Cassian’s POVBack in the Ballroom, I saw her before she saw me.She stood at the edge of the ballroom floor—too damn relaxed for someone on borrowed time. My eyes locked on her, sharp and silent. Roman hovered nearby, surveying the crowd like a trained predator. And he was standing just next to her. Too close.He leaned in.She laughed. Threw her head back like he’d said the funniest thing in the world. I clenched my jaw so tight I thought something might crack.I’d told her—twenty minutes. No contact. Cut the cord and report back. Simple.But here she was, still tangled with him. Smiling. Leaning in. Entertaining the fucking cop.Eight minutes left.And the game was already bleeding into play.She turned—and our eyes locked. I watched the way her shoulders twitched. The flicker of guilt, the panic, the pause. Her gaze dropped to the floor, then crept back up, slow and uncertain. She muttered something to Roman, a lie, probably, then began walking toward me like she had any idea wha
Cassian’s POVEzra wheeled me out of the ballroom, away from the flickering chandeliers and velvet chaos. I needed quiet. The kind of quiet where monsters gathered in suits and whispered over crystal glasses.Down the hall, past rooms lined with imported marble and overpriced art, we reached the one door that mattered—the Black Room.Ezra opened it.Inside, the air was thick with tension. Ten seats circled the table—one for each capo, not just the inner circle. For once, every faction had been summoned. No one was left out.He wheeled me to the head of the table. The room went silent, as it always did when I entered. No toasts. No welcomes. Just eyes—calculating, cautious, and some, already guilty.Eugene cleared his throat first. “We’ve got a problem on the eastern docks. Salvatore’s crew intercepted a shipment meant for Lorenzo.”I didn’t move. Just watched.Salvatore grunted. “That shipment sat for two days. I don’t wait. If Lorenzo’s people can’t hold a schedule, that’s not my bur
Cassian’s POVI watched her face. Her expression flicked from recognition to confusion to something else entirely. Her eyes snapped to mine… and back to him.She didn’t even realize she was staring.But I did.Her gaze drifted again—subtle, but not enough to go unnoticed by me. There, across the room, the officer stood tall and sharp in that tailored suit, too comfortable for a man surrounded by devils. Her breathing changed. Her fingers twitched. Recognition danced behind her eyes like she’d seen a ghost.Officer Roman Wolfe.Unmasked.Brazen.He wasn’t here to blend in. He was here with purpose. He must’ve come as someone’s bodyguard—but who the hell invites a cop to a den of thieves?Only someone terrified of being served his own meal the way he prepared it.I saw the admiration in her eyes as she stared at him. And that’s when it happened.A slow, ruthless kind of possessiveness crawled up my spine.It tightened in my jaw. Curled in my fists. It was ugly. It was strange. It was n
Cassian’s POVThe bathroom door creaked open, and steam spilled out around her. Reina walked in wrapped in a towel, her long legs exposed, her wet hair dripping over her shoulders. Her eyes landed on the bed, on the dress, and then flicked to me.She froze.A beat of silence.“What’s that?” she asked softly, eyeing the dress like it might bite her.“You’ll wear it tonight,” I said, calm and unmoved, still scrolling through the last of her texts before locking the screen and tossing the phone back onto the nightstand with a soft thud.Her eyes followed it. Slowly. Like she didn’t quite believe what she’d seen.“Wait… was that my phone?” she asked, a little louder this time, tension creeping into her voice.I didn’t answer.She stepped forward, her towel slipping just slightly from the curve of her hip. “Mr Morelli. What were you doing with my phone?”Now her tone was sharp—accusatory. Her brows furrowed, lips parting in disbelief. “What the hell gives you the right?”I stared at her.J
Cassian’s POVThis wasn’t part of my grand plan!She’s not supposed to be here. She’s not supposed to find out so soon.Earlier when she asked me—what I’d done to her.I’ve been telling her this whole time, haven’t I?That I’d make her body obey my voice. Her mind, her soul—until she couldn't breathe without thinking of me. She’ll fall to your knees and beg to be used.I was going to ruin her and rebuild her into a plaything that fit me and only me.But now, here she was… curled into my side like she belonged there.And that was a fucking problem.She stirred and nuzzled closer. My cock responded like it always did around her—instantly. No, no, no. I need to send her away. I need her gone.But I can’t have her out of my sight.Hell, what am I even saying?I don’t need her. I need the distraction. Somewhere to dump my stress. That’s all this is. A pressure valve. A warm, soft outlet. When I’m done, I’ll sell her off to the highest bidder. After all, they are all waiting in line for her
Reina’s POV“What?”“You think I let him live this long because he’s untouchable? Just a snap of my fingers, Reina, and your dear hero will be missing his heart.” He picked up his phone from the nightstand. “You can’t possibly do something…”My words died in my throat as he dialed a number. “Ezra. Kill the fucking officer…”“No!” The sound was torn from my lungs. “No, no, no, please!” I scrambled forward, dropping to my knees beside the bed, the cold floor a shock against my skin. The look on his face was beyond dark; it was a void. “Please, don’t hurt him. He’s not a part of this, please,” I cried, tears I hadn’t realized were there now streaming down my face.I didn’t want another person ending up like Joshua. My heart can’t take it.The phone was still pressed to his ear, his eyes locked on me. “Oh,” he growled, a predatory light in their depths. “You would kneel for him?” His tone changed as he spoke into the phone again, never breaking eye contact. “Hold.” Then to me, “Come h