Reina’s POVThe moment I stepped into my room, exhaustion hit me like a ton of bricks. It wasn’t even lunchtime, and I already wanted to curl up under the covers and sleep the rest of the day away. Maybe finish that book I’d been reading all week. Anything to forget, even for a little while, the nightmare I was living. My wrist still aches and I debated attending to it. But first, I had to make a call. I pulled out the secret phone the police had given me and dialed the number immediately. The line barely rang before the officer picked up. "Do you have anything for us?" His tone was sharp, straight to business. I took a steady breath. "I’ve changed my mind," I whispered, gripping the phone tightly. "I want out. I’ll go to court, get a lawyer—anything but this!" Silence. Then a slow exhale from the other end. "Do we look like a joke to you?" the officer finally said, voice cold. "It might interest you to know that you're no longer just a murder suspect, but the murderer."
Cassian’s POV I sat in the car, impatience simmering beneath my skin as I waited for her. My thoughts drifted back to the earlier chaos with Valerie. Reina had barely walked out before Valerie barged into my study, her voice sharp with accusation. I hated it. I had been expecting her outburst, but that didn’t make it any less infuriating. She confronted me as if she still had a place here—still had the right to question me. I despised people who thought they could challenge me and still walk away unscathed. I tolerated it in the past from her, but not anymore. Only Reina had the right to talk to me that way. She could curse me, abuse me, push me to the edge, and I’d still find it so damn mesmerizing. Valerie? She was nothing now. Not after I found out how easily she spread her legs for other men the moment I became crippled. The mere sight of her disgusted me. Reina was right—I don’t share my possessions. Valerie ceased being mine the second she let someone else t
Reina’s POVIf I had thought the ride here had been hell, I was so damn wrong. The moment I stepped out of the car, the cool evening air prickled against my skin, a brutal reminder of how utterly exposed I am. My hands immediately clutched at the torn fabric of my dress, trying—futilely—to make it cover more than it could. My chest rose and fell in ragged breaths as memories clawed their way to the surface. The stares. The whispers. The reason I had started hiding beneath baggy clothes all those years ago. ‘Your body invites bad luck,’ my stepmother had sneered, her voice filled with venomous certainty. Bad luck. That’s what she had called it. That’s what she had called the rape. I swallowed the bile rising in my throat. Not now. I couldn’t break down now. "Will you just stand there trying to be modest, or will you wheel me inside?" Cassian’s voice sliced through the air like a blade, dark and mocking. My fingers curled into fists. Bastard.I wanted to slap that s
Reina’s POVI swallowed hard, my heart hammering against my ribs. Every instinct screamed at me to push him away, to fight, to claw my way out of this twisted game he was playing. But I wasn’t stupid. Not here. Not in a room full of men who thrived on violence and control. Cassian knew it too. That damn smirk never wavered, his fingers still resting at the edge of my sanity, a silent challenge. My nails dug into the table beneath me, fury boiling in my veins. "You’re enjoying this," I whispered, my voice shaking despite my best efforts. Cassian tilted his head, studying me like I was something to be dissected, something fragile he could break at his leisure. "Maybe," he murmured, his voice low and smooth. "Or maybe I’m teaching you a lesson." A lesson. A sharp, bitter laugh escaped me. "And what exactly am I supposed to be learning, sir?" I spat, forcing steel into my tone. His smirk widened. "Obedience." I nearly choked on the word. My whole body went rigid, my finger
Cassian’s POVShe grabbed my dick. That sweet little thing. Fuck. I’d barely moved—barely twitched—when she did it. Not out of desire, no. She wanted to punish me. Wanted to humiliate me. But the joke was on her. Because I got hard. From just that. From her tiny, defiant hands wrapping around me, thinking she had control. The thought alone made my cock stir again. I should be livid. I was livid. My body had been frozen, paralyzed by whatever little trick she pulled. My own nurse had drugged me. I should’ve been plotting a hundred ways to break her, to remind her why no one, no one, made a fool out of Cassian Morelli. And yet, all I could think about was her goddamn hands. A growl rumbled in my throat as I flexed my fingers—just slightly. The effect of the drug was fading. Slowly. Agonizingly. First, a twitch in my fingertips. Then my wrist. Then, with a slow, deliberate breath, I curled my fingers into a tight fist. Yes.She thought she’d won? That I’d just sit there
Cassian’s POVI passed out on the floor of my room after I had exhausted myself in the bathroom. It was almost dinner time when I woke up to the sharp ring of the bedside phone. "Ugh," I groaned, shifting slightly. My muscles ached, my skin was damp with sweat, and worst of all, my cock still throbbed with a dull, persistent ache. I had taken my release, yet it wasn’t enough. It would never be enough. I ran a hand through my damp hair, exhaling through my nose as the ringing stopped. Few minutes later, a knock. I didn’t move. I knew exactly who they were sending. I stayed slouched on the floor, keeping the position Reina had left me in. I wanted her to see me just like this. I wanted her to feel guilt, to feel regret. I wanted her to wonder if she had crossed the line. But when the door opened, it wasn’t her. It was a maid. A young, delicate thing with wide eyes and nervous hands. I felt a flicker of irritation. They didn’t send Reina. Disappointment curled i
Reina’s POVThis was not what I bargained for. Why wasn’t he angry? Why didn’t he demand that I leave? Why was he so calm? I would have preferred his wrath—preferred him casting me out, yelling, rejecting me. Instead, his silence, his deliberate control, became my punishment. Every second I spent cradling him, pressing food to his lips, I felt something stir inside me—something buried deep, something dark. It crept to the surface, whispering temptations I wasn’t ready to name.The way his tongue flicked over the fork, slow and deliberate, sent a shiver down my spine. His eyes—dark, unyielding—pinned me in place, stripping me bare with nothing more than a look. I clutched at my shirt, as if the fabric could shield me, as if it could keep him from seeing the way my breath hitched, the way heat curled low in my stomach. And oh, the bites on my palm— Snap out of it, Reina. Get a grip! But my gaze betrayed me, drifting to my hand, to the faint imprints of his teeth still pressed
Reina’s POVThe room felt suffocating, thick with tension as I sat across from the people I hated most in the world. My stepmother, Lucy, sat with an infuriating smirk on her face, her eyes gleaming with mockery. Beside her, Andrew lounged back like he owned the place, one arm draped over the chair, his fingers tapping idly against the wood. I forced my hands to remain still in my lap, refusing to let them see how tightly I wanted to curl them into fists. The lawyer, a stern-looking man with graying hair and sharp eyes, cleared his throat after realizing that my bodyguard won't be leaving.“We will now proceed with the reading of Mr. Vale’s last will and testament.” His voice was even, professional, but I could hear the faintest edge of impatience. Lucy scoffed, leaning back in her seat. “Let’s just get this over with. We all know who the rightful heirs are.” Andrew chuckled slowly, giving me a look that made my stomach churn. I clenched my jaw, choosing silence. There was n
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