I decided to go to Ivan for an update. At least, that’s what I told myself. I felt s*lly wanting to go check on a girl I had only just met. There was something about her that I couldn’t shake. I’d barely spoken to her, but she was beginning to consume my thoughts in a way that no other woman ever had. She was so full of life, so vibrant. Like she could make the flowers bloom just by walking through a meadow. I thought back to the night before, in the kitchen, with her sitting on the table. The lights were bright enough that I finally saw her eyes clearly. I had never seen someone with unique eyes like hers. She had rings of different colors, each distinct and clearly visible. Her eyes were three different colors – a ring of brown, a ring of green, and a ring of blue. It took every ounce of self-control I had to not get lost in those eyes last night. She captivated me. I needed more.
I walked out of the office and motioned for my bodyguard to follow me. “Come, Stephen. We’re going on a trip.” “Yes, sir.”
We pulled into the small parking lot of her apartment building after a quick stop at the pharmacy.
Is this really where she lives? I could give her so much better.
I shook my head, silently scolding myself for getting so caught up in a woman so quickly. I had a reputation for being ruthless, when necessary, not emotional. I noticed the curtains of the first-floor apartment part just enough that someone could peek through them as I got out of the SUV. That would be Ms. Jackson, I thought to myself, I politely waved to her. I couldn’t quite see her face, but I saw a wrinkled hand wave shyly back and the curtains closed.
I had already had Andrei talk to her and explain enough of the situation that she wouldn’t call the police. Most residents of this city knew that my people walked among them but couldn’t pick us out of a lineout. Many were loyal to my organization, as I made sure to fund the local community as much as possible. My associates the other bosses – had become greedy in some parts of the city and had instead decided to keep that money to themselves. I had a feeling it was the greedy little sons, but I still needed proof. The opinion of my organization was changing in the city and I didn’t like it. I had always worked diligently to make sure the people of the city were happy with my dealings. It’s much easier to run a criminal organization when the people of the city loved you than if they hated you. I liked the easy way of doing business. Have the people love you and be respectful with the cops. You can do whatever you please. It had worked for 10 years, but now the other bosses, who were much older than me, were getting older and wanting to hand over their areas of the city to their sons.
Anthony was already on my sh*t list, but after last night, I decided to make an example out of him. He had been trying to usurp power, albeit quietly, for at least a year now. I let it go on too long, honestly. He was smart about it, though. Little bits here and there that went unnoticed until it was a much larger problem. I also heard rumors that he was. dealing in human trafficking and that was unforgiveable as far as I was concerned. He needed to be put in his place. His father, Salvadori, had served me well, as well as my father before me, but Anthony was out of control.
I tried to clear my thoughts as I climbed the steps to her apartment behind Stephen. Two sharp knocks on the door and we were greeted with Ivan’s substantial frame. My men were well trained, but most of all, they were physically intimidating. Each of them was 6’3-6’5 and well over 250 lbs of solid muscle. They had trained with some of the most elite forces in the world. My life was in their hands every single day and I trusted them completely. I still didn’t quite understand why I didn’t hesitate to assign them to Persephone, but I wasn’t going to change my mind. I wanted her protected. I needed her protected. We stood in her kitchen, discussing the latest update on Anthony. They’d heard two tips on his possible whereabouts, but both ended up being dead ends. It felt like we were being fed misinformation on purpose. I didn’t like it. Ivan had just finished giving me the information and we all heard a scream from her bedroom. I looked at Ivan and we all jumped into action.
Ivan and Stephen covered the outside of the apartment while Misha and I ran to her room. I didn’t think she had outside access from her bedroom, but I wouldn’t put it past Anthony to order a roof breach. Misha drew his gun, one hand on the doorknob. He briefly looked back at me, as I nodded my head. Misha burst through the door and immediately checked the window, bathroom, and any possible way someone could’ve gotten in.
I ran to her side. It felt like I couldn’t get there fast enough. I just wanted her in my arms, to know she was okay. I had never felt this way about a woman before and I didn’t understand why I felt this way about her, but I wasn’t going to fight it at this moment. I just wanted her to be okay. I wrapped my arms around her as I sat on the bed beside her. It looked like she had just woken from a nightmare.
“Shhhh…you were having a nightmare. You’re safe. I won’t let anything happen to you ever again,” I said, wrapping my arms around her and pulling her to me. “Adrik?”
“Yes, solnishko. You’re okay. You had a nightmare, but it wasn’t real. You’re okay now.”
Her body was shaking slightly. I noticed she did that last night too. When I sat her on the table in the kitchen, after that piece of sh*t dared to lay his hands on her, she started shaking uncontrollably. It wasn’t to the same level now, but she was definitely shaking. I felt a tightness in my chest that I was not accustomed to. I wanted to make it stop. She was sobbing softly into my chest now. God help me, I loved having her so close to me, even if she was upset.
“Let it out. You’ve had a big couple of days, but you’re okay now. I promise,” I said. I ran my hand slowly up and down her back, trying to calm her raw nerves from the nightmare. “Do you want to tell me about it?” She took a breath and leaned back away from me. I instantly regretted asking her the question as it put distance between us. She wiped tears from her face, but kept her eyes closed like she was fighting back more tears. I reached up and wiped a few stray tears from under her eyes. She finally opened her eyes. I felt like I was drowning in her beautiful and I didn’t care. The dim light of her bedroom made her teary eyes sparkle, each color catching the light in its own way, making the three colors appear to dance in her eyes. My heart skipped a beat. I reached up and brushed her curls back from her face. “You’re even beautiful when you cry.” eyes,
She blushed and looked down at her hands. No! I needed her to look at me again. I gently raised her chin up, seeking her mesmerizing gaze once again and said, “Don’t hide your beautiful eyes from me, solnishko. I could stare into your unique eyes all day and all night and never get tired of the view.”
She struggled to accept my words. I noticed her shyness before at any mention of her beauty. She would usually change the subject quickly or use her quick wit to make light of the situation. Viktor and Andrei were smitten with her because of her sense of humor. They thought of her like a little sister already. I knew they would die trying to protect her, if needed.
“Wait, how did you get here?”
Subject change, as expected. I smiled at her. She was something worth protecting.
Adrik
“Fine. But I don’t have to like it,” she said as she crossed her arms underneath her breasts. Her pouty lips making me use every ounce of self-control to not lean in and kiss them. Instead, I laughed and kissed her forehead. She leaned into me, and I heard her breath catch ever so slightly. She took my hand into both of hers. Her cool hands made me feel a warmth in my body that I hadn’t experienced before. “Thank you,” she said. She looked into my eyes, and I could tell that she was still very scared but trying to be strong in the moment. Ugh, I would rip this city apart to find that piece of sh**t that dared to hurt her.
“Of course, solnishko. You should get some rest again.”
“Yeah, so about that, I’m gonna forego the whole nightmare thing for a while. I won’t be able to sleep again for a while.”
“Then, come. We will put some arnica on your purple neck,” I said as I grabbed her hand, pulling her out of bed to follow me to the kitchen. I was secretly very happy that I would have a few more minutes alone with her.
“Oh…wait…” she said as she gently resisted against me. I turned back to her and noticed that she was wearing an oversize t-shirt. And only an oversize t-shirt, My eyes trailed down her body, drinking in her porcelain skin. I caught myself starting to think about her long legs wrapped around me when I saw her pulling at the bottom of the t-shirt, trying to cover herself more. Seeing the embarrassment on her face, I kissed her forehead once more and said, “apologies. I’ll meet you in the kitchen.”
I didn’t have to wait long until she appeared in the kitchen, this time wearing a pair of leggings under her oversize shirt. As she walked in, she was pulling her long, curly hair into a ponytail. It just didn’t matter what she did, I found her absolutely stunning. The fact that she was so comfortable with me, in her home, while she just woke up and had zero makeup on, and seemingly didn’t care that she was in her pajamas was a new phenomenon for me. The women I had been with in the past were the type to look like they were about to go to a dinner party at any moment. A few of them even slept in full makeup. Wher I was younger, I thought it was attractive, but as I had gotten older, I found it more repulsive than anything. Beauty comes from within. When you spend so much time trying to make the outside look pretty, it’s usually because the inside is u*ly. This woman standing in front of me with zero makeup on, in her pajamas, with barely contained hair, a purple neck, and bruises on her arms was more beautiful than any woman I had ever seen.
She caught me staring at her and grinned slightly. “Hi.”
Just her little smile made my whole world brighter. I couldn’t help myself. I grabbed her hips and lifted her onto the counter in front of me. I adored the way she squealed and grabbed onto my arms to steady herself. Her laughter was infectious, and I found myself drunk on the sound. I stepped to the side to grab the arnica cream I picked up on the way over. She crisscrossed her legs so I could stand directly in front of her. I struggled to get the box open. She grabbed it from my hands and stabbed it with one of her thumb nails, opening it easily. She handed it back to me, with a very proud look on her face. I couldn’t help but smile back at her.
“See? What would I do without you?”
Her grin widened and a small chuckle escaped her lips. I opened the tube of cream, squeezing out a small amount on my index finger. I reached up with my other hand and tilted her head back to give me full access to the now very colorful bruise on her neck. I touched the cream to her neck and noticed her flinch.
New Book: Back Home to Marry Off Myself
Loredana’s father left the family for his mistress, leaving them to fend for themselves abroad. When life was at its toughest, her father showed up with “good news” after 8 years of absence: To marry off Loredana to a paralyzed son of the wealthy Mendelsohn family.