“Y-you can’t.” She stammered and backed away. Kara hugged herself.  She did not know what came over her. Then, the events that happened that afternoon came to her mind.  Kara squeezed her eyes shut, willing to blot it out of her mind. But every time she closed her eyes, she would see David’s bloodied face, causing her to shudder involuntarily. “What is going to happen to David?  Are you going to..” Kara swallowed hard. The words could not come right out of her mouth. She took a deep breath and faced Nico Bernardi bravely. “Are you going to kill him?”  The question came out hoarse. She was breathless. So many gruesome thoughts ran through her head. Nico Bernardi’s expression grew chiller.  “I do not have to explain myself to you or anyone else, Ms. Baxter.”Kara bit her

Kara was stunned. Her mind went blank. “Kara, please tell me the truth. Are you in some kind of trouble right now? Do you need my help?” This time, there was urgency in Marco Bonacci’s voice. Kara closed her eyes. She blamed her mouth for being careless. She should have checked her caller before she let her mouth run loose. It would be too late to retract now. “Kara, are you still there?""Please, you had to tell me what is wrong so I can help you.” Marco Bonacci tried again. Kara did not know what to do.Should she tell him? What if Nico Bernardi gets wind of it? What other punishment would he mete for her?Kara shivered at the thought. In her mind, she remembered how Nico warned her off Marco Bonacci. How she was told that he was a dangerous man. His family owns Club Roman, which preyed on innocent young girls like him. But all these were just Nico’s words. Kara’s forehead creased into a frown. What if they are not even true?Nico Bernardi blamed Club Roman for th

Outside his office, Nico Bernardi met Bruno and Evan. They accompanied him to the elevator bay. “Who’s tailing Bonacci?” He asked them. “Frank. He took some men with him.” Bruno replied. Nico did not say a word. His two assistants exchanged looks but did not say anything. They knew that look. Nico Bernardi is pissed, and when in this state, they steer clear of him. Nico Bernadi’s had a reputation for having a bad temper. When the elevator opened, they all boarded. Nico’s phone rang, and he took it. He listened for a while, and then he started blowing up. “What do you mean I have to follow protocols? I am not doing anything wrong. The girl is fine.”It was a call from the organizers of the Night of the Virgins. Nico Bernardi gritted his teeth in annoyance. He knew he would not be receiving this call if Marco Bonacci did not raise the issue with the organizers.He must hand it into that a*s*ole. He sure was quick and sly. He asked a question, and this is how he talked bac

The next day, Kara dressed as usual, and before seven, she was going down the stairs and to the dining hall. The four men were already seated and were waiting for her. “Buongiorno” She greeted everyone before occupying her usual seat. Evan, Bruno, and Frank greeted her back, but not Nico Bernadi, who was busy reading the papers.The mood at the table was the same as before.  Formal. The food was served and the maids left. Kara ate slowly.  She tried to feel her way around her companions. They were all busy with their plates.   She cast a glance at Nico’s way, but he was not looking in her direction. He was busy talking to the other three about business. It was a drastic change from the previous days when Nico would, from time to time, address her. It was unnerving that after what happened with them last night, Nico did not so much as glance

Kara was all smiles as Max and Elliot fussed over her. It was her first time to receive this kind of treatment, and she was basking in the attention. First, they did her make-up.“We will keep it to a bare minimum because you do not need much, just some to highlight your facial features, especially your eyes,” Max told her. They curled the ends of her hair and let it fall around her shoulders in a swirly, spiral motion. After the hair and make-up, they pulled out several pieces of gowns from a rack for her to choose from. Her eyes scanned the dresses. “I can’t choose.” She told them, nibbling on her index finger and asking the two to decide for her. Max took out a one-shoulder flutter sleeve plum dress with a thigh-high slit. “This one would look good on you. It brings out the color of your eyes.” He told her. She pulled the dress on and was surprised at the perfect fit. The bodice hugged her torso perfectly, emphasizing the smallness of her waist. The skirt flares at th