Novel-novel oleh Jeane

Jace had never seen River freeze like that. He’d watched him disarm a stranger with terrifying speed. He’d seen him move through rooms like a shadow, calculating, alert, composed. But this was different.River’s shoulders were tense. His jaw was locked. And his eyes... there was something in them Jace hadn’t seen before.Fear.“What did the voice say?” Jace asked, quieter this time.River didn’t speak for a long moment. Then he slid his phone across the table. “They mentioned my unit. No one should know about them. No one.”Jace picked up the phone but found no trace of the number. “Blocked.”River nodded once. “They said I’m protecting the wrong man. That if I don’t walk away… I’ll end up like the others.”Jace blinked. “The others?”River leaned against the wall, dragging a hand through his hair. “There were five of us. My squad. Overseas. We were sent into a mission that wasn’t cleared. We were told it was surveillance, but it wasn’t. Two of them died that night, one lost a leg. Th

Morning came slowly. The sun peeked through the blackout curtains, but neither of them moved. Jace lay perfectly still, staring at the ceiling. River was already awake. He hadn’t slept much. His body was still trained to listen, for movement, for danger, for the sound of something off.He didn’t know what was more uncomfortable, sharing a bed with a man he was supposed to be faking a relationship with… or the fact that he hadn’t minded as much as he should have.Jace didn’t snore. He didn’t toss or turn. He slept like someone who’d trained himself not to take up space. Controlled even in sleep. That bothered River more than it should’ve.At exactly 6:00 a.m., Jace got up, went straight into his closet, and returned already dressed in a black button-down and fitted slacks like it was a uniform. In a way, it was.“Sleep well?” Jace asked casually.River shrugged. “You breathe too quietly.”Jace gave him a look. “That’s the complaint?”“I like knowing the person next to me is alive.”Jac

Jace didn’t look away.River’s words settled in the space between them like an unspoken history, sharp and heavy. The restaurant noise faded around them. Jace had never been good at reading people, but even he could tell River hadn’t just said that to sound dramatic. He meant it.“Then why are you still here?” Jace asked softly.River sat back, the candlelight catching the faint scar on his jaw. “Because someone’s trying to hurt you. And I want to know why.”Jace studied him. There was no false charm, no empty flattery. River was too real, too blunt and maybe that was why the world already believed the lie. It was easier to think Jace Maddox had fallen for a man like River Hale than to believe he could ever be truly alone.Their plates sat untouched.Outside, the photo ops had already been taken, Jace walking in with River’s hand on his lower back, a brief glance exchanged as they entered the private dining room. Sasha had probably already approved the captions.Jace reached for his g

River didn’t wait for Jace’s reaction. He turned, walked out of the room, and closed the door behind him.Jace stood there in silence. He wasn’t used to being spoken to like that. People didn’t talk back, not in his world. Not unless they were trying to impress him or destroy him.River didn’t seem interested in either.Sasha walked in a few minutes later, holding her phone and a tablet at once. She looked exhausted and thrilled at the same time.“You two are trending again. And I mean everywhere. Twitter, TikTok, the news. The world thinks you’re in love.”“I don’t like lying,” Jace said.“Too late. You’re already in it. And honestly? It’s working. Investors are backing off. Crane’s been quiet all day. You’re not just a CEO now, Jace. You’re the mysterious, emotionally unavailable tech genius who fell for his bodyguard. People are obsessed.”Jace rubbed his temple. “This is ridiculous.”“No, this is genius. We keep the story tight. No interviews yet. Just appearances, one dinner, one

“Don’t move.”Jace Maddox froze when he heard the voice behind him. His hand hovered over the espresso machine. It was just past four in the morning, his usual hour for coffee. But the night had been ruined, and so had his routine.He turned slowly, eyes meeting the masked man standing in his kitchen. The intruder was tall, dressed in black, holding a knife like he knew how to use it. Jace stayed calm. He always did.“I don’t keep money here,” he said. “And I don’t panic. So whatever you want, say it now.”The man didn’t answer. He stepped forward, blade raised.But before the knife could reach Jace, someone slammed into the attacker from the side. The man was pinned down with brutal force. The knife clattered to the marble floor. Grunts filled the room as the two men struggled, but it ended quickly.The masked man didn’t get back up.Jace stood frozen for a second before the other man rose to his feet, breathing heavily.He was taller than Jace. Strong. Sharp hazel-green eyes locked