All Chapters of A HEART REBORN IN RUIN: Chapter 1 - Chapter 10

Riya’s POVUgh… the white-hot pain seared through my skull as consciousness clawed its way back. “Where… where am I?”I pressed my palm against my forehead, already slick with sweat, under the air that smelled faintly of cold, metallic rust and oil.My body felt heavy against the wall, and my head swam with the echo of something… voices.Low, muffled vibrations rolled through the dim air beside me.A man’s sharp, angry, and controlled voice.“There were three of you… THREE. How could you possibly make such a childish mistake?”That voice... my stomach twisted.No... it can’t be.Mateo?Blinking hard, I turned toward the sound. My vision pulsed in and out of focus, but I knew that silhouette anywhere; broad shoulders sheathed in black, and the edge of a tattoo peeking just past his collar. Even from here, that restrained energy radiated off him.“Do you not have eyes? Are you three blind or something?” His tone sliced through the air.The men in black masks just before him flinched.“

Riya’s POVBut sharp footsteps, two at a time, cut across the gravel behind me as a cold beam of light swung across the green trees that lined up above me, with the clipped voices moving closer.I pressed my back harder against the stone, trying to steady my shallow breath.I shoved one of my heels into my hand and flung it hard across the opposite side of the lot so it would hit metal and sing, causing the sound to slice through the night and draw the men's attention; I abandoned the other heel without looking back and followed the light that led towards the lot. My feet went numb to the cool cobbles, but I kept on moving faster than fear would let me think.The hidden route spat me out at the private parking lot with rows of hulking machines lined up, and yes, they even had a private patch for cars that smelled faintly of oil and leather. I kept low, whispering past a massive monster truck until a motorcycle in the corner caught my eye, and beside the front tire, half-hidden in sh

Riya's Pov My grip tightened on the throttle. With a grunt that tore through my chest, I yanked both handlebars and quickly slammed a palm and a foot down to force the bike back upright. Pain shot through me, but it was worth it.The tires screamed as I twisted the accelerator, causing the rubber to violently bite on the cobblestones. The bike roared, jerking sideways in a wild drift. My back tire clipped the bumper of the car, sending flaring sparks. My knee scraped asphalt, peeling off the fabric, and my skin raw, but I held steady. Barely.Breath tore out of me. My body shook, and my muscles screamed.That said… I hadn’t actually accomplished anything. Not when the estate’s massive black gates loomed ahead, having completely shut down the steel tight.And behind me? Boots pounded and suits in black were already storming after me.I ignored them. darting my eyes left and right. Think. Think! I shoved my bleeding hand into the belt’s pockets, fumbling, ransacking, praying for some

Mateo's Pov My mind raced. I can't mess this up. Not here. Not like this. The whole thing I'm after will slip right through my fingers if I don't play this right. A direct fight was off the table, as it would unravel everything.I took a deep, steadying breath, forcing the tension out of my shoulders, and forced that placid smile back onto my face. I stretched both my hands out in front of me, bringing both wrists together, and leaned them forward as he closed the final steps.The cold, hard bite of the steel cuffs snapped around my wrists. And the big officer gave them an extra, vicious twist that dug the metal into my skin. Then he walked backwards, yanking on the chain link, and shoved me forward with a grunt that carried the force of his entire body. "Move it, pipsqueak," his broody, deep voice cut through the air, laced with contempt.Old man Dhaval stepped right in front, trying to force me to meet his eyes, to drink in his triumph. But I ignored him. Completely. My gaze sli

Mateo's Pov But Shaw held up a hand, still locking his eyes on mine. "I've actually got a lot of things to ask." He walked towards me, measuring each step. He didn't shove or yell. He simply grabbed my arm and pulled me firmly towards the gaping maw of the van. "But it's not like you'll tell me the truth, is it?"He leaned in close, dropping his voice to a whisper meant only for me, and a faint, knowing smile touched his lips. "So never mind.”It's been nothing but a tomb on wheels inside the van, and for half an hour, the only sounds were the low hum of the engine and the rhythmic crunch of tires on gravel.Shaw sat across from me with an ever-relaxed posture relaxed but his eyes never left mine. They were a constant, low-grade surveillance system, peering at me in the intermittent flashes of passing streetlights. He just… observed without saying a word.The city lights had long faded in the rearview, replaced by the deep, consuming black of the outskirts. We finally slowed, turnin