LOGINNathaniel's POVI was barely three blocks away, still feeling the lingering warmth of Ariana’s arms around my neck, when my phone vibrated loudly. It was the lead security detail Gurner had placed on Maya’s street."Report," I said, my voice already tightening."Sir, we have an incident. A man approached Miss Ariana outside the building. He was aggressive. He had his hands on her throat. We intervened, but he fled into the alleys. Two men are in pursuit."The world seemed to stop for a second. The air in the car turned freezing. "Is she hurt?" I growled, my hand gripping the leather armrest so hard the stitching groaned."She’s shaken, sir. She’s retreated inside the apartment. We have a man at her door now.""Turn the car around," I snapped at the driver. "Now!"My driver didn't hesitate. He swung the heavy SUV into a violent u-turn, tires screeching as he navigated the narrow Astoria street with perfect ease. I made a mental note to give the man a substantial raise. He was faithful,
Ariana's POVIt felt like I was walking toward my own execution. My heart thumped frantically against my ribs, making me lightheaded. I kept telling myself to be brave, but with every step I took toward the shadows of that rusted street lamp, the air seemed to get thinner.He’s not going to hurt me, I tried to convince myself. Not in the middle of a street in Astoria. But I knew my father. I knew the man who had raised me, and I knew that logic didn't always apply to him when he was on a rave. The closer I got, the more my throat closed up, but I steeled my resolve. I wouldn't let him see me tremble. Not this time.I stopped several feet away at a safe distance, though it didn't feel safe enough. We stood there, the orange glow of the street light casting faint distorted shadows on the pavement between us. It was still daytime but the sun would go down soon. "Dad," I said, my voice flat and devoid of emotion.He looked at me, his eyes hooded and dark. A slow, mocking smile spread acr
Ariana's POVI stretched my arms over my head, feeling the satisfying ache in my muscles. I had put in ten hours of work already, my fingers flying across the keys as I processed the data for my remote contract. It was a nice burn, the kind that made me feel like I was accomplishing something on my own terms. The apartment was blissfully quiet since Maya had gone back to work for one of her twice-a-week office days, leaving me with nothing but my thoughts.I instinctively rubbed my stomach, a habit I had developed over the last few weeks. "Baby, you are eating so much," I whispered.I was constantly hungry these days. It felt like my body was a furnace, burning through everything I put into it. Since I had decided to stay with Maya for the time being because it felt safer and more grounded than moving again, I had used a small portion of my signing bonus to make the place more comfortable. I’d ordered some ergonomic furnishings for our workspace and a few high-end outfits for Maya to
Third person POV He had been watching that house for days but the neighborhood was starting to itch. A couple of poke-nosers who couldn't mind their own damn business had already approached him with suspicious looks and questions. He had blown them off with a cool, practiced ease, but he wasn’t a fool. He knew the windows of opportunity were closing. Security was tightening, and he could feel the invisible eyes of whatever goons were sniffing around.It was Sunday evening, and he had been trailing the Donovan girl. She was a busybody herself, flitting from place to place, but today she had spent the better part of the afternoon with an uptight, clean-looking man. A white collar worker, by the look of his expensive shoes and the way he carried himself. They were currently at a dimly lit bar, and by the way the drinks were flowing, they were well on their way to being completely shit-faced.Arthur watched from a corner booth, his mind whirring. He needed to get her alone. He pulled a c
Nathaniel's POVI strode into the lobby of Coop Enterprises with long, purposeful steps. The polished marble floor reflected the high ceilings, but all I could see was today's outcome. It filled me with a sense of wicked joy to know that my father was about to be put in his place. He didn't even know what was coming. I was tempted to laugh out loud, but I caught myself just in time. Walking through my own lobby laughing like a villain wouldn't be a good look for the image I needed to project today.I needed my serious, A-grade persona. I needed to look like the man who couldn't be shaken.Lily met me near the elevators, her tablet already in hand. "Good morning, Mr. Coop. How are you today?""Morning, Lily," I said, feeling the adrenaline burn in my veins. "I’m good. How are you?"She smiled pleasantly. "I’m great. You look like you slept really well."I tried hard not to grin like an idiot. If only she knew that a few minutes of talking to Ariana had done more for my soul than a week
Nathaniel's POVFor the first time since the rescue, everything seemed alright with the world. Seeing Ariana, touching her, and knowing that she wasn't just safe but willing to let me back in, it was the ultimate motivation. I felt like a man who had finally found the ground beneath his feet after months at sea."To the office," I told the driver. Then, I pulled out my phone and messaged Gurner.Nathaniel: Status update on the acquisition?Gurner’s reply was almost instantaneous—a single, mischievous smirking emoji. I didn't want to worry about what he meant by that response, but with Gurner, results were the only thing that mattered.When we pulled into the parking lot of Coop Enterprises, I didn't wait for the driver to open the door. I stepped out and began a brisk walk toward the glass-and-steel lobby. Normally, I breezed through the halls like a god, barely noticing the faces of the people who kept things running. Today, I found myself noting them. The receptionists, the security
Nathaniel's POV The weight of the bamboo canteens was a satisfying ache because it was hope for the coming days. As we trekked back toward the beach, the sun began its descent, casting long, skeletal shadows across the jungle floor. I led the way, my side throbbing with every step, but I kept my p
Nathaniel’s POV I was in a boardroom in Manhattan. The air conditioning hummed, and there was a crystal carafe of ice water on the table. I was reaching for it when a loud, rhythmic drumming snapped me awake. It was the roar of water hitting the blue tarp above our heads. The sky had finally open
Ariana's POV I didn't sleep well. Every time I closed my eyes, I saw Mr. Coop sliding down that rocky slope. The sight of his blood on my hands had done something to me. It made the island feel less like a temporary setback and more like a bad guy waiting for one of us to slip up.The morning sun
Ariana's POV The morning of our fourth day felt heavier than the rest. The excitement of finding the stream had worn off, replaced by the crushing reality that it was too far away to be useful. I sat on the sand, watching the sun crawl up the sky. It felt like a ticking clock, except the clock was







