All Chapters of KNIVES AND HEARTSTRINGS: Chapter 11 - Chapter 20

Sitting in the study, surrounded by sheets of paper and books, my attention couldn’t help but wander— not to the myriad problems we were solving, but to Adira. With dark braids that framed a sharp, expressive face and eyes that shone with a mix of brilliance and calculated fury, she was a vision I could spend the entirety of my life admiring. As she worked through the complexities of Abara Inc. with a precision that would make most CEOs weep, I came to the realization that my little captive wasn’t just beautiful but formidable also.But as she rattled on about distribution logistics, my thoughts were drawn back to this afternoon’s activities. The room dissolved into the sticky glow of the warehouse, and the phantom smell of blood and sweat clawed at my memory. If I thought hard enough, I could still hear the guttural, pleading cries of the Aslan brothers—screams that spurred me on as I tortured them mercilessly for their insolence. Removing their fingernails, one by one, was almost… p

Letting Adira leave after that kiss was probably the dumbest but wisest decision I’ve ever made. She was right, we shouldn’t have been kissing, but we did anyway. I was this close to losing myself in her. Literally. Her lips, her taste, the way her breath hitched when I sucked on her tongue, maddened me.Fuck.I knew having her close to me would be dangerous, but I didn’t account for how addicting her presence would become. It’s now something I can’t control and to be honest, I don’t think I want to control it. She invades my thoughts, my dreams and it’s a problem, one I can’t afford, not with everything on the line. The stakes are too fucking high for distractions and that’s exactly what Adira is—a distraction.Feeling the need to clear my head, I leave the kitchen, the lingering warmth of her kiss still burning against my skin. It didn’t make sense to stay there, not with the memory of that moment eating at me. I needed to feel something else, something to drown the fire that Adira

Before we landed in New York, we had finalized the plans for Andronikos nefarious activities- a task that felt equal parts exhilarating and damning. With a little time to spare, I decided to freshen up with a quick shower, hoping to rinse off the weight of what we’d just put into motion, By the time I stepped out, the pilot’s voice crackled through the speakers, calmly announcing our impending descent and reminding us to fasten our seatbelts.After a while, the jet landed with a smooth thud, and I let out a sigh of relief. It wasn’t the flight that had me on edge though. It was the company. Andronikos, the annoying pest, sat across from me, sipping his drink like he owned the universe- which knowing him, he might as well have.I had decided to take a detour to Tampa to visit my parents. A simple visit, or so I thought. Andronikos, ever the meddler, insisted on tagging along. “For protection,” he claimed. Protection from what exactly? My parents’ overfeeding and endless questions about

Today is the day I introduce Andronikos to the company. Am I scared? Yes. But if there is one thing my father taught me, it is that reaching the top is hard but staying there is an ongoing battle, and I don't plan on letting those sniveling board members intimidate me. Besides, I need to show Andronikos that I can be in control, not because I have to prove anything to him, which I don't, but I have to show him that I'm not to be fucked with in my domain.My heels clicked against the marble floors as I walked into the company, Andronikos not very far behind. He was dressed impeccably today, as always—black tailored suit, a gold watch that gleamed in the light, and black leather shoes that looked like they were made for a king. He was as menacing and breathtakingly handsome as ever.Gosh, I really needed to keep my hormones in check around this man.We moved in silence to the elevator. The weight of what was about to happen hung between us, neither one of us seeming ready to cut the ten

Standing in a room filled with criminals had rattled me, I won’t lie, but when I likened them to the wizened old farts I have to deal with constantly at the office, the tension eased. Well, except Mrs. Harper. I love Mrs. Harper; she’s a sweet old woman.As the familiar feeling of authority covered me like a warm blanket, I hate to admit it, but I actually enjoyed discussing our plans. And now, I’m weirdly giddy about seeing them come to fruition, almost like when Penny and I used to steal sweets from my mother’s room when we were younger. We’d run and hide, our little hearts racing with excitement, not because we’d succeeded, but because doing something naughty and not getting caught felt exhilarating.The crippling fear of being caught is still there, of course, but it’s balanced by the thrill bubbling up inside me. Not that I’d ever tell Andronikos. His ego is big enough already and doesn’t need more inflation.We drove in silence to Andronikos’ penthouse. It was already evening an