LOGIN
A TALL, HORNY, STRANGER
ARIA "You know we have to leave, Aria." I frowned at my father. "No, we don't. You can, but I won't." He shook his head as if he had heard enough of what I had to say. "Well, I have made my decision, daughter." "Dad, we've only been in Stonehaven for a month and you want us to leave because you got another transfer letter? What about my new school? My friends? You just expect me to dump them and leave?" "That's how it has always been. We leave to where I'm transferred to." "No, dad. It's beginning to look like we're running." "From what?" he asked. "You tell me." We were in the dining room and my dad was getting ready to go to work. He as a cop, a detective to be precise. With the the First Division in Stonehaven, and the only one at that. He gulped down the remaining of his coffee and tossed some breed into his mouth. I watched him masticate. "I have nothing to say to you, Aria," my dad finally answered me. "Better go get your things packed. We leave tomorrow morning." I went to my room all right but I didn't lift a hand to pack my stuff. I left them where they were because I was sure I would stay. Why the hell did we always have to leave? I didn't want to, not yet at least. He could go wherever it was that wanted to claim him, but I would stay and complete high school in Stonehaven. Stonehaven was just a suburban town in the United States of America. We were used the summer in those parts. Nothing much happened, and we literally knew each other if one had the chance to peel off that antisocial skin. They way we moved from place to place, I lacked connection. I had no roots, no long time friends to call my own and he was okay with that? I needed to talk to someone at that point. My new best friend came to mind and I picked up my phone and called Emma. The background was noisy. Music was blaring off speakers. "Where the hell are you?" I sat up in bed and asked. She was someplace having fun while I was sulking at home? "At a party. I was just about to call you. We haven't started but we're kicking off soon. Where the hell are you?" Trust Emma to throw my questions back at me. "I'm at home." She chuckled. "Oh, you're going to miss out if you ground yourself in your room. Come to Beaver's Inn right now. I've got some friends I'd like to introduce you to." "I'm leaving tomorrow, Emma." "What?" "My dad got his transfer letter." She paused for a spell. Then said, "Okay. Come to the party and we'll talk about it, good?" "Good." "Call me when you get here, sweet. Jeez, that guy is handsome." If an handsome fellow was the last thing I would remember about Stonehaven, then I had a party to attend. *** "What kind of a place is this?" I raised my voice so as to be heard over the loud music. Emma was by my side wearing a tank top and bum shorts. As for me, I opted for black leather pants and body-hugging sleeves. "A clubhouse." "What's the party about?" I asked. "It's about catching fun. One of my friend threw it. You'll meet him soon." Emma always had numerous friends to introduce me to. I wondered if it was her way of playing matchmaker. The place was well packed with people. Some of them, I recognized from school. They smiled at me, nodded their heads to the music, and walked off. She took me to a red couch. There, we were alone, then she asked what I wanted. "We've got drinks, sweets, dessert, condoms if you like dicks, cakes and smokes too." "I'll take a light beer." "Smirnoff then," she chose for me. "I'll be right back." Just as she left the disc jockey changed the music and began playing by A Bar Song by Shaboozey. Everyone went apeshit. Everyone but one man. And that was because he had just stepped into the building. My jaw dropped. He was the most handsome man I had ever set my eyes on. He was tall and lean, had dark hair, and I noticed a tattoo at the side of his neck. He looked around the place with a cold dark stare then his eyes landed in my direction. I felt my stomach churn with need. Why did I suddenly need him at first sight? He took intentional strides towards my red couch. I wondered the amount of power he had in those hips and how they would sound against my ass if he happened to give me a doggy fuck. Emma brought me my bottle of Smirnoff and an opener, interrupting my train of thought. She looked at the man who had just stopped before us and said, "Thought you'd never show your face." "I didn't want to," he said, his voice loud dangerous. "Until I heard all the noise and thought there might be some lady here willing to fuck. Who is your friend?" His eyes studied me carefully as Emma said, "This is Aria. Aria, meet Nico." I got to my feet and offered my hand. "Hi." He took it and planted a kiss on my knuckles. I swear, my insides turned into jelly and I felt some residue escape to my pussy. No one needed to tell me that I was wet already. "Sexy," he drawled, which only seemed to worsen things for me. "Please don't ask her if she wants to fuck, Nico. She's off the charts. How long will you be staying?" "I'll leave once I get my... sex partner," he said, his eyes still on me, and he didn't even let my hand go. If Nico was the one putting all those sexual images in my brain just so that I could get interested, then he was doing a really good job. "Your friend seems ready for me, though," he said to Emma. "What?" I asked, wondering why he had said that. There was a smirk on his face as his eyes fell to my breasts. When I looked, I saw that my nipples were hard and visible through my outfit. "Fuck. Excuse me," I said, plucked my hand from his, and ran off.OVER A SECRET ARIANow I was supposedly expected to decide the fate of secrets powerful enough to start wars.It sounded insane.Because it was.A sharp crack echoed through the tunnel.A gunshot.Everyone instinctively lowered their heads.One of Mercer's men stepped forward."They've reached the lower junction."Marcus cursed."How much time?""Less than two minutes."Mercer looked around quickly."There isn't enough."Gabriel reached inside his jacket.Immediately, several guns shifted toward him."Relax."He slowly withdrew a small waterproof leather pouch.It was old.Very old.The leather had darkened with age, while the brass clasp showed signs of decades of use.He walked toward me.Marcus stepped between us."What is that?"Gabriel looked directly at me."This."He held up the pouch."...is the only thing Viktor Sokolov hasn't found."My pulse quickened."What is it?""A key."Marcus frowned."To what?"Gabriel smiled sadly."If I told you now..."He placed the pouch gently
91THE PRICE OF TRUSTARIANo one lowered their weapon.The narrow tunnel had become a powder keg waiting for a single spark. Marcus and Luca's men stood shoulder to shoulder, their guns trained on Julian Mercer and the armed men behind him. On the opposite side, Mercer's people remained equally composed, disciplined enough not to panic but ready to fire if they had to.Behind us, the sound of approaching footsteps echoed relentlessly through the underground passage.Sokolov's men were closing in.We didn't have the luxury of deciding whether we trusted each other.Time had already made that decision for us.Julian Mercer was the first to break the silence."If we continue standing here, Viktor's men will solve this problem for us."Marcus didn't blink."Give me one reason not to put a bullet between your eyes."Mercer smiled faintly."Because your employer is intelligent enough to know that I have something he desperately needs."Marcus's jaw tightened."And what's that?""The truth.
MYTHARIA"Search my office," Luca ordered.Immediately.Dominic looked confused."You think that's what he wanted?""I think we'll know in about thirty seconds."The two men hurried through the corridors.The estate felt strangely empty now.The battle had moved elsewhere.Leaving behind only silence and destruction.They reached Luca's private office.The door stood open.That alone was enough.Luca never left it open.Ever.He entered slowly.The room appeared untouched.Books remained neatly arranged.Furniture stood exactly where it belonged.Nothing obvious had been stolen.Dominic frowned."Looks normal."Luca walked directly to the bookshelf near the fireplace.His hand moved to a particular volume.He pulled it.Nothing happened.The hidden mechanism failed to respond.His expression darkened.He stepped back.Then drove his shoulder into the shelf.The entire structure shifted sideways, revealing a concealed vault behind it.The steel door stood open.Empty.Dominic's face p
THE DEVIL YOU KNOWARIAThe armed men behind him made that difficult.Mercer seemed aware of that.His smile remained perfectly composed."Your grandfather created the Trust for one purpose."I folded my arms."And what purpose is that?"His answer came immediately."To ensure his heir survived long enough to inherit."The tunnel fell silent.The words echoed in my mind.His heir.Me.Mercer took a step forward."The attacks on your life have accelerated faster than expected.""Expected?" Marcus repeated.Mercer nodded."Unfortunately."Gabriel looked furious now."You knew this was coming."Mercer met his gaze calmly."We all knew."The statement hit me like a physical blow.All of them?How many people had known about this?How many secrets had been hiding around my family my entire life?Before anyone could speak again—A burst of gunfire echoed from behind us.Close.Very close.Everyone spun instantly.The sound of shouting followed.Then more gunfire.Sokolov's men.They had cau
THE MARKOVIC TRUSTARIA"What is the Markovic Trust?" I repeated.This time Gabriel answered."Your grandfather's insurance policy."The words echoed strangely through the tunnel."My grandfather had an insurance policy?""Not that kind."Marcus looked ready to lose patience completely."Then what kind?"Gabriel finally turned toward us.And for the first time since meeting him, he seemed to make a decision.As though he'd reached the point where secrets were becoming more dangerous than answers."Aleksander Markovic knew people would eventually come looking for what he built."My pulse quickened."What exactly did he build?""A network."That wasn't the answer I wanted.Judging by Marcus's expression, it wasn't the answer he wanted either.Gabriel noticed."You keep expecting money.""Because everyone keeps talking about an inheritance.""There is money," Gabriel said."A lot?"Gabriel laughed.Not because it was funny.Because the question was too small."Enough that people have kil
KILLING FOR ITARIAI felt my heartbeat quicken.For weeks, people had been chasing me because of this mysterious inheritance.Threatening me.Attacking me.Killing for it.And now someone was finally talking about it."What is it?" I asked.Gabriel's expression became complicated."Dangerous.""That's not an answer.""It's the truth."The tunnel opened into a wider section.The group slowed slightly.Not stopping.Never stopping.Just enough to breathe.Gabriel looked at me carefully."Your grandfather wasn't wealthy because he got lucky."I frowned."What does that mean?""It means the stories you've been told are incomplete."That wasn't surprising anymore.Nothing about my family seemed straightforward these days.Gabriel continued."Aleksander spent decades building something.""What?"Instead of answering, he asked a question."Did he ever talk to you about trust?"The abrupt change confused me."No.""Not even once?"I shook my head.Gabriel looked almost disappointed."He used







