Soren - POVThe scent of whiskey clung to Iris’s lips as she leaned in, her breath hot against my ear."Come on, Soren. You and me—tonight—we celebrate. We’re official now, aren’t we?" she whispered, voice laced with playful intoxication.I barely spared her a glance. "Not interested," I muttered and turned to leave.I barely made it a few steps before she grabbed my arm."What the hell do you think you’re doing?" she hissed, her nails digging into my sleeve.I sighed, yanking my arm free. "What do you mean?""Don’t play dumb with me!" Her voice was low, trembling with frustration. She wanted to scream, but she knew better."This is just a deal. Take a chill pill, woman," I shot back, shaking her off completely.I walked away, ignoring the whispers and the judging stares following me. Let them talk. I didn’t give a damn. But my grandfather—he was another story. His cold, sharp gaze burned into me, a silent warning. He wasn’t happy. He wanted me to play my part, to act like I was engag
Raisel - POVA cruel grin stretched across his lips. Slowly, he crawled onto the bed, his body moving like a predator closing in on wounded prey. Straddling me, he loomed over my frame, his weight pressing me into the mattress.“What…” I swallowed hard, fear lodging in my throat. “Get off me. I don’t want you to touch me. I don’t want you near me. Ever.”My voice shook, but I forced the words out like venom.His smirk deepened. "Feisty, aren’t we?" he taunted, his voice a low, dangerous hiss. “But you have no say in this.”My chest tightened. “You can’t force yourself on me.”He tilted his head, amused. “Force?” He leaned in, his breath hot against my skin. “You should be begging me not to take you.”There was something sickening in his voice—something laced with hunger and cruelty.My stomach churned. “If I beg… will you let me go?”His grin twisted into something darker. “You can try. Who knows? Maybe I’ll be the good guy.” His words dripped with mockery.I forced myself to meet his
Raisel – POVA firm hand landed on my shoulder. I flinched before slowly opening my eyes, my vision hazy, my body too weak to react. My breath hitched when I met familiar hazel eyes. Relief spread through my bones like warmth chasing away the cold.Soren.His name slipped from my cracked lips, barely a whisper. My throat burned, my chest ached. Tears—hot and uncontrollable—slipped down my face."I'm here, Raisins," he murmured, his voice thick with regret. "I'm sorry… I never should've left you alone."I sobbed into his embrace, my body trembling. He said nothing more, just lifted me into his arms as if I weighed nothing. No questions. No hesitation. Just unwavering presence. I buried myself in his warmth, but a deep, bone-chilling cold still clung to me as he carried me out of that godforsaken house.He set me down in the passenger seat, tucking his coat around my shoulders before sliding his shotgun into the back. His gaze met mine—dark, unreadable—but his eyes burned with something
"Your hand is hurt. Let me get the medical kit."She hurried to grab it, but as she stepped closer, I gestured for her to stop. My eyes flicked to the shattered glass on the floor."Don’t move—you’ll cut yourself. Let me clean this up.""No, you’re the one who’s hurt. I’ll clean it."I raised my hand, stopping her before she could step forward. Ignoring the sting in my palm, I carefully picked up the glass shards and tossed them in the trash. Only then did I walk over and take the kit from her hands."Please, let me," she insisted.Her touch was hesitant yet gentle as she cleaned my wound. I barely noticed the pain, too focused on her tear-streaked face, her swollen eyes. Even now, she was beautiful—strong despite everything."How did you get hurt?" she asked softly."Don’t worry about it," I muttered."How can I not?" Her voice wavered, her fingers trembling as she cupped my face. Tears welled up in her eyes. "I… I’ve been so angry at you—at the way you keep things from me. I hated i
Soren’s POVRaisel and I stood in Jace’s basement, watching the screens where he tracked people. The glow from the monitors cast eerie shadows across the room. My grandfather stood nearby, his face twisted in anger as he muttered curses under his breath."That bastard Joshua used her," he growled, pacing. "Dalton’s business is in danger because of this."I barely heard him. My eyes were locked on the grainy surveillance footage. “Zoom in,” I ordered. The image sharpened, revealing a stretcher. A doctor hovered over it, IV lines and a blood bag hooked up to the man being loaded into an ambulance.Raisel sucked in a sharp breath. "Joshua's not dead," she whispered, her voice trembling.I reached for her hand, squeezing it. "You're safe," I assured her. But deep down, I knew that safety was a fleeting illusion.My grandfather’s voice snapped me back. "We need to get Joshua. Bring him to us."I turned to him, already predicting his next move. His gaze flicked toward me, and I knew—he plan
Raisel’s POVThe plane hums steadily in the air, and I’m clutching a glass of alcohol like it’s my lifeline. Flying? Not my thing. Drinking through it? My only coping mechanism.Across from me, Fiora watches with that amused little smirk of hers, shaking her head. “Care to tell me what’s going on?”“Bad people are behind us,” I mutter, swirling the liquid in my glass. “Alaric is—” I pause, my throat tightening.“Alaric is what?”Before I can answer, Jace appears out of nowhere, grinning. “Fiora, I’ve got a job for you.”Just like that, she’s whisked away, and I reach for another drink.“Enough, Raisel.” Soren’s voice cuts in, and his hand closes over mine before I can grab the glass.I groan, muttering a few choice words at him. “I’m not drunk.”“Good,” he says, deadpan. “Because we need you sober.”I narrow my eyes. “And what exactly do you want?”He leans in slightly, voice low. “You’re about to find out every secret I’ve been keeping from you.”My stomach flips. “Oh. Okay.”Soren c
Raisel’s POVI sat on the couch, fingers wrapped around a warm cup of tea. Across from me, Susan stared, her expression unreadable. We were alone in her office, the weight of unspoken words pressing between us.“Are you ready to hear me out?” she asked gently.I exhaled, my grip tightening around the cup. “Do I have a choice?”Her lips pressed together. “No.”I sighed. “I’m sorry… I didn’t mean—”“It’s okay,” she cut in. “You hate change. And secrets, especially when they appear out of nowhere.”A bitter chuckle escaped me. “After my ex-husband’s affair came to light, I’ve been forced to see the truth in places I never looked before. Maybe I was too naïve to believe the lies.” My voice dropped to a whisper. “Can you believe that? A twenty-year-old, still foolish enough to trust?”Susan’s gaze softened. “You’re not naïve, Raisel. You’re kind. You believe in people, in their goodness. You forgive. But the world isn’t kind to people like you.” She paused, looking distant, as if she spoke
Raisel - POVMy heart is beating faster than his, one palm on his cheek. “Soren… I… think I’ve had a crush on you for a long time.”He blinked in surprise. I chuckled at his reaction to my confession, still holding back tears in my eyes.“When you suddenly stopped coming to college, I was heartbroken that you left without a word,” I whispered."I missed you deep down. Whenever there were articles about you published, I read every one. Kind of stalking you on social media,” I said, embarrassed to confess.“I recently learned that it wasn’t just a crush… but as I have spent time with you these past three months, I started falling for you. Alaric was not the one—he was just a mistake,” I confessed. “You broke my resolve to not love anyone, but… here I am… taking a tremendous risk…”He kissed my lips, silencing me. I gasped in surprise as he slid his tongue inside my mouth. I moaned, a smirk playing across Soren’s handsome face, making me want him even more.“You have no idea what it does
Raisel’s POV“Raisins.” I stared at the nickname, my heart caught somewhere between a laugh and a lump in my throat.“This isn’t Davina writing, but—” Hazel cut in, grinning. “I’ll give you and that letter some privacy, now that I know it’s not a threat letter. It's a love letter.” She winked, her tone playful.I blushed, caught off guard.As my eyes returned to the letter, I caught a soft trace of his cologne clinging to the page — warm, spicy, unmistakably him. And just like that, a rush of emotion surged up, bittersweet and strong. A strange calm swept over me. Even if things were uncertain, this letter brought me back to center.The LetterRaisins,This is a rough patch we’re going through — being apart like this. But it won’t last forever. I know that in my gut.Raisins... are you eating on time? You always forget when you’re caught up in work. Skipping lunch is basically your thing — and it drives me nuts.{I smiled through a tear. I could almost hear his voice, every word alive
RAISEL’S POVOne Month LaterI crouched in the shadows of the alley, my breath shallow, heart pounding. I was hiding from Davina’s assassins. Heavy footstepsechoed behind me.“Search over there!” a man barked.They swarmed the area. Without a sound, I slid beneath a rickety shed, my pulse thudding so loud I was sure they could hear it.“Come out, woman!” another voice shouted.I clamped a trembling hand over my mouth, stifling the scream clawing its way up my throat. Every part of me trembled. I regrettedeverything—leaving alone, ignoring Killian and Jace’s warnings to call first, brushing Hazel off when she tried to stop me. Myphone was in my hand, but the screen was black. Dead.God, help me, I begged silently. Please."Did you check all the spots?" one of them asked."I did. Nothing.""Impossible. We saw her run down this alley."“We can’t fail this mission. If we do—” the man’s voice faltered.“We have to kill her. Then send the photo to Lady Davina.”I shivered. Even they were
Soren’s POVKillian explained everything—Davina’s out of prison, and Raisel could be her next target. He promised to protect her. And he didn’t ask for anything in return. Not money, not favors. Just a quiet promise.When I asked him why—why risk so much for someone else—he said, “Helping Raisel this time… it makes her see me like a brother. And I want to protect the last family I have left.”That stuck with me.I spent the rest of the night tossing and turning, unable to shake the unease building in my chest. All I could do was stare at the sliver of morning sunlight cutting through the window. My stomach twisted with anxiety.Footsteps echoed down the hall. I didn’t need to look—I already knew it was one of Killian’s guys.“Morning, Soren,” Brian chirped as he placed a grocery bag on the table, humming some old tune like life was normal.“Brian, is Killian here?” I asked, trying to hide the urgency in my voice.“Boss is in New York,” he replied.I sighed and headed to the gym area.
Raisel’s POV We stood there—four of us—staring at the screen in stunned silence.My eyes blinked, struggling to process the words. The will... the property hadn’t been left to Soren. Or any Dalton. It had been left to me.Me? Why?Mr. Beau never liked me. I could feel the questions spiral in my chest, one after another, tightening like a vice.“This poses a problem,” Jace said grimly.“Davina will come after Raisel,” Fiora added, her voice low with worry. “She’ll try to take the property—illegally.”“Damn,” Hazel muttered under her breath.“Let’s grab this information and head back to the penthouse,” Jace said, already dialing Killian. I narrowed my eyes. Jace always acted like he didn’t trust Killian—so why call him now?As soon as we left, the car sped up, tires gripping the road with urgency.“What’s going on?” I asked, tension creeping into my voice.“We’re being followed,” Jace muttered, eyes locked on the rearview mirror.I turned, heart racing. A black car was trailing us. All
Raisel - POVKillian’s gaze flicked over to Jace, his tone sharpened with quiet urgency.“To stop Davina from taking over Dalton’s estate?” he asked. “As far as I know, she’s already spent a fortune bribing victims,erasing every shred of evidence.”Killian continued, eyes fixed on me. “Raisel’s carrying Soren’s child. That connects her—technically—to the Dalton family.”Jace blinked rapidly, visibly startled. The news had shocked him.Hazel spoke up, her voice tight with concern. “This isn’t a good idea.”“I agree,” I said softly. I already knew what she was thinking, because the same storm was brewing in me.“Why not?” Killian’s eyes landed on me, waiting.“I won’t gamble with my child’s life,” I said, my voice barely steady. “Davina isn’t just cruel—she’s dangerous. Standing up toher…” I let out a shaky breath. “I can’t take that risk.”“There’s no other choice.” Killian’s expression hardened. “You think I haven’t thought of that?”“Then why are you pushing this?” I snapped. “I ca
Raisel’s POVGwen had to face the consequences. Killian didn’t spare her, no matter how much I wanted him to. The verdict wasn’t mine to make—but I didn’t try to stop it either. I just stood there… silent. The only thing I could offer was a promise—to care for Gwen’s mother, a sick woman who depended on her daughter for everything.Fiora and Hazel had moved into Soren’s penthouse to stay close to me. That place, once his, now belonged to me. His lawyer had handed over the official documents just last week. Hazel was still job hunting, and Fiora was constantly buried in work. I wasn’t any better. Between my usual responsibilities and the added pressure of stepping in as Killian’s temporary secretary, I was running onfumes.He’d be visiting again this week—hopefully, with updates about Soren. God, I needed something. Anything.In a blur of fatigue and distraction, I stepped into the wrong office. It hit me the second I walked in—the silence, the stillness. The absence.The air was heav
Soren's POV I stared at the white ceiling. Everything felt hazy, like I was floating somewhere between sleep and consciousness. Voices filtered through the fog — muffled, distant.“How long until he wakes up?”That voice — I knew it. The only person I could ever call a true friend. Jace.“He should—”The rest blurred. I saw movement in my periphery, someone speaking, but the words were just noise. Slowly, the fog began to lift,my vision sharpening bit by bit.A man in a lab coat leaned over me. “How are you feeling?” he asked.“Fine,” I whispered, though it felt like a lie. My eyes wandered until they found Jace. He handed me a cup of water, and I drank itlike I hadn’t tasted water in days.“I need to call Raisel,” I said, breath catching in my throat.Jace handed me another cup without a word. The cool water soothed my parched throat.“You can’t,” he finally said.My stomach dropped. “Why not?”He looked me dead in the eye.“We staged your death — and the case was officially close
Raisel – POVFiora, Hazel, and I had searched everywhere—every hallway, every floor—but Gwen was nowhere to be found.“Hey, have you seen Gwen?” I asked one of my coworkers, trying to keep the panic out of my voice.“Yeah,” she nodded. “She came in earlier but left after taking a phone call.”“Did she say where she was going?”“Not a clue.”“Come with me,” Fiora said, grabbing my hand. I didn’t hesitate, following her with Hazel close behind as we rushed into my office.“I can track her phone,” Fiora offered, already pulling out her laptop.“Do it,” Hazel snapped before I could even get the words out. “I need answers—goddammit.”Fiora looked at me for confirmation.“Yes,” I whispered. “Please.”Seconds ticked by like hours before Fiora finally said, “Got her. Let’s go.”“I’ll text Killian and let him know I’m taking the day off,” I muttered as we hustled out. Hazel’s car screeched into the road as Fioragave directions, leading us straight to the one place I didn’t expect—The prison.
Raisel – POVIt’s been a week. Just one. And yet, everything’s changed.I had to get back to work at Terrain Motors. Normal life, right? Except it’s not. Gwen dropped the bomb—Killian's the new CEO, not Soren. That one stung.The whole week passed in a blur. Killian kept me updated using coded language that made zero sense half the time. Thankfully,Fiora was a pro at decoding it. Killian said Soren was doing fine, which was something, but the officers were still monitoring every call, every device. Translation: zero contact with Soren. For who knows how long.Knock knock.“You ready? You’re gonna be late,” Hazel’s voice called out gently.“Coming!” I stepped out of my room, pulling down my green blouse and smoothing my black pencil skirt.“Whoa, look at you. Total knockout,” Hazel said, giving me the classic head-to-toe scan. I smiled. She was trying her best to lift myspirits.“You don’t have to drive me. I’ll grab a cab,” I said quietly.“Nope. I’ve got nowhere to be,” she said, h