LOGINThe room was cold and isolated. It was a forgotten storage unit on the outskirts of the city, the concrete walls stained. A single bare bulb swung overhead, casting harsh shadows in the room.Harper's head throbbed as she regained consciousness. Her wrists were bound tightly behind her back with zip ties, her ankles secured to the legs of a metal chair. She blinked slowly, her vision clearing.Nolan sat on the floor a few feet away, his back against the wall, his knees drawn up. He looked wretched, his hair dishevelled. His eyes were red-rimmed and hollow. The gun rested loosely in his lap, but his fingers kept flexing around it as though he couldn't decide whether to use it or drop it.He noticed her stirring and lifted his head. For a moment, an expression that looked a lot like regret flashed across his face."You're awake," he said softly.Harper tested the restraints, her heart pounding, but she kept her voice steady."Nolan... what are you doing?"He let out a shaky laugh
Harper's breath caught as she stared at Nolan, who stood a few feet away, dressed entirely in black, his grey-blonde hair standing out. His usual cocky dimpled smile was gone. In its place was something colder. He looked... suspicious."Nolan?" she said, her voice wary. "What are you doing here?"Two of her bodyguards immediately came closer, positioning themselves between her and her stepbrother. One of them subtly reached towards the concealed holster under his jacket.Nolan raised both hands slowly, palms out, but his eyes never left Harper."Easy," he said softly. "Dad wants to see you. It's important. Family matter."Harper's grip tightened on her phone. Malakai was still on the line, she could hear his breathing shift on the other end."It's Nolan," she said into the phone, loud enough for Kai to hear. "He says Dad wants to see me."On the other end, Malakai's voice thickened."Harper, do not go with him. Tell your guards to escort you straight to the car. I'm sending som
Harper sat frozen long after the kiss ended abruptly. Her lips tingled from Tyson's sudden kiss, and her heart was pounding so hard she could hear it in her ears.For a second, neither of them moved. Then Harper pulled back, placing a firm hand on his chest to create distance. Her voice came out steady, but there was steel underneath."Tyson... no."Tyson blinked, breathing hard, his face flushed. He looked dazed for a moment, then his expression turned defensive."Harper, wait—" he started, his voice hoarse. "I know you feel it too. You know how much I like you. How much I care about you. I've been here for you through everything—Reyes, Malakai, all of it. I'm not just some colleague. You have to know that."Harper's eyes narrowed slightly. She didn't raise her voice, but her tone was calm and uncompromising."I do know you care," she said. "And I'm grateful for that. But this—" she gestured between them, "—can't happen. I'm with Malakai. We're working on things. I'm not goin
The next morning, in the backseat of the car, Harper and Malakai sat close together, their fingers intertwined on the leather seat between them. The driver kept his eyes politely forward. Harper turned her head slightly, meeting Malakai's tender gaze. "You really didn't have to follow me all the way to work just to say goodbye and drop me off," she told him, blushing. Malakai lifted their joined hands and pressed a kiss to her knuckles, his thumb stroking gently over her skin. "I wanted to," he said. "I want to spend as much time as possible with you. Every minute I can get." Harper's heart fluttered. "You're going to spoil me," she whispered. His smile deepened, a hint of that familiar mischievous spark returning to his eyes. "It's all your fault," he whispered, leaning in to capture her lips in a slow, tender kiss. "You're too irresistible. How am I supposed to let you go?" Harper giggled softly against his mouth. When they parted, she tilted her head and whispere
The bedroom was dimly lit by a single lamp on the nightstand, casting a warm, golden glow over the sheets. Harper lay in the centre of the bed, propped against the pillows, wearing nothing but one of Malakai's oversized button-down shirts. The sleeves were too long, the hem nearly reaching her knees. Her cheeks were flushed, her fingers twisting nervously in the fabric as she waited. The bathroom door creaked open. Malakai stepped out, limping slightly, a white towel tied low around his waist. Water still clung to his skin, sliding down the defined lines of his chest and abs. His hair was damp and tousled, the long strands falling over his forehead and cheekbones. The rosemary necklace rested against his collarbone, catching the light with every uneven step. Harper's gaze darted up to meet his. For a moment, the air felt thick and awkward, charged with everything they hadn't quite said yet. She shifted slightly on the bed, pulling the hem of the shirt down self-consciously.
Harper was constantly anxious. The fact that Aiden had been taken made her worry that the same thing could happen to her anytime. Worse, his captor wasn’t Reyes, as she had thought. But it was Eric Snow. He wanted Maddison out of jail in exchange for Aiden's release.But the problem was that Maddison was too unstable. If she was released at this point, Harper couldn't help but worry what that woman would do.But Kai cared too much about his brother to let him rot. The exchange was supposed to happen today. Harper felt suffocated even as she went through her routine at the care center. She didn't have anyone she could talk to about what was going on in her mind."You know, you have a very strange look on your face. It's making me worried," Tyson said to her during their break.She kept checking her phone for a new message from Malakai. But there was none.Tyson sighed."I reached out for help on your behalf," he said, and she perked up."What did he say?""He's digging into Re







