AUTHOR'S POV

Night club,
09:55 pm

" F*CKING MOVE".

Ric, the king of nightlife raised his head as he heard some noise at the entrance of the nightclub's pool table room.

There standing furious Nick trying to get inside but Ric's men weren't allowing him. Ric's hand gestured to his men who allowed Nick in.

Taking long steps Nick stood on another side of the pool table. Ric rested both of his hands on the vertical pool stick and his chin on his hands, looking at Ric with a small smile.

" We had a deal". Nick said madly.

" Wait... we had one?". Ric rolled his eyes up and made a puzzled face.

" The deal that I'll remove security from the penthouse because you wanted to meet Zoe and you were supposed to hand Grace to me in return". Ric said showing big eyes.

" Oh, that...I remember". Ric stretched the side of his head.

" Then you should also remember that Grace should be with me by now. But she isn't". Ric said loudly.

" Calm down angry man". Ric stood straight. " I sent my men last night-".

"Men?". Nick scoffed. " You call them men? THOSE D*CKLESS MOTHERF*CKERS CAME BACK INJURED AND EMPTY HANDED ". Nick cut him off between the sentence that clearly didn't please Ric's goofy mind.

He threw the pool stick on the pool table and walked towards Nick." Surrounded". He took a full circle around Nick before standing face to face. " Still awfully confidential, aren't you?". Ric dusted Nick's coat a little before lifting his gaze to meet with Nick's hard one.

Nick chuckled gazing around before looking straight into Ric's eyes again. "I can kill every person in this room before most of them have a chance to get to their feet". He paused. " I'm Skilled. Unlike your so-called men". He added bitterly.

" So proud you are to be Hunter's puppet. Even though he never failed to show his back to you". This time Ric smirked. " He calls you his left hand but has he ever really trusted you?". Ric scoffed. " Not even his storeroom's door open with your fingerprint while he has given all the passwords to Dash, to his undue right hand". Ric made a 'tsk' sound showing fake pity before continuing. " How pathetic". Ric insulted that made Nick drop his gaze. " I can give you what you want. Position". Nick looked up at his words. " You'll be crowned with respect with me".

" You are planning something against your brother. Again ". Nick made Ric chuckle.

" I am". Ric nodded. " Look ". Ric placed his hand on Nick's shoulder. " No Dash No right hand. You'll be the first person Hunter will choose for that position".

Nick chuckled removing Ric's hand from his shoulder. " A greedy man like you can never think good for anyone else. At least not for me. Come to the point, Alaric".

Ric sighed tilting his head a little. " The point is... We are on the same page. I want Hunter to kick Dash out of his business because he's a mastermind. Hunter is currently unable to think straight. His focus is only on his co-called queen right now. Dash is almost taking care of all Hunter's business. The point is clear... My target is Hunter's downfall. And its base is Dash". Ric cleared.

" Dash will never betray Hunter even if it cost his life". Nick spat the fact.

" Right". Ric nodded. " If it cost his life... Not his sexy wife. His Zoe". Ric smirked.

" First of all Mr. Alaric King. You have lost your chance to make another deal with me in your lifetime". Nick said straight in his face. " Secondly... We are not even in the same library". Saying that Nick left the room dropping all of Ric's attitude.

Still, nothing went against Ric's planning. He no more needs Nick as he already got what he wanted through Zoe.

Hunter's penthouse,
11:34 pm

Hunter's head was resting against the edge of the swimming pool, facing the dark cloudy sky above him blankly, cold breeze was hitting him.

His eyes got closed, lips curled up into a small smile as he recalled one of his best moments shared with his queen, with his Grace.

Once he was swimming in his mansion's swimming pool. When he reached the edge he saw Grace walking around the fountain in his garden area. She was rubbing her arms even after wearing the cardigan as the atmosphere of the island was quite chilly.

" Grace ". Hunter called gaining her attention towards his shirtless body. Noticing him she walked towards him. " Could you please hand me the towel?". He asked.

She nodded and grabbed the towel which was laying on the sunlounger, she sat on her ankle near the edge of the pool and forwarded the towel towards him. She diverted her eyes away from him as he was smiling at her a little too extra at the moment.

He expanded his hand towards the towel but suddenly grabbed her wrist. Her head snapped towards him when the grip got tightened.

" No...no...no...no...NO ". She shouted as he pulled her into the pool. She fell inside, even her head got drowned in the cold water. She immediately pulled her head outside the water and shook it, splashing water all over Hunter's already wet face.

He laughed out loud but freeze when she suddenly wrapped her hands around him. " I can't swim. I don't want to die. Oh my God I'll be drowned...". She kept on blabbering out of fear but Hunter wasn't able to hear anything anymore because for the first time since he brought her she touched him. 

Her one hand got encircled around his neck while the other was tightly hugging his bare torso, some of her hair strands were stuck on her face and neck, her chest was heavily moving up and down against his hard one, and her eyes were frightfully looking down at the water. That made her forget that she was hugging Hunter like a kola until Hunter's hand slowly held her waist.

" Grace ". He called. She turned to face him quickly. " It's okay, Put your feet down". He said softly but instead of obeying him, she tightened his grip around him.

" I'll get drowned". She muttered shaking her head rapidly.

" I won't let that happen". He said making her stare at his elfin face. " It's not that deep. Trust me". He assured nodding his head for her encouragement.

She gazed down and slowly searched for the floor under her feet, still holding onto Hunter's shoulders. When her feet touched the pool's floor she flashed a smile and finally stood straight.

" You were right. It's not that deep". She giggled playing with the water still not leaving Hunter's hands.

Her smile made him forget the world around him. The moonlight kissing her milky skin, the wind passing touching them, her giggles, everything about that moment was a bit dreamy.

He couldn't help but leaned and inhaled her scent making her look up at him. Her smile slowly faded noticing their collided bodies, her hands holding his biceps, his arm around her waist.

They stayed in the same position for a while until Hunter's gaze fell on her lips. He brought his hand closer to her face and touched her lips with his thumb causing them to get apart.

The urge, the need, the desperation he got to kiss them at the moment tighten his insights. But he didn't forget his promise, his only boundary.

He gazed up to ask for her consent only to find her eyes getting closed slowly. Amazed, he smiled leaning his face but suddenly she sneezed loudly.

" I'm sorry". She said covering her mouth.

" Are you alright?". He asked cupping her face. She nodded but sneezed again. " No you aren't. Let's go inside". He added picking her up in her arms.

" Hu-".

" Shish". Hunter carried her inside with him dropping all the guards' jaws.

" Zara, send Dr. Cia upstairs". He said making the old maid reply with yes and soon the doctor got sent for her treatment.

Still, she sneezed and sneezed for the whole night making Hunter go crazy because of it. Even though the doctor assured him she was alright but Hunter stayed up all night, pampering her.

The unforgettable night when she was in his arms with her will. For comfort, for warmth.

He's so heartless yet so full of feelings.

His thoughts got disturbed by a whistling sound. Hunter opened his eyes to see Nick sitting on his ankle on the edge of the swimming pool with a bathrobe.

" It's killing you, isn't it?". Nick asked handing him the bathrobe.

" I've more scars than friends, Nick".  Hunter came out of the cold water of the pool and slipped into the bathrobe. " And as you can see.. I'm not dead". He added walking towards the door with Nick who followed him silently.

A chuckle left Hunter's lips when they entered the dark hallway where the television was on, the movie was still playing, and popcorns were spread all over the couch and the floor.

" What a mess?". Nick turned off the television while Hunter straight went upstairs to sleep.

Caden's apartment,
09:44 am

"Fuck. FUCK. FUUUUCK!". Caden yelled throwing Grace's mobile on the wall in front of him only to break it into pieces before sitting on the edge of the bed making the other two boys stare at his riled-up self.

The condition of his room was a mess just like his mind. He broke everything he set his eyes on.

When he woke up, he tried to find her all around the area only to end up in the apartment again and found her belongings and some of his money missing.

" She ran away. She f*cking ran away". He mumbled palming his forehead.

" Sometimes the people you want as part of your story are only meant to be a chapter". Grace's voice roamed in the walls of his brain.

" We knew this day will come... sooner or later. But we'll find her. She can't go anywhere far. She doesn't know anyone nor does she have any ideas about the streets". Elijah tried to calm him down even though he was stressed inside out thinking what if she'll reach out to the cops.

" Even if we'll find her it's not like she'll be fine to live with us now. We can't cage her. She got her memories and escaped knowing we were fooling her all this time". Scott said making the other two stare at him speaking which is rare. " I mean it must have". Scott added in a low voice.

" Bring your laptop". Caden ordered making Scott frown.

" Why my lap-".

" Hack the elevator footage. We have installed a camera on the entrance of the building too". Caden said bringing sweat to Scott's forehead. Because he knows it's over if they'll see the footage of him helping Grace in escaping.

" Why are you standing like a statue. Go!!!". Elijah said a little loudly.

• She is the devil's favorite.

Chapter published on: 7 July 2022