CEO's lover

, avoiding looking at the color of the water. I was taller than the glass of the shower and my head almost hit the shower, and I couldn't fit in the square without hitting my elbows on the sides, but I managed to get out of there. Michelle was dead, that was the thought that invaded me when I stood in front of the mirror. And she was killed right in front of me. There was still blood on the corners of my nails, marking my life forever. "Where is he?" I heard a male voice with an Italian accent. "Crying in the bathroom," Enzo answered and I wanted to punch him.

"What happened?" "We have to go to the Canadian package. Time to leave." "Okay." Enzo kicked the bathroom door open completely. "You're on your own. See you in New York." He smiled and left. Alone in the hotel room, I dressed in the clean clothes that had been left, grabbed my things and disappeared from there, through the back, using an instinct for escape that I had never known before. I walked around the city, in the middle of the night, feeling lost and not trusting anyone at all. Without realizing it, I stopped in front of Michelle's house. I felt a hand touch my shoulder. [3] "What are you doing here?" Kyra snapped. "You have to leave now." "Where's Kate?" "Alone, in there. Is there anything of yours there?" Robert hasn't come back yet; Michelle's men have scattered and left the girl alone. "Then she's going to New York with me." I took a step forward and Kyra stopped me. "He's going to kill her. Her father won't protect her. He doesn't care about Kate." I looked back at the house. Kate would get in the way of my parents' plans. She needed to stay alive and I couldn't take care of her with him under the same roof.

I didn't know what to do. "Why are you telling me these things? Don't you play on my father's team?" "I play on my team." She smirked. "Come in, get your things. She'll be safe as long as her father thinks she's worth some money." "I promised I'd keep her safe." Kyra was silent, looking at my face for a while and then at the house. "Go get your things, I know what to do. Don't take long, I don't know how much time we have," she ordered and feeling dizzy, I simply obeyed. I went in through the back, grabbing my backpack that was in the kitchen and heard a noise on the stairs. I turned and prepared to attack. It was Kate. She was four years younger than me, tall for her age and wearing gym clothes. "What are you doing here, Dom? Is Mom with you?" "No. She's out," I lied, my heart racing. "Go back to bed." Kate looked at me suspiciously and went back, used to not arguing with orders. Her mother would never come back and it was my father's fault. I needed to protect her. Prologue | Kate "Daddy?

Dad?" I called through the hallways of our house. "Is anyone home?" I spoke louder. Everything seemed strange. The security guards weren't in the guardhouse, the kitchen staff left before their shift ended and no one talked to me about anything. I climbed the last flight of stairs and found my father standing with his back to some boxes. "Daddy?" "What is it, Katherine?" "What happened?" I took a small step forward. "Go back to your room and stay there until school." Oh my. What had I done? "Do you know why Mommy doesn't answer her phone?" He laughed darkly and looked at me in a way that made the hairs on my arms stand on end. Touching my face, he pinched my chin, startling me. Dad used to pretend I didn't exist, he only smiled at me in public. I wasn't used to his touching me, much less him acknowledging my presence. "You're lucky you look like my mother," he said softly and I swallowed hard. "Even if you still have Latin features from your bitch of a mother. Forget the slut. She's not coming back." "Dad?" I gasped.

"Go to your fucking room and don't come out." He released me abruptly and I backed away, scared. I turned at the sound of footsteps. A woman was walking sensually toward us, she gave me a dirty look before kissing my father on the mouth. I backed down the hallway, tripping over my feet and I ran... far away. Chapter 1 | Dominic A few years later Los Angeles "Are you ready for the party, honey?" Mom walked past me and studied my clothes. "Always in black." She sighed. "Is there a problem with the color?" "You should wear white, it will make you look younger. You're only in your early twenties, Dominic. You look older and darker." She frowned and I smiled when her gaze changed a little. "Dom, son. Our looks..." "Are you afraid they'll think I'm more than a spoiled young player?" I teased. Mom blushed, cleared her throat and left. My father put down the newspaper and glared at me.

I arched my eyebrow, daring him to say something. "You know your mother doesn't get involved in our business." "She's married to you. How could she not be involved?" "You decided to drop out of college and the football team just to be annoying, Dominic? I don't have time to deal with a spoiled brat right now." He looked at his watch. "If you're going to the office with me, we're late." "I'm ready." "Wearing black in this sun?" "You're wearing a suit and I'm not criticizing." He just nodded, picking up his things and deciding to leave. We weren't in the same car, I didn't want to continue the subject of my clothes. Following him in my luxury sports car, I received a message alert on my phone and quickly read it, calculating the time available to do everything I needed to do and still be at the party in two hours. "Robert's here," Dad said in the elevator and straightened his tie. "I know. He works here." "Don't do anything. I know things got bad between you guys after Michelle disappeared, but he's an important member of our circle and deserves respect for the position he holds." I almost laughed. My father used the term disappear as if he didn't know she was dead. Jack told me and from afar, I saw him looking at the body. He just didn't know I was there. He hadn't known anything about me for a long time. I smiled and walked on, not worrying about Robert, after all, his days were numbered. The men stood up when my father entered, after all, the presence of the president in a meeting was very important.

I stopped in the back, with my hands in my pockets and some of them felt uncomfortable, because it was a position where I could attack them at any moment. They weren't wrong. Many couldn't understand my change, one day I was a good and silly boy, a student who played football and made money from it. I joined the College League and became a different person and over time, who I became no longer fit on a field. It was time to be more and if they were smart, they wouldn't take me lightly. I watched the meeting, thinking about how hypocritical they were, sitting in their expensive suits and dictating how other people should live, when they were dirtier than

You're getting bigger every day, young man." Robert walked over and squeezed my hand. It took everything in me not to crush his fingers and shove my fist into his nose. "I heard you left the league." "I have bigger plans than a public career. Interested in new business here. Maybe we can talk, I'm going to need someone here." I needed him to believe I was a dumb kid and trust me. "Absolutely. Come by my office when you're ready to talk." He smiled, arrogantly, and inside, I found myself killing him over and over again. I left before my father, because I had a personal appointment.

He called me, and I ignored him, knowing he would send his men to follow me. I stopped at a corner, picked up Luke, and we went into a shopping mall. My friend would continue driving around in my trackable car. In the parking lot, I got another one, got out onto the avenue, and sped toward the meeting.

A man on a motorcycle was waiting for me on the side of the road. He was playing with his gun because that was his place, his territory, and not even the police dared to set foot on that road. It would take a great strategy to take down Priest, but no one was interested because since he took over, there had been no more wars. Not yet. I learned that the balance of the life I had become part of depended on a very thin rope. He saw me approaching and got off the motorcycle.

I stopped the car and got out, certain that our agreement prevented him from shooting me, but if he wanted to, there was nothing I could do. Priest opened his backpack, taking out the packages of cocaine. "Is that it?" "They pass by all the time, in regular cars." He tore open a package and stuffed some in his mouth. - Very pure, like the old ones. Something that not even the Italians from Chicago send to the region. - And what else did you find? - Ox. - None of the bullets from Vegas? - No. They don't come through here, that's why I said it's not ours. - He handed me more so I could check. - Do you know who it belongs to? - No. That kind of cocaine hadn't come through Las Vegas in a long time. Ever since Michelle had died and her men retreated to the border again. Santiago, the leader of a cartel that Michelle commanded, would soon find out that there was another Mexican drug on the streets and I needed to calm him down before he turned his eyes on Kate, the known heiress of the cartel. Robert must have all ten damn fingers involved in this shit. - Give me some packages. I have a party tonight. - I need answers. If you're going to bring drugs through here, you have to pay.

- I know. Priest handed me a package, which I stuffed under the seat and sped back to the city, meeting Luke at the right point. Before he left, I asked him to separate my little gift into small packages. I parked in my parents' garage with loud music and sunglasses on, watching my sisters with their friends on the porch. Bess rolled her eyes, some giggled and I just looked to see if Kate was among them. She wasn't. I walked into the kitchen, finding Ollie. "Hey, skinny." I kissed her cheek, she smiled. "Where's my fiancé?" She looked behind me. "Hi to you, too." I widened my eyes, acting dramatic. Olivia was the sister after me, we were close in age. She was engaged to my best friend, the person I trusted the most. Their relationship started as an agreement between our families, his parents were desperate not to pay for what Prince had done to my sister a few months ago, however, to my complete surprise, Olivia not only accepted the engagement but also proved to be a normal girl, who had not suffered abuse in the past. Luke had Asperger's syndrome, he was a difficult person to live with. His robotic speech and tendency to expel anyone who irritated him made no one believe that Olivia liked him. But she adored him. "Stop looking at me like that," he scolded, swallowing hard. "Looking at me how?" "As if he blamed himself for what happened." She went back to washing the fruit. "It happened. That's all. It wasn't anyone's fault. Only his." "I would have protected you if I hadn't been too busy with my own life." "And I should have screamed, better yet, never gone to that party, but I went and didn't scream." She dropped the strawberries and turned to me. "You got here faster than our parents. You did what I expected you to do when Adam found you."

I leaned against the refrigerator. "I don't know what you're talking about. Prince is missing and we're going to find him so that justice can be served." Olivia smiled and stood on her tiptoes, hugging me. She knew I killed him. My parents suspected, but they weren't sure if I did it myself or if I asked Enzo to do it, given how close we were. Dad didn't say anything, because if I didn't, he would. He might be an ambitious asshole who got other people killed, but he loved my sisters unconditionally. What happened to Ollie wore us down. "I know something happened in your life that we'll never find out. I also know that deep down, you're not my sweet, protective big brother anymore. I see things in your eyes that would make me run away." Olivia cupped my face. "I also know that the Dominic I grew up with always has a purpose. Thankfully, he's not in the hateful, angry phase anymore. Whatever way you managed to deal with the past made you this way... now. I will always love you and most of all, I will always be grateful for taking my monster to another dimension." "I love you, I'll do anything for you and the girls." "I know. Why did you give up everything, Dom? What's going on?" She went back to the sink, grabbing a knife and cutting the fruit. "You know Dad's not just a businessman." I'm the oldest son, college and the league would be temporary, I have a lot to do." Ollie looked frustrated. "I always thought you'd follow a different path..." She looked up. "And I know you will. Just be careful, okay? I know you hang out with dangerous people and it seems like you've become a man to be feared, but I hope you know what you're doing." "I know. Don't worry about me." I kissed her forehead. "Why doesn't Hudson's daughter hang out with you guys? She must be Bess's age by now." "Yeah, she's seventeen, but her dad is an asshole."

I filed the information away and said I was going to my room. As soon as I went upstairs and closed the door, I heard Mom fussing about everyone being ready for the party. I locked the door and closed the window, grabbing a phone from the drawer so I could read part of the day's report, feeling relatively satisfied. "Not long now, Kate. Not long now." Chapter 2 | Kate The sunset on the beach was beautiful. I stopped running, just to admire how beautiful the sun was setting at the end of the strip of sand that disappeared into the horizon. If I ran all that way, I would probably end up outside of Malibu. I didn't know much about Los Angeles, even though I had lived there my whole life. I ventured out a bit more when I learned to drive, but even the route was controlled by my father. He wouldn't let me do anything; he still didn't know how Kia had even managed to get me a driver's license. He didn't understand my stepmother. I didn't even know if they were really in a relationship, or if she liked getting beaten up and having weird sex with my crazy father. Kia arrived that day and never left. She was often as mean to me as my father

world would never leave me, that she would take me with her wherever she went, even if it meant leaving my father. We lived far from him several times. Whenever she was in a new place, she would take me with her. I was born in Los Angeles. Two months later, she took me to England and we lived there without him for four years. I didn't remember exactly, but I had some photographs and she herself told me about that period. All my routine and stability disappeared in a single night.

I was seventeen and counting the days until I would be legally an adult, so I could leave home without my father being able to drag me back. I considered running away several times, but besides the tight security in which I lived, I didn't know anything about the world, I could barely walk beyond the streets of Malibu and I had no access to money for anything.

My spending was controlled. Everything I had was controlled. I had no money or credit cards, my diet was regulated, I brought my snacks from home to school, even my lunch was bought by a security guard. If I needed clothes or underwear, I had to ask Kia, but she was usually kind enough to buy several things and put them in my locker without me having to humiliate myself any further. There was no television in our house, computer access was only at school, a cell phone was monitored and I only had one so I could communicate with my bodyguard, receive school materials and participate in study groups. My father wouldn't let me join a measly book club. What could happen to people reading books? "You took too long. Go get ready," Kia said softly, in a whispering voice like a snake. "We have twenty minutes to leave." It wasn't like I could wear much. Kia left a designer dress on my bed with expensive shoes, but it was just to show off, then they would take it back. I ate a banana and a cereal bar before taking a shower. Not being able to wear makeup, which I would have loved, I simply brushed my hair and fixed my eyebrows so that I would look nice. The dress looked nice, and with the heels, I looked a little older. The only good thing about my life was that I could do gymnastics at school. I practiced a lot, competed, and performed, which ended up making my body muscular and toned. My father never went to any performances and I wasn't allowed to compete outside the city, but training kept me sane. I loved spending the whole day at school, coming home to eat dinner alone in the kitchen and then going to bed right after. The days when I didn't have to see him were the happiest. Ready, I left the room and stopped near the stairs when I heard my father's booming voice: "The shipment was intercepted by those rats!" he shouted.

"We have enough to solve the problem tonight. Tomorrow I'll talk to my contacts at the border. We need to change the route, honey." Kia touched his arm. "Don't tell me what to do. - Dad was rude. I made a noise on purpose to let them know I was coming, went down the stairs and waited. They ignored me and I went to the car, when my guard told me he was ready to take me to the party. Luckily, Kia acted jealous and said she didn't like riding with me because I looked like my mother. They always fought about it, until Dad decided to keep me in a different vehicle than they did.

I looked like my mother, not as much as Kia said. My parents had blue eyes, straight brown hair, inherited from my paternal grandmother. Mom was dark-skinned, Latina, had a more prominent nose and a body that many people would kill to have. I didn't have many curves, maybe because I didn't have enough fat. Dad said I was very pretty and he would get an excellent marriage deal, very lucrative for our family. For that reason, he kept me locked up tight. It wasn't just because when he was high, he liked to torture me emotionally. He had plans that terrified me. My environment was made up of very wealthy men who had enough power to do whatever they wanted. Any husband he found me could be just another cruel sadist. Who could protect me if I wasn't even safe with my own father? "Are you okay, Miss Hudson?" Brady asked from the front seat. "I'm fine," I lied, as I did every day. And he knew. Brady started protecting me two years ago, when my previous bodyguard mysteriously disappeared. He was kinder and somewhat polite, always saying good morning or good afternoon, never rushing me, and every now and then, he would give me cereal bars with sugar and chocolate.

I didn't open up, because I didn't know if he wanted to get closer to gain my trust and end up telling some possible secret to my father. As if my life was interesting... Mrs. King's parties were always crowded and very refined. All of California's high society attended, even those I wasn't sure could be considered good people. Not every citizen was good. Some gave me the creeps. I walked in alone, Brady went to the side and Donatella stepped in my way, greeting me with her usual warmth. She smelled nice and made me feel comfortable. "I've saved you a seat with the girls. I've already convinced your father." She rubbed my arms. Elizabeth, her daughter, walked past us, excited. "Bess, honey?" "Kate! Hi!" She smiled and grabbed my hand. "Come on! The girls are there!" I didn't go to my father to ask for permission, pretending that Mrs. King had the power to convince him to do anything. Maybe he was trying to please her, pretending to be a kind man, just as he pretended to love my mother, until he publicly came out to Kia. "You remember Kim and Jane, right? Olivia is with Luke, but she'll be joining us soon." Bess was excited. She laughed softly as she said she could get spiked drinks if I wanted, but I couldn't dare try alcohol. My father would kill me in public.

- Soda? Another thing I couldn't drink. - Sparkling water, if you have it. - I'll have someone bring it for you. - She smiled at me and spoke to a waiter. Despite sitting with my gymnastics group every day at lunch, I had never been close to anyone, because I wasn't allowed to go out and make friends outside of school. I didn't really know what they were talking about. Things about singers, boyfriends, famous people... That kind of entertainment that I didn't know about because my father was completely against the consumption of pop culture. I excused myself to go to the bathroom and, since I knew the way, I told them they didn't need to come with me. Jane, the youngest of the Kings, who was just a girl, decided to come anyway. She grabbed my arm and started a conversation, being as pleasant as they all were. Maybe their mother educated each of them so that they could manage future grand events, since with the King surname, they didn't need a rich husband to continue being important. It was very likely that they would marry equally rich men.

I took care of the way and to dodge a busy waiter, I changed my route. I ended up hitting the back of a really large man, I have come to fall back. Dominic. I low, shy. Daddy planted beside me, touching my shoulder and I avoided loving it so as not to see the reprimand there.- Did something happen? - Nothing. I was just greeting one of the most beautiful ladies of the night. - Dominic looked at my father with a frown, as if daring