#twisted pride

Kiara: Well, you still have me.

Remo: It's not the same, Kiara. I can talk to Nino about the things I can't talk about with you.

Kiara: Okay, like what?

Remo: Well, for instance, the annoying things that you do.

Kiara: REMO!

Remo: I'm not gonna catch you.

Kiara: I'm falling!!

My fucking chest constricted. "Whatever's in there, it's yours. Whatever love I'm capable of, it's yours too.

Remo: You accepted your flaws?

Love. It was a funny thing, wasn't it? Everyone claims that they've found 'the one,' yet it's only a coincidence that the 'electrician' in said partners' phones sends nudes and flirty messages. In other words, love doesn't fucking exist, and I'm tired of people who think 'love' is this perfect thing without ups and downs. Love is a fantasy, however, affection does exist.

Unfortunately, no matter how hard I hold onto it, the universe snatches affection from my hands and leaves me cold and bitter; a surly bitch, in other words.

But I was okay with that. No, really, I don't mind.

I mean, I still have friends, I still cry, I have emotions. I'm not a monster.

Right? Please tell me I'm not.

"If we were to make this deal work, I want fifteen percent straight equity. Again, I am giving you a very powerful tool that can easily solve your cyber attack issues," I said to the man sitting across me. What the fuck was his name again? I can't remember anything these days.

"Ten percent," he curtly negotiated, but I could feel his leg shaking under the rich, mohagony table.

"Twenty percent," I said, keeping my laser eye contact piercing through him.

"I can't-"

"Well then, I'm sorry we couldn't make this deal work," I said, getting up abruptly to see him out.

1, 2, 3.

"Wait," I knew it, "Fifteen percent," he said, his veins straining at his temples.

"Pleasure doing business with you," I said as I shook his hand firmly and walked him out, "I'll have the written agreement sent to you next week."

And with an unsatisfied nod, he left. I sat in my chair again and sighed before quickly straightening my posture and getting back to work. There was no time to waste.

𝓚𝓪𝓲

Emails left and right, meetings, conference rooms, events, and absolutely no time to think. I can't remember the last time I could just sit down and read some fucking Hemingway. Speaking of which, DigiStream wasn't going so well either. We were so close to getting the company due to the cyber attack (which was no doubt started by Christian), but suddenly, they don't want to sell.

Knock, knock, knock.

"Enter," I said, trying to seal my exhaustion in my voice.

Dante came in, his ominous presence filling the room but not intimidating me.

"I'm not interested in another boxing match-"

"I know why you're not getting DigiStream."

I straightened in my seat immediately.

"I was the one who started the cyber attack, and I knew there was one tool that not even Harper has, so-"

"So Harper's competitor, Techception, made a deal with the owner of DigiStream to give him the tool," I finished. "Shit. I need DigiStream, Dante."

"I know the owner of Techception."

"Y/N, right?"

"Yup. She's a tough one to crack, actually almost impossible to crack. The only reason I'm working with her is because I couldn't beat her, and let me tell you that bitch is sharp," his words filled me with even more dread.

Y/N was mysterious, but everyone knew she was ruthless. Once, she fired her whole HR team during a market crash, hired another HR team from third-world countries the next day, and doubled her stocks.

"So... Anything else, because you just made my day five times worse."

"She's going to the Valhalla Christmas party."

I groaned. "Great." Goodbye to my calm, literary-filled Christmas break.

"You both have a lot of stress, believe it or not. Every time I see you guys, you're both just tired and dragging yourself on even if you don't want to."

"Dante, if you're trying to hook us up, I can assure you, I don't need anyone right now. And the only reason I'm stressed and you're not is because you're in love."

"Which is exactly why you need to hook up with someone," he replied, and I suppressed an eye-roll. Be a gentleman, Kai.

"See you at the party?"

"Sure," I said before getting back to work. Only God can help me now.

𝕽𝖊𝖆𝖉𝖊𝖗

"There are a lot of things on my mind now, Dante. The last thing I want to do is go to a fucking Christmas party," I said, fighting the urge to kick him out.

"Well, there will be a lot of people there to make deals with, even Kai Young," he said, trying to persuade me. I ran calculations as to why he wanted me to go to this party.

I scoffed when I figured it out. "You told Young I was going to the party because he wanted to secure a deal with me so he could get DigiStream. Fuck, really, Dante?"

He met my gaze with equal ferocity, "You don't need to secure a deal with him, just pretend you're convinced."

I groaned. "Great." Goodbye to my calm, literary-filled Christmas break.

He scoffed, and I raised a brow.

"He had the same reaction when I told him you were going." I wanted to wipe the grin off his face.

"Well tell him that he can go fuck himself in hell and bring you along. Actually, don't. If he wins his presidency, he'll be useful."

After he left, I felt like throwing myself off a cliff. I filled the one rare empty space in my calendar with 'Valhalla Christmas party' and sighed, looking at the label on my phone with disdain.

[Cora Reilly]

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Falcone Brothers - Las Vegas

#1 | Twisted Loyalties - Fabiano & Leona ⭐️⭐️⭐️

"She’s seen me at my worst, and she’s still here.”

#2 | Twisted Emotions - Nino & Kiara ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

“Try to scare her as little as possible.”

“I can be pleasant and gentlemanly if I try,” he said.

Fabiano laughed. “Sorry, Remo, but that’s the best joke I heard in a while.”

...

“Before you, there was calm. There was order and logic.”

I remembered the beginning of his song, that perfect composition. “And now?” I let out a hoarse exhale.

“Now,” he growled and his expression twisted, “now there’s chaos.”

#3 | Twisted Pride - Remo & Serafina ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

“I’m fairly sure God designed your body to drive men into insanity,” Remo said darkly.

Stifling the excited thrill Remo’s words sent through me, I retorted, “You believe in God?”

“No. I don’t. But looking at you, I could turn into a believer.”

#4 | Twisted Bonds - Nino & Kiara ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.5

Remo touched my shoulder looking from the baby up to my face. “You are going home and talking to Kiara.”

#5 | Twisted Hearts - Savio & Gemma ⭐️⭐️⭐️

He became still. “You’re asking me to cancel your promise to my brother?”

I merely nodded. “Then he’ll be free to do as he pleases, and I can find someone who really wants to marry me.”

#6 | Twisted Cravings - Adamo & Dinara ⭐️⭐️⭐️.5

“The role of Ken and Barbie in the family are already taken so we had to settle for the emo couple,” I shot back before I could think it through.

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Pick what character you like better in each battle to get an accurate list of your favorite book boyfriends from the group. Note: hitting 'no opinion' or 'I like both' frequently will negatively affect your results. Note: If you make a mistake DO NOT click backspace unless you find extremely necessary. It will erase all your progress.

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