Bill’s POVI don’t take chances. Not when it comes to my family.The second Serena showed me that text, I made the call. More security. More eyes on the house, on the kids, on every single thing in our lives that Sterling might try to get his hands on. He’s already proven he has no limits. He’s alre
Calvin’s POVJames leans back in his chair, arms crossed, eyes locked on the screen in front of him. His apartment is dark except for the glow of the monitors, a half-empty beer sweating on the table next to him. I’ve been here for hours, and neither of us has said much beyond what’s necessary. We’r
Stevie’s POVCalvin’s been different lately. Distant.I don’t blame him. With everything going on, with Sterling moving like a shadow over all our lives, with the tension that clings to the air like the thick layer of smog over downtown, I get it. He’s trying to stay ahead of the storm. Trying to pr
Serena’s POVI sit in the courthouse, watching Sterling’s lawyers try to talk their way out of reality.Their lead guy, some overpriced corporate attorney who probably thinks his suit makes him untouchable, stands before the judge, voice smooth, confident. Like he hasn’t just spent the last ten minu
Bill’s POVI’ve been watching.Not just the threats, not just the obvious moves, but the pattern.Sterling isn’t attacking outright. He’s not sending lawyers to our door or making some grand, public play. No, he’s applying pressure in ways that don’t leave fingerprints.A text message to Serena. A b
Calvin’s POVThe conference room is dead silent, but the tension is loud as hell.I sit at the head of the table, fingers pressed together, scanning the faces in front of me. Some of them look uncertain. A few of them look straight-up terrified. Others, like Andrea, are focused, ready to move.This
Stevie’s POVSerena looks as exhausted as I feel.We’re sitting on her back patio, the twins asleep upstairs, the security team doing their rounds just beyond the fence. The air is cooler tonight, the kind of LA evening that almost tricks you into thinking life is peaceful. Almost.She tilts her hea
Serena’s POVThe second I hear the footsteps, I know we’re not alone.Stevie and I don’t move right away. We sit frozen, barely breathing, listening. Another sound—closer this time. Someone is here.Then, just as quickly as it started, it stops.A voice crackles over the radio clipped to the securit
Stevie’s POVThe four of us sit in Bill and Serena’s living room, the weight of everything pressing down like a storm cloud.No one speaks at first.Bill is in a wheelchair, recovering from the gunshot wound that was meant for Calvin. His face is pale, drawn tight with exhaustion, but his eyes are s
Calvin’s POVI should’ve done this sooner.For months, I’ve been playing defense, trying to keep my family safe while Sterling takes shot after shot. I’ve been reacting, scrambling to patch the holes he punches in our lives.But that ends now.Bill is in a hospital bed because of him.My son was nea
Serena’s POVI don’t move from Bill’s side.The hospital room is dim, the only light coming from the monitors next to his bed, casting a soft glow over his face. His breathing is steady, but the sound of it isn’t enough to calm me. The machines beep in slow, measured rhythms, a reminder that he’s st
Stevie’s POVThe call comes in just after midnight.I almost don’t answer.Elijah finally went down an hour ago, and I was hoping for maybe one solid stretch of sleep. But my phone vibrating on the nightstand sends a jolt through my system.No one calls this late unless it’s bad news.I grab my phon
Bill’s POVThe second we step into the warehouse, I know this is going to get messy.It’s quiet—too quiet. The air is thick with oil, dust, and something else, something metallic that makes my stomach tighten. The place is huge, dimly lit by flickering overhead lights that cast long, eerie shadows a
Calvin’s POVI don’t wait.I don’t hesitate.I just start making calls.Bill. James. Andrea. Jensen. Everyone who has a stake in this war.This isn’t about Titan or Etoile anymore. It’s not about boardroom takeovers or financial plays. Someone tried to kill Serena. Someone showed up at my home, wher
Bill’s POVI’ve seen a lot of things in my life. I’ve dealt with cutthroat businessmen, corrupt board members, and people who’d sell their own mothers for a better quarterly report. But nothing—nothing—compares to what I just witnessed.Someone just tried to kill my wife.Not send a warning. Not int
Serena’s POVI know exactly why I’m here.This event isn’t just about business. It’s about power. About showing up, being seen, making it clear that I’m not going anywhere. Sterling and his allies want to shake me, want to make me look weak. That’s why I’m here—because the moment I start hiding, I’v
Stevie’s POVI can still hear the alarm ringing in my ears.Even though it shut off over an hour ago, the shrill sound is stuck in my head, looping like a nightmare I can’t shake.I sit on the couch, gripping a cup of tea I’m not drinking, staring at the front door like I’m expecting someone to try