Novel-novel oleh Night Raven

Third person POV A YEAR LATER… The grand hall sparkled like a star-studded night, every chandelier casting a warm golden glow over hundreds of guests dressed in their finest. The soft hum of classical music floated through the air, but it was quickly drowned out by the chaos of tiny feet and mischievous giggles. “Jay! Stop stepping on your tux!” Julian hissed, running after the little boy who decided a full sprint down the aisle was an excellent idea. “Jay took my bowtie!” Miles wailed from the side of the stage, his tiny arms flailing as Cassiel struggled to pin a fresh flower on his blazer. “I swear these twins will age me backwards,” Cassiel muttered, picking up Miles while ducking to avoid a flying cupcake. Meanwhile, Ray and Amie were in a full-on frosting war with Jess, Lucien’s daughter, who had somehow managed to hide under the dessert table and launch sneak attacks. “I’m going to count to five!” Gavin warned, covered in tiny pink handprints as he tried to pull R

Third person POV The murmurs in the hall died down the moment Enzo stepped onto the platform. Cameras clicked. Eyes turned. Behind him stood a massive digital screen flashing the golden logos of Cruz Tech and Takahashi Dynamics. The press conference was in full swing, but his attention wasn’t on the audience. It was on her. Reina sat poised beside him, dressed in a pristine white pantsuit with subtle embroidery lining the sleeves—elegant, sharp, stunning. Her lips were tinted the same rouge she always wore, but tonight her eyes glittered with something different. Accomplishment. And maybe… anticipation. When they signed the final document, sealing the billion-dollar collaboration, applause erupted. Reina extended her hand to Enzo like a business partner would, but the spark in her gaze didn’t belong in a boardroom. He didn’t shake her hand. Instead, he leaned in slightly and murmured, “We’re celebrating. Just the two of us.” She tilted her head. “Where?” “You’ll see.”

Third person POV The restaurant was a rooftop gem nestled in the heart of the city, softly lit with warm amber lights that glimmered like tiny stars against the deepening twilight. A gentle breeze kissed the air, carrying with it the faint aroma of grilled herbs and freshly baked bread. Enzo adjusted the cuffs of his blazer, stealing a glance at his watch before looking back at the entrance. He wasn’t nervous. At least, that’s what he told himself. Then the elevator doors slid open with a chime, and there she was—Reina. Her long black hair was twisted up, a few strands falling to frame her face. She wore a satin wine-colored dress with a slit up the side that swayed gently as she walked toward him. “You’re punctual,” she said, her voice teasing, but softer than usual. “And you’re stunning,” he replied with a small smirk, gesturing for the waiter. “Shall we?” She nodded and followed him to the table, set near the edge of the rooftop where the view of the skyline shimmered

Third person POV Time had gone by, and the Morelli castle estate was once again buzzing with laughter, movement, and the smell of food wafting from the kitchen. It was always lively they all gathered like this, and even though everyone had grown busier with different countries and careers, there was something about this old place that drew them all back like moths to a flame. Julian was the first to arrive with Cassiel, holding hands with their twin boys, Jay and Miles, who dashed across the marble floor the second they entered, screaming something about winning hide and seek. Julian just shook his head and muttered under his breath, “We didn’t even say hello yet.” Cassiel chuckled, his hand resting gently on Julian’s waist. “They’ve missed this place. Let them run.” Miss Maria emerged from the kitchen like a war general, hands on her hips and a floured apron on. “Don’t you let those boys break my flower vases, Julian Morelli!” “They’re not my vases,” Julian countered with a

Third person POV Enzo stepped out of the towering glass building, shaking hands with the last executive from the deal. His suit clung lightly to his frame, the early afternoon sun warming his back. “Congratulations again, Mr. Cruz,” the assistant from the other firm called. “Appreciate it,” Enzo replied, adjusting his sunglasses with a quick nod before heading to his car. He had finally closed the long-awaited East Asia partnership. He should’ve been exhausted, but the rush of victory had him grinning. He slid into the backseat of his black SUV and glanced at his watch. “Let’s stop by the shopping district,” he told his driver. “I need to pick up something.” “For the board?” the man asked. “No. For the people I care about,” Enzo muttered, pulling out his phone and scrolling through a list of names. “Get me the best chocolate for Miss Maria, something sleek for Julian’s desk, vintage wine for Cassiel—make that two bottles—and a custom brush set for Imani.” The car slid

Third person POV The sun hung low, casting molten gold streaks across the tinted glass walls of Evosync Towers, the headquarters of Enzo Cruz’s AI gaming company. The skyline of the city buzzed with activity, but inside the building, the tempo was at a completely different rhythm — one faster, sharper, and unforgivingly precise. Enzo stood at the front of the sleek black boardroom, dressed in a crisp navy suit, his lean frame a perfect blend of calm authority and focus. Behind him, a large LED screen flashed a rotating mockup of Project Ion Realm, their latest immersive game launch expected to reshape AI-driven gameplay. His voice was calm, confident, but clipped — he hadn’t slept more than four hours in days, yet his mind worked at full throttle. “Phase four of the development will begin in two weeks. I want 3D render optimization accelerated, voice AI feedback finalized, and server infrastructure tested in sandbox by the end of this month,” he said, eyes scanning his board of

Chapter 6The Cage InsideKeaton’s POVI woke to the clang of keys and the scrape of boots. The air in the cell still stank of sweat and rust, but something in the rhythm of those footsteps made my stomach drop. This wasn’t the usual shift change.“Rhoades.”The guard’s voice was clipped, businesslike. No drawl, no smug tone, just the flat authority of someone following orders. He didn’t tell me why he was here, didn’t bother with the usual taunts. Just unlocked the door and jerked his chin.“On your feet. Transfer.”Transfer. The word landed like a punch to the gut. Transfers didn’t happen in the middle of the night unless something was wrong.I sat up slowly, eyes narrowing. “To where?”The guard didn’t answer. He stepped aside, two others flanking the door. All stone-faced, all avoiding my eyes. That silence said more than words ever could.Something in my chest twisted.I shoved my feet into my shoes and stood, shackles clinking as they fastened them around my wrists and ankles. T

Chapter 5 The Warden’s ObsessionGraves’ POVThe prison was never quiet.Even at night, when the cells were locked and the convicts forced into restless slumber, the air still buzzed. The hum of the generators, the metallic creak of pipes expanding against the cold, the occasional distant yell from a dream-ridden inmate who forgot where he was. I knew every sound of it. I had ruled this fortress long enough to read its language. The prison was my heart, my lungs and bones.And yet—tonight—its rhythm felt broken.I sat behind my desk, coat unbuttoned, collar loosened, my hands braced on the arms of my chair. The lamp to my right cast an amber glow across a stack of reports, but the words blurred together. I wasn’t reading, my eyes were narrowed, fixed on nothing, my jaw tight.I could still smell him.Keaton.The taste of sweat, the sting of pain where nails raked, the sound of breathless curses caught between moans—every scrap of it clung to my memory like a smoke scent I couldn’t wa

Chapter 4 Brutal PossessionKeaton had lost track of time.Solitary made the hours bleed into each other, no light but the slit in the door, no sound but his own ragged breathing. He hated that in the silence, the memories came back sharper in his mind. Graves’ mouth on his, the bruising kiss that had left his lips tender, the way the warden’s hands had taken without hesitation.He pressed the back of his head to the cold wall, forcing himself to shove it down, but his body betrayed him. Every shift of his hips reminded him he was hard, strung tight and angry at his own hunger. He had always known how to starve himself of weakness. But Graves…Graves had ripped past his defenses and left him shaking.The rattle of keys scraped through the quiet.Keaton’s eyes snapped up. Slow footsteps echoed before the lock clicked, and the door swung inward.Graves filled the doorway, tall and broad, the tailored black of his uniform stretching across his shoulders. His presence swallowed the air i

Chapter 3Testing BoundariesKeaton’s POVSolitary had a way of stripping a man down to the bones.No noise, no daylight, no distractions, just the hum of the fan in the vents, the sound of my own breathing, the endless echo of my thoughts.Most men broke in here. They begged to be put back into general population after two days, three at most. Me? I’d been in worse cages. The silence didn’t scare me, it just left me with too much time to think.And every damn thought circled back to him.Warden Callum Graves.Steel-blue eyes, broad shoulders, that gravelly voice that felt like it belonged in my ear while his hand shoved me against a wall.I lay on the cot, staring at the ceiling, replaying his order in my head. Strip. The way his gaze hadn’t wavered once, like he was cataloging every inch of me for future use. The way his hand had yanked me to my feet like I weighed nothing.My cock twitched at the memory, and I groaned, dragging an arm over my face. Fucking pathetic, lusting after t

Chapter 2The First EncounterKeaton’s POVThe walk to the warden’s office was quieter than I expected. No inmates leering from the cells this time, just cold corridors, steel doors, and the echo of my chains dragging across the floor. The guard’s grip on my arm was tight, like he was afraid I’d slip loose and vanish into the shadows.Not that I had anywhere to go.We stopped in front of a heavy oak door set apart from the rest of the prison’s bleak architecture. Unlike the steel everywhere else, this one looked polished and expensive. A brass nameplate gleamed above the handle.Warden Callum Graves.The guard knocked once, then opened it without waiting for a response. He shoved me inside, and the door shut behind me with a final, echoing click.The office didn’t look like it belonged in a prison. Warm wood paneling, leather furniture, floor-to-ceiling shelves stacked with files and books. A massive desk dominated the center of the room, and behind it—of course—sat Graves.He wasn’t

Chapter 1: The TransferKeaton’s POVThe first thing I learned about prison was that the air here smelled like disinfectant and sweat. Cold, sharp, like bleach trying and failing to wash out years of violence. Chains rattled somewhere down the corridor, followed by the sharp bark of a guard ordering someone to shut the fuck up.I’d seen prisons before—on TV, in movies, in the news. They always looked the same: steel bars, peeling paint, men pacing like caged dogs. But stepping into one as an inmate? That was different.The cuffs bit into my wrists as I shifted. They’d been on since the bus ride from the county, and the metal had left raw grooves across my skin. My ankles were chained too, forcing me into a stiff shuffle every time I moved. The orange jumpsuit didn’t fit right—too short in the legs, too tight across the chest.“This way, Rhoades.”The guard behind me shoved at my shoulder. I didn’t give him the satisfaction of stumbling. I lifted my chin and walked steady, letting my e