by V. F. Mason
Santiago has dragged me outside several times, holding my hand out and letting Leo smell it while I trembled in his arms, afraid to have a chomped limb any minute, but the lion just sniffed it. I usually rushed back inside anyway, so that was it.
He usually stayed home more frequently when the lion was here, but something major happened at the company last week, so he mostly spends his days in the office now while I sketch. Lenora is still in New York preparing for the wedding, and Jimena… well, Jimena has so much going on in life right now she doesn't have time for anything else.
“Stop bothering me, Leo.” He keeps staring though, and I exhale, getting up and placing my cup on the table. “I’m not giving you steaks.” He cocks his head to the side, his predator eyes still trained on me, because I swear he’s just like his owner—doesn't like to hear no and expects me to dance to his tune. “I don't trust you.” I wiggle my finger, pressing it onto the glass just above his nose, and he opens his jaw wider, snapping his teeth, so I jump back, frowning. “Exactly that.”
I love animals, I really do, but trusting a wild one who probably doesn't like me much wouldn't be smart, right?
Although, I do agree he is magnificent, and the way he loves Santiago is endearing. I don't doubt the lion would die if it meant saving him.
A man who has such loyalty not only from his friends but an animal too cannot be a monster.
My mouth widens in a smile, warmth filling my heart, and I tap on the glass one more time, winking at Leo. “He’ll be home soon. You and I just don't have a serious relationship yet, lion.” His whiskers wiggle slightly. “You have to earn my trust.” And somehow, I think it works both ways.
Spinning around, I’m about to go back to finish my sketch, when a knock on the door halts my movements.
Usually, no one enters this property. Santiago has several security guards by the gates for this reason. However, the yard opening from the terrace where the lion roams is fenced so he won’t accidently kill one of the guards should they need something.
I open the door and smile at Marvin, the youngest guard who was hired a month ago, and ask, “Everything all right?”
He smiles, although his eyes stay a bit wary, which I find strange. Shouldn't these guys be all stone-cold? But then again, maybe the lion unsettles him, fence or not. “I’m sorry for bothering you, but Jenkins hit his hand with a hammer, and we need to put some ice on it. Our fridge doesn’t have any.”
“Oh my God. Is he okay? He should go to the hospital though!” I already rush toward the fridge, grab a nearby bowl, and start to put some ice in it, while he absently replies from behind me.
“Yeah, he’s all right.”
I’m in the middle of opening up a second row of ice cubes when I catch his reflection in a small piece of shiny metal in the back of the fridge and still, the air sticking in my lungs when his knife glistens in the sunlight.
“Never open the door to anyone you don’t know well.’’
God, how could I have been so stupid? Santiago refused to tell me why he really married me, but I know the man who ruined his life is still out there trying to get him.
Looks like he finally found the way.
Resuming collecting ice, I continue to blab while franticly thinking what do next. Because if he is here, it means they’ve done something to the security, and running to the main gate wouldn't be in my best interest. “Hopefully he didn't break any bones.” I open the third row, even though my bowl is already full, and catch in the reflection when he lunges toward me. I dip slightly, moving to the side, and he misses me, which allows me time to close the door on him with his hand inside, and his cry of pain vibrates off the walls.
I run around him, but his other hand catches me, as he mutters, “Fucking bitch.” I throw all the ice at him, hitting the bowl over his arm and slip from his hold, running toward the terrace door just as another man pops inside from the main door. Marvin screams, “Get her!” The man jumps on me, his hand grabbing my elbows, but I push my other arm back and punch him in the nose as my knee hits his groin, making him bend in half.
Since there are more men running behind him, I quickly take my phone and, without thinking, slide the terrace door open, flying outside and running with all my might while trying to call Santiago, only to discover the line is not working.
How is that possible? Did they block the phones too? Who are these people?
Before I can dwell on it, another one grabs me around the waist and pulls us to the ground where I end up on my back. “Get off me!” I scream, trying to wiggle free, and hit him somehow, but this one ends up being smarter than the previous two and dodges my hits, trapping my knees and hands, and he smiles as if he caught the prey.
He takes out a white cloth from his pocket, and I assume he has something on it to make me unconscious.
Both of us still when a loud roar fills the air, drumming so hard in my ears they start to hurt.
And then Leo slams into the man, getting him off me, and sinks giant teeth into his shoulder to my surprised and horrified gasp. My heart galloping, relief washes over me, mixing with panicked fear, because I’m out in the open with a predator who just tasted blood.
Will I be next?
The man cries out in pain, but I pay no attention to it, snatching the gun from his belt holster while the lion continues to tear at him and then steps back when he finally shuts up.
I see men running toward us, and I fire the gun without thinking, hitting their legs and arms while Leo jumps to them, knocking them on their asses while they’re trying to regroup after getting shot.
Although I should be terrified at how their bodies are being ripped apart, I don't really feel an ounce of remorse, because fuck them.
Is this how Santiago always feels?
Leo finishes the last one and then looks at me. My heart is in my throat at this point, and then he darts so fast toward me he becomes a blur. I’m glued to the spot, scrunching my eyes hard, expecting to be next, and the gun trembles in my hands, but nothing happens.
Instead, I feel hot breath on my chest, and I open my eyes to see him standing in front of me, nuzzling into me as if checking if I’m all right. I place my hand on his head, gliding it over his fur.
I’m trembling so much from relief I fall to my knees where Leo still allows me to touch him without him harming me, and although blood drips from his mouth, it doesn't stop my smile, as I whisper, “Thank you.” This moment is incredibly touching to me, even though I understand the psychology behind it.
To him, Santiago is his pride’s alpha, and his alpha introduced him to me, showing him I'm important. By default, Leo considers me part of their pride, so he protects me when outsiders come.
Nothing but animal instinct.
Sliding my hand through his fur one last time, I’m scratching him under his chin, when a gunshot echoes across the space. Birds stop chirping and the branches shuffle when they fly out, signaling danger all around us.
Bang. Bang. Bang.
Leo is so enormous he blocks everything behind him, so I don't understand what is going on at first, but then he roars, shaking slightly and stumbling before falling onto his side as he breathes heavily. I gasp, tears filling my eyes when I see several bloody wounds on him, and shake my head. “No, no.” I place my hands on them, but he only roars again, clearly in so much pain. “No, no!”
“That’s why you should never resist my wishes, Briseis. There are always consequences.” The cold voice slips into my veins, stilling the world around me, and I look in its direction. I see a man wearing all white standing, holding a gun as he grins at me, venom filling his crystal-green eyes.
Several men stand behind him, aiming their guns at me, although judging by their leader, they won’t shoot.
Leo roars once again, and I shift my attention back to him. “Shhh…. We need to get you to the hospital.” I pat his head, ignoring the man and hoping all this is just a bad dream, because the lion cannot die, right? I get up, searching for
the gun beside him, only to jump when the man fires again at my feet, not allowing me to get it. “I don’t have value for human life. Why do you think I care if the lion lives or not?” He gives Leo a once over. “The creature is as good as dead, so stop wasting my time.” He orders his men, “Get her.”
They grab me from both sides before I can run, then drag me to their boss as I dig my bare feet into the ground, thrashing in their hold. “No, let me go! Leo!” I shout, needing to get some help to him or he will die. “Let me go!” I pull at my hands, but it’s useless.
They finally bring me so close to the man I have a good look at him, mainly how despicable all his features are, which let me know nothing human resides in his soul. He traps my chin, digging his fingers in so hard I hiss in pain, spitting, “Don’t touch me, you fucker.” He slaps me so hard my head twists to the side, and instant pain travels through my neck, numbing my jaw, and I barely manage to take a breath.
He tsks. “Now, darling, is that the way to greet your father?”
My… father?
The thought doesn't even register in my mind as he inserts a needle into my neck, and slowly my whole body loses its strength as my eyes close.
Santiago
Flipping through the statistics on our latest transactions on my tablet, I press on the intercom and hear Anna answer, “Yes, sir?”
“I’m looking over the reports on the club. Two dancers broke their contracts.” The club doesn’t bring us any real money; however, we still need to run the business to serve as a cover to lure our victims or present an alibi to the police.
Not to mention we like to hang out there where we can be ourselves without the press breathing down our necks.
And the club was created entirely by our money alone that we earned with our business transactions without our families’ wealth.
Monsters can be sentimental too.
Apparently, without my supervision, the club falls apart.
What the fuck is Remi doing? It should be his responsibility to oversee this shit.
Florian is too artistic to deal with finances and any paperwork, preferring to focus on his designs or the interior should the need arise; plus, he is good with publicity. Women flock to the club based on interest in him alone.
Octavius already has his plate full with his oil empire. He always researches stuff to make clubs more appealing though and inserts new advertising strategies.
I have to help Dad. I work on the marketing division and deal with all the employees who find me the nicest to talk to.
So what the fuck is Remi doing?
I hear Anna click on her laptop in the distance, before she replies to me, “Yes. We tried finding replacements but no luck.”
“I don’t want replacements, Anna. I want these dancers.” They are the best in the field, and some people came just to see them.
“I’m sorry, sir, but they said they no longer wish to work here.”
I rub my chin, anger settling inside me at the abrupt departure after we’ve been nothing but great to them, and throw another question. “Where are they working now?”
She clicks several times again. “They found a job at Dungeon of Burlesque. Lachlan Scott, the owner, was the one to pay forfeit on their contracts. Oh, and you lost the cook too,” she says, fear in her voice as if she probably doesn't know how I will react to that.
“Anything else I should know about?”
“No, but several servers have expressed the desire to leave. They have families in New York, and the pay offered is better. At the same club,” she finishes lamely, and I disconnect, leaning back in my chair and rub my eyes, because the picture becomes quite clear to me.
Lachlan is not a fairy godmother who goes around making dreams come true; the fucker only does stuff that benefits him, and he’s essentially attacking our nightclub.
It’s the first sign of war.
“Mierda.” I get up, too furious to think straight, and watch the changing scenery through the huge window in my office while dwelling on several problems at hand.
How am I supposed to focus on Lachlan, when I’m still trying to catch Andreas, who lies so low none of the people I tortured in the last two months know where he is?
I know he is close though; my instincts are always alert in anticipation of his attack that never comes. However, studying all the mansions, warehouse, and large buildings in close proximity brings zero results.
Does he wait for my wife to get pregnant to make a move?
Rage fills my every bone at the thought of my Briseis, who has become vitally important to my life, in his hands.
I’m obsessed with her every move and breath, needing her like air, and each day, it only grows worse, turning me into a madman just as I feared.
Is this love?
Rotten love though, because if she ever tries to leave me, I will bring her back every single time.
Ironically, I understand my father very well right now. Although giving a woman so much power over yourself is scary, and nothing scares monsters.
Nothing but losing the one who brightens up their hell.
The doors to my office burst open, and in the glass’s reflection I see Remi entering.
We look at each other for several seconds before I spin around to face him and grit through my teeth. “Qué hiciste?”
He hooks his thumbs in his jeans pockets, giving me a crooked grin. “Better question is what didn’t I do.”
Anger spikes inside me, but I rein it in, ordering my control to come back, because one of us needs to stay sane. “Qué hiciste?” I repeat, and he opens his mouth to reply, when the door bursts open again and a furious Octavius steps inside, with Florian right behind him. “By all means, enter my office as you please.” Sarcasm seeps into my voice, and Florian just shrugs, clearly unfazed by the tension in the air.
Then again, when did Florian give a fuck about anything or anyone? His only saving grace was finally stopping whoring around about two years ago. Right when Jimena came back from abroad. He either became extremely selective or just took an oath of celibacy, which is a laughable notion in itself.
“I just lost a billion-dollar oil deal,” Octavius announces, and since my expression stays blank—why the fuck does he even feel the need to tell us that—he elaborates. “I worked on this deal for a year. And you know who got it?”
Oh, fuck.
“Lachlan.”
He claps several times. “Yes.” A hollow chuckle slips past his lips. “This is a sign of war.”
“I’m aware. He took our dancers and cook too.”
And I foresee more blows in the near future that are more severe than business deals. This is just the beginning.
The war will be bloody and forever shift the dynamics among everyone we know, because they will have to choose sides.
Everyone focuses their attention on Remi, who crosses his arms now, straightening his back, and meets our stares head-on. “What did you do?” This time, Octavius asks, and his tone leaves no doubt he expects an answer now.
My phone vibrates in my pocket, and I take it out expecting to see Briseis’s name flashing on the screen, but instead an unknown number shows with a video message.
Chills run down my spine for the first time in over a decade, as I slide it open, press on the video, and everything inside me goes still when Andreas’s face comes into view.
Older-looking than twenty years ago, but still the same fucking face I wish to destroy.
The guys notice my expression and come to stand around me as we all watch the screen, and I grit my jaw so hard it’s surprising my teeth don't break.
Andreas winks at the camera before he steps back, pointing at where Briseis lies on the floor while some doctor takes a blood sample. “Look who’s here, Santiago. Your precious wife and my daughter.” He tsks. “You should have paid better attention, but I’m starting to think it’s a family trait. Kidnapping anyone from under a Cortez’s nose is so fucking easy.”
I grip the ph
one so hard it cracks slightly, and Florian quickly holds it while Octavius and Remi grab my arms from either side so I won’t roar or destroy everything around me without watching the video till the end.
Andreas pats Briseis’s head gently, smiling wickedly. “My daughter. Not much in the looks department, but she managed to get your attention, and that’s all that matters.” He slides his hand to her stomach and places it there. “She will finally give me a strong heir who can withstand anything. Just like his father and mother.” He looks back into the camera, stepping closer. “All I need is proof that she’s pregnant. Her mother got pregnant right away—shouldn't be different here.”
Octavius jumps to my laptop, already clicking frantically, probably hacking the system and trying to track where the video came from while so many emotions wash over me I don't know whether to let fear sink into my bones or throw the phone at the wall.
The doctor finishes taking blood, places it in a box, and bows slightly to Andreas before scuttling away. “This should teach a Cortez to never fuck with me. I always get what I want.” He sighs heavily. “Too bad you aren’t mine, but I’ll settle for your seed.” He is about to press the disconnect, but his finger hovers above the screen before he puts it back and his mouth widens in such a huge grin my hands itch to knock out his teeth. “Oh, and by the way? Your lion must be dead by now. Try finding me, Santiago. I wouldn’t mind finally killing you after you’ve fulfilled your purpose.”
The screen goes blank, and Florian drops the phone onto the table next to Octavius as they both work on it while my entire body shakes. Remi tries to talk reason to me. “Santiago, we will find her.”
I snatch back my elbow, push him away, and go to my changing room, removing the fucking suit and putting on a black sweater and jeans along with boots while my friends search for a location I know they will find.