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Chapter Twenty two
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2025-05-15 08:48:44
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RECKLESS VOWS Chapter Twenty three
CHAPTER 23: THE REAL JANELyra paced the penthouse living room. Three days had passed since the almost-kiss at Ryker Tech. Three days of tension thick enough to cut with a knife.The doorbell rang. She froze.Ryker was at work. Mrs. Hargrave was out shopping. Security hadn't called up to announce a visitor.She approached the intercom panel and pressed the button. "Yes?""It's Jane. Let me up."Lyra's stomach dropped. Jane. Her so-called best friend. The creator of this whole mess."You shouldn't be here," Lyra said."Open the damn door, Lyra. We need to talk."Against her better judgment, Lyra buzzed her in. Minutes later, Jane strutted into the penthouse as she owned it.She looked different. Designer handbag, new highlights, expensive watch. Marcus Kane's influence was clear in every inch of her appearance."Nice place," Jane said, running her finger along a marble countertop. "I see why you've been ignoring my calls.""I've been busy," Lyra replied, keeping her distance.Jane drop
RECKLESS VOWS Chapter Twenty two
CHAPTER 22: BUSINESS AND PLEASURE"You're coming with me today."Ryker’s voice left no room for argument. Lyra looked up from her laptop, frowning.“Excuse me?”“Board meeting. One hour.” He stood in her doorway, sharp in his suit. “Wear something appropriate.” Before she could respond, he walked off.Lyra stared after him. After the tension between them lately, this sudden demand caught her off guard. But a part of her was curious—about his world, his company, and maybe even about him.She closed her laptop and opened her closet. Most of the clothes were new, expensive. She chose a gray pencil skirt, a matching blazer, and a soft cream blouse. Polished, professional. Like armor.Ryker waited by the elevator. His eyes ran over her as she approached.“You clean up well,” he said.“Don’t sound so surprised.” She stepped inside. “This isn’t my first corporate meeting.”“The publishing world isn’t Ryker Tech.”“Still full of egos and power plays.”When the elevator doors shut, he said, “
RECKLESS VOWS Chapter Twenty one
GLIMPSE OF TRUTHSleep proved impossible. Lyra tossed and turned for hours, replaying the events of the gala, her conversation with Ryker, and the threat Marcus presented. By three in the morning, she abandoned any pretense of rest.She slipped from her bed, pulled on a robe, and padded barefoot into the hallway. Maybe a cup of tea would settle her nerves. The penthouse was eerily quiet, moonlight streaming through the floor-to-ceiling windows, casting long shadows across marble floors.A sound stopped her halfway to the kitchen—something between a groan and a shout. She froze, listening. It came again, definitely human, definitely distressed.Following the noise, she found herself outside Ryker's study. The door stood ajar, a sliver of lamplight spilling into the hallway. She hesitated, remembering his warning about private spaces.Another sound—words this time, ungraspable but urgent.She pushed the door open.Ryker wasn't at his desk but sprawled on the leather sofa against the fa
RECKLESS VOWS Chapter Twenty
CHAPTER 20: ENEMY LINESThe limousine door slammed shut behind them with enough force to make Lyra flinch. Ryker yanked at his bow tie, tossing it onto the seat between them."So now you know," he said, his voice deceptively calm. "Kane doesn't just want my company. He wants to destroy everything I touch."Lyra kicked off her heels, the emerald bracelet heavy on her wrist. "He's been aware of who I am since the beginning, hasn't he? This wasn't news to you."Ryker's eyes met hers, sharp and calculating. "I've known Kane and Jane were on this together, from the very start when Jane approached you for the deal, after all His men have been following you.""And you didn't think to warn me?" Her hands shook with anger rather than fear. "You let me walk into that gala blind.""You weren't blind. You were protected." His jaw tightened. "By me.""Protected?" She laughed bitterly. "Is that what you call this? Using me as bait in whatever vendetta you two have?"Ryker's expression darkened. "Y
RECKLESS VOWS Chapter Nineteen
CHAPTER 19: PUBLIC FACADEHands pulled at Lyra's hair and twisted it into an elegant updo while another set of fingers applied mascara to her lashes. The stylist Ryker had hired worked in focused silence, occasionally barking orders at her assistant."Eyes up. Don't blink."Lyra obeyed, sitting still as a statue while her face was transformed. Three hours of primping for a single night of pretending. That's what her life had become—a performance."You clean up nicely," Ryker's voice came from the doorway.The stylists paused their work as he entered, tall and imposing in his custom tuxedo. Lyra caught his reflection in the mirror—the sharp lines of his jaw, the intensity of his gaze. He looked devastating."Almost finished, Mr. Blackwood," the head stylist assured him. "Just a few final touches.""Take your time, Vivian." His eyes never left Lyra's. "Perfection shouldn't be rushed."Heat crept up her neck despite her best efforts to remain unmoved. She hated how easily he affected her
RECKLESS VOWS Chapter Eighteen
CHAPTER 18: CAGED BIRD Lyra waited until she heard the front door close. Ryker had left for an early meeting, his departure marked by the soft click of the lock engaging—a sound that now felt like a prison gate closing. She counted to one hundred, then scrambled for her phone. She needed to talk to Jane. Now. Three rings, then the automated voice: "We're sorry, the number you have dialed is no longer in service." Disconnected. Lyra tried again, fingers trembling as she dialed. Same result. Her stomach twisted into knots. Had Jane run? Or had Ryker already found her? She pulled up her banking app next. The screen loaded and then flashed an error message: "Access denied." "No, no, no." Panic flooded her veins as she tried logging in again. Account locked. The money Jane had paid her…what little was left after her shopping sprees…was now beyond reach. She tried her email. Locked. Social media. Locked. Everything digital in her life had been sealed away overnight. Lyra dropped
RECKLESS VOWS Chapter Seventeen
CHAPTER 17: MIND GAMES Morning light cut through the curtains Lyra had forgotten to close. She blinked awake, shortly confused by the strange weight in her chest. Then reality crashed down. He knew. The smell of coffee drifted through the apartment. Ryker was awake. Lyra pulled herself out of bed, heart beating as she slipped into a robe. In the bathroom mirror, her reflection looked pale and haunted. She splashed cold water on her face, trying to wash away the fear. ‘Time to face the executioner.’ She found Ryker in the kitchen, leaning against the counter, reading something on his tablet. He wore black sweatpants and a crisp black T-shirt with sleeves rolled to his elbows, revealing muscular forearms. So casual. So normal. As if he hadn't shattered her world the night before. He glanced up, eyes tracking her movements like a predator. "Coffee?" "Please." Her voice sounded strange to her own ears. He poured a cup and slid it across the counter. Black, no sugar. Exactly how
RECKLESS VOWS Chapter Sixteen
CHAPTER 16: SLEEPING WITH THE ENEMY The ride back to the penthouse was silent. Lyra sat as far from Ryker as the car's backseat would allow, her body pressed against the door. She could feel his eyes on her…measuring, calculating. Waiting. "No confession?" he finally asked, his voice casual as they reached the halfway point of their journey. Lyra swallowed hard. "I don't know what you're talking about." "Still playing this game?" He sounded almost disappointed. "I thought we'd moved past pretense." "It's not a game." The lie tasted bitter. Ryker leaned forward, close enough that she could smell his cologne. "Everything is a game, Lyra. The only question is who's making the rules." Her name on his lips sent a chill down her spine. Not Jane's name. Hers. "How long have you known?" she whispered. His smile was sharp in the darkness. "Long enough." The car pulled to a stop in front of their building. Ryker exited first, then stretched out his hand to help her out. For a mome
RECKLESS VOWS Chapter Fifteen
CHAPTER 15: PREDATOR AND PREY The black dress Ryker had chosen for Lyra was nothing like what she would have picked for herself. The fabric clung to her body like a second skin, worldly-wise in its simplicity…elegant rather than provoking. A statement that she belonged to him, not on display for others. As the private elevator came down from the penthouse, Lyra fought to control her breathing. Trapped in the small space with Ryker, she could feel his eyes on her, studying her every reaction. "Nervous?" he asked, his voice casual. "Should I be?" she disagreed, proud that her voice didn't shake. His lips curved into what might have been a smile on anyone else. On him, it was a predator's check. "That depends on what you're hiding." The elevator doors opened before she could respond, saving her from having to reply. His hand found the small of her back as they walked through the lobby, the touch proprietary. Possessive. A sleek black Bentley waited at the curb, a stone-faced dr
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