Novels by Victoria Lane

Valeriana felt the blood drain from her face. Silas Vane stood in the center of the room, looking like a king who had come to reclaim a stolen prize. His eyes didn't even look at the expensive furniture or the view. They were fixed on Valeriana with a look of pure hatred."Get out of my way, Logan," Silas commanded. His voice was like grinding stones.Logan didn't move. He stood his ground, his feet planted firmly between his grandfather and the hallway where Jamie was sleeping. "You weren't invited, Silas. This is my home, not your boardroom."Silas let out a dry, mean laugh. "Your home? Everything in this building, including the air you breathe, belongs to me. I heard a rumor that you were hiding a little stray you found in the gutter. I didn't believe you could be that stupid.""She is the mother of my son," Logan said. He spoke the words clearly, each one hitting the air like a hammer.The room went silent. Even the guards behind Silas looked at each other with wide eyes. Silas na

Valeriana felt her heart drop into her stomach. Rebecca stood by her flashy car, looking like she had just stepped off a movie screen. Her expensive jewelry caught the light of the streetlamp, but her eyes were as sharp as broken glass."Logan," Rebecca said, her voice smooth but dangerous. "You stopped answering my calls. I see you were busy playing house in the slums."Logan didn't flinch. He stepped in front of Valeriana, hiding her and Jamie from Rebecca’s prying eyes. "Go home, Rebecca. This doesn't involve you.""Oh, it involves me plenty," she laughed, stepping closer. She pointed a perfectly manicured finger at the bundle in Valeriana’s arms. "Is that the little secret? He looks just like you, Logan. If Silas sees that face, he’ll have a heart attack. Or maybe he’ll just take the boy and throw this girl in jail for kidnapping an heir."Valeriana’s grip on Jamie tightened. "He’s my son," she said, her voice shaking with rage. "He’s not a secret to be used in your games."Rebecc

The heavy knock on the door sounded like a death sentence. Valeriana pulled Jamie closer, her heart jumping in her chest. Silas Vane’s men were right outside. If they walked in and saw the boy, her life as she knew it was over. Silas didn't just take what he wanted; he crushed anything that stood in his way.Logan moved like a blur. He grabbed his phone and typed something fast. Then, he looked at Valeriana with eyes that were suddenly sharp and focused."Go to the back bedroom," he ordered. His voice was low but held a power that made her feet move before she could even think to argue. "Take the boy. Lock the door and don't make a sound.""Logan, they'll find him," she breathed, her eyes darting to the thin wooden door."I won't let them. Trust me, Val. Just this once."She didn't have time to ask why. She hurried into the small room where she and Jamie slept. She climbed onto the bed, pulling Jamie into her lap and covering his mouth gently with her hand. The boy was warm with fever

Valeriana felt the world stop. The air in her lungs turned to stone as she looked from Logan’s shocked face to the small window above. Jamie was still there, pressing his nose against the glass, his tiny hand palm-flat against the pane. From this distance, the resemblance was like looking into a mirror that traveled back in time."Valeriana," Logan repeated, his voice cracking like dry wood. He took a step toward her, his eyes wide and burning with a look she couldn't name. "Who is that boy?"She grabbed the strap of her bag so hard it cut into her palm. Panic was a fire in her blood, telling her to run, but her legs wouldn't move. She had to protect Jamie. That was the only thing that mattered."He’s my son," she said. Her voice was thin, but she forced it to stay steady. "He’s mine, Logan. Now leave us alone."Logan didn't back away. Instead, he moved faster, closing the gap between them until he was looming over her. He looked up at the window again, his jaw tight. "He has my eyes.

The mop felt like a lead weight in Valeriana’s hands. Her back ached, and her fingers were raw from the harsh cleaning chemicals, but she didn't stop. She couldn't.Every swipe of the floor was a few more cents toward Jamie’s medicine.She looked at the clock on the wall of the executive lobby. 11:45 PM. If she moved fast, she could finish the top floor and get home before Jamie woke up crying for her. She pulled her hoodie lower, hiding her face. She hated being back in this building. Vane Industries felt like a giant, glass cage, a place built on greed and cold hearts.The elevator dings; Val froze.Nobody was supposed to be on the sixty-second floor this late. The "big bosses" usually left by seven to go to their fancy parties. She tucked herself into a dark corner behind a large potted plant, holding her breath.Heavy footsteps echoed on the marble floor. Thud. Thud. Thud. A man walked into the light. He was tall, wearing a suit that probably cost more than Val’s entire life. Even