TWO PART POV:

Bria POV:

" suh which part him deh ?", I asked Caius as I took a bite of the omelette and franks sandwich he had made me for breakfast after I almost stabbed him. I had asked him about my father and like the cold emotionless person he was , he admitted to killing him last night right after we got back from church and I couldn't believe I had slept through my father's murder.

I didn't know which one was worse , the fact that he had killed the man who had sold me without a second thought and I didn't feel even the slightest ounce of guilt or the fact that Caius had put a tracker somewhere inside me and I didn't know where the hell it was .

"him body yah refer to?" , he asked and I nodded as I sipped my tea. We were having breakfast on the balcony of the third floor of his house and I reminded myself to ask him about that not because I wanted anything from him but, just for the sake of knowing.

" already tek care a that while yuh did a sleep ", he replied to my earlier question of where my father's body was . I still didn't know the reason as to why he had done what he did to me but, he was dead now so it was in the past . I observed him, the way the muscles in his arms flexed when he moved , not to mention his overall mouthwatering physique and his eyes gleamed when he caught me stearing.

" you know I never asked but, what's your favourite colour?" , I asked mainly trying to distract myself from his eyes .

He smirked, folding his arms across his chest.

"You already know."

"Crimson," I said without hesitation.

"Like blood. You enjoy inflicting pain and seeing blood being spilled so if I had to guess it woudah be dah colour deh"

His smirk widened, but then, after a pause, he tilted his head slightly.

"It used to be".

I blinked. "Used to?"

His gaze flickered over my face, lingering just long enough for the moment to feel heavy. Then, casually, he said, "Brown".

I scoffed, clearly unconvinced. Somebody like him with the traits that he had and the stuff he had done , likes the colour brown ? yeah right and am the virgin Mary.

"Brown? That's random and mi nuh believe that ".

He shrugged, playing with the silver ring on his index finger.

"It's not just any brown," he murmured. "It's warm, rich. The kind that glows when the light hits just right. Not too dark, not too light, somewhere in between. A color that's... hypnotizing if you look at it long enough . It draws you in if you aren't careful and has the power to make you do things you wouldn't ever dream of even considering much less doing".

My brows furrowed, and I leaned back slightly, the way prey does when it senses something lurking too close.

"Yuh sound weirdly poetic about brown".

He simply smiled, his eyes never leaving mine. "Maybe it's grown on me".

" what kind a job yuh do ?"

" I majored in medicine and I worked as a doctor for 2 years but, mi real passion a weh mi do now , which a own and sell or rent properties" .

" suh yuh have money?" , I asked and he shrugged smiling.

" mek ova 2 billion a year suh yeh but, mi nuh really focus pon eh money aspect just eh business pon a whole cause mi just have a passion fi weh mi do ". I couldn't believe he was a doctor, it was sort of ironic because doctors are supposed to save lives not take them but, on the bright side at least I had someone to help me with getting my degree.

" you told me your mother is Jamaican and your father is Russian?

" yes ", he said with a tone of finality letting me know he didn't wished to go into any further details. I couldn't help but, wondered though what actually happened to have made him the person he had become because I knew that he wasn't born like that . I also realised another thing, I hadn't seen him smoked since the first night he had taken me and I had coughed at the irritating stench.

" what is this that we have?" , I asked and he frowned.

" yuh belong to mi , suh mi nuh understand eh question ".

" suh a relationship?", I clarified and he smiled . " if a that yuh call it , except inna wah relationship either persons have eh choice fi decide if dem wah lef but, yuh nuh have that ", he was smiling but, I could see in his eyes that he was deadly serious and it worried me that I didn't felt any fear regarding that when a normal person would have called the police or protest.

CAIUS POV:

After having breakfast with Bria, I left for work and I had just finished with a client when my phone rang and I saw that it was Ivan calling. I considered not answering but, then decided against it because he would have just found another way for me to get his message, probably even go as far as to send a personal messenger.

" What do you want?", my tone was clipped , matter of fact.

Ivan's voice was cold, commanding.

"Come to Russia. It's time"

My jaw tightened. I didn't need an explanation, I already knew what this was about. The empire. The throne. The legacy of blood and power that Ivan was finally ready to pass on. What I wasn't sure about was why I needed to be involved because I couldn't care less about the whole thing.

"I'm stepping down", Ivan continued, his voice void of emotion. "And I want all my children present. You, Dmitri, Sergei... Darya , who we will be discussing due to a particular incident that occurred and you failed to mention or handle properly" . There was a pause before Ivan's voice turned colder.

"The shares will be split evenly. But only one of you will take my place as leader."

My eyes narrowed, my fingers curling around the handle of the chair I was seated in as I felt a familiar surge of anger and defiance. The Romanov empire. The very thing I had tried to run from my whole life. Yet, it was a part of me , in my blood, whether I wanted it or not and it would become so much fucking worse if Ivan did what I had a feeling he was going to do.

"When?" I asked, my voice clipped. I knew I didn't have to go , I didn't give a fuck about any shares in the Romanov empire and Darya could have it all since she wanted it so much she tried orchestrating a plan to have me killed but, the Romanov had connections and while I could handle myself , I now had Bria to think about and I wasn't going to put her at risk over one thing that I could have done .

"Next week Friday. I will be waiting Caius , don't disappoint me ", with that, the line went dead. Well, one last trip to Russia . After work I planned on heading straight home but, somehow I found myself outside a small flower shop, my hands shoved into my pockets, my eyes narrowing as I looked at the colorful display in the window. I didn't know why I was here , why had I pulled my car over and walked inside. I didn't do this, flowers, gifts, sweet gestures.

It wasn't me.

But I was there. My chest felt tight, my pulse off-beat, and I couldn't shake the image of Bria's smile from my mind, the way her eyes sparkled when she laughed, the way her presence wrapped around me , warm and consuming.

I pushed open the door, the bell chiming softly as I stepped inside. The air was sweet, heavy with the scent of flowers, petals in every color blooming around him. I felt out of place, too big, too dangerous in a room so delicate.

The woman behind the counter looked up, her face softening as she took me in. She was older, lines around her eyes and a warmth to her smile.

"Good evening sir "she greeted, her voice gentle. "What can I do for you?"

I hesitated, my jaw clenching. I didn't even know why I was there , let alone what I wanted. But then Bria's face flashed through my mind again, and the words slipped out before I could stop them. "I need flowers".

The woman's smile widened, her eyes gleaming with curiosity.

"For someone special, I assume?"

I felt my chest tighten, the words sticking in my throat. Special. It was an understatement. She was... everything. But I just nodded, my eyes flicking over the blooms around me. "Yes".

The woman moved from behind the counter, her hands brushing over petals as she inspected each flower with care. "Do you know her favorite?"

I frowned,my hands curling into fists.

I didn't. I knew how she looked when she laughed, how her lips parted when she was about to argue, how her breath caught when I touched her but, I didn't know something as simple as her favorite flower.

The woman looked at me , her expression softening. "What's she like?" she asked, her voice kind, patient.

"How would you describe her?"

I opened my mouth to answer, then closed it, my mind racing. How could I describe Bria? She was... light. She was everything good in this world, everything I didn't deserve but couldn't let go of.

"She's...", my voice was low, rough. "She's light. Even when she's fighting me, even when she's angry... she's light. She..." I swallowed, my throat tightening. "She pulls me in, and I can't escape her. I don't want to".

The woman's eyes softened, her smile knowing. "Light, huh?" She turned, moving through the shop with purpose, her hands gliding over petals as she selected each flower with care.

"I've got just the thing".

I watched as she worked, my heart pounding. I felt exposed, raw. I hadn't meant to say all that, to admit how much she affected me , consumed me, how much she meant but, the words were out, and I couldn't take them back.

The woman approached me , holding a bouquet that was stunning, soft pinks and whites, delicate blooms nestled together with lush greenery.

It was beautiful, elegant, perfect.

"She sounds special" , the woman said, her eyes twinkling.

"These will definitely bring a smile to her face and if you're lucky she may find one of these to be her favourite".

I took the bouquet, my fingers brushing against the petals. They were soft, fragile, like she was in my arms, delicate but fierce, strong but vulnerable. "Yes" , I murmured, my voice low. "She is".

I reached into my pocket, pulling out my wallet, but the woman waved me off, her smile gentle. "No charge".

My eyes narrowed.

"I don't take charity".

"It's not charity", she corrected, her smile widening. "Consider it a gift. For a man who's just learning what it means to care".

My chest tightened, my fingers curling around the bouquet. I didn't respond, didn't know how to. I just nodded, turning to leave, my footsteps heavy as I moved toward the door.

Just as I reached for the handle, the woman's voice called out behind me , warm and teasing. "Don't forget the chocolate. Ladies always love chocolate".

I froze, my jaw tightening as I glanced over my shoulder. The woman winked, her smile knowing. "If she's really your light, make sure she knows it".

I looked down at the flowers in my hands, my heart pounding. Light. Bria was my light. And for the first time in my life, I wanted to hold on to it, to protect it, to make sure it never dimmed.

Without another word, I turned and walked out of the shop, the bouquet clutched tightly in my hands. And as I made my way to the car, I found myself heading toward the nearest store, my mind focused, my purpose clear.

Chocolate. And flowers. For the woman who had somehow, impossibly, become my everything.

Listen mi aguh bawl enuh and a me write it 😭😭😭. Anyways I am going to be uploading only two chapters today because I just realised that because of the three chapters a day the ending of the book is coming fast so just enjoy these and unu please nuh cuss me yet...👀 lol . Remember to vote, comment and share the story. Love unu 🫶❤️