Cassian’s POV“We burn them to the ground,” I growled.“All of them.”I didn’t need to explain further. The answer was loud and clear.The sea of faces blurred behind the smoke curling from the aged cigars and vintage whiskey glasses that decorated the long table. The meeting had shifted from the aggressive tones of invasion plans to hollow camaraderie and clinking glasses. It was all meaningless noise now. Laughter bouncing off walls thick with secrets. They called it tradition—these “family” gatherings. I called it a charade. A necessary one. But a charade, nonetheless.I wheeled my chair forward slowly, the low hum of its motion swallowed by the ambiance. My fingers tapped the polished armrest, steady, composed. No one here could suspect the storm boiling beneath my skin.They thought I was weakened. A cripple held together by steel rods and vengeance. And they were right—except for the weakened part.The night that stole my legs took more than bone and muscle. It ripped out my so
Cassian’s POV The rain started before dawn. Not the kind that sings against windows, soft and rhythmic—but the kind that claws at glass like it’s trying to get in. Like it knows something is about to happen and wants a front-row seat. That message I got during the meeting set the pace for new discoveries. I haven't made much progress in capturing the monster that crippled my world. Until yesterday. I stared at the monitor in front of me, watching the surveillance feed from yesterday's gathering on loop. Marcello hadn’t touched his wine after I left. He didn’t even flinch when he opened the envelope. Just stared at the word like it was a verdict he’d known was coming. ‘Soon.’ He didn’t panic. Didn’t blink. That was what intrigued me. Because if he wasn’t afraid… it meant he had already made peace with something. Or someone. That thought alone had me eager to have blood on my hands. Men like Marcello don’t make peace unless they’re sure they’ve already won. Lucas
Cassian’s POVElias?The same incident that made me cut ties with Vasili? I gripped the arm of my chair tighter as a wave of pain gripped my legs, real enough to make me see stars.The incident that changed my life. My first mistake in the game.I barely remembered his name before now. It was a job gone sideways. A child turned into a ghost. I thought he’d died with the fire I lit to erase my failure.But ghosts don’t burn, do they? They wait.The crimson thread pulled tighter across my chest. I felt an invisible hand grip my throat and loosened my tie. I couldn't breathe.“He wears a new face now. The fire you set peeled the old one off,” Vasili added, as he continued working on his art.“Where is he?” I asked, after steadying my breathing.“Closer than you think, brother Cassian. Much closer.”Closer than I think? Who could it be?Is he among my men? The organization? A rival gang?I didn’t wait after that. Because I knew he wasn't going to spill more.As I turned my chair to leave,
Reina’s POVHe didn’t come again.Not that night. Not even to yell or rattle the door or throw something at the wall just to remind me he was still there. Silence wrapped around me like a noose—tightening with every hour that passed. I didn’t sleep. Not really. When my eyes did close, the nightmares came—fast and dark.Andrew’s face. His face. Their faces morphing. Their voices blending into one monstrous echo.‘Give me a son.’‘You’re just a vessel.’‘You’ll come crawling back, just like you always do.’My limbs locked in my dreams, the same way they had in reality. I couldn’t run. Couldn’t scream loud enough. I’d wake up gasping, soaked in sweat, only to slip back under—and the nightmares would start all over again. It was endless. Torturous. Like drowning in memories I never wanted, stitched into new horrors I couldn’t escape.Then—A hand creeping up my breast snapped me upright. A scream clung to my throat but didn’t make it out.My eyes flew open——and landed right on his fa
Reina’s POVThe car sat waiting, black and beat up like it had been through the toughest storms. Its trunk was already open. As if it had been waiting for me. My heart sank.“No,” I choked, voice hoarse.He didn’t respond. Just pulled me forward with renewed strength. My knees buckled and scraped the gravel. Still, I dug my heels into the ground, struggling against him with every last ounce of energy I had.That was when he struck me.A sharp backhand to the face that sent stars exploding behind my eyes. The taste of blood filled my mouth. My lip split open. Before I could cry out again, he yanked a cloth from his pocket—already tied in a knot—and shoved it between my lips.“Shut the fuck up,” he hissed. “Or I’ll cut you open right here.”I screamed anyway, or tried to. The gag silenced me. My head thrashed. Tears spilled down my face.Then he grabbed the back of my neck and shoved me forward—hard.My torso slammed into the edge of the trunk. My ribs burned with the impact. In one bru
Cassian’s POVReina? How long has it been since she went missing? A day? Two?Fuck! How could I forget my perfect distraction? Maybe that’s why I’ve been overwhelmed by anger and frustration. At least when she was here, my mind stayed preoccupied with how to break her down—how to make her bend without snapping. It kept the rage at bay.But when Ethan showed me that footage—her wrists bound, her body shoved into the trunk like she was nothing—something in me snapped.All I could think about was carving that bastard into pieces. Tiny, bleeding pieces. Scattering him across the fields like fertilizer and letting the vultures handle the rest.I’ve never seen anyone look so broken. So small. And yet, so…desirable.How fucking dare he?She’s mine. Mine.While my men rode out to drag that bastard down here and return my nurse safely, I ordered the maids to draw a warm, scented bath, soften every corner of her room, and prepare a hearty lunch that would chase away any chill.The mansion cam
Cassian’s POVDinner was served. But she didn't show up.The long table stretched endlessly before me, golden light dancing on polished silverware, untouched plates, and bowls of food prepared with precision.“Where is she?” I asked, voice sharp enough to pierce glass.One of the maids, Tara, flinched slightly. “She… hasn’t come out since she arrived, sir. She didn’t touch her lunch either.”I pushed back from the table, my chair scraping violently against the floor. “She hasn’t eaten anything?”“No, sir.”My pulse spiked.I didn’t know if it was anger or… something far more dangerous.I wheeled out of the dining hall, each turn of the wheel sharp and fast. The hallway was quiet—too quiet—except for the distant patter of rain against the windows. I hated the sound tonight. It reminded me of the bruises on her skin. The silence in her eyes.Two guards stood outside her room, but when they saw me coming, they bowed their heads and stepped aside without a word. The scent of lavender le
Reina's POVThe water was warm, scented with oils and lined with rose petals, but it couldn’t soothe the ache burning beneath my skin.Neither could it stop my limbs from trembling.I had seen Leon’s face the moment the trunk of the car burst open, and for a fleeting second, gratitude lit up inside me like a match in a dark room. I shouldn’t have felt relief. This wasn’t freedom—it was just another cage with velvet walls. But when he pulled me into his arms, when I heard his voice bark orders and watched the shadows of Morelli’s men close in like hounds, I let myself crumble. Just for a moment.Because the monsters I knew… were safer than the ones I didn’t.Now, in this oversized marble tub, with gold faucets and expensive soaps, I let the tears fall freely.I am no longer a free woman.If I left this place, the wolves would be waiting.The police would tear me apart in interrogation rooms. The Vance family would paint a target on my back, parade my corpse through the streets for the
Reina lay still, wondering why he offered to help her when he's apparently with someone else? Why would he do that?Roman turned slightly, trying to ease Vanessa off him. “Vanessa—this isn’t the time.”Vanessa’s brows lifted in amusement as she turned her attention to Reina, reclining weakly in the bed.“Oh,” she said sweetly. “You must be her.”The way she said it made Reina's stomach twist.Her mind kept playing questions over and over again. She wondered if Roman mentioned her to his girlfriend over Netflix and chill. Does he see her as the ugly clueless neighbor?“I’m Vanessa,” she continued, sliding her arm around Roman’s waist. “His fiancée. And you are?”Reina blinked, letting the drugs take over at last—but not before a sly, sleep-laced smile curved her lips.“Apparently... the wife.”Then everything went black.****Roman's POVThe first time I saw her, she had drools on the side of her lips and annoyance in her eyes. Reina. She opened the door with one sock on, hair wild, an
Reina’s POVRoman helped me back to the hospital bed like I was made of glass. Every step sent a ripple of pain through my ribs, but it wasn’t the bruises that had my hands shaking—it was his words.We get married. For real.Once I was lying down again, he pulled the blanket over me, then dragged a chair to my bedside and sat, eyes never leaving mine.“Okay,” he said quietly. “Start from the beginning. First, why were you in a holding cell with a bunch of misfits? What the hell was that about just now? And why does that guy look like the villain from every bad high school movie?”I laughed once. It sounded like a broken wind chime. “Because he is the villain in my story.”Roman raised an eyebrow, patient, waiting. His fingers tapped lightly against his knee.I closed my eyes and began.I shouldn't tell him about the contract with the police or with Mr Morelli. I just have to find a way to blend the story so he doesn't suspect a thing.After all, he's a cop.“About the thing with the p
Reina’s POVFocus Reina.“Can you lift your shirt a little?” the doctor asked gently. “I just need to see if there are any signs of internal bleeding.”Roman tensed beside me.“Mr Roman,” I said, narrowing my eyes, “If you turn into an overprotective caveman the second someone touches me, I swear I will file a noise complaint and report your muffins to the HOA.”He didn’t blink. Just muttered, “I’d like to see him try touching you wrong.”The doctor raised a brow. “You two together?”I choked on my own spit.Roman coughed. “No.”We both spoke at the same time.I added, “God, no.”Roman added, “Not yet.”There was a beat.The doctor smirked. “Okay, well, there’s a lot of tension here. I’m going to pretend I didn’t walk into a CW drama and continue my job.”Roman cleared his throat and backed away a step, rubbing the back of his neck. I stared at the ceiling, trying not to blush so hard my bruises turned magenta.He was not exactly my type.Except for the part where he was tall, broody,
REINA’S POVI wasn’t sure if I blacked out or dissociated after hugging Roman, but the next thing I knew, I was floating.Warm. Solid. Moving.I peeled one eye open, slowly, like lifting an iron curtain.Roman.He was carrying me. Bridal style. Through the main lobby of the police station like he didn’t just find me half-dead in a holding cell that belonged in a Netflix prison documentary.What of officer Rodney… the file. What if Mr Morelli asked how I carried out the tasks? This is not good.“Is that—?” someone whispered.“She was in the women’s cell…”“Holy sh—”Are they wondering if I’m his wife? Because it doesn’t sound like such a bad idea.Roman didn’t blink. Didn’t flinch. Didn’t look at anyone. His jaw was sharp enough to cut glass, his grip so careful it made me feel fragile—which was annoying, because I hated feeling fragile. But also kind of nice. In a broken Barbie-doll-left-in-the-rain kind of way.“The file… Put me down,” I mumbled against his chest.“No.”“Roman…”“No
Reina’s POV My heart thundered against my ribs.I backed into the corner of the cell, pulse racing, but the girls moved in like a pack of wolves scenting fear. The one with crimson nails led the charge, her hips swaying with too much confidence, her smirk curling wider with every inch as my heart beat faster than ever.Uh-oh. Today was supposed to be perfect. I had a clear picture in my head and none included getting cornered by a bunch of wild looking girls.“I asked you a question, pretty girl,” she sneered. “You think you're better than us?”“I didn’t say that,” I said quickly, voice trembling but trying to find footing. “I didn’t mean anything—this is just a mistake. I’m not even supposed to be here.”“Oh, you’re here now,” another girl said as she stepped forward, chewing her gum like she was chewing glass. “And you gave us that look. That ‘you people’ look.”I shook my head, holding my hands up. “No, no—listen, I don’t want any trouble, okay? I just came to see an officer—”“Ai
Reina’s POVI skipped.Not walked. Skipped. Like a schoolgirl with a prize in her hands.The file pressed against my chest like it was made of gold, my boots thudded softly down the corridor, my smile wide, my heart hammering with victorious rhythm. That was too easy, I thought giddily. My fingers curled tighter around the file. Mr. Morelli hadn’t even looked twice when he handed it over. Didn’t question my competency. Didn’t doubt me for a second.I shoved open my bedroom door and darted inside, already fishing my burner phone out from under the vanity table.Finally, finally they would take me seriously. The police would listen. Officer Rodney would congratulate me. Maybe even apologize for treating me like some worthless street rat with a grudge and a supposed criminal record.I dialed.No answer.I dialed again.Still nothing.A third time.Click.“Yeah?” came the voice—fast, strained, breathless. The background was chaos. Phones ringing. Shouting. Dozens of voices overlapping.“
Cassian’s POVShe stood at the doorway, barely composed from what had nearly happened minutes before. Hair tousled. Lips pink and bitten. Her chest rising and falling under that damn blouse she thought would be the bait.“I’d like to accompany you,” she said, clearing her throat, lifting her chin like she hadn’t nearly lost herself grinding on my body. “You’ve stretched your bones more than you should have. If anything happens, I want to be there to handle it.”Of course she did.Of course that’s why she dressed like that this morning. A sweet seduction, pretending it was just a coincidence. Oversized hoodies all these while, and now this?I almost laughed.If only she knew she didn’t even need to try. She could wear one of those awful worn-out sweatshirts and I’d still be hard under the table. Still want to press her against a wall and make her forget whose side she was on.She didn’t have to play the sexy spy to get my attention. She had it the moment I set my eyes on her picture. T
REINA’S POVHow can I forget what happens if I disobey when he taught me that yesterday?“You’re dressed like that to provoke me?” His gaze slid down my legs, to the soft silk blouse tucked into the short. “Or do you think being pretty earns you control?”I stayed quiet. Every instinct told me to push back. But I needed him to crack first.“You disobeyed,” he said. “And now you’ll learn.”He grabbed one of the resistance bands and tossed it toward my feet. “On the floor. On your knees.”“I’m not here to be punished. I’m here to help you move again.”“You’ll help me when I say you can. Right now—” He wheeled closer, his face barely a breath from mine. “—you’re going to remember your place.”My heart thundered, but I sank to my knees on the mat. Not because I wanted to surrender. Because I needed him to believe I would.And because I knew how ruthless his punishments are.He looped the resistance band around my wrists, tight enough to make my skin prickle.“Hold that position,” he said,
Reina’s POVI stood under the shower far longer than necessary, letting the hot water beat down on my skin as if it could erase the night. As if it could scrub away the filth, the shame, the ghost of his touch still seared into my flesh.But no matter how hard I scrubbed, it wouldn’t come off.By the time I stepped out, my skin was red and raw.I should’ve thrown on my usual oversized hoodie and sweatpants — my armor, my invisibility cloak.But they wanted evidence, didn’t they?They wanted me to seduce the devil himself?Fine.Let them choke on the smoke of what they asked for.I reached for something different. A silky blouse that clung just a little too well to my curves, tucked into a high-waisted short that stopped just above my knee. Not slutty. Not overt.But it whispered of temptation.A brush of color on my lips. A spritz of perfume behind my ears. I stared at my reflection in the mirror and almost didn’t recognize the woman looking back.I hated her.But she would survive.S