All Chapters of Divorced, Desired, Dangerous : Chapter 31 - Chapter 40

NILAHThe silence between us stretched out, thick and heavy, broken only by the steady rustle of the towel against my wet hair. Darien’s movements were incredibly slow, deliberate, and quiet. His massive hands, which usually held so much violence, were completely gentle as he worked through the tangled strands at the nape of my neck.I leaned my weight completely back against his leg, letting out a soft breath I didn't realize I’d been holding since we left the corporate tower. The heat radiating from his bare chest was warming my back right through the fabric of my robe."You're very quiet," I murmured into the dim room, my eyes still closed."I'm thinking," Darien said. His voice was a low, gravelly vibration that I felt right through my spine."About the corporate crisis? Or about the lines you're trying so hard to draw between us?"His hands paused for a fraction of a second. The towel stopped moving, resting heavily on top of my head before he began rubbing again, his rhythm just

NILAHThe heavy kiss did not stop. Darien's mouth stayed pressed hard against mine, his tongue sliding inside to take completely what he wanted. Every single drop of his business discipline was gone. The metal walls of the stopped elevator reflected the loud, uneven sound of our breathing.I reached up, my fingers digging past the collar of his suit jacket to grip his shoulders. The fabric of his crisp white shirt felt hot under my palms. Darien let out a low, rough sound into my mouth, his massive frame shifting to press me even harder against the mirror.He did not let go of my waist. His long fingers gripped my hips, lifting me slightly until my feet were barely touching the floor. I slid my legs apart, wrapping them tightly around his waist, straddling his dark trousers. The thin fabric of my dress bunched up around my thighs, leaving my skin bare against the rough material of his suit.Darien gritted his teeth, breaking the kiss for a single second to look straight into my eyes.

MARCUSThe blue light from the computer screen remained fixed on my face as I kept my fingers moving across the keyboard. The tracking software continued to decode the deep layers of the administrative server logs. Every line of data that appeared on the screen made the burning feeling of regret in my stomach turn into pure panic.I checked the time at the bottom corner of the monitor. It was past eight o'clock in the evening. The corporate building was completely dark outside my office doors, and the loud streets of New York City down below had slowed down. I did not care about the time. I could not leave this chair. I kept reading the digital signatures that connected Adrian Castellano to my internal company network.The remote access log showed that Adrian had not just entered our system once or twice. He had an open door into our corporate database for over a year. He had been pulling files regularly, downloading private communications, personal schedules, and security details.Bu

NILAHThe large vehicle turned sharply off the main street and entered the descending concrete ramp of the Castellano Group headquarters. The bright streetlights of the financial district disappeared, replaced by the yellow hum of the underground parking garage fixtures. The driver pressed the brakes hard as we arrived at the private executive parking bay, bringing the SUV to a complete halt. Darien did not wait for his security detail to open his door. He pulled the handle himself and stepped out onto the concrete floor with fast, heavy strides.I stepped out of the vehicle right behind him, closing the heavy passenger door with a loud thud. The cold air of the basement garage felt sharp against my bare arms, but the temperature did not slow me down. I adjusted the strap of my small handbag over my shoulder and kept pace with Darien as he walked directly toward the private executive elevator bank located at the rear of the garage.Two security guards in dark suits stood near the stai

NILAHThe grand jury room was silent as the state prosecutor filed the final bundle of decrypted server logs into the record."The panel has reviewed the submission, Ms. Mariel," the lead prosecutor announced, closing his laptop with a loud, echoey click that made me flinch slightly. "The formal indictment against Adrian Castellano will be processed by the clerk's office before the afternoon recess. Your presence is no longer required for today's session."I stood up immediately, my knees slightly shaky beneath the hem of my black dress. I smoothed down the front of the dark fabric, trying to regain my balance as I walked down the center aisle of the courtroom. The tense anxiety in my chest had not lessened since the morning encounter in the hallway.Darien stepped forward to meet me as I reached the exit threshold, his large frame instantly blocking the view of the remaining gallery members. He reached down, his fingers catching my elbow to guide me toward the private corridor. His g