Baited By My Cruel Stepbrother

Elara Voss froze in the doorway of her parents' luxurious Beverly Hills bedroom, her bare feet rooted to the cool marble floor. The coppery stench of blood hit her first, thick and nauseating, before her eyes could fully process the horror. Her mother lay sprawled across the king sized bed, designer silk robe soaked crimson, while her father slumped against the headboard with a single neat hole in his forehead. Dark figures in black moved like shadows near the open safe, their gloved hands rifling through documents. A scream built in Elara's throat but never made it out.Strong fingers dug into her arm, yanking her backward so hard she nearly stumbled. Jax Rivera's voice was a harsh whisper against her ear. "Move, princess. Now." His body pressed against her back, solid and tense, shoving her down the hallway before she could even think. Gunshots cracked behind them, splintering the expensive woodwork. Elara's heart slammed against her ribs as they bolted down the grand staircase, bar

The sun beat down mercilessly on the manicured lawns of the Beverly Hills cemetery, turning the black dresses and suits into ovens. Elara Voss stood beside the twin caskets, her legs threatening to give out beneath her. The air smelled of fresh flowers and expensive perfume, but underneath it all lingered the faint metallic memory of blood that refused to leave her nose. Hundreds of people had shown up, their curious eyes hidden behind designer sunglasses. Whispers rippled through the crowd like poison in water. "Such a tragedy." "The Voss empire might not survive this." "I heard it was a professional hit." Elara gripped the edge of the wooden podium until her knuckles turned white. Jax stood right beside her, a solid wall of muscle in a tailored black suit that stretched across his broad shoulders. His dark wavy hair was combed back, but a few rebellious strands fell across his forehead. He looked every bit the grieving son, except for the way his hazel eyes kept scanning the cro

The stolen Honda rattled down the Pacific Coast Highway as the sun dipped low, painting the ocean in streaks of fiery orange and deep purple. Elara gripped the door handle, her stomach twisting with every curve in the road. They had left the motel before dawn, Jax insisting they couldn’t stay in one place longer than a night. The black envelope and that invasive photo still sat heavy in her purse like a live grenade.Jax drove with one hand on the wheel, the other resting too close to her thigh. His jaw was set in that stubborn line she knew too well. "We need somewhere off the grid," he said, voice low. "I know a place in Malibu. Old friend owes me.""Friend?" Elara shot back. "Or one of your shady contacts you refuse to explain?" She watched his knuckles whiten on the steering wheel, the fresh cuts from last night still raw. He hadn’t given her a single real answer about where he had gone or who had called him.The tension between them had only grown thicker since the motel. Every a

The salty breeze off Malibu whipped Elara’s blonde hair across her face as she slipped away from the safe house under the cover of early evening. Jax had gone out again, muttering something about supplies, leaving her with strict orders to stay inside. But she couldn’t keep sitting around waiting for answers that never came. She needed real help.Kai Nakamura waited for her on the secluded stretch of beach they used to sneak off to during high school. He stood near the rocks, hands in his pockets, looking the same as always. Lean, sharp-eyed, with that quiet intensity that once made her feel seen."You came," he said, voice soft with relief. "I wasn’t sure after everything."Elara hugged herself against the chill. "I need your hacking skills. The police aren’t helping, and Jax..." She trailed off, not wanting to explain the complicated mess her stepbrother had become. "There are things about my parents’ company I need to see. Port records. Secret deals. Anything."Kai nodded, pulling

Detective Lena Torres stood in the doorway of the Malibu safe house like she owned the storm raging outside. Rain dripped from her dark hair onto her LAPD jacket as her sharp eyes swept over the boarded window and the two of them. Elara’s lips still tingled from Jax’s kiss. Her shirt was twisted, hair wild. There was no hiding what they had almost done."Jax Rivera," Torres said, voice clipped. "We need to talk about where you were the night your parents were killed."Jax positioned himself in front of Elara, gun hidden but hand ready. "We already gave statements. This isn’t a good time."Torres didn’t blink. "It’s never a good time when people are dying." Her gaze flicked to Elara, softening just a fraction. "You okay, kid? You look like you’ve been through hell."Elara nodded, throat tight. She could still feel Jax’s hands on her body, his mouth claiming hers. The detective’s timing couldn’t have been worse. Or maybe it had saved them from making a mistake they couldn’t take back.T