LOGINFernando’s POVI was beyond furious.I paced across the hotel lobby like a caged animal, my shoes striking the marble floor hard enough that several people kept glancing in my direction before quickly looking away.The entire hotel was in chaos. Guests were crowding around the reception area, security personnel were rushing back and forth, and employees were speaking frantically into radios.Police officers had started arriving, paramedics moved through the building checking for injuries and through all of it, one thought kept repeating inside my head.Marlo, that bastard. Whether he had sent the bomb or not, everything had started because of him.I clenched my jaw then oe of my surviving guards approached carefully."Sir—""What?"He visibly hesitated."The police are asking questions" he replied. "Then answer them.""Sir—""I said answer them."The guard immediately nodded and retreated.I ran a hand through my hair and the smell of smoke still lingered in the air as the explosion
Michael’s POVThe moment I had stepped into Fernando’s suite, I immediately regretted it, not just because of Fernando or because of the tension already sitting in the air like a loaded weapon.But because Carlos was there, now leaning casually against the counter like he belonged in the space, like he hadn’t already caused enough problems.For half a second, when Fernando turned around probably to think, my brain did something I didn’t approve of. It tried to connect dots between Carlos, Fernando and their night together but I immediately shut that thought down.That was not my business and I refused to make it my problem.Carlos turned his head slowly towards me, his eyes scanning me like he was assessing competition.I hated that immediately.“You probably could have said all this on the phone though,” he said lightly.I ignored him but Fernando, however, did not.“Leave,” he said without even looking at him.Carlos blinked.“Excuse me?”Fernando finally turned toward him.“I said
Fernando’s POVMorning light in the suite didn’t feel like peace, like everything I had tried to control the night before had left traces in the room and the lingering presence of Carlos, who had clearly decided that my living room was his bedroom.I stood for a moment near the hallway, staring at him. He was sprawled across the couch like he owned it.For a second, I just watched him then I exhaled slowly.Carlos had somehow managed to make everything worse just by existing in the same space.I walked closer to the couch, stopped right in front of him then nudged his shoulder with my foot.“Wake up" I commanded. Carlos didn’t move and I nudged him harder.“Carlos" I called out to him but he groaned softly, shifting slightly.My patience snapped instantly but I grabbed his arm and pulled him upright.“Get up" I thundered. Carlos startled awake immediately.“What the—Fernando?” He blinked rapidly, trying to adjust but I was already done.“Leave" I said, the word landed heavily.Carlo
Michael's POVFor several seconds after seeing Marlo, I couldn't move.My pulse hammered against my ribs as I stared at the man who had nearly destroyed so many lives.Every memory of what he had done came rushing back at once and now he was standing in front of me smiling as though none of it mattered.As though prison had been nothing more than a minor inconvenience.I immediately took a step backward then another. My first thought wasn't myself, it was Henry.Every protective instinct inside me came alive and I turned slightly, ready to head straight back inside to get to Henry but before I could take another step, two large men appeared behind me, blocking the path.I immediately tensed. The old instincts I had developed years ago surfaced without effort.I slowly looked back toward Marlo and my voice came out cold."Move" I ordered. Marlo laughed."I haven't even said hello properly" he said."I don't care."He smiled and that made me hate him even more.My jaw tightened."Stay
Michael's POVI opened the door and stepped into the hallway. A few minutes later, I exited the hospital through the main entrance.The evening air was cool, the parking lot was illuminated by rows of streetlights, cars came and went and doctors and nurses moved between shifts.Everything looked normal.My eyes immediately found the familiar car and beside it stood the guard.It was the same tall, broad-shouldered, expressionless man who had been following me around for days.The moment he saw me approaching, he straightened slightly but I stopped a few feet away."You're leaving" I said coldly. The guard blinked then calmly replied."I'm sorry, but I can't" he replied. I stared."I'm sorry?""I said no" he said firmly. My eye twitched. This conversation was already going badly.I folded my arms."Fernando didn't tell you to stop following me?" I asked."No.""Then I'm telling you.""I still cannot do that" he said.I stared and the guard stared back. For a moment neither of us mov
Michael's POVFor a long moment after Fernando left the hospital, I simply stood there in the hallway. My mind was exhausted and everything felt complicated.I felt like I was carrying the weight of ten different lives on my shoulders. Eventually, I let out a slow breath and started walking back toward Theo's room.I needed to stop thinking about Fernando, at least for a little while.Every time I thought I understood what I wanted, Fernando would appear and ruin everything again. The man had somehow mastered the art of causing emotional damage simply by existing.I pushed the door open quietly to see Theo awake. The soft light from the hospital lamp illuminated part of his face.He looked exhausted, his skin was pale, bandages were visible beneath the hospital blanket and the bruises and cuts across his body made my stomach tighten.Seeing him like this reminded me how close I had come to losing him. The thought alone terrified me.Theo looked up and smiled when he saw me."There you
Ashley’s POV The steady hum of the ceiling fan above me did little to drown out the gnawing ache in my chest. Another day gone, another restless night ahead. I sat on the edge of my couch, my phone resting on my lap, its screen black but heavy with unsent messages. Messages I had drafted a hund
Michael’s POV I didn’t want to leave the mansion.Not tonight. Not with everything happening. Not with Fernando lying unconscious in the safe room and Marlo looking like he was one bad mood away from snapping someone's neck. But Damian had shown up, unannounced, loud as hell, and desperate for my
Andrew's POVI jerked awake with a violent shudder, my head spinning in circles. For a split second, I thought I had died, and the world that greeted me looked like some twisted version of reality. Everything around me was a mess of twisted metal, cracked glass, and the smell of gasoline clinging
Ashley's POVI could feel my pulse beating against my ears as the hum of the fluorescent office lights above flickered slightly. I sat at my desk, the cool blue glow of my dual monitors reflecting off my eyes, trying to focus on the endless backlog of reports needing my attention. Not when Andrew







