"Damnit Verena", I yell, my muscles tensing up in my shoulders as I use my hands to break the steel handcuffs from our wrists Verena watches me intently not even trying to put forth any effort to release us from the shackles she has placed on us.

This is the first time I have seen Verena show any amusement. I watch her lips curve into a sarcastic smirk as she begins playing with her nails before glancing out of the window. I grow irritated with being unable to break the handcuffs and kick the back of the seat in front of me as I lean back in my seat with a hard grimace covering my face.

"Seems like I should have shackled us together a lot sooner, you need to control your anger, Eryx, it is not a good look on you", Verena then pats my shoulder before winking at me.

I gruffed in annoyance at her managing to get me aroused back in the bedroom minutes ago, pressing her soft lips against mine as she wrapped her arms around my neck, pulling me against her small frame, as I suddenly laid on top of her on the bed. At first, I felt as though I was in a state of unconsciousness being that it felt so long I had gone without tasting her sweet, honeysuckle lips and placing my tongue all over her body.

She was my obsession and it was taking every ounce of me since she has been back at the estate to not press her against the wall, whispering my desires to her, as my dick pressed deep inside of her wet core drove me to wake up at 5 am going to the gym to do boxing, kickboxing, or martial arts to relive so much needed steam I was unable to get within my martial bed.

Verena's eyes darkened as she stared intensely into my eyes and inserted my tongue inside her mouth. Just as I was getting my groove and about to tear her clothes from her body, she managed to dismantle me once more by handcuffing our wrists together.

"Whatever game you are trying to play with me right now is not going to work.". Verena shakes her head definitely at my remark, "Too late for your little pep talk, I already made it in my mind what my plans are and you or no one else is going to get in my way or try to control me anymore".

On any other day, I would probably not even care if Verena wanted to hop on the jet with me, but today was just not the day. I rarely made an appearance at the Arsenal base being that Zyran had full and utter control over the operations about the day-to-day maintenance of what was needed to have a successful send-off to the weapons we deliver to various crime families across the globe.

"Why are you so adamant in wanting to be here around me all of a sudden? I thought you said you hated me", I speak back the words Verena yelled to me a few days prior during our heated argument.

Verena smirks, "I have my reasons for wanting to be here, just like you. Since you want to be evasive and not go into detail with me about what exactly your business affairs involved regarding our mafia family. I am going to take a chapter out of your book and follow suit", she then turns away from me and ignores me for the rest of the plane ride, as she leans her head against the seat rest and braces the front of her body against the side of the jet, glancing out of the window.

I watch her intently from my seat, longing for her to shift her attention back around to me, but she ignores me and then eventually I watch her eyes begin to flutter slowly before sleeps consumes her.

I wait until hear her short, soft snores before I place her on my lap her head resting against my chest as I place my arms around her for comfort and to keep her body from growing cold, being that one of the flight attendants has turned the A/C on and the cold air hits each side of my arms, goosebumps forming on my skin.

Some time during the plane ride we experience turbulence which causes the jet to jilt down a bit, which causes Verena's eyes to open as they look upon me with surprise. She tries to move away from the position I had her in my lap but I place my hand behind her back, whispering against her ear.

"Don't even think about it. Just go back to sleep". Verena looks at me for a moment as if she is contemplating fighting with me once, I can feel her blow out a steam of air before she nestles her head into my chest and before her eyes close again.

One of the flight attendants takes notice of Verena lying in my lap and walks over with a blanket in her hand, silently greeting me and going back up front as I place the blanket around Verena. I lean down and kiss her forehead as Verena shifts a bit, my lips make landfall on her skin as I watch her sleep.

30 minutes later

Our hands are joined together as I walk down the staircase with Verena in tow as she glances around at the thousands of workers of our men who have pledged allegiance to the Vallea Mafia and work on this base near the oceanfront past the Gulf of Alphacrest to ensure that our infrastructure my father created decades ago and now has passed on to me, will remain in delicate and efficient care until hopefully I will be able to name one of my future children as the successor of the family business.

Tirian and Arlo are standing on both sides of the aircase, as we approach them once my feet touch the ground, both holding assault rifles in their hands as I nod in greeting, and they follow suit before they walk behind Verena and I. Verena presses her body closer to me as we stride off the airfield for several minutes.

"Is this necessary for them to have guns", she whispers as she glances up at me before looking back at Arlo and then Tirian.

"Yes, they are more than needed, they are not here for me, but you", I reveal as Lonan opens the back passenger seat door for Verena before Arlo decides to take a seat up front, while Tirian decides to sit in the row behind us in the SUV.

I nestle Verena into the middle of the seat before sitting next to her. She begins to tap her foot repeatedly like clockwork, an indicator that she is pissed as I watch her pull the corners of her lips in as her eyes zone out as if she is deep in thinking. The drive to the base is about 20 minutes out, so the car drive usually is filled with conversations, but since Verena is in the car, all of the men, including me, refrain from discussing anything, not wanting to disclose any information that might make her uncomfortable.

Verena looks between me and then up at Lonan, Arlo, and then Tirian. "Are you guys going to stop acting as though you are afraid to talk? I've heard you all in the past talk quite a few times. Please don't act brand new around me" Verena says, as Lonan looks in the rearview mirror for reaction. I shake my head urging him to not say anything back which ticks Verena off even further as she begins to talk as if the guys have started a conversation with her.

"I am not stupid. I know Eryx has sworn you to not talk to me", Verena then points at Tirian and Arlo, "I know you two must be my bodyguards because I've been seeing you two too much around the estate. I may not be aware of or privy to everything that goes around here, but I'm not stupid. I graduated at the top of my class in medical school. I am quite observant, so if you think you are hiding something, I will find out the truth".

I see a Arlo is trying to hold in a laugh, as a smirk covers his face. As I look back to see Tirian looked every bit of amused at what Verena just said. Lonan looks at me again, one that only a man who raised children before would give when one of his kids has done something wrong. I wave him off, motioning him with my hand that it is okay to respond to Verena.

"Tell me about your time in medical school".

Verena's eyes brighten since the first time she is been in the car as she begins to ramble on with Lonan about the things she enjoyed the most while being in medical school. I feel a tinge of jealousy spewing within me while watching the encounter, between the pair, because Verena refuses to open up to me and allow me to see this side of her, she has shielded away from me because of the things I have done in the past that she has not forgiven me for as of yet. Verena even manages to get Arlo and Tirian to her what exactly they are doing at the estate.

"We are your bodyguards. We are instructed to patrol your every movement, no matter if it is inside of the mansion or out".

Verena then glares up at me and she finally discovers why Arlo and Tirian have been around as much.

"Oh, I see".

We finally make it to the base as a team of armed soldiers motion for Lonan to drive the SUV past the gate entrance leading into the massive base where 1,000 of our most trusted soldiers work. Verena's eyes widen taking in and looking at the hundreds of ports sitting near the docks as we park near the dock I take hold of Verena's hand helping her out of the vehicle.

"Finally I was wondering when you were going to get here I thought I was going to have to send the helicopter to come get you", Zyran appears out of nowhere wearing all black, black t-shirt tucked inside of black army fatigue pants, and a pair of steel-toe shoes.

A large V emblem covers his right bicep before he pats each other's black before he looks over at Verena.

"Good to see you again sis. I see you have managed", he then takes notice of the handcuffs on our wrists, "once again lure my brother into a trap", he says with a smirk, a grin covering his face, while a grimace covers mine.







Finally, Zyran has made an appearance again in the story, he's been M.I.A., being he is quite busy running things at the Arsenal base. You will more of Zyran in more chapters, I promise