Lana Del Rey - Dark Paradise

Tucked under her favourite pink frilly princess blanket, Cielo slept peacefully clutching her teddy in her arms. Her mother stroked her soft brown hair, humming her favourite lullaby in sweet and melodic tune.

Cielo was finally home; a place where she should've been the moment she was born.

In the home built by her father's father and nurtured by her grandmother.

Their peaceful moment was disrupted by the aggressive swinging of the front door. Luci jumped, startled then sighed in relief as Cielo remained unbothered.

Cristian marched into the living room, red faced and furious. He was dressed in a grey three piece suit which moulded to his muscular structure - muscles that were flexed and tensed as he made a beeline for her.

Waves of madness and anger rolled off him however unlike her teenager years; she was no longer afraid of him. Luci retained eye contact as he reached for her throat, ignoring the little girl sleeping on his sofa.

His daughter.

"What the fuck did you do?" He roared. The sound causing their daughter to stir slightly. "What the fuck did you do to make your brother go after the last of my factories? My drug labs Luciana?"

She remained silent which only aggravated him more.

En route she heard on the radio that several fires had engulfed some warehouse just outside of the city. When the authorities went to check, they found blackened bodies - several of them burnt to a crisp. He brother had worked fast, faster than she thought.

"They were what brought in most of my fucking income." He snarled, his spit hitting her cheeks. "What the fuck did you do?"

"I tried to run his wife over." She stated calmly.

He chuckled incredulously, his widening in disbelief, "Why the fuck would you do that?"

Her eyes slanted to their daughter who now laid awake, blinking up at them with huge and terrified eyes. Her father still had his hands tightly clamped around Luci's throat.

"I had to get Gideon out of Medellín somehow." She said.

The car would've never hit Rory, it was just meant to scare her and send Gideon flying to Cartagena without a second thought. Giving her the opportunity to pick up their daughter and race down to the south. It worked hence why they were together in the same room, finally.

Cristian loosen his grip and took a step back as he straighten his suit jacket. He took a deep breath but didn't calm the need to choke the living daylight out of Luci.

"You've costed me a lot." He seethed. "The Brazilians will be on my back now. They'll want their drugs and counterfeit bills." He ran a hand through his hand in annoyance. The perfectly sleek style now in tangled mess. "Fuck, I've just lost so much money."

Luci immediately went to Cielo's side, soothing her hair and mumbling encouraging words to lure her back to sleep. Eventually, she settled and she called over a maid to take her upstairs.

The moment Cielo disappeared, Luci stepped forward, her body extremely close to Cristian. She raised her chin in confidence as she got into his personal space.

"I have a plan." She stated. "And, you'll be richer than you'll ever be."

He scanned her, up and down - it was hard to believe her when she was once a frail little girl. His shadow, following his every move while falling helplessly in love.

"Enlighten me, please."

Cristian sank onto the armchair and poured himself a glass of champagne from the stand of beverages next to it. Unlike her brother, he didn't seem to enjoy the taste of hard liquor evident by the untouched bottle of whiskey.

"I'm going to kill Gideon." She revealed, "And, Rory agreed to help me."

It wasn't the entire truth, Rory never agreed to murdering her husband, she merely asked for him to be put behind bars for a murder he didn't commit. And, she was willing to do anything to help. Except murder. For Luci, it would've been easier if she agreed to take a vial of poison and place in his food.

"You think she'll kill her husband for you?" He said in amusement.

"No, she wants him in prison." She retorted. "But that's where we will corner him and kill him."

He won't be able to run in chains nor would he be able to fight back.

"And how are YOU going to get Gideon into prison?" He asked, swirling the liquid in his glass. His eyes sloping into a challenge. "He has every police departments, judges and persecutor on his payroll."

"In Colombia, yes." Luci sank down on the sofa, straighten her posture to one of confidence. "But when the US government finds out he's aiding extremist group in the middle east, nothing will be able to save him."

Luci leaned forward, elbows resting on her knees. Ever since Rory agreed to help, she had been tweaking her plans over and over again; trying to find the best route to take. One that will satisfy her and keep Rory on her side as well.

She was important because Gideon trusted her and because she was important to him. His wife; his whole world.

Luci prayed that Rory will pull through with their plans.

"How is your brother going to prison - or his death - going to make me richer?" He further questioned, pointing at himself. "He has a number of staff that will look after his finances and a wife to inherit what is his."

"Rory won't want any of his money." She stated with confidence. Especially money that was cultivated through fear and violence. "And," she began before he ask. "Gabriela and my mother have already been given their share of his wealth. They won't be interested with what's left because they won't know what to do with it."

His arms dealing empire will be theirs, they'll run it and become richer than they could ever imagine. All she had to do was to convince Rory to sign over the rights once Gideon was dead.

Luci knew Rory, she won't want to keep something like that under her name.

~*~

The wind, blowing gently from the Caribbean Sea, swept through the opened balcony doors. It was early and the streets of Cartagena was fairly quiet. The sounds echoing in the master bedroom was Gideon's low grunts and Rory's shaking mewls.

Leaning on his forearms, Gideon moved in and out of her; slow and sensual. Making sure to take extra care to avoid hurting Rory and the baby growing in her womb.

She was released from the hospital two days ago after a thorough examination of her head and a checkup with the OB/GYN. Who confirmed the pregnancy and determined that she was approaching her 12 weeks mark. Yet, her belly showed no sign that there was a baby stirring inside her.

Rory slid her palms up Gideon's back, feeling his strong muscles under her fingertips. The moment he hit a sensitive spot, she arched her back, pushing her shouldering into the mattress while her nails sunk into his shoulder blades. A cry of satisfaction quivered from her lips.

She felt so good, the intoxicating pleasure coursing through her veins.

"More." She begged desperately - hungrily - for a release. "Please, more."

Listening to her demands, Gideon pushed her thighs forward and raised his hips. He slammed down, stretching her tight walls with his girth. Her moans grow louder and louder the tighter her stomach curled.

She clutched onto her husband tightly, hanging onto him as he rampaged her body. Rory felt his cock bulge, doubling in size. It felt stretched her and she loved the feeling of being so full.

He was close to coming. Thus, her palms cupped his thick neck and she tugged his head towards her lips; meeting in the middle for a kiss. It was sweet and gentle; the gentlest kiss he had ever given her.

In contrast, his thrust became wild. Hips meeting her in uncoordinated and rough movements. In and out, over and over.

A breathless cry of pleasure resonated in the room as Rory comes; trembling and convulsing underneath him. He soon followed, coming with a shuddering grunt against her neck. His hands fisted the headboard until his knuckles turned white. He released ribbon of thick white semen; spurting and filling her insides.

Falling onto the space beside her, Gideon pulled Rory against his body. He protectively curled his arms around her stomach and pressed a kiss against her temple. They laid in silence, their pulsing beating in sync as they tried to calm down.

They've been locked in their room since she was released; feeling and loving each other. Tucked in their own corner of paradise and fantasising about the future.

"I missed you." He murmured.

"That's number 23." She teased, snuggling against his chest. The 23rd time he had told he missed her in the last two days.

"It's true." He sighed, his eyes shining longingly as he looked at her.

Sleepless nights, twisting and turning. His heart craving her more than air. Loneliness filled the gap she left behind even if the distance was meant to be a mere couple of days. He still missed her more than anything.

"We're here together now aren't we." She whispered, resting her palm flat against his beating heart.

He smiled, his heart skipping a beat. Love and dedication washed over him, overfilling his lonely soul. In the moment, Gideon realised he wasn't lonely anymore. He had a wife and a child on the way. He was going to have his own family to. One that he'll never betray.

He brought her closer, burying his head atop of hers.

Despite it being nearly 11am, Rory's eyes grew heavy and she feel asleep moments later wrapped in Gideon's warmth. Unconsciously feeling safe and protected. He followed, holding onto her and their baby.

~*~

After another day spent in Cartagena, mainly celebrating her husband's 36th birthday, they returned to Medellín. Bidding goodbye to Danielle and Antonella.

At the party, no pregnancy announcement was made since they mutually agreed to keep it a secret for the time being. Even from her mother who met Gideon - properly - for the first time.

It was for security reasons, he explained. He wanted to catch the person who tried to run her over, afraid that they'll try again if they hear about her pregnancy. She was baffled that someone tried to kill her again. She never considered herself to be of that importance.

Hence, they concluded that it was best to keep it a quiet while they could.

Rory stepped inside the mansion. María, with her head wrapped in a colourful headscarf, eagerly welcomed her back with opened arms. Instantly, she melted into María's embrace, breathing her clean linen and herbal smell.

Juan tilted his head in welcome and proceeded to take their bags from the porch.

She glanced around the mansion, it's marble floors and expensive art pieces, iron wrought railings and glass chandeliers. Everything looked the exact same when she left it.

Except, there was something missing. Someone.

Alvaro.

Glancing out at the pool, Rory reminisced the fun they had. Pulling pranks, swimming and splashing in the creeks with the dogs and driving the ATVs across the land. They picked fruit at the orchards, made fresh juices and fed apples to the horses at Gabriela's stable.

Her eyes watered and vision turned blurry. However, she quickly blinked it away in an attempt to remain level headed. What she promised Luci needed her to have a clear mind. Yet, she could help but think that Alvaro died because of her.

He did, didn't he? Because she forced him to be her friend; putting him on Gideon's radar.

Because Gideon didn't have the heart to let him live. Because he was filled with jealousy, burning rage and hatred. He was dangerous and violence surrounded him. Rory recalled the times he told her he loved her. But, he had showed her only pain. Marred her body with scars and etched her heart with frightful memories of blood and death.

Was that what love was to him? Worried flooded her insides causing her stomach to twist unpleasantly. She thought, could he truly love? Was he capable of if? Will he love their child?

So many questions that she couldn't answer.

She faced her husband; tall, built with thick muscles, dark haired and tan skin. My god, he was handsome, she thought. He chatted away with María and Juan, his brows furrowing and he instantly tensed. Something must've happened.

Where was Cielo?