"I feel like you will ruin me one day, Angelica." His voice was hoarse. His forehead came to rest against mine. "But why do I want to be ruined so badly?" He breathed. ~~ He was lightning and thunder, frightening, but so magnificent. I was a hurricane, lost and in search of purpose. When we met it was like a collision of two catastrophes. But who knew chaos could be so beautiful, so addicting. And for a moment, he made me forget the destruction that is inevitable when two storms collide. Author: REEYU97 Publisher: EasyReading
~Prologue~
~~
December 2006
11 years old
~~
Cold.
That's the first thing I notice. It's so cold that it stings to breathe in.
Then I notice the darkness.
"Mama?" I cry out.
"I'm right here, love. It's going to be okay." My mother's soft voice soothes. It comes from right beside me.
I can tell that something is terribly wrong.
"Don't be afraid Angelica. You need to be strong." This time it's my brother Declan who has spoken up.
"Where is?Papa?" My quivering voice asks.
"He will be with us soon darling."
The room is suddenly illuminated by a strong burst of light. I blink rapidly.
Once my eyes have adjusted I look around. My eyes widen in horror.
My mother and older brother sit beside me on the floor. We are in a small room with no furniture or windows.
"Ciao.(Hello)" A cold voice suddenly grabs our attention.
A man about my father's age comes into view.
"Pleasure to meet you." His voice is completely void of emotion. "Although, I do apologize for the circumstances."
"Who are you?" My mother demands, her voice doesn't waver.
The man smiles, somehow it makes him look a little less cruel.
"Ah, how rude of me. Allow me to introduce myself. I am Alessandro. You've heard of me, yes?"
Although my mother's expression remains? blank but I can see that her face has gone pale.
The man seems to notice it too because his smile suddenly widens. "And this is? my son Matteo and my brother Lorenzo." He gestures toward the two men standing beside him.
The one who he introduced as Matteo is young, probably in his mid-twenties. He looks uncomfortable, like he doesn't want to be here.
"è questo padre davvero necessario?" (Is this really necessary father?) He speaks softly.
"Temo di si." (I am afraid so.) His father responds.
"Ma perché ho bisogno di essere qui?" (But why do I need to be here) Matteo demands angrily.
"You need to be here because you need to learn our ways. You are next in line. You cannot neglect your duties forever!" Lorenzo's harsh voice interrupts.
The coldness of Lorenzo's voice makes me whimper. The noise catches his attention and suddenly Lorenzo's cold gaze is locked on me. His hard black eyes are frightening. I know I will have nightmares about those eyes for a long time.
"What do we have here?" He walks towards us, taking slow deliberate steps. "So precious." He crouches down in front of me and I press more into my mother's side trying to get as far away from him as possible.
"Please don't hurt my children, I am begging you. You have me. Let them go, they have no part in this. " My mother pleads.
But Lorenzo completely ignores her. His hand reaches out to touch me and I squint my eyes shut in fear.
"Don't you lay a hand on my sister!" Declan suddenly shouts.
I hear a loud thud and the sound of Lorenzo's groan.
My eyes fly open to find my brothers hands around Lorenzo's throat.
"Declan! Stop!" My mother screams but he doesn't listen.
"Enough!" Alessandro's hard voice bellows. "Release him! Or I will shoot your sister." He points his revolver in my direction.
My brother's hold doesn't loosen. I can see the rapid rise and fall of his shoulders, I can tell that he's angry.
"Do not test me, son. Let him go. I will not repeat myself again."
Declan finally lets go of the man and steps back.
Lorenzo finally straightens up and his furious gaze trains on Declan.
I can feel my heart thudding wildly in my chest.
"You will pay for this?figlio di puttana." (Son of a bitch) Lorenzo growls.
He lifts up his shirt, revealing the holster concealed beneath. He retracts his gun and aims it at my brother.
I bite my cheek hard to keep myself from screaming, the coppery taste of blood fills my mouth.
"No need to be rash?fratello?(brother)." Alessandro speaks up. "It was a mistake. Was it not Declan? Apologize and we can pretend that it did not happened."
For a while there is complete silence.
I could see that Declan's whole body has gone rigid.
"No." He finally spits out.
"No?" Alessandro demands. "You want to die, boy?"
"I'm not afraid of you." Declan growls.
"Declan please! Just do what they're telling you to." My mother is sobbing now.
Declan turns to her. "No?Mama. These cowards don't deserve my apology or your tears. I am not afraid of them and you shouldn't be either."
"Come here boy." Alessandro demands.
"Please don't hurt my brother." I sob as I cling to Declan's leg desperately.
"It's okay Angie." Declan's calm voice soothes as he bends down to hug me. "I need you to be strong for me okay? I need you to take care of Mama."
He pries my fingers away from his leg.
"No!" I scream pure terror lacing my voice.
"I love you." He whispers before finally stepping away.
"Last chance boy. Apologize." Lorenzo demands. His black eyes gleaming with pure evil.
"Go?fuck?yourself."
"Very well." He grins as he aims his revolver at Declan.
"Fermare questo zio, questa è follia." (Stop this uncle, this is madness.) Matteo tries to lunge for Lorenzo's gun but his father stops him.
"You need to watch this son, you need to learn what we do to people who disrespect us." He nods his head at Lorenzo.
I can feel the bile rising in my throat.
Declan's eyes meet mine for the last time. "Close your eyes Angelica."
Tears slip down my cheeks but I do as he says.
The sound of a gunshot and my mother's scream follows.
And then there's silence.
Deafening silence.
My eyes open and they focus on my brother's immobile body on the floor.
I throw up.
This is not happening.
This is not happening.
"You should really teach your children some manners." Lorenzo sneers at my mother but she doesn't respond. Her eyes are glazed over, still focused on Declan, as if she's pleading for him to move.
"What do you want from us?" My mother's flat voice asks finally.
Alessandro chuckles coldly. "You know what I want. I want your husband to release my men. He is a fool if he believes that he can fuck with us. He will stay out of our affairs from now on if he knows what's best for him."
And then I hear it.
The sound of gun shots and screams suddenly pierce the air.
"What th-" Matteo shouts in surprise.?
There's a loud?Bang?and suddenly Matteo collapses to the floor with a pained groan.
I scream.
Matteo's eyes connect with mine. "Mi dispiace (I'm sorry)" He chokes out before going completely still.
Alessandro calls out Matteo's name in pure terror, the color drains from his face in horror. "No!" He screams in utter agony as he drops to his knees in front of his son's body.
The door suddenly bursts open and armed men start filing in, I recognize some of them.
My eyes suddenly fall on the man who rushes through the door behind them.
"Papa!" I cry out immediately drawing his attention.
All around shots are being fired.
My father rushes towards us. He crouches down in front of us trying to shield our bodies from the never ending rain of bullets.
"Where's Declan?" My father shouts to my mother over the noise but my mother doesn't answer him. She just wraps her arms around him and clings to him like he might disappear if he lets go.
Finally, after what seems like an eternity the firing stops.
"Sir, we've got the situation under control." One of my father's men approaches us. "We've arrested most of their men but Lorenzo managed to escape."
My father still has his arms around us but he responds. "What about Alessandro and his son?"
"They are both dead."
"The boy got caught between the crossfire, bullet to the chest, died instantly. His father Alessandro refused to leave him behind, he shot himself with his own revolver? when we asked him to surrender."
My father sighs. "I see." He finally rises to his feet bringing me and my mother with him. "Can you please get Alberto?" He says referring to our old chauffeur who was more like family to us. He picks me up with one arm and wraps one around my mother's waist.
"I am so sorry,?il mio amore?(my love)." He whispers softly as my mother starts to sob quietly again.
"Sir, you called for me?" Alberto's voice breaks in.
"Yes Alberto. Please take them home"
He turns to us again. "I love you." He whispers before finally letting go of us.
"Mr. Vitale a moment please?" One of my father's men calls out desperately. "It's important Sir, it's about your son. I'm afraid we have some terrible news."
I watch as my father walks away.
My mother urges me outside towards the car quickly.
Once we're seated she leans forward towards Alberto who is in the driver's seat.
"Alberto I need you to take me to the airport." She whispers frantically.
"But Madam-"
"Please Alberto if you care even a little about me or Angelica you will do as I say."
Alberto sighs but he starts the car.
"Please tell Carlos that I'm sorry and that I love him." My mother's eyes fill with tears. "Tell him that I don't want him to look for me. I can't raise a child like this. I can't lose her too."
"Please tell him that we're never coming back.
~~
For some twisted reason I felt drawn to him. Like a moth to a flame. The knowledge of imminent destruction cloaked by irresistible attraction. ~~~~~ "I'm going to win this race tonight." Hunter whispered huskily in my ear. "And when I do, you know what my prize is going to be?" He pulled back so he was looking directly into my eyes. His grey eyes were dark. Dangerous. "You." Author: REEYU97 Publisher: EasyReading
"Go to hell!" She spat out. I could feel my lips curling into a smirk as I advanced towards her. "Oh I will, sweetheart, and I'll make sure I drag you down there with me." "Don't come any closer, or I'll shoot." She warned but even as she spoke she edged back slowly. "Then shoot me." ❝My Demons wanted you and I surrendered to them.❞ Author: REEYU97 Publisher: EasyReading
In the previous life, Maggie Johnson was so cowardly, gullible and stupid that she was coaxed by her fiance and stepsister and then broke her legs and lost everything including her fortune, love and even life. However, she was so lucky that she was reborn in the year before everything happened. Since her life restarted, how could she repeat a previous tragedy? Therefore, in this life, she took the opportunity to improve herself and take revenge on the ones who had ever insulted her. Facing the people who had humiliated her previously, she became smart and experienced to break their frames and tricks that had caused her to hurt in the previous life. Finally, no one could stop her pace to amaze the world any more.
"It was just one night stand, and now I'm pregnant with triplets? Gosh!" Josephine Jade never thought that she would have to run away from her own family while pregnant. She was alone, without money, without connections, with three fetuses in her stomach. How can she survive? However, Josephine couldn't give up now, until she managed to reclaim her arbitrarily seized property and get back at everyone who tried to get rid of her. A sick child, a past crush that comes back, a mysterious eccentric man, and a family that hates her, will weave together the journey of Josephine Jade's new life. "You have no right to separate me from my children, you bastard! I will survive and you will submit to me. Just watch!"
When they met again, Jason cast aside his paranoia and pride, warmly embracing Chelsey. "Please, come back to me?" For three years, she had been his secretary by day and his companion by night. Chelsey had always complied with his requests, like an obedient pet. However, when Jason declared his plans to marry another, she chose to stop loving him and to let go. But life took unexpected turns. His unyielding pursuit, her pregnancy, and her mother's greed gradually pushed her to the brink. Eventually, she endured tremendous suffering. Five years later, when she returned, she was no longer the woman she once was. Yet he had spiraled into five years of chaos.
After a passionate night, Verena left some money and wanted to leave, but was held by her companion. "Isn't it your turn to make me happy?" Verena, always disguising herself as ugly, slept with her fiance's uncle, Darren, in order to escape her engagement with her unfaithful fiance. Darren had respect and admiration. Word of his romantic escapades circulated, some saying they saw him kissing a lady against a wall and others calling it gossip. Who could ever tame Darren's heart? Then, shockingly, Darren was caught bending down to help Verena with her shoes, all to score a kiss from her!
For as long as Emily can remember, she has wanted to overcome her shyness and explore her sexuality. Still, everything changes when she receives an invitation to visit one of the town's most prestigious BDSM clubs, DESIRE'S DEN. On the day she chose to peruse the club, she noticed three men, all dressed in suits, standing on the upper level, near the railing. Despite her limited vision, she persisted in fixating on them. Their towering statues belied the toned bodies concealed by their sharply tailored suits-or so she could tell. The hair of two of them was short and dark, and the third had light brown-possibly blond-hair that reached the shoulders. The dark, crimson background incised their figures, exuding an air of mystery and strength. They stood in stark contrast to the unfiltered, primal energy that pulsed through the club. Shocked by the desires these men aroused in her, she was disappointed to learn that they were masters seeking a slave to divide and conquer. She couldn't afford the fee, and she also realized that they were outside her league. Emily hurriedly left the club, feeling disappointed and depressed, unaware that she had also caught the group's attention. A world of wicked pleasure, three handsome men. Over the years, they have lived a life of decadence, their lavish lair serving as a stage for their most sinister desires. But despite the unending parade of willing subjects, one woman sticks out. A mysterious stranger with white porcelain skin and a killer body, a slave, a name with no address, the first lady to attract their eye and they will go to any length to obtain her no matter the consequences.
"There will be no falling in love, we will only act as a loving couple when we are in public, we will share a room to make it believable, but no intimacy, touching is off-limits. We'll only have sex once a month, and that's solely to produce an heir. You won't interfere in my business, and I won't interfere in yours. You will be my wife in every sense and you will not be involved with any other man," he said, arrogance seeping from every word. I watch his mouth move, I'm not ready to fall in love with any man, especially not one as arrogant and egoistic as him. I can handle acting as a loving couple, and as for intimacy once a month. I can agree to that just to satisfy my sexual cravings with no strings attached. "Where can I sign?" I asked since I had nothing to lose. *** Nadine's wedding dreams turned to nightmares when she caught her sister and fiancé cheating! With a secret recording, she's ready for revenge. But then mysterious billionaire Logan West offers a deal: A Contract Marriage to take down her ex's empire. But what Nadine doesn't know is her life is getting complicated as she takes her chance to get revenge or risks everything for a chance at love?"