RYAN
I 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 counteract the drug I had been slipping into his system for months. His gaze shifted to the needle, then back to me. "And you're sure this will work?" I nodded. "Positive." This was it. The final step before I put an end to him. I pressed the needle against his skin and injected the antidote. Ricardo exhaled sharply, rolling his shoulders as if expecting to feel an immediate change. He flexed his fingers, then glanced at me with a smirk. "Now, how do we test if it worked?” I let out a slow breath, lifting my head. "You’ll feel the effects soon enough," I said smoothly. "Your body needs time to respond." “Bullshit," Ricardo chuckled. "If you're as good as you say, prove it. Make me hard… right now. Have sex with me.” What? My stomach dropped. My jaw locked, but I didn’t let my expression waver. Inside, my pulse was thrumming so fast I thought my ribs might crack under the pressure. Ricardo leaned back, his smirk deepening. "I want completely normal sex so that I can believe your treatment was successful," he muttered. "Right here. Right now.” Oh, shit. This wasn’t part of the plan. I hadn’t done this before. Never even thought about it. But if this was how it had to go, it would make my job easier. He had just handed me the perfect opportunity to kill him. My fingers brushed against the inside of my coat, where the second syringe lay hidden. The one that would end him. I swallowed, forcing my shoulders to stay relaxed as I glanced at the couch. “If we’re going to do this, I need you to sit back…” “Oh no, Doc. You don’t get to call the shots here.” Ricardo snapped. In a single movement, he reached behind his back and pulled out a black gun. “You’re gonna do this now or I’ll blow a hole through that pretty little head of yours.” I exhaled slowly, keeping my hands steady even as my stomach twisted. I could do this. I had to do this. I reached for my belt, my hands shaking so badly I could barely undo the buckle. But I couldn't stop now. I couldn't let him see how much this was tearing me apart inside. As I finally stepped out of my pants, I felt exposed in a way I never had before. Not just physically, but emotionally. This wasn't me. This wasn't who I was. But I had no choice. I had to keep going. Ricardo took a step closer, his gun still loosely pointed in my direction. "Now," he said with a low growl. "Let's see if you're the best." His smirk widened as I approached, reached for his belt and yanked his trousers down. He let out a low chuckle, clearly amused by my aggression. "Feisty, aren't we, Doc?" he taunted. I didn't respond. Instead, I grabbed him by the shoulders and shoved him back onto the couch. He landed with a grunt, his gun slipping from his hand and clattering to the floor. For a moment, l thought about going for it, but I knew I wouldn't be fast enough. He'd kill me before l even got close. So I did the only thing I could. I climbed on top of him, my hands gripping his hips as I positioned myself. My mind was screaming at me to stop, to run, to do anything but this. But I couldn't. I had to finish what I started. Ricardo’s lips curled into a smirk as he tossed a small bottle toward me. “You’re gonna need that.” I grabbed the bottle, my hands trembling slightly as I flipped it open and poured the lubricant over myself. I pushed inside him, and his breath hitched. His eyes widened in surprise, but then, to my horror, a low moan escaped his lips. His hands gripped the couch cushions, his body arching into mine as if he couldn't help himself. The sound sent a shiver down my spine, and I hated myself for the way it made my stomach twist. "Fuck," he muttered. "Didn't think you had it in you, Doc." I clenched my jaw, forcing myself to keep going. As I looked down at him, at the way his head fell back, his lips parted, his chest rising and falling with each breath, I felt something I hadn't expected. Something I didn't want to acknowledge. Ricardo's hands moved to my hips, his grip tightening as he pulled me closer, urging me to go faster. His eyes met mine, and for a moment, I saw something in them that made my chest ache. I hated it. I hated him. But most of all, I hated myself for the way my body responded, for the way my heart raced, for the way I almost forgot why I was here. Almost. But not quite. I reached into the pocket of my discarded pants, my fingers closing around the small syringe I'd hidden there. My mission. My revenge. That was all that mattered. Not this. Not him. Just one push. That's all it would take. But then… Ricardo let out another deep groan, his fingers digging into my hips, his head falling back against the couch. For a split second, I was tempted to keep going. To lose myself in the moment. No. I clenched my teeth, forcing myself to focus. The syringe was in my grip, hidden against my palm. It would soon be over. Ricardo would finally pay for what he did to my mother. I adjusted my position slightly, bringing my hand closer… BANG! The door burst open. I froze. Ricardo's eyes snapped toward the door… then back to me. And then, slowly, his gaze lowered… to my hand. To the syringe. A deep, bone-chilling silence settled between us, and his smirk faded. "What the fuck," he muttered. "Why the fuck… are you holding a syringe, Doc?" I forced myself to stay still. I could feel his pulse against my skin, could hear my own heartbeat pounding in my ears.RYANI was so shocked I couldn't move.The man standing in the doorway looked exactly like Ricardo.No. That wasn’t possible.My heart raced as I stared at him, my mind trying so hard to make sense of what I was seeing. A twin? Ricardo had a fucking twin?What the fuck?My pulse pounded in my ears, drowning out every other sound in the room. This wasn’t part of the plan. I came here to kill the man who murdered my mother. But now… now I didn’t even know if I had the right one.Why the hell didn’t Lucas tell me about this? Why…"Ryan!"Ricardo’s sharp voice snapped me out of my spiraling thoughts.I blinked, refocusing on him, but his gaze was already locked onto the syringe still clutched in my hand."What the fuck are you holding, Doc?" His voice was lower now.My grip tightened around the syringe. My mind scrambled for a response. "It's a booster," I said smoothly. "It helps speed up the effect of the antidote."Ricardo laughed, shaking his head as he turned toward the man standing
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
RAFAELWho the hell was this guy?I couldn't shake the image from my mind… the one that hit me the second I barged into Ricardo's room. I hadn't meant to walk in at that exact moment, but damn. The sight of him standing there, naked, his cock hard and unapologetic…Hell.I wasn’t into men. Never had been. But for some goddamn reason, my mind refused to settle.I exhaled sharply, rubbing my jaw as I signaled one of my most trusted men. He stepped forward, waiting for my order."Follow the doctor," I murmured, keeping my voice low. "Stay out of sight. Make sure he doesn’t suspect anything."The man nodded and slipped away without another word.I sat down, exhaling slowly. My body felt tense… more tense than it should be. I ran a hand down my face, willing my thoughts to move on, but it was no use.Because now, as I sat there thinking about the damn doctor, my cock was already hard again.Damn it.My hand moved almost on its own, slipping beneath the waistband of my trousers.My fingers
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
RYAN“No! Stop!” I roared, stepping in front of Bella before any of Ricardo’s men could make a move. “She didn’t do anything wrong.”Ricardo arched a brow. “She’s a doctor,” I continued. “You said I needed to recruit someone for the hospital, right? That’s exactly what I was doing.”Ricardo lifted his head slightly, then, without a word, he started walking toward me with slow, calculated steps that sent my pulse hammering.Closer.Too close.I clenched my jaw as he stopped just inches away, so near that I could feel his breath ghosting over my face. My heart pounded, not out of fear, but something else. Something I couldn’t even name.Ricardo chuckled lowly. “You’ve got balls, Ryan. You think you’re smart, don’t you?”My throat tightened.Oh, God.Had he figured it out? Did he know the real reason I was here?The silence stretched between us, and I was waiting for the worse to happen.But then, Ricardo smirked. “I know you’re just trying to recruit your little girlfriend to work for m
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
RYANRicardo's breath came out in a sharp laugh, but it broke off into a groan when I added another finger. "Fuck…"I leaned down, my lips brushing his ear."You're gonna take it. Just like I did."Then I pushed inside him.Ricardo's back arched, a ragged curse tearing from his throat. His hands flew to my arms, his nails digging in, but I didn't stop. Couldn't stop. The heat of him, the way his body clenched around me… God… it was intoxicating.I set a brutal pace, my hips slamming into his, the desk creaking beneath us.Every thrust dragged a broken sound from him, every snap of my hips made his fingers tighten on my skin."You…" His voice was strained."You've been thinking about this, huh?"I gripped his jaw, forcing him to look at me. "Shut up."He laughed, breathless, but it turned into a moan when I angled deeper, hitting that spot that made his legs tremble.The power was dizzying.This was what I wanted. Not just the pleasure, not just the friction… but the control. The way h
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
RYANI opened my eyes slowly, the lights above me a blur of white and shadow. The smell hit me first, then the beeping. Rhythmic.I blinked, heart thudding in my chest as the walls spun.Where…?My breath caught in my throat.The chair. The wires. The burning pain. The sound of my own screams.I was still there.I was still…“No!” I gasped, jerking upright, my arms flailing, chest heaving like I was drowning.“Ryan!” a voice cried. Soft hands pressed against my shoulders, trying to steady me. “It’s okay… hey, look at me. Look at me, sweetheart, it’s Elena. You’re safe now. You’re in the hospital.”My eyes locked onto her face. Blurry at first, then slowly sharpening into focus.“Elena…” I choked out, my throat raw. “I… I thought…”“I know,” she whispered, brushing a damp strand of hair from my forehead. “I know what they did. But you’re okay now. You’re out. You’re safe.”I wanted to believe her. I wanted to melt into that safety, let her words anchor me. But my body was still shaking
RICARDOI stumbled back and hit the floor hard, but I didn’t feel it.What the hell had I done?My breathing turned ragged, shallow, like my lungs couldn’t remember how to work. My hands trembled as I stared at the spot where Ryan had been… blood-stained, broken, barely holding on. And it was me. I did that. I fucking did that.I gripped my hair, dragging my fingers down my skull like I could tear the guilt out of me.“Fuck,” I muttered. “Fuck… fuck, fuck!”My voice echoed off the walls, but it didn’t make me feel any less hollow.I thought he wanted me dead. I really believed that. After everything I’d given him… every piece of myself I let him see, every wall I let down… I thought he was playing me. That he'd been waiting for the perfect moment to twist the knife.And now?Now I find out he was innocent.I’d hurt him.Nearly killed him.All because of Marco’s lie. Because I couldn’t see past my own damn paranoia.I slammed my fist into the concrete. Pain shot up my arm, but I didn’t
RAFAELI watched as Ricardo stumbled back, the weight of Elena’s words hitting him like a gut punch. For a moment, he looked like he might collapse right there on the cold concrete floor. His breathing came in ragged bursts as the paper Elena held trembled in her hand.“Bring the chef,” Ricardo barked, his voice hoarse and raw with disbelief. “Now!”I stared at him, disgusted. “If you’d learned to control your temper,” I snapped, “you wouldn’t be jumping to conclusions like a goddamn lunatic. Look at what you did.”He didn’t respond.Couldn’t.Guilt had already begun chewing at his insides. Good.I rushed to Ryan’s side. His body was limp, slick with sweat and smeared blood, but he was breathing… barely.“Elena, help me,” I said.She dropped to her knees beside me, gently easing one of the wires off his arm as I worked on the rest.Ryan winced weakly, his eyes fluttering open just enough to register our faces. “Rafael…” he croaked.“Shh,” I muttered, swallowing the tight knot in my th
ELENAI looked at Rafael, and for a split second, the disgust I’d been suppressing twisted inside me like bile rising up my throat.Almost everyone in this godforsaken house reeked of secrets… rotten motives, false loyalties, and buried truths so deep they thought no one would dig them up. Ricardo with his obsession for control. Marco, pretending to be harmless while cloaked in shadows. Bella, hiding behind silence and feigned concern. Even Rafael wasn’t left out.I forced a breath, composing myself before the emotions showed on my face. I had to stay sharp.Rafael was still staring at me, waiting.“It’s Marco,” I said flatly.His eyes widened. “What?”His thoughts screamed louder than his voice;Who the hell was this girl, and how did she know it was him? See her here spouting nonsense.I almost laughed. Idiot. He didn’t even try to hide his disbelief.I forced a small smile instead. “Yes. Marco. It’s him.”He opened his mouth, probably to challenge me again, but I turned away. “Com
RAFAELI tried to stand up, but the room tilted violently around me."Damn it," I muttered, clutching my head as a wave of dizziness nearly knocked me over. I collapsed back onto the mattress, groaning as a sharp pain exploded at the back of my skull.What the hell?I sat up slowly this time, blinking through the blur in my vision until the outlines of my room came into focus.Wait… this is my bed.How did I get here?And then it hit me.Ricardo.His men.He really ordered them to knock me out?What the actual hell is wrong with him?I reached back and touched the throbbing spot behind my head, my fingers coming away sticky with half-dried blood. A growl rumbled in my throat.Ryan.My heart leapt.Shit… Ryan.I swung my legs off the bed, ready to jump up and storm out…And froze.There was someone sitting by the window.A woman.She was perched on the armrest of the sofa, legs crossed, staring out into the garden “Who the hell are you?” I snapped, still too disoriented to filter my to
RYANRicardo didn’t answer me.Instead, he turned slightly and snapped his fingers at one of the guards standing by the door."Bring in the chef," he barked, and that made my stomach twist tighter.A few seconds later, the door swung open again and in rushed a woman in a white chef's jacket, her hands trembling, her eyes darting between me and Ricardo like she already knew she was standing in the middle of a war zone."Tell him," Ricardo growled. "Tell Ryan exactly what you told me."The chef swallowed hard, wringing her hands."I…" she squeaked, then cleared her throat and tried again."Yesterday, while I was taking Ricardo's dinner up to his room... Ryan stopped me in the hallway."I stiffened."What?" I said sharply, but she didn’t even glance at me."He said..." she continued, voice shaking, "he said Ricardo had ordered something special for the night. That he… Ryan… had made changes to the meal based on Ricardo's new preference."She squeezed her eyes shut for half a second, as i
RYANThe crack of it echoed off the sterile walls.My head snapped to the side from the force of the slap.I let out a low whistle under my breath, slowly turning my face back toward her."What the hell do you take me for, Ryan?" she spat, her chest heaving."You think I'm some replaceable toy you can just toss aside when you're bored? You dare bring a replacement for me right under my nose?"Her voice was shaking with anger, I kept my face unreadable, even as my jaw tensed.She jabbed a finger into my chest. "I’m done playing by your rules. You hear me? I'm going to Ricardo. I'm telling him everything I know."A slow, dangerous smile crept across my lips."Okay, you're free to do that.” I said casually.Bella’s eyes widened, thrown by how calm I was."Yeah," I said, leaning down a little so we were eye-level. "Go ahead, Bella. Run to Ricardo. Tell him everything."I let the words hang for a beat, then added. "And when you do, I'll make sure he knows that you were the one who installe
RYANThe shrill ring of my phone jolted me out of sleep.Groaning, I slapped around blindly on the nightstand, knocking over a half-empty water bottle and a pack of gum before finally snagging the vibrating device.I squinted at the screen, my brain still foggy.Elena.Who the hell is Elena?Oh. Right.The doctor.The pretty lady with perfect aim who I somehow convinced yesterday to work for me.I thumbed the green button and pressed the phone to my ear."Yeah?" My voice came out rough and groggy."Hey," Elena said brightly. "I’m at the gate."For a second, my brain struggled to compute what she meant.Gate? What gate?Then it clicked.The building."Shit. Uh… right," I mumbled, sitting up and scrubbing a hand over my face. "Give me a sec. I’m coming."I ended the call and let the phone fall onto the bed beside me.For a moment, I just sat there, blinking into the dim light of my room, still half-asleep and fully stunned.She actually came.She actually agreed.Even after I told her s
RYAN"Marco," I said, "I don't trust him."Ricardo frowned, looking confused. "What are you talking about?"I sat up a little, rubbing the back of my neck. "I don't know exactly. It's just... I've been seeing some weird behavior lately. Feels off."Ricardo let out a short laugh, shaking his head like I was being ridiculous. "You're overthinking it, pretty boy. Marco’s been with me for years. Him and Matteo... before Matteo decided to be a backstabbing little shit."He chuckled again, but softer this time. "I can vouch for Marco. Or maybe it’s just his cold-ass demeanor. He’s always been like that. Makes you feel like he's planning to kill you in your sleep when he’s really just deciding what sandwich he wants."I gave a tight smile, but inside, my stomach twisted.Oh, if only you knew, I thought grimly.If only you knew who Marco really is… what he really wants from you."Alright," I said, forcing lightness into my voice as I stretched my arms overhead. "If you say so, bossman. But I