"Heard she a rebel. "

"Heiress of the Flinn. Watch out though," he chortled. " She might chop off your dearest..."

A dark laugh taunting the latter echoed shamelessly. "You sound scared... Bad girls play with fire, and for quite some times, for a few hell-hot women, it might be thrilling to get burned."

Last night was an unplanned emotional takeover. And that would be the last time I'll ever let him turn me like that. Cause tonight, she is walking head high with no signs of weakness from yesterday and for all the other tomorrow.

Today is the day of the son of the mafia's top business partner and they are celebrating it, elite.  Busy of accommodating the extensive number of guests, the mansion remained spacious for another surge of guests. And in haste sight, the actualization of what is currently up will be easily determined.

Richest of the richest, grandest of the grands. All are clothed by sophisticated and celebrated brands.

Tell me what's unusual...

None.

Everyone is high-priced.

Yet despite all the rendezvous of the lustrous and big personalities, the humbled muscled man remained to be effortlessly spotted. Because aside his frame, is his favorite toy that could easily span the crowd and the perceived transcendence.

I watch how his eyes heeded the gaze of the crowd and instantly his head jerked to where I am. Instantly, a bright smile reached until his eyes.

Isn't he too luminous for such a figure?

Or I am too forlorn to tolerate any form of light?

As usual, eyes are scrutinizing, but this time it is mixed with amusement and shock of how I look like right now.

I cutted my hair short, painted my nails red, and wore the skimpiest red dress I've ever owned and a pair of killer heels to top it all. The scandalously low sweetheart neckline showed a lot of my chest and it is one of the few things that got me proud of myself even more. Seemed I have effortlessly become the crowd's apple of the eye again... for again... I do not conform here.

Unimpressed of the grandest show and the crowd feast, I paved towards the table he is in.

"A Flinn right?"

"Yes. Aesha Roxinne Flinn."

"Oh, right! Who's always with the big man and his toy gun."

"That's a fucking threatening killing gun, and you'd literally call it a toy, DAWG?"

My peripheral shoved me the crowd only to reiterate how I am again attracting such moths. And aren't they why I have always been a sore sight?

Loudly known as a magna of hotel and casino chains and a bachelor, the dashing Kamar Gestove pushed to pace my pace to try. Add up his suggestive smell of success, the hall couldn't help but flap their lips to judge... me.

I halted my steps in the right snap, reason why he clashed me behind. And with the way he feels behind, I can say he indeed is a mature physique.

I arched my neck, just enough for him to mind my cleavage.

The crowd goes louder and more scandalous at the scene.

But before he could even set his hand on my waist and hype the crowd to frantic, I whispered near his jaw. Hot and rebellious.

"Have you chosen death enough tonight, Mr. Gestove?"

My eyes dimmed in ecstasy as I step out when seconds passed and it remained unanswered.

German immediately whispered as I slid my ass beside his seat. "When will you get married?"

I then know that he is again watchful of me, on how I handle myself with this kind of crowded events. And every time he would throw me such dense questions like this. It is never-ending.

"Maybe if you would time travel and return here my age,"

He chortled, not buying my serious response. "Would you believe if I'll say you'll startle the animal in me that I might not risk a bite?"

"You think anyone would believe that a woman could imperil their legend?"

His pearly white teeth which I am insecure at, flashed as he smiled. I blankly stared at it until it got covered when he lazily spoke like there was really something I didn't know about.

"It is you, my lady"

It concluded our chatter and that's only when I realize we are at a table of a prominent. Those recognizable ones because of their notable power and state in life, kind of crowd. Those who can't go unnoticed. That even years cannot lead them outshined.

Platonic and no smile, I challenged indifference to their staring. German cleared his throat so I turned my gaze around to acknowledge his presence again. He is sporting his usual formal event clothes and I have felt his cold machine gun just under the table when I moved my feet to sit earlier.

"This is Aesha Roxinne Flinn,  Luther's daughter," he introduced me to the group. I subtly raise a brow at him, pertaining to the last word he just used.

I wasn't the daughter of anyone except my mother.

He gave me one beast gaze.

I replied with a stone-cold mug... before fakely smirking.

Someone extends her hand to me. Paperwhite skin, colorful stones, and high-class pieces of jewelry that match her elegance and class, I remembered her as the known wife of the mafia's most calibrated business partner. The feeling of her soft skin under my rough palm sinked in. I held her hand for a moment and briefly let go of it immediately when I felt a familial warmth.

It singed me.

"It was nice to finally formally meet you. I am Venecca," she introduced as she gave me such a warm and bright exquisite smile.

Some familiar smile. I've also known such a warm and bright smile before. But I cannot witness that anymore.

Guess why...

I nodded to conclude, however, she remained looking with misplaced amusement in her eyes. I faultlessly ignored her and continued raking the busy crowd, not until she was again captured by my orbs, and with her is consistent awe.

Is she looking at a mirror? Cause there is no way a creature like me could stun someone like her who loves the flawless and pretty-perfect dolls.

I should be smiling and giving back the warmth she is radiating but I didn't. Or let me say I can't. I can only give a nod.

I am rotten. A wicked doll.

Her husband, a man with an obvious ruthless demeanor joined our crowd and seamlessly caught what made her wife occupied. His weighty hazelnut orbs shot at me.  He gave me a brief nod before he proceeds to dissect the fullness of the event.

Intimidating... and a different version of an unruled kind. No doubt Luther chose him as his right hand. They harmonize. They have the same darkness inside. Though significantly distinct from each other, both screamed overpowering vehemence and pride.

I'm in the midst of my deep thoughts when the crowd suddenly grew silent. And it is easy to determine why.

Luther appeared above the stairs, together with another man I bet is a few years older than my age, sporting a black suit and a watch that is screaming a higher level of valor. The analogy of powerful bold perfection of the Italian-Spanish blood cannot go unnoticed on the man above.

Together with the crowd, my eyes involuntarily wandered to him.

With eyes serious and hard, and physique screaming effortlessly proud under the laid fabrics, I immediately see him as an eyesore.

His sole eyes, darkest of the dark, is already enough to make people see him as someone who is extremely virile... forceful... ruthless. I have never thought there was a thing like that. That mere eyes could actually make you conclude someone's masculinity and prowess— until him.

With a playful scowl, his orbs would darken a weight, seemingly holding menacing madness. As if he isn't really finding anything pleasurable and entertaining enough... even if it's a worthwhile jest. The kind whose amusement is hardly earned. And that you need extreme power to make him interested in something or someone.

His clean haircut gave fair justice of his clenched jawline, down the throat where the bulge of his adams apple lies. It moved when he turned to give a short chat to Luther and I could foretell the deepness of his voice even if not truly heard.

And of course, an arm candy. A fine-looking lady in a little shiny black tube dress and elegantly done cascading chestnut brown hair is holding like a koala to his arm. But it seemed like she is overshined. Or maybe... the flavor she has is not enough to appall a coarse man.

When he moved to languidly fix his cuffs in the middle of a conversation, I noticed unmistakable giggles in every part of the room. Tattles about how sexually arousing it was when his hand corded powerfully, reached everyone's ears.

The next table of women in their evening gowns gushed on the guest too much that it reached my ears.

"Fuck. I would pay a fortune for a night with him!"

"I heard this certain bar he is fond of. And Rachelle! This guy doesn't care of the public eye! I heard he got Kim in her knees in the lot!"

"Where is that? I'll check in day and night!"

The man is a proud man as we all can see. And it seemed as if the heavens took their time to sculpt him this perfect. No... perfect is not suitable for his type. Perfect has soft features, here is a man who had none of it, yet a hundred times unreachable.

My orbs increased in coldness when his eyes caught mine.

His lips curved upwards before it was obscured by the cup of alcohol he lazily drank. As if a transferable potion, his ruthlessness became the trenchant of my night.