ログインDrake stared at him. Then he burst out laughing — a sharp, surprised sound. "Elena?" He shook his head. "I think I understand your plan now. Trying to get close to two best friends at the same time. I have to say — I actually admire that.""You—" Nadia snapped."What are you pretending for?" Drake said, looking at Nadia. "You did not even know your friend had something going on with her own bodyguard, did you?" He smiled. "I just figured it out right now."Nadia stepped forward. Alexander touched her arm lightly. She stopped.Drake reached for the wine bottle on the table and poured himself a glass. "Look," he said, settling back. "We are both men. Let us be reasonable about this." He took a slow sip. "There are plenty of women in this city. More than enough. Elena is mine — I think we have established that. But her friends?" He waved a hand generously. "All yours. And that is just the beginning." He leaned forward. "Tell me what she is paying you. Whatever the number is, I will tripl
Alexander arrived at the Voss residence a few minutes later.He had barely reached the entrance when Ryan pushed past him and spun around, pointing. "You just wait right there—" He turned toward the door, already calling out for Drake's men to come and put this man on his knees before he set foot inside.But Ryan was stopped at the door before he could get through."I'm sorry, sir. You are not permitted to enter."Ryan stared at the guard. "I have been here twice already. Do you not recognize me? I am Young Master Drake's friend.""Young Master Drake did not mention you, sir. You will have to wait outside."Ryan opened his mouth to argue. Alexander stepped forward." All of you, I am here to settle an account with your Young Master," Alexander said. He looked at the guards one by one, slowly. "That has nothing to do with any of you. But if you decide to get in the way—" he paused, "don't say I didn't warn you.""How dare you—" one of the guards started.Then a group of men came out fr
Sophia spun toward Ryan and pointed at him. “You — that is not what happened and you know it—”Alexander reached over and took her hand gently. She stopped and looked at him. “It is okay,” he said quietly. “Let it go.”Sophia pulled her hand back slowly. She looked at Ryan, then at Alexander, then down at her own phone. Nothing about this situation was okay. She was not about to gamble her life on a man she had met less than an hour ago, no matter how many people he had taken down. She needed her father. She needed real backup.She brought her phone up and started to dial.“No need,” Alexander said.Sophia stopped and stared at him. What is wrong with this man? she thought. Does he really think that beating a few men in a hotel room makes him untouchable? Does he have any idea what the Voss family is capable of?Ryan held the phone out toward Alexander. "He wants to speak with you."Alexander took it and switched it to speaker so everyone could hear."You have some real nerve." Drake'
The man on Drake's right stepped forward. He cracked his neck to the left. Then to the right. Then he cracked his knuckles, slowly and deliberately, one hand at a time. He looked at Andrew the way someone looks at a problem they have already solved. "You are lucky today," he said. "Most people never get the honor of dying by my hands. Consider yourself special." Andrew took a slow breath. His heart was beating faster than he wanted it to. He kept his face steady, lowered into his fighting stance, and moved first. He crossed the room in three fast steps — and hit nothing. The man was not there anymore. Andrew stopped. He looked to his left. To his right. Then he heard a voice directly behind him. "Looking for me?" Andrew spun around. The man was standing right behind him, his hands relaxed at his sides, with no sense of fear on his face. "So," the man said. "How would you like to die? The Voss family is giving you a choice. That is more than most people get." Drake sat back i
Then he smiled. A fool is always a fool, he thought. He reached for his phone. "You just signed your own death certificate, kid. You wait right there."Sophia wrapped her fingers around Alexander’s wrist. She gave a small, quick shake of her head. That last thing he said could get them both killed right where they stood. They needed to leave. Right now.Back at the Voss house, Elena set down the third glass.She placed both hands flat on the table and focused on keeping the room still. It wasn't cooperating. The walls had started moving in a slow, lazy circle, and the table under her hands felt less solid than it had a few minutes ago."Don't tell me you're done already." Drake's voice came from across the couch, unhurried and amused. "A CEO who can't get through five glasses of wine to save her own company." He laughed — a short, easy sound that had nothing genuine in it. “I wonder what people would say if word got out about this.”Elena looked at him. Then down at the bottle. She re
The door burst open. Ryan paused for a moment, chest heaving, fury running hot through every part of him. “Tell me I shouldn’t kill all of you,” he said, his voice low and tight . “You are supposed to make sure no one interrupts me having my fun. Any message can wait till I’m done here.” He turned around and bark. “Get ou—” The word died in his throat. A stranger was standing there. Calm. Arms loose. Looking at Ryan like he was the one who didn’t belong. "I think," Alexander said, "you're the one who needs to get out." Ryan stared at him. He nodded slowly — this kid had a death wish. But then another thought pushed through the anger. How did he get in? He had four men outside that door. He climbed off the bed and stood up. “I don’t know how you managed to get in here,” he said, pointing at Alexander. “But you just made the biggest mistake of your life.” "You should have found out how I got in before you started making threats," Alexander said. Ryan's jaw tightened. "Okay. You'







