ログインTHE TASTE OF YOU 2~MAYA'S POV~"Silas, you're shaking."My voice was small in the dark, quiet cabin. The fire crackled low, just embers now. Outside, the wind pushed snow against the windowpanes. He hadn't stopped trembling since we had climbed under the blankets—a fine, persistent tremor running through his arms, his chest, the leg pressed tight against mine.He didn't answer, he just stared at the ceiling, his breathing was too slow. I turned, pressed my palm flat against his sternum. His skin was warm, wet. The muscle beneath was tough, locked. "You're shaking," I said again."I'm fine.""You're not."He swallowed, the sound was thick. "It's just... adrenaline. It will pass.""It's fear," I whispered.His eyes flicked to me, hard and defensive. "I don't get scared.""You do." I kept my hand there, feeling the feverish beat of his heart through my palm. "You're scared because you almost lost me. You're scared because he touched me. You're scared because right now, you're clean,
THE TASTE OF YOUMAYA'S POVThe helicopter blades were deafening. We lifted off the compound roof. Below us, fires burned. Bodies scattered. Smoke rising into the Moscow night.I sat between Silas and Liam, neither spoke. The tension was suffocating.Russo sat across from us, his face covered in blood. He looked at Silas. "The team secured the perimeter. We lost three men.""Get their families taken care of," Silas said. "Whatever they need. No limits.""Yes, boss.""The device?" Silas asked."Signal's strong," Russo said. "The team is accessing Volkov's servers now. We should have the company transfer reversed within forty-eight hours.""Good."We flew in silence. I stared out the window and watched Moscow disappear behind us.My hands were shaking. I couldn't stop them.Silas noticed, he grabbed my hand and held it tight."You're safe," he said, his voice rough. "You're with me. You're safe." I nodded. I couldn't speak, fifteen minutes later, we touched down in a field in the middl
ANY LAST WORD~MAYA'S POV~We ran through the hallway. There was Smoke everywhere and bodies on the ground. I tried not to look. Silas moved like a wolf, he was rifle up, eyes scanning.He was too professional for his age, like he has been doing this all his life and running King Enterprise was just a side hustle. A guard stumbled out of a side room, he was confused, coughing from the smoke. Silas grabbed him by the vest and slammed him against the wall and then held a gun to his throat."Where's Volkov's office?" Silas demanded.The guard said something in Russian, being Rebellious. Silas pressed the rifle harder. "English now, or I pull the trigger.""Third floor," the guard choked out. "East wing. Corner office.""Security?""Biometric lock. You will never..." Silas smashed the rifle butt into his head, and the guard collapsed."Come on," Silas said, grabbing my hand again.We ran up the stairs and jumped over garbage, more guards appeared and Silas fired. I kept my eyes forward.
SAVED~MAYA'S POV~I sat on the bed, staring at the locked door, waiting.For what? I didn't know.For them to come back, for Volkov to make good on his threats, for Silas to somehow break through those doors.For this nightmare to end.The clock on the wall said it had been two hours since they'd dragged Silas away, two hours of silence, two hours of my imagination running wild with what they might be doing to him.I stood, paced, and tried the door again.It was still locked.I tried the balcony doors, still locked. I was trapped. A bird in a gilded cage, wearing a dress I didn't choose in a room I didn't want, waiting for a monster to decide my fate.I heard footsteps in the hallway. I stepped back from the door, my heart pounding.Keys jingled and the lock turned, the door opened. Volkov stood there. He was alone, with no guards, just him."Maya," he said and smiled. "I hope you are comfortable.""Where's Silas?" I demanded."Your lover is being entertained," Volkov said, stepping
A FRIEND OR FOE~SILAS'S POV~They threw me into the cell hard enough that I hit the concrete wall, pain exploded through my shoulder, but I didn't care.The door slammed shut and locked."Well," a voice said from the darkness. "This is unexpected."I turned. Liam sat against the far wall, face bruised, lip split, one eye swollen shut."You look like hell," I said."You should see the other guys," he muttered, then winced. "Actually, don't. They're probably the ones who just threw you in here."I stood, tested the door, and it was solid steel, no give."How did a nobody like you get involved with someone like Volkov?" I asked.Liam laughed, bitterly. "Maya was in trouble because of you."I said nothing, because it was true."If you're here," Liam continued, "then that means your plan to save her failed. And she had so much faith in you." He shook his head. "Poor Maya. Bet she's regretting her choices right about now.""Shut up," I said."Do you even know what Volkov's going to do to h
CAPTURED~MAYA'S POV~The guard knocked on the door. "Mr. Volkov requests your presence for dinner.""I'm not hungry," I said from where I sat on the bed."It was not a request, Miss Vance."I stood slowly, still wearing the red dress, still feeling exposed.The guard led me through the compound's long hallways, marble floors, and expensive artwork on the walls, everything cold and new.Where was Liam? Were they keeping him in a cell somewhere? Was he even still alive?I shouldn't care. He had taken Volkov's money and helped them. But the Liam I knew had been sweet. Naive. He probably thought he was just doing a tech job.I hoped he got out of here alive.The guard stopped at huge double doors and pushed them open.The dining hall was enormous with a crystal chandelier, a long table set for royalty. Maids and chefs stood in a line along the wall, backs straight, eyes down.They all looked terrified.Volkov sat at the head of the table, he smiled when he saw me. "Maya. You came.""I di







