Taken by the Heartless (HEARTLESS, Book 1) (NOW EDITING)

DARTS AND QUARTERS

    "Your sister?" Cassandra asked and Bully nodded. She found it baffling that he has a sister and yet he gave women this gruesome treatment with his master.

"She is dead," he said slowly and dropped the towel in the bowl. That made Cassandra's heart fall.

"Panda, I'm so sorry about that."

Bully peeked at her and his face twitched up in a lopsided smile that didn't last. "Why do you keep calling me Panda?"

"Because you are as cute as a panda."

Bully reached into the first aid box to take out things he needed to treat her wound and she watched him. She was getting into him gradually and really wanted to hear about his sister and how she reminded him of her.

"So, was your sister this hard-headed?"

"Oh, so you know you are hard-headed. Alina was way too stubborn. But she was a strong girl who thought she could become a man."

"Wow, she must be an interesting person."

"Yes, she was. I loved her so much. We were the only children of our parents." Bully put the band-aid to her cheekbone and her lower lip. "She was always challenging me and wanted to go into the army just like me. My father was an Army General."

"Wow."

"I was training to join the army and Alina wanted to join too, but my dad wanted her to become a doctor. She trained anyway and had me fight with her out of my father's sight. One day, an enemy jet attacked our territory unawares. They destroyed a lot of us and Alina died saving some soldiers. She had every chance to escape with the other women that were being taken away from the back gate, but she chose to remain with the guys. I lost my family in that fight." Bully's eyes were now staring far away as he recalled the memories. Cassandra knew it was really a sad memory for him because of the painful look on his face.

"I lost my dad and my sister and barely left with my life. I don't know why but I was the only survivor there."

"You survived because you have not met me yet," Cassandra joked and it made Bully smile.

"I managed to get away from the ruckus and the ruins that used to be my home, but I wasn't going to survive because I was badly injured in the invasion. That was how Eros found me. He found me lying by the roadside and he helped me into his car."

"He helped you?"

"Yes, he was just a boy then. He was not more than fifteen. He was not a mafia then, he was just Don's only son. He was an adorable kid."

"How old were you then? You certainly look older than Eros."

Bully shrugged. "I am not much older than he is. I was eighteen then. He has not always been like this."

"So, what happened?"

Bully bowed his head and inhaled deeply. "A lot happened. He is not even the only child of the Don."

"What?"

Bully nodded before he spoke again. "I shouldn't be saying all this to you..."

"Bully, I really want to understand." Cassandra placed a hand on his big, strong arm.

"He has other female siblings whom his father refused to acknowledge because they were women. His father was more brutal than Eros."

"Wow, this is a new revelation."

"Eat your food. Sometimes, when I see you fight, it reminds me of Alina and it makes me want to protect you, but my hands are tied here and this is the little help I can offer."