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's POV Curled up in bed, I clutched the sheets like they were the only thing keeping me tied to reality. My mind refused to rest. It played cruel tricks—spinning vivid reels of everything that had happened this past week. Each memory came crashing through like a storm, loud and unrelenting.I wanted to forget. God, I tried. I begged for the thoughts to quiet, for my heart to stop aching. But it was useless. I was trapped—caged in an endless loop of waking nightmares that clawed at me every time I closed my eyes.Then, like a punch to the chest, that moment in the bathroom slammed into me. Mr. Morelli—his voice smooth like poison, his eyes gleaming with that twisted kind of confidence—had the audacity to make that insane proposal.He wanted to own me?As if I were some possession to collect. A prize to cage behind glass.What tore me open wasn’t just the arrogance of it—it was that, for a brief, breathless second, I almost said yes. The thought had thrilled me, ignited something
Reina's POV “Come here, Reina,” he said, voice low and smooth.The room was quiet, heavy with shadows and something far more suffocating—desire laced with danger.Morelli didn’t move much when I entered. He didn’t need to. Just the way his eyes latched onto mine—dark, unreadable, and burning with something primal—was enough to steal the air from my lungs.He watched me like I was the only thing in the room worth breathing for.I approached carefully, setting down my medicine bag beside the bed. His chest, bare and scarred, rose and fell with slow, controlled breaths. A glass of whiskey rested in his left hand. His right hand, bandaged at the knuckles, hung low—threatening in its stillness.I reached for the stethoscope, but before I could lean in to check his vitals, his voice cut through the silence.“Sit.” He patted his lap.I blinked. “What?”“You heard me.”I hesitated. He tilted his head, the edge of his mouth curling into something between a smirk and a dare.Against my better
Reina's POV It was almost midnight when one of the guards summoned me.“Mr. Morelli wants you in his room,” he said simply, before turning away.What exactly did I signed up for?I paused in the hallway, heart tapping a strange rhythm in my chest. Something about the silence behind that door felt loaded. Off. Still, I knocked once before stepping in.He was there, seated in his chair near the window, shirtless, the shadows of the room hugging the sharp lines of his body. The glow from a single lamp painted him in amber and darkness."Close the door,” he said.I did.“Lie on the bed.”My brows pulled together. “What?”He tilted his head, that signature smirk curling his lips. “You want to leave the house for your little assignments, don’t you?”I stayed silent, wariness creeping down my spine.“Or would you rather I lock you in here and keep you where I can see you?”That shut me up. My throat tightened.“Good girl,” he said, his voice dangerously low. “Now… lie down.”I crossed the r
Reina's POV When his fingers slid just beneath the waistband of my pants, the soft brush of skin against skin, my breath caught again.Fuck.I turned my face to the side, trying to steel myself. “Stop.”He didn’t listen.Instead, his touch turned gentle—too gentle. He reached for my already wet fold, his hand resting causally, causing another wave of heat to pool.It started almost immediately. A slow, deliberate stroke that sent fire crawling beneath my skin. My body reacted before my mind could catch up. My back arched just slightly, involuntarily reaching for more.He hit the right spot, his eyes never leaving mine as he watched me struggle between anger and need.My mouth parted on its own will, my back arching further for more. But just then, he stopped.Just like that.I gasped at the sudden stillness, the loss of heat. My eyes darted back to him, wild and unsure.I had never felt so shameless and embarrassed all my life. And to think I was almost moaning?Fuck!How could I? Ha
Cassian's POV I watched her closely, still bound to my bed, as my eyes traced the fresh brand etched into her arm—my mark.Ah, poor little Reina. She thought I had agreed because of that offer?That little offer she’d made—half threat, half promise—had been meant to provoke me. She thought she could weaponize her body. Use her curves like a shield and her mouth like a blade. But she underestimated the kind of man I am.She wants to pleasure me every time she comes back?That’s what she’d implied. Like it was a bargaining chip. A leash she could hold around my throat.But I’m not the kind of man who begs.I’m the kind who collects.And now? Now I intend to cash in on that promise—again and again, until she forgets it was ever her idea in the first place.You don’t dangle something like that in front of me and expect mercy. Not when I’ve already tasted what she sounds like when she’s about to come undone. Not when I’ve felt her walls fluttering around my fingers, soaked and aching fo
Cassian’s POVMy eyes locked onto her once more, unblinking, as she lay shackled to the bed—watching the fresh brand seared into her flesh like a cruel signature. It pulsed with raw defiance, yet it spoke of surrender.Silence stretched between us, thick and electric, as I traced the jagged edges of the mark with a single finger. She trembled—not from fear, but something far more dangerous. I groaned low in my throat, caught between madness and desire, as her skin quivered beneath my touch like a secret begging to be broken open.“Would’ve loved to put one right here,” I said, tapping my finger against the center of her forehead. “Front and center. Fuck, that would’ve been heaven.” I leaned back, exhaling a dark, hungry breath. “But this one will have to make do… for now.”She lifted her head slowly at that, her eyes locked on mine, burning with quiet defiance. No words left her lips, but the message was clear. She hated me for this.Good.I liked her more when she didn’t bother prete
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