~Benny~Before Melanie, every fiber of my being was keen on avoiding Kai at any cost. And when tomorrow comes, I’d lounge in my safe haven in Colorado, far, far away from him.But fate was a bitch. It reminded me that nothing lasts forever. The peace I’d been relishing has come to an end.Surprisingly, Kai could still thaw the fear induced by my nightmare. For months after the island, I dreamt of Kai leaving me. Instead of Markus, the man in the shadow waited in the living room. A good night’s sleep had been scarce for three months straight. Some nights were worse than others. I’d scream, waking up soaked in tears and sweat. Markus allowed me time to deal with it on my own until he couldn’t take it any longer. He urged me to seek professional help.A traumatizing experience triggered the nightmares; it’s what Sandra, my psychiatrist, said. It’s not fucking rocket science. Markus said it was safe to tell her the truth, so I did. Her conclusion, my experience with Tony, triggered my nig
~Kai~My knuckles sliced through the air, hitting the punching bag. It curved in the middle as the chain jiggled from the bar where it hung. Sweat coated my skin, my hair clung to my neck and forehead as I tried to control my breathing. I swiped a hand over my forehead, noting the red spots on the bandage wrapped around my knuckles. Hours of channeling my frustration into this sandbag had my knuckle skin peeling off.“You okay?” Hunter sauntered inside the training room, dropping his bag with a thud on the floor, echoing in the cacophony of my hiss and punch.“Yeah,” I stepped back, shaking off the cramp settling in my ankles. I worked on my rhythm, ignoring the pain, and began throwing combinations again. “Why wouldn’t I be?”Physically, I’m in good shape. Mentally, not so much.I woke up alone in Benny’s room. Anger dug its claws into my chest when I realized she had left without even saying a word.Klaus said Benny flew to Sicily with Markus. She’ll stay there for the time being wh
~Benny~The contrast between ‘Rylee the assassin’ and ‘Rylee as Mrs. Martinelli’ mirrors day and night. Her eyes were void of emotion when she killed Melanie. She was a woman with one mission: eliminating her target. But right now, watching her breastfeed Ramona while Mikael played with the caterpillar xylophone beside her, I couldn’t imagine she could be the same woman who saved me from Melanie.She eyed Mikael with immeasurable fondness, releasing Ramona, crawling toward his brother.It’s been two days since we arrived in Sicily, and Rylee spent their afternoon under the shade of the old oak tree. The twins love playing on the blanket, Mikael in particular. He’s fond of the outdoors, his curious eyes following every moving animal and insect he sees. On the other hand, Ramona was content sleeping or sitting beside her mom; she was timid.Rylee lifted her gaze to me as I approached, carrying a tray of snacks. I made club sandwiches for Rylee and me, while the twins never tired of eati
~Kai~Until the morning Benny ghosted me, I was convinced that what I did two years ago was for the best. Truth be told, I didn’t ponder much on the consequences of my actions back then, not for the long run, at least. I trusted Benny would go back to her life in Paris - pre-Tony, pre-mafia, pre-me - not delve deeper into this life.Don’t get me wrong, I’m happy she’s with her family, but everything I did ricochet in my face.“We’re here, Signore.” The cab driver met my gaze through the rearview mirror.My head was buzzing, but not drunk enough to get through whatever shit was waiting for me inside that mansion.I pulled out my wallet, counted a hefty bill, and handed it to the young cabby. His eyes went wide, staring at the money. “This is too much-” his voice was muffled when I slammed the door shut.When he picked me up from the bar, he hesitated in driving me to the Martinelli mansion. It didn’t come as a surprise; public vehicles rarely cross this side of town.I didn’t look back
~Benny~Klaus’ plan was simple, a game of cat and mouse, and I would be the bait.I have to trust he knew what he was doing. He wasn’t named as the scheming mafia prince for no reason, was he? Besides, he cared too much to put me in danger, hence assigning Kai as my babysitter again. I have very little understanding of this plan. My part in it was simple: live the life I used to have. Easy peasy? I thought so too, but the moment the cool Paris spring air smacked me in the face on the tarmac, nostalgia had my eyes stinging, and my chest tightened.To make this font believable, Kai and I will stay in my old place. Klaus sent a team to redecorate it to accommodate the two of us.My landlady Josephine rented me the second floor of her home while she resided on the first, managing her own bakery.It had only been a week since Melanie attempted to kill me, and Klaus’ team transformed my shabby one-bedroom apartment into a magazine-worthy two-bedroom flat. It now had two rooms, a shared ba
~Kai~ My nails dug crescents into my palms, taking in the distance growing between Benny and me. She dressed the part of being a bait - too fucking good. She was oblivious to the eyes she gathered, swaying those hips, sashaying towards the VIP lounge. Molars grinding, I pulled deep breaths and belched them out in succession. It took a fucking lot of restraints not to throw her over my shoulder, drive her back to our apartment, and lock her away from these hungry wolves. Benny exchanged a few words with the bouncer. The bulky, bearded guy recognized her and let her through. God fucking dammit. I bit my lip so hard I tasted blood as she ascended the stairs. Her dress was too short, her mile-long legs and perfectly round ass were a sight to behold; my cock knocked on the zipper of my jeans. I couldn’t even wrap my brain around this entire plan. Why the fuck would Klaus use Benny as bait? Did he lose a screw in the head? He cared for Benny too much that this plan surprised the team.
~Kai~ Amanda’s sultry and bold facade crumbled at the first sign of danger. Anyone with eyes would know that she’s merely a pawn, doing her master’s bidding, but I won’t let her off easy. “P-please.” she gasped, eyes misting, clawing at my hand around her throat, losing precious air by the second. “Name,” I growled. “Be… Benny,” she choked. My brows furrowed, my hold on her tightening. “D… danger.” I released her throat, looking over her shoulder. Benny was not in her seat. Fucking hell! I inwardly groaned. How the fuck did I fall for this trick? Like a rag doll, I tossed Amanda on the cushioned couch. She heaved and coughed, scrambling on her feet. Anger pulsed through my veins. I gripped Amanda’s wrist, panicking blue eyes glanced up at me. “Please. I don’t know anything. He said I just need to distract you.” Deep breath. I raked my hair, contemplating for two fucking seconds, and decided to pull out my phone, taking a picture of Blondie. Every second counts. Even if I ha
~Kai~My heart pounded in my head. A deafening silence hung in the air; you could hear a pin drop. Her confession froze me on the spot, and I watched helplessly as a lone tear rolled down Benny’s cheek.“Benny,” I whispered, lifting a hand to wipe her tears. She faced away from my touch, and I felt the pain of her rejection. She swallowed hard, clearing her throat. “I have to go back inside.” Her voice was as cold as winter, contrasting her warm hand against my chest as she pushed me away, evicting me from her personal space.She left the bathroom without another glance. The moment the door shut, my mind started to function correctly.I had to make things right with Benny. This cannot go on for long.I ran after her, catching her before she could round the corner back to the lounge. I gripped her wrist, tugging her backward. She stumbled on her heels and collided with my chest. She hissed, regaining her footing. The dimmed hallway light didn’t hide the annoyance she pinned on me. “Wh