By the next morning, Leighton had made a silent decision: she wasn’t going to break another rule.Not because she feared the brothers’ consequences — though she did — but because part of her wanted to see what happened when she followed them exactly.When Kai appeared at her door at 8 a.m., she was already dressed.“Downstairs,” he said.She moved without hesitation.The dining room was quieter than usual, only Rhett at the head of the table. Adrian wasn’t there, which made the air feel tighter somehow.“Sit,” Rhett said, not looking up from the folder in front of him.She sat.Kai took his place beside her, sliding a mug of coffee toward her. She murmured a thank you, and caught the faintest twitch at the corner of his mouth — not quite a smile, but close.When Rhett finally closed the folder, his eyes met hers. “You’re learning.”She kept her gaze steady. “Yes.”“Then today,” he said, “we’ll see if you can anticipate us.”Her brows drew together. “Anticipate?”Kai answered for him.
Leighton had every intention of following their rules.At least for the first week.She told herself it wasn’t because she was afraid — just that it was easier. Keep her head down, do what they asked, and maybe the strange electricity between her and the brothers would fade into the background.It lasted exactly two days.It began in the library. She’d found it empty that afternoon, the double doors standing open, the scent of old paper and polished wood filling the air. The room stretched upward for two full stories, a wall of glass looking out over the gardens.She’d been scanning the shelves for something to read when she heard footsteps in the hall.“Leighton.”Rhett’s voice. She froze for a second, then stepped out from between the shelves. He was in the doorway, phone in one hand, expression unreadable.“Come with me.”She hesitated. “I’m in the middle of—”His eyes sharpened instantly. “What was rule one?”Her stomach dropped. “Do what you tell me, immediately.”“Correct. And y
The morning light poured into her room in long golden slants, but Leighton had been awake long before the sun came up. Sleep had been impossible. Every time she closed her eyes, she saw Rhett’s measured stare, Adrian’s smile-that-wasn’t, Kai’s unreadable gaze. The three of them crowding her in that room, their words threading into her head until they felt heavier than her own thoughts.When the knock came, it was quiet but decisive. Three taps, evenly spaced.“Come in,” she called, her voice rough from lack of rest.Kai opened the door. No greeting, no explanation — just his tall frame filling the doorway, dark t-shirt clinging to him like a second skin. “Downstairs. Now.”She blinked. “Is something wrong?”His gaze lingered on her for a moment before he answered. “Breakfast. And the start of your day.”The way he said start of your day made her stomach tighten.She pulled on a simple sweater and leggings, brushed her hair into some semblance of order, and followed him down the grand
The knock came just after nine.Three sharp raps — not a question, but a statement.Leighton sat on the edge of her bed, still in the robe she’d pulled on after her shower. The steam from the bathroom had barely faded, her hair damp against her neck.She opened the door to find Rhett standing there, black shirt, sleeves rolled, every inch of him deliberate.“Come with me,” he said.She hesitated. “What for?”“Family matters.” The way he said it left no doubt it wasn’t about bills or holiday plans.The hallway felt longer tonight, shadows stretching under the soft recessed lights. Rhett didn’t speak until they reached a door she hadn’t been through before. He opened it and stood aside.The room was darker than the others in the house, lit by a single low lamp in the corner. A massive desk dominated one wall, but the rest was open space. Adrian was leaning against the desk, sleeves pushed up, hair slightly mussed. Kai sat in a leather chair near the window, one ankle hooked over his kne
The car rolled through the wrought-iron gates as if it had been swallowed whole. The Vale estate wasn’t just large — it was sprawling, a maze of gardens and stone pathways, fountains lit from beneath so the water shimmered in pale gold. Leighton pressed her palm against the leather seat, trying to steady herself.Her mother had remarried quickly — shockingly quickly — to a man who owned more properties than she could list. That man was away on business, so tonight was to be her first meeting with his sons. Her new stepbrothers.The driver pulled up to the front steps. They looked like something from a movie — white stone, wide, immaculate. She stepped out, the cool night air brushing her cheeks, and the scent of something expensive and faintly floral lingering in the breeze.The door opened before she could reach it.He was there.Tall, broad-shouldered, in a charcoal suit that looked like it had been cut for him and him alone. Rhett Vale. She’d seen his photo online when curiosity go
Arden didn’t knock anymore.She stepped into the Devils’ penthouse at exactly five o’clock, the weight of the silver ring on her wrist a constant reminder of the contract she’d signed. She expected to find them in the usual places — Dorian in his study, Maddox in the gym, Elio sprawled across the lounge chairs like the room existed for him alone.Instead, they were waiting. All three.They stood in the center of the living room, the furniture cleared to the edges as if the space had been prepared for something specific. The curtains were drawn against the city, the lighting low enough to blur the corners.Dorian stepped forward first. “Close the door.”She obeyed.“Come here.”The tone left no room for delay. She crossed the room, her heartbeat quickening with each step.Maddox’s eyes followed her, slow and deliberate. Elio leaned lazily against the arm of the sofa, but his stillness was deceptive — he was watching everything.When she stopped in front of Dorian, he held her gaze for