
Summary
“I'll protect you on the condition you become mine.”
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Aspen Smiths’ life was a chaotic mess of drifting jobs and re...
Chapter One
Aspen's POV
“Cheers,” the sound of glass clinking was distant as I looked over the other table where some people were seated, happily celebrating an occasion. There was always a day to celebrate something, unlike me just being here daily for no reason. I was just here to get drunk again.
“You got fired again?” My best friend frowned, grabbing my attention.
“It wasn't my fault,” I shrugged, pouring myself a shot with a smirk. “I am too big of a person to work in a shabby place like that anyway.”
“This is your fifth job this month, Aspen. You've got to be serious with your life.” She ranted but I just ignored her. It wasn't like I wasn't well off in the first place and I just have to physically get a job for a freakish reason. I mean, I have a house and enough money already but I knew it was only a matter of time before I spent it all, waiting for the tenants of my late mother's house to pay monthly.
“Are you even listening?” Harper patted the table gently.
“No, I'm not.”
“Black City isn't a city where you can just sit idle. It's only a matter of time before everything spikes again if the Don gets involved in another territorial war, which he does every single year and we can't escape it.” She reminded me, giving another reason to be serious with my life.
Black City was one for the well of people mainly. Those who were just average or the lower class were just here for the protection and absence of discrimination, although from the sight of everything in the area, you would be intimidated already.
Each cuties we're headed by different mafia families and Black City was headed by the vicious Don Giovanni Hugo Black. He was a man who according to the rumors, just staying in the same room as him could kill you due to his murderous intent. He was brutal and once when one of his men betrayed him, he dug a stake into his heart, hanging him in the city square for people to see till he rotted.
It was a gruesome sight and he didn't seem to care about what others thought about him as long as he got the job done, which he always does no matter what. I wonder what it would feel like to meet him one on one.
“Just take care of yourself, Aspen. I don't want you getting into trouble with another boss to make you end up in jail for the third time.” She said, frowning even deeper.
“Don't say it like I intentionally go there. Those bitches intentionally get on my nerves and I have no choice but to teach them lessons. A sum of three weeks in jail is nothing.” I shrugged and I could tell she was tired of me by now but she had to deal with it anyway.
“Another bottle.” I waved at the waiter who bowed before walking to get my order.
“Another? Aspen–” she paused midway as she stared at the screen of her phone, springing up. “Don't get drunk, Aspen. I'm leaving for some urgent business now and there's no one to take you home. Are you listening to me, Aspen? I don't want to be told that you did anything again because I know you won't go after me if I ask to drop you off right now.”
“I get you, I get you. Stop nagging like you're my mum. You can leave, I'll be just fine.” I hissed, pouring myself the last shot. I heard a sigh escape her lips as she walked away from me, heading out of the place.
I knew she wasn't really convinced but I am a grown-up anyway. She didn't have to worry too much because of that.
I sat there, picking some meat with the chopsticks as I pondered on my life again. I was always a wild one since I was in highschool but it had a limit to it. It all grew worse when I got to college that my mother died and I had to take care of everything myself including my drunkard father who ended up in jail. In order to let out the frustration, I got drunk almost everyday. It was my one therapy. At least I graduated and I decided to stop working as a lawyer after a year even though it paid well. I just couldn't do it anymore.
I sat there, downing another bottle, the world around me gradually disappearing into oblivion but I didn't care at all. I would find my way home no matter what. Slipping some notes on the table, I lifted myself up, heading towards the exit, staggering lightly.
I wanted to smoke badly. Rummaging my purse for my cigarette, I could feel my insides churning uncontrollably and all I wanted to do was lay down but before I could do anything, I bumped into a solid build. I didn't know if it was a wall but it felt really comfortable.
“What do you think you're doing?” I heard a deep and masculine voice which sent chills down my spine but at the same time strangely made me feel soothed and comforted.
Looking up, my eyes met a pair of glowing hazel eyes. It looked intimidating but at the same time, staring into it made me more intoxicated, or maybe it was just the alcohol. I knew he was a he because of his handsome face which could make any lady melt in an instant.
“Dang, you're hot.” I smirked, raising my hand to touch his face and it was so smooth. I ran my fingers across his lips, licking mine gently. He didn't say a word and just remained there, looking down at me, no emotions in his eyes but I didn't care. “Do you smoke? D-do you have one on you?”
Before I could get a response, the churning in my stomach only grew more and more. My stomach was uncomfortable and I just wanted to empty the contents in my stomach and before I knew it, everything had gone blank all around me.
I didn't know how long passed but the rays of sunlight penetrating my eyelids made me cover my eyes with the back of my hand as I tossed and turned in bed. It was soft. Really soft and comfortable. I didn't want to get up.
“When was my bed always this soft?” I groaned, a splitting headache passing through my head as I sat up in bed, looking around like a lost puppy. The room wasn't familiar at all. It was like I was in a different place entirely and it looked dang expensive with golden and silver decorations all around the room and high valued artworks hung on the walls.
“Where am I?” I mumbled, not remembering what happened last night clearly. All I could remember was the fuzzy feeling I felt before everything went blank. I could still feel the fuzziness like I've eaten too much. “Ugh, it hurts.” I groaned, swinging my feet off the bed.
“Do you want a hangover soup?” I heard a masculine voice behind me and I nodded gently. I paused for a second before snapping my head in the direction the voice came from and I could see a huge man standing at the door leading to the balcony, he was leaning against the doorframe with a cigarette lazily dangling between his fingers and a glass of whiskey in his other hand.
That wasn't what caught my attention as he was shirtless, sweatpants hanging loosely around his waist and I could see his huge thing. It was inhumanly huge. My gaze quickly moved up to his body and he was damn hot with a tattoo on his right arm, running down to his wrist.
He was hot! Like, dang hot. But besides that, he had tons of scars all over his body and he didn't seem to care about flaunting it.
“Are you done staring?”
