SkyThe man’s grip on me tightened, his hands moving possessively over my body as if he had the right. His fingers trailed down my thighs, and I felt my stomach churn with disgust. I tried to push him away, my voice breaking as I screamed, “Let me go!” But he didn’t listen—he didn’t even flinch.He spread my legs, pinning them between his, his weight trapping me in place. Every muscle in my body screamed to fight, to claw my way free, but his strength overpowered mine.“How is it possible to get a girl like this?” he asked casually, his tone light as if discussing fine wine or art. He looked at Mr. M with a smirk. “It must’ve been tough for you, Mr. M.”My eyes darted to Mr. M, silently pleading for him to intervene, but he simply leaned back in his chair.“I don’t mind taking her off your hands,” the man continued, his lips curling into a grin. “How much are you willing to accept for her?”Mr. M’s voice was calm but firm when he replied. “She’s not for sale.”The man chuckled, ignori
SkyThe door creaked open late in the afternoon, and a woman stepped inside. She was of average height, wearing a crisp white apron over simple clothes, her dark hair pulled back into a neat bun.“Come, my dear,” she said softly, stretching out a hand toward me.I hesitated for a moment, but then I reached out and took her hand. My legs felt weak as I stood, my body stiff from hours—or was it days?—of sitting in the cold, dark room. I had no idea where she was taking me, but the heavy footsteps behind us reminded me I didn’t have a choice. The guard from earlier was following silently, his gaze boring into my back, a reminder that I wasn’t free.The building was larger than I realized, and the more we walked, the more disoriented I became. Instead of stairs, we entered an elevator, the sterile silver walls reflecting my pale, frightened face. I tried to memorize the path we were taking, but every hallway looked the same—long, dimly lit, and lined with doors that seemed to hold more se
Sky The door creaked open late in the afternoon, and a woman stepped inside. She was of average height, wearing a crisp white apron over simple clothes, her dark hair pulled back into a neat bun. “Come, my dear,” she said softly, stretching out a hand toward me. I hesitated for a moment, but then I reached out and took her hand. My legs felt weak as I stood, my body stiff from hours—or was it days?—of sitting in the cold, dark room. I had no idea where she was taking me, but the heavy footsteps behind us reminded me I didn’t have a choice. The guard from earlier was following silently, his gaze boring into my back, a reminder that I wasn’t free. The building was larger than I realized, and the more we walked, the more disoriented I became. Instead of stairs, we entered an elevator, the sterile silver walls reflecting my pale, frightened face. I tried to memorize the path we were taking, but every hallway looked the same—long, dimly lit, and lined with doors that seemed to hold mor
SkyHe pauses mid-step, turning back toward me with slowness, his cane clutched tightly in his hand. My breath catches as he raises the cane to my neck. The cold tip presses against my skin, sharp and unyielding, making me flinch. Then, with a simple flick of his finger on a hidden button, a blade extends from the end of the cane. The tip now rests against my throat, its edge sharp enough to slice with the slightest pressure.“Come for you,” he says, His eyes—dark, and utterly devoid of mercy—bore into mine. I freeze, my body trembling despite my attempts to remain strong. He pushes the blade slightly into my neck. A warm trickle slides down my skin, and I know it’s blood. A drop falls to the floor, the sound barely audible but deafening in my ears.“What makes you think you’re so important to him?” he continues, his tone mocking, as if my very existence is some sort of cruel joke to him. “What makes you believe that, in a world filled with women far more valuable, he would choose you
Dare“Move in,” I ordered, through the comms.Like a ripple in the water, my men moved. Armed to the teeth, dressed in black.The first wave hit the perimeter. Twelve men were stationed outside—some lounging near the front gate, a few patrolling the grounds, and others lingering near the back door smoking cigarettes, unaware.At the front, Marco and Theo led the charge. Marco tackled the first guard, slamming his head against the stone wall so hard he crumpled to the ground unconscious. Theo followed, pulling his silenced pistol from his hip and putting two guards down before they even realized what was happening.Behind the house, two of my best snipers, Ivan and Rick, took position on the neighboring rooftop. The faint glint of their scopes caught the moonlight just before two muffled shots rang out. The two guards by the back entrance dropped without a sound, their bodies slumping to the ground.A guard near the garage heard the thud and turned, his hand going for his gun. But Chri
Dare “Move in,” I ordered, through the comms. Like a ripple in the water, my men moved. Armed to the teeth, dressed in black. The first wave hit the perimeter. Twelve men were stationed outside—some lounging near the front gate, a few patrolling the grounds, and others lingering near the back door smoking cigarettes, unaware. At the front, Marco and Theo led the charge. Marco tackled the first guard, slamming his head against the stone wall so hard he crumpled to the ground unconscious. Theo followed, pulling his silenced pistol from his hip and putting two guards down before they even realized what was happening. Behind the house, two of my best snipers, Ivan and Rick, took position on the neighboring rooftop. The faint glint of their scopes caught the moonlight just before two muffled shots rang out. The two guards by the back entrance dropped without a sound, their bodies slumping to the ground. A guard near the garage heard the thud and turned, his hand going for his gun. Bu
Dare “Move in,” I ordered, through the comms. Like a ripple in the water, my men moved. Armed to the teeth, dressed in black. The first wave hit the perimeter. Twelve men were stationed outside—some lounging near the front gate, a few patrolling the grounds, and others lingering near the back door smoking cigarettes, unaware. At the front, Marco and Theo led the charge. Marco tackled the first guard, slamming his head against the stone wall so hard he crumpled to the ground unconscious. Theo followed, pulling his silenced pistol from his hip and putting two guards down before they even realized what was happening. Behind the house, two of my best snipers, Ivan and Rick, took position on the neighboring rooftop. The faint glint of their scopes caught the moonlight just before two muffled shots rang out. The two guards by the back entrance dropped without a sound, their bodies slumping to the ground. A guard near the garage heard the thud and turned, his hand going for his g
DareThe frustration was boiling under my skin. We’d gone through every one of those damned addresses, and still, Moscow wasn’t there. With each empty building, each fruitless search, my anger built, bubbling until I felt like I’d explode. But I refused to call him. No, Moscow didn’t deserve the courtesy of a warning or the satisfaction of knowing I was coming. When I found him—and I would find him—I wanted the element of surprise to hit him like a bullet between the eyes.We were down to the last address. It was further out than the others, tucked away on the outskirts of town, isolated. It was the kind of place you’d pick if you wanted to stay hidden, away from prying eyes. My instincts screamed that this was the one, that Sky was there. Still, I had needed to check the others first—needed to eliminate every possibility so I wouldn’t second-guess myself.The helicopter was prepped and waiting, its blades already spinning and slicing through the air. My men, loading up gear and weapo
Sky stared at the ceiling, shadows stretching long and thin in the dark, the silence pressing heavy and absolute. The sheets were cold beneath her fingertips, twisted and crumpled from restless tossing, but sleep wouldn’t come—hadn’t come for days now, not since the funeral, not since the world had cracked open beneath her feet and swallowed everything whole.She squeezed her eyes shut, breath shaky, but all she could see was him. Dare. The look in his eyes—stunned and raw and something else she hadn’t wanted to see, not then, not with her pulse pounding loud in her ears and the gun heavy in her hands. Not with rage roaring hot and wild in her veins, drowning out the pain, the grief, the guilt.Her fingers twitched, nails biting into her palms, throat tight. Maybe she’d been too harsh. Maybe the words had been too sharp, too cruel, laced with venom and blame that had no right to be there. Maybe she shouldn’t have screamed that it was his fault—that her father’s blood was on his hands,
Dare’s hands tightened around the steering wheel. The engine low, His car was parked a little ways down the street, just far enough to be hidden but close enough to see the house—two-story with faded blue shutters and flower boxes beneath the windows.His gaze drifted to the second floor, to the window with the pale curtains half-drawn. Her room. Dare exhaled slowly, breath fogging up the glass, and ran a hand over his face. He shouldn’t be here. He knew that. But knowing didn’t make it any easier to turn around, to press the gas and drive away. Not when she was right there.Through the curtain, he could see her silhouette—slim shoulders, hands trembling as they wiped at her face. Sky was still in black, the dress loose around her, sleeves falling over her knuckles. It made her look small, almost fragile. Dare’s chest ached at the sight. She was crying, her head bowed.His heart wrenched , the urge to get out, to go to her, was overwhelming. To climb those steps, and knock until she a
Author’s pov; Sky’s hands trembled as she pushed open the door to her father’s office, the familiar scent of old paper and cedar hitting her like a wave. The room was just as she remembered—dark wood, shelves packed with books he never read, and that heavy oak desk where he spent most of his days, more a monument to his presence than a workspace. But now, it felt cold. Empty. Her eyes stung, but she blinked the tears away, forcing herself to breathe. Not here. Not yet. “Miss Sky,” a voice broke the silence, smooth and careful. Sky turned to see her father’s secretary standing by the window, hands folded neatly in front of him. Mr. Bennett. His eyes were soft with pity, his posture respectful but rigid. He’d worked for her father for as long as she could remember, always precise and collected. Now, that same calm steadiness almost cracked the fragile control she had over herself. “I’m so sorry for your loss,” he said, his voice low and measured. Sky managed a nod, her throat
Sky’s hands trembled as she pushed open the door to her father’s office, the familiar scent of old paper and cedar hitting her like a wave. The room was just as she remembered—dark wood, shelves packed with books he never read, and that heavy oak desk where he spent most of his days, more a monument to his presence than a workspace. But now, it felt cold. Empty.Her eyes stung, but she blinked the tears away, forcing herself to breathe. Not here. Not yet.“Miss Sky,” a voice broke the silence, smooth and careful.Sky turned to see her father’s secretary standing by the window, hands folded neatly in front of him. Mr. Bennett. His eyes were soft with pity, his posture respectful but rigid. He’d worked for her father for as long as she could remember, always precise and collected. Now, that same calm steadiness almost cracked the fragile control she had over herself.“I’m so sorry for your loss,” he said, his voice low and measured.Sky managed a nod, her throat too tight for words.Mr.
DarePain is a funny thing. It’s loud and quiet all at once. It roars through my body, twisting and burning, but at the same time, there’s a stillness, a numbness creeping in. My chest feels heavy, the warm wetness of blood soaking into my shirt, the scent thick in the air. But none of that really registers—not the pain, not the blood, not the dizziness creeping in.Because the only thing I can focus on is the fact that she pulled the trigger.Sky shot me.The realization hits harder than the bullet.I keep replaying the moment in my head—the way her eyes darkened with something I couldn’t recognize, the way she raised the gun without a hint of hesitation. She had aimed straight at me, her hands steady, her breathing even.She knew exactly what she was doing.She wanted to hurt me.And then she left.She didn’t look back.She stormed out of the room, the sound of the gunshot still echoing in the walls, and I couldn’t move, couldn’t even call out to her. Maybe I was too stunned. Maybe
Dare “Move in,” I ordered, through the comms. Like a ripple in the water, my men moved. Armed to the teeth, dressed in black. The first wave hit the perimeter. Twelve men were stationed outside—some lounging near the front gate, a few patrolling the grounds, and others lingering near the back door smoking cigarettes, unaware. At the front, Marco and Theo led the charge. Marco tackled the first guard, slamming his head against the stone wall so hard he crumpled to the ground unconscious. Theo followed, pulling his silenced pistol from his hip and putting two guards down before they even realized what was happening. Behind the house, two of my best snipers, Ivan and Rick, took position on the neighboring rooftop. The faint glint of their scopes caught the moonlight just before two muffled shots rang out. The two guards by the back entrance dropped without a sound, their bodies slumping to the ground. A guard near the garage heard the thud and turned, his hand going for his g
SkyThe warmth of the bed tempts me to stay wrapped up in it a little longer, but the soft weight of someone’s gaze pulls me from sleep. My lashes flutter open, and for a moment, I’m caught between dreams and reality. Then, I see him—Dare, lying next to me, his dark eyes watching me with an intensity that makes my heart stutter.He’s never here when I wake up. He’s always in his study, working before the sun even fully rises. But today, he’s here, his arm resting on the pillow, his head propped up slightly as he watches me.I blink at him in sleepy confusion before a small smile tugs at my lips. “Good morning.” My voice is soft, still thick with sleep.“Good morning,” he murmurs, his lips curving into a small smile.I stretch, my body still sluggish from sleep, and let my fingers brush against his arm. “Were you watching me sleep?” I tease, tilting my head at him.He smirks slightly but doesn’t deny it. “Didn’t notice I was until now.”I roll my eyes but can’t help the way my chest w
SkyThe warmth of the bed tempts me to stay wrapped up in it a little longer, but the soft weight of someone’s gaze pulls me from sleep. My lashes flutter open, and for a moment, I’m caught between dreams and reality. Then, I see him—Dare, lying next to me, his dark eyes watching me with an intensity that makes my heart stutter.He’s never here when I wake up. He’s always in his study, working before the sun even fully rises. But today, he’s here, his arm resting on the pillow, his head propped up slightly as he watches me.I blink at him in sleepy confusion before a small smile tugs at my lips. “Good morning.” My voice is soft, still thick with sleep.“Good morning,” he murmurs, his lips curving into a small smile.I stretch, my body still sluggish from sleep, and let my fingers brush against his arm. “Were you watching me sleep?” I tease, tilting my head at him.He smirks slightly but doesn’t deny it. “Didn’t notice I was until now.”I roll my eyes but can’t help the way my chest w
SkyThe warmth of the bed tempts me to stay wrapped up in it a little longer, but the soft weight of someone’s gaze pulls me from sleep. My lashes flutter open, and for a moment, I’m caught between dreams and reality. Then, I see him—Dare, lying next to me, his dark eyes watching me with an intensity that makes my heart stutter.He’s never here when I wake up. He’s always in his study, working before the sun even fully rises. But today, he’s here, his arm resting on the pillow, his head propped up slightly as he watches me.I blink at him in sleepy confusion before a small smile tugs at my lips. “Good morning.” My voice is soft, still thick with sleep.“Good morning,” he murmurs, his lips curving into a small smile.I stretch, my body still sluggish from sleep, and let my fingers brush against his arm. “Were you watching me sleep?” I tease, tilting my head at him.He smirks slightly but doesn’t deny it. “Didn’t notice I was until now.”I roll my eyes but can’t help the way my chest w