Antonio’s bloodied and on the floor of my room, the same floor that still has Livia’s blood on it. He isn’t dressed impeccably like he always is. His men have been searching for him, but can’t find him. I’ve sent Quinn with some more of the truths Antonio has held close, to tell them. We’ll see how much longer they want to stay by his side. “We’re going on a trip soon Antonio, aren’t you excited?” He’s tied to the bedpost and hasn’t been able to move, not even to go to the bathroom. He stinks.

“I’ll give you what you want.”

I laugh at his words. “What on earth could you give me that I don’t already have?”

Antonio looks around the room. “I can give you the name of someone that’s betraying you. At your every move and you have no idea.” He laughs as the front door opens and Quinn walks in. We both look up to him at the same time.

“How did it go?”

Quinn nods, walking to the fridge and pulling out a bottle of water. He doesn’t drink alcohol, I’ve never seen him do so. Quinn’s eyes fall to Antonio, and he scrunches up his nose as he looks to him. “No issues, I’ll be staying to clean up the mess and get it all back running, so business doesn’t slow down too much.” He sits on the couch drinking his water. “What do you plan to do with him?” He nods towards Antonio.

“I thought you could deal with that.” I smirk. I’ve gotten my revenge. Amy was enough. He’s even cried for the stupid bitch. I never thought he loved her just that he couldn’t get rid of her. I was wrong.

Quinn rubs his hands together smiling as he looks down at Antonio. “I don’t want to stay. I want to come back, though. This isn’t what I wanted. I thank you for thinking I want this, but I don’t.”

I didn’t expect that. He wanted power, being here would give him that. He deserves it. He can have everything my father never gave him here.

“Why? I’m giving it to you. You can have it.”

He drops his head then looks back to me with determination. “This isn’t my home. I want to go back home. Give it to Michael.”

“You want what Michael does?”

He shrugs. “I’m fine staying where I am, but yes... I can do what he does as well.”

“Are you sure that’s what you want?”

His confession confuses me. I thought he wanted more. Maybe he’s had a change of heart. I don’t see how, though. Quinn’s become closer to me than what Cane has.

“It’s what I want. Plus, no one will protect you the way I can. I promised your father.”

Arghh, so that’s it. “I appreciate it, Quinn, I really do. But you don’t have to do everything he wanted you to do. You’ve lived up to your end of the bargain, so don’t feel like you have to hold yourself back because a dying, selfish man said so.”

Antonio grunts in the corner and we both ignore him.

“I know, but I respect you, and I prefer to be the one protecting you rather than anyone else.” I nod my head because I’m not going to argue with that anymore. If working with me is where he wants to stay, who the fuck am I to argue. Quinn’s been there when I wanted to drink myself into oblivion because of all the nights Livia did my head in. He was there when I disappeared for nights on end because I couldn’t stand being in the same room with her, or I would call her Barbie as I came.

It didn’t work, even when I tried to force it to work. It never did. My heart was already with someone else, even I never knew I’d wholly given it to her.

“Barbie?” I ask him.

He walks back to the fridge to pull out another water bottle. “We found her. She was quiet for a few days. But actually, I spoke to Robert. She’s been in her room not leaving.”

Antonio coughs. “She’s sick, did you know that?”

We both look to him. “What are you talking about, fuckhead?”

He laughs, he actually laughs. “She asked for her pills. Your girl is sick, that’s what. Depression, it’s a real bitch. That’s how my mother killed herself. Sickly disease.” He smirks like he knows what he’s talking about.

“That would explain why she passed out for days. She was already on pills when I gave her that drug to calm her down.”

“Passed out for days all right, we almost forgot we had her.” Antonio laughs.

“Book me a flight,” I tell Quinn as I walk away, grabbing my cell. “And kill him while you are at it.” Closing the door, I hear the faint sound of the silencer click then the soft bang of Antonio falling to the ground. When I come back out, Quinn’s cleaning up the body, rolling it in a plastic sheet on the floor. He stands, going to the sink and washing his hands. I go, Quinn stays. It’s time to get my Barbie back.

***

THE HOUSE IS THE EXACT same, not a thing has changed. All my father’s shit is still here as I never bothered moving it. He still has the master room, and I have mine. It’s time I got rid of his things, take them out of this house so I can claim it as mine. Not that I’m staying in his house any longer because that’s how it feels. It’s late, and even though everything in me screams to go to her place and take her in every way possible, I need to wait. It should be during the day when I have a clear head and not full of wanting to fuck her.

So I head to the club, it’s been too long since I’ve been there. It’s packed, business is good. Making my way through the crowd, I spot two all too familiar faces. Robert and Stiles. Both standing at the bar talking to each other in close proximity. Walking over, I place my hand on Robert’s shoulder making him turn around to face me. He does and his smile drops, then he looks to Stiles who stares at me then shakes his head, looking back to the bartender.

“Don’t look so pleased to see me?” I question Robert. I say it loud enough that Stiles can hear as well.

“Why are you here?” Robert asks. I don’t get a chance to respond as it’s Stiles that does.

“One guess, she’s blonde.” He walks away after that comment, leaving me at the bar with Robert. I wave to one of the girls who pours us a few drinks then walks away.

“You aren’t here for her, are you?” he asks.

My head drops to the side. “Why wouldn’t I be?”

He picks up the whiskey and shoots it. “Because you make her sick. You two aren’t good together.”

“I disagree,” I argue back.

“Of course, you do, because you love her. So you don’t see it.”

“No, Robert, you don’t see it. She’s herself when she’s with me. She doesn’t pretend to love me, she does so with everything that is her.” He looks around then back to me, picking up the other whiskey.

“She only left her bed today. I’m just going to say this now I’ve had a few drinks of liquid courage.” He coughs into his hands. “You break her again, I’ll break you.” I try my best to not smile, but it breaks through subtly. He sighs and walks away from me. Making me go in search of Cane. Who I find in the booth above the dance floor, looking down at the crowd. He looks serious for a second until he notices it’s me, then his demeanor changes.

“I didn’t know you had returned.”

He shrugs his shoulders. “Someone had to run this place.” His hand waves around.

“You’ve done a good job, you should be proud.”

He looks to me, seriousness etched all over his face. “My father wants me to stop playing with you and go into business with him.” His words surprise me. He hated working with his father. That’s the sole reason he’s here.

“You don’t want to?”

He shakes his head. “His offer is nice, but I don’t want to be stuck behind a desk all my life.” He looks back out to the crowd and waves his hand. “Especially when I have all this. See that woman down there with that man?” He points to a blonde who’s kissing a man. “I bet you if I went down and offered her drinks, she’d go home with me tonight. Not her boyfriend.”

I laugh at his words. “What’s the point of that, though?”

The blonde’s almost climbing the man now. We both turn to look at each other.

“What’s the point of you going back and forth between Saskia and Livia?”

I scratch my chin and sit down. The music isn’t as loud up here, but it can still be heard. “I’m not going back and forth anymore.”

He raises an eyebrow. “So you’re finally going to choose and stick to that? Or maybe play the field a bit more?” he asks.

“I should be playing the field, shouldn’t I? I mean I’m successful, I’m young...” Cane sits next to me. “But why would I when all I want is her.”

“That could change. You changed your mind about cunt trap, Livia.”

I laugh at his term for her. Little did I know his words were true. Once she had her hooks into you, it’s hard to get them out. “That was different, I wasn’t solely wanting Livia.”

He shakes his head. “I can see a recipe for disaster.”

I stand, looking back over the crowd of people. Stiles is there, I can spot him now with another woman. His hand is around her waist.

“Who’s the brunette with Stiles?”

“His rebound.” Cane laughs. “He still wants your blonde.” He jokes.

“Of course, he does. Fuck, I do.”

“What are you doing standing here, then?” he jokes, hitting me on the arm.

“I came to make sure you hadn’t killed my businesses,” I say, stepping toward the door.

He laughs at my words. “Please, this is mine now. Can’t you see how much it thrives under me?”

I roll my eyes at his words while turning and walking out the door.

Robert stops me as I go to leave, stepping in front of me. “She got out of bed today. Maybe just let her be for now.”

“Are you her bodyguard?”

He raises his eyebrows at me. “You really don’t know what you do to her, do you? She’s already sick. You just make her sicker.” He goes to turn away, but my hand reaches out, grabbing his arm to stop him.

“I’m not here to make her sick, I’m here to fix her.”

He pulls his arm free. “You have dark intentions, don’t even try to deny it.” He walks away, leaving me confused even more than before he opened his mouth. Walking outside, I get in my car and drive to her place. I should be smart and come back with a clear head. But who the fuck’s ever smart. Especially when it comes to her. She’s my fucking oxygen that only lets me breathe in times of pleasure. She could suffocate me, and I would die smiling. That’s what she does for me. It’s what she’s always done. That’s why I’ve tried to avoid her for as long as possible.

Pulling the key from my pocket, I unlock the door to her business and make my way in. Her door to her apartment is locked, but I unlock it anyway. When I open the door, a light is on, and it glows over her sleeping form as she lays naked tied up in her bedding.

My clothes hit the ground as I walk up to her. She doesn’t move when I stroke her face.

It’s the kiss that makes her eyes flutter.