The night was thick with anticipation, the city humming beneath them as Adrian’s car sped through the darkened streets. The air inside the armored SUV was electric, the hum of the city passing in a blur beyond the tinted windows. Not from the mission ahead, but from something far more dangerous, the raw tension between Adrian and Amelia.
Adrian sat in the backseat, his expression unreadable as he checked his gun, sliding a full magazine into place with a sharp click. Across from him, Amelia mirrored his movements, her fingers steady as she followed his lead. She wasn’t the same woman who had walked into his life months ago.
Now? Now she was part of the game.
She could feel his intensity, the way his hand gripped the gun too tightly, the rigid set of his jaw. He hadn’t spoken much since leaving Black Enterprises, but his energy filled every inch of the car.
The interior of the car was dim, the faint glow of streetlights casting sharp angl
Linden Street was quiet. Too quiet. Adrian didn’t like it.The black SUV sped down the empty streets of downtown, the air inside charged with anticipation. The address on the card burned in Adrian’s mind, a calculated invitation from Victor Calloway, a message wrapped in a challenge.But if Victor thought he held the upper hand, he was about to learn just how wrong he was.Sitting in the backseat of the blacked-out SUV, his arm resting on the door, his fingers tapping against his thigh in a slow, deliberate rhythm, he watched the darkened building ahead. No movement. No guards. No visible threats.That alone was the biggest warning sign.Marcus
The world outside Adrian’s penthouse blurred in streaks of city lights, but inside, it was chaos.Not the kind of chaos that came with gunfire or threats. This was different. This was Adrian Black unhinged, dangerous, possessive, and completely unraveling beneath the weight of what had just happened.He had spent his life controlling every variable, staying five steps ahead of every enemy. But tonight? Victor Calloway had flipped the board.And worst of all, he had used Amelia as the bait.She stood by the window, wrapped in nothing but Adrian’s silk sheets, watching the rain smear against the glass. Her skin still burned where his hands had gripped her, where his mouth had claimed her. But despite the f
The room felt heavier, charged with something dangerous.Adrian stood in the center of the penthouse, the city lights casting sharp shadows across his face. The video was still open on Marcus’s phone, but no one moved. No one spoke. Because at that moment, Adrian Black wasn’t just angry. He was lethal.Amelia could feel it, the controlled storm brewing beneath his surface. It wasn’t just about Ethan anymore. This was about control. And Victor Calloway had just made one thing painfully clear. He wasn’t done. And if Adrian didn’t end this now, Amelia would be next.Adrian’s grip tightened around Marcus’s phone, his knuckles turning white. The video had been short, but it had said everything Victor wanted it to. He exhaled slowly, suppr
The dust had barely settled, the stench of gunpowder still clinging to the air, but for Adrian Black, the war was over.Victor Calloway was done. Or at least, for now.Amelia stood over Victor, her gun pressed against his forehead, her pulse still pounding. She had expected Adrian to stop her, to tell her that killing Victor would be crossing a line she couldn't return from. But when she flicked her gaze toward Adrian, all she saw was approval.“Go ahead,” Adrian murmured, voice dark and edged with something deadly. “Put a bullet in him.”Victor laughed, blood dripping from his lips. “You don’t have it in you, sweetheart.”
The remnants of shattered whiskey glasses glistened under the dim glow of the penthouse lights, but neither Adrian nor Amelia paid them any mind. The heat between them was still thick, lingering in the air like an unspoken promise.Adrian’s grip on Amelia’s thighs remained firm as she caught her breath, her body still tingling from the raw intensity of what had just unfolded between them. His stormy gray eyes burned into hers, a silent declaration that he wasn’t nearly done with her yet.Amelia smirked, dragging a hand down his chest. “I think we just christened your desk.”Adrian exhaled sharply, amusement flickering in his gaze. “It was long overdue.”She chuckled, but the
The ride back to the city was steeped in heavy silence. The tension from the meeting lingered, stretching between Adrian and Amelia like a taut wire ready to snap. The revelation of Ethan’s supposed son had disrupted the balance of power, a move Elizabeth Cavendish had played with calculated precision.Adrian sat rigidly in the back seat of the Maybach, one hand drumming against his knee, the other gripping the armrest with barely contained restraint. His stormy gray eyes were fixed on the city lights streaking past the tinted windows, but Amelia knew he wasn’t seeing them. His mind was elsewhere, dissecting Elizabeth’s words, weighing every possibility, every consequence.Amelia, on the other hand, was caught in a whirlwind of emotions she refused to acknowledge. Betrayal wasn’t new to her, not when it came t
The tension in Adrian’s office was suffocating. The revelation of Ethan’s child, a boy with undeniable Cavendish blood had shifted everything. But the moment Marcus uttered the word missing, the stakes had skyrocketed.Amelia felt an eerie chill settle over her skin. A child. An innocent child was now tangled in the dangerous web Elizabeth Cavendish had spun.Adrian stood motionless, his grip tightening around the folder containing the boy’s photo. The silence was thick, stretching between them like an impending storm. Then, without warning, he slammed the folder onto the desk.“She knows where he is,” Adrian said, his voice low, lethal. “Elizabeth wouldn’t let her greatest weapon vanish without a trace.”
The jet cut through the dark sky, slicing across the Atlantic like a blade. Inside the cabin, tension crackled in the air, thick and unrelenting. Adrian sat in his seat, his fingers tapping against the armrest as his mind worked through every possible scenario. The photo of the boy rested on the table before him, its edges slightly curled from being handled too many times. His eyes didn’t leave it.Amelia sat beside him, her arms crossed, her stomach twisted in knots. “Adrian,” she said quietly, watching him with cautious eyes. “What if we’re walking into a trap?”Adrian exhaled slowly, his gaze still locked on the photo. “Then we make sure we’re the ones holding the leash.”Marcus, seated across from them, checked his ta
Adrian Black was not a man who shared. He didn’t tolerate competition. He didn’t believe in second chances. And he sure as hell didn’t like watching another man look at what belonged to him, especially not Amelia.Amelia knew this. She had known it the moment she first met him, the moment she first saw the raw, untamed intensity in his storm-gray eyes. And yet, she couldn’t help herself pushing him, teasing him, testing the very limits of his control every time she got a chance. It was a dangerous thrill she was hopelessly addicted to.That flirtatious street vendor might have been a harmless fool, but Amelia’s teasing? That was deliberate. She knew exactly what she was doing, stoking the fire, pushing him to the edge, daring him to lose control.
Amelia should have known better. Messing with Adrian Black was like playing with fire, dangerous, exhilarating, and bound to leave a mark. And judging by the wicked gleam in his storm-gray eyes, she was about to get burned.Still dangling over his shoulder, dripping from the ice-cold water she had just dumped on him, Amelia kicked her legs in protest. "Adrian! Put me down!"He ignored her, carrying her effortlessly through the villa. His grip on her thighs was firm, possessive, as if she belonged to him like she wasn’t going anywhere until he decided."Adrian," she tried again, squirming.His palm landed on her ass in a sharp, warning slap. "Keep struggling, sweetheart. I dare you."
Sunlight spilled through the sheer curtains, casting a golden glow over the rumpled sheets. Amelia groaned as she stirred. The first thing she registered was warmth. Not just the warmth of silk sheets tangled around her body, or the golden sunlight spilling through the villa’s floor-to-ceiling windows, it was the warmth of him.She stirred, stretching slightly, only to regret it instantly. Every inch of her felt the aftermath of last night, the roughness, the desperation, the way Adrian had absolutely wrecked her, a reminder of exactly what had happened last night.She blinked slowly, disoriented by the brightness, her limbs feeling too heavy to move. The room was quiet except for the distant sound of waves crashing against the shore, and a low, amused chuckle that sent shivers down her spine.
"You looked stunning in that dress," Adrian rasped, eyes devouring her.Amelia smirked. "And now?"His gaze darkened, his fingers tracing the bare skin he'd been longing to touch all evening."Now?" His voice was pure sin. "You look ruined just how I like you. Why’re you so fucking beautiful, Amelia?"She looked divine and there was no way to ignore that. He cupped her breasts, reveling at the feel of their heavy weight. He grazed his fingers across her already hard nipples, then he abruptly replaced his fingers with his mouth, kissing and sucking, first one breast then the other.Amelia took Adrian by his hand and led him to the edge of her bed. Then
The dress was indecent.Amelia stared at the deep red silk draped across the bed, its high slits and plunging neckline screaming danger. It wasn’t just revealing, it was a damn invitation to sin.She narrowed her eyes. "You picked this?"Adrian leaned against the doorway, looking infuriatingly pleased with himself. "I have excellent taste.""You mean you have no shame."He smirked. "That too."Amelia grabbed the dress, holding it up. "This barely covers anything."Adrian strolled forward, plucking the fabric from her fingers
The morning sun filtered through the sheer curtains, casting golden light over the rumpled sheets and tangled limbs. Amelia stirred, her body aching deliciously in places she hadn’t even known could be sore.A soft groan escaped her lips as she shifted, stretching out against the warmth beside her. Adrian. His arm was draped possessively over her waist, his bare chest rising and falling in a steady rhythm. He was still asleep, his face relaxed, dark lashes fanned over his sharp cheekbones. Even in sleep, he looked like temptation incarnate.She exhaled slowly, her muscles protesting the movement. Damn him. The night before had been relentless, Adrian had taken his sweet time proving exactly why she should never challenge him. Every whispered promise, every deliberate touch had unraveled her, left her trembling and spent beneath
The midday sun cast a golden glow over the island, the sky an endless stretch of blue, unmarred by even a single cloud. The sound of waves lapping against the shore mixed with the rustling of palm trees in the warm breeze. It was paradise, untouched, isolated, and breathtaking.Amelia adjusted the oversized straw hat on her head. The waves rolled lazily onto the shore, and the golden sand was warm beneath her feet as she made her way to the beach. It was the perfect day, the kind that begged for relaxation, for cool drinks and sunbathing and doing absolutely nothing.So why did she feel so damn restless?Maybe because Adrian Black was still lurking in her mind like a deliciously bad idea. She inhaled deeply, letting the salty air fill her lungs, trying to focus on the beauty
The night air was warm, carrying the scent of salt and something subtly floral. The ocean stretched endlessly before them, moonlight rippling over the waves in a hypnotic dance. But Amelia wasn’t looking at the ocean anymore.She was looking at Adrian.He stood impossibly close, his heat pressing into her back, his arms wrapped possessively around her waist as if he had every right to hold her like this. Maybe he did. Maybe she had stopped resisting the moment she stepped onto this island with him."Dangerous habit, sweetheart," he murmured against her ear, his breath feather-light but potent enough to send a shiver down her spine.Amelia swallowed hard, gripping the cool metal railing of the balcony as if it
The private jet was obnoxiously luxurious, which, of course, was to be expected. Adrian Black did nothing halfway.Amelia crossed her legs, pretending to be unimpressed as she took in the sleek leather seats, the polished mahogany accents, and the ridiculous amount of space for just the two of them. A bottle of vintage champagne sat chilling nearby, as if they were about to toast to something extravagant.Adrian, sitting across from her, smirked. "You look tense, sweetheart."She shot him a glare. "I am not tense."He raised a brow, amusement flickering in those storm-gray eyes. "Sure, you’re not." Adrian leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees. "Relax. You act like I’m taking you to a remote isl