Author’s povThey arrived pulled into a hotel, not Aiden’s place as Artemis had thought. Their trip on the other hand had been a silent one—silent and anxious. They snubbed the parking lot and drove towards the huge fountain in the hotel and stopped there. Aiden turned to Artemis who was nestled next to him at the back seat of his car.“My place is still far from here as you know.” He started with a wink. “We have to rest here, and from here, we’ll meet with Damon’s brothers to inform them of what happened to Damon and maybe, arrange his burial.”Artemis fiddled with the thought to tell him that they shouldn’t just arrange Damon’s burial, they should be part of his burial. They should mourn him alongside with his family for memory’s sake.“For now, let’s get some rest, and maybe, you might find it at your disposal to tell me what happened last night.” he added as both doors of the car were pulled open by his men.Outside the car, Marlon and the rest of the men were waiting, except t
Artemis’ pov“The lady who showed us in will fetch you something nice to wear.” Aiden’s eyes seized me up with content. I moved my lips in response but they produced no words.He nodded, maybe he knew I was void of words for many reasons. First, for ever leaving him for his brother who posed to be better than he ever was, and second, for Damon’s death.If I never made the wrong decisions, Damon might still be hale and hearty. I blame myself for his death and I hate that Aiden does not wish to have me take the blame for it.He left me and made to the cellar in the room, while I waited on the couch for the lady to report with the dress as he claimed. I watched him chose a wine from the cellar. It looked classic from what I could see, like a bottle picked from the reserves of an extinct brand. I waited for the familiar sound of him pouring wine in the glass, but he returned the bottle to the cellar.Maybe he’d grown bored of me. I was there with him but I wasn’t keeping him company the
Author’s pov They returned to the room, followed this time by Marlon and two men in suit and black glasses, but very much unlike the lady and her girls, Marlon and the men took a seat on the couch in the room, while Aiden brought the wine he chose earlier from the cellar. Artemis on the other hand walked into the inner room from where she watched them. “I thought it will be difficult,” Marlon’s brows rose to his hairline and as his eyes clearly anticipated response from Aiden. Aiden shrugged and walked towards them with the bottle and a glass in hand. He passed the glass to one of the men who received it from him and held it out to be filled to whatever measure Aiden wished. “I never hoped it will be difficult in any way—but one thing I wish not to behold is a blood bath between Brandon and Kane’s people.” Aiden popped open the wine and gently poured some of it in the glass. The man nodded his head and gulped what was poured for him. “Pass to the next person.” Aiden ord
Artemis POVAiden left me at the hallway and walked off. He probably wanted me to tour the house on my own in search of a room to suit myself. I took a breath of relief. His presence was a little too hard on me, maybe because he didn’t do much to have me take part in Damon’s burial—that is if there will be any for him. I hate that I didn’t have the chance to speak to Damon’s brother. I hate that the talk between Aiden and the man was tense and brief.I waited till I could hear the sound of his feet to the marbled floor no more before I took my first few steps, with my hand on the marbled wall. The interior looked quite odd from what one would expect when one glanced at the building from outside. It thought it was a wood house with wood floor and flowers. I stopped by a golden eagle sitting at the far end of the hallway. The entrance to the hall itself was now at my right, and the staircase to the rooms upstairs was at my left. I peered into the hall and saw Aiden sitting and star
Artemis POV “But—” Aiden raised a finger as I rose to follow him out of the hall. He closed in on me with narrowed eyes and ran his finger on my cheek. “You will go on blindfold.”I said nothing. “Good,” he nodded. My silence was a yes to his proposal. He fished a black pick of cloth from his pocket, and with a gentle nod, he ordered me to turn. I turned and shut my eyes, while he slowly blindfolded me with the cloth. “Can you see?” he asked.“No,” I answered.“Good,” he uttered and held me by the hands. “You have to trust me, Artemis.”I nodded. I trust him. I believe he knew I did. Especially now I needed to trust him more than I’ve ever done in all the time we’ve known each other. With his hand slung across my chest, he led me through in utter silence. The walk was slow and steady, and we did make stops that was followed by the creaking of doors he pushed open to secure a free pass for the both of us.“Here we go,” he said after a while. He took his hand off my waist and I he
Author’s PovDon Carlos Creek, Aiden’s father had settled in the open space of the estate with his men, a bag of clubs and balls for a quick golf game with his boys when Aiden and Artemis arrived.They stopped and watched him knock a ball into a freshly dug hole with his club, and joined his men to celebrate his pretty score. “Aiden—” he called out after the celebration and hugged him as they met in close range. “Did you see me do it like a pro?” Aiden laughed. Don Carlos really did it like a pro—no doubt. He did it like he’d been doing it right all his life, but the distance was close and the hole was wide compared to the traditional holes for the golf game. But Aiden knew not to speak of the error.The man who dug the hole must have done it to suit Don Carlos.“I saw you do it like you do it for a living,” Aiden laughed, sure his father must have figured out the reason for his laughter. Don Carlos patted his back and broke the hug. “I sure do this shit for a living. Don’t you kno
Author's PovThe men were settled around bottles of cognac when Artemis entered to announce that dinner was ready. Not for all—they knew. It was for Don Carlos and Aiden and her. the guards would figure out themselves though they wished to be part of the meal.“Indeed,” Don Carlos rose to his feet. Aiden joined him and together, they followed Artemis into the building, but Artemis led them out through the backyard door to the backyard garden where she fixed a makeshift dinning and laid out the meal she made.“What the heck is this?” Don Carlos posed.Aiden raised his brows. He could have warned Artemis to be super careful with recipe she would decide to make because his father is not an easy-going fella. He was the type who would take detail of everything and grunt at whatever he detests.“It’s a makeshift—”“Yes, I love it.” Don Carlos did not let Aiden defend Artemis. He took the first seat and gestured at Aiden and Artemis to join him. the two lovers looked each other in the face
Aiden's POV I snatched up my phone as soon as Artemis left the room and turned it on. It took a split of seconds to boot and soon, it displayed the screen with the notifications on the message icon.I tapped into it, but before I could read what was sent, my phone buzzed. The number was an unsaved one but I picked up hoping it was Hera. But it was not Hera. It was Marlon.“Sire—” his voice announced his identity. “Sorry, I had to call with a different number. I broke my phone in action. We were attacked.”My heart skipped a beat. Attacked?Who on earth is so discreet they could read my gestures? The move was meant to be smooth, unnoticed, but I knew it had gone public when my father talked of what he knew I would do. Or, maybe the enemy knew just what I will do, and I foolishly played into his hands.“Did you lose anyone?” I asked.“No, sire.” Said Merlon. “They merely aimed for the back seat. Maybe they thought you were in the convoy.”My brows narrowed at his utterance. Who else wh
(Artemis’ POV) I knew something was wrong the moment I tried to stand. Pain. Sharp, deep, and all-consuming. For weeks, I had ignored the discomfort, brushing off Aiden’s concerns, assuring everyone that I was fine. I had always been strong—had survived things that should’ve killed me. But this? This was different. I braced myself against the vanity, sucking in a sharp breath. Aiden was already watching me from across the room, his arms crossed, his expression unreadable—but I could see the tension in his jaw, the way his hands flexed, ready to catch me if I fell. "You should rest today," he said, stepping toward me. I rolled my eyes. "I’ve rested enough." "Artemis." His voice was firm, a warning. I turned, meeting his gaze, ready to argue—when the pain struck again. It was like my bod
(Artemis’ POV)Pregnancy wasn’t supposed to feel like this.I had expected discomfort, sure. I had expected my body to change. But this… this was something else entirely.The exhaustion was unbearable.At first, I thought it was just the lingering effects of our honeymoon—late nights in Paris, stolen kisses in hidden alleyways, and mornings wrapped in silk sheets with Aiden refusing to let me leave the bed. But then the nausea started, and I knew something was wrong.I tried to push through it, keeping up with my work, but even Naomi noticed."Boss, you look like you’re about to pass out," she said, frowning as she set down a stack of files. "You should rest.""I'm fine," I muttered, waving her off, but the moment I stood, the room spun.I barely heard Naomi calling my name before strong arms caught me."Artemis."Aiden.His voice was tight, controlled—but his grip was anything but. He held me as if I’d shatter, his eyes scanning me for injuries."You’re not fine," he said. "We’re goi
I woke up sore.A deep, aching soreness that was both a reminder and a warning. Last night had been… intense. More than I expected. More than I could have imagined. My body felt like it had been claimed, worshipped, and thoroughly ruined, all at once.Aiden wasn’t in bed, but the warmth on his side hadn’t faded yet. I blinked up at the ceiling, barely able to move, and then I smelled it—coffee. The scent curled into the room, rich and inviting, followed by the quiet creak of the bedroom door."You're awake."I turned my head and found Aiden standing in the doorway, carrying a tray.My stomach flipped. He was shirtless, his sweatpants hanging dangerously low, his hair slightly tousled from sleep. But it was the look in his eyes—the satisfaction, the possessiveness—that made my breath catch.He set the tray down beside me. A glass of water. Coffee. Toast. Painkillers."I figured you'd need this."I huffed out a laugh. "You think?"Aiden smirked but didn’t argue. Instead, he sat on the e
Artemis' POVParis.The city of love, of whispered promises, of things that felt like forever. It wasn’t the first time we had been here. The last time had been chaos—high-stakes deals, power plays, and the weight of a contract binding us together. But this time? This time was different.The garden where we stood was secluded, hidden away from the noise of the world. White roses lined the aisle, their scent mixing with the crisp autumn air. The Eiffel Tower loomed in the distance, its lights just beginning to flicker against the darkening sky.Aiden stood at the altar, watching me.No guards. No enemies. No ulterior motives.Just him. Just me. Just us.My dress was simpler than the first one I had worn. No heavy jewels, no extravagant embellishments—just clean, elegant lines that moved with me as I walked. But Aiden? Aiden still wore black, sharp and commanding, his presence impossible to ignore.As I reached him, he took my hands in his, his grip steady, grounding.“We’ve done this b
Aiden’s POVI wasn’t used to an empty house.The penthouse was quiet, the kind of silence that made me restless. Artemis had left early, slipping out before dawn, her scent lingering in the sheets beside me. She had a fitting today—something about finalizing designs before her next trip. I hadn’t asked for details, but I knew she was busy.I ran a hand down my face, exhaling.She was everywhere, even when she wasn’t here.The coffee machine was still warm, the cup she’d set aside for me untouched. A plate covered with foil sat on the kitchen counter—breakfast she’d made before she left, knowing I probably wouldn’t eat if she didn’t.In the closet, one of my suits was laid out, ironed, with a note tucked into the sleeve: Wear this one. You look good in navy.She did things like that. Little things. Thoughtful things.For someone who had grown up fighting for every scrap of control, she gave so freely—to me, to the people she cared about.And I—I hadn’t given her nearly enough.I leane
Aiden’s POVFor the first time in my life, there were no contracts. No lies. Just her.But peace was an unfamiliar thing.I still woke up before dawn, instinctively reaching for the gun that wasn’t under my pillow anymore. My body was trained to react before my mind even processed that there was no longer a war to fight. My enemies were either dead, exiled, or too afraid to make a move.Yet, I found myself restless.The empire was still mine. The city still ran on quiet threats and well-placed alliances. But Artemis had planted a dangerous thought in my head—what if I ruled differently? What if I built something that wasn’t always on the verge of burning to the ground?She was asleep beside me, her breathing steady, her body curled toward me like she belonged there. And she did.I ran a hand down my face and exhaled.I couldn’t just sit still. That had never been my nature.So, I got up.---The sun had barely risen when I walked into the warehouse where my men were gathered. Conversa
Artemis' POVThe battle was over, but the aftermath lingered. Scars—some fresh, some old—marked more than just skin. The weight of the past did not simply lift because the fighting had stopped.I sat on the edge of the bed, watching Aiden pace near the window. His reflection in the glass was sharp, rigid, like a man still expecting a knife in the dark. The empire was his now, but peace was foreign to him. Stillness felt unnatural."You don’t have to stay," he said, his tone measured, unreadable. "You’ve done enough."It wasn’t a command. It wasn’t even a suggestion. It was a defense mechanism. Aiden didn’t push people away forcefully—he gave them an exit and waited for them to take it.I tilted my head, pretending to consider. "And if I don’t want to leave?"His gaze flickered toward me, just for a moment, then away again. "Then you’re a fool."I rolled my eyes, standing. "That makes two of us."I closed the distance between us and pressed my palm against his chest, feeling the steady
Aiden’s POVThe study smelled of aged whiskey, leather, and cigar smoke—just as I remembered it from my childhood. Nothing had changed. The same books lined the shelves, the same decanter of bourbon sat untouched on the desk, and the same man occupied the chair at its head.I stood in front of Don Carlo, the weight of everything that had led to this moment pressing down on my chest. Kane was gone. Hera was locked away where she belonged. The war was over. And yet, the victory tasted bitter. It felt like exhaustion.My father—Don Carlo—sat behind his massive desk, his expression unreadable. The same man who had doubted me. The same man who had once called me weak."You’ve proven yourself," he finally said, voice heavy with reluctant acceptance. "The empire is yours."I didn’t respond immediately. Instead, I studied him. The man who had shaped me, tested me, pushed me to the edge time and time again. And for what? To prove I was worthy of something I never truly wanted?"You thought I’d
Aiden’s POVHera screamed as the guards dragged her away, her shrieks cutting through the air like the wail of a banshee. She kicked and thrashed, her dark hair wild, her emerald-green eyes blazing with madness."You can’t do this to me!" she screeched, her voice raw. "Aiden, you think you’ve won?! You think locking me away will change the truth?! You’ll regret this—I swear it!"I stood motionless, watching as the woman I once knew was forced back into the nightmare she had clawed her way out of. My hands were clenched at my sides, my pulse steady, my face unreadable.The weight pressing against my chest wasn’t fear or anger. It was relief. A slow, settling kind of relief that came when a battle was finally over.There was no regret. No hesitation.She belonged there.The black van’s doors slammed shut, muffling the last of her wails. The driver exchanged a brief nod with the men guarding the facility before stepping into the driver’s seat. With a low, mechanical hum, the vehicle roll