"You're mine now." "You must be mistaken, I don't belong to anybody. "Well, I think you're the one mistaken if you think I, Aleksei, will ever let you go, Kukla." When Aleksei and Ivanka cross paths on a remote, sandy beach in Indonesia-each escaping their own troubles-they share a fleeting but unforgettable night. Years later, Ivanka is living with secrets-some she keeps from the world, and some that are kept from her. After a shocking kidnapping pulls her into the dark heart of the Mafia underworld, Aleksei storms back into her life, claiming her as his to protect. But finding out who Ivanka really is proves to be the least of their problems. As dangerous forces close in, and buried family legacies surface, Ivanka realizes she might hold the key to ending a century-long mafia war. Will she embrace the role she's destined for, or fight to return to the life of normalcy she once knew?
Chapter 1 Arrival
IVANKA'S POV
I was at an altitude of 31,000 feet up in the air. I could've sworn I felt this stupid aircraft shake, which jerked me awake. I was never afraid of heights, however, there was always this annoying voice at the back of my mind reminding me that we could crash at any time. "Are we almost there?" Summer groaned, slipping her sleeping mask off.
My eyes fluttered open, as the sound of cartwheels on carpeted floor spread throughout the brightly-lit airplane. It was 5:00 A.M. and I was almost in Bali. I glanced at the rest of my friends, sitting beside me. Of course, they were still asleep. "Two more hours to go, hopefully we don't crash." I teased. "Oh shut up!" She hit my arm hard, grumbling.
We were scheduled to land in Indonesia very soon, so I just sat back and relaxed, shutting my eyes once more. The airplane rattled away, forcing me to open my eyes again. At this point, I wasn't going to get any more sleep, so I just lifted my window and watched the clouds pass by.
Time had gone so fast and finally, we landed. "I can't believe we're already in Indonesia." Ana squealed, unable to contain her excitement. I couldn't help but let out a little chuckle as we alighted the plane and grabbed a taxi.
We headed to Bali, our main destination. Mia-the annoying one out of all my friends-kept rambling on and on about how beautiful Indonesia was and how excited she was to be there. I looked out the car window, taking in the beautiful scenery we passed by. My body was in the car, but my mind was elsewhere.
"You're thinking about him again." Summer scoffed, jabbing me in the stomach with her elbow. "Ow, ow, ow!" I winced, holding my stomach. "No, I'm not." I blatantly lied.
"Guys, Ivanka's thinking about Zac again." She announced loudly, causing everyone to look at me. A light hue of red spread across my olive skin as I shook my head. My eyes were puffy from all the crying I had done in the middle of the night, and my head banged like crazy. "I'm serious. I'm okay, and the main reason I'm here is to get over him." I rolled my eyes, returning my gaze to the window.
I wished there was a bottle in my hand right now, I could have been using that to drown my sorrows instead. But I was alcohol-less and that made me cranky. I had been to rehab multiple times-courtesy of my parents- but somehow, I managed to relapse.
Every. Single. Time
I was getting better now though, I just craved the sting of alcohol and the way it smoothly traveled down my throat. A bad habit that I had mastered to its peak. But, knowing the friends I had, there was no way they'd allow me to drink without their supervision.
-
We had already arrived at our villas in the resort and settled down, each going our separate ways. I lacked intrigue in following them to explore wherever they went, so I went to the beachfront to cool off and relax. The soft breeze flowed through my long hair and the sun's rays kissed my face.
I took off my slippers and dug my toes into the warm, grainy sand, moving closer to the beach shore. The water gently washed over my feet, providing a sense of relief. I turned my head and then saw him.
He was shirtless, with only beach shorts on him. His long, black hair was tied up in a bun and a few scattered strands framed his face. His skin was tanned and shone as if he rubbed himself down with oil. I could catch a snake tattoo, going down his spine and another tattoo by his lower waist. I couldn't quite make out what it was, but I wanted to see.
He was staring at me. Suddenly, I became self-conscious.
I looked terrible at the moment. I also felt extremely tired and jetlagged, so that wasn't helping either. Regardless, he was pulling me in like a moth to a flame. So, I did what any other person would do, I moved closer to him and struck up a conversation.
"Hi, I'm...Ava," I lied, not wanting to give out any personal information about myself. I brushed a strand of my blonde hair away from my face. "You are?"
He stared at me for a while, his green eyes full of intrigue. "I'm Jack." He firmly said, with a hint of an accent I couldn't quite lay my finger on. His voice was deep and left shivers running down my spine.
"Well, you don't look like a Jack," I teased, sitting down beside him. "You look more like a Malakai."
"I've never heard of that one before." The corner of his lips tugged upward ever slightly.
"Ah. I see. What are you doing out here all alone?" I inquired-a question too personal probably-but I could care less.
"The same thing you are, Ava. A vacation, looking for a place to relax." He glanced at me, pursing his lips. I nodded in approval as thoughts swirled around my mind.
"Like my friends said, 'If I want to get over him, I have to get under someone else'." I chuckled, shaking my head. "I don't blame him really, I just wish things would've been done differently." I dusted the sand off my body as the heavy wind blew my hair. My voice trembled betraying me, like I knew it would.
He looked at me for a short while with those mesmerizing eyes of his, before finally settling on what to say, "Why do you think you deserve it?"
"I can't disclose that. You're a stranger." I chuckled, looking out at the sea. The tiny waves were crashing on the shore and I decided to stand up, bracing myself.
"I don't have to be, Ava." He murmured, tutting his lips. When he turned, I could see another tattoo creeping up his neck. Damn. His jawline was so sharp that it could cut me as he clenched his jaw. He was tense.
Before I could speak up again, I heard Summer flailing her arms and calling out for me from the resort.
I hurriedly pressed a finger to my lips, indicating for her to shut up. Standing up, I took one last look at Jack, "I'll catch up with you later."
"I'm sure you will, milyy." He rasped, not turning back.
Chapter 1 Arrival
12/12/2024
Chapter 2 Arrival
12/12/2024
Chapter 3 Pregnant !
12/12/2024
Chapter 4 Fired
12/12/2024
Chapter 5 In danger
12/12/2024
Chapter 6 In danger(2)
12/12/2024
Chapter 7 Adopted.
12/12/2024
Chapter 8 Adopted(2)
12/12/2024
Chapter 9 Know what you're getting into!
12/12/2024
Chapter 10 What are you doing !
12/12/2024