Novels by eht ylFnnogard

OctaviaThe water rippled as he emerged from the pool, and my breath caught in my throat.Alfredo pushed his wet hair back from his face, water streaming down his broad shoulders, carving paths over the ridges of his chest and stomach. His body was a map of power, every muscle defined but not ostentatious, the kind of strength earned through action rather than vanity. The afternoon sun caught the droplets on his skin, making him look almost golden.God help me.I was supposed to be gathering intel. The study was two floors up, his private safe combination hidden in a book I had spotted days ago. Carlos was probably losing his mind wondering where I was or thinking I was dead. The agency needed evidence that would bring this entire empire crashing down.Instead, I stood frozen at the poolside window like a lovestruck teenager, watching the man I was supposed to destroy dry himself with a towel. He caught me staring.A slow smile spread across his face, that devastating smile that made

AlfredoThe bunker had served its purpose, but I could not hide her forever. Three days. Three days of watching Maria sleep, of taking care of her and telling myself that the world outside could burn for all I cared. Three days of peace I had never known.But I was Alfredo De El. And a king who abandons his throne does not remain king for long. The morning we emerged, I had already sent word ahead. Every captain, every lieutenant, every made man who mattered was to assemble in the main hall of the mansion by noon. No excuses. No delays. Failure to appear would be treated as insubordination.I dressed carefully that morning in a charcoal suit, perfectly tailored, my hair slicked back, my jaw clean-shaven. The man in the mirror looked every inch the mafia boss. Cold. Commanding. Unshakeable.Inside, I was anything but.Maria stood at the window of the safe house, watching the sun rise over the estate. Her bruises had faded to sickly yellows and greens, but she still moved carefully, pro

AlfredoShe said yes.I replayed the words in my head as I lay beside her in the narrow bunker bed, her hand still wrapped in mine, her breathing finally slow and even with sleep. I'll stay. I'll be yours. Three days ago, I had been drowning in a sea of loneliness and obligation, convinced that my life would consist of nothing but shipments and meetings and the cold emptiness of my mansion at night. Three days ago, I had never tasted real hope.Now, watching the soft rise and fall of Maria's chest beneath the thin blanket, I felt something I had forgotten existed. Peace. I didn’t care if she was a spy or not. Whether she worked with the feds or FBI. She could be the death of me, for I cared.Her face was still bruised, still marked by what Scarfaced had done to her. The sight of those injuries made my blood boil even now. When I found her collapsed against that tree, bloody and broken, something inside me had shattered. I had carried her through the forest with a single thought pou

OctaviaHis lips were still on mine, soft and demanding all at once, when my brain finally caught up with my body.This is wrong.Watching him confess his feelings for me wasn’t something I signed up for. How was this going to look for me, a top world class spy?I pulled back, my hands pressing against his chest. The fabric of his shirt was warm beneath my palms, and I could feel his heartbeat racing beneath my fingertips. Fast and desperate. Real."Alfredo, stop."He didn't move away. His forehead stayed pressed against mine, his breath mixing with my own. Those deep brown eyes searched my face with an intensity that made my stomach flip."I can't stop," he whispered. "I've tried. God knows I've tried. You're in my head, Maria. Every moment of every day. When I'm giving orders, I hear your voice. When I'm in meetings, I see your face. When I close my eyes at night..." He swallowed hard. "You're there."My heart hammered against my broken ribs. Maria. He still called me Maria. He still

AlfredoShe slept for nearly fourteen hours.I barely left her side, watching the rise and fall of her chest, counting each breath like it was a gift. The bandages she had on were already soaked. I had made sure that the doctors didn’t leave her side throughout the entire night. I wanted to be safe by all means.Now, as the first light of dawn filtered through the bunker's small reinforced window, she finally stirred. Her icy grey eyes fluttered open, finding mine immediately. Even swollen and bruised, even with the split lip and the dark circles carved beneath her eyes, she was the most beautiful thing I had ever seen."Alfredo," she whispered, my name sounding strange on her lips. Not *sir*. Not *master*. Just my name.I moved from the chair to the edge of the bed, the old mattress dipping under my weight. "You're alive.""Barely."We sat in silence for a long moment. Somewhere above us, the world was burning. My empire looked like it was crumbling. And none of it mattered because s

OctaviaPain had become my entire world.Scarfaced’s knife traced another slow line across my skin, shallow but deliberate, designed to hurt without killing me too quickly. I bit down hard on my lip to keep from screaming, tasting fresh blood. My body was a map of bruises and cuts. Every breath sent fire through my broken ribs. I had lost track of how long I had been in this basement, chained to the metal chair like an animal.“You are tougher than I expected,” Scarfaced said, wiping the blade on a cloth. “But everyone breaks eventually. Tell me who you really work for, and I might end this quickly.”I lifted my head with the last bit of defiance I had left. “Go to hell.”He smiled, that jagged scar twisting grotesquely. He reached for the blowtorch again.Suddenly, loud alarms blared through the underground facility. Red emergency lights flashed. Scarfaced’s head snapped toward the door as frantic footsteps pounded outside.“What the fuck is happening?” he barked into his radio.“Bos

SilverI was frozen.Javier's words hung in the air between us, heavy and suffocating. *I love you.* Three simple words that had just turned my entire world upside down. Three words I had never expected to hear from him. Three words that made my heart stop and my mind race all at once.I stared at him, my mouth open, my brain completely blank. What was I supposed to say? How was I supposed to react to something like this? Javier, quiet, gentle, loyal Javier had just confessed his feelings for me. And I had no idea what to do with that information. No idea how to process it. No idea how to let him down without breaking him."Javier," I finally managed, my voice shaky and uncertain. "I don't—I don't know what to say.""You don't have to say anything." He stepped closer, his eyes searching mine with desperate intensity. "I just needed you to know. I've been holding this in for so long, Silver. Every time I see you, every time you smile at me, every time you say my name it kills me. Becaus

SilverI nearly jumped out of my skin.Javier was standing in my doorway, his hand still raised like he had been about to knock. His eyes were wide, startled, like he hadn't expected me to open the door either. The dim hallway light cast shadows across his face, making him look older somehow. More serious."Javier?" I blinked, trying to process his sudden appearance. "What are you doing here?""I came to check on you," he said, his voice careful. Measured. Like he was choosing every word with precision. "Henry's been worried. He's been calling you nonstop."I felt a pang of guilt twist in my chest. I had been ignoring Henry's calls. Not because I didn't want to talk to him, but because I didn't know what to say. How could I explain everything that was happening? How could I tell him that his father might be responsible for my father's death? How could I look him in the eye and pretend everything was normal when my entire world had just been turned upside down?"I needed some air," I s

SilverMy phone rang, shaking me back to reality. I almost didn't answer as I stared at the phone. I had been staring at the wall for hours, my mind spiraling through everything Professor Rogers had told me. The scholarship. The revenge. Henry's father. Henry himself, caught in the middle of something he didn't even understand.But the caller ID said "Unknown Number." And something about that made my stomach clench."Hello?""Miss Woods? This is Detective Chen. I'm following up on the accident you were involved in a few nights ago."My heart stopped. The accident. The car. The truck. Henry's hands gripping the steering wheel, his face pale, his eyes wide—"Yes," I said, my voice shaky. "I remember.""I have a few questions for you, if you're up for it. Nothing too intense. Just trying to piece together what happened."I sat down on the edge of my bed. Emily was out. The room was silent except for my breathing."Okay. What do you need to know?"Detective Chen's voice was calm and extr

HenryFinally, I left the hospital. I was so relieved to be back home. The only problem was that , I felt like I was drowning. The only thing I could think about was Silver.I had tried calling her a dozen times since the accident. Straight to voicemail. Every single time. No response. No texts. No nothing. It was like she had disappeared from the face of the earth. Like she had never existed at all."Henry, you need to rest," Javier said as he helped me through the front door of my mansion. "You just got discharged. You shouldn't be—""I'm fine.""You're not fine. You look like you haven't slept in days." Javier guided me to the couch and pushed me down gently. "Stay here. I'll get you water.""I don't want water.""Too bad."He disappeared into the kitchen. I stared at the ceiling, counting the cracks in the plaster, trying to ignore the dull ache in my ribs that flared with every breath.Every time I closed my eyes, I saw the truck barreling toward us. I saw Silver's face in the pa

SilverI stumbled back into my dorm like a ghost. My body was there, but my mind was somewhere else. Somewhere dark. Somewhere I had been trying to avoid since the day I stepped foot on Ravenport's campus.The door clicked shut behind me. I leaned against it, pressing my palms flat against the wood, trying to steady my breathing. My heart was pounding so hard I could hear it in my ears. My hands were shaking.Emily wasn't there. Good. I couldn't explain this. I couldn't explain any of it.I pushed off the door and started pacing. The sound of my footsteps thudded against the floor in a rhythm that matched the chaos in my head.How had I gotten myself involved with Professor Rogers? The question circled my brain like a shark. If only I knew he was the one that facilitated my coming to Ravenport. I would never have signed for his class. But he made sure I was in class to watch me.***I stopped pacing and sat on the edge of my bed. My hands were trembling as I pressed them to my face.

SilverI sat in the back corner of the coffee shop, my hands wrapped around a cup I hadn't touched. The steam curled upward, dissipating into the dim light, and I watched it like it held answers I couldn't find.Professor Rogers arrived ten minutes late. He slid into the seat across from me, his movements deliberate, his eyes scanning the room before they finally settled on my face."You look like hell," he said."Thanks." I forced a smile that didn't reach my eyes. "I've had better weeks."He leaned back, studying me with that analytical gaze that had always made me feel like I was under a microscope. "You said you saw him. Mr. Williams."I nodded, my throat tight. "At the hospital. He was there. Walking through the halls like he owned the place.""And Henry?"The name hit me like a slap. I looked away, staring at the condensation on my cup. "I don't know. I haven't seen him. I've been trying not to think about him."Professor Rogers was quiet for a moment. Then he leaned forward, hi