie stepped on the wheel, none of us said anything, but the tension in the


    car was so thick. While she was swerving and maneuvering through the heavy evening traffic, Verzi and I


    were busy mping ourselves with our toys. Guns and des. A small vibration made me halt, I fished


    my phone from out of my suit pants to find a text from an unknown number.


    Opening it, I found the GPS with a red dot that was blinking.


    ¡°What?¡± Verzi asked from my side, I showed him the phone and his brows furrowed,


    ¡°It¡¯s a location.¡± He pointed out. I zoomed in on the GPS to get a clear view of things. The location was at


    least an hour from where we were currently.


    ¡°To Ponza.¡± I barked at Valerie who stepped on the gas immediately,


    ¡°Boss, I think we shouldn¡¯t just go there. It might be a trap.¡± Val warned looking at us in the rearview


    mirror. Be it a trap or not, I wasn¡¯t going to take any chances. Our girl was currently all by herself in the


    hands of some psychomaniac who wanted to kill her. I didn¡¯t want to think of the situation she might be


    in, I just needed to get to her.


    ¡°I¡¯ll send people to check in first.¡± Verzi chimed in already punching on his phone. From then on, the ride


    was full of Verzi barking orders to his men to surround the ce and see if there are any traps. 30


    minutester, we got a call from Ciello, that they¡¯d found where she was kept and that they already


    surrounded the abandoned warehouse, waiting to ambush at ourmands.


    Upon hearing this, I felt a rush of relief washing over me. Whoever sentus the location, may


    God be with him. I wasn¡¯t sure of his ns yet, but I was thankful because he led us to our girl! I was


    sitting beside myself until Valerie expertly swerved the car into the parking lot a good distance from the


    warehouse. In a heartbeat, we were out with our guns ready to fuck anyone and anything in our way.


    We were swift on our feet, very light without making even a sound. Although I so wanted to g o head-on


    into the building and maim whoever was in there, I didn¡¯t want to do anything that would jeopardize this


    in any way. We had to be clever, we had to be su


    A shadow flicked on my right, I aimed my gun in its direction ready to burst its head up when Ciello shot


    up the signal that everything was well in ce. We approached the building stealthily until we were right


    in front of it.


    I stole a nce at Verzi and he looked at me, then we nodded at each other and signaled our


    t the iron door down. The door was sealed shut with gazillion giant padlocks. Working on them was going


    to alert whoever was inside, and that could be dangerous to Ari.


    With that, we cleared the way for our men who ced a shit-ass bazooka down, then waited o n us. I


    covered my ears as a loud bang rang out, the bomb tearing through the iron door shattering it into


    pieces. We didn¡¯t wait for the mes to subside, just threw ourselves inside t o find Xander on top of


    Lorik, hitting the living life out of him. 1


    Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Ari who was strapped down in chains, struggling to get free. My heart


    shattered at the sight of her, all so bound and helpless, waiting for her death.


    ¡°You son of a bitch!¡± Verzi roared as he took giant steps towards Xander and kicked him right i n his guts,


    causing him to roll over and fall a foot from Lorik.


    ¡°Verzi, Noooooo!¡± Ari¡¯s cry unclued my feet where I was standing, I rushed to her and cradled her head,


    so that she looked at me.


    ¡°Baby. We are here, you are safe now.¡± I said trying to avoid the blood and she was covered in. She had


    suffered so much!


    ¡°It is not him. He¡¯s innocent. He didn¡¯t do it.¡± She kept on repeating the words like a mantra, but my mind


    was utterly focused on getting her out of the chains.


    ¡°Lorenzo stop him! He is hurting him.¡± She screamed into my ears causing me to halt,


    ¡°Xander saved me.¡± She revealed shocking me to the core. I straightened up to find Verzi having the


    same reaction.


    ¡°What?¡± I finally asked when I found my voice.


    ¡°Xander came here to rescue me. It¡¯s Lorik who kidnapped me.¡± She said looking at Lorik through teary


    eyes. At that moment, I felt like the whole world had stopped rotating. It was as if time has abruptly


    stopped, pausing everything.


    I turned to Lorik to find him snaking on the floor. Ciello quickly pinned him down and held a gun against


    his head.


    ¡°You ungrateful motherfucker.¡± Xander coughed out as he got up in a standing position, spat the blood


    from his mouth, and walked beelined past Verzi while clutching his stomach. He stopped next to Ari and


    kissed her forehead.


    ¡°I guess my job is done here.¡± He mentioned and then limped towards the shattered entrance.


    ¡°See you around sweet cheeks. And you two, I am going to fuck you up for this!¡± His voice echoed


    through the warehouse as he exited and disappeared into the night.


    What the hell was happening here?


    ¡°Is it true?¡± Verzi¡¯s voice boomed around the eerie silence, pulling me from my daze. I felt so inanimate


    and lifeless. How could he do this? How could our father hurt the only thing that mattered to us?


    ¡®You fucking know why I did it.¡± He spat under Ciello¡¯s hold trying to turn over. I couldn¡¯t listen, I needed


    to get Ari out of here.


    With that, on very unsteady feet, I walked towards her and dropped in front of her, then unhurriedly


    removed the chains off her. While she was free, Valerie walked by and covered her in a small nket,


    and then passed her to Raquel. She was safe. She was okay!


    ¡°ARI WATCH OUT!¡± A loud scream jolted me out of my skin.


    From somewhere, I heard a sudden outburst ofughter followed by a loud gunshot.


    Everything happened so quickly and in a blink of an eye, Ari fell clutching her stomach with s o much


    blood gushing out of the angry gun wound. Everything yed in slow motion as I screamed, running to


    her to catch her.


    Her body dropped in my arms and we both fell down. Her body began convulsing in my hold, blood


    gushing out of her mouth.


    ¡°No! God no!¡±


    LEIGH-ARI


    I was tired, I was finished. I couldn¡¯t keep holding on any longer. Even when Xander popped u p, the


    glimmer of hope had surfaced just a bit, but then he had crushed it and stomped on it when he told Lorik


    that he wasn¡¯t going to stop him from doing whatever he intended on me. I didn¡¯t know what to feel at


    that moment. I just gave up. There was no point for Xander to save me because he didn¡¯t owe me


    anything.


    And there was really no point holding on when I was locked here with two psychopaths.


    Right when I was about to surrender to my fate, Xander leaped into the air and kicked Lorik i n the


    stomach, sending him flying past me where hended at the table he kept his toys on with a very loud


    crash. I have never been so perplexed and confused. Xander himself had


    stated that he wasn¡¯t here to stop Lorik, so why the hell fight him? He was just so unpredictable it felt


    maddening trying to understand him.


    Lorik had gotten up and fought back, and he did have some moves there. The fight went on, and I never


    knew Lorik could fight like that. They hit each other and cursed out loud, but never stopped


    At that moment, it finally dawned on me that Xander hade for me.


    The spark of hope glimmered and sizzled hot, I was going to make it.


    When I was busy praying to God for a miracle, a loud explosion went off, fire raging at the entrance. I


    had sat there scared like shit when my boys busted through the mes, with eyes s o wide they looked


    like night owls. Enzo spotted me and came running towards me. Hope! Salvation.


    My heart had skipped a few beats. They were here. I was safe.


    From there, everything didn¡¯t matter. Lorik and all the things he had said, Xander and his infuriating self,


    they all didn¡¯t matter. But I was so grateful for what he has done. He didn¡¯t have to. God he didn¡¯t risk his


    life toe save me. But he did. And I was indebted to him.


    After being freed from the chains, I had smiled to myself, I was safe. Alive. For the second time, I had


    escaped Lorik¡¯s hell traps and survived.


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    That was all until a loud bang went off, and then I wasying in the pool of my own blood with Enzo


    cradling my head. One minute I was standing beside Raquel, and the next she had pushed me off and


    shot me right in my guts. Raquel the woman who was entrusted with my life shot me. I tried to find all the


    words that could exin why she did that, but I didn¡¯t. 1


    I raised my head and looked at Enzo through very tired eyes. I was feeling it. Life was slowly slipping


    through my fingers. ¡°Ari, no0000!¡± My boy wept as he cradled the wound with me, trying to stop the blood


    that was flowing like a calm steady stream. Extra pair of hands joined in, and I turned to find Verzi¡¯s


    handsome face staring down at me.


    ¡°Don¡¯t you fucking dare Leigh-Ari. Don¡¯t leave us.¡± He rattled pushing down on Enzo¡¯s hands. I raised my


    bloodied hand and cradled his cheek. He leaned into my palm and kissed it, the wetness from his cheeks


    wetting my hand.


    I turned my head to Enzo andid further into him.


    ¡°I am so tired,¡± I informed him in a very weak voice,


    ¡°Ari, please. Stay with us.¡± He cried out, his teardrops hitting my cheek. I smiled at him, feeling so


    depleted to even keep my eyes open. They fluttered close and I let them, and then said the only thing I


    needed them to know. In case they had forgotten.


    ¡°Verzi, Enzo. I love you¡­¡±


    ¡°BULLSHIT LEIGH-ARI DON¡¯T YOU DARE CLOSE YOUR EYES,¡± Verzi yelled yanking my heavy head


    from where it was cradled on Enzo, and then roughly shook me, ¡°soooo much¡­¡±

 Chapter 59

    Chapter 59


    VERNERO POV


    ¡°SHE IS DYING!¡± Valerie¡¯s scream jolted me out of my daze pulling me to the moment. My body trembled


    at the sight of Leigh-Ari whoid limp in our arms, her head cradled in my blood-covered hands.


    ¡°You have to let the paramedics take her.¡± Someone called out pushing me to the side. I robotically stood


    up and absent-mindedly watched as they strapped Leigh-Ari on the stretcher, rolled it out of the


    warehouse, and ced her in the back of the ambnce.


    The heavy sense of nothingness settled heavy on me, numbing everything from the inside. At that time,


    my heart stopped beating, my mind stopped running, everything stopped and I seized breathing. In that


    anathematized minute, I was dead. I wasn¡¯t living. The fire burning inside me had been extinguished,


    breaking to the ground the very remaining stem of my being when Leigh¡¯s body went limp in our arms.


    A very weak, tired hand sped my shoulder,


    ¡°Are youing?¡± Enzo inquired in a very broken voice. My dazed ass turned and looked at him, his


    face was red, so flustered and his eyes were so teary like he had just cried buckets. His pain brimmed


    over, igniting some life inside my numb body.


    Text content ? N?velDrama.Org.


    I stared at him for a good minute and looked at the entrance where they shut the back of the ambnce


    and took off,


    ¡°No!¡± I whispered almost to myself. I was still trying to understand what had just happened. Because it all


    felt like a dream. It had to be a dream! There was no way I could have seen Leigh -Ari covered in so


    much blood, lying limp in my arms. It had to be a cruel prank.


    ¡°We have to,¡± he informed softly and tightened his grip.


    I looked down at Ciello to find him steady and unmoving on top of Lorik who had a big grino n his face.


    The look of triumph was so evident and loud on his face. I could almost hear his thoughts and clearly, as


    he enraptured for his mission had rumped through.


    I thinned my eyes, feeling everything flooding back in a sh. The pain, the repulsion, the great loathing,


    the memories of everything he has put me through, the malicious beating and revolting words he barked


    to me day and night, telling me I was not enough, it all came back and pped me brutally in my face


    engulfing me whole. My body began trembling as the rush of adrenalin coursed through my body. I


    stared down at my bloody hands, the sight of Leigh¡¯s blood caused a chill to drizzle down my spine,


    intensifying the tremours.


    ¡°No.You go along. I have something to take care of.¡± I announced with a nk face while staring down at


    Lorik. He had taught me to mask my emotions, he had told me that emotions were for the weak and that


    he wasn¡¯t going to let his son be a pussy.


    All his teachings were going to be put to use, on him.


    Enzo nodded and then took off, with Valerie running behind him. I was thankful because Valerie was with


    him, he needed someone to hold on to. But I couldn¡¯t at the moment, I had to take care of this, else I


    didn¡¯t know how I¡¯d look Leigh in the eye. Not after what my dear father has done to her!


    ¡°To Dark Woods,¡± I called out and picked the chains that Leigh was restricted in, then left the warehouse


    with my men carrying a very bundled Lorik and Raquel behind. They stuffed them


    in the truck and I sat beside them. I needed to be near them, to feast off their fear. I needed to feed off


    their distress because I was going to need all the energy.


    ¡°Get me out of these chains, son.¡± Lorik¡¯s horrid voice called out and I looked up to find him staring at


    me. He had that ¡®you can¡¯t do anything to me¡¯ look and I so couldn¡¯t wait to show him what I can actually


    do to HIM. Our dear father had always thought he was a unicorn farting rainbows and shit. He always


    believed he is God and that he runs the shit. No, that was not the case. His time was over, I was the


    king, I was the GOD! I ran everything with my brother. Not him. And I was so going to show him all the


    things I have been willing and dreaming to show him.


    I didn¡¯t reply, just continued my staring contest. He didn¡¯t deserve a word from me, and he sure as hell


    didn¡¯t deserve to hear Enzo¡¯s voice. I was going to make sure that he left this world without seeing his


    perfect son! A small smirk stretched up on my face, and then I wiped it off!


    He had no idea what was going to happen to his becursed self. Matter of fact, he knew very well that I


    was going to break every bone in his body, rejoice at his screams and make him suffer everything I


    suffered during my ¡°remodeling phase¡±. The man in front of him was not his son, no he was not. His son


    died years ago after being left to die outside for 5 days straight, tied on a post, in the heart of winter


    under the biting cold where the clouds were angrily spitting cold snow.


    The man in front of him was someone else.


    The ride to Dark Woods was filled with him preaching of how much he loved and cared for us, of how


    much he would die for us. And oh heavens I was so ready to witness that kind of fatherly love. The one


    where the father dies for his sons.


    I wasn¡¯t listening to his rumbling, I just stared at him, face void of all emotions. Raquel was as still as


    death next to, barely breathing. I was d she knew what was go feel the fear reverberating heavily from


    her. As our biggest mercenary, she had witnessed how the traitors were dealt with. Although she hasn¡¯t


    seen the real story behind ¡®Dark Woods¡¯ unfold, she had heard them saying.


    I had trusted her for keeping Leigh safe because she has never done anything that made me wary of her.


    Gosh, she was one of the baddest weapons we had in Turantello. But her time was over, her ride had


    come to an end; because she had just double-crossed me in a way I


    could never think.


    I didn¡¯t want the details, I wasn¡¯t going to waste my time trying to find answers as to why she did what


    she did. No!


    Upon arriving at Dark Woods, I jumped out of the truck and had my men bring the two piles of shit down


    to the dungeons.


    The ce was my favorite in the world. The stone walls carried the screams and multiplied them by a


    hundred, creating the echo that rumbled deep within me, feeding the beast ins me and boosting it with so


    much energy. The more they screamed, the more I got excited.


    We arrived at the foot of the castle and Ciello and the rest of the guys dumped the two shits down,


    strapped them on St. Andrews cross, and then left without saying a thing. I looked up at Lorik and flexed


    my muscles, for it was about to get down!

 Chapter 60

    Chapter 60


    LORENZO POV


    ¡°Sir, you can¡¯t go into the ER while the doctors are treating the patient. Kindly wait here and w e will get


    back to you.¡± A very stern nurse called out trying to push me from the doors which were engraved with


    huge block red letters.


    I robotically just stared ahead, staring into nothing in particr.


    ¡°Hey¡­¡± Someone gently tugged on my shirt, I looked back to find Val looking at me with a very concern-


    filled stare, she wasn¡¯t judging. She was being the stronghold I needed at the very moment. ¡°She¡¯s is


    going to be alright. She is a fighter.¡± She informed in a small voice, adding a little bit of smile. I turned my


    head and looked at the door yet again. Everything just felt so hallucinatory. Nothing about this whole


    vendetta made sense. It was as if someone had just pulled a cruel prank on us, and I was still recovering


    from the aftershocks. Or I had been too happy and caught up in the moment forgetting how cruel and


    unforgiving life actually is.


    I just couldn¡¯t find the answers, the sense in all of this. One minute we had been happy with Ari, our lives


    soplete and notcking of anything, and the next thing I had held her while sheid in the pool of


    blood, body limp and cold in my arms.


    ¡°Ma¡¯am, please get your husband to sit down.¡± The annoying nurse said once again, now in an


    exasperated voice. I didn¡¯t budge. Val took careful steps and defensively stood in front of me, gently


    nudging me backward with her arm,


    ¡°Can I ask you, how long have you been working here?¡± she asked in that badass voice she always


    switched to when she was about to yank some random bitch down her high horse,


    ¡°For some time now.¡± the nurse replied boastfully,


    ¡°Okay! That couldn¡¯t be more obvious. Listen, since you are new here, I am going to let it all slide. This


    man right here can make you disappear with just a snap of his fingers and you would be wiped from the


    surface of the earth and no one would even know where your sorry ass was dumped, not even the gods


    themselves I tell you. You may not know this, but this hospital, he donated shit-ass money so that you


    can get some job here, wear these little scrubs, and have a nice rented apartment with an indoor gym


    and a little pool by the side. And if this is how you are going to treat your benefactor, then I don¡¯t know


    what to say about your sorry becursed self. I suggest you behave before things get really ugly because


    he is so not in a good mood right now.¡± The little nurse let out terrified puffs of air,


    ¡°And oh; he is not my husband. He is my boss and his wife is lying on that cold table in there with a bullet


    inside her stomach. Now pick up your jaw from the dang floor and fuck off.¡± She barked causing the little


    nurse in scrubs to swallow audibly and scurry away hurriedly, the sound of her heels echoed further and


    further as she left the hallway.


    ¡°Asswipe!¡± Val cursed and pulled me by her arm, then carefullyid me down on the chairs in the hallway.


    ¡°Want something to drink? Water, anything?¡± She offered from the corner of my eye. I took my minute


    comprehending her words and then shook my head softly.


    She perched herself next to me and rubbed small circles on my back, without saying anything.


    After a long pregnant pause, the fractions of memories flooded back into my mind, the sight o f Ariying


    in blood reying itself. I so wished my mind was aputer where I could just delete off the damn


    nightmare, get it out of my mind forever. I saw her once again, I felt that sense of helplessness, that


    brutal stab in my heart that had knocked me to my knees when she said those words before her eyes


    fluttered closed,


    It had been the cruelest minutes of my life. Every breath I had taken since that moment felt like a waste


    on me. I had just stared defeatedly as the paramedics whisked her away onto the stretcher.


    ¡°There was so much blood.¡± I intoned out my thoughts,


    ¡°I know. I saw that too.¡± Val replied in a smooth voice and hurried her rubs on my back.


    ¡°No! There was just so much blood, and she had wounds all over. He hit her, Val. My father hit my


    woman and he was d for doing it. And Raquel¡­¡± I let the words hang heavy between us. It still


    sounded foreign even when I said it. There was no way Lorik could have done that, I mean he was our


    dad. Yes, we didn¡¯t have the cutest dad-sons rtionship we saw on TVs, but still, he was our dad.


    ¡°I can¡¯t believe it either. Ari was so good to him.¡± She replied,


    ¡°She¡¯s so good to everyone. Tesoro is kind to everyone, even enemies. You saw Xander, he has grown


    on her. Because she¡¯s my angel, our angel.¡± I had no idea of what I was saying, I just had to talk, to get


    rid of this pent-up tension that was boiling inside me.


    Val didn¡¯t reply, just sat there quietly and listened. ¡°Lorik has never loved Vernero. He always thought of


    him as weak and pathetic. I remember when we were six, Mom arrived home with a little cute bunny for


    Verzi. Verzi was just so empathetic, he felt more than everyone else. And dad knew this. He despised


    him for that. And when mom brought that bunny for him, dad had screamed at her, I remember holding


    Verzi in our bedroom, my hands on his ears so that he couldn¡¯t hear all the shouting. He just sat there


    holding the little white rabbit, with a huge smile on his face. And downstairs, it was so noisy, so loud. The


    last thing I heard was the sound of ss breaking, that was thest day we saw our mother. We never


    saw her after that. And when Verzi asked where she was, Lorik said she visited grams. We believed him,


    Val, we were so young and we didn¡¯t know that our father killed our mother while we were hiding in our


    bedroom. Mom never came back, we asked dad about her but he always dismissed the topic about her.


    And when Verzi grew


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    attached to the bunny, my dad killed it, cooked it, and fed it to him. Can you believe it? He forced him to


    eat it while he stood there with a whip in his hand. Verzi ate his friend in tears, you could have seen him,


    Val. I have never seen my brother so shattered in all my life.¡± A small sob escaped my throat.


    ¡°Oh my goodness,¡± Val whispered and thenid her head on my shoulder, I continued:


    ¡°He took us to Pnd after that. Left us to fend for ourselves. We were only 8 by then. He got u sa maid


    who came once a week to cook and make sure we had everything we needed. We met Ari by then, she


    was just so small, so tiny and chubby and cute. She became our best friend, we loved her. She grew on


    us. For 10 years, we lived with Ari. We would go for sleepovers, she would invite us for hearty meals,


    good food that was prepared with love. Life became meaningful with her around. We even forgot we had


    a son of Lucifer as our father. He never set foot in Pnd. He never called. Hepletely vanished from


    our world. But we never ran out of food, our fridge was always full and we were never expelled for not


    paying the fees. He showed up 10 yearster, telling us we had to leave Pnd. Oh, how we reigned


    hell on him. There was no way we were going to leave Pnd. Not when we had a reason to keep living.


    Ari! She was our reason to dream for tomorrow. Do you want to know what he said? He said we could


    take her¡¯, Val. And we did. Forcefully, we took her innocence and imed her. For years, we had


    fantasized about having her, and by then, that moment where we had her between us, was so


    bewitching. We let our father hurt her through us.¡± 1


    By now tears were unforgivingly pouring down my face, the snort blocking my nose making i t so hard to


    breathe. But I kept going, I spilled my heart down. Everything that has happened since then, all came


    back and crashed down on me, knocking all the air out of my lungs. I heaved for air, trying to make up for


    the lost oxygen. It had been so much. And for the first time since it all began, I allowed myself to be a


    child, to feel weak. I was tired of being the hero. Because no one ever saved the hero.


    Sitting on the cold chain in the hallway of the hospital while my woman was just behind that door fighting


    for her life, I let everything out. And gosh I cried.


    I just never knew. I never knew I had this much burden on weighing me down.


    ¡°After manipting us into believing that we were doing the right thing, we raped her. And then left right


    at that moment and went away with him. Arriving in Italy, he showed me the eptance letter from


    Harvard. I had no idea how he got it, especially because I never applied to Harvard or even had the


    thought of leaving Pnd. I told him I was going with Verzi, he refused. The following morning, he took


    me to the airport, and send me to the US. I didn¡¯t want to leave my little brother with that monster. But I


    had no power to go against him, so I left. I left my brother with that monster and he destroyed him. He


    separated us, Val. He killed our mother, got rid of everything we held dear, manipted us into hurting


    the only woman we cared for, then separated us. He removed my other half from me. I didn¡¯t hear from


    Verzi for the next full 6 years. I wasn¡¯t allowed to go home either. I stayed in the US for that long, no word


    from him, from Verzi. I missed him, so much. I wanted to hold him, I wanted to know how he was doing,


    to hear his cheerful voice. But I couldn¡¯t. I finished my studies, from


    bachelor¡¯s all up to a doctorate. The night of my graduation, I found a random man in my room, telling


    me he was taking me back home. There was something dark and evil about him, and I just knew he had


    something to do with my father. So I left with him without question. Traveled for two days and nights


    straight, thennded in Russia. I remember being thrilled by the idea of being in Russia. I always loved


    Russians¡­¡± I let out a bitter chuckle.¡± We arrived at a huge castle-like property. It was so big and I


    wondered why I was being taken to such a grand ce. I was shown to my room where I freshened up,


    Later that evening, my father came and took me to the dining hall. I found Verzi sitting on the right side of


    him, with so many people dressed in ck. I remember being glued in ce as his eyesnded on me.


    They had been so cold, so lifeless. The man I saw that night wasn¡¯t my brother. My brother was full of


    life, he had this vibrant energy around him, always wore his smile heart on his sleeve. The lifeless,


    stone-cold creature covered in tattoos was not my brother.¡± The day reyed in my mind as clear as the


    day. I remember how he had angrily looked at me. There had been so much I needed to tell him, so


    much I needed to hear from him. But I couldn¡¯t. Because my brother was gone. All that was left was the


    shell of his former being. And I remember wishing to see the smiling boy I left that morning I flew to the


    US. But he was gone.


    ¡°Lorik broke him. He made sure to get rid of the kind little lively boy. He broke him in ways I never


    redeemed possible. He made him the monster he was. Growing up, I was the tyrant because I was


    protecting my mild brother. But now? You¡¯d think I am just bluffing.¡± I wiped


    the tears and looked down at my wet hands. Gosh, I was a mess!


    ¡°He took everything from us, but Verzi; my poor brother had it worst. He took HIM from himself, he


    shredded off his being until all that was left was the soulless shell. I! HATE! MY! FATHER!¡± I stated the


    last words with long heavy pauses in between, making a very strong emphasis on them. ¡°I am so sorry


    Enzo. I am really sorry. I had no idea.¡± Val sniffled next to me and tightened his hold on my arm.


    ¡°I wish I could see the look on his face as Verzi takes his life. He won¡¯t spare him. I mean that¡¯s what he


    wanted from the beginning. For Verzi to be remorseless. Now he gets to have the taste of his own


    medicine. And I won¡¯t even shed a tear for him.¡±


    As soon as the words left my mouth, the ER door slid open, and out came three doctors. I was out of the


    chair in a heartbeat waiting to hear what they had to say:


    ¡°Family?¡± one of the doctors called out, my mouth felt so dry I couldn¡¯t say a word.


    ¡°Oh, she¡¯s my boss. This is her¡­¡± Her voice trailed to nothing..


    ¡°Mr. Cattanio.¡± One of the doctors called out and stepped forward to shake my hand. I shook it back and


    looked at him with pleading eyes, ¡°Madam is out of danger.¡±

 Chapter 61

    Chapter 61


    C


    hapter 61


    BACK IN DARK WOODS


    RAQUEL POV


    wwFLASHBACK


    I had just left the gym and was on my way to the east wing where my bedroom was. I rounded the corner


    and my mind drifted back to mydy. Although sometimes she made me want to scream because of how


    brainless she got, I liked her a lot. I mean just a few days back the mines nearly split her open, and I had


    just told her not to go into Dark WoodsShe was a very good person, sweet, very kind and so warm.


    Being around her never made me feel left out and I felt morefortable with her than any of the girls


    here in Dark Woods. As a hard clodhopper who only knew how to hold a riffle and burst someone¡¯s brain


    from at least 3km away, I never really clicked with the models and bikinis and martinis. I was gung ho


    punk and preferred my things a little way too tight.


    Mydy never made me feel left out or ridiculed me for things I loved. She never, even for a second,


    made me feel like I needed to be someone around her. She was just so weing.


    I grew up in the Familia after my parents just vanished into thin air overnight. That day is still fresh in my


    memory, I knew it intimately. I was only 5 at the time. I remember waking up in a very silent house, which


    was not how it was. My house was always a ruckus, a battlefield kind of noise with my mom singing and


    my dad joining in with his deep voice. They always cracked me up every time. After that, my dad would


    go away to work with his briefcase, leaving my mom and me behind, and thene back in the evening


    with a rose for mom, and candy for me. We were a happy family.


    That morning, I was woken up by the eerie deafening silence and padded downstairs to find a big man


    dressed in ck. He was so big, I remember looking like an ant beside his mountainous body. He had


    smiled at me and said:


    ¡°Mommy and daddy told me toe and take you to your new school.¡± He had informed and coaxed me


    with dolls and unicorns until he left my house with me. The sight of new dolls and barbies was so


    enchanting and captivating to the mind of the 5-year-old. I left with the man who took me to a big castle,


    there he told me that I was a princess. I believed him. I remember arriving inside the castle and finding


    other princesses, who were just as excited as I was. We were each taken to our rooms, fed, and clothed.


    The days of living like a princess went on and on until one day, one big man arrived and gave us guns!


    Since his arrival, we said goodbye to the old princess days. Then weed dark days of hellish training


    The girls were divided into small groups, each taken to a different kind of sector. I was taken t o the


    mercenaries and boy did I outshine my peers. When I reached 10, I knew everything


    there is to know about guns. I slept on them, I ate with them. I was a gun by myself. My very first mission


    was when I was 14. I was sent to shoot some rich ass guy in his hotel room for a good distance from the


    hotel building. I remember being on the rooftop with my riffle, with the ¡®Big Man¡¯ standing behind me, just


    watching. I remember being so calm when I pulled the trigger and then watched as the bullet busted


    through the skull of my target, spilling his brains.


    Since that day, I gained the ¡®Big Man¡¯s respect. He took me with him wherever he went to. By the age of


    17, I was hispdog. Attending to his ¡®needs¡¯ and doing everything that pleased him. He grew on me and


    became the reason why I lived. Pleasing him and getting credit from him was all that mattered. I became


    sharper with him around, more steady and untouchable. That only pulled me closer and closer to him.


    The power he pulled with just a raise of his hand always left me bewildered. Although he was just the


    right man of the boss, hemanded like a real king, and everyone in the familia worshipped him. My


    admiration for him hit the roof, went to greater extremes. I found myself thinking about him more often


    than necessary, found myself pleasuring myself in the middle of the night with his name dancing on my


    tongue.


    Until one night when he ¡®rewarded¡¯ me. My body shuddered by just a mere memory of that night. Besides


    the fire all night long, in his room, his body had slid on top of mine, wet and hot, muscles rippling as he


    slowly yet firmly thrust into me, taking his time to explore my body. I remember screaming his name as a


    very foreign rush of excitement tore through me, my mind going nk from such a beguiling feeling of


    having him between my legs, inside m e, his hot breath caressing the side of my neck. Since that day, he


    had tattooed his name on m y heart, making him a factor I can¡¯t tire of.


    ¡°You look distracted, baby girl.¡± That panty-dropping voice called out a good distance from where I was


    paused in the hallway, making me very aware of the present. My lips parted as I watched him draw


    closer to me in slow, steady steps.


    ¡°I was¡­ thinking,¡± I said inly, trying to refrain from the small shudder and the rush of excitement that


    sizzled all the way down to mydy bids, making me very aware of how aroused I was. He hadn¡¯t even


    laid a hand on me yet, but I was so ready for what he had in store for me. And how I know the goodness


    of it all!


    ¡°I can tell. Mind sharing?¡± He stood right in front of me, his cologne engulfing my sense of smell and


    knocking the air from out of me, I felt so light-headed yet so horny to even think straight. I licked my lips


    and stared up at his face, a bit of stubble evident on his sharp jawlines, he hadn¡¯t shaved. I loved that


    stubble when it brushed between the sensitive smooth skin of my inner thighs.


    ¡°What are you thinking of baby girl?¡± His gentle voice called out yet again, causing me to blush an


    embarrassing shade of red,


    ¡°You!¡± I answered, my breasts brushing against his chest.


    ¡°I know.¡± He said something and raised his hand, then pulled my lower lip with his thumb,


    his eyes following every movement of his finger.


    ¡°I have an assignment for you. Will you do it for me, baby girl?¡± He asked in a sultry voice.


    ¡°Yes. Anything for you.¡± my eyes fluttered close, reveling in the feeling of him against me. Although we


    had clothes between our bodies, I could feel him, from head to toe.


    ¡°Anything?¡± He asked digging his thumb harder into my face,


    ¡°Anything!¡± I replied pulling his thumb into my mouth and sucked on it. He rewarded me with a loud


    rumbling growl that shot straight to my clit, causing it to thrum harder. Gosh, I was so horny!


    ¡°Good girl!¡± hemented and took my hand in his, then let me to his quarters. His room was the


    biggest in the east wing, and it had its


    own rooms inside. Spending time with him always reminded me of that time in Russia. This man, I could


    do anything for him.


    He let me into the shower where he made love to me under the spraying water. The feeling of his wet


    skin against mine made everything so full of meaning. After that, he took me to bed, continued making


    love to me non-stop. I was in love with Lorik. I would burn the world if that¡¯s what he wanted.


    After screaming our release, heid next to me and trailed his finger on my t belly.


    ¡®I want to kill Leigh-Ari.¡± He announced causing me to tear from the bed in shock. I just stood there and


    looked at him like he had grown an extra pair of eyes,


    ¡°I can¡¯t do that,¡± I said without thinking. I didn¡¯t know the assignment he was talking about was mydy. I


    couldn¡¯t kill her. She was the only person who has ever epted me,


    SS


    ¡°I mean it¡¯s¡­ It will be hard to do that. The security and¡­ the bosses, they¡­¡± I rattled trying to find


    something that would convince him not to do that,


    ¡°I know. And you are not going to kill her. I will do the job myself.¡± He said rxing further into his giant


    bed.


    Belongs to (N)?vel/Drama.Org.


    ¡°But¡­¡±


    ¡°All you need to do is to switch off those damn devices in her room. I can take care of the rest.¡±


    ww~END OF FLASHBACK~~~


    va


    Dangling from the heavy chains, I looked to the side where Lorik was chained down, head hanging


    upside down. My heart ached at his helplessness. I wasn¡¯t sad for what I had done, I was sad that I


    couldn¡¯t do anything to help him. From the corner of my eye, Boss V walked towards me holding a mini


    drill, dragging a giant table behind him.


    His face was so nk I couldn¡¯t even read him. I wanted to know what he was thinking; I needed him to


    ask me questions so that I could at least tell him why I did what I did. I knew


    they had trusted me with mydy¡¯s life, but I couldn¡¯t go back on my word, I couldn¡¯t disappoint the only


    man who has ever made me feel whole. I hated the idea of hurting mydy. She was the purest soul I


    have ever met, but I had to do what I had to do.


    Boss V silently and unhurriedly ced the table in front of me, then ced the drill on the surface and


    rounded the table. He was so rxed as if he was about to sit on the recliners under a hot day with a


    drink in his hand.


    He stood on my side and began unchaining me. I didn¡¯t want to be excited at what that might mean. I


    knew today was the day I die. I was not going to be given a chance to walk out of here with my head


    attached to my neck.


    When my hands were free, he pulled the straps from the sides of the table and strapped my hand¡¯s palm


    t, fingers stretched out. He rounded the table and stood in front of me, then looked at me with the


    emptiest eyes ever. He powered the drill and slowly leaned it down. My eyes widened at the realization


    of what was going to happen.


    ¡°Wait, which hand did you use to shoot her?¡± He asked raising the drill. I swallowed audibly and faced


    down; gosh it was going to hurt.


    ¡°The left one,¡± I replied, a few seconds ticked before the cold steel bit into my flesh, prating deeper


    to the bone. A shriek left my lungs as the most excruciating pain coursed through my body. The buzz of


    the drill amplified as the de cut through blood to spurt everywhere as the steel ground through my


    wrist until it bit into the steel table. 1


    By the time he lifted the drill, my hand was no longer attached to my wrist. My body shook at the intense


    pain of being butchered alive


    He powered the drill off and walked off to the far end of the room where he came back holding a bucket. I


    looked to the side to see whether Lorik was watching. Did he see that? What was he thinking? I found


    him as quiet as death, not even watching. His ignorance stung more than the drill had. Boss V stood in


    front of me and took what was my hand, then tossed i t in the bucket and took the drill yet again,


    powering it on. This was going to be the longest night ever.


    ¡°I love him. That¡¯s why I did it.¡± I called out even though he didn¡¯t ask. He had to know why I did it. I


    couldn¡¯t just shoot Mdy without a reason.


    ¡°Pity!¡± He replied tly and ced the drill on the little finger of my right hand, earning himself a good cry


    from me. My muscles trembled at the most intense pain I have ever felt in life. Fuck Lorik¡¯s negligence.


    Being butchered alive was the worst kind of pain!

 Chapter 62

    Chapter 62


    Chapter 62 VERNERO POV


    The night is dark and full of terrors!


    I understood that saying more than anyone could ever fathom. I knew it intimately and felt its meaning in


    and out. For I have lived it before. One time through my sad hateful life, I breathed in darkness and


    breathed out terror. I ate darkness and dumped out terror. Darkness broke every ounce of humanity in


    me, turned it into terror, and made sure it reined all over my body. It took everything from me until I was


    but the darkness that had swallowed me whole.


    Lorik Cattanio, the man whom I once looked up to as a father, the one whom I had dreamed of him being


    my superhero, happened to be my worst nightmare. He was the darkness that took residence in me,


    snipping every little fiber of my being and recing it all with maliciousness, remorselessness, the


    emotionless devil that feasted on the pain and screams o f those I had trampled upon.


    For the very first time since he turned me into this, the sparkle of hope and light had shimmered deep


    inside me, deep within my rotten hardened core. I felt it sizzling daily and growing into bigger mes,


    lighting up my world and ridding the darkness. And that was all t o Leigh¡¯s arrival in my life. She was my


    hope, she became the reason why I wanted to see the light, why I wanted to be a better man.


    Watching her take that bullet had utterly distinguished the little me, letting darkness take full rein of my


    soul yet again. The sight of her blood had made me lose myself in a way I never thought possible. Leigh-


    Ari Montreal was my angel, and without her, I was going straight to hell and there wouldn¡¯t be any


    redemption. And if that¡¯s what it was, then fuck it! What would be the point of living in a world where she


    doesn¡¯t exist?


    My mind drifted to her. I loved that girl. Heavens I loved that soul with every fiber of my cursed, evil, and


    unworthy of redemption being. I loved her so much I couldn¡¯t imagine my days without having her in my


    arms. I needed her, she was the factor that controlled my heart, she owned me. This broken, shattered


    soul was all hers. A tremor shot through me at


    the thought of herying in a pool of her blood. She had to live. Goodness, she had to live!


    While I was busy maiming and dismembering the Judases here, Leigh-Ari was fighting for her life at the


    hospital. I didn¡¯t even know which hospital she was taken to. I feared for her because I was afraid she


    might leave me. She might leave US. And if she did, there was no guarantee of what would happen to


    me. To my brother! My poor brother, the center of my life and my citadel.


    When the first light of the morning chased away the darkness that covered thend, I called Ciello down


    and some of the guys to help me take the now incapacitated Raquel up. She was still alive, which was


    rather shocking. I hadn¡¯t expected that she would hold on this long, especially after drilling each limp off


    her body. But then she was so strong, I¡¯d give her that.


    It¡¯s a pity she had to betray me and hurt the only woman I¡¯d burn the world for. If she hadn¡¯t done that,


    she was going to live her life like a queen. But again, she made her choice, didn¡¯t she?


    ¡°Just kill me already! You can¡¯t leave me hanging here like a fuckin¡¯ bat for everyone to see. How dare


    you humiliate me in front of these cowards?¡± Lorik barked struggling down the chains, causing them to


    make a loud sound as they swung him around. The sight of him so bound and helpless was a frickin¡¯


    feast to my eyes. And they say the eyes are the windows to the soul, now just imagine how thrilled I was!


    So dang happy!


    ¡°Not yet! You and I have a loooo00ooooot to talk about.¡± I called out dragging the chair next to his


    suspended body and cing it under him. I sat down and watched him, then busted outughing when


    he red at me angrily. I couldn¡¯t believe this day had finallye. I was beginning to think there was


    never going to be a time I got to experience such a beguiling


    moment,


    ¡°The mighty Lorik Cattanio. Who would have thought?¡± I asked with a huge grin on my face.


    ¡®I regret not killing you. You should¡¯ve died that¡­¡±


    ¡°GIITTIITI!¡± I scrunched my nose, squinted my eyes, and raised my hand, fainting a small roar at him,


    and thenughed again.


    ¡°You know, it¡¯s funny how you still think you are in control. I kind of admire your mind. I mean no one


    stays this delusional for so long. It¡¯s impable. Truly amazing. Like, look at you, screaming and yelling


    at me.¡± I said reclined back and watching as the air literally left his lungs. It was clear that he had never,


    even in his wildest dreams, ever thought that he would be the one on suspended chains, head upside


    down. I mean I didn¡¯t go extra as he had done. with me, he ced a raging fire right beneath me. The


    pain from the heated chains had been so intense that I passed out.


    ¡°I am your father you dicktard. And Imand you to get me out of these chains.¡± He said in a calmer


    voice, but he still held that spite and I didn¡¯t like it. It made me so sick I wanted to throw up the nothing in


    my stomach!


    ¡°Oh no! That¡¯s where you got it wrong. I am not your son.¡± I said leaning closer to him, ¡°You remember


    that time you left him out in the biting cold, for three damn nights without food or anything to cover his


    body, that¡¯s where you lost your son.¡± I corrected.


    ¡°Then who are you?¡± He asked with a serious face.


    ¡°I am the devil,¡± I said then got up from the seat andughed.


    Ciello and the rest of the guys entered at that moment in a long queue,


    ¡°I brought you a new shirt, boss,¡± Ciello informed motioning to a small tee draped on his shoulder. I


    looked at my bloodied self and winced at the sight of the blood that had covered m y whole front. If Leigh


    was here, she was going to kill me, like literally, she was going to kill m e and bury me with her own


    hands.


    I nodded to Ciello and the guys pulled Raquel up, then followed me out the dungeons. The walk into


    Dark Woods was silent, filled with the sound of our feet against the drying leaves. The mines had done a


    good number on the trees here, but despite the great destruction, one tree caught my eye.


    It was lean, so sharp with no branches on the log. It was dry, nicely perched for what came next! I


    pointed it and the guys bunched Raquel on it, tying her with the ropes that had taken a


    good soak in the gasoline, then dried up to absorb the gasoline into its fibers.


    Ciello hurriedly tore the sulfur pack open and covered Raquel all over, leaving her eyes out so that she


    could watch. I squatted in front of her and intensely looked at her. I felt for her. She had exined why


    she had done that! And I truly felt for her. It¡¯s a pity her love was the cause of her doom.


    *1¡­am¡­ s-sorry.¡± She whispered with her head hanging between her shoulders. I squinted m y eyes


    and then nodded.


    ¡®I am too!¡± I truly was, but not for what I did. I was sorry that she fell in love with the wrong person. And


    what had gotten to me was that Lorik didn¡¯t even say anything to her, didn¡¯t console her while she was


    going through the torture. Lorik was a heartless monster, Raquel deserved better. Maybe in her next life,


    she won¡¯t stumble upon a creature like Lorik. 1


    I got up and took a matchbox from one of my guys, lit it, and then tossed the burning matchstick on the


    lime-yellowish powder. The powder weed the me and quickly roared, spreading so fast and licking


    every inch of her body. Her lungs tore open as the ear shattering scream erupted from the inside, filling


    the early morning sky with her pained cry. The scent of the burned fleshed polluted the air, making it so


    unbearable to the hearts of the innocent. I was not innocent, and that word didn¡¯t exist in my world. And


    to prove that, her cry soothed me, calmed me in a way I couldn¡¯t tell.


    N?velDrama.Org ? 2024.


    I turned my back and started to walk away, leaving the fire to take care of the one who had gone against


    me. I went straight to the west wing and got into Leigh¡¯s room, the sight of her blood marring the whole


    ce leaving a bitter taste in my mouth. There were sses all over, the whole ce was a battlefield. It


    looks like she went down fighting, and a good sense of relief tugged at my heart, making me smile. She


    was my tigress, and I knew she was still fighting even now. She wouldn¡¯t just leave us. She loved us, she


    said that. Through that haze o f seeing her covered in blood, I heard her when she told us she loved us.


    And she wouldn¡¯t dare die. If she did, I would resurrect her, kiss her and hold her, then kill her yet again.


    And then do that for at least a hundred times until she runs out of life.


    I picked up her favorite ne and ced it on her bed, then went into the bathroom where I stood


    under the shower heads and let the water wash away the dried blood of my body. Once I was through, I


    climbed in my car and left for the hospital, thanks to Ciello for getting the information beforehand. I


    needed to see her. I needed to be with my brother. My head felt like it was going to explode from so


    much bottled in vendetta. It was a dang ruckusi n my mind and I knew only my brother could keep it


    down.


    Upon arriving, I was escorted up to the fourth floor into the recovering room. The scent of antiseptics, the


    nauseating bitterness in the air, and the lingering smell of fragrances made m y stomach churn painfully.


    The metal scent of blood was also heady and I tried to figure out whether it was because I had bathed in


    blood for the whole night, or because I was in a damn hospital where there¡¯s blood all over. The little


    nurses in scrubs and doctors made my mind drift to Leigh. I so wanted to see how she looked when she


    saved a life. I needed to watch her.


    The elevator dinged open and I took a step out. The nurse walked on hurried steps in front of me and my


    heart dropped with every footstep I took towards the room where she was kept. W


    e stopped in front of a door written VIP and she bowed before turning back and leaving. I stood outside


    for a good minute before pushing the door open.


    The first thing I was a huge ass bed with Leighying there with her eyes closed. My heart skipped a


    beat or two as I saw her beautiful face. Even whenying on death bed, Leigh-Ari managed to be the


    most beautiful woman in the world and that was really unfair. There were at least a million tubes that


    were connected to her body and then stretched to the machines that were making the most annoying


    beeping sounds ever. I took a step a little further and closed the door behind me.


    A loud thud sounded from somewhere on the couches, I quickly whisked my gun and jumped to find


    Enzo groaning. I didn¡¯t know whether I shouldugh or help him up. He got up, very slowly and so


    unsteady, and straightened up. His eyesnded on me and he came straight to me and pulled me in a


    long hug. I let him share my burden, let him calm the storm inside me. We stayed locked for a long


    minute, with him just holding me, and me being weak in his arms. ¡°She did it. Our woman survived.¡±

 Chapter 63

    Chapter 63


    LEIGH-ARI POV


    ~~~5 WEEKS LATER~


    Sitting at the rooftop on the side of the west wing, I looked up at the naked trees thatid ahead, with


    leaves shed to the ground and the branches stark naked. The forest which was once so dense was now


    a small boscage, thanks to the mines that nearly ruptured me open Just the thought of that had me


    laughing softly. I tugged on my fleece shawl that was draped over myp, shielding me from the biting


    cold of the end of November. Winter was finally here, carrying with it the frost that spared none. The little


    sun in the sky provided the little heat that warmed me up, despite the whir of the cold wind.


    The past year had been a rollercoaster ride. Once I was just a normal citizen of Cyprus, a good doctor


    that took pride in saving lives, a friend, and a neighbor. Then suddenly everything went downhill that


    night I saved a guy, brought him into my apartment, and stitched him back to life. Had I called the police,


    surely things wouldn¡¯t have turned out the way they did.


    My life took a turn for the worst since that night, but if I were to be honest, I did not regret even a single


    thing that has happened. All the unfortunate things that befell me since my arrival in Dark Woods, made


    me the woman I am today. From being locked in the steam room, to being spanked till I couldn¡¯t sit, the


    sleepless nights where I cried under the nkets and being pointed with a gun at least a few times, I did


    not regret even a single one of them.


    But it was truly sad, having to find out that all your life, you have been living under someone¡¯s watchful


    eye, without even knowing. It took a gun in my spleen to realize I wasn¡¯t really living my life for myself. I


    truly wasn¡¯t. Since that day that the two boys arrived, across the street 20 years ago, I lost the right over


    my life.


    That¡¯s right. My memories are back. After waking up from a sma due to the Splenectomy, I woke


    up feeling like a new person. I wasn¡¯t just Leigh-Ari from post-ident. I was me. And my memories


    were all back. From the day my mom left us, to the very first sleepover with the boys, I remembered it all.


    I was confused at first because, since the beginning of forever, I wasn¡¯t seeing the faceless figures and


    pieces that didn¡¯t make a full picture. I had called for a nurse, exined everything to them, and that I


    needed to do a quick PET scan. After knowing that I was a doctor, they all agreed to the scan and many


    other tests.


    as a


    When the results came out, it was clear that my hippocampus was healed. It was magical. And my boys,


    they were with me through it all and never left my side. I remember when I slipped back to thend of the


    living, I woke up to find Verzi sleeping on my shoulder, while Enzo was sitting by the bed with my hand in


    his, his head crushing down my thigh. I had justughed softly. They never changed. When their eyes


    opened and saw me, they went wild. I


    have never seen them so happy. They looked so ragged and tired, and I didn¡¯t me them. This has


    been so much for all of us.


    One thing I did however was that I didn¡¯t tell them about me regaining my memories. They just went with


    me to do the scans and had no idea why I was doing them. I had to lie to them and said the scans were


    rted to the surgery, poor them! They believed me!


    Thank God they weren¡¯t doctors and they couldn¡¯t read the scan results. I figured they didn¡¯t have to


    know I regained my memories back.


    I wasn¡¯t trying to be selfish. It wasn¡¯t that. I was just reveling in the feeling of being reconnected to my old


    self, the younger me who was so carefree and so happy. I didn¡¯t want t o share that with anyone. Not


    even the twins, at least not yet.


    After that, they had taken me back to the castle, insisting that I had to recuperate at home. Verzi hated


    the hospitals, he grumbled about the scent of the antiseptic and nurses who always told him to move. He


    was just him! And he came in a full package!


    ¡°Tesoro.¡± Enzo¡¯s soft voice called out, I turned my head in my wheelchair and stared at his handsome


    face, then gave him a small smile. ¡°Hey.¡±


    He walked towards me and kissed the top of my head, then grabbed the handles of the wheelchair and


    turned it around.


    ¡°You should go inside. You will catch a cold out here.¡± He informed wheeling my chair towards the


    entrance where my rampid.


    ¡°I don¡¯t want to go inside.¡± I conflicted hitting the stop button on the armrest, mming the brakes of the


    electric wheelchair. Technology has never been better!


    ¡°It¡¯s cold out here.¡± He called out bewildered, I turned and stared at him.


    ¡°I am wearing enough clothes,¡± I gestured to the heavy woolen sweater I had on, he stayed quiet for a


    second and nodded, then wheeled me back to where he had found me.


    ¡°Where¡¯s Verzi?¡± I asked staring out at the forest. The renowned Dark Woods. The name didn¡¯t seem


    befitting now. I think they were more like Funny Woods than Dark!


    ¡°He¡­ uh¡­ He went out¡­¡± He said with a bit of a stammer, they were just so bad at lying. I wonder how


    they managed to deceive me at first.


    ¡°I want to see Lorik,¡± I informed causing his eyes to widen in shock.


    ¡°Bullshit! You are not seeing that asshole. Verzi is finishing him off as we speak.¡± He cursed, ratting


    himself out.


    I arched a brow, causing him to realize what he just blurted out. He covered his mouth with his hands


    and then turned his broad back on me. I just chuckled and turned my wheelchair using the little joystick.


    Was it even called that? Joystick?


    ¡°I¡¯ll go by myself,¡± I announced already heading for the stairs. He came running after me and then


    stopped right in front of me.


    ¡°You can¡¯t go in there.¡± He said with a serious face.


    ¡°Are you aware that I am tired of you two treating me like a kid?¡± I said in a stern voice. His shoulders


    dropped and his head hung low, I hadn¡¯t meant that toe out too harsh, but it did.


    ¡°I mean you can¡¯t go in the wheelchair.¡± He corrected, I smiled at him and got up to my feet, cing the


    fleece on the chair.


    ¡°I can walk,¡± I said with a grin.


    ¡°No! You aren¡¯t walking.¡± He contradicted and scooped me up bridal style, tearing a small giggle from out


    of me.


    ¡°What are you doing?¡± I asked as he walked us in the other direction,


    ¡°I am taking you down there.¡± He said in a small voice, furrows bundling on his forehead.


    ¡°I can walk. I had my spleen removed, not my spinal cord.¡± I pointed out and he looked down a t me with


    a serious face, and then looked forward continuing with his steady strides.


    ¡°I know. But you haven¡¯t healedpletely.¡± He said as he began climbing down the stairs.


    I ced my head against his shoulder, letting the sound of his heartbeat soothe me. A lot has changed


    since that incident. Something inside me had shifted. I was still madly in love with the boys, but I didn¡¯t


    want to be tied down to them anymore. I wanted to be free, to be let out of the cage. And I wasn¡¯t going


    to let anything stop me.


    ¡°What are you thinking about?¡± He asked in a gentle tone that made a small echo in the creepy stone


    staircase. I looked up at under chin and then shook my head. 1


    Belongs to (N)?vel/Drama.Org.


    ¡°Nothing,¡± I said instead,


    ¡°Hmmmm.¡± He said.


    ¡°You sound like Verzi when you say that.¡± I pointed out causing him to chuckle.


    ¡°Do I?¡±


    ¡°Yeah. You too are so much alike, yet so different.¡± I said cing my hand on his t chest, heat


    resonating through his dress shirt..


    The walk into the dungeons took almost forever, but soon, we came to that clearing that always made my


    heart skip fast from how unsettling it was.


    The walls were pure stone, doors made with giant iron bars that creaked painfully creating a ghostly


    sound. Thenterns didn¡¯t make anything better, just made it all worst. While I was busy looking around,


    my eyesnded on a half-dead body that looked so pale. It was as if it


    has been drained off every single drop of blood from the veins. The eye bags were so huge, with dark


    circles marring the under eyes. It was dressed in a thin pair of shorts, and from here, I could see the


    outline of the skeleton vividly. I have no idea how ghosts look like, but I tell, I was looking at one!


    The bulky rich guy who had kidnapped me and abused me was now chained on a stool looking so frail


    and so weak like his soul could depart at any moment.


    A shocked gasp left my lips, and Enzo gently ced me on my feet.


    ¡°You shouldn¡¯t in here,¡± Verzi called out emerging from the shadows, I looked at him for a good second


    and then shifted my eyes at the very tormented Lorik who was literally hanging by a loose thread. I had


    no doubt with this one, but the Gream Ripper was already telling him stories of the afterlife. 1


    I didn¡¯t reply to Verzi, instead, on the hushed steps, I walked towards Lorik and perched myself on a


    chair that was in front of him. His chest rose and fell slowly, and that was the only sign that he was still


    alive.


    ¡°I would like to talk to him. In private.¡±


    ¡°Oh hell no!¡±


    ¡°What the fuck?¡±


    The boys yelled, jumping to secure my sides in a split second. They red daggers at Lorik who just sat


    there with his head hanging on his shoulders.


    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t do anything to her even if I wanted.¡± He slightly raised his hand, cancel that, his arm that had


    no hand. Coagted ck blood made a coating around the angry wound. A shudder tore out of me at


    the unnerving sight, making my stomach churn painfully.


    I looked up at Verzi and to find him watching me, his face a little sad. It was as if he was waiting for me to


    yell at him for doing what he did. Because I bet my heart this was all his


    doing.


    ¡°I¡¯ll be okay. He won¡¯t hurt me.¡± I informed adding a small smile. The sense of relief evidently washed


    over him, and he gave me a small nod in return.


    ¡°Are you sure?¡± Enzo asked from my left. I nodded at him and he leaned down to kiss my forehead, then


    the two of them left the clearing.


    ¡°Call us if anything happens!¡±


    I reclined in my seat and took my time assessing Lorik. When I stepped in here, I hadn¡¯t fully seen the


    damage done to his body, but I tell you, he was better off dead. A proud man like him wasn¡¯t going to live


    in this world looking like this.


    He had deep cuts all around his pale body, and the blood from the cuts was uncleaned which made the


    blood clots mar him all over. The sight wasn¡¯t pleasing to the eye. I looked lower to


    his feet, to find them¡­ gone. Both of his feet were gone, leaving just a leg-stick. The only limb he had


    was one left hand, which was missing two fingers. The stench of blood and death was so heavy around


    him.


    ¡°You canugh. I know that¡¯s what you came in here for.¡± He spat in a low voice. Instead of doing that, I


    got up and searched for a clean cloth, then took a bottle of drinking water and wetted the cloth with it.


    I walked to him and began scrapping the clots from him. He winced at first, but then rxed when he


    realized I wasn¡¯t going to stop.


    In silence, I scrapped the disgusting clots off his back, revealing deep wounds that seemed to have been


    caused by a dagger, or a sharp knife. The wounds were coupled with the angry purplesh marks all


    over his back. I didn¡¯t even want to begin to imagine what Verzi had looked like when he did all this. I


    couldn¡¯t paint that picture in my mind.


    When his back was through, I looked around and spotted a small sink. I went to it and ran the bloodied


    cloth under cool water, and then got back to work.


    We stayed in a long silence, but I could hear he wanted to say something. ¡°Why are you doing this?¡± He


    asked when I began cleaning his hands. ¡°I am a doctor,¡± I replied inly and focused on his maimed


    arm.


    ¡°Yes, but why?¡±


    ¡°If the wound is not treated, it will be inmed and it won¡¯t heal faster. I think you know that.¡± I said and


    scrapped the clot that was covering the whole wrist.


    He didn¡¯t reply, just let me finish with what I was doing.


    ¡°You must be thrilled to see me like this.¡± He said and then attempted to chuckle, only to cough out


    violently making his body shake so bad I thought he was going to crumble into a heap of bones. I cradled


    his body with my hands until the coughing subsided.


    ¡°I am not,¡± I said refuting him.


    ¡°That¡¯s because you are stupid.¡± He said as I helped him lean back to his seat.


    ¡°Maybe,¡± I said softly and went back to work.


    ¡°I so want to kill you right now.¡± He announced, and I smiled. He noticed this and froze,


    ¡°You are smiling.¡±


    ¡°I am.¡± I looked up at his sunken face and fuck! This man was on the brink of death.


    ¡°Why? I just said I want to kill you.¡±


    ¡°Has that ever worked out for you?¡± I asked with my smile so big, then refocused my attention on the


    cleaning. Words seemed to fail him when my words sunk deeper into him.


    ¡°You tampered with my dad¡¯s car in an attempt to kill me. I survived. You kidnapped me and shot me. I


    survived. You can try another method again, I will survive. Throw anything at me Lorik and I will survive


    it.¡± My words shot straight to his heart causing him to shrink even further. I wasn¡¯t trying to make him feel


    any worse, I was just telling the truth, and the truth will always be bitter.


    He didn¡¯t say anything further, and I didn¡¯t either. I jeast cleaned his body in silence, and once I was


    through, I got up and discarded the cloth, then stood a good foot from him. His eyesnded on me, I


    smiled at him and said:


    ¡°I forgive you!¡±


    And with that, I turned my back and left him there. No matter how malicious he had been to m e, there


    was no point holding a grudge to a dead man. Hell would deliver the punishment for me.

 Chapter 64

    Chapter 64


    BONUS CHAPTER 1


    LORIK POV


    ¡°I forgive you.¡±


    The words charged at me like a sharp dagger that gatecrashed through my heart leaving me breathless.


    Heat rose from my neck and settled just right above my head, creating a cloud of intense self-loathing


    that made my ears deaf. With blurred vision, I watched as she slowly sashayed out of the damp dense


    cer where I was chained.


    My eyes followed her movements until she was out of view. My mind reeled with all sorts of thoughts


    recalling all the evil things I havemitted. She had forgiven me, despite everything I had done to her.


    She forgave me and bathed me clean, after being tortured by my son for how long¡­ Heck, I didn¡¯t even


    know how long I have in here without food, water, let alone taking a bath. I reeked of death and all the


    things I have done in my past. Vernero always brought him a small bite of protein bar just to keep me


    alive, nothing more than that. I was famished, my throat so patched it felt like it was burning. In my


    darkest moment where I felt life slipping through my fingers, Leigh-Ari gave me water to drink and


    quenched my thirst.


    Good lord, had I been wrong all these years? Was I wrong to want what¡¯s best for my sons? Was I wrong


    to uproot things that would bring them distraction? I just wanted what was best for them. I never wanted


    my sons to end up as low lives with nothing to do. I wanted to pave a way for them, to sharpen them and


    make them unstoppable, and they were exactly what I had hoped. What wrong did Imit in doing all


    that?


    A lone tear escaped my eye and drizzled down my cheek. I couldn¡¯t even believe what had just


    happened. When I saw her, I thought she came in here tough at my face, to torment me even further


    and tell me how much of a failure I was, how weak and pathetic I am. That¡¯s what I had hoped for.


    Because at least I wouldn¡¯t have felt so shitty like I was.


    My heartfelt lighter, it was at that moment it dawned to me that I needed her forgiveness. I needed Leigh-


    Ari to forgive me for all I have done to her. Her forgiveness was what made me look forward to my death


    without regret, not because I was running away from all my sins, but because I was redeemed and ready


    to receive my befitting punishment.


    I have hurt the only people I tried to protect, and there was no way I could ever undo all the things I did to


    them. But out of all the fiasco, Leigh-Ari suffered the most. She didn¡¯t even have to forgive me. Heck!


    Even if she cursed me and told me to rot in hell, I wouldn¡¯t cry and raise a ruckus, I deserved it. I was sp


    unworthy of her forgiveness, but she chose to forgive me nheless.


    That made me feel so pathetic and low like I have never felt in all my life.


    An image of ia shed through my mind like a tape recorder in slow motion. Her hazel eyes and


    pearly white teeth with a smile that could brighten up the whole world, she had been the most beautiful


    girl I have everid my eyes on. And instead of cherishing her and thanking her for the wonderful gifts


    she gave me, I killed her. She gave me a reason to live, she gave me two sons, but I didn¡¯t give her the


    credit she deserved. I whipped her every minute of her days, cursed her, I could literally see the angry


    lash marks on her porcin skin. Despite everything I did to her, she still came home to me, to our sons,


    to us.


    And then I killed her. With my own hands, I killed her. The look on her face when she gave out herst


    breath shed even slower. At that moment I had her lean body between my legs, straddling her, with my


    hands squeezing tight on her throat, preventing all the air from entering her body and leaving. I


    remembered as she tried to fight me off, hitting my arms and trying to pry my hands off her neck with her


    small delicate hands, but I didn¡¯t budge.


    I had throttled her until her face turned purple, her eyes had pleaded with me, as she silently begged for


    me to get off from her, but I didn¡¯t. Gosh, I killed her. she didn¡¯tst long. She became weaker until her


    eyes rolled into the back of her head and her body went limp. I didn¡¯t let go. Even when her arms


    dropped to her sides I just held on tight. And my beautiful ia died. The mother of my sons died and I


    had killed her.


    I didn¡¯t deserve Leigh-Ari¡¯s forgiveness. I didn¡¯t.


    Soft murmurs echoed around the stone walls as Lorenzo and Vernero emerged to where they had gone


    off to after being dismissed by their girl. The way they let her control them always puzzled me. My boys


    took orders from no man, but one word from Leigh-Ari had them on their knees, submitting to everything


    she said. That never went well with me. I hated the idea of my boys being weak, being controlled by


    someone else. But that little girl knew just the right words to say to them and they would do whatever she


    wanted.


    Was that how it is supposed to be like? To be controlled by a woman like that? To be ordered around like


    a headless chicken? Was I supposed to let ia control me as Leigh-Ari did with the boys?


    I guess we¡¯ll never know.


    I watched as the boys drew closer towards me, Enzo had his eyes on his feet as they conversed slowly.


    They halted and then looked up the stairs where Leigh-Ari had taken off to, their voices were so low, so


    full of admiration and adoration and pure appreciation whenever they talked about Leigh-Ari. I don¡¯t know


    what that was, but I bet you my rotten life it was love. They loved her, they always did. And I hurt her.


    ¡°See you up.¡± Enzo gave his brother a small hug and then climbed up, without much of a nce at my


    side or even a word. I longed to hear his voice, I longed for him to talk to me and call me ¡°pops¡± like he


    used before I sent him to the US. And how long it has been!


    as


    I waited and waited with my breath hitched, for his voice to call me out, but what I heard was the sound


    of his footsteps as he climbed up the cold, stone stairs, leaving me behind. He


    Belongs to (N)?vel/Drama.Org.


    hated me. And I had myself to me for all of that. My head felt so heavy that it just dropped between


    my shoulders. Verzi¡¯s steps were all I could hear as he took steps towards me, then stood right in front of


    me, removing the chair from sight.


    ¡°She may have forgiven you, but I haven¡¯t. Because you didn¡¯t raise me like that.¡± He informed in a in


    voice, so raw and empty of any emotion. It hurts! Goodness, it hurts so bad.


    This is what I had wanted, this is what I had hoped for, why did it hurt like this? Why did it feel like


    someone had my heart in their fist, and they were angrily clenching on it with each passing second,


    painfully squeezing all the blood out? Why?


    Had I treated him better, had I epted him as the small, soft, and mild boy, so full of life and always


    supercharged, would things be this way? The image of his toothy grin shed in my mind, the day he


    hade to me holding a toad in his hands, so happy about it. The smile on his face when his mother


    gifted him a bunny. He had looked at me with a huge grin and thenughed out loud, he had been so


    happy.


    ¡°Do you remember Stickas?¡± I asked facing down, my eyes shut close because I couldn¡¯t bring myself to


    look at him. I didn¡¯t even deserve looking at his face to see all the damage I had done to him!


    ¡°Hmmm. How can I forget him? You forced me to eat his flesh remember?¡± He spat stepping from my


    line of sight.


    ¡°Your mother gifted it to you.¡± I ignored his biting spite and focused on something I needed to


    say.


    ¡°I know. And then you killed her right after. It was my fault for existing. Had I not been there, maybe she¡¯d


    still be alive.¡± He intoned causing me to raise my head abruptly. Words seemed t o be stuck in my throat


    as I watched him cleaning his dagger so unhurriedly, his face was still nk, and I so wanted to know


    what he was thinking. But one thing that made me feel like a dick head was that he med himself. He


    med himself for his mother¡¯s death. All these years, Vernero carried the burden of guilt, and I caused


    all that. But what made me want to lose my medu was the fact that I never knew! Heavens what have I


    done?


    ¡°It wasn¡¯t your fault,¡± I said inly and let the tears pour down my face. Gosh, it wasn¡¯t his fault. He didn¡¯t


    know anything, he was a child, a lovely child who knew nothing.


    ¡°Then whose fault was it? Yours? I remember you screaming at her that she¡¯s spoiling me. And that


    makes it my fault. Everything that has happened, to mom, to my brother, to Tesoro, you did all because


    you hated me.¡± He shrugged off casually, making my heart sink even further.


    ¡°It¡¯s not like that. It was never your fault son. You were never at fault.¡± My shoulders shook as a sob


    wretched through me. He didn¡¯t reply, he didn¡¯t have to. Vernero was one child who suffered the most. I


    knew intimately how I tortured him. Now when death was right in fronto fme, I saw how stupid I was. And


    Vernero, my poor boy became the victim of my stupidity. He suffered so much and I did all that. All I ever


    did to him was take, and take, and take until he


    had nothing more to give. Even when it was to that extent, I still took from him. Until Ipletely took his


    being, and he med himself. How can I be so horrible?


    ¡°I am sorry son. I am so sorry. For everything.¡± I intoned through a sob. I didn¡¯t need his forgiveness, I


    didn¡¯t deserve it. Even if he chose not to forgive me, I wouldn¡¯t me him.


    ¡°Hmmm! I am sorry too. That I was never what you wanted.¡± He said and walked towards him. He stood


    in front of me and lifted my head with the sharp de of the dagger, causing its sharp edge to bite on the


    smooth skin under my chin.


    ¡°You suck Lorik. You are the cruelest monster this world could ever have. You killed me. You killed me


    completely because you hated me. No amount of forgiveness could ever redeem your forsaken heart.


    Heck, even the devil himself is going to deny you. That¡¯s how rotten you are. Not even the devil would


    want you in his abode.¡± He yelled in my face, his words piercing so deep inside me I felt like I was going


    to lose my mind. My whole body felt like it was being consumed by this raging fire that burned me deep


    to my core. At that moment, I felt hell. I knew hell was real, and I was in hell.


    ¡°Hold on to Leigh-Ari. Love her the way I failed to love your mother.¡± I said in a small voice. M y heart


    shattered even further when a lone tear drizzled down his eye.


    He didn¡¯t reply, instead, he pulled back his hand and then hurriedly jammed the dagger through my


    ribcage, all the way to my heart. My eyes stayed glued to his face as he twisted itt o the side, causing it


    to dive even further and rapture my heart. Blood gushed out of my mouth as seconds ticked by. I felt life


    running through my fingers like smooth sand, my vision gave out, and my tongue became heavy in my


    mouth.


    ¡°So¡­ S-sorry.¡± The words escaped my mouth, and they were responded to by a loud, tormented,


    tortured, and pained scream from my beloved son. His cry apanied me to the afterlife!

 Chapter 65

    Chapter 65


    VERNERO POV


    A wall-shattering scream tore out of my lungs, as my body sunk into a deep bottomless sea of cold


    water. I watched as the air leave his body, his soul departing with his ck eyes still glued to my face.


    For the very first time since I have known my father, this was the time he looked at me with fatherly love,


    the one kind I have longed for, for as long as I can remember; and my heart hurt so much. I didn¡¯t


    understand it! Why did it hurt so bad? Why did I feel weak in the knees for killing him while it has been


    the one thing that I have dreamed of?


    Tears streamed down my face as I turned the dagger, eliciting a squelching sound as it tore deeper and


    deeper through his heart. He was dead already because he wasn¡¯t moving. But his eyes were as open


    and as clear as day! I screamed! God, I screamed so hard that my cry made the walls of the dungeons


    tremble.


    With a very defeated body, I slowly pulled the dagger from him, and then robotically watched as it


    dropped between me and his dead body! I killed him! I killed my fat me the same monster as he was?


    Didn¡¯t that make me as wretched and as evil as he was? He told me he was sorry, he said it through


    tears that he was sorry and I didn¡¯t listen to him. Instead, I jammed a sharp dagger through his heart, the


    one I had crafted a millennia ago. I have long prepared for this day, I had imagined the thrill and


    excitement as I watched the air leave his forsaken body!


    But what I felt right now was entirely the opposite of what I had thought!


    With that I dropped between his knees andid my head on hisp; then cried. There was no sound


    coming out, just bitter tears that didn¡¯t seem to stop. It was as if the gates were open, and the tears just


    poured freely. I cried so much it felt like my body was going to grumble. I cried for his soul, for everyone


    he has hurt! For all the things he had done, to me, my mother, my brother, and my sweet, sweet Leigh-


    Ari. I let it all out.


    A wild imagination shed through my head, I saw a better ce, a better life where I had a loving father


    who yed catch with me in the backyard, and I saw a life where my mother prepared a warm dinner for


    all of us, and then tug us into our beds at night. I saw a life where I was the vet, taking care of the sweet,


    helpless animals. I saw a life where my brother was my everything! It all passed in front of my eyes,


    tearing my heart even further.


    I felt depleted, spent, so sated from crying. The guilt that consumed me knew no bounds. He asked me


    to forgive him, but I turned a deaf ear on him. Even after torturing him for that long, maiming him, and


    ensuring that he was tormented as I had been; I still didn¡¯t find it in my stone-cold heart to forgive him.


    And in the end, I killed him. Didn¡¯t that make me the worst?


    On the very trembling knees, I got up and closed his eyes for the veryst time; and then


    began unchaining his body. I picked all the remains of him andid him on the steel table, took all the


    maimed limbs, then began piecing them back on his body. After that, I retrieved a white cloth and


    covered him, wrapping it firmly around him so that nothing dropped. When I was all through, I took the


    secret exit that was at the end of the dungeons, walked robotically with his body in my hands until I came


    to the iron doors at the other side of Dark Woods. It was dark outside, as dark as it was inside me.


    Belongs to (N)?vel/Drama.Org.


    After cing him gently on the ground, I opened the iron doors causing them to creak painfully against


    the hard ground, the sound so abusing to my already tormented body and soul. I yet again picked him up


    and walked further into the woods through the night, then arrived at that one tree that I had nted for


    this very cursed day. Great self-loathing consumed me whole as I realized how evil I have been since the


    very first beginning. I had nted the tree while I was blinded by hatred and vengeance. Now, now I saw


    what kind of a monsterid just beneath the core of my being. :


    Iid him down, pushing him until he was leaning against the dry log, and secured his dead body with the


    ropes. I fished for a lighter in my pocket and then lit the cloth, setting it aze.


    I didn¡¯t wait for the fire to cover him. I didn¡¯t have that power to watch as the mes licked the remains of


    him, scorching him to the bone until nothing but ash and cinder was


    With that, I absentmindedly went even deeper into the woods. This side of the rest was still dense and


    thick, safe from the destruction caused by the explosion of the mines. I stumbled and fell, then picked


    myself up and continued walking.


    My whole body felt like it was still sinking deeper and deeper into the sea, the tears didn¡¯t stop either. My


    throat hurt so much from keeping everything in, I wanted it all out. Because it hurt. It hurt so much I


    couldn¡¯t breathe, my lungs were closing in on me, failing to take in the air I tried so hard to breathe. It


    was just so impossible. At one point, I dropped down on my knees, feeling so depleted. I tried to stand


    up but there was no energy left in my body. But I had to keep going, I had to. 1


    And I crawled.


    en


    Twigs and sticks snapped beneath my weight, but I didn¡¯t stop. I continued crawling even when my


    knees were bleeding, my hands pricked by the sharp sticks. I continued crawling even when my eyes


    couldn¡¯t see because of the darkness that had befallen the world. I bumped into trees with my head,


    causing my ears to ring louder and louder, but I didn¡¯t stop. I needed to keep going!


    Finally, I arrived at that secluded pond. The warm water weed my body while I took a sweet dive


    inside. My eyes were snapped open, looking out for things, but I couldn¡¯t see anything in front of me. I


    swam to the bottom of the pond and let the water carry me. And then I let it all out!


    Under the warm, pitch-ck water deep within the forest, away from the watchful eyes and ears, I let it


    all out. I opened my mouth and screamed. Bubbles formed in front of me but I didn¡¯t stop. With each


    tormenting memory of my life, I screamed harder. Seconds turned to


    minutes with my body covered by the water, I screamed. I didn¡¯t stop until everything was out. My tears


    mixed with the pond water, all the hatred left my body, and got carried away by the water.


    My lungs cramped up from theck of air from underwater, but I screamed. Everything I have been


    carrying for all my life, I let it all out! I screamed until my body began hurting from the depletion of


    oxygen, I screamed even when I began filling lightheaded; and then abruptly stopped.


    By the time I surfaced, I felt like a new person. By the time my head made it out of the water, I felt like I


    came back to life like I was just woken up from a deep, dreamless slumber. I slowly made it out of the


    pond and began my way back to the castle. The night had fallen, covering


    the whole sky. Light from the burning corpse and tree glimmered through the night, the stench of burned


    flesh very heady and sickening.


    I waited for the mind-fogging pain that sucked me in with the thought of my dead father, but nothing


    came. And when nothing came, I took giant strides back to the castle. A hope of a better tomorrow


    glimmered in the air, the promise of the new life upying my mind.


    The waters, they didn¡¯t just swallow my imperfections, they didn¡¯t just swallow my pain; they cleansed


    me. I was a new person, the imperfect son of the imperfect father died in the pond. A new man was born:


    A brother to his twin;


    A lover and soul mate to his woman;


    And a man who cherishes those around him!


    LORENZO POV


    It was done!


    Lorik Cattanio was no longer among thend of the living. Did it hurt? I had no idea. But one thing I had


    felt when the mes sparkled through the cold evening was a huge sense of relief. Did that make me the


    evil one in this? Did that make me so horrid and heartless that I didn¡¯t even shed a tear for my father?


    The man who had birthed me? The man who created me?


    Instead of pain, happiness had clouded me. I so wanted to throw an ass party and celebrate his death!


    Because we were free. For the very first time since the beginning of forever, I felt so free, like I had just


    been released from a cold prison that was full of maliciousness of this world.


    When the me grew bigger and bigger, I found it hard to contain my smile. It was finally over. My


    brother would be free, finally! I would be free!


    I stayed like that with my hands tugged in my pockets, my eyes glued at the me that was raging deep


    within the woods. From this side of the castle, I could see everything despite the


    bitter darkness of the night. Minutes turned to hours and I stayed there, and then a shadow flicked from


    down at the ground. My brother emerged from the trees, I watched him as he made it to the entrance,


    then hurriedly left to the one room I knew he was going to go to first.


    I reached Ari¡¯s room and found her sitting out on the terrace, very lost in thought. She was in her electric


    chair, the strands of her hair flying softly in the air. Upon hearing me, she turned and weed me with


    the biggest, warmest smile. I walked to her and dropped to my knees i n front of her, then ced my


    head on herp. It was finally over.


    ¡°I am so sorry.¡± She whispered in a soft voice while threading her fingers through my hair, I didn¡¯t have to


    say it out, but she knew that Lorik was well gone. I had no idea why she was apologizing, but that made


    a very strange feeling tug in my heart, then quickly leave. Right when I was trying to put a finger on it, the


    door busted open, and in came Verzi.


    Ari and I both got up and walked to him. My eyesnded on him for the very first time since h e handed


    us our freedom. He was wet, from head to toe, he was wet with water dripping from his body. His eyes


    met mine, and I saw it, the renewed version of him. The freedom in his eyes. He began stripping right in


    front of us until he stood with nothing but himself, all in his full glory.


    Ari opened her arms and he slowly walked to her, then engulfed her in a long hug. My heart clenched


    from his pain, the pain that had eaten him for day and night, for as long as I could remember. The two of


    them dropped to their knees on the floor, and I followed suit. Wrapping protective arms around them, I


    pulled them and kissed their heads, thenid mine between theirs.


    He did not just set us free, but he bared himself to us. He had shredded off the agony that gnawed at him


    through the night, and leaving himself, all in his purest form for us to ept him. And we did. We


    weed him into our hearts, our souls, our own beings, and three became one!

 Chapter 66

    Chapter 66


    LEIGH-ARI


    The nauseating stench of burning flesh had reigned through the night in Dark Woods, making my bones


    clutter and tremble from underneath my skin. I had known this day was toe, I had known very well


    that he was going to pay for all he has done, and I wasn¡¯t against it! Lorik had iting!


    Text content ? N?velDrama.Org.


    The only thing that unsettled me the most was what his death might do to my boys. I feared for them that


    they will lose themselves, for as much as it was so weird and very hard to believe, Lorik was their father!


    Yes they didn¡¯t have the best rtionship but the blood ties, that blood running through their veins was


    Lorik¡¯s, and as much as I wanted to sweep the issue under the rug and be d he was out of their lives, I


    was scared. Scared for them; but mostly, scared and terrified for Verzi.


    I didn¡¯t even want to being to think what he was going through when he ended Lorik¡¯s life. (This novel will


    be daily updtaed at .noveljar)I didn¡¯t want the details, should he want to share with us how he


    did it then we¡¯d sit beside him and listen. But if it was something he wanted to carry to the grave, then we


    were going to let it be.


    Right, when my mind was reeling with thoughts that made me want to yank the hair from my scalp, the


    door was pushed open, and in came Enzo, he walked straight towards me and knelt down, cing his


    head on myp. He didn¡¯t look sad, the matter of fact, it was the opposite. H e was light on his feet, so


    light one could take that as excitement. But I knew that somewhere deep within him, he was sad. Sad


    that their father wasn¡¯t the one they had hoped and longed for, sad that he died even before feeling they


    could feel the warmth of the fatherly love, sad that his brother went through all the torture all by himself


    and he didn¡¯t do anything to help. Even if he didn¡¯t show it, I just knew it was there.


    Lorenzo was one hell of the strongest figure in this triangle of hearts and emotions. He was the anchor


    that glued us down, that kept us from grumbling. Had it not been for him and his calm demeanor, the way


    he got me even when I didn¡¯t get myself, the way he always let himself be the vulnerable one while in


    fact, he was the strong glue that held us together, all of these made me love him even more. He was so


    strong, carrying all of our tears and troubles, without grumbling or evenining for a single second,


    he was our anchor, our fortress, one ce I knew we would find peace without the fear of being


    abandoned, left alone to fend for ourselves.


    ¡°I am so sorry,¡± I called out; I wanted him to know it was okay to feel sad, I wanted him to know that it


    was really okay to feel weak. He couldn¡¯t hold us forever, he needed to be saved too, he needed to be


    cared for too, and right about now, now when he didn¡¯t think he needed the shoulder to lean on, I offered


    it!


    His hair was so smooth and soft in my hands, and I gently massaged his scalp as he leaned


    further into myp. The door suddenly busted open and in came Verzi. He looked so battered, so tired


    and so done with this world. My heart broke when I got to see him fully; his eyes were blood red, his face


    very swollen. I didn¡¯t have to ask but I knew very well that he had had a good episode of ugly crying. The


    little boy inside him was well out on disy, making him so exposed, so innocent, so pure, and free of all


    the troubles of this world.


    Enzo and I tore up from where we were seated and met him halfway. To anyone who¡¯d be watching, it


    may have looked like we are just meeting him halfway and it was just that. But to us, it was deeper than


    that, we didn¡¯t just meet him halfway through my bedroom, we went to get him, to get him from the evil


    world and brought him with us. And just when I thought everything was just too much, he went in by


    shredding every single piece of clothing from his body, baring himself before us. (This novel will be daily


    updtaed at .noveljar)The silent plea in his actions was all loud and clear. I heard his heart


    calling out, asking us to take him as he was. He stood in his full glory in front of us, eyes snapped out for


    us to see deeper into his soul. For the first time ever since we met after being parted from him for a


    decades plus, I didn¡¯t see the tattooed monster with scars covered by ink. In front of my eyes stood a boy


    I once knew very well; that boy who had a huge grin whenever he came to my house holding whatever


    insect he found for his collection. The boy whoseughter was so funny you¡¯d justugh alone. The boy


    that was just so mild you couldn¡¯t help but fall in love with him. The boy whose smile was enough to


    brighten up the whole world. I saw him; Verzi. My best friend who lived just across the street.


    There was nothing left to be said; just to wee him.


    I opened my arms and he came. He didn¡¯t even waste a single second, he came to me, to us, and I


    pulled him in. I held him so dear and listened to the rapid drumming of his heart. All along, his heart had


    lacked rhythm, beating with uncertainty and uneven beats, portraying the sufferings thatid low within


    the core of his being, deep where no one could reach. I had cried the first I heard it. Such a tormented


    heart, such a tormented soul.


    And for the first time, it had a rhythm. He was free, free of all the pain that chained him down, free of all


    the demons that haunted him in his sleep. He was free. Our anchor came in and hugged us, sealing us


    in with a warm embrace that lifted the entire burden from our shoulders. We connected in ways I never


    fathomed; the little act caused the electricity to shoot in my blood, sizzling with it to all parts of my body.


    The connection I have never fathomed formed, I morphed into them, and they morphed into me. (This


    novel will be daily updtaed at .noveljar)I became them, they became me.


    And I couldn¡¯t ask for more. When all was said and done, there was one thing that remained, one thing


    that was going to seal the three souls, one thing that was going to be a signature of this divine, sacred


    moment.


    And that was making love!

 Chapter 67

    Chapter 67


    LEIGH-ARI


    A full week has passed since that incident. After receiving the old Verzi in my heart and soul, we had


    pulled ourselves from the heap of limbs off the floor and took a very steamy shower, things really got


    heated right away and they were too good to even think about. Fast forward, we made love the whole


    night and I can tell that the puzzle wasplete.


    And from then on, the change in the boys was very evident. It was as if this whole weight was lifted from


    them, and they were so light on their feet and bodies. Verzi smiled andughed often, he was the


    happiest version of himself, and Enzo, my big guy was also on cloud nine. Lorik had been the force that


    weighed them down for so long; for so long that they just stopped living, and just existed.


    And now; things were so different!


    And because of that, I felt like it was time, I felt like the time was right to tell them what I needed to tell


    them.


    With that thought in mind, I called them out to the Tower Lounge where we sat sipping our drinks softly. It


    was well at the beginning of December and the winter had well covered the wholend. The whir of the


    cold air passed harshly outside the windows of the stone tower, creating that rxing, soothing melody


    that just delved deeper and deeper within oneself. (This novel will be daily updtaed at


    .noveljar)The setting itself was very calming, the fire zing in its stand, warming the whole


    lounge and making it so cozy with its soft glow.


    My portrait was still hung proudly on the far wall of the lounge, almost upying the whole wall all by


    itself. I remember very well when I had firstid my eyes upon it; I had been so scared, and terrified. I


    remember wanting to run away, and just thinking about that time made me chuckle.Belongs to (N)?vel/Drama.Org.


    Right on the spot, the boys came in following each other. Enzo was wearing a ck suit with a manly


    coat that made him look like something that just jumped out of the magazine. His stubble was well off,


    trimmed perfectly to show his panty-dropping sharp jawline that ticked very hard whenever he was lost in


    thought. his hair was gelled neatly on top of his head, leaving his perfect, handsome drop-dead gorgeous


    face out on disy. Verzi was mped in a pair of ck jeans, and a khaki faux fur coat on top. He also


    had his hair cut and styled, making him look so cute, yet dominant at the same time.


    Chunk some cool ass tattoos to the mix and get the picture of what I was seeing, right in front of my


    eyes. A whole dang feast and more!


    ¡°Hey, Tesoro,¡± Enzo called out as he walked straight to me and cradled my face, then kissed m e so


    earnestly that wetness pooled in my panties. He then withdrew and took a seat opposite mine. Verzi


    came in for his kiss also but then went in byying on the couch, cing his


    head on myp, and looking up at me.


    ¡°Hey, guys,¡± I said softly as I looked down at his handsome face. He was ring at me as if he was


    looking at one thing he can never tire off from staring at. I booped his nose and looked u p at Enzo who


    was pouring wine for the three of us.


    ¡°Is everything okay? You called us.¡± Enzo said as he handed me my ss, and then ced Verzi¡¯s


    nearby where he could reach it.


    ¡°Yeah, everything is fine. It¡¯s all good. I just wanted to talk to you about something.(This novel will be


    daily updtaed at .noveljar)¡± I said taking a small sip, causing my neckline to be out on disy.


    Verzi reached with his hand and trailed his finger on the small scar that was right under my chin on the


    submental lymph, causing me to flinch.


    ¡°Was this caused by the ident?¡± He asked in a soft voice and I smiled down at him, then trailed his


    bushy eyebrows with my finger. I chose not to reply to him though, that was going t o give me away!


    ¡°Hmmmm¡­ Sounds serious. What do you want to talk about?¡± Enzo asked sipping his wine,


    ¡°Are you pregnant?¡± Verzi¡¯s voice boomed from myp causing me tough out. ¡°No, you dummy I am


    not pregnant,¡± I replied earning myself the cutest pout ever.


    ¡°Okay, tell us then.¡± He said in return.


    I ced my wine ss down and took a deep breath, then ripped off the band-aid:


    ¡°I don¡¯t want you guys to feel any worse about what I am going to say. (This novel will be daily updtaed at


    .noveljar)I don¡¯t want you to me yourselves because none of it all was ever your fault.¡± Verzi


    abruptly tore from myp and sat straight up beside me, silently.


    ¡°That night Lorik kidnapped me, he told me¡­ stuff. A lot of things I had no idea about, and the ones I


    think you never knew the motive behind them. But one important thing you guys should know is that your


    father loved you two so much.¡± Upon hearing this, their facial expressions changed and became really


    hard.


    ¡°I know it all sounds like a giant crap and bullshit, but that man did love you, in his own fucked up way.


    During that time, all he was talking about was how he did it for his boys, how no one was going to take


    his boys away from him, how he would burn the world for his boys. That was the very main reason why


    he did all he did. I know, I know. It wasn¡¯t all merry, I mean he kidnapped me for God¡¯s sake and wanted


    to split my skull into two with a crowbar. But he didn¡¯t. And that¡¯s one thing that made me forgive him. He


    didn¡¯t know how to love you, all these years, he thought he was doing the right thing, while in reality, he


    was breaking you. So I forgave him guys, I forgave Lorik even though he stole everything from me.¡± I


    paused and took a sip of wine, before gently cing it back down on the ss top of the table.


    ¡°You all have been wondering how and what happened that led me lose my memories right? I t was all


    Lorik. He always wanted to get rid of me because I made you guys weak.¡±


    ¡°And you know it¡¯s all bullshit. You don¡¯t make us weak.¡± Verzi cursed next to me, the oh-so old him


    coming back with full force. I took hold of his hand and threaded his fingers with mine, then kissed the


    back of his hand and smiled at him.


    ¡°I know babe,¡± I said softly before proceeding.


    en at


    ¡°That ident where Big Mac, my dad died, it was an ident designed to get rid of me.¡± ¡°Holy shit¡±


    ¡°Fuck.¡±


    The two of them cursed out angrily and Verzi tore from his seat, I gently pulled on his hand and had him


    sit down,


    *Please let me finish.¡± They settled back into their seats.


    ¡°Lorik nned to get rid of me, not my father. But my father died because he had shielded me with his


    body when the car lost control and hit the bridge before busting into mes. My father died protecting me


    from the cruel death, and I came out with only a shearing injury that froze all of my memories. (This novel


    will be daily updtaed at .noveljar)And to answer your previous question, this scar was indeed


    caused by the ident.¡± I smiled at Verzi after softly nudging his shoulder.


    ¡°After learning that I survived, and lost my memories, he realized I wasn¡¯t a threat anymore because I


    couldn¡¯t remember the boys who lived across the street. So he let it all go. But he never predicted that


    Verzi would stumble upon me and manhandle me right outside my apartment when I went out to throw


    the trash. He didn¡¯t see iting, and neither did all of u s. And when Enzo brought me here, he


    panicked. So much. It was only fair that he started to find ways to get rid of me as soon as possible and


    then walk get done with it! He got in touch with Xander after that, and Xander didn¡¯t help him. He could


    only do things all by himself. So yeah, that¡¯s all about the ident, and memory loss.¡±


    ¡°He didn¡¯t just confess that, he told me about¡­ the raping.¡± I felt them freeze in their seats as soon as


    the words left my lips. Enzo gulped audibly as he stayed glued to his seat, and Verzi was so stoic you


    could prick his eye and he wouldn¡¯t flinch.


    2


    ¡°As I said, I am not going to hold you guys ountable for the mistakes of your father. The three of us


    have suffered so much because of him and now that he is gone things out, so that we can all move


    forward. He owes us that much, and if we don¡¯t talk these things out now, then we are going to suffer


    even 10 yearster, or more than that.¡±


    ¡°Even if he didn¡¯t tell me, I would have still known. Because I have my memories back.¡± I called out and


    their reaction was priceless. They both jumped out subconsciously before crowding my space and began


    kissing me all over.


    ¡°You did?¡± They asked through fits ofughter and went in by hugging me so tight that I felt like I was


    going to break a bone or two.


    ¡°Yes, I did. I remember everything now.¡± I said with a grin sandwiched between their big


    bodies.


    ¡°Everything? You remember when Enzo hit you with a water balloon in the face while you were climbing


    up the stairs?¡± Verzi asked beforeughing out loud, Enzo threw him a death re that tore a snort out of


    me.


    ¡°He did that too many times that I lost count,¡± I saidughing.


    ¡°What about the time Verzi stole Big Mac¡¯s sleeping pills and spiked our drinks then we dozed off in the


    treehouse the whole day and night only to be woken up by police officers who were out to look for us?¡±


    Enzo asked with so muchughter in his voice. The memories shed by and that day passed as vivid


    as it could ever be in my eyes. It had been one hell of a day.


    ¡°No no no! What about this one. The first time you went for your periods and Verzi came out crying


    saying you have a wound between your legs and it¡¯s bleeding?¡± Enzo went in by embarrassing Verzi so


    much that I couldn¡¯t help it, I busted out so hard that my ribs began to hurt.


    ¡°Shut the fuck up Lorenzo!¡± He cursed out loud and then yfully punched his brother in the guts. We


    continuedughing until our waves ofughter subsided and we just sat there heaving for air. I was


    happy, almost content. But there was still one thing I needed to tell them.


    ¡°I am not done, guys. You tackled me down before I could finish up.¡± I said and they all untangled


    themselves from me and sat upright.


    ¡°I am very happy about all the things we¡¯ve been through. I am happy that I got to meet you and be the


    one you love. Being loved by two amazing souls like you is the greatest reward of all the unfortunate


    things I have been through. But me giving you my heart, is the best thing I could ever do for the men who


    love me whole. (This novel will be daily updtaed at .noveljar)I love you so much, guys, both of


    you. You are like that puzzle that just makes everything click into ce. And it is funny because I didn¡¯t


    love you from today. I have always been yours, heart, body, and soul. And I will always be yours.¡±


    Their faces were so hard like they could almost sense what I was going to say next.


    ¡°While the love like yours is something I have never experienced, I have also realized that I haven¡¯t lived


    my life for myself. I have been living a life controlled by Lorik, and I have been living for the two of you,


    not for myself. And with this, I am asking for time, I need time to


    ve a little bit of ¡®


    me¡¯ time without having to feel like I was robbed of something.¡±


    ¡°Are you breaking up with us?¡± Verzi asked in a broken voice that I just found so cute to handle. I pulled


    his face to mine and kissed him softly, just to cool him off.


    ¡°You wish! How in the ck Jesus would I break up with such two hot hunks? I told you I love you, I


    belong to you; heart, body, and soul. So no honey, I am not breaking up with you. I


    just need time, to let go of the past and focus on the future with my two beautiful men.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s handsome men, not beautiful.¡± He corrected causing me tough. I just couldn¡¯t get enough of him.


    ¡°So where are you going to? Cyprus?¡± Enzo asked by my side and gently squeezed on my hand.


    ¡°That¡¯s the n. Maybe get back to work because I could use some OR dose now. I miss it so much.¡± I


    said smiling at him. He just gave me a simple nod in return, then his jaw began ticking hard as he


    thought. Ah! I love this one!


    ¡°When are you nning to leave?¡± He asked facing forward.


    ¡°Can wee with you?¡± Verzi asked with a puppy squeal by my side.


    ¡°I haven¡¯t decided. But it should be soon. And no you are not allowed toe with me. But you can visit


    on weekends.¡± I saidughing Verzi off.


    I was so d I got that out of the way, but one thing that made me even happier was how well they took


    everything in. That just made me fall in love with them even further. They had been freed from their


    prison, now it was time to set me free!

 Chapter 68

    Chapter 68


    LORENZO POV ¡°Did we really have to do it ourselves?¡± I asked ring around at the busy-as-shit mall


    where people were milling for Christmas shopping. Christmas was just 2 days ahead and the whole town


    was fully packed with people. I don¡¯t know why today of all days, but Ari insisted we came to get some


    gifts for ourselves and do a little bit of shopping. And by gifts, I didn¡¯t think she meant a thousand


    shopping bags in a cramped shopping mall where you bumped into a person every second and breathed


    in their stinky sweat.


    ¡°Yes. It is called living.¡± She replied from across me and reached out for my hand.(This novel will be daily


    updtaed at .noveljar)I quickly stretched my hand out and she squeezed it mellowly, surprisingly


    calming me down. I wasn¡¯t expecting to be so anxious to be out in public with just her and Verzi, not even


    a single guard i n view. But If you asked me, it was truly thrilling to be living like normal civilians. It was


    safet o say we were missing out on a lot of things!


    Right when I was still lost in thought, Verzi stormed towards us on angry steps before throwing himself


    on the booth next to me and chucking down Ari¡¯s coke. Ari and I exchanged nces and held our peals


    ofughter at bay.


    ¡°What happened boo?¡± She cooed softly and took his hand in hers,


    ¡°That asswipe told me to stand in the line so that I can order. I told him who I am and he still told me to


    stand in the line. I almost pulled out a gun but figured you wouldn¡¯t be happy if I shot him.¡± He borated


    in his ¡°normal¡± way sending Ari to burst out so hard that her body rocked with violent peals ofughter


    ¡°Why did you even bring a gun here? I told you today we¡¯re living like normal people.¡± Ari replied while


    wiping the tears that escaped her eyes, I just shook my head and leaned back in the seat. Verzi leaned


    back also with a sulking face. Well, that had meughing.


    He always managed to find one thing that send us all down.


    ¡°Fine. I will do it myself then. And for your information, that¡¯s what happens when you are a normal


    person; you wait for your turn, in line.¡± With that, she got up ar where she stood at the back and patiently


    waited. She looked so dolled up and cute in the long fur coat and knee-high boots.


    ¡°Why did she bring us here though?¡± Verzi asked with a heavy sigh,


    ¡°To live!¡±


    ¡°Well, we¡¯d still live even if Ciello and Val were the ones to do the whole thing. Why do it ourselves?¡±


    ¡°Because the Queen insisted,¡± I said shutting him off. That was the only exnation why we agreed to


    this madness at first.


    ¡°Do you think KFC is good?¡± He asked after a good minute,


    ¡°It has been a long time since I had anything from KFC. I can¡¯t even remember the taste. But hopefully,


    it¡¯s not bad. Because if it is, I am going to spank her.¡±


    ¡°Do we get a chance to fuck her at least?¡± He said with a small grin. Vernero was a whole mood all by


    himself.


    We conversed a little while we waited for Ari. And she didn¡¯t take long because, in a heartbeat, she


    arrived holding a huge tray of food. There was a dead-ass bucket of chicken and chips and king-sized


    burgers on the side, as well as the drinks.


    ¡°I want some ice cream.¡± Verzi pointed to the menu board causing Ari to roll her eyes,


    ¡°But babe, it¡¯s winter. You¡¯ll catch a cold.¡± She replied earning herself a pout. I was really d t o have


    Ari here, at least the two of us were going to deal with this furball in a man¡¯s clothing.


    ¡°Fine.¡± He sulked and then took a piece from the bucket. Ari just smiled at him and then began


    unwrapping the burgers for us.


    ¡°Dig in, big guy.¡± She smiled at me and I couldn¡¯t resist that. I pulled a huge, heavily coated drum stick


    and ogled at it. It looked so rich and yummy, the smell of it making my mouth salivate. I didn¡¯t waste any


    second; I sunk my teeth in it and literally let out a long moan as the crunch of the coat got crushed


    between my teeth, the vor of insanely marinated chicken spreading and filling my mouthpletely. I


    swear I had a mini orgasm right there.


    ¡°You like?¡± Ari asked and that¡¯s when I realized she had been watching me. I nodded on a mouthful and


    tore another bite. I stole a nce at Verzi to find him going crazy next to me, with his face buried in the


    burger, mouth stretched so wide I feared he might tear a ligament.


    ¡°And now you take this.¡± She ced the opened coke bottles next to us and waited for us to take the


    drinks, and when we did, I knew why we fell in love with her.


    Fuck the billionaire, mafia, castles, and guns shit!


    KFC, coke, and a beautiful woman sitting across us on December 23 with millions of shopping bags at


    our feet was all I wanted from now ¡¯till myst breath!


    VERNERO POV


    Arriving at the castle, I waited until Enzo killed the engine and jumped out, then opened Leigh¡¯s door and


    helped her out. (This novel will be daily updtaed at .noveljar)As soon as she was right in front of


    me, I wasted no time and mmed her back against the car, tearing a small surprised yelp from her lips,


    and then went in for the kill. A long moan escaped her as I captured her lips in a long searing kiss, licking


    the inside of her heavenly mouth and tasting her fully. She rewarded me by rolling her tongue with mine


    and then wrapped her arms around my neck, pulling me more into her face.


    I was tired, so drained out from running up and down in town going from this store to the other, but deep


    down, I was the happiest motherfucker ever and it was all thanks to this insanely wless, beautiful, and


    drop-dead gorgeous woman I had in my arms right about now.


    The shopping had been so exciting and annoying at the same. But the KFC had been so good I swore


    that I was going to have it at least two times a day. That¡¯s the least right?


    The sound of the door shutting sounded from the other side, causing the car to shake a bit as Enzo got


    out to take the bags from the boot.


    ¡°Verzi what the fuck? I thought you were helping with the bags.¡± He said as he caught a glimpse of me


    and Leigh smooching on the other side of the car.


    ¡°I never said I was going to.¡± I broke the kiss to reply to him, then heatedly delved in for another kiss.


    Leigh chuckled against my lips and then moaned when I bit her bottom lip. Absolute perfection!


    ¡°Asshole.¡± He cursed as he left, probably carrying a quarter of the shopping bags. I didn¡¯t ¨C know, and I


    didn¡¯t care. All I was focused on was the woman in front of me, and her only.


    ¡°We should help him, Verzi. Those bags are a lot.¡± Leigh broke the kiss and said smoothly, then licked


    my bottom lip making me even more impossibly hard. My cock was strained against the hard fabric of my


    jean pants, and her doing all of that wasn¡¯t helping at all.


    ¡°And what do we do about this?¡± I asked brushing my hard crotch against her stomach which wasn¡¯t


    covered by the huge fur coat she had on. She looked like a damn goddess in it.


    N?velDrama.Org ? 2024.


    ¡°Well, I will take care of this once we are inside.¡± She informed in a very sultry voice while rubbing her


    small palm up and down my cock, I could¡¯ve sworn my eyes crossed for a second. This woman had a


    way of undoing me and she knew very well when and how to do it.


    ¡°I prefer you take care of it now.¡± I refuted pulling her for yet another kiss. Sheughed and then kissed


    me back.


    It got so hot that her breaths wereing out in small pants, the kiss growing even more heated. A loud


    groan tore out of me when she licked my tongue, before sucking it into her mouth and then grounded her


    hips against my crotch. I could live with this. I said to myself a SI¡­


    ¡°Dude, what the fuck?¡± I cursed as Enzo effortlessly whisked me from Leigh and pushed me to the side,


    then protectively hugged her and went in to kiss her just as hard as I had.


    ¡°Take the bags inside. Now.¡± Hemanded leaning down for a kiss, and Leigh didn¡¯t refute him, she


    pulled him closer and began making those noises that made me so crazy.


    ¡°Why don¡¯t you take them?¡± I whined trying to step forward, but then he surprised me by pulling from


    Leigh and picking her, caveman style before stomping towards the castle door with her. Leigh¡¯s giggles


    were all I could hear as I stayed outside in the cold with at least a


    hundred bags waiting to be taken out of the car and a big boner that was at the edge of busting out of my


    pants!


    ¡°You guys aren¡¯t fair,¡± I yelled behind her tearing a burst ofughter from Leigh. Such a beautiful sound.


    ¡°We are starting without you, so you know,¡± Enzo called looking back at me with a smirk, knowing well


    that there was no way I was going to allow that bull crap to happen.


    ¡°Oh hell no,¡± I called out as I picked as many bags as my hands can handle and ran inside. To my luck


    which was so good, Valerie happened to pop out of nowhere and I threw them on her.


    ¡°What¡¯s all these?¡± She asked bewildered,


    ¡°That¡¯s Leigh¡¯s. There¡¯s more in the car.¡± I didn¡¯t need to say more, she knew what she had to d 0. And


    with that, I headed for the stairs, taking two all at once.


    I was so exasperated as I climbed from floor to floor and snaked through hallways to get to the bedroom.


    (This novel will be daily updtaed at .noveljar)It was then I actually realized how much of a pain


    in the ass this whole stairs thing was. And I didn¡¯t like it one bit because it stopped me from reaching out


    to my woman.


    At longst, I stopped outside the door and took a calming breath, then pushed the door opent o find the


    most beautiful view I could live with for as long as my lungs are still functioning.


    The main lights were off, with one tablemp on, creating that ssic view and casting shadows on the


    walls. Leigh was standing in front of Enzo who was on her knees, taking his precious time to unclothe


    and unwrap her like a gift. Leigh¡¯s face was so rxed with her bottom lip caught between her teeth and


    you could literally see the bliss on her face. If I didn¡¯t cum in my pants right at that moment, then I was a


    man in all ways possible.


    I took a step inside and closed the door, eliciting a soft click as it shut behind me. I didn¡¯t waste even a


    second and began shredding off my own clothes and by the time I got next to them, I was stark naked.


    Yes, I am that quick. But not THAT quick!


    I circled them, majestically like a lion as it hypnotized its prey. I may have let go of many things after


    Lorik¡¯s death, but one thing I was never going to let go of was a beast that surfaced with the sight of


    Leigh¡¯s naked body. That one was untamed. And I liked it better that way!


    I settled behind her and roughly grabbed her tits in my palms, then fondled them so hard that she let out


    a small cry and leaned back into me. I loved how her body responded and danced t o my touch, to


    Enzo¡¯s touch.


    I went in by licking her behind her right ear, tearing an unforgiving shudder from her small, delicate body.


    I let go of one titty and then trailed my finger on her right arm, causing the goosebumps to erupt from her


    skin. So beautiful.


    ¡°You should stop wearing a whole fucking wardrobe in the future. It¡¯s bothersome.¡± Enzo mentioned


    smiling softly at her, then leaned in and gently kissed her, ever so slow and so


    gentle that I felt like crying. Because all I wanted at this moment was to be inside her. My cock reflected


    my thoughts and bobbed, settling itself so well between her lush ass cheeks. She arched her back


    pushing her ass even further into me, causing it topletely disappear.


    ¡°Fuuuuuuck¡­¡± I cursed, my brows bundling deeply from how good it felt. I took a good minute to calm


    myself because, at this sate, I was going to nut way before I had a chance to be inside her. I raised my


    eyes and found Enzo licking her sternum while ying with her wet lotus that made insanely drugging


    squelching sounds.


    This woman was going to be the death of us!


    *P-please¡­¡± She begged in a small voice as her body trembled between us, ever so mind fogging I


    thought like I was in a daze.


    ¡°I like this version of you better! Hungry, thrilled, and very needy!¡± I said trailing my tongue o n her right


    shoulder, then roughly sunk my teeth into her beautiful, delicate skin. She moaned and rotated her hips.


    ¡°So helpless, and yet so beautiful and lucidly locked in our arms,¡± Enzo added up picking her up, my


    body flinched when the warmth of her body left.


    This motherfucker always wanted the goodies to himself.


    I groaned and jumped onto the bed, then waited until Enzoid her on top of me, her back against my


    chest.


    He got off to do something and I couldn¡¯t wait any longer. Without further ado, I gently lifted her by her


    hips and lined the tip of my hard cock with her entrance, she moaned with muscles bucking hard, making


    her quake in my arms.


    I let her stay like that for a second and she then rewarded me with a soft moan of frustration, and that


    was my undoing. (This novel will be daily updtaed at .noveljar)I dropped her knees and pushed


    up, causing her to drop onto my hard cock. A loud growl went off when her warm pussy sheathed my


    shaftpletely, the head brushing against that heavenly spot.


    She let out a nice moan-scream sound that drove me to my edge.


    I held her by her hips and thrust from below, picking up my pace as she began rocking on top of me.


    ¡°Slow down, Tiger.¡± Enzo¡¯s voice boomed out from somewhere. I opened my eyes to find him holding


    Leigh down with his palm, with ding-a-ling brushing against mine as he ran it up and down her love


    crack.


    Leigh cried out when I gently pulled out to give Enzo some space, and he didn¡¯t waste time that one!


    In a split second, he thrust so hard that he was balls-deep inside Leigh¡¯s hot love-hole, his hot cock


    nestled right against mine and fueling the fire inside me. And of how that fire raged!

 Chapter 69

    Chapter 69


    LEIGH-ARI


    The morning rolled over more quickly than I anticipated and I found myself thinking of my life before and


    after I came to Dark Woods. It has really been a crazy, epic ride. From being a straight-A student and


    putting on the dang long coat, being addressed as Dr. Montreal and doing what I loved the most; to being


    kidnapped by hot ass dudes who are insanely obsessed with me, iming to be my men, and then being


    locked in the steam and triggering the mines that nearly split me open, I mean heck! My life was indeed


    one for the books.


    But one thing I gained in this crazy dissension of hearts and guns was the love I had never fathomed


    possible. Love that consumed me whole and made me feel so strong and bold like I could take over the


    whole world. Love that burned so fiercely deep inside me I felt like I wouldbust at any moment. (This


    novel will be daily updtaed at .noveljar)The Cattanio twins gave me that kind of love, and I


    could never ask for more. They made me feel soplete, and that¡¯s crazy because there has never


    been a point in my life where I thought I would be absolutely drunk in love. But here I was, sandwiched


    between two big bodies that cocooned me with love, warmth,fort and so much happiness.


    With these thoughts reeling in my mind, I turned my head to my left and kissed Enzo¡¯s head that was on


    top of my shoulder, then turned to my right and kissed Verzi¡¯s. Although they loved me more than they


    loved their next breath, the only thing that made me miss my old life was sleeping alone on the bed, and


    having absolutely no leg to tie me down.


    But I wasn¡¯tining. I had gotten too used to having their big bodies crush me in my sleep that I


    found it weird to sleep without them. I faced up in the dark yet again and heaved a huge sigh!


    They were going to hate me for this.


    After that, I carefully and very stealthily slipped out of the bed, careful not to wake them up because all


    would be in vain. Verzi made a grunting sound when I hopped my leg over him, the furrows forming on


    his forehead. He made a small murmur in his sleep and I bet he was reining hell on someone in his


    dream!


    ¡°Shhhhhhhh! Go back to sleep.¡± I shushed gently and massaged the furrows with my thumb, causing him


    to rx and fall back into a deep slumber.


    Phew! That was a close one.


    Once I was well off the bed, I jumped off and headed straight for the shower. The clock signaled a little


    after 4 am and I had to be quick before they woke up. Ever since Lorik died, they didn¡¯t overwork


    themselves like they used to, and they spent the rest of their time ying together or resting off. I


    remember one time I found them asleep in the pool,pletely dozed off inside the insanely cold water.


    I nearly died that day. Don¡¯t even get me


    started on the flu that followed next! Three full days ofying t because of high fever and they still


    refused to take meds and shots. It had been a disaster.


    All of these thoughts shed in my mind while I hurriedly washed myself. Deep down I felt like I wasn¡¯t


    even going tost long away from them. I just couldn¡¯t. I mean I was used to having a hot tattooed man-


    child with lots of temper tantrums and one cool gentleman who was really not much of a gentleman


    fawning all over for every second of my day. Even trying t o think about my days without them left a bitter


    taste in my mouth.


    However, I had to go out there. I had to live, for myself. I had to drive my old car through the rush hour


    and run down the corridors of the hospital with my hospital crogs and my pager beeping like crazy. I had


    to go out drink with Laura on Saturdays and wake up with a shit-ass hangoverying in a pool of our own


    puke. Gross! I know!


    Oh, how I missed her! I missed her so much I felt like I was going to lose my mind.


    After putting on the clothes, I went to their jackets and fished out two ring boxes they thought I didn¡¯t see


    when they sneakily shoved them in the pockets like toddlers who¡¯d been caught stealing sugar, then


    opened each. A huge smile stretched on my lips when I took a glimpse of ¨C two beautiful diamond rings,


    sparkling ever so beautiful under the low, dim light.


    But these weren¡¯t just any rings.


    Each ring was a perfect piece that was onlyplete when the two were brought together. (This novel


    will be daily updtaed at .noveljar)The first one made a small V shape with a cut diamond rock,


    while the other held a rock that when worn on top of the first one, created a beautiful heart-shaped


    diamond. The band was circled with small diamonds and the inside of each ring was engraved with the


    name of each twin. Well, that had meughing! I see there was never a time I was going to get rid of


    them. Even if I wanted!


    I took each ring out and carefully slipped them on my ring finger, where they settled together so perfectly


    that it looked like one ring with a double band. I raised my head and looked at them where they were


    sprawledzily on the bed, so rxed like they didn¡¯t even want to wake up.


    My heart clenched painfully at the thought of living without even saying goodbye to them. M y eyes


    teared a little but a quickly cursed them the hell away. I was doing the right thing, for the three of us. If we


    were going to live as a happy family of three, without any lingering longing and earning of something


    outside, then I had to do it.


    I took small steps towards them and ced a long, lingering, and loving kiss on each one of them, then


    carefully slipped outside the room, leaving them sleeping peacefully. I closed the door and tugged on my


    small purse that had my passport, and my ticket for the flight to Cyprus. I didn¡¯t need any luggage,


    because I was going toe back to their warm arms. I took hurried steps with my eyes lingering at the


    closed door behind, then faced forward after rounding the corner and quickly ran outside.


    I found Val waiting for me at the end of the stairs, upon seeing me as I descended the stairs;


    she stepped forward and gave me a sad smile.


    ¡°Ohe on. I am not going to die or something.¡± I said as I stepped on thest stair and pulled her in a


    hug. From this angle, I was a bit taller which allowed me to nt a kiss on her head.


    ¡°I know! But do you really have to go?¡± She asked with a trembling voice as she tried to fight the tears.


    (This novel will be daily updtaed at .noveljar)I chuckled and pulled back, then booped her nose.


    I really can¡¯t believe there was a point in time when I thought that this girl, would do anything to harm me.


    I always felt stupid whenever I thought of it. She was like the sister I never had.


    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t be leaving in the first ce. You know I can¡¯t leave my boys in a house full of models just


    down the stairs now can I?¡± I teased causing her to grin through tears.


    ¡°Speaking of that, I want you to keep them hoes away from my men. It¡¯s amand from the hostess.¡± I


    said in a stern face causing her to smile earnestly.


    Belongs to (N)?vel/Drama.Org.


    ¡°I will ma¡¯am.¡± She said and I pulled her in a long hug.


    ¡°Don¡¯t be gone for too long though. You do know they are going to lose it when they wake upt o find you


    gone?¡±


    ¡°More reasons for me to leave while they are still sleeping. Else Verzi would be hanging on m y leg


    stopping me from going to the airport.¡± We shared a goodugh for a good minute while picturing the


    hrious scene. One thing I never doubted was how childish and crazy Verzi got to be whenever his


    mind went berserk. So I had to run for it!


    ¡°Remember toe back for them.¡± She said with a straight face, and I knew she meant it.


    ¡°I am the owner of thisnd, the hostess of Dark Woods and the woman to the bosses. This is my home,


    mynd, my castle; and I will surelye back stronger.¡± The words reflected what was in my heart


    because even if I was leaving, I was going toe back running to them. Because it was in their heart


    where I belonged!

 Chapter 70

    Chapter 70


    EPILOGUE


    Leaving Dark Woods felt so foreign and oddly queer that I felt like I was leaving the biggest part of me


    behind. I couldn¡¯t help but steal nces as the cab that Val had gotten me stretched further and further


    from the castle, and I didn¡¯t understand why my heart hurt so painfully when I was actually doing the right


    thing for the three of us. Surprisingly, Dark Woods had grown on me so much that it felt like home, and


    one always cried when leaving home. I wanted tough because I used to resent this ce so much, but


    now I was in pain for leaving.


    Was it because I left without saying goodbye? Was it because I didn¡¯t even see the look on their faces


    when I turned my back and left? But this wasn¡®t a goodbye. It was not! And seeing the look on their faces


    would have shattered me into pieces and I wouldn¡¯t be leaving, that¡¯s why I sneaked out when they were


    still sleeping.


    I nced down at my finger where two rocks that became one were nestled so big and proud. A smile


    stretched on my lips as I attempted to turn one with my finger, and grinned even harder when I realized


    the two were indeed locked together.


    A wave of warmth spread all over my aching heart because I knew that I will always carry them with me


    wherever I go. They were forever tattooed on me and I couldn¡¯t erase them even if I wanted to.


    So this wasn¡¯t a goodbye; I was going toe back stronger, bolder, befitting to be their woman and the


    hostess of Dark Woods. That¡¯s why I needed to do this. After reassuring myself, I felt very light, like a


    heavy have been lifted off me.


    The cab dropped me at the airport where I wasted no time and went for the check-in. For December


    24th, the airport was surprisingly so not packed, and before I knew it, I was rolling down in a Porsche to


    the first-ss cabin.


    That¡¯s rightdies, I was that rich! I mean hey! I am the fianc¨¦e of the Mafia Lord and the CEO of the


    biggestpany. That made me the richest housewife on the globe! So yeah baby!


    After settling down on the ne, I was really surprised at how empty it was. I had thought that the whole


    airport would be packed with passengers since Christmas was just a breath away.


    After settling in the plush seats in first ss, the stewardess brought forward the drinks and o f course, I


    made myselffortable and stared outside to the other crafts as I sipped my coffee elegantly, feeling


    myself so much and then went over my mental list of all the things I was going to do as soon as I


    stepped off the ne. The first thing was to visit Laura. That bitch better be at her house because if not, I


    was going to murder her and feed her to the dogs. I missed her so much, and the thought of her not


    being here with me hurt me to greater


    extremities.


    Ladies and gentlemen, this is your captain speaking. Wee to Flight¡­


    N?velDrama.Org ? 2024.


    The captain¡¯s voice boomed in the inte and quickly faded into the background as a plethora of


    exultation spread all over my insides. I couldn¡¯t believe this day had finally arrived when I¡¯d be going to


    my little apartment. I went even crazier when the craft began reversing from its spot, majestically


    whooshing against the hard concrete ever so slow and so bold.


    I was still in my daze when one word caught me off guard causing me to spill the coffee from my mouth!


    My heartbeat skyrocketed as my brain began screaming, a loud unintelligible


    sound that wanted to know WHAT THE FUCK was just happening!


    I waved my hand and the stewardess came running up to me.


    ¡°Is there any problem ma¡¯am?¡± The littledy smiled so earnestly while I was hyperventting in my seat.


    ¡°Where is this flight going to?¡± I asked causing her professionalism to drop as she stared atm


    e with shock before she quickly masked it off and forced a smile,


    ¡°To Los Angeles, United States of America ma¡¯am.¡± She replied with a smile causing me to sweat


    buckets in my seat. My day had started so good in an epiphany and had quickly turned into mayhem in


    just a blink of an eye. I looked outside the window to find that the ne had picked up the pace and was


    ready to take off at any minute.


    ¡°I think there¡¯s been a mix-up, I am flying to Cyprus. Not the US!¡±I pointed out and quickly whisked my


    boarding pass out; she checked it and opened her mouth to reply.


    ¡°But it¡¯s written Los Angeles here ma¡¯am.¡± She pointed out and I quickly yanked in from her hand to


    check, the letters were like a p in my face, so bold, all in ck on a white piece of paper. I gave her a


    small nod and she went off, leaving me chewing on my nails while my mind went a mile a second trying


    to figure out what the hell was all of this about.


    A shadow flicked on my left as my neighbor stirred in his seat, I paid him no attention since h e seemed


    to be in a deep slumber and settled back in my seat, then watched as the steel bird took off with my


    heart beating like a drum in my chest!


    ¡°Just rx and enjoy your flight, babe.¡± A painfully familiar voice crooned and I quickly whisked my head


    to my left from where it came from. My neighbor unhurriedly peeled off the hat that was covering his


    entire facepletely and looked right at me. My mouth dropped t o the floor as ck eyes stared back


    at me, a huge grin and very cleaned and well-shaved face turned fully to face me.


    ¡°It¡¯s good to see you alive.¡± He went in by smirking at me and then rxed into his seat, so calm and so


    carefree while I was shocked out of my wits, staring at the man who just made m y world explode into a


    kaleidoscope of anxiety and terror, and right at that moment, I knew that this was a game-changer!


    I opened my mouth and squeaked out one word that I could master:


    ¡°XANDER?¡±


    THE END


    ~NOTE FROM RARE~


    Hey, Sunbeams!


    I know very well that this was not the end you all were expecting. And I know the majority of you will be


    very much disappointed and less thrilled about how the story ended. But as I had promised, the only


    thing I work for is to give you quality stories and not anything less. And writing this story has been the


    most challenging and draining thing I could ever think of. Chunk a whole bucket of my messed mental


    health at the moment. Throughout the story, I struggled so much with quite a few things in my life that


    made me fuck up the plot royally. And it was veryte when I realized that things were going down South.


    And I would like to apologize for that. It was never in my intentions for that to happen. And if you have


    realized, some chapters were just so empty and I hated them so much.


    But one thing I would like to express is my heartfelt gratitude to each and every one of you for your


    unwavering support and love for my works, even though I don¡¯t always deliver. I really can¡¯t thank you all


    enough because you are really a jewel on my crown. And I would like to thank you all for being with me


    throughout this journey up until now.


    I am not going to take a break! Hell no!


    I am just going to try to remove the burden and pressure, then create a working schedule so that I give


    you all what you love, just the way you love it. And with that, I want you all to know that Leigh-Ari¡¯s


    journey continues, and we will read about more of her very soon and find out why Xander did what he


    did..


    I know I promised to write a scene of the trio when they took Leigh for a tour at thepany, and it


    shoulde tomorrow but since the story is basically ended, it is really okay to miss it out. Although it


    will be hell¡¯a steamy!


    In the meantime, take care of yourselves and stay healthy for me. And for my Sunbeams from Ukraine,


    just keep praying, we are all with you in this disheartening, trying time and we hope that this too shall


    pass. You guys are not alone, and Rare is sending hugs and kisses all the way from her bed to you and


    your families.

 Chapter 71

    Chapter 71


    Sequel Episode 1 EXTRACTED FROM CHAPTER 69


    LEIGH-ARI


    ¡°The bosses are going to love the little transformation. It looks so good on you. Right baby?¡±


    Val called from the passenger¡¯s seat before gently squeezing Ciello¡¯s hand that was rested on the gear


    lever and looked at him dreamily. I smiled from the backseat where I was sitting, watching the little


    interaction between the two little birds that were just so in love with each other.


    ¡°Definitely. That little taint looks good in her hair.¡± Ciello replied with the little knowledge he has in


    woman¡¯s beauty espionage causing me to guffaw with peals ofughter.


    ¡°They are called highlights. Not taint. But I think they are going to bite my head before really epting


    that I did a little change to the hair. And just know you will carry the me if theyin about the


    length.¡±


    Following the recent rundowns, Val had asked me to join her on a spa appointment which was way too


    tempting to deny, (This novel will be daily updtaed at .noveljar)so I had pleaded with the guys


    who were reluctant to let me out of their sight at first, maybe more so because I had just recovered from


    the surgery. But in the end, they had no choice but to agree and so I went along.


    Arriving at the spa, we were taken to the sauna, where we soaked our ovaries in crazy steam that just


    worked magic on my body and skin. Although the steam had reminded me of the time I was locked in the


    steam room after I arrived in Dark Woods, this was just at the right rate, and the temperature was also


    adjusted so well that it wouldn¡¯t cause any bodily harm. After the sauna, we were taken to the massage


    rooms where we had full-body massages. And gosh how rxing they were. It was right at the moment


    when the masseur kneaded the knots off my back did I realize that I had been under a lot of pressure;


    stressing over what the death of Lorik might do to the twins.


    After being kneaded and massaged to pure bliss, we were shifted to the mani-pedi sections where I just


    sat in a plush seat and had two people attend to my nails, while the other was working on my hair adding


    some dark purple highlights. Val insisted I trim the hair just a


    little bit so that everything could all click in ce. By the time we left the spa, I was so lighto


    n my feet, so happy and my body so hyper I felt like I could push over a whole mountain.


    And I was d that I had agreed to the spa visit because I really needed it. Ciello arrived shortly after we


    got something to drink and drove us back to the castle, and here we were, in a ck Mercedes rxed


    as it whooshedfortably all the way to Dark Woods in heavy rain. Funny how the weather can just


    change!


    The conversation in the car was light, and I realized how happy Valerie was with Ciello. She had been


    right, Ciello made her feel more alive and made her the happiest version of herself.


    And that was all I could wish for her; true happiness.


    We arrived at the castle and I hopped out careful not the get caught in the ruin lest I ruin my amazing


    hair, while they drove to the side of the parking bay. My mind drifted to my boys and I couldn¡¯t wait to see


    their reaction when they saw the nails, the hair. I climbed up to our wing and opened my bedroom door to


    find it empty, then decided on a quick bath to remove the oils and getfy before they came back. My


    first thought was that they were maybe in Verzi¡¯s office or somewhere in the tower lounge, which gave


    me much time to freshen up and get ready for them.


    I showered quickly and stepped out, only to be met by an empty bedroom yet again. I didn¡¯t give it much


    thought because the boys were always busy, and even though it was on a Saturday, I figured they had


    something that held them up so I decided to go down to the general kitchen which was always buzzing


    with cooks and maids. After the theatre room and the jacuzzi, the general kitchen was my top third


    favorite ce in the whole castle. Because heck! Just being in that room made me feel so satisfied


    because of the rich different aromas o f food swirling in the air. And the amazing fact was that there was


    never a time the scent went away.


    Go there at midnight you¡¯ll find a few cooks doing the most preparing the midnight snack. Go in the


    evening and man, (This novel will be daily updtaed at .noveljar)be amazed by the efficient


    teamwork those guys put in to prepare the food for everyone in the castle. Minus the guns and the


    mines, this was indeed a princess¡¯s castle with maids and 10,000 sd tes.


    I arrived in the kitchen and everyone quickly noticed me and of course, went in and bowed then the head


    cook came by and asked me what I¡¯d love to eat. I nced around and my eyesnded on a stash of


    chocte waffles that made my mouth salivate with just the look and the smell. They quickly brought


    them to me and pointed me to a chair where I plopped my ass down and watched as they all went about.


    Although my presence made them somehow fidgety, they really knew how to mask it all off.


    ¡°Has anyone seen where the bosses are?¡± I asked on a mouthful of a heavenly tasting waffle, not even


    aware that my eyes were closed to savor the taste.


    ¡°T-they were at the p-pool in the west wing thest time I brought s-snacks to them.¡± One little maid


    informed with a bit of a stammer. How cute!


    ¡°Hmmm. Could they still be there? It¡¯s been raining for a long time now.¡± I said peeling myself from the


    chair and pocketed a good amount of waffles before leaving to hunt down my boys.


    Like always, it took me a thousand years to reach our wing, let alone the pool that was at the farthest


    side on the rooftop. They loved this one the most because it was so secluded and very private. I was


    light on my feet and on cloud nine with spongey waffles massaging the insides of my mouth when I


    pushed the door open only to pause at the most heartbreaking, yet funny sight I have ever seen. I


    shielded my face and hair with my hands from the harsh raindrops before I ran to the lounger and


    dropped next to Enzo who wasying on the seat on his front, the heavy rain hitting his exposed back.


    WHAT IN THE ACTUAL HELL?


    ¡°Enzo!¡± I tried to yell over the rain and violently shook his body which was insanely hot despite the cold


    rain, but he didn¡¯t even flinch. I felt his forehead which was burning and one thing just clicked! He was


    running an insane high fever!


    I looked around to spot where Verzi was and nearly went down crying when I spotted him inside the pool,


    with his arms hanging from the edge and his lower bodypletely covered b y the pool water. Luckily,


    he was on the shallow end of the pool by the stairs!


    ¡°You¡¯ve got to be kidding me.¡±I cursed as I ran to him, my new hair and nailspletely forgotten, and


    quickly dropped on the edge of the pool and tried to pull him out. But his body was so heavy it felt like I


    was pulling on a whole dang truck full of bricks. This man was a whole dang ogre!


    I felt his forehead too and then my mind wentpletely nk when I realized that he was also running


    a high fever. I got up and literally palmed my face because it all just didn¡¯t make sense. How the hell did


    they manage to fall asleep outside? IN THE POOL? WHILE THE RAIN WAS GODDAMN POURING?


    While my mind was trying to figure out how the fuck did they end up here, I spotted some towel at the


    small veranda which was shielded from the rain, then ran to them and took a healthy amount. I covered


    each one of them with the towels, but struggled with Verzi since h e was in the pool, then dashed inside


    to call for help. There was no way I was going to take them both inside. I spotted a few guards who were


    sitting on the terrace enjoying the rain and they quickly came to me. At this point, I was fully drenched,


    like a mad dog.


    Belongs to (N)?vel/Drama.Org.


    From then on, we worked so hard on getting them inside the house, the guards helped me set up two


    beds in my room, thanks to the couches and then real work began:


    I called for Val to send all the supplies from the medicine room and then stayed up all night,(This novel


    will be daily updtaed at .noveljar) switching from couch to couch trying to help break their fever


    down. I gave them the shots and put them on a drip since they were dehydrated as fuck. By midnight,


    their fever broke and wild shivers took reign.


    And the real drama of taking the nkets on and off just started. I exhausted myself running from couch


    to couch to cover them up, they¡¯d get so hot and throw off the nkets, then gets o cold and start


    shivering with teeth nging against each other!


    After a good while, I dropped on the rug between the two couches and stared nkly ahead!


    So much for a reaction on my highlights and nails! (face palm)


    The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and


    continue reading tomorrow, everyone!