Harry has been her brother's- Daniel's- best friend since the two were just boys. She was a few years younger than them both, so she had always been excluded from their activities despite her close relationship with her brother. As they got older, Harry started to notice the way her body changed and how she really grew into her own skin. She was exactly his sort of type. In spite of this, nothing every occurred between the two of them because Daniel noticed and made it clear to both Harry and her that he did not want anything to happen between them both. This was further reinforced in terms of anything intimate or romantic from occurring. He wanted to keep the world with his sister separate from the world with his best friend. If anything did ever happen between them, it would probably shatter the relationship with Daniel. Both knew what it meant, and it made Harry subconsciously push any thought of her to the back of his head. If only his friend could see how bad and toxic it was for him to do such a thing- denying feelings for someone that he did truly desire. It led to a lot of unhealthy relationships between Harry and girls who looked a lot like she did. Unfortunately, these girls were nothing like her in actuality, and these relationships were destined to fail. It was forced love after all, and he was trying hard to make things work when there was never actually anything there in the first place. All these failed relationships took its toll on Harry and made it hard for him to trust or open up to anyone. The man was going through a phase where he just wanted to be alone and almost entirely gave up on love and attachment.

The key word was almost because something important happened to change that. The dynamic he once had with his best friend changed when Daniel got a girlfriend. Her brother started to spend a lot more time with this girl, and it meant leaving Harry on his own quite often because he used to spend a lot of time at his friend's place. However, the time he used to spend with his friend was now spent with the same person's sister. She kept him company a lot of the times when his friend was unable to. The two of them started spending more and more time with each other even when it was not because of her brother ditching him. Harry found her to be someone easy to talk to and connect with, and that shell he built slowly started to crumble and open up to her. This was something that did not happen with any of his previous relationships. The inevitable finally happened as the two of them grew so accustomed to each other, and it just occurred one night. With her on his lap, they started making out while watching a movie. It was supposed to be a comedy, so how they ended up in that position was a mystery. Despite how right that kiss felt, but of them seemed to draw back for the same reason, which was her brother. They stopped there and acted like it never happened. Daniel eventually broke up with his girlfriend, and he and Harry moved into the city.

Harry was doing quite well for himself after completing his studies and was able to afford the rent for the entire apartment that was quite luxurious. Unfortunately, this move did put some distance between him and her, but maybe that was for the best. Neither wanted to upset Daniel, and they did not see each other for quite some time. This should have been the easiest way to avoid any sort of feelings or mistakes that might happen if they were too close to each other.... It was early in the morning, and she wakes up to feel someone stirring underneath her. However, when she wakes up, she sees Harry sleeping peacefully underneath her. His arms wrapped around her and keeping her close. His masculine scent radiating off of him. Their clothes scattered around the room, and the only thing she could remember was seeing him at the bar. Her brother was down the hall from his room.

Sanctuary City by idealists that hoped to make a place that would be free of all the corruption and scum that was growing fast in the rest of the world. Fast forward a hundred years later, and the city is run by major crime families that ruled over distinct territories with smaller organizations keeping the control. The city was a cesspool of crime and fear where you either were clever enough to rise to power or stayed rotting with the common folk. The families were always restless, wanting more and more despite how much they already had. Tension in the city was high, and there was great unrest among all the heads. Everyone was working towards their own gain through treachery and deceit: the only question was who will strike first? All this paranoia was good for business. Oliver is an assassin for hire, and he did not serve any one family. All that mattered to him was which one would pay him the most to fund his lavish lifestyle. He was currently taking care of targets in the election that undermined his boss. The reputation of his success was impressive enough to make all the attorneys drop any case they might have against him because it was practically suicide to challenge him. He has heard rumors and seen the news about high profile targets being eliminated night after night, and the man recognized game. It had his interest, but he did not see any point in piecing together the mystery because it did not affect his work or his pay. There was no reason for him to worry about this even if it did negatively impact his employer. The man was ushered into a meeting room with the head of the Lorenzo Family. Oliver ignored the boss at first and went to go admire the view of the city, knowing that he could have his fun since his services were required. A voice breaking the silence. "We have a new target for you. Quite skilled, so you'll have your fun." He made his way to the table where he opened the file, taking a look at the photos of his next victim, and his brow lifted at the sight of a woman. "This hardly seems worth my time... as a target at least." Oliver was a little old fashioned at times. The man across from him laughs and pulls out another file for him to go through, which contained photos of all the targets she has eliminated- politicians, associates, and even one of the heads of the five major families. His interest had peaked at this point, but he played his cards carefully. Oliver took a seat and placed his hand over the table, tapping his fingers slowly. "Humor me, why should I stick my neck out if she's this good?" The man across from him tried to mention it could be a challenge to prove who is the most skilled, but Oliver was more tactical than he was prideful. It was then that a briefcase filled with stacks of cash was presented to him. "You'll get the rest later" he was told. His smile grew, and he closed the briefcase, "Pleasure doing business with you" he remarks as he put on his shades and left the building with the case, indicating that they had a deal.

It took some time to follow her tracks because she hardly even left a footprint behind, but after some 'persuasive' techniques, he was able to get some information out of someone who knew about her next mission. An address would have been nicer, but beggars can't be choosers. She was tracking someone who was trying to flee the country in order to escape the target on his back. Oliver was able to get on the same plane as her. There were too many people on the aircraft to make his move here, and it would be easier to put her five feet under out of the country where he would be free of any charges because he would be long gone before authorities found out. Besides, he doubted it would be easy to get close to the woman in the little space he had on the aircraft right without her noticing. Without warning, one of the engines burst, and the pilot tried to steady the aircraft but another engine went up in flames, and the plane was headed down fast. Oliver thought quickly and took out the suppressed pistol that was easy to sneak past security. He shot the man beside him and used the body to absorb most of the impact when the plane went down. He could see it out the window: a land mass coming closer and closer into view before everything went black.

When he came to, he pushed the corpse off of him and coughed from all the smoke inside the broken aircraft. Bright rays of light shining through that made him wince, and he pushed himself out of the seat. Flames burning all around him, and he looked around, seeing no sign of life. He kicked down one of the doors and fell outside, coughing out all the foreign material in his lungs before looking around as he took in his surroundings. His skin burning from the hot sand underneath him, and he looked back to see the miles and miles of deep blue that had no end. Ahead of him was lush green vegetation with large palm trees that offered shade. He had no clue how large this island was or where his exact location was, only a general sense because of the plane's flight plan. If only he payed attention to the bloody tv on the back of the seat that showed exactly where the plane is located during the journey. Oliver pushed himself up and dusts off his suit. It wasn't the ideal outfit for his current location, but this also wasn't exactly part of the itinerary. The man was one to always keep a sharp and professional look- anything else would only convey weakness rather than dominance. While he searched his surroundings, he noticed something in the distance, right below one of the palm trees. A scoff escaped his lips when he realized what, rather who it was. "Would you look at that..." he murmurs, seeing a familiar face lying on the ground- the one he had been shown photos of. To his surprise, he watched as her chest rose and fell. She was still alive! This should be one of his easiest kills, but he did not kill her.

Hours passed by until she finally regains consciousness. The salty sea breeze the first thing she would smell. The pile of metal still burning on the shore, but the waves slowly starting to put the flames out as they crashed higher onto the beach. The sun's intensity had decreased during the day, and she was currently in the shade where he had found her with one little adjustment. The woman was restrained- her hands tied to the tree by some vines. The handsome gentleman sitting across from her with a dashing smile on his lips as she awoke, "I see you've finally decided to join the fun. Enjoy your sleep?" His voice was low and husky. Oliver was a smart man, but he overestimated the strength of those vines while underestimating her own strength. Question is, why has he not killed her?

Ryan always had a knack for dealing with injustice, and it only got stronger as he got older and joined the force. He climbed through the ranks, dedicating his whole life to the job and becoming the best the department had to offer. He had the highest success rate due to his determination and investigation skills, no criminal was safe from him. Despite the success, the rules were only weighing him down, which is when he joined an independent agency where he could do things his own way. He still operates according to the law, but he employed more of his own tactics, which were highly effective. Sometimes the department would still point him in the right direction and let him take care of the rest. However, things didn't always go according to plan, especially when he trusted someone he shouldn't have, and it led to a drug boss escaping the country even though he had all the evidence to throw that man behind bars. It made him even more distant from others, only trusting himself, which was not the healthiest way to live. Ryan never opened up to someone easily, but he was good at charming woman and keeping up a false facade for a case, but it was never anything more than that. Because of that case, when a new file appeared on his desk, a chance at taking down the biggest crime family in the city, he didn't hesitate in taking on the task. He went deep undercover, earning a shot at being a recruit for the gang, and he was soon put through grueling tasks to prove his loyalty and worth. His boss was not a very trusting person either. But he impressed the boss with his strength during cage fights with other men and his intelligence during crucial missions. The head of the family praised him over the past few months and even promoted him to his second in command, offering to let him stay in the family estate. Ryan had done his research and knew his boss, Luis Martinez, but there was not much on the daughter other than how she lived a lavish lifestyle. He's learned a bit about her from her father's men who could go on and on about her if he didn't change the direction of the conversation. Based on what he's heard around the compound, most men seemed to be drawn to her and would do anything for a chance to sleep with her. She seemed to even draw loyalty from the men whether or not they've even spoken to her before.

It was his first time at the estate, Luis personally bringing him to the secret location at night. They had just arrived when a loud roar was heard, some sort of super car pulling into the driveway and almost hitting him, but Ryan didn't budge. His stare focused as he watched a woman step out. From a first glance, he could tell who this woman was, presumably coming from some extravagant party or a night out clubbing. He wanted as little interaction with the family as possible, but her father was still watching him. Ryan gave her a charming smile before he reached for her hand, bringing it up to his face and kissing the top of it, letting his warm lips linger against her skin. "Nice to finally meet you miss. I am Ryan, your father has told me so much about you, and I must say, you are even more lovely in person. His stories did not do you justice" his voice was husky with the perfect amount of gruff to it. Her father excusing himself inside as he gets a phone call, leaving them to become acquainted, but Ryan drops the act once the man leaves. "Let's get to the point, I'd appreciate it if you didn't bother me much. Your father already has me busy most days, and I'm sure you already have enough people to make it so you don't even need to lift a finger" he says in a much more serious tone, his charm fading away once her father left. Ryan was the first man not to fall under her spell with one glance, which left her intrigued by this mystery and attracted to him even more. Ryan knew he couldn't be rude, her father was his boss and could have him killed with a moment's notice. He didn't personally have anything against her besides the fact she was related to the man he was intent on throwing behind bars. He was a man who focused only on the task at hand and nothing. As much as he wanted to keep his presence unknown, he didn't have much of a choice and was reluctant when he spoke to her, "Could you guide me to where I will be staying? Your father didn't exactly give me a tour" his deep blue eyes meeting her gaze. Ryan was now realizing that he should have waited until after she agreed to guide him before putting his foot down. However, hopefully those dashing looks, not to mention that smile of his, could make up for such a mistake.

They were high school sweethearts and madly in love. The couple that everyone wanted to be. They never could get enough of each other whether it was in bed or while hanging out with their friends. She was his other half and that was irrefutable. The two were supposed to have it all and never be apart. That was the plan until an argument caused it all to fall apart. It wasn't like they haven't had issues before, but they almost always worked through it. This time it was different. They both had conflicting plans for the future and were young and ambitious. Chris didn't see room for compromise at the time and was selfish. He said that they should break up, and that she was holding him back from getting what he wanted. He stormed out that night and didn't want to think about it anymore because it would hurt him. He was stubborn and decided then and there that he needed to leave the city. It seemed they were both on different paths now.

Chris is the CEO of a very wealthy company, and he travels around the world often. His face is on magazines and billboards around the world. He had returned to the city for an important conference with executives but also because something inside him said that it was time to come home. The week was certainly not easy on him and was filled with busy meetings, tours, and press conferences along with the normal tasks of his position. It was finally all over, and he got to go back to his mansion on the top of the hill. After their breakup, he tried to go out on a couple of dates but nothing ever seemed to workout. How could it? He pushed away his soulmate. There was no coming back after something like that. Chris didn't deserve to be loved, and he learned the hard way that he would never find something like that again. The only thing that kept him going was burying himself in his work, so he didn't have to think about it every other second. The mansion had the most beautiful view of the city, but it only further reinforced how lonely the man truly was. Chris thought about going to the bar and actually meeting someone before bringing them home, but he knew that no one would catch his eye. The male wanted to skip all the small talk. He just didn't want to be alone tonight. Friends and associates from work have told him about a high end escort agency that seemed right up his alley right now, and they spoke wonders of it. In spite of that, he was still hesitant because he's never done such thing before. Surprisingly, he did pick up the phone and dial in the number. The agency promised to send him their best girl. Even with all his wealth, the cost would definitely leave a dent. Chris didn't really know how any of this worked. What he expected out of this was barely even known, but he did have a sense. Attachments and feelings were things he wanted to avoid. Sex and comfort was all he needed out of this. He got dressed and waited until he heard the doorbell, getting up to open it. "Thanks for coming on such short notice. I was..." but his words trailed off when he saw who was standing on the other end, and she was a light in the darkness. It made him lose whatever train of thought he had. He was finally able to spit something out, "Come in" he steps to the side for her to join him inside. So much for those original plans. Tonight was going to be a night to remember, for better or for worse was anyone's guess.

It was a complete mix up with management, but the two of them got paired up to share a large, cozy apartment when they were in college. It was nice at first because neither of them wanted to make a bad impression at first. It was a lot of 'thank you' and 'you're the best' until that initial awkward phase when they first met wore off. After they got more comfortable with each other, it led to them starting to butt heads over the smallest things. It was not odd for their neighbors to hear them arguing during all times of the day. Danny couldn't stand her, specifically her guts when always going against him. Not to mention they were both stubborn and hated finding a middle ground. They were both good looking, and their friends always insisted they would make a 'to die for' couple. Even going as far as to say that all the arguing was sexual tension. However, this only made them deny the possibility even more. There was no way there could be anything more between them right? Danny's glances at her said otherwise because the woman was absolutely gorgeous, which is why he needed to constantly reminded himself not to let the desire show.

There was a party this week that people have been planning for months. It was supposed to be the biggest party of the year. It was Friday night, and Danny was ready to get going for the party with his friends. He was exhausted from classes and ready to enjoy himself. Not to mention that he has had to all the housework at their apartment for the past month. It was to make up for the... shower incident from the month before, and he did apologize for it. Still, Danny would never admit it, but the punishment was all worth it. Now, it was finally her turn. However, as time passed, she never ended up coming back to the apartment, and he already knew exactly where she must have gone instead because no one wanted to miss out on that party. Danny gave her a second chance and started on her chores, but she still never showed. He ended up cancelling his plans and stayed back to take care of everything at their place. Just as he thought, the photos of his roommate at the party were being sent to him from at least a hundred different sources. Danny had called her a thousand times, swearing at her and giving her a piece of his mind in the voicemail. The amount of 'bitches' that were thrown around must have been a new record for him. However, as it started to get late, and she still didn't come home, it made him start to get more worried than mad. His voicemails became more anxious and his voice was softer. Danny tried to sleep upstairs in his own bed, but he couldn't stop thinking about her and decided to come back down. She comes back in the middle of the night with a bruise on her cheek. He's lying down on the couch with a blanket loosely thrown over him, shivering slightly- hardly able to take care of himself when he was anxious. The apartment was dark except for the moonlight that came in through the window that replaced a wall to give a perfect view of the city. The only thing that could be heard was the faint horns from the traffic down below. Danny was still wearing what he was supposed to go to the party in- never having changed. There's a silver chain dangling around his neck, and a tattoo on his right pec that was not visible at the moment.