ALINA’S POV.

    “Doll.” His deep, rich tone caressed my ear.

    A sigh almost escaped my lips before I remembered, I was kind of mad at the man in question.

    “What is going on, Lucian?”

    “Where?” He asked, as though he had no idea what I was talking about.

    I took in a deep breath, trying to keep myself in check. I was frustrated, so frustrated, and I was dangerously close to snapping at him.

    He sounded soposed and I hated it. !--

    /* ![CDATA[ */

    fpm_start( "true" );

    /* ]] */

    --

    “Did you file for an arrest using my name?” I asked in a tight voice.

    “Yes.” He responded.

    “Without asking for my input? Why would you do that?” I asked, in a puzzled and unbelieving tone.

    “She hurt you. She has to pay.” He said simply.

    “I get that, but you can’t just arrest her on my beh-”

    “Would you rather I do things my method?” He asked, cutting me off sharply.

    I fell silent.

    I knew Lucian’s method. I’d seen the aftermath once before, and it was something Seraphina wouldn’t survive.

    I opened my mouth to argue, but shut it again. This was hardly the time or ce for this conversation.

    “Just talk to the officers and have them release her.” I said instead, forcing my tone to stayposed.

    “No.” came his firm and unyielding response.

    “What do you mean no?” My voice rose, in a mix of disbelief and anger.

    I had a n, my own approach on how to deal with Seraphina and her entire family. This? This was throwing a wrench into everything. Lucian might mean well, but he was ruining my well thought out revenge scheme.

    “Exactly what I said, Doll,” he replied, tone hardening. “She tried to kill you. The doctor told me, just a couple inches to the side and she would’ve punctured a vital artery. This would’ve been a whole different story. So no. I’m not going to let her go.”

    His voice grew angrier with each word, the intensity rising with every syble he spokeced in fury.

    “Give the phone to the deputy.” He ordered.

    “Lucian, can you jus—”

    “Alina.” He warned, and just like that, I caught a glimpse of the old Lucian, the one who got his way through force and fear.

    Frustration rippled through me like waves as I handed the phone over to Officer Xander.

    Lucian said something on the other end, and Officer Xander immediately put the phone on speaker.

    “On no ount is that little bratty murderer allowed to be released,” Lucian’s cold voice rang through the room. “And if her parents or anyone give you a tough time about it, arrest them for obstructing justice and abetting a criminal. Put them in the same cell as their daughter, since they miss her so much.”

    I sneaked a nce at Elena and Ss. They were both staring at the phone on Xander’s desk, faces pale with fear and horror.

    Only Lucian could instill that kind of terror, without even being in the room.

    Well, at least now they know this has nothing to do with me, I thought. And they can’t deny the fact that I tried.

    “Give the phone back to my fiancée.” Lucian said again.

    Officer Xander held the phone out toward me, but I shot it a re and got up, storming out of the office without a word.

    I needed to do damage control, and fast.

    The moment I saw Ss and Elena walk out after me, Iunched into my act.

    “The nerve of that man!” I spat, throwing my hands up. “How dare he arrest someone on my behalf? Did I ask him to? And the nerve to threaten me with arrest just because I tried to help?!” I ranted, my voiceced with just the right amount of

    outrage.

    I knew Lucian wasn’t talking about me when he gave that order, but they didn’t need to know that. It helped that the anger I felt toward him was real, and that was what I needed to fuel my performance. I needed to make this look like it was entirely out of my control.

    “Madame.” Jordan called softly, stepping out of the office a few secondster, my phone in hand.

    “What?!” I snapped, turning to him sharply.

    “Boss wants to talk to you.” He said, holding the phone toward me carefully.

    “Well, is he ready to let my sister go?” I asked in a cutting tone, arms crossed.

    “Uhmm-”

    “Well, then I have nothing to say to him.” I spat, before turning away and walking straight to Ss and Elena, both of whom had helpless looks on their faces.

    Their precious daughter was arrested for barely twenty four hours and they were acting like it was the end of the world.

    “You have to do something, Alina.” Elena pleaded, desperation glistening in her eyes as she grabbed my hands.

    “Don’t worry, Mother. I’m going straight to Lucian’s office, and I’m going to cause a scene until he releases Seraphina.” I said

    with conviction.

    “Thank you.” She whispered, eyes glowing with gratitude.

    “No need to thank me, Mom. I know Seraphina and I have our differences, but she’s still my sister.” I said softly, gently squeezing her hand.

    Damn, when did I be so good at pretending? I thought.

    “I’ll be on my way now.” I told them, turning to Jordan. My tone shifted back into one with amanding edge.

    “Let’s go, Jordan.”

    Damage control sessfully done.

    Jordan and I finally exited the police station, and the moment we stepped outside, I exhaled a long, deep breath of relief.

    “To the ckwood Tower, Madame?” He asked as soon as we slid into the car.

    “Of course not.” I scoffed.

    “But you just said-”

    I know what I said, but I didn’t n to go through with it, it was all talks, just an act.

    “Yes, I’m mad at Lucian, but do you honestly think I’d go to hispany and create a scene?” I raised a questioning brow at

    him.

    “So… to Virn Square then?” He asked, ncing at me in the mirror.

    “No.” I shook my head slowly.

    I was too upset, and too emotionally exhausted from the events of the morning, to get any work done.

    “Take me to the Velvet District.” I told him, leaning my head back against the seat as I put my seatbelt on.

    I needed to see Talia. Only she could calm me down right now.

    Jordan nodded, started the ignition, and drove off.

    We got to Talia’s door, and I rang the doorbell. As we waited, I squatted down slightly to scratch an itch on my ankle.

    “Ring the bell again, Jordan, please.” I told him.

    He was standing off to the side, not directly in front of the door.

    He nodded and pressed the bell again.

    A few secondster, the door creaked open just as I straightened up, a soft smile already forming on my lips.

    “Hi, bab-?

    I froze mid-word.

    My breath caught in my throat, my smile vanishing instantly.

    Standing in the doorway of Talia’s apartment was a shirtless, heavily tattooed man, with a cold expression and a gun pointed directly at my face.