KeneE

Master Story Teller and Overall Weed Enthusiast

[silvercran3]

MINE! (POV Short Horror Story)

“Bitch, can you HURRY THE FUCK UP!” you scream, as you look wildly around your block. You’ve determined that your ex HAD your location, and knowing him, he was on his way. You only needed to grab something from your house, and was too anxious to drive. Your little sister, the only one you could count on, was now flustered behind the wheel. And to add a cherry on top of this shit-cake, kids were being released from school. Dozens of kids were walking around your car, blocking your driveway, without a care in the world. “Run them over!” you yell, as you reach over to her side and begin blowing the horn. You understand drawing attention to yourself is, probably, the WORST idea you can think of. But you do not care; your ex is dangerous, and being outside of the safe house, knowing that he was waiting for you, was enough to not think about anything else but escape.

“I can’t run over kids!” she yells at you.

“I promise you HE wouldn’t care and run all of them over to get to me!” you yell back. He was going to do ANYTHING to get to you. In his head, you and him are not over. You are his. His alone. And no one was going to stand in his way to get to you. 

“Stop yelling, you are freaking me out!” she yelled back. She pushed forward, gently nudging the kids to move out of the way. You were at least moving, but you knew deep down it still didn’t give you enough time to get out. 

Every car that turned the corner became your ex’s car. Even when it wasn’t, in your head, it was. 

She finally made it out of the driveway, and down the block when your heart stopped beating. You begin to question if your eyes were deceiving you. Nope. It wasn’t. He was here, turning the corner with so much heist, the kids barely jumped out of the way. 

“No!” you screamed, yanking your sister’s arm so that she can confirm.

“Oh no, oh no!” she yelled. She threw her phone at you. “Call the cops!” 

His car was almost on you guys. You can see how wild his eyes looked. You know that if he gets his hands on you, that was it. Game over. 

He hits his brakes, as he turns his wheel. His driver side slams onto your side. He pulls down his window, waving a gun around. His eyes were bloodshot, and he was screaming. Your window was up, but you heard everything he screamed.

“GET OUT OF THE CAR!” he yelled. He didn’t even wait for a response, before hitting the blunt end of his gun against your window. Your sister screamed as she put her foot on the gas. You guys go flying down the street, hitting parked car after parked car. 

You and your sister start screaming, unable to gain control of the vehicle. You crashed head first into a small store on the corner. The airbags deployed, and you become instantly delirious. You could hear screaming coming from down the street. Your ex, in a panic to get to you, hit three kids. He didn’t try stopping, and was racing to you. 

In a panic, you unbuckle your seatbelt, and open the door. Your sister looked unconscious, but fine. “I need to run. If he catches me with you, he will hurt you.” You didn’t wait for a response, or to make sure she woke up. You turned to the corner store you just hit, and ran inside. 

If there were any civilians inside, they were long gone now. The store owner, holding a shotgun, appeared from behind the counter.

“Sir, is there a back exit?!” you ask with your hands up. “I need to get out of here now!”

He holds his gun at you. “You just broke into my store, and you want to run away?!” He walked from around the counter, his gun still aimed at you. He reaches you and makes you kneel. “You’re going nowhere bitch!” 

“Sir please, if he sees you pointing your gun at me, he will kill you.” you plead. You can hear footsteps running towards you in the distance. 

“SHUT UP, you stupid little-” he said before being shot down. 

You smelled him first, before you saw him. It was the cologne you gave him for his birthday. You made the comment on how it smelled nice. He wore it every… single… time.

You felt him yank your hair, forcing you to stare at him. He stared at you, leaving a few centimeters of distance between the two of you. You can feel his breath on you, and he is at the point of screaming. Deep, growling sounds could be heard from his throat. He was mad. He was going to make sure you understood this feeling. 

“Please…” you beg as you try to pry his grip off your scalp. 

“I told you this before…” he said, in a scary low voice. “You are mine. MINE!”

Just then, your sister comes from behind, and hits him over the head with a piece of wood. He stumbles to the floor, holding his head as blood begins to pour out. You can hear the police sirens in the area. Your sister looks at you, and screams, “Run!” 

You get up and begin running. You have nowhere to go, but you knew that if you waited, for even a second, he was going to get you. You made it a few houses down before you heard a single gunshot. Your heart sinks. Your sister…

You turn around to the corner store and see your ex walking out with blood over his clothes. You let out a primal cry, wailing at the thought of your younger sister’s life ending so abruptly. He hears you, turns to face you. As soon as he clocks your location, he smiles a devilish smile, and begins running after you. 

You are so close to your house, but your ex is FAST. You make it a few feet away from your house before you feel his hands grab you. He forces you onto the ground hard, leaving your face with deep cuts. 

The cops were pulling into the block, seconds from reaching you. Your ex figured he was going to be stopped, so he picked you up, and positioned you between himself and the cops.

“Let her go!” one cop yells, pointing his gun at you and your ex. More cops quickly surrounded your house.

But your ex remains calm. He has a firm grip on your throat as he begins to walk backwards. 

“We BELONG together. And no one-NO ONE, will take you from me.” he said as his back hits your front door. He pulls out his spare key, and unlocks the door. 

“Not even death will separate us…” he whispers to your ear as he brings you inside with him. You're not even given a break as he locks the door and lunges at you.

[silvercran3]

The Wives of the Gods Chapter 3 Part 6

She waited patiently by his shrine, making sure none of his pets were around. Once she was sure she was alone, she slowly approached the offering bowl. It was made out of stone, with tiny scratches on the bottom. It looked like words, etched quickly by a five year old child. There was some fruit and nuts, growing mold inside; apparently the “God” of Earth hated fruit. 

She placed her rock right by the bowl, and got on her knees. She closed her eyes as she began praying. “Umm…I am not sure how someone prays to you, but I want your blessing.” 

Klay got as close as possible, wanted nothing more than to hear EVERY word that she said. He found her fascinating. Everything about her screamed at him to pay attention. From the way that she walked, to how she thought. Even the small offering, with traces of other human blood told him that she was a force to be reckoned with. A strong one. She needed guidance, and he knew that he was the right God for the job. 

“I will confront my sister’s bully today. I intend on winning. But, just to make sure that I don’t get kicked out for doing this, I need your help. This other individual is very manipulative, and there is a threat that she would stir trouble for my younger sister. So, I offer you my rock, promising never to fight again if you grant me your blessing.” 

Alex heard nothing but the rustling of leaves and birds around her. She didn’t know what to expect, but she wanted to know if he heard her. 

Klay had sworn never to openly communicate with a human while they prayed to him. He didn’t find it useful, especially when they acted foolish around him. He loved the attention, let there be no doubt. But having them scream their blessings at him was absolute torture. He didn’t mind the kids gawking at him, but adults, especially men, were…disturbing to say the least. Even when he was offered fruit, his least favorite thing, he remained quiet and waited for the winds to tell him their blessing. 

She was different. There was a strong magnet drawing him towards her. He couldn’t help himself. 

“Hello little fire.” Klay said.

[silvercran3]

Blanks Chapter 11 Pt 2

She was disturbed, disgusted, repulsed, yet not entirely shocked. “You, as a female, would allow this to happen to another female?”

The old lady began smiling; Sybil’s words had no effect on her conscience. “The farmer can do whatever they want with their cows.”

Sybil looked like she wanted to jump over and strangle her, but the two men behind her kept their hands on her shoulders. It was as if they could sense she wanted to attack, and since Jaz already proved none of them would take shit, or threats, they weren’t taking any chances.

Her leg had not completely healed yet, so any quick movement would cause immediate pain. There was still a burning sensation that radiated off of the bite mark, and the small creature she ate wasn’t enough. She was going to need more.

“Don’t touch me.” Sybil said sternly. She made sure to look at both men so they understood who she was talking to. 

“Oh, I wouldn’t antagonize these men…” the old lady said condescendingly. “They tend to get physical when riled up.”

“Oh, is that so?” Sybil said, unable to keep her mouth shut. “I’d rather die from this, than reproduce your ignorant, hillbilly, one brain cell having kin.”

Sybil could hear both men cracking their knuckles behind her. “Oh mama, can we have her already?” There was an overly excited tone in his voice. 

The sick old witch began crackling. “Make it good for mama.” 

Sybil began swinging as both men grabbed her. One held her arms down, as the other straddled her. He began undoing his pants as Sybil began screaming.

“No one will save you.” the old lady said in a syrupy voice.

Just then, they heard a large crash that shook the entire room. Both guys ran to the old lady, ready to defend her. The door flew open, revealing a wide eye Rachel, looking frantically around for help.

She barely knew how she managed to dodge every jump and tackle from the werewolf, but she did. But she knew her luck was running up, he was right behind her. And his level of rage and sexual frustration reached an all time high. He was going to kill her for sure.

“Rachel!” Sybil screamed. “Behind you!”

[silvercran3]

Rockey Chapter 56

Chapter 56

Celia’s alarm went off at 4:45 am the following Monday, and out of habit, Celia jumped up to start her day. She had brushed her teeth while trying to figure out exactly what to wear. She thought of the day of work that was ahead of her, and thought of what pair of heels would go well with the vibe. Even though they had managed to successfully accomplish the Charity Dinner, it meant there was more to do now. They had all extended branches to other likeminded people, and now it was time to start building. Not to mention, she also had a lot of plans with Ivan.

It wasn’t until she finally finished adding the final touches, did she remember that she wasn’t working today. In fact, she wouldn’t be going in for the next month. 

Raffaele’s idea honestly. He told her, “You’ve not taken a break in the few years I’ve known you. You should take that time to relax and prepare yourself for work.” 

Though it wasn’t the “We are ending our business relationship” talk she was dreading, it didn’t hurt less. She spent the weekend going over and over her head about what she did wrong. Granted the night didn’t start off the right way, but she cleaned up pretty well. And what’s worse, there was nothing she could do to change it. 

And she felt the last bit of hope she had any chance with Raffaele slip through her fingers. 

She knew there was no chance in Hell he would be interested in her, but a delusional part of her had hope. That was, until that night. It died quicker than the goldfish she was given as a child. Someone told her that goldfish only survive a few days, and even though it was obviously wrong, she wasn’t surprised that it was dead a few days later. 

She plopped onto her uncomfortable white couch with the grace of a drunk cat. She sat there for a few minutes, allowing the weight of the past few days to press down on her. 

“You need to get a grip Celia.” she said to herself. She hoisted herself up and began the long, tedious routine of preparing for a day of doing nothing. 

Her normal morning routine consisted of a thirty minute yoga workout, followed immediately with a hot shower. She dressed in her lingerie, the same pretty pink laced ones with the white bow she has always worn, and made breakfast. She held onto the newspaper on one hand, and began cutting up onions and garlic. After a year of practice, she had managed to learn how to cut using Antonio’s grandmother’s sharp knives that were given to her when she first met them. 

She would eat the same boring egg white scrambled egg, avocado, tostadas de jamón and cheese, (*a personal favorite of hers*), and watch the news. Then when she had her fill of the stock market news, and whatever dumb ass thing the president was doing, she would then take another shower, this time cold, and get ready for her day. Like clockwork. Everyday.

She switched out to an old pair of sweats and one of her over-large shirts. What was the point of doing anything if she wasn’t going anywhere? What was the point of dressing up, when there was no one who would admire it… like Antonio…

She wrapped herself in a blanket, and held a tight grip on her coffee mug that read “Crushing the day, one cup at a time.” It was a lame mug that her father had given her once she had graduated with her Master’s Degree. Oh the irony of how her life felt at that very moment. How could this day get any worse?

The sudden ping from her phone nearly gave her a heart attack. Without thinking clearly, she jumped towards it, hoping to see a text from Raffaele or Antonio. It could’ve been something as simple as “Where are the extra staples?” ANYTHING to make her feel needed. Instead she had a message from an unsaved number. 

“Hello Ms Talkative.”

Celia looked at her phone for five straight minutes, wondering who was pranking her. Someone clearly had time on their hands, and wanted to fuck with her. Unfortunately for them, Celia had plenty of time to play.

“Hello Mr 3-inch Dick.”

The silence that followed made Celia believe that she had gotten rid of her annoying ass prankster. Little did she know that was just the beginning.

“?”

“Did you forget how to text?” -Celia

“I was just wondering how such a lovely talkative woman had for breakfast because I do not think it is enough?” -Random Person

“Why would a random ass man be curious about if I ate or not?” -Celia

The text bubble appeared and disappeared for two minutes. Celia was convinced that he had nothing smart to say to her, and she could go back and wallow in her self-pity. Anything was better than dealing with reality at this moment. 

Just as she was about to drift into her thoughts again, her phone began ringing. At a quick glance, Celia recognized the unknown man’s number. This man had the nerve to bother her, even after she clearly told him she wasn’t interested. She thought about not answering, but she wanted for someone to take her anger and frustration out on. If it happened to be a poor, defenseless man, who texted the wrong number “by mistake”, then so be it.

“Yes!?” Celia screamed on the phone. “What the hell do you want?!” 

Celia was immediately greeted by a deep, husky voice laughing on the other end. The laughter sounded familiar, but she couldn’t put a face to it.  

After a few seconds of his genuine laughter, the male voice spoke. “Forgive me Ms. Celia. It was rude of me to not have introduced myself again to you. It is Ivan Borisyuk.”

Celia’s change in behavior did a 180 in a matter of seconds. Her professional voice quickly joined the conversation. “Oh forgive me Mr. Borisyuk, I am so sorry!” 

“No need to apologize. I’d imagine that you get bothered a lot by men, and having one message out of nowhere seems…creepy.” he said in a deep Russian accent. 

“This is the part when most men give up and send a last bitter text, calling me a fat cow or something like that.” Celia said dismissively. Mr. Borisyuk laughed.

“Are you free for lunch today? I have a business proposition for you.” Ivan said, getting straight to the point of his call.

Celia looked at her reflection, the question hanging in the air with so much uncertainty. After a few seconds of silence, she said, “Sure.”

[silvercran3]

Too Late (Short Horror Story)

(*Disclaimer: This story is 100% fictional, and based off of a nightmare I had.*)

“You promised me…” my voice cracked as I stared at my father. He was about twenty feet away from me, drenched in my wife’s blood, gripping my newborn daughter’s ankle with a painful hold. My daughter was wailing, screaming her lungs out to anyone that would listen and save her. Poor thing didn’t know that other than myself, there was no one else here. 

My father had this deranged look in his eyes, as if scanning the room for a threat that didn’t exist. He had already shot and killed the nurses, and two police officers; everyone else managed to run away and lock themselves inside with other patients. He lodged the gun down the throat of one nurse before firing it; he then attempted to get into any unlocked room before stepping foot into my wife’s delivery room. I knew there would be no one else for the next few minutes, but I could only imagine what he saw and heard. In his head, there were monsters trying to eat his flesh, and demons that would take his skin and wear it. Everyone here was out for him, and only he knew it.

“Dad, STOP!” I screamed. I held both hands out, praying, hoping by some miracle that he would let me grab my girl. “Please.. Dad…”

My dad’s eyes softened, only for a brief moment. His mind raced  elsewhere in time where he was with his children, and his wife. She kept him sane; she was his rock. She was brave and stubborn to a fault, and though he had many episodes with her, she never left him. In a world that felt as if it wanted to hurt him, she was his calm. 

Then she died.

And everything turned grey. 

And the monsters and things he saw and heard began hurting him again. 

And they hurt him badly.

So he stopped taking his medicine. 

And he burned any bridge between him and his kids, beyond the point of reconciliation. And yet, rock bottom seemed to have added a basement. Even after ripping my daughter away from my wife as she was delivering, causing her to bleed out, he was about to do something that will drive me to commit suicide. 

“Dad please… this is your son…” I wept, getting on my hands and knees begging for him to listen to reason. “You taught me how to fish, and you laughed every time I burned steak. Remember? You said I would never get a girl, but I didn’t care because I loved hearing your laugh…”

My dad’s eyes soften completely. He remembered me. He remembered me! “And we would eat your terrible steak while watching The Hangover…” he said, his voice barely above a whisper. 

I nodded slowly, not forgetting the elephant in the room. “Dad, please… that’s my daughter. Your granddaughter, you are holding her ankle. Please give her back to me…” I extend both hands. I slowly began to shuffle towards him. I couldn’t trust that the illusion that I was still that same boy from before would remain the same if I stood, especially when I was a foot taller than he was.

As if realizing that my daughter was still crying, he lifted his hand. He brought my daughter up to eye level, and began inspecting her. “This…your child?”

He then turned back to me, as if trying to piece together that his youngest son was a father. That his son was a man, not the same child anymore. I couldn’t wait any longer and stood up, ready to jump him at any second. 

Just then there were footsteps running towards us. The SWAT, who had been notified that a lone gunman was holding someone hostage, were running up the stairs, guns drawn, ready to deal with my father.  

The sound of footsteps frightened my dad. In his head, they sounded like cannons going off, growing stronger the closer they got to us. I could see in his eyes that I lost him. 

“You will never take me!” he screamed.

My daughter’s screams got louder, and he was leaving a deep, dark bruise on her skin from his grip. He turned to look at her again, this time he didn’t see his granddaughter. She became a demon, laughing and taunting him. He screamed at the top of his lungs at her. 

I couldn’t take it anymore. I lunged at her as the SWAT team barged into the room. My dad turned, lifting my daughter above his head. He swung down with enough force, driving my daughter’s soft head and tiny body towards the floor. “DAD NO!”

[silvercran3]

The Wives of the Gods Ch 3 Pt 5

The first thing she did that morning was grab her rock, and walk towards the secret pathway to Klay’s temple. 

It would normally take hours to get there, but her Father showed her a shortcut. She cut the trip down to about 15 minutes, versus the days it would normally take. The entrance was tucked between two Elder trees, the entrance barely visible to the naked eye. In fact, many civilians pass it everyday, unaware of what laid behind it.  

The area was surrounded by dense forest trees, flowers, and scary monsters placed by Klay himself. There were giant wolves, two foot tall Yellow Jackets, and Gnomes with a pension for human flesh. If one wanted Klay’s blessing, one had to prove you were worthy. 

Most people would run away at the sight of any one of his creatures. Those who stayed behind either died a coward, or died as a warrior. They were the only ones blessed with the opportunity to become twisted monsters, and allowed to live in peace in Klay’s lands. There were only ever five people who ever made it to Klay’s shrine. Five men. Until that day…

Alex bypassed the first few obstacles with a level of calm and ease that impressed Klay. He watched her the second she entered his forest. 

She moved flawlessly; expertly maneuvering passed his creations with ease. She barely stopped for more than one minute, before continuing on her journey. She did not fight, which showed Klay that she knew strategy. Why fight a creature she knew she couldn’t defeat? It was best to save her energy.

[silvercran3]

Blanks Chapter 11 Pt 1

Sybil needed to work on her face. Through many years of training herself not to say the first intrusive thought that crossed her mind, Sybil became fairly skilled at it. As a kid, she spoke without hesitation or filter. She was a menace, and that often got her into trouble. So now, she became somewhat of a master of disguise. She was able to speak professionally without any indication on how she felt. The only pesky thing she couldn’t control was her face. 

It was as if her mind decided that if she would tame her mouth, her face was going to convey the message. Because of this irritating quirk, she was forced to learn how to defend herself, because her face got her into trouble. A lot.

The old lady, as if registering what Sybil’s face meant, gave her two grandsons guarding the door a quick nod. 

‘Fuck.’ Sybil said to herself. She began to think of something to get her out. “I don’t understand what you want with me and my friends? Can you explain again?” She kept her voice professional, though the twitch in her eyes proved deep down Sybil understood.

The old lady didn’t seem to buy it. Both of her grandsons positioned themselves behind Sybil, leaving a few inches between them.

“You heard me the first time.” she said coldly. “You and your friend will help repopulate our family. You will be ours until you are no longer useful.”

Sybil’s face said what she couldn’t. She could taste bloody copper as she bit the inside of her cheek. She could feel the words she wanted to say press against her lips, threatening to force their way through. But she knew she couldn’t, not until she had a chance to assess the situation.

“I don’t want to.” Sybil said, slow and steady. “My friends and I don’t want to.” 

The old lady snorted. “You speak as if you have a choice.” She looked at Sybil, truly taking in her appearance. It had been a very long time since a human female walked through their small village; she wasn’t going to give up the opportunity when two healthy females came through. “You will be my grandson, Bill’s, woman.”

One of the two men made a low coughing sound, signalling to Sybil that he was Bill. He looked and smelled disgusting, and by the yellow stained rotting teeth, Sybil knew she would much rather die than touch that. 

The old lady spoke with an air of finality, leaving no room for Sybil to say anything. Unfortunately for the old lady, Sybil loved arguing and debates.

“You heard me the first time.” Sybil said, parroting the old lady’s words. “We. Don’t. Want. That.”

Sybil felt the sting of the old lady’s slap before she registered what happened. She had to hand it to her; the old lady had strength. 

“You will learn to watch your mouth. The only thing you’re good for, is to spread your fucking cunt open, and give birth to girls. We are going to need a few to help repopulate.” She said her words creating a disturbing image in Sybil’s mind.

[silvercran3]

Rockey Chapter 55

“I think she is accounted for.” Sofia said, crossing her arms. “Besides, I need it more.” She casually walked towards the body guard and Rockey, and gently grabbed the jacket. No one protested, and Rockey mouthed a “thank you” to her. 

“So what are we doing here?” Sofia asked, standing between Rockey and the body guard. The three stared at the kids, who had at this point, drenched themselves in water. 

“This is where we stop the fun.” Rockey said, as she removed her shoes, and got in. She quickly grabbed Bianca and waddled back outside. The bottom part of her dress was soaked, but thankfully she managed to stay dry up top. The same couldn’t be said about Matteo and Gio. And by the way they were looking at her, she knew they were itching for new prey. 

Before they could do anything, Sofia grabbed Gio, and the body guard ushered Matteo back on the dry ground. The body guard handed Rockey his handkerchief, the only form of towel available for them. 

“Why don’t I go inside and grab a few towels.” the body guard said. Just when he got far enough, Sofia finally exclaimed. “Love, I would kill to be you. You have all these guys coming after you.”

Matteo made a sour face at Sofia. “Stop, I don’t like that!” Matteo screamed, giving Rockey no time to respond to Sofia.

“Hey buddy, what’s wrong?” Rockey asked, kneeling down to his level. Matteo immediately turned red and crossed his arms. He huffed and puffed, and turned to face another direction. 

“My parents wouldn’t allow that type of attitude.” Sofia said. “They would’ve left me outside wet, and in the middle of the cold.” 

Rockey stood straight, keeping her voice neutral, yet firm. “Thank you. Now if you’d allow me to talk to my child, I’d greatly appreciate it. We will not be doing anything like that tonight.”

As if sensing her bubbling anger, Sofia yielded and led the group back inside. Rockey lingered behind further, hoping to talk to Matteo with less ears around them.

“Now what’s wrong?” she asked. When he didn’t answer, she kept talking. “Matteo I cannot help if you do not tell me what’s wrong.”

Matteo stomped his foot. “You wouldn’t even care.” he screamed before running inside. Rockey was right behind him, trying to get him to stop. “Matteo, please.”

He ran past the servers, who were offering hot chocolate and a clean towel to dry off with. Matteo ran back inside, and jumped back onto his seat. He knew better than to start trouble for his brother, even if he pissed him off. But he wouldn’t pretend that he wanted to be there either. He would behave, but at a cost. 

Everyone turned to see Matteo pouting on his chair. He crossed his arms and sulked as his chair became drenched. Raffaele and Nicó looked at each other, but before they had to respond, Rockey came behind him with his jacket. She looked at both older brothers and mouthed “We are going to head out.” 

“Hey, let’s head out.” She said, gently putting his jacket on his back. She slowly pulled him and his chair out, and waited patiently. Would he ignore her and just continue sitting? Would he listen? If nothing happened, it would definitely cause Nicó or worse, Raffaele to act. 

After a few seconds, Matteo stood from his chair and quietly walked out. Bianca and Gio were already waiting by the front, a car waiting outside. 

The entire ride home was quiet. Bianca hummed off beat, and Gio made 

soft sounds as he looked outside. Rockey and Matteo remained quiet. She wanted to ask what had happened. She figured they were close; they’ve been through so much, and have never kept anything major from each other. Yes, she did find out about one of his crushes because she overheard a conversation between him and his best friend, Romeo. But other than that, he had been very open to her. So finding out there was something bothering him, and that he didn’t feel comfortable sharing it with her, made her sad.

Once they made it back, the kids ran inside. “Please take a shower, brush your teeth, and get ready for bed. I’ll be up afterwards to tuck you in.” Rockey said as she walked towards the kitchen. Arthur was there, pouring a glass of wine.

He passed it to her. “I figured you were going to need it.” 

“I need more.” Rockey chuckled, chugging the rest of the wine. She pulled out her phone to message Raffaele, while Arthur poured her more wine. 

“Made it back.”

Two seconds later. “Ok,  see you later.”

Rockey feeling bold. “Not unless I see you first.”

“So…?” Arthur began. He wasn’t the one to gossip, but having bear witness to the growing tension between the two, he deserved a bit of…chisme. 

Rockey was used to this, after all Caden and Tony would need an update as well. “I honestly do not know.” She said as she sank into a chair. “This whole night has gone out of script, and I don’t know how much more twist and turns I can take.”

“Well, here's one for you.” Arthur said, sitting down next to her with his own cup. “Raffaele’s mother is coming to visit.”

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Raffaele was the last to get out of the car. They had just returned back home, and were past the point of exhaustion. They had successfully completed the Charity dinner, and Raffaele couldn’t be more happier with the prospect of new business. Even Antonio had managed to make a deal with the Actress, and a few others. But the most shocking deal was made between Celia and Ivan. They had decided on a dinner date for one of the following evening. 

The way Antonio’s face nearly fell when he heard it… Raffaele saw. Celia spoke fast with Raffaele, trying to assure him that she wouldn’t allow it to interfere with her work. She felt deep down that there was a potential merger between the business, and his. If they were able to move past whatever childhood beef they had with each other, then both sides would benefit. 

After a few seconds of awkward silence, Raffaele turned to Antonio, Sofia, and Nicó. “Can you please give Celia and I a few minutes?” The tone in his voice made Celia feel uncomfortable. Her conversation with Ivan had distracted her from the mistakes she made earlier. Antonio gave Raffaele a look, before ushering Sofia inside. 

Nicó gave a small nod before turning to walk away. “Good night Celia.”

Raffaele waited until everyone was out of earshot. Before he had a chance to say anything, Celia blurted out, “I am sorry about the mistakes made-”

Raffaele held his hand out to stop her from talking. He looked at her in her eyes and said, “I think you should take some time off.”

[silvercran3]

Blanks Chapter 10 Part 7

“I can’t!” Rachel sobbed. “I can’t move!” she began weeping as her body stopped moving. Her will to fight or carry on was nearly gone, replaced with acceptance of her fate. What scared her was that she was close to getting assaulted by the werewolf. And despite how close to danger she was, Rachel couldn’t will her body to move.

Just then, both ladies heard a loud growl. Jaz turned just in time to narrowly avoid the werewolf’s attack. It landed near them, anger radiating off of his body. 

He was covered in fresh human flesh, dirt, blood, and muscle. Even though its fur was pitch black, they could smell and see everything on it. And the smell was horrendous.

He did not hesitate, he lunged towards Rachel. Just before he could touch her, Jaz pushed Rachel out of the way. They all came crushing down.

Jaz was too weak to move again; she wouldn’t be able to protect herself and Rachel next time around. She knew the werewolf would grab her the next time. Before she could think about it, she screamed, “RUN!”

Rachel stumbled to her feet, making so much noise as she ran towards the woods.

Jaz knew in that second, she gave her best friend the wrong advice. Jaz bore witness to a werewolf’s charge; something only ever done when chasing their prey.

Its eyes became focused, pointing directly where Rachel was. Its pupils dilated, his breathing completely calm. Rachel must’ve been at least 10 yards away, before the werewolf gave chase. It was waiting for Rachel to create distance; it wanted to enjoy the chase.

[silvercran3]

The Wives of the Gods Chapter 3 Part 5

So Alex visited Klay’s shrine, attempting to pray to him in order to ensure success. She had never prayed to him before; all she remembered from Father Blake’s lesson was the exact location of the shrine, and more importantly, the entrance to a secret pathway. It was a small opening between two giant Ether trees; an opening most people ignored during their day to day.

Klay’s shrine was found in the middle of the woods, heavily protected by a sea of forest and wild animals. It would normally take anyone a few days to find, but Father Blake knew how to get there in a matter of minutes. Klay wanted his shrine to be difficult to find, because he wanted to see how far people would go to find him.  

The area was unnaturally quiet; there were no sounds of animals, or the wind. Despite the quietness, there was something oddly peaceful about it for Alex. She didn’t feel anxious; she felt true peace. 

The shrine was carved on the trunk of the eldest tree. There were different tiers, with offerings from other humans on each. There was food, trinkets, and everything people thought were valuable objects. She felt a bit silly bringing her blood-stained rock as an offering.  

Alex was known to fight dirty, and by the age of 7, she had started to carry a large rock in her pocket. She used it every time she fought. And every time she fought, she won. The rock was stained with the blood of those who messed with her. 

The other girl was smart and clever; there were already instances where she had outsmarted Father Blake. She would try to find a way to either physically hurt Darya (or her) in retaliation, or pray to Klay herself for luck. There was no way Alex was going to risk defeat, or the safety of Darya or herself. If it meant she had to bend and pray to this God, then so be it.

[silvercran3]

Rockey Chapter 54

“You have done so well for yourself.” Mr. Borisyuk said. “I wonder why you haven’t started your own company?” 

Celia couldn’t help but choke on her drink. Mr. Borisyuk took his handkerchief and handed it to her. 

Celia couldn’t make Mr. Borisyuk out. Truth be told, most of her information about him was second-hand. Any enemy of Raffaele was naturally an enemy to her, or at least, that was what she thought. But after spending time with him, she couldn’t help but feel, like her, he had been misunderstood. 

Their conversation flowed naturally; discussion going from her education, her first job, what she was inspired by, what drove her everyday, and what she wanted to do as a kid. And Mr. Borisyuk didn’t seem to mind listening to her talk; in fact, he seemed to instigate it more. 

Rockey felt so relieved. Celia kept Mr. Borisyuk’s attention on her, giving Rockey a few minutes of peace. She would catch him looking at her for a few minutes, but thankfully, went back to Celia. 

Rockey saw a new side of Celia. She had never seen her so excited, and passionate about her views, dreams, and goals. Her excitement was almost contagious, with everyone around her looking at her talk about changing the world. Even Antonio, who had spent the past few minutes trying to reengage a conversation with the Actress next to him, stopped what he was doing and stared at her. 

It had been a while since he’s seen her like this. It took everything in his power for him to peel his eyes away from her. He promised he wasn’t going to ruin their friendship over this. She wasn’t making it easy on him though, especially with how she was acting whenever he got close to her. And the fact that now Ivan Borisyuk kept talking to her, made Antonio’s blood boil. 

“Wow, she is beautiful.” the actress said next to him. This was the first time in a few minutes since he got her to say anything. She was sobering up rather quickly, and she had begun the transformation back to the shy recluse that she was.

“Yes, she is.” Antonio said honestly. Before he had a chance to stop himself, he kept talking. “She is smart, beautiful, and hits harder than a pistol whip. I should know.”

The actress looked at Antonio for the first time in an hour and half. It was like she was finally able to see a brief snippet into Antonio. “Were you two close?” 

Antonio scoffed. “Something like that.” 

“Well, that explains your guard dog there.” she said, pointing behind Antonio. Sofia had begun scrolling her phone, pretending not to hear them speak. 

Antonio rolled his eyes so hard, he almost gave himself a headache. “That is another one. Sorry again about that.”

The Actress’ buzz had died down completely, but she still had a sense of humor. “It’s ok, I can understand why she would be so defensive.” She added, with a wink. “Besides, I definitely drank too much. This is what happens when I go to places like this. I get nervous.”

“Nervous?” Antonio asked. “I would imagine the woman who won four Oscars, and five Emmys would stand confidently anywhere.”

“All of that, and still no Tony.” she said, her voice filled with slight humor and disappointment. 

“Not yet.” Antonio said. He felt the old devil come back, and he couldn’t help but smile as she giggled. Antonio also heard Sofia mock her, but he wasn’t going to entertain that. At least, not now. 

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

“Rockey, I want to go back outside.” Bianca said. She had finished her dinner and had begun pushing the leftover food around. 

“Yes, this is boring!” Matteo shot out. Gio agreed happily. The three had begun getting antsy in their seats. Rockey looked at the kids, then at Celia and Mr. Borisyuk. They seemed completely focused on their conversation, unaware that they were about to leave. She looked back at the kids, and motioned them to make a move. They all seemed to understand, though the part about keeping quiet alluded them. 

“Yeah! We are going outside!” Matteo screamed, getting everyone’s attention, including Raffaele and Mr. Borisyuk.

Without missing a beat, Mr. Borisyuk motioned for one of his guards, who immediately began following Rockey and the kids. He kept a distance, but made sure to keep his eyes on them. Raffaele was pissed, but couldn’t move due to a current heated discussion between two competitors who, despite being seated separately, couldn’t help but find each other and try to have Raffaele mediate. Raffaele was close to losing his shit, but Nicó kept a firm grip on him. 

"Stai calmo. Non succederà loro niente. Vuole solo tenerli d'occhio." Nicó whispered to his brother. He quickly turned back to one of the men arguing, and said, “That is rather interesting. Mr. Wilson, however, said otherwise.” Nicó could care less about the arguing, but he was in such a mood that any form of entertainment was going to have to do, even if he had to instigate it. And these two had a habit of finding each other, just to start an altercation. Nicó was tired of separating them, so why not?

That was all it took for the gentleman to explode. He began raising his voice, shoving the other one with his massive finger. Raffaele coughed once, and the man’s anger immediately deflated. Even his colleagues treated Raffaele like a powerful threat, and didn’t want to get on his bad side. 

The kids ran straight outside, straight towards a water fountain. Just outside the small restaurant, there were rows of trees, with Christmas lights strung across. There were so many of them, that it felt like an early Christmas. At its center, was a giant water fountain. 

The kids didn’t wait for permission. They threw their shoes off, and ran straight to the water. It was only four inches deep, so even Gio ran inside. His fear didn’t seem to exist, and he enjoyed the few seconds he had with his siblings. 

Rockey stood behind, watching all three kids laugh and enjoy themselves. She couldn’t help but smile, and reflect on how things were different from when she took the job. She finally felt a feeling of content that she has never felt before.

“No wonder the boss has a thing for you.” a voice said from behind her. 

Rockey jumped, not having realized that there was someone behind her. She slowly turned around to see a man she had never met before. As if realizing how it looked, he held his hands up.

“Sorry, my boss asked me to keep an eye on you guys while you’re outside.” he said, no hint of an accent. 

“Your boss?” Rockey said, unable to figure out who exactly that was. 

“Mr. Borisyuk.” he said, taking off his jacket and wrapping it around Rockey’s shoulders. 

“Ahem.” a voice said, breaking the awkward silence that followed.

[silvercran3]

The Wives of the Gods Chapter 3 Part 4

Alex couldn’t help but hang her head low. “I don’t even remember.”

“Didn’t you pray to him?” Darya asked, taking the opportunity to ask a question that had been nagging at her for months.

Alex blushed at the questions. “Well, I needed luck before a fight. Anyone who wanted to win would pray to Klay.”

Darya couldn’t help but scoff. “No wonder his ego is so high. Imagine having EVERYONE worshiping and praying to you.”

Alex looked a little sad. “It wasn’t so bad in the beginning.” Her voice carried as she mentally escaped back to the memory of when they first met.

It was her birthday, and she had just turned 19. And the first thing she wanted to do, as soon as she could, was fight a bitch.

Alex had often wished to appear more docile and fragile, but she had a wild spirit that was often lit with a short fuse. Everyday she would pray to behave and appear more “lady-like”, and everyday someone would drag the fiery side of her out. 

There was another young lady in the orphanage that had been trying her last nerves ever since she stepped foot inside. The second she laid eyes on Darya, this demon began physically and mentally attacking her. And once Alex saw Darya cry because of it, Alex knew that she would be praying to Klay for blood. 

Klay, the God of Earth, was the God of success and war. Everyone that had prayed to him has seen success on the battlefield and in life. Klay was like a magnet to success, and everyone wanted a piece of that.

[silvercran3]

Blanks Chapter 10 Part 6

“NO!” Rachel screamed back. As soon as her restraints were off, they heard loud sounds coming from outside the room. 

Though the werewolf’s paws were soft, which muffled the sound of its weight, they heard its ragged breath. They heard its jagged claws cutting through the dirt and debris outside.

The guys tried to grab Rachel, hoping that she could be quiet. It appeared that he was still looking for her, though it was only a matter of time before they found her…and them. They didn’t want to be eaten or killed, so they did whatever they could to make sure he didn’t hear her. 

She attempted to speak, but they covered her mouth. She could barely breathe at this point; she bit down on their stinky flesh. It was hard to break skin, but it did get them to remove their hand. The man immediately slapped her, and upon realization of what he did, he noticed the door fly open.

At that moment, Jaz broke free, and grabbed Rachel. They ran to the corner of the room, gripping each other tightly. As soon as the werewolf entered the room, Rachel let out a pitiful cry.

The werewolf looked bigger than before. Its hair was a tangled wreck, reeking of fresh blood, hot onions, and dirt. Its fangs were noticeably sharper than before, almost as if this was his completed form.

He scanned the room quickly, and noticed Rachel and Jaz shrinking into the walls. The werewolf grew more angry at the sight of her condition. If they had destroyed her ability to reproduce, EVERYONE was going to get it. The werewolf heard a high pitch squeak from the other side of the room. His eyes landed on the two men cowering in the far corner. One smelled like his mate’s blood. 

With no hesitation, the werewolf leaped to attack. It began ripping the skin and muscle from the bones. The sound was so disgusting that Jaz and Rachel immediately threw up. The men’s screams would forever haunt both of them.

After quickly regaining her composure, Jaz grabbed Rachel and made a run for the exit. Jaz was not going to wait for that fucker to kill her next, and take Rachel.

As soon as they jumped out of the shed, they were greeted with the sight of at least seven men, all of whom were ripped apart, scattered, and partially eaten. Rachel could not help herself, and threw up again. 

“We can’t stop Rachel! We need to go!” she tugged on her arm, but nothing was going to make Rachel move.

[silvercran3]

Rockey Chapter 53

“I see you are predicted to increase profit in your next quarter?” Celia spoke, immediately taking the opportunity to speak to Mr. Borisyuk. Every second she spent speaking to him, was every second she took away from him speaking to Rockey. She would normally not be so inclined to stop Rockey from speaking to Mr. Borisyuk, but she could tell that Rockey wasn’t so comfortable speaking to him. Her face had morphed into something akin to a mouse caught in a trap. 

It wasn’t as if Mr. Borisyuk was unattractive, but he was intense. Celia knew she wasn’t used to it, especially since she only had one relationship. Celia, on the other hand, seemed to be the complete opposite; she thrived on it. It was when they were quiet, and ignoring her, did she become desperate. Thankfully for her, Mr. Borisyuk seemed to be delighted, and quite surprised. 

“I see you like keeping an eye on the enemy.” he said, laughing as he drank some of his vodka. Though Ivan was not going to admit it outloud, the Italian had good taste in liquor. 

“Enemy? No. I keep an eye on every potential business partner.” She swirled the wine in her glass, eyeing it. “There is a lot of potential for expansion into other relative fields.”

Mr. Borisyuk's face made a shocked expression. He was not used to talking to females about business, but her confidence made it impossible to ignore.

Mr. Borisyuk straightened in his chair, his eyes filled with excitement. “The Italian was smart to work with you.” 

The compliment took Celia off guard. She was used to receiving compliments, but this was different. She wasn’t attracted to him, so her efforts in trying to impress him with her looks were nearly gone. She didn’t get to flaunt her intelligence to others, handling more of the assistant roles versus the business partner role. It made her feel good knowing that, despite being beautiful, she was also smart.

The conversation between Celia and Ivan flowed naturally; they quickly forgot there were others at the table. Rockey, Matteo, Bianca, and Gio all looked at them, then at each other trying to make sense of what they were seeing. No one had to explain to Antonio, who despite telling himself that he was getting over Celia, couldn’t help but look at these two together and scream “HIM?!” over and over again in his mind. 

Raffaele was in mid-conversation between the CEO of a Fortune-500 company, and a Philanthropist/Actress, who was eyeing Raffaele like eye-candy.

“I had a chance to review your proposal. I am liking the numbers…quite a lot actually.” the female CEO said. “We are excited with the progress made on the device. There were a lot of positive reviews we’ve received from the 12th week on trial, and are predicted to go in front of the FDA within a matter of months. Your contribution and partnership has been most helpful.”

“That’s wonderful to hear.” Raffaele said, internally thanking Celia for suggesting that they make the investment. It was just by chance that she was out for lunch with an acquaintance of the CEO. The quick tip was a goldmine.

The Philanthropist/Actress looked intrigued. Her eyes were all over Raffaele; she liked how he seemed to be a man with many hats.

“You must seem well versed in money-making.” she said seductively. She wasn’t normally this bold, but the six glasses of wine have made her confident. 

“Not just making money.” Antonio said next to her. She did a double take; she was sandwiched between two attractive men. She could die a happy woman. 

“And you are?” she asked, extending her hand delicately. He took it, and gave her a kiss on her hand.

“Antonio,” he said. “I am a business partner of Raffaele and Nicó.”

“Well, I am-” she began, but was cut off by Antonio. 

“Who doesn’t know of the Nation’s sweetheart? I am a big fan of your work in the industry, and the work you’ve been doing with Veterans. Very admirable work.” Antonio said.

 The young lady was in an absolute tail spin. She loved it when those around her knew of her work helping Veterans and also knew about her volunteering. It didn’t happen often, so hearing it now made her night. Her attention had now fully transitioned to Antonio. 

“Oh, I do love a Spanish man.” she purred. Antonio couldn’t help but feel like his old self. He knew his way to a lady’s heart, better than most. He knew their wants and needs by a few choice questions and hints. He had been so focused on Celia, that he forgot who he was. His usual behavior and charm didn’t work on her. She was harder to impress than most, and his gaze and fixation were glued to someone who couldn't care less. Once he realized that it didn’t work, he turned to a shell of himself, being tugged by an invisible string that she controlled. 

Oh boy did it feel good ignoring those strings. 

Just as Antonio was going to speak, Sofia chimed in saying, “As do I.” She stuck out her hand and extended it to the Philanthropist/Actress. She looked at it for a split second before taking it. There was a look  of understanding in her eyes. 

“Well, it was nice to meet you.” she said, before turning her gaze to her front. She turned eerily quiet, barely making any noise as Antonio attempted to talk to her further. 

To say that Antonio was LIVID, would have been an understatement. ‘Why did Celia have to switch with her.’

It was obvious she was actively avoiding him. He had overheard her little outburst in the kitchen; it was damn near impossible to ignore. She had never acted like this with him before. When she rejected his advances before, they were able to get over it rather quickly. Now, she was acting like he rejected her? 

‘Jesus! We are no longer kids!’ he screamed to himself. 

Sofia looked content with her little interaction with the actress, and continued drinking her cocktail. Antonio took the opportunity to lay some rules.

“Listen.” he said in a low, deep voice. “You are here as my guest, not as a romantic partner. You are here so that I may not seem alone. Do not interrupt by inserting yourself where you don’t belong. This is strictly business. We agreed on that.” This wasn’t what they agreed to, and she knew it. He didn’t know exactly what had gotten over her, but this wasn’t the time or place.

Sofia didn’t seem bothered by Antonio’s cold energy; rather she felt the complete opposite. She remembered their previous conversations and agreement. She remembered what she promised to his Tia before getting tonight. But right now she wanted to knock Celia, and any other bitch that came near him.

She had a bit of a crush on Antonio, which was the deciding factor of their agreement. And more than anything else, she loved seeing other women cower when she was near. And though Celia seemed to have backed off, she knew it wasn’t going to take long before she fought back. She had her chance with Antonio; now it was her turn.

[silvercran3]

The Wives of the Gods Chapter 3 Part 3

Father Blake struck Klay on the head with his cane. Klay didn’t feel anything, just utter annoyance at the boy Blake. It was one thing if it was his wife, but Klay wasn’t about to let the same young boy who asked to train him, hit him like a child. The scrawny child lasted three days before deciding to go to priesthood. 

“Darya, please take Alex back for a cup of tea. I need a word with the God of Earth.” Father Blake said in a monotone voice.

The second Alex began to walk away with Darya, Klay began teasing. “Don’t worry my love, I will join you in a few.”

Father Blake attempted to strike again, only for Klay to block it. “First time was free, second is going to cost you.”

Father Blake snorted, “When it comes to my daughters, none of your immature threats scare me. My daughters scare me more.” He motioned for Klay to sit next to him. Klay, humoring him, returned to his true form, and sat right beside him.

“What can the great God of Earth do for you?” Klay asked nonchalantly, as if forgetting the last ten minutes.

“What is going on between you and my daughter?” Father Blake asked bluntly, raising his voice slightly higher in an attempt to come across as a disappointed father trying to understand their son. Though Klay was millennia older than he, his older appearance left the impression that he has been around the block more times compared to Klay. 

“I cannot honestly tell you what’s wrong.” Klay said, genuinely confused. “You’d think she would be more grateful to be married to the most handsome God ever.”

Father Blake let out an exaggerated sigh. “This is going to be a very long talk.”

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

“Don’t marry.” Alex said to Darya as she sipped her tea. “Especially to a god. Or a man. Or young, especially young.”

Darya let out a laugh. “Why did you marry him then?”

[silvercran3]

Blanks Chapter 10 Part 5

“Jaz…he is close…” Rachel muttered in a hush voice. Though she could barely see, she felt him close by. It was a weird feeling; it was as if she felt him breathing down her neck. She felt his eyes all over her pathetic, vulnerable form. She felt the wound on her neck burn; it felt as if her skin was about to catch fire. 

All Rachel wanted was her bed again. She wanted nothing more than to smoke weed, lay down, and fall into a long peaceful slumber. 

Jaz got as close as possible. “Listen.” Jaz whispered. “They are going to kill you. We need to get you out of here. You need to run as fast as you can, and escape before they catch you. Ok?”

“What?” Rachel responded, her voice drenched with fear. “I won’t leave you guys.”

“You have to!” Jaz exclaimed in a hush tone. “Find someone. Anyone, that can help you get better. Please, you are going to die if left in that state! They won’t kill Sybil or me.”

“Because they’re going to do something far worse!” Rachel screamed back. Just then, a loud howl shook the room. The walls rattled, and the ground felt like it would open a large hole beneath their feet.

Rachel let out a terrifying scream. He was here. He was going to get her. Her whole body felt like it was on fire. She let out a painful wail; the voice sounded different than hers. 

Jaz fell to her knees, clutching her ears. The sound of their screams to each other felt like witnessing an audible attack. 

Just then, the room door flew open. Two men came running in, both aiming at Rachel.

“We should’ve just killed this bitch and tossed her corpse away!” one guy said, as he grabbed Rachel’s legs. 

“No, we needed the mutt to see her dried up! It’s fucking pay back time!” the other said. Jaz recognized the voice. 

“If that freak finds us WITH HER, we will be fucking eaten!” the first guy exclaimed. “Unchain her!” 

“You don’t get to boss me around! I’m older!” the second guy exclaimed , shoving the first guy. They began pushing each other, before throwing each other across the room. 

Rachel, taking the opportunity to make a move, crawled towards Jaz. Though she was a mess, she knew she needed to act fast. She began fumbling with Jaz’ s restraints. 

“Rachel, go!” Jaz screamed.

[silvercran3]

Rockey Chapter 52

Raffaele was eerily calm as guests began talking amongst each other, and eating one of MANY courses. They all seemed oblivious to the storm that was brewing inside his head and heart. He kept reminding himself that this Charity dinner was important, and that fact held off the sudden, random burst of anger that he felt bubbling up. The dinner itself was just to break the ice, the smoke lounge, where they would go after the dinner, would give them the moment to talk about different charities. This idea, though putting a huge hole in Raffaele’s account, was key to driving potential business investors to his side. He knew he couldn’t afford to lose even a second of attention.

But the Russian fuck touched and talked to his girl. His girl. They didn’t make it official, but yes, she was HIS girl. He kept on reminding himself of Rockey's words; he didn’t want to give Borisyuk control over himself. 

But Raffaele knew Borisyuk, at the very least, fancied Rockey. He could remember, word for word, their conversation over the phone, after Celia tried to make his brother have a playdate with BORISYUK’s daughter. He held his tongue, for what felt like hours, as every staff member of his home passed the phone around as Raffaele bit his tongue. Once Borisyuk FINALLY got on the phone with him, he kept his tone of voice short, monotone, and to the point. 

“Отойди, пока цел!” Raffaele said in Russian. He didn’t wait for Borisyuk to respond; Raffaele hung up the phone. He ran out of the house, grabbing his keys, and raced towards the school to find Rockey and Matteo, and bring them both home. 

The seating was a bit of a mess. Even though Raffaele didn’t take charge of the seating, he could see that people were switched around at the last minute. Thankfully the guests were none-the wiser. Nicó amped his charm by ten fold, as he guided seated guests up, and towards another table. Not one of them suspected anything, and were equally as excited to talk to the person Nicó introduced them to. 

Celia was walking, almost in a trance, as she began doing math in her head. She looked not just at the number of guests to the amount of food, but she also calculated what potential investors could make a “match” by the time they served salads.

But most importantly, she needed to make sure that Mr. Borisyuk sat the furthest away from Raffaele. The only problem that Celia could not solve was that it left Mr. Borisyuk with two options of seating: right across Nicó (which was still too close to Raffaele, or right next to Rockey, which would start World War 3. She didn’t know what was worse. 

As if sensing the problem, Antonio got close to Celia, keeping his voice as low and casual as possible. “This will not end well if you put Borisyuk next to Raffaele.”

Celia jumped out her skin, letting out a loud shrieking sound. A few guests around them turned to face their direction. Celia and Antonio gave back their best “Oscar-worthy” faces, hoping that they would continue with their own personal conversation. 

Nicó gave Celia a look that read “hurry up”. Without thinking any further, Celia ignored Antonio’s words, and walked towards Mr. Borisyuk. “Mr. Borisyuk, may you please follow me to your seat?” 

Mr. Borisyuk quietly followed her. He could feel three sets of eyes on him; as expected, which only seem to make him giddy. He didn’t accept the invitation to poke the bear, but it was a bonus. 

Celia quietly guided him towards one of the rear tables, to his seat right next to Rockey and the kids. Rocky gave an expression to Celia, as if saying, “What are you doing?” 

Celia could feel Raffaele walk towards her, but Nicó and Antonio grabbed him before Raffaele could do anything. He was beyond livid, and was ready to throw the fucker and the entire Charity Dinner out the window. He didn’t care if he couldn’t control his anger, or if the fucker had full control over it. There is no way in hell he was going to let Borisyuk sit next to his girl.

Just before Raffaele could do anything, Antonio and Nicó stood beside him. “Folks, we will begin serving. If you would be so kind as to sit.” Nicó said as he motioned towards the tables. “We may continue Mr. Khan’s comical anecdote of his trip to Thailand in 2018.” 

Everyone’s attention eagerly landed on Mr. Khan, who was grinning ear to ear. “Nicoló, I told that story so many times. No one wants to hear how I ended up stuck in the forest, overnight, with nothing but the clothes on my back.” 

All Nicó needed to do was turn the attention to the one man who craved it. Mentioning ANY of the major trips, business deals, or new purchases around Mr. Khan triggered his mouth. He would speak for hours about himself if no one stopped him. Thankfully, he was a master story teller. Everyone fell quiet as he began retelling the story. He chugged his glass as servers began bringing out salads, and refilling drinks. 

Nicó and Antonio brought Raffaele towards their seats, not before Raffael mouthed something to Matteo. No one else saw or understood what was said between the two, but Matteo knew. He gave a quick nod before returning his gaze towards Sofia’s dad. Mr. Borisyuk sat right next to Rockey. She did everything in her power not to communicate with him. Unfortunately for her, he liked the “hard to get” women, and she further proved that she would be better suited with him, rather than with the Italian.

 “You look beautiful tonight.” Mr. Borisyuk said in his deep calm voice. 

Rockey, not knowing what she should do, or say, returned a half hearted smile. She didn’t want to be rude, but at the same time, she didn’t want to mislead him. She sure as shit wasn’t interested, and there was no way in hell she felt comfortable telling him that. His gaze on her felt strong, almost an intense pressure. Why the fuck did Celia leave her to sit next to this man alone?

Matteo was ready to jump over the table and hit him. Granted, he wouldn’t have made it far, seeing as three of his lackeys were a few feet behind him, but he didn’t care. He was making Rockey feel uncomfortable, and there was no way he’d sit back and watch it. 

Matteo managed to take off one shoe before someone approached the table. “Excuse me.” a familiar female voice said. “Rockey you are on my seat.

Mr. Borisyuk and Rockey turned to see Celia standing right in front of them. Celia, deciding last minute to think of a change that would have the least amount of casualties, decided that Mr. Borisyuk would have to deal with her for the night. She was looking to socialize and possibly make a deal with two different business CEOs in attendance, but Ivan Borisyuk would have to make a deal with her. 

Rockey quickly got up, her face a twist of confusion and relief. Mr. Borisyuk looked disappointed, but kept quiet as Celia sat next to him. Rockey sat closer to the kids, Matteo relieved. 

‘Celia saved herself.’ Antonio, Raffaele, and Nicó said to themselves in unison.