LOGINDimitri stumbled from the force of the punch, his body jerking backward as air was knocked from his lungs. He staggered, boots scraping harshly against the concrete floor, but it took only a second for him to recover. Rage flared across his face, twisting his features into something ugly and unrecognizable.He lunged at Jaxon.The impact of their bodies colliding echoed through the room as Dimitri slammed his shoulder into Jaxon’s chest, driving him back several steps. Dimitri was fast, brutal, every movement sharpened by years of training and bitterness. He swung hard, fist cutting through the air and connecting with Jaxon’s jaw. Jaxon reeled but didn’t go down, wiping blood from the corner of his mouth as he braced himself.They circled each other like predators, boots grinding against the floor, breath heavy and labored. Dimitri struck again, this time catching Jaxon in the ribs. Pain exploded through Jaxon’s side, and Dimitri didn’t let up. He pressed his advantage, landing blow a
Chapter 73: The signalDimitri came back to Zara not long after he’d left her alone. This time, he pulled a chair and sat directly in front of her, his posture relaxed, as though they were about to have a casual conversation and not one forced by chains and fear. His eyes studied her with unsettling focus, as if he were memorizing her reactions.“You know,” he said lightly, crossing one leg over the other, “we never really finished our conversation before the whole ‘accident’.”Zara didn’t respond. She lifted her chin and glared at him, her silence heavy with defiance.Dimitri chuckled. “That look,” he said. “You do that a lot. He does it too.”She said nothing.He leaned back slightly. “Should I tell you how Jaxon gave me this?” he added, pointing to the scar that cut viciously across his face. “Gave it to me like it was nothing. One clean move, and my face was ruined.”Zara’s jaw tightened, but she kept her mouth shut.“I saved his life,” Dimitri continued, his voice sharpening. “H
Zara woke up slowly, dragged out of darkness by a violent throb pulsing behind her eyes. Her head was pounding, her stomach twisting with nausea. She groaned and tried to lift her hand—but it wouldn’t move.She tugged again.No movement.No sound but the scrape of rope burning against skin.She forced her vision to steady and looked down. Her wrists were tied—tight—to the arms of a wooden chair.Fear slid into her bones, cold and sharp.She lifted her head, taking in the room around her. The place was worn out… walls cracked, ceiling stained, dust coating everything. And it reeked of something foul mixed with heavy dust—something she didn’t want to identify.Her vision was still slightly blurry from the chemical she inhaled, so she closed her eyes and breathed slowly, waiting for the dizziness to ease. It took a few minutes before her head cleared enough for her to focus.Then she heard footsteps. Her entire body stilled.Slow, heavy and unhurried, coming straight toward her.And that
Zara slowed the car to a crawl as she turned off the main road, following the location sent to her. The place looked abandoned—broken concrete, rusted sheets of metal, and what might have been an unfinished warehouse sat there. Nothing about the area looked active. Nothing looked like a hideout. Nothing looked like a place someone would keep a commander captive.Her stomach tightened.Idiot, she scolded herself silently.She should have checked the place on Google Maps before leaving Aria’s house. She should have at least confirmed there were buildings nearby—or people.But she hadn’t.She was desperate. Desperate and impulsive.Zara sat in the car for a moment, scanning through the windshield. No movement. No lights. No cars. No sound except the engine of her car, humming low.She huffed, gripping the steering wheel.Maybe it was a mistake.Maybe someone was playing with her.She picked up her phone and typed:I’m here.A reply appeared almost instantly.Come out.Zara stared at the
Damian went straight to where Aria was sitting the moment he walked into the living room. He leaned down and pressed a soft kiss on her forehead.Aria turned slightly toward the woman beside her.“Damian, this is Clara, my closest friend from uni. Clara, this is Damian… my husband.”Clara stood and stepped forward with a warm smile and extended her hand. “Nice to meet you.”That was when Damian finally looked at her. Really looked. His eyes were dark and sharp. Intense enough that Clara almost withdrew her hand on instinct. He didn’t smile. He just held her gaze for a second that felt much longer, gave her hand a brief but firm shake, and nodded.Before he could step back, Aria pinched him on the arm.He turned, frowning. Aria arched her brows meaningfully toward Clara.Damian sighed, then finally spoke, “Nice to meet you. I hope you enjoy your stay.”Clara smiled again but it was small. She was still recovering from the… impact of his presence.Zara, being Zara, couldn’t resist. “Do
Saturday finally arrived.Clara woke up with a slow stretch, her legs brushing against the cool sheets. For the first time in weeks, she smiled the moment she opened her eyes. Today wasn’t just any Saturday—it was the day she would finally see Zara and Aria. Years had passed, life had happened, heartbreak had broken her in ways she didn’t talk about, but the thought of seeing her girls again put a warm spark inside her chest.She sat up, rubbing sleep from her eyes, then dragged herself out of bed toward the bathroom. The cold water woke her fully. She brushed her teeth, humming a tune from their university days—one they used to sing while getting ready for parties they never arrived early to.A short shower later, she wrapped herself in her bathrobe and padded to the closet.Her apartment was small but comfortable—a one-bedroom self-con she managed to turn into a home. Neutral colors, a round dining table, a shelf of books, a small couch near the window.She stood in front of her war







