Juniper’s pulse pounded in her ears as the shadow outside the office door shifted. The villa was too quiet, the usual crash of the waves against the cliffs suddenly feeling distant, muted by the suffocating silence.
She gripped her phone tighter, her body pressed against the wall. Where the hell was Adrian? The doorknob twisted. Juniper’s breath hitched. Before she could react, the door burst open, and a dark figure lunged inside. She spun away, scrambling toward the desk, her hands fumbling for anything she could use as a weapon. Her fingers wrapped around a heavy glass paperweight just as the intruder reached for her. “Don’t,” she warned, lifting the makeshift weapon. The figure hesitated. The dim moonlight filtering through the windows revealed a man dressed in black, his face partially concealed by a mask. His stance was tense, calculated. Not a burglar. Someone with a purpose. “What do you want?” she demanded, inching toward the door. The man didn’t answer. Instead, he took another step forward. Juniper gritted her teeth. “I swear, if you…” A loud crack split the air. The intruder jerked, his body going stiff before crumpling to the floor. Behind him, Adrian stood with a gun in one hand, his expression cold and lethal. “Hope I’m not interrupting,” he said. Juniper exhaled sharply, lowering the paperweight. “Took you long enough.” Adrian stepped over the unconscious man like he was nothing more than an inconvenience.“Next time, try not to text me after you break into my office.”
Juniper rolled her eyes. “Next time, try keeping your secrets in a better hiding place.” Adrian’s gaze flicked to the laptop on his desk, then back to her. His jaw tensed, but he didn’t say anything. Instead, he knelt beside the intruder, yanking off the mask. The man was unfamiliar to Juniper, but Adrian’s expression darkened. “Damon Sinclair,” he muttered. Juniper crossed her arms. “Should I know that name?” Adrian let out a humorless laugh. “CEO of Sinclair Tech. And a royal pain in my ass.” Her stomach tightened. “Wait…you’re saying a rival CEO sent someone to break into your house?” Adrian stood, dusting off his hands. “Wouldn’t be the first time.” Juniper stared at him. “You say that like it’s normal.” “In my world, it is.” Something about the way he said it made her chest tighten. The Adrian Blackwood she knew—the arrogant, smooth-talking billionaire was untouchable. Always in control. But right now, standing over an unconscious corporate spy in his dimly lit office, there was something raw about him. Something dangerous. She exhaled, shaking her head. “You need to start explaining. Right now.” Adrian’s gaze met hers, sharp and assessing. “I don’t owe you an explanation.” Juniper took a step closer, ignoring the way her pulse quickened. “You do if I’m caught in the middle of whatever war you’re fighting.” His lips pressed into a thin line. For a moment, she thought he was going to shut her out completely. Then he sighed. “Sinclair and I have a history. He wants what I have—my company, my tech, my connections. But he doesn’t play fair.” He gestured to the unconscious man. “This is just his latest attempt at screwing me over.” Juniper frowned. “And the corporate espionage accusations? Are they connected?” Adrian hesitated. Just for a second. That was all she needed. “You’re hiding something,” she said quietly. Adrian ran a hand through his hair, his usual composure cracking. “Juniper…” A groan from the floor cut him off. Damon was waking up. Adrian exhaled sharply, stepping toward the intercom panel on the wall. He pressed a button. “Evelyn, send security to my office. Now.” A crisp voice responded. “Yes, sir.” Adrian turned back to Juniper. “This conversation isn’t over.” She lifted a brow. “No, it’s not.”
Later That Night
The storm had passed, but the tension hadn’t. Juniper stood on the villa’s balcony, the warm island breeze brushing against her skin. The moon was high, casting silver light over the dark waves below. Behind her, Adrian stepped outside, holding two glasses of whiskey. He handed one to her without a word. She took it, watching him carefully. “You’re being quiet,” she said after a moment. Adrian sipped his drink, his gaze fixed on the ocean. “So are you.” Juniper exhaled. “Maybe because I’m still processing the fact that I was almost murdered over a corporate feud.” Adrian smirked. “Murdered? That’s dramatic.” She shot him a look. “Oh, I’m sorry. Should I have said ‘mildly inconvenienced’ instead?” His lips twitched. “Much better.” Despite herself, Juniper laughed. The moment felt… different. The usual sharp edges of their banter had softened, replaced with something warmer. Something dangerous. Adrian turned to her, his expression unreadable. “You really aren’t afraid of me, are you?” She met his gaze. “Should I be?” A slow, wicked smile curved his lips. “Probably.” Juniper’s heart pounded. She should walk away. She should finish her drink, say goodnight, and pretend she didn’t feel whatever was crackling between them. But she didn’t. Instead, she stepped closer. Adrian’s eyes darkened, his grip tightening around his glass. “Juniper,” he warned. She tilted her head. “Adrian.” His breath hitched. Just slightly. That was all the confirmation she needed. She closed the remaining distance between them, placing her glass on the balcony railing before reaching for his shirt. Adrian’s control snapped. His lips crashed against hers, one hand tangling in her hair, the other gripping her waist. Juniper gasped against his mouth, the heat between them instant and electric. She had spent so much time arguing with Adrian Blackwood, challenging him, pushing his buttons. She hadn’t realized how badly she had wanted this. His hands tightened on her hips, pulling her flush against him. She could feel the rapid beat of his heart, matching her own. It was intoxicating. It was reckless. And she didn’t care. She kissed him harder, losing herself in the moment, in him. For once, there were no games. No power plays. Just this. Just them.The Next Morning Juniper woke to the sound of birds outside the window, the scent of salt and citrus lingering in the air. For a moment, she lay still, replaying last night’s kiss. Then she realized something. She was alone. Frowning, she sat up, glancing around the room. Adrian was nowhere to be seen. Typical. With a sigh, she pushed the covers aside and got up. She wasn’t the type to swoon over a kiss, no matter how mind-blowing it had been. Still, she couldn’t shake the nagging feeling in her chest. She wandered into the villa’s main office, hoping to find some clue about where Adrian had gone. Instead, she found something else. A photograph. It was old, slightly worn, tucked inside a drawer in his desk. Juniper’s breath caught in her throat. It was a picture of her mother. She stared at it, her mind racing. Why the hell did Adrian Blackwood have a photo of a woman who had died over a decade ago? Her fingers tightened around the edges. Whatever was happening between them… It had just gotten a lot more complicated.
The villa remained quiet, with only the waves striking the rocky shore in a rhythmic motion.' The storm had passed, and the stillness of it was lingering on Juniper's skin. A faint semblance of rain washed in the air, along with the salty water and sea salt present below. With her pulse racing, she sat in Adrian's office clutching the photograph she had found. Its age, curving edges, and faded colors over time. Yet, the picture itself was evident. Caroline Hale, the mother of the person featured in the picture, was seated beside a man wearing slit-coloured clothing. The shadows obscured his face to some extent, but Juniper knew. She felt a tightening of her chest and the familiar curve of his jaw, its commanding presence even in the stillness. Adrian. She was struck with force by the realization. Suddenly felt so thick inside her, the air slammed into place as the implications settled in. How long had he known? For what period of time was this kept from her? (No question asked)
The sharp wind of New York City whipped against Juniper’s face as she stepped out of the taxi, her coat billowing around her. The city felt colder than she remembered, harsher, less forgiving. Or maybe she was just different.A week had passed since she had left the island. Seven days since Adrian had told her to walk away. Seven days of silence, of questions echoing in her mind, of restless nights spent staring at her ceiling, wondering what the hell she was supposed to do now.Adrian Blackwood was no longer just the billionaire she loathed. He was a man tangled in her past, in the deepest wound of her life, her mother’s death. And instead of answers, all she had was his cryptic confession and the slamming door of his villa.She tightened her grip on her purse, forcing herself to focus. Whatever had happened between them, it didn’t matter now. The past was a ghost she had no intention of chasing.She walked briskly through the glass doors of The Hale Foundation, her nonprofit’s headq
The glass doors of Blackwood Industries slammed open as Juniper strode inside, her heels clicking against the marble floor like gunfire. The receptionist barely had time to gasp before Juniper’s voice sliced through the tension in the room.“I want to see him. Now.”The young woman hesitated. “Mr. Blackwood is in a meeting, Ms. Hale, and he…”“I don’t care,” Juniper snapped, her pulse a war drum against her ribs.Everything was unraveling. The lawsuit. The accusations. The million-dollar donation. And AdrianHe had known. He had known something about her mother, about her death, and he had stayed silent.She stormed past the receptionist, ignoring the shouts of protest, and pushed open the heavy mahogany doors to the boardroom.The scene inside was chaos.Adrian sat at the head of the table, his expression carved from stone as his board members hurled accusations like daggers.“This lawsuit will cripple us.”“The shareholders want you gone.”“The Blackwood name can’t afford another sca
The storm had passed, but its ghost lingered in the heavy air, thick with humidity and the distant scent of salt. Juniper sat by the massive four-poster bed, watching Adrian’s chest rise and fall in uneven breaths. His skin was pale, damp with sweat, his usually sharp features softened by exhaustion.The fever had taken hold quickly, one moment he’d been standing in the boardroom, defiant in the face of his ousting, and the next, he had collapsed, his body finally surrendering to the relentless pressure.Now, he was barely conscious.Juniper dipped a cloth into the cool water beside her, wrung it out, and pressed it against his forehead. He let out a quiet sigh, shifting slightly toward her touch.It was unsettling to see him like this. Adrian Blackwood was always in control, always commanding. Seeing him vulnerable and weak did something strange to her chest.He murmured something incoherent.She leaned in. “Adrian?”His lashes fluttered.“Stay,” he rasped.Juniper hesitated.She sho
The sharp click of Juniper’s heels echoed through the marble hallways of Blackwood Industries, each step a warning. A storm brewed inside her, seething beneath her composed exterior. She barely registered the passing employees, their hushed whispers a backdrop to the white-hot fury coursing through her veins. Her hands trembled as she clutched the printed research reports, the damning evidence of sabotage.Someone had tampered with her findings.Not just anyone—her.Charlotte Laurent.The ex-fiancée. The woman who had swept back into Adrian’s life like a hurricane, leaving destruction in her wake.Juniper’s chest tightened, fury and betrayal intertwining in a suffocating grip. The numbers in the reports didn’t lie. The funding allocations had been altered, the environmental impact data manipulated beyond recognition. What was once a promising, groundbreaking initiative had been twisted into a disaster on paper.She stormed into Adrian’s office without knocking.Adrian sat at his desk,
The lab's entrance was covered in streaks of paint, with red and blue flashing lights on the NYPD squad cars causing damage. Smoke drifted into the night sky, a somber image of the devastation that had occurred just minutes prior. The scene was grim. As an ambulance sat on the back, Juniper's hands were shaking and her ears persisted in ringing from the explosion. The wounded were being treated by medical personnel surrounding her. Despite bruises and coughing among her team members, no one had been killed. That was the only consolation. Then she saw Adrian. Standing near the wreckage, he spoke to a police officer with an incomprehensible look. He was confused. The blood streaks on his shirt were a blend of his and others. The reason for Juniper's breath being choppy was his determination to hold himself upright. The man was on the brink of entering a war zone, aware that his chances of winning were slim. She walked past the paramedics and ran towards him. "What's taking place wit
Docks stretched out in the background, with salt and moisture clinging to the surface.' Juniper's boots were covered in slick wooden planks, and the fog was curving around her ankles. But her heart sank in against her ribs, and she held on tightly to the phone. The reason for Adrian's imprisonment was her. Without the truth, she couldn't depart. A paused clap was heard in the background.? “Brave little Juniper.”. Juniper's stomach clenched. Victoria Langford. A slim black trench coat, blonde hair pinched in, and a face made of solidified ice as she stepped into the dimness of stifled dock lights. Juniper ingested the terror that was gripping her throat.'". “You sent the note.”. Victoria smirked. “You came alone. How noble.”. Juniper leaned back. "You have to give me something to say.". With her heels racing against the stump, Victoria circled around. Aren't you the hero of this tale, too? With her fingers clasped tightly around her phone, Juniper expressed:
The knife was so close to Adrian's head that it appeared to be swinging towards him. Instinct took over. After a lung, he knocked off the weapon that Nathan had held by leaping. Its blade rippled across the wooden floor and then stopped just near the feet of Juniper. All things seemed to slow down for one breath.' Then Juniper moved. She swung the knife, her fingers barely touching the handle until—as in when she had to turn. Bang! The door slammed open. A man entered the building, his broad frame obscuring what little light was visible in the stormy area.' He didn't hesitate. As he lifted his arm, the metal flashed in front of him. Gun. “Drop it,” he barked. He spoke with a distinct, unwavering voice that had the aura of authority and the ability to kill in fewer seconds. Juniper collapsed and his fingers were clung to the blade. Then it fell apart. The body of Adrian responded before his mind could even process it. He stood in front of her, shielding her with his own.. A
The Warning. “You shouldn't have come here.”. The voice swayed like smoke across the cave. Low. Rough. Hungry. Juniper's breath hitched. She felt the weight of those words shivering against her skin, colder than the damp air inundating around them. She ran around, scouting the dark as it changed. The chamber was spacious and staring out at them, the torchlight illuminating darkened stone walls. Its. They migrated like uncannible spirits, decomposing into hollows, turning shapes into nightmares. Somewhere in the gloom, movement. Subtle. Controlled. Her pulse pounding against her ribs. Adrian's arm protruded in front of her, creating a silent and instinctive barrier. His stance—wide, steady—was pure defense. A wall of quiet fury. When it came, his voice was composed. Too calm. “Show yourself.”. Silence. Then—footsteps. Slow. Measured. They resonated throughout the cave, filling the void between pulses. A person came out of hiding.. Tall. Scarred. Armed. Juniper's muscles
ImpactPain.Juniper’s body slammed into the water like a stone thrown from a rooftop. The impact ripped through her, knocking the air from her lungs in a violent rush. Cold, unforgiving darkness swallowed her whole.The river closed over her head, pressing in from all sides. The weight of it was suffocating, the churning currents dragging her down, down, down into the abyss.Her body twisted violently, spun like a leaf in a hurricane. Her limbs flailed, her lungs screamed.Up. Where’s up?She had no sense of direction, no light to guide her—just the numbing cold and the thunderous roar of the waterfall above.She kicked hard, fighting against the relentless pull of the river. Her muscles burned, her chest tightened. She was running out of air.Then—a burst of light.She broke the surface with a desperate gasp, sucking in air so fast it burned.The waterfall roared behind her, monstrous and deafening. The river wasn’t done with her yet—it dragged her forward, shoving her downstream li
The Fall. Cold. Violent. Endless. Juniper slammed into the water. The impact was brutal, unforgiving. Her body was in agony as it dislodged the air from her lungs. She was being pulled down by the river, which had engulfed her like no other. She was suffocated and cold, with darkness covering her like a veil. Her body was twisted by the force of the current, which caused her to spin like a ragdoll in twilight. Despite her body hurtling with pain, the river's frozen texture tugged on her like a string of iron chains. Up. I need to get up. Her chest gashes, desperately seeking oxygen, yet she couldn't determine which direction to kick. Her sense of direction was lost to the river, leaving only chaos and panic. Wildly, Juniper's arms waving their wings as he held something. Then—a hand. Strong. Unyielding. Familiar. Her wrist was gripped by it, unyielding and relentless, lifting her upwards toward redemption. Adrian. They broke the surface together. Juniper gasped, heaving f
The Jeep plunged. Wind blew through the windshield, biting Juniper's hair and hitting her like a thousand tiny knives. Her stomach flipped violently, causing a sharp, nauseating lurch that sent her packing. Outside, the world shifted into a chaotic blur of trees, rock, and sky. The ground rose excessively quickly.? The Jeep fell to the ground as Juniper's hands searched for something to hold onto, but it was a free-falling metal coffin. The force of her seatbelt caused her to contract an almost fatal injury by biting her ribs. Then—a hard yank. The arm of Adrian was encircling her waist, his strength commensurate with his stiffness against hers. With a hot and ragged breath, he pulled her closer with his hand to touch her cheek. “Brace yourself!”. CRASH. The impact was akin to hitting the spine. Glass exploded. A metal scream came from behind the Jeep as it ran under the canopy, snapping branches like broken bones. The globe swayed in opposite directions, then changed directi
The ExplosionBOOM.The door exploded inward.Splinters shredded the air, slicing through the dimly lit cabin.Juniper barely had time to duck before the blast wave ripped past her, sending a storm of wood and dust flying.Adrian grabbed her, yanking her down. His arm wrapped around her shoulders, shielding her.Gunfire erupted.The walls shook as bullets ripped through the cabin. Glass shattered, wood splintered, and the air filled with the acrid scent of gunpowder.Ethan cursed, returning fire. His gun barked in rapid bursts, each shot precise. “They brought a damn arsenal!”Adrian’s grip on Juniper tightened. “We have to move.”Juniper’s breath came short, fast. Her ears rang from the blast.“They’ll see us,” she gasped.Then—a voice.Deep. Cold. Familiar.“Give it up, Blackwood.”Juniper’s chest seized.Damien.His voice cut through the chaos like a blade. Calm. Unshaken.He was here.Adrian’s jaw clenched. A muscle ticked in his cheek. “Like hell.”Ethan’s gun clicked empty. He m
A Split Second Before ImpactThe SUV hurtled through the air.Juniper’s breath locked in her throat. Weightless.The world slowed.Adrian yanked the wheel, muscles straining, but there was nothing to control.Then—impact.Metal shrieked.Glass exploded.The SUV smashed down, nose-first, onto the pavement below. The force slammed Juniper forward into her seatbelt, knocking the air from her lungs.Adrian fought the wheel, but momentum was against them. The car spun.Juniper’s vision blurred as the world tilted sideways.BANG.They hit the guardrail.The sound was deafening—steel on steel, tires screeching as the car fishtailed out of control.Ethan shouted. “Hold on!”Too late.The SUV tipped.For a terrifying heartbeat, Juniper felt herself floating.Then—a drop.Her stomach plunged.The SUV pitched forward off the road, crashing down into a steep ditch.BOOM.Metal crunched. The impact whipped Juniper sideways, her skull smashing against the window.Pain exploded.Darkness threatened
Juniper’s fingers curled tightly around her phone as she stared at the message on the screen.Unknown Number: You think this is over?A chill prickled down her spine. Her stomach knotted.“Adrian,” she said, her voice sharper than she intended. “We have a problem.”Adrian’s focus stayed on the road, his hands gripping the wheel like a lifeline. “What now?”She turned the screen toward him. The glow of the text cast an eerie light over his face. His expression darkened instantly, jaw locking, eyes flashing with something cold.Ethan leaned forward from the back seat. “That Damien?”Juniper’s mouth felt dry. “Who else?”Adrian’s fingers flexed on the wheel. His knuckles were bone-white. “He never gives up.”Ethan scoffed. “Yeah, no shit. What does he want now?”Before Juniper could answer, her phone vibrated again. Another message.Unknown Number: See you soon.A shiver ran through her.Ethan let out a low curse. “That’s not ominous at all.”Juniper forced a breath through her nose, ste
“Adrian!”Juniper’s scream barely cut through the chaos.The SUV hurtled between two massive trucks, scraping so close that she swore she heard metal screeching against metal. The blinding headlights swallowed them whole, and for a fraction of a second, time seemed to freeze—her pulse hammering in her throat, her breath caught between terror and adrenaline.Then—BAM!The SUV shot out onto the open road. Behind them, the trucks blared their horns, slamming on their brakes to avoid crashing into Damien’s pursuing vehicles.Ethan clung to the headrest, his knuckles white. “Are you trying to get us killed?”Adrian’s grip on the wheel was a death vise. “If I stop, we’re dead anyway.”Behind them, Damien’s men weren’t letting up. Another blacked-out SUV tore through the intersection, plowing over the curb and speeding toward them like a missile.Juniper turned, her stomach twisting. “They’re gaining!”Adrian didn’t hesitate. “Hold on.”He yanked the wheel right—hard.The SUV skidded, tires
“Go! Go! Go!”Adrian slammed the gas pedal to the floor. The SUV roared forward, weaving dangerously through the tight alleyway as bullets pinged off the metal frame.Juniper clutched the door handle, her knuckles white. “They’re still on us!”Ethan twisted in the back seat, his gun raised. “Yeah, no kidding! Hold this thing steady!”Adrian swerved hard left, nearly clipping a row of parked motorcycles. “Steady? Not an option right now.”Behind them, Damien’s black sedans were relentless, their headlights cutting through the darkness like hunting knives. More gunfire erupted, shattering the SUV’s back window.“Shit!” Juniper ducked. “That was way too close.”Ethan cursed, returning fire. A bullet struck the windshield of the nearest sedan, causing it to swerve. But the driver corrected fast. “They’re not backing off!”Adrian’s grip on the wheel tightened. “We need to lose them.”“You think?” Ethan snapped.Juniper’s heart pounded. The speed. The gunfire. The deafening roar of engines.