LOGINThe thud of Saga crashing into the pillar echoed, freezing the air in the room. His body slid a few inches down before he caught his balance, a trickle of dark blood leaked from the corner of his mouth.The Vanguard operatives behind him instantly raised their weapons, the clatter of safeties clicking off cutting through silence. Victor’s men mirrored the movement. A dozen laser sights painted the room in a deadly crossfire.Saga ignored the guns. He wiped the blood from his lip with the back of his hand."I asked you a question, Rose," Saga gritted out. "Who is he? What kind of low-life trash are you associating with just to spite me?"I stepped out from behind Alp’s protective frame. "Who he is doesn't matter. It is none of the Ronways' business. I am no longer a member of your syndicate, Saga. My life is entirely my own."Saga flinched. A strange expression crossed his face. He stared at me. He pushed off the pillar, taking a step forward."You can't just walk away, Rose. Y
We descended deep into the bowels of the Alp's estate. The air grew damp and freezing, smelling strongly of blood. Two steel blast doors guarded the entrance to the underground prison block. Victor stood outside under a flickering bulb, smoking a cigarette. He tossed it aside and gave a highly respectful nod as we approached."They're awake, Boss," Victor reported, unlocking the deadbolts. "Haven't even touched them yet. They've been shivering in the cell."The door creaked open. Inside the dimly lit concrete cell, Jax, Roach, and the smoker were chained to the far wall by their wrists. They looked pathetic. Stripped of their weapons.Jax’s head snapped up at the sound of the door. When his bloodshot eyes landed on me, all the remaining color completely drained from his battered face.I walked into the center of the room. The sharp echo of my boots against the concrete was the only sound. I took my time, letting the terror marinate in their eyes."Look at the high and mighty C
I put every ounce of my remaining strength into that strike.Suddenly a large calloused hand snatched my wrist out of the air.I gasped as the physical power of the grip registered in my brain."Again you're going to beat me up, Ms. Frost?" a deep raspy morning voice rumbled through the quiet room.The man opened his silver eyes at the absolute crucial moment, giving me a sleep-tousled, devastatingly sweet smile.I froze. The breath hitched in my throat.The familiar flawlessly sculpted face popped up from beneath the dark gray blanket. His dark hair was a messy halo against the white pillows, but those piercing eyes were completely unmistakable in the soft morning light filtering through the windows."Alp?" I breathed out, my voice cracking in disbelief."Ahan," he shifted his weight, keeping one muscular arm wrapped securely around my waist while using his free hand to prop his head up. The sheets pooled around his hips, putting his broad chest on full display. A highly amuse
My vision swam in a tinted haze. The freezing air rushing into the back of the armored van did nothing to quell the unnatural heat radiating from the very center of my chest.Yet, even through the blurred edges of my failing consciousness, the man standing in the doorway was impossible to mistake. His features were too sharp, too flawlessly sculpted, carrying a quiet authority that made the Cartel grunts look like pathetic children playing with loaded guns.Alp Norex!Jax’s scarred face drained of all color. The assault rifle in his hands suddenly looked incredibly heavy as he took a stumbling step backward. "N-Norex? What the fuck are you doing out here? This is Northern territory!"Alp didn't grant him the dignity of an answer. He took a calm drag from his cigarette, the cherry burning a vivid red in the darkness, before flicking it out onto the asphalt. He stepped up into the cargo hold. Two towering men clad in military gear flanked him immediately, their silenced weapons lo
The silver tip of Don Quitow’s cane dug into the soft flesh under my jaw, forcing my head up. The noise of the Grand Hall faded into a rushing hum in my ears.It wasn't just the paralysis taking over. A sudden heat flared deep in my chest. It bypassed my freezing muscles and began pooling hot in my lower stomach. My skin flushed, a sheer layer of sweat breaking across my collarbones. Every nerve ending suddenly screamed with hypersensitivity. The old fox had laced the champagne with a military-grade aphrodisiac cocktail. I ground my teeth together, fighting the sickening wave of feverish heat. I gathered every single ounce of breath left in my burning lungs, refusing to drop my gaze from Quitow’s eyes."You really disappointed me, old man," I rasped.Don Quitow’s twisted smile vanished. He pulled his cane back."Put a tape on her mouth," the Don ordered without looking away.Two Vanguard guards immediately stepped out of the shadows. One of them grabbed the back of my hair, ya
The air in the Celebration Hall curdled instantly."Father! What are you saying?" Saga’s voice tore through the stillness, stripped of his usual composure. He took two fast aggressive steps down the stairs, abandoning Sapphire’s side as his dark eyes locked onto the patriarch. "What trade are you talking about?"“The leader of the Northern Cartel has offered us their primary maritime supply lines—the most time-effective smuggling routes in the eastern territory. On top of that, they are transferring full ownership of their multi-billion dollar downtown tower project to the Ronway name.""In exchange for her?" Saga demanded, gesturing wildly toward where I stood. The veins in his throat bulged against his formal collar."In exchange for Rose," Don Quitow corrected smoothly. "A single soldier for an enterprise that guarantees our dominance for the next three decades. It is an elementary trade.""Father, we can't do that!" Saga’s chest heaved as he looked between his father and me.







