Rodrigo's POV I stormed towards the sleek, black car, the anger burning within me like an unquenchable flame. Tanya's actions this morning had ignited a fuse of frustration, and the weight of it settled heavily on my shoulders. Carlos, one of my most trusted men, stood stoically beside me. "Why didn't you bring the file?" I demanded, turning sharply to face him before entering the car. "You almost made me look stupid with Gonzalez." Gonzalez and I had illegal dealings together, shrouded in the façade of a legitimate business partnership. Any misstep could jeopardise everything. Carlos lowered his gaze, a flicker of regret in his eyes. "I'm sorry, boss. I mistakenly brought the wrong file. It won't happen again, I swear." "You're right. It won't," I replied coldly. Without hesitation, I reached for the cold metal of my pistol, a familiar weight in my holster. In an instant, a gunshot pierced the air, and Carlos crumpled to the ground, lifeless. The silence that followed was

TANYA’S POV “Did you just come in or…?” I questioned, after letting out a sigh of relief. “I just got back.” He answered plainly, his voice firm and his posture unwavering. How could he act like I wasn't half-naked? Our eyes met, and I held his gaze. I’ve been around him since, and I always knew he had pretty eyes, but seeing it this close made me appreciate them even more. I began to feel a bit uncomfortable and gently averted my gaze, going to my wardrobe to look for something nice to wear. searching through my pile of clothes, I could feel the heat of his vision on my back. I didn't bother to look, but I could tell that he was staring at me. I finally grabbed a nice silk nightgown, and then I froze. Looking over my shoulders, my eyes moved to the corner. “Do you just plan on standing there?” I questioned, my voice a little shaky. He didn’t respond. Instead, he just stood his ground. I could tell that his eyes were hovering all over me. A part of me felt embarras

TANYA’S POVFalling against the seat, I pulled Rodrigo inward. A grunt escaped his throat as the bullet dived into his body. He pinned me against the seat, his weight pressing me down while the tyres screeched as they rolled relentlessly against the asphalt. The smell of burning rubber tinged my nostrils as the car jolted forward. The sound of shattering glass met my ears as we drove away, followed by Rodrigo quickly covering my tiny frame with his massive arms. The sound of firing bullets faded away in the background the second we sped down the road. After a while, I finally forced my eyes open. My heart thudded hard against my ribcage.“Rodrigo,” I called, sitting upright. My eyes widened the moment they landed on the blood oozing from his wound, my stomach twisted, and bile rose to my throat. I was never one to take a liking to the sight of blood.“Rodrigo, you're bleeding out!” I shrieked, panic clawing against my throat. He winced as he pressed his palm against his right shou

TANYA’S POVI opened my eyes to find Rodrigo fast asleep beside me, his head resting against my chest. My movement made him stir awake.He blocked me a few times as he looked at me, his face twisting into a questioning look. I, for one, was also wondering what he was doing here.He moved back, creating some space between us. He rubbed his eyes and then climbed off the bed.“How did I get here?” He asked, more to himself than to me.I found myself wondering the same. I didn't even notice him lying on my bed.The stench of alcohol at the fact that he was drunk, maybe he walked into my room because he felt too lazy to walk to his?He entered my bathroom and began throwing up. I could tell from the way he was sounding in there that it was going to be one heck of a hangover.I sat on the bed and cradled my knees. The door clicked open, and he walked out. His moist hair dangled over his forehead, and he was bare-chested.My eyes roamed his frame. Rodrigo was muscular; that wasn't new news, b

TANYA’S POV I sat there silently, trying to wipe my sweaty palms against my thighs. Rodrigo's father, Mr. Augusto, had such a commanding aura that it was almost suffocating. I thought Rodrigo was evil, but then I began to see where he got it from. He looked between Rodrigo and me. “Ease up, son. And I just wanted to spend some time with you and my daughter-in-law.” Rodrigo visibly stiffened as he shoved his hands into his pocket. “I'm getting better, and I decided to do something I should have done a long time ago: have dinner with the family. It's been a while, hasn't it?” Rodrigo's eyes widened in real time as he stood there. “Is he…” he trailed off. His father chucked, “Don't tell me you're still on bad terms with your brother?” He asked. Rodrigo lowered his head a little. “Me and him, we don't talk that much. It's better that way for everyone's peace of mind.” “Nonsense!” He replied, his voice echoing. “You two are brothers. You're the only children I have. One w