Prologue
Anna needed any form of distraction; she needed anything that will shield her from the angry-looking men that were running after her. Anna fully well understood why they were running after her, but then they should cut her some slack; whatever happened these past few days isn’t her fault, so they have no reason to chase her like she stole their Christmas presents.Speaking of Christmas, Anna cringed when she remembered her childhood, those pathetic days when she would sit under the Christmas tree, waiting and hoping that Santa will bring her presents. The most amusing thing that happened to Anna was that she did see Santa; just that it wasn’t the old man with a long white beard. The Santa that brought gifts to Anna happened to be her father Ford Smith, and she found him dead on their porch that night.Shaking her head to get rid of the unwanted thoughts, Anna looked back only to discover that the angry men were closing in on her and the only place to hide at the moment was the gigantic casino staring down at her.Grateful that she still has her shoes on, Anna raced into the casino and took a seat at the far end of the casino, covering her face with her hair, a poor attempt to hide from them if they eventually come in here to look for her.A few minutes later, Anna saw the men walk in, their frantic eyes searching around for her. When it was obvious to Anna that her scattered hair is not going to keep her hidden from them, she thought of other safety measures.Running out of the casino wasn’t even an option for Anna because one of those men ambled towards her table. Just to keep herself safe, Anna stood up from her seat and walked up to the man next to her, she grabbed his jacket, and draped it across her shoulder.The young man looked up, obviously surprised by Anna’s behavior and she surprised him further by slamming her lips on his. She expected the young man to push her away but was shocked when he responded to her kisses.The young man’s hand circled her waist and he deepened the kiss. Anna pulled away abruptly, not because she was scared by the man’s interest, but because she felt betrayed by the flutters she felt in her stomach.She looked around the casino but didn’t find the men she was hiding from, so Anna took it as her cue to escape. She raced out of the casino without looking back.Anna didn’t stop running until she got on the bus and it wasn’t until that moment did she realize that she ran away with the young man’s jacket; not just any jacket but an expensive looking one. Dante would have regretted leaving his house this morning, but he isn’t in the habit of regretting his actions but the day keeps getting worst. He lost a shipment worth millions of dollars thanks to a certain idiot who will definitely pay for it. He couldn’t wait to round the day up; perhaps take a blond home and fuck her hard until he is too tired to think of his problems.With a deep frown, he ordered a bottle of scotch to keep himself company while he keeps watching the reason for his foul mood.Just then, a tattered yet beautiful young lady ran into the casino. Dante wondered how she made it past the entrance door looking like that. With the way she constantly looked back, Dante deduced that she was running from someone. As stupid as it sounds, he had this urge to protect her but then he knows better than to get himself involved with issues that are not his problem. It is not as if the young lady asked for his help, so why get involved?Dante’s scotch was served and he watched the young woman as he nursed his glass. He almost chuckled when she tried to cover her face with her hair. A few minutes later, the reason for the lady’s behavior walked in, their eyes frantically searching for her.Dante actually pitied the girl so he picked up his phone to give Mateo a call so he can handle the situation but the girl stood up abruptly, approached him, and picked up his jacket. Mateo sighted them from the other end and stood up to intervene but Dante flickered his finger at him, instructing him to remain put.As if her actions weren’t surprising enough, she slammed her lips on his.Kissing her actually felt refreshing and Dante was willing to strike a deal with her; he wanted to offer her that he will take her out of there if she agrees to grace his bed but then she pulled away abruptly and ran out of the casino.Although confused by her behavior, Dante was willing to let her go when he realized that she ran away with his jacket, his jacket containing his wallet, his card, and his car key.Did she just stage a drama to rob him? And he stupidly fell for it? Anger coursed through him as he dialed Mateo’s number. “Someone just stole from me Mateo and I want you to find her and bring her to me!” Nobody steals from Dante Williams and lives to tell the tale “find that bitch and bring her to me!”DANTE Before me kneels a man who may very well be the epitome of stupidity. Perhaps I've met others who rival his idiocy, but he unquestionably sits at the top of the list. How else can one justify his audacity to steal from me, despite being aware of the severe consequences that come with such actions?As I sit here, pinching my brows in frustration, I shoot a withering glare in his direction. For over an hour now, I've repeated the same question to him without any satisfactory response. "Where is my money, Jet?" I refuse to waste my breath asking him again. "You are aware of my disdain for repetition, yet you seem determined to force me to repeat myself."As I stood there, gazing down at Jet's bloodied face on the ground, I couldn't help but feel a twinge of sympathy. It was almost convincing, the way he kept repeating that he had nothing to do with the missing diamonds. If I didn't know any better, I might have believed him. But I've been in this game for far too long to fall for
AnnaOnce I discovered that Santa Claus had long since passed away, decades before my own arrival into this world, nothing seemed to catch me off guard anymore. Frankly, it both perplexes and irritates me when people anticipate my feigned shock and amazement, when in fact I had long predicted the outcome.Allow me to recount a comparable experience. On the eve of my birthday, my ex-boyfriend, now proudly labeled as such, posed the classic question: “What would you like for your birthday?” I requested a bracelet, and as anticipated, he handed me one the following day. However, he expected me to put on an act of surprise and astonishment, as if I were an impressionable child on Christmas morning. What absurdity! I had long known he would purchase a bracelet for me.As I bade farewell to my colleague at the coffee shop, I brushed aside a nagging thought that had been troubling me all day. The crisp air outside the cozy interior of the cafe hit me like a slap in the face, making me regret
AnnaIt’s been five days, five long torturous days since I got that letter from those men. I’ve taken all the safety measures that I could think of; getting extra locks, and buying a silly breast knife that I do not even know how to use. How can I harm someone with a knife when more often than not, I trip on my own feet?Even though I knew deep down that I won’t be able to defend myself with that knife, I felt a little rest assured that the extra locks will keep them out, but the image before me shows that my efforts were nothing but stupid and useless.I wasted the little money I had on those locks, only for them to come out useless.Staring at those two words, boldly written in fat serial letters which simply say ‘TWO DAYS’, I felt nothing but chills run through my blood, turning it cold with fear.Frozen with fear, my brain thought of the best action to take, but the only thing that came to mind was ‘RUN’ I have to run for my life if at all I want to survive these men. Paying what
AnnaAs I held the ID in my hand, I began to experience doubt about my decision to sell the jacket. I have never had a predisposition towards theft; the notion of taking things that don't belong to me has never once crossed my mind. The decision to sell the jacket was a product of sheer desperation. With a heavy heart, I looked at the ID card once more and let out a sigh. Dante Williams is a force to be reckoned with, and his reputation extends far beyond the confines of New York City.Returning the jacket was an imperative, and I must do so with all its contents intact. Men of a menacing nature were already scouring the streets of New York for me, and I had no intention of inviting Dante William's crew to join the hunt. Seated on the bed, I scowled at the old wall clock. Why had all the wrongdoing in New York singled me out as the target, as though I were cursed since childhood?As I lifted the ID card, I smiled at a thought that crossed my mind. Amidst all this chaos, one fact remai
DanteAs I watched Anna stride confidently out of my office, my heart sank. I knew her returning my jacket was merely a pretext to see me again. Despite the fact that she was on the run, I had made the decision to keep my distance unless she specifically sought my help. Did she honestly believe she could evade me? My men had been monitoring her ever since they discovered her in that miserable motel, but they refrained from dragging her to me on my orders. I was aware of the suspicious individuals who had been asking about her whereabouts, but unless she opened up to me, I refused to intervene. Despite my resolve, I couldn't shake off the nagging feeling that I needed to protect her from any potential danger.I picked up my phone and dialed Matteo's number. "Anna just left my office. I want my men to keep a close eye on her.""Sure thing, boss. Is she connected to the new business owner?" Matteo inquired."I pay you to follow my orders, not to ask questions," I snapped. "Just get my
AnnaAs I tried to lift my hand to touch my throbbing head, I was startled to find that my limbs wouldn't move. Panic set in as I struggled to open my eyes, but the pain only intensified. Just as I was about to lose all hope, cold water was poured over my head, bringing me back to reality. Blinking away the haze, I saw that I was bound hand and foot, with the two men from the previous night staring down at me."What do you want from me?" I demanded, my voice quivering with fear. "If you're going to kill me, just get it over with. I'm not afraid to die."The man with a scar laughed harshly. "Oh, honey, you don't know what you're saying. Death would be the easy way out. You should be praying that our boss doesn't want you dead, because that would be a fate worse than anything you can imagine."I was speechless, unable to even respond with a curse. But just as I thought things couldn't get any worse, a new voice spoke up - one that was surprisingly young and handsome."Nobody's getting f
DanteIt took us two excruciating hours to locate the cabin where Anna was being held. When we finally arrived, I stepped out of the car, ready to retrieve Anna from her captors."Boss, we can't just go in. It might be a trap," Matteo warned.I shot him a hard glare. "Tom, take your crew and surround the back door. Jack, you and your crew should encircle the perimeter and ensure nobody leaves. Matteo and Victor, you're coming with me.""Yes, sir," they answered in unison.Despite my confidence, I couldn't shake the feeling that something was amiss. It was more than just Anna's kidnapping; there was an ominous vibe surrounding the whole situation. As we entered the cabin, we found it empty."Boss, do you think we have the right location?""Search the entire house. Report anything out of place," I ordered."Boss, we found something!" Jack shouted from the other end of the house.I sprinted towards the room Jack was pointing at and kicked the door open to find Anna tied to a chair, uncon
DanteAs I approached Anna's room, a disquieting sensation crept up my spine. My mind was already buzzing with unanswered questions that needed to be resolved. As I walked in, my eyes landed on Anna, her back propped against the bedpost, with her eyes tightly shut in unbearable agony. It was evident that the drugs were taking a toll on her, causing her immense discomfort. Despite being aware of how imprudent it was, I proceeded to ask, "How are you feeling, Anna?"She opened her eyes, and her gaze met mine before responding, "I'm fine, I suppose. Just a pulsating headache."As anticipated, the medication seemed to be doing more harm than good. "I'll have Martha bring you some painkillers," I stated. "You need to rest. The doctor has recommended plenty of rest and water for you. Moreover, tomorrow is going to be a long day, and I'll need to gather information from you about the men who abducted you."Anna nibbled on her fingernails before questioning me, "Why did you come for me?"As