In the celebration of me reaching 1k followers and me going out on a date in couple of hours, here is a chapter!

The song has no relation or whatsoever to the chapter but I can't stop listening to it, so sing along with me *Starts singing*

Back to the chapter, Happy reading!

Roman's POV

A gust of cold wind blew and chilled my face. Coldness blanketed my skin as I placed the tip of the bottle to my lips and gulped a full mouth of the liquor. My fingers wrapped tighter around the glass as the taste left a burn when it passed my throat. I took another gulp before I leaned my back against the car and tilted my head back, breathing deeply as I eyed the sky.

It was a clear, moonless night. It looked peaceful and at ease. It was silent. No voices and no one around except for the demons in my head whispering things I am not so sure I am capable of, drowning me in the chaos of their thoughts.

I welcomed the darkness as my eyelids dropped down, air pushed in and out of my lungs, jagged and coarse. A growl rumbled at the base of my throat. I hated every fucking second of this day. My jaw clenched and my eyes glided open before I angrily threw the bottle away. It fell at a distance, glass shattered as it hit the ground. The crashing sound crawled into the inside of my head yet not once silenced the other thoughts I couldn't escape.

I raked my fingers through my hair, my head dropped down as my hands traveled to the base of my neck. They shook with that old urge, that gnawing impulse that clipped through my nerves, the desire to slip into oblivion, the need to spill blood and kill.

I tried to breathe as my hands dropped down and my eyes met the sky again. I nodded my head and made a promise I am not going to ever break. I will make sure to continue what we started. I whispered. I won't stop, I won't rest till they all pay for everything they've done to us over the years.

It's about time those fucking Italians taste their own medicine.

It's time to put them all down.

My sixth sense kicked in when I heard light footsteps coming from somewhere behind me. My hand slowly and carefully slipped into the back of my pants. Taking a deep breath, I pulled it out and turned myself around aiming it at the intruder.

Green eyes flicked from my face to the gun in my hand. A small smile touched her lips as she edged forward, not once threatened by the gun in my hand. Hot pure anger brimmed my chest as I marched forward and harshly grabbed her arm, twisting it behind her back before I pulled her closer, her back pressed against my front, my hand left her arm and my fingers wrapped around her neck forcing her head backward as I placed the barrel of the gun to her temple.

"I think I said don't let me see your face again unless you got a death wish!" I grated out through clenched teeth.

She tilted her head back and looked up at me, a soft sigh left her lips, "When we used to be in such a position, we used to be doing more fun activities, you know when we were-"

"Emma!" I snapped shutting her words.

Her eyes stayed on mine, "Yeah yeah I know you said that-"

"Then what the fuck are you doing here?"

Her eyes broke the gaze and they seem to drift away, "I don't know." She simply said before she settled them back at me, "It's just.." Her eyebrows pulled together, "It's like I have nowhere else to go."

I removed the gun, I let go of her neck and pushed her away, "Is this another one of your games?"

She tucked her hair behind her ear and shook her head, "No, it's just when you let me go the other day, I didn't know where to go to-" She placed her hands in her jacket's pockets and her gaze drifted to her feet. My hand tightened on the gun... I only wish I can kill her now. She drew in a deep breath and she looked up at me. She tilted her head, confusion emanated off her expression as she said, "Usually I go back to Nikolas, wherever I go, I always end up with him, but I don't want that anymore, so I am kind of...lost." She chuckled and shook her head, "Pretty pathetic ha?"

"What are you doing here I said?"

She shrugged, "I need an advice."

My eyebrow raised, "From me?"

She nodded and smiled, "Yeah, because let's face it, you are the only one who actually gives a shit about me." She took a step forward; she removed her hand from her pocket and brought it up, she pressed it against my chest and said, "Because I know that deep down in that heart-" She looked up at me, "You still love me."

My heart was beating wildly underneath her palm, her eyebrows pulled together, "But why?" Her lips curled up as if trying to solve a riddle, "Why do you love me?"

My hand circled around her wrist trying to remove it away, my eyes stayed on hers, my jaw tightened, "I don't, well not anymore at least." My eyebrow raised, "I may have loved you before because I thought you were normal.. not the wicked bitch you actually are."

She smiled as if I just complimented her, "Oh you don't have to say that, thank you."

She pulled her lip between her teeth and shook her head, she squinted her eyes at me,"But why do I feel that you like the wicked bitch more than that boring damsel in distress I used to be."

"I don't," I stressed on my word.

She chuckled, her eyes telling me that she didn't buy it, "Why would you do this to yourself, seriously, loving me is like the world worst hangover."

I shot her a glare, my hand tightened over her wrist, "What do you want Emma?" I am fed up with her shit, "Why you are here?"

"I told you." She said in a matter of a fact tone.

She pulled her hand out of my grip, she placed them back in her pockets and drew in a deep breath, her head tilted back and she looked up at the sky. Something about her felt different. Something in the look in her eyes. They were always wild and fierce, like a hurricane they were, you can never see through them yet they got that mighty power to rip you apart; but today, they seemed different as if they lost that destructive power. Those green eyes looked turned off almost like the color of the forest after one hell of a rain.

I heard the soft breaths she took as her eyes stayed connected with the sky, "Do you think wishing upon a star is a true thing?"

My eyebrows pulled together at her weird question but I played along nevertheless, "What would you wish for?"

Her gaze didn't waver, "A different life." She said, her voice a mere whisper.

Her eyes went back to me, "Remember when we were together, it's true it was all fake but the things I used to tell you were true, about how I wanted to be free, how I wanted to escape this whole mafia world and I don't know, maybe have a normal life-" She shrugged, "You know, go to college, have a job, these boring things humans usually do..But now that I am out there, I don't know where to start, it's a pretty big world out here. It's like I don't even fit in here." She let a low humorless chuckle, "Not everything can be solved with a knife or a gun.." She shrugged helplessly and a smile that seemed so sad crawled to her lips, "And well, that's the only thing I was taught to do."

I don't know why, but it seemed that for the very first time she was telling the truth. She didn't look sad or weak, she just looked so...lost.

"I can't fit here." She shook her head as she looked around, "And I can't.. I just can't go back into that world."

She removed her hands from her pocket, those unconquerable eyes seemed defeated at the moment; "So if you want to kill me, go ahead." She threw her arms up in surrender, "Do it, I really don't care."

I shook my head and something vicious curled in my consciousness. I placed my gun back in its place and mumbled, "You are crazy."

"What?" She whined, "You are not gonna do it?" She edged forward and her hand came so fast to the back of my pants, she pulled my gun; my eyes widened as she placed it in my hands and aimed it at her stomach, "Come on, do it." She looked me in the eye and she seemed to mean it.

Her eyebrow raised, "Do you want me to count all the reasons for why you should do this?"

She had lost her mind, that's for sure.

Her jaw tightened, "Come on Roman, I was the one who helped Nikolas, I am the one who told him about Cara's whereabouts, I am the girl who pretended to love you for how long, I am the one who faked her death for years and made you live in that guilt; for god's sake, I shot you in the leg dude-" She pushed the gun further into her stomach and something vicious took over the look in her eyes.

My pulse thundered at her words, I wanted her to stop talking before I lose it and actually shoot her, "Come on Roman-" She squinted her eyes at me, "Or do you want me to give you more reasons.. do you want me to tell you about when we used to sleep together and you'd leave the room who'd come right after you ha? About how Lucas would come and we'd continue-"

Red veiled my sight, "STOP!" I snapped as I harshly pushed her away till her back came in contact with the car, I threw the gun away because I was one second away from pulling that fucking trigger. Anger surged, saturating every breathing cell in my body as I grabbed her throat between my fingers, "What do you want from me?" I snapped.

She clenched her jaw and snapped, "I want you to kill me!"

"Why?" Rage curdled my soul and pain throbbed deep within me;
My voice dropped down, "Why?"

"Because I can't do it myself." She said bewildered, "Because you should, because after all that how couldn't you, how?"

My hand left her throat and I backed away, my hand fisted and I brought it to my mouth trying with everything in me not to lose it but all that alcohol traveling in my blood was making it harder to not let loose of my brain.

I breathed heavily and answered her question, "I don't know."

Her eyebrows pulled together and she stepped away from the car, "How come you don't know!" She looked bewildered like she didn't understand, "How can you people do this, how can you love this much, I really don't understand, how can-" She shook her head and looked away. A sigh left her lips and she mumbled, "I don't understand.."

She looked back at me, "You see that's my problem." Her eyebrows furrowed, "The thing is, I don't hate you, but I don't love you either.. I just feel nothing, toward you or toward anyone.

For god' sake, my mother died and I felt nothing, my father died and I also felt nothing. I help Nikolas simply because I have to not because I love him or something." She raked her fingers through her hair, "I don't even..I don't even remember the last time I had shed a tear.. I just don't feel anything." She seemed lost, "Nothing, no love, no hate, no happiness, no sadness, just.. nothing."

My lips curled up in amusement before I brought my hands up and dramatically clapped, "Wow, good show.." My eyebrow raised, "You say you want a job, right? Well, you make a really good actor, you may choose that as a career.. you'll win an Oscar for sure."

Her jaw tightened, she placed her hands on my chest and pushed me away as she snapped through gritted teeth, "I am not acting, I am not lying!"

"I am just tired, I am tired of all this emptiness, I am tired of living like this, so why don't you just get some balls on you and kill me!"

I sighed and looked away from her. "Oh god, you're good for nothing-" She said frustrated, she looked around before her gaze dropped at the gun few feet away from us, "If you're not doing it, I will."

My eyes widened as she went and grabbed the gun, I marched forward so fast, my arm came from the back and grabbed her waist, my other hand went to her wrist and aimed the gun away before this crazy girl kills herself. My hold tightened on her wrist making her drop the gun. She tried to fight her way out of my embrace but I kept her back pinned to my front, "What the fuck is wrong with you?"

She stopped fighting, "Why don't you just do it!" She snapped through gritted teeth.

I swallowed hard and a moment of silence engulfed us. I closed my eyes for a mere second as I tried to sort through the chaos in my head and the emotions brimming at my chest, "It's not because I love you." I started, "It's only because for years I blamed myself for not being able to save you that day so I am not gonna let myself live through that guilt again." I said, "You're not worth it."

She kept silent, the only thing I heard was the harsh breaths that pushed in and out of her chest. "You have a chance now to start over, so don't be stupid, you can get the life you always wanted, it'll take time, but you'll get used to it." I continued, "And you must be really desperate for you to come to me but if you really want that normal life you're talking about, well you have to change first Emma, you have to allow yourself to feel or else it won't work. Like you said, not everything can be dealt with a gun and a fight. You can be different out here, you can be good only if you allowed yourself to."

Her body relaxed in my embrace, she leaned back and sighed; "What if I can't do it?"

"Believe me, out of everyone, you can do anything," I said.

She tilted her head back and looked up at me, a small smile played on her lips before she said, "You seem to love this position a lot."

I rolled my eyes and slowly let go of her. She turned around to face me, "Look, whatever I did to you before, well just don't take it personally, I did what I did because I had to, that's it, okay?"

"Why then? Why do you do everything Nikolas says?"

She swallowed hard, "Because I owe him." She said. "He, he.." She shook her head, "Never mind."

"I hope he doesn't find me because if he did and if he asked me to do something, I will do it." She sighed, "And I really don't want to.. hurt you more."

I scoffed, "Why?"

"Because you don't deserve it." She seemed genuine yet I was still suspicious. I don't understand her, I don't understand what she is doing. She inched closer to me, "Because I wish..that-" She tilted her head, "That I can love you like you do." She shrugged helplessly, "But that's a thing I don't control." Her hand traveled to the side of my neck, they made their way to my jaw, her fingers gently stroking my skin. She sucked in a deep breath as she traced my lower lip with her thumb, her eyes on my lips as she said, "Just forget about me, okay?"

She took me way off guard when she tiptoed and pressed her lips over mine, her hand still over my cheek. My eyes closed but I did nothing. She kissed me and it was few seconds before she broke the contact of our lips. I ignored the frenzy that lit in my brain and allowed my eyes to glide open. I swallowed hard as I gazed back at her. She smiled, "You got some good lips on you boi." She said with a dreamy sigh. She tapped my shoulder and stepped back, "Let's hope you don't regret not killing me today."

I shrugged, "We'll see about that." I said, "Just go, and seriously Emma, don't let me see your face again."

She nodded, "Okay. And you know what-" her eyebrows knitted, "I am gonna consider the acting thing-" Her lips curled in amusement, "Seems like fun actually."

I shook my head at her. She started to back away, she paused and looked at me, "Thank you." I didn't know what exactly she was thanking me for but I ignored that as she said, "Goodbye Roman."

She left after while I stood still in my place. I felt something weird, It felt more like.. relief.

Maybe I needed this.

A closure.

Putting an absolute end to the chapter that included her.

Starting a new one, with her out, with me moved on and with my plan on action.

**********

Alex's POV

After I received a text from Roman to meet up, I left the house, Cara and Lilly were fast asleep when I went out. Few minutes and I reached his place, I parked the car and went down. I stopped by the threshold of the house when my eyes fell on Liam sitting alone on a bench outside, the back of his head pressed against the wall and his eyes were closed, and by his side laid the empty bottle of whiskey.

I inched closer and eyed him, "What, you're mourning out here?"

His eyes opened at my words, he shot me a glare before he closed them again, totally not interested in our conversation. Rude much?

"I remember you to be nicer," I mumbled as I sat by his side. His eyes glided open again and he shot me another glare. The dude got some serious issues, damn.

"Okay," I mumbled annoyed before I leaned my back against the wall and took in a deep breath. A thought nagged me so I couldn't help but throw it out there, "Why did you stop working with my dad?"

With his eyes looking up at the sky he said, "Because he is a dick if you didn't figure that out yet."

I totally agree.

"So what happened?" I asked curiously.

He sucked in a deep breath before he turned his head and looked at me, "Well your father threw his own son away, you think he'd care about me?"

The man got a point.

He turned away and closed his eyes again, I thought that was it but he broke the silence again, "One time Isaac and his men attacked us. I got shot while protecting your dear father but the dick ran away for his dear life and left me to die." He said, "But you know who saved me? Maxwell did, he helped me a lot after, he treated me like family, not just a slave who does the dirty work for him. He saved me, not once but many times and when everything was taken away from me, he gave me reasons to live for so yeah, forgive me but guess I have the right to mourn his death." Frustration and anger covered his words. He leaned forward and pressed his elbows to his knees, he placed his head in his hands.

"I grew up with your father, I looked at him as a big brother, I was what.. fourteen years old I guess when I first held a gun and stood by his side-" He looked back at me, " When you were there I was like Roman, barely twenty years old yet I was doing all the shit for him. He used me, he used Maxwell just to get back at Isaac, he used him to get access, to capture Nikolas and your.." He paused, "Your mother."

"I hate Nikolas with everything in me but I also believe that he is what he is because of your father." His eyebrows pulled together; "The things he've done to that kid were unbelievable."

He shook his head, "Nikolas is not mentally okay, I am sure, and as much as I want him to pay for everything and believe me I want him to pay because he also took a lot from me but...he also needs help."

I tiredly rubbed at the back of my neck, "What...what happened after I left?"

He scoffed, "What do you think? After your mother's death, your father snapped, he tortured him even more until Isaac was able to find him and finally save him from your father's hands."

"That's why he hates me so much," I said, more to myself than to him.

Like Nikolas said once, I left but he stayed. I was free after but he was still there and he still paid for mistakes he didn't commit.

Unbearable weight pressed against my ribs, I roughed my hand over my face and tried to breathe. Sometimes it becomes unbearable to take all of this in but other times, I just feel nothing.

Excruciating numbness.

I wonder how long it'll take before it all explodes.

I turned to Liam, "What-" I struggled and managed to draw a lump of heavy air down my raw throat, "What did he do to her?"

He looked away and shook his head, "Things I can't even say."

********

Liam's POV

My gaze went back to Alex beside me and I couldn't help but notice how troubled he looked. Behind the cool blank act he tries to pull, there is so much pain buried deep. He also has been through a lot.

Frank made sure to ruin everyone in his wake.

"You know that what happened that day-" I started to say, "None of it was your fault."

He scoffed, "But that changes nothing, does it?"

I drew in a deep breath, "If...If she was still alive, do you think things would've been different?" I hesitantly asked.

His eyes seemed to drift away, he got lost somewhere before he shook his head, "I don't think so." He said, "Dead or alive, she still ruined it all."

It took all of me to stay silent at the moment. I looked away and mumbled to myself, "Then somethings are better left unsaid."

**FLASHBACK**

The chaos that filled the room after the gunshot was unbearable. Frank stood paralyzed as he looked at her numb body laying there on the ground, blood seeping down from her stomach drowning her in it.

Nikolas screamed and somehow he broke free from the chair before he ran to her; he dropped to the ground by her side, he shook her trying to get any response but none he got, "No-" He said brokenly, "Please mom wake up." He begged her, "Please don't leave me..." He cried out as he clutched at her, "Please wake up!" He said as he buried his face in her chest and cried.

My gaze drifted to Alex, he stood still in his place and looked at the sight that beheld him. I walked to him and placed my hand on his face and turned it away but he turned it back and looked at the mess that he thinks he just did. I grabbed the back of his neck and tried to turn him around, "Don't look there-" I said, "Look at me, Alex hey, look at me, it's okay." I said. He looked so pale at the moment, he was shaking, "I..I did that-" He whispered as he tried to look back. I shook my head and tightened my hand on the back of his neck trying to keep his eyes on me, "No, no you didn't. Come, let me get you out of here."

I dragged him out as fast as I could before Frank loses his mind. When Linda saw us she came running toward me, "What happened?" She asked in a panic as her gaze dropped to Alex and she pulled him closer to her. Air pushed in and out of my lungs, "Take him to his room and stay with him, okay?"

She nodded and stroked Alex's head, "What is gonna happen now?" she asked worriedly.

I sighed, "Well, let's just say, hell will break loose." I said, "Come on now, take him upstairs and stay by his side."

I was about to walk back in when her hand came to my arm and stopped me, I turned around to face her again, worry clouded her eyes as she softly asked, "Will you be okay?"

I gave her a reassuring smile and inched closer, my hand went under her ear, my thumb stroked her cheek before I leaned in and pecked her lips; "I will be just fine, don't worry." I pulled back and looked down at Alex, "Now take him and try to calm him down, okay?"

"Okay." She said before she pulled Alex and went away. I walked back in to see one of the guards has pulled Nikolas away, the other one bent by Leya's side and checked her pulse, he looked back at Frank, "She is still alive."

Frank nodded then turned to me, "Okay then, take her to the hospital."

"You want her to live, so you can torture her more," I said with a scoff.

His eyes fired at my words; his jaw clenched, "Since when you question me?"

"Since you started to hurt women and little children." I couldn't stay calm after everything that has happened. He said nothing as he passed by me, his shoulder brushed against mine and he just said one sentence, "Just do as I say."

And I had to do as he said.

We were moments away from reaching the hospital when I started to question everything I was raised for; I questioned my loyalty toward that man, thinking if it was actually worth it. At the moment, I didn't understand what was more important, this stupid loyalty we go for or the well being of this woman and her child. You see that's how they raise us, that's what they implement in our heads. The concept of right and wrong is confused in our minds, they mix bad with the good, they sugarcoat the evil and show him as the hero. They blind us and well.. I am sick of being blind.

Something in me snapped and I did what I never thought I'd do. I pulled my phone out, typing the words, I pressed send. In that moment, I betrayed my family, but I knew it was for the better good.

I tried to arrange everything before Frank arrives, and when he did, the doctor went out and announced her death. The doctor was one of our men so Frank believed him and he didn't question further but what he didn't know is that money can buy any man.

"Okay you go back home, and I'll deal with everything else," I said, trying to get him out of here. He raked his fingers through his hair tiredly, "I just want to see her." He said. He thinks he even has that right. He loves her in his own fucked up way.

"Frank I have to deal with this as fast as I can, you know that we don't own every doctor in this hospital. If someone sensed something is suspicious, police will come and it'll get messy. So go home and I'll deal with the other arrangments, you know with the body and all." I tried to reason with him and he seemed too tired to argue. He knew I was right and he trusted me, so he left after.

When I was sure he got far away from the hospital, I went back in. Maxwell was inside waiting for me, "He'll kill you if he knew what you just did." He said once I reached him.

"Well, let's make sure he never know," I said.

He nodded, "Isaac is on his way to get her out of here. He'll take care of the rest." He paused talking and eyed me skeptically, "Why you are doing this?"

"Because I am not a monster." I simply answered.

He blew out a troubled breath, his eyes dropped, "When I helped him, I thought he'll just teach Isaac a lesson, I didn't know that he'll go to the extent of hurting a woman and a kid." He shook his head, "What about Nikolas now?"

"He's still there, I'll see what I can do about that too," I said.

Our conversation got interrupted by one of Maxwell's men; "I have to go now." Maxwell said after he listened to what the man told him. He tapped my shoulder and before he walked away, he said, "Just be careful. He can't know that she's still alive."

**

When I arrived back at the estate, I immediately went to Alex's room to check on him but the closer I got the clearer Frank's voice became. Hearing his exasperated tone, I fastened my steps and reached the room.

"Please Frank, don't hurt him." I heard Linda's voice before I saw her. She was standing in front of Alex, hiding him behind her. Frank marched forward and harshly grabbed her arm trying to pull her away from him, "Get out of my way Linda!"

Anger broke free and I didn't waste another second as I went in and pushed him away from them, "What the fuck is wrong with you? He's your son, what now, you gonna hurt him too?" I asked bewildered by his recent actions.

"He is not my son." He grated out, his eyes going behind me and settling on him, "I don't give birth to cowards like him."

I shook my head and it took everything in me to not mach his face at the moment but I had to suck it up; because well, he is still my boss.

"You've done enough to him, what do you want more?"

His gaze went back to me, he looked like a madman at the moment, "Take him out of here." He ordered, "Take him back to that foster place where his mother first threw him in." He started to back away, "If I come back and he's still here, you are the one to pay Liam."

I went after him and tried to reason with him, to kick some sense into his brain, to let him understand that you cant just throw your son away but I think after Leya's death, something in him has snapped, the switch of sanity has turned off and he had lost his mind for sure.

When I went back in, Linda was sitting on the bed, hugging Alex so tight. Her gaze drifted to me, "Is he really gonna go?" She asked as tears pricked her eyes. I nodded my head, "Believe me, he'll be much better far away from this man."

"But I'll miss him so much." She said as few tears trickled down her cheek. She stroked Alex's hair and looked at him with a sad smile. She stroked his cheek, wiping his tears away as she tried to calm him down, "Shush, sweetie it'll be okay. I promise, everything will be okay."

Alex crammed the heels of his hand into his eyes trying to kick away the tears; he sniffled when he looked at me, "I don't want to go there, they were so mean-"

I sat on the bed's edge beside Linda and pulled him to me, I placed my hands on his shoulders, "How about I don't take you there." I said. Unlike his father, I wasn't just gonna throw him on the streets, "Remember William? The man who adopted you, I called him and he said he'll be more than happy to have you back." I gave him a smile, "So, do you want to go there?"

He nodded his head, "Okay."

I turned to Linda, "Get his things ready. It'll be better if we went before Frank comes again."

When I looked back at Alex, I still noticed the fear lurking in his eyes; I grabbed his shoulders, "Don't listen to what your father said, you are a strong little boy, okay?" I said, "What happened today was not your fault, you did something good, you saved the boy's life."

It's true he accidentally shot her but she's still alive while if he had shot Nikolas, he would've been dead now. Even at a young age, he didn't want to hurt his brother, a thing both Frank and Isaac have lost over the years.

I was taken way off guard when Alex threw his arms around me and hugged me. I froze in my spot before I reluctantly brought my arms up and hugged the little boy back. "You'll make a good father one day," Linda said by my side. My eyes widened in panic and I almost pushed Alex away, "Hey, it's too early to talk about that!"

She chuckled lowly before she inched closer and left a soft kiss on my cheek, "You never know."

**END OF FLASHBACK**

*************

Cara's POV

Faint rays of sunlight broke through the window. I blinked against them as I was slowly pulled from the depth of my sleep. A yawn escaped past my lips and I was about to stretch my arms above my head but...but I couldn't.

Wait, Why can't I move?

I tried to kick out the sleep from my eyes and adjust them to my surroundings and when I looked around I saw the reason, two reasons to be specific, for why I can't move. Half of Alex's body was over me and on the other hand, his daughter was sleeping all over me, literally over me. Her head on my stomach and her legs on mine. I lifted my head up a little to have a better look at her. She was fast asleep as if I am the most comfortable bed ever. I don't understand how she even crawled her way over me.

I tried to look at Alex, who had his head buried in the area between my neck and shoulder, his breath seeped out against the skin of my neck, lifting a shock of chills racing from my the back of my neck and down my spine. I sighed and a small smile touched my lips. As much as this position is comfortable but I really need to use the bathroom, so how in god's name am I going to break free from these two humans?

Alex sighed and buried his face deeper into my neck and pushed his body closer to mine. "If you keep doing that, I am going to fall," I mumbled and he just hummed in return. His hand came up to my face, he ran it over my eyes, closing them, "Shush sleep." He said sleepily in my neck.

I chuckled lowly, "It's hard to do that when you are all over me."

He pulled his head from my neck and looked at my face with one eye, the other closed as if it's so hard for him to open it. A lazy smile touched his lips and I just wanted to pull him down and kiss him like there is no tomorrow. He dropped his head on the pillow beside mine, his lips feathered over my cheek and he sighed as he pulled me closer to him, his legs came and tangled with mine but he paused his movement as if he sensed that there are some other little legs there too. His eyebrows knitted and he pulled his head up and looked down to see Lilly fast asleep over me. He chuckled, "How did she climb up there?" He said as he brought his hand down to her hair and ran his fingers through it.

"I have no idea," I said with a shake of my head.

His smile stayed there as he gazed at her. My heart stuttered at the look in his eyes; it's like he can't get enough of her. "Isn't she so pretty?" He said ever so softly. I nodded and a smile of my own touched my lips as I brought my hand and stroked her head, "She is. She is my everything." A low sigh escaped past my lips, "If anything would happen to her, I'd lose my mind."

Alex's eyes traveled to me, "Nothing will happen, not as long as I am here."

That's why I am not scared.

As if Lilly sensed that we're talking about, she started to move before her eyes glided open. She pulled her head up from my stomach, her eyes half opened as she looked at us both. She brought her little fist and rubbed her eyes sleepily.

"Hey," Alex said with a big smile.

Lilly looked at him, she smiled lazily and that's when I noticed how they have that same heart-melting smile, "Hey!" She said before she went off me. She pulled herself up and came beside me, she kissed my cheek and said, "Mommy."

"Hey, i want a kiss too," Alex whined beside me before he inched his face to Lilly. She didn't say anything, she just got closer to his face and left a kiss on his cheek. When she pulled away she said, "Alis."

"Yeah," Alex said.

"Food." She answered. He laughed at her word, "God she is just like you." he looked at me, "The first thing that comes to her head when she wakes up is food."

I chuckled while Lilly looked so impatient, she tilted her head and said, "Come on."

"How about you go and see where Linda is then mommy and I will follow you and make you breakfast, okay?" He said. She nodded her head, "Okay." She went off the bed and scurried out.

I was about to also get up but Alex pulled me down, "What? I kicked her out so we can continue." He whined as he lifted the upper part of his body up and pressed his palm at the other side of the mattress trapping me.

My eyebrow raised at his words, "Continue what?"

"You know what." He said, his eyes held that mischievous look as they roamed my face, they went from my eyes, down to my lips, then to my neck and they continued their way down. A smile came to his lips before he brought his hand up and he placed his index finger around the neck of my shirt and pulled it down, "Did your boobs get bigger?" He asked casually. My eyes widened, "Alex!" I pushed his hand away and pulled my top up.

"They look bigger." He said before he fluffed them as if they are a pillow or something.

I pushed his hand away again, "Alex stop!"

"Yeah yeah bigger indeed." He said as he fluffed them again. He sighed dreamily, "Best pillow ever, I tell you."

I pressed my palm against my forehead, "Oh god!" I mumbled.

With his finger, he pulled my top down again. I raised my eyebrow, he gave me an innocent look in return, "I just wanna sneak a look."

I laughed lowly and shook my head, I pulled my lower lip between my teeth, "I miss this." I said.

"What? Me playing with your boobs?" Alex said, "You know I can do that all day long if you want."

I shook my head with a smile, "You know what I mean."

I miss our old life; when it was all simple and easy. I simply miss us.

He sucked in a deep breath and nodded his head, a different look took over his eyes, "I miss it too."

He lowered his head, his hand rested on the side of my neck, holding me under my jaw as his mouth crashed onto mine. Every last one of my nerves sparked. Wet heat slipped from his parted mouth. I opened to him and met his tongue with a tangle of matched need.

Tingles spread over every inch of my skin. Little needy sounds climbed up my throat. Alex swallowed them down, kissing me harder. Demanding. Possessive as he led me through this passionate kiss.

I grabbed his shoulders, drawing him closer, needing him to be closer. His fingers dug into my hips, then stroked them down my leg, caressing, dragging them back up again. I wrapped him tighter, pulling him even more.

"God. You're killing me." He mumbled at my mouth, squeezing at my flesh like he could never get enough. And I could feel his heart, pounding at mine. It thundered in my ears; the heart that he had given me, the one that's mine, the one I broke too many times, the same one I'll try to heal, with everything in me, I'll put the pieces back together.

He pulled back, his eyes flashed to me, his chest heaving with each breath he took. I sighed, my eyes only on him, watching up at him as he watched down on me. My fingers pushed through the length of his hair, and massaged into his scalp. He leaned into my touch, hungry for it before he dipped down to kiss along my jaw, "You have no idea...how much I missed you." He mumbled at my skin, "Missed the way you taste." He pressed his nose behind my ear, "Missed the way you smell."

I lifted my neck, my head pressing back into the bed as I invited him closer. I could feel him breathing me in, his chest expanding with every breath he took. His hand slipped to the hem of my shirt but-

"Alis!"

He abruptly pulled away, breaking the contact of our bodies. Frustrated air puffed from his nose, "Remember when I said that I love her." He said, annoyance filling his words, "Well, I take that back."

I pressed my hand to my mouth trying to suppress my laugh. Lilly was standing by the door, her eyes on Alex; She extended her hand, "Come on." She said impatiently.

Alex sat down on the bed and shot her a glare before he looked up at the ceiling, "Why you do this to me. Why?!" He mumbled before he stood up, he raked his fingers through his hair, messing it more, "Why did I ever say I want kids?!" He mumbled as he passed by Lilly and walked out of the room still cursing his luck. Her eyebrows pulled together in anger as he passed by her and walked away; She crossed her arms over her chest, "Alis!" she said annoyed before she followed him.

******

"Do you have to go?" I asked as Alex went out of the bathroom, a towel in his hand drying his wet hair. He nodded his head, "Yeah, I have few things to take care of." He placed the towel over his shoulder as he opened the drawer and pulled one of his shirts out. He turned to me, "And when I finish I'll pass by the hospital, to check on Katherine."

I gulped, my fingers nervously fidgeted with the hem of my shirt, "How is she?"

Alex sighed tiredly, "She still didn't wake up." He said as he started buttoning his shirt, "The doctor said she lost a lot of blood, that's why."

"She'll be okay, right?"

He nodded his head, "She has to."

I inched closer to him and fixed the collar of his shirt, "Can you take with you now and drop me at the hospital?" I asked. He nodded his head, "Of course."

I wrapped my arms around his neck, "I'll stay there till you come back." I said.

He leaned closer and pecked my lips, "Okay then, go get ready."

******

We went to the hospital after, Alex stayed for a while, then he said he had to go and when he finishes he'll come and pick me up. Ashton was sitting on the couch when I went back into the room, I went and sat by his side. He looked so tired and worried, that's for sure.

I placed my hand on his arm grabbing his attention. He turned to me, "I am..I am sorry." I said.

His eyebrows pulled together, "What are you apologizing for?"

"Katherine is in this state because of me. If I listened to Nikolas that day, he would've not kidnapped them and she would've been okay now."

He shook his head silencing my words, "No, no it's not your fault."

"But-"

"I don't blame you nor do I blame Alex. Why you two think it's your fault? It's not, I know." He said genuinely, "I know that you care about her probably as much as I do. I don't blame you. You went through a lot too."

I gave him a small smile; my eyebrow raised, "When did you stop being a jerk?"

He chuckled lowly, his gaze drifted to Katherine laying on the bed. His smile slowly dropped, "When she came into my life."

I brought my hand to his and squeezed it gently, "She'll be okay."

He turned to me and nodded, "I know."

A thought suddenly crossed my head, I didn't know if it was the fact that I am at a hospital or seeing Katherine in this state that triggered it. It was a little bit stupid and a bit crazy but I think it'll work.

"Uh - I'll go get something to eat from the Cafeteria." I said, "Do you want anything?"

He shook his head, "No, thank you."

The moment I stepped out of the room, I pulled my phone and dialed Roman's number.

"Hello," He said.

"You still want to capture Nikolas, right?" I immediately threw my question at him.

"Wha- I mean yeah but why you are asking?"

"I have an idea," I said, "If you are available, come to the hospital Katherine is kept in, I'll tell you about it."

"I am on my way."

After half an hour, he arrived. We sat down and I started to explain. When I finished telling him, he stood up and simply said, "No."

"What do you mean no?" I asked bewildered.

"I mean no." He said nonchalantly as he started to walk away.

I followed him, "Roman wait-" I stood in front of him, "I didn't tell Alex because he won't approve, but you know we can capture him in this way."

He shook his head, "Are you crazy? I'll be using you as a bait, it's dangerous-"

"Look, if Nikolas thought something had happened to the..baby, he'll show up, I am sure. I know that somehow he'll discover that I am at the hospital. He'll come, he'll be alone, he will be in public, he won't make a scene. You'll be more in number, you'll capture him right away.

You know I am right. He won't hurt me, I know. It'll be all just an act to get him here."

He still looked against my idea but I know that deep inside he knows that I am right. It took me about fifteen minutes to finally convince him, thank god for that. It didn't take us that long after to arrange everything. I was in a hurry to get it all done before Alex comes back because I know he'll be more than angry about this.

Roman led me into one of the rooms, "You see this button here-" He said pointing at the red button by the bed's side, "The moments he gets in you press it, you hear me, the moment he gets in."

"Okay okay don't worry," I said waving him away.

"I am still not comfortable about this," he mumbled.

I sighed, "Roman I'll be fine, the moment he comes in, I'll press this button and you'll come and get him." I swallowed hard, "Just don't come unless I press it, okay?"

He mumbled something under his breath. I slapped his arm, "I am your older sister, respect me."

He shot me a glare, "Okay whatever."

"Go now, I have to change into this hospital gown." I said, "And like I said, don't come unless I press."

He nodded and mumbled few things before he left the room. I sighed and sat on the bed for few minutes before I took the hospital gown and went into the bathroom to change. When I finished, I gathered my clothes and left the bathroom. The moment I stepped out is the moment my eyes saw the person sitting on the bed, my heart dropped to my stomach; I gasped and the clothes fell from my hands into the ground.

"Oh sorry, didn't mean to freak you out." He casually said as his eyes met mine, "But you were taking forever in there."

My eyes widened, "How..I mean wha- what are you doing here?" I didn't know he'll get here that fast.

"You wanted me here, so I came." He simply answered. His eyebrow raised, "What? You thought I'd fall for something happened to the baby act." He air quoted the last part.

My jaw tightened. I hate him so much, god.

"But that was your way of sending a message." He said as he stood up from the bed, he inched closer, "And well, message received." He crossed his arms over his chest, "So tell me now love, what is it that you want?"

Frustrated air puffed from my nose, I bent down and took the clothes that fell from me. I walked toward the bed and placed them there. I turned to him, my eyebrow raised, "And of course you know that Roman and few of my father's men are here too, right?"

He tucked his hands into his front pockets and nodded, "Yup." He said, "They're downstairs, right? Waiting for you to press that button." He said pointing beside the bed.

I gritted my teeth, "Do you watch me all the time or something?"

He simply shrugged in return, "You know that I can press it now and they'll come in seconds and get you." I said threatening him.

His lips curled and he nodded, "Yeah, but you won't do that."

"Oh really?" I exclaimed.

"Yeah, because if you wanted to you would've pressed it the moment you saw me but you didn't." He said, "You want me here for something else."

My jaw tightened as I stared back at him. He smiled, "Does it scare you? How much I know you."

The nerve of this man. But he is right nevertheless.

He walked to the chair by the bed and sat on it; He leaned his back and crossed his arms over his chest getting himself comfortable. The Jerk.

"So tell me now, what is that you want? "

"I want you dead."

"Join the line then." He said.

Can I hit him?

"Seriously now, what do you want?" He asked again.

I took in a deep breath and looked away. Swallowing past the lump in my throat, I turned back to him and told him exactly what I want.

"I want you to kill him."

His eyebrows pulled together, "Who?"

"Alex's father."

*************************************

I know you hate me because it takes me like a whole year to update *ducks down from the knives and guns pointed at me*

But idk why I just can't write *screams*

Anyway, I'll try to be faster lol xD I hope I keep my word this time.

What do you think of the chapter? I hope you liked it.

See ya later. Love ya all and wish me luck on my date *Puts my dark shades on*