The Intruder and the Secret

The top floor of the Grand Royale Hotel was supposed to be a fortress. But to a man with Lucian Sterling's resources, a fortress was just a locked door waiting for the right key.

It was a few minutes past midnight. The penthouse was completely silent, bathed only in the neon glow of the city skyline pouring through the floor to ceiling windows.

The heavy mahogany door clicked open.

Lucian stepped inside, his dark eyes adjusting to the shadows. Marcus had bribed the night manager an obscene amount of money for a master override card, guaranteeing them exactly ten minutes before the security detail returned from their perimeter sweep.

Lucian didn't even know what he was looking for. He just knew he was losing his mind.

The image of Julian Pierce touching Zara's waist had burned itself into his brain. He needed to know if that man was sleeping in her bed. He needed to know if Zara truly belonged to someone else now.

He moved silently across the thick, plush carpet of the living room.

The space was immaculate and smelled faintly of her signature perfume vanilla and something sharp, like expensive champagne. He checked the coat rack near the entrance. No men's coats. He glanced at the dining table. Only one coffee cup sat near a stack of business folders.

No signs of Julian. A heavy, sudden wave of relief washed over his chest. But the relief only lasted a second.

As Lucian turned toward the hallway that led to the bedrooms, his foot brushed against something on the floor.

He paused, looking down in the dim light.

It was small. Too small to belong to an adult.

Lucian crouched down and picked it up. His brow furrowed in deep confusion. It was a tiny, perfectly tailored beige suit jacket. The kind a four year old boy might wear to a formal event.

He turned the tiny garment over in his large hands. The fabric was incredibly soft, custom made.

What exactly are you hiding up there, Zara?

His own question echoed in his mind. Why would Zara Vance, the ruthless, single CEO, have a child's jacket lying on her penthouse floor?

Before his brain could even begin to process the implications, the electronic lock on the front door beeped loudly.

Click, Whirrrr.

The door swung open, throwing a rectangle of bright hallway light into the dark living room.

"Julian, I swear, if you try to order me another glass of wine, I will fire you," Zara's voice floated into the room, laced with a tired but genuine laugh.

"You wouldn't dare, darling. I run half your company," Julian's smooth voice replied.

Lucian froze in the shadows, his blood turning to liquid fire at the sound of the other man's voice. He gripped the tiny beige jacket so tightly his knuckles ached.

Zara stepped into the penthouse, kicking off her crimson heels with a heavy sigh. She reached out and flipped the light switch.

The massive crystal chandelier overhead blazed to life.

Zara turned around and the breath completely left her lungs.

Lucian was standing right in the middle of her living room. He looked like a demon summoned from the dark, his broad shoulders tense, his jaw locked in a terrifying scowl.

"Lucian?!" Zara gasped, her hand flying to her chest. Her heart slammed against her ribs like a trapped bird. "What the hell are you doing in my hotel room?"

Julian immediately stepped in front of Zara, his easygoing smile vanishing. His blue eyes went cold, and he slipped a hand inside his suit jacket, a clear sign he was reaching for a weapon. "Give me one good reason not to call hotel security right now, Sterling."

But Lucian didn't even look at Julian. His dark, obsessive gaze was locked entirely on Zara's pale face.

Slowly, deliberately, Lucian raised his right hand. Dangling from his fingers was the tiny beige suit jacket.

Zara's blood ran completely cold. Leo's jacket. The silence in the room was suddenly deafening.

"You told me your personal life was none of my business," Lucian said, his voice dropping to a low, dangerous whisper that made the hair on Zara's arms stand up. His eyes bored into hers, searching for the truth she was so desperately trying to hide.

He took a slow step toward her, closing the distance between them, completely ignoring Julian's warning stance.

"Tell me, Zara," Lucian demanded, his voice cracking with an emotion he couldn't hide. "Whose is this?"