Stripper by Night, Doctor by Deception

RYANI caused this.The thought twisted in my mind as I stood before Ricardo, the man I had spent years hunting.Four months of watching him lose his mind over his own body’s betrayal. He had no idea that his impotence was my doing.To get close to him, I had conspired with his private doctor, slipping a drug into his system that slowly wrecked his ability to have sex. Every failed attempt, every frustrated outburst… it was all orchestrated by me. And now, standing here in front of him, I was about to undo it.Not out of mercy. Not out of guilt.I was going to fix him so that I could kill him.I’d kill him. Just like he killed my mother.Ricardo sat on the couch, legs spread, his fingers tapping against his knee. His dark eyes were locked onto mine. "You really think you can fix this?”I forced a neutral expression, keeping my posture relaxed. "I wouldn't be here if I couldn't."Reaching into my medical bag, I pulled out a syringe filled with the antidote. A mixture designed to counte

RICARDOI couldn’t remember the last time I felt this fucking good.Last night was a blur of pleasure and euphoria, and this morning? Damn. I hadn’t felt this alive in years. The second I woke up, hard as a rock, I knew something had changed. And it was all thanks to the man currently standing in front of me, looking like he wanted to disappear into the floor.I grinned at him, my good mood making me almost giddy. “You’re a fucking genius, you know that?” I clapped a hand on Ryan’s shoulder, giving it a firm squeeze. “Not only are you good with a syringe, but damn… you were pretty damn good in bed too.” I smirked. “Can’t remember the last time I felt that way.”I let the words hang for a moment before my expression darkened."And about yesterday," I said, my voice dropping just enough to make my point clear."You should never try that kind of stunt with me again. Because, Doc, the next time you pull some sneaky shit like that, I won’t just be giving you a friendly wake-up punch."I le

RYAN "You want me to do what?"Lucas leaned against his desk. "You heard me. I want you to get close to Rafael. Learn about him. And when the time is right, come back and tell me how to win his heart."I blinked, waiting for him to say he was joking. When he didn’t, I let out a sharp laugh. "Yeah, no. That’s not happening. Why the hell would I do that?"Lucas exhaled, his fingers drumming against the desk. "Because I’ve been secretly in love with Rafael for years, although he wasn't into guys. And for a long time, no one heard a damn thing about him. People thought he was dead. But now, he’s back."I shook my head. "That’s your problem, not mine."Lucas narrowed his eyes. "It is your problem, Ryan. Because this might be your one chance to find out the truth about your mother’s murder."That made me freeze."What?"Lucas stepped forward, his voice dropping to a whisper. "Ricardo and Rafael know something. One of them ordered the hit. If it was Ricardo, I’ll handle it. But if it was Ra

RYANThe smirk vanished.The air in the room shifted, thick with tension.Ricardo wiped the corner of his mouth, checking for blood. Then, slowly, he looked up at me.And then, he grinned.“Well,” he mused, cracking his knuckles. “Now we’re talking.”I clenched my fists at my sides, my pulse hammering. Every instinct screamed at me to stay on guard, to be ready for whatever he had planned next. But instead of lunging at me, Ricardo leaned back against his desk, “I like it,” he said, lifting his head. “Didn’t know you had that in you.”I gritted my teeth. “Don’t try that stunt with me again,” I snapped, my voice sharper than I intended. “I’m here to help, not to be your damn punching bag. I’m your damn doctor, and you need me.”Ricardo’s smirk didn’t waver. If anything, it widened. “Need, huh? That’s a strong word.”I rolled my shoulders, pushing down the frustration bubbling inside me. “Well, if you don’t, why did you ask me to stay?”Ricardo didn’t reply, instead he studied me for a

RYANI was just about to collapse into bed, feeling really exhausted, when the blaring of a siren shattered the silence.I bolted upright, my pulse spiking. What the hell?Footsteps pounded through the house, doors slamming, voices shouting. Something was happening. Something bad.Then… bang, bang, bang… a fist pounded on my door.“Doctor! Open up!”My stomach twisted. Shit.I hesitated for half a second before yanking the door open. One of Ricardo’s men stood there. “Ricardo sent for you,” he said, breathless. “One of our warehouses is under attack. We’re going in to fight, and he needs you there in case anyone gets injured.”My blood ran cold.Go with them? To a shootout? Where people would actually be bleeding out in front of me?Oh, hell no.I forced a shaky breath, trying to keep my panic in check. “I… uh… I can’t go alone,” I stammered. “I’ll need someone to assist me.”Before the guy could argue, I spun on my heel and rushed toward Bella’s room. I banged on her door, practicall