Ari’s POVKaelie was gone.Kidnapped.And I wasn’t going to waste another second.I stormed into the precinct the next morning, my heart pounding in my chest. The moment I stepped inside, all eyes were on me. The officers in the room seemed caught off guard by my presence, but I didn’t care.I marched straight toward Lady Smith’s office, ignoring the murmurs, ignoring the way people shifted uncomfortably as I passed.I didn’t have time for them.I needed to see Cross.I pushed open Lady Smith’s office door without knocking.She was seated behind her desk, as calm and composed as ever, sifting through some paperwork as if she wasn’t the biggest pain in my ass right now.Her eyes flicked up to me, unreadable."Ah, Detective Walsh," she said smoothly. "To what do I owe this sudden, and might I add, unannounced visit?"I slammed my hands onto her desk. “Kaelie was taken last night.”Lady Smith didn’t even flinch. Obviously, police reports had reached her."And?"My jaw clenched. "And I ne
Mira’s POVKaelie was still unconscious when I stepped into the room.She was strapped to a chair, her head slumped forward, her breath coming in soft, shaky intervals. Her hair was a tangled mess over her face, strands sticking to her damp skin.Pathetic.I walked over to the table, picking up a knife and twirling it between my fingers as I watched her. The dim light cast long shadows on the walls, giving the room an eerie glow.Then, finally, she stirred.A soft groan escaped her lips as her body tensed. Slowly, her eyes fluttered open, blinking against the light.It took her a second to register her surroundings.Then the panic hit.Her breathing turned sharp and erratic. She tugged at the restraints, her body twisting and struggling against the chair.“H-hello?” she called out, her voice trembling. “Somebody—please! Help!”I smirked.“Oh, sweetheart,” I cooed, stepping into her line of sight. “No one’s coming.”Her eyes snapped to me, wide with fear. “Who… who are you?”I tilted m
Cross’ POVI sat in the cold cell, my fists clenched, my mind running wild with every possible way I could get out of this mess.I had survived worse.But this? This was fucking humiliating.Lady Smith had crossed a line last night—one that I’d never let go unpunished.And she would pay for it.I groaned again. Fuck.My dick still ached from last night and my body ached from my wounds. I was slowly drifting off to sleep when the sound of heels clicking against the concrete floor made me lift my head.Right on time.Lady Smith stepped into view, her posture as relaxed as ever, her face painted with amusement. She leaned against the bars of my cell, tilting her head.“Well, well,” she drawled. “How’s my favorite prisoner doing today?”I didn’t answer. I just stared at her; my jaw tight.She smirked, running a hand over the bars. “Not in the mood for small talk? That’s a shame. I was going to tell you how much I thoroughly enjoyed our time together last night.”My hands twitched, but I f
Ari’s POVI had just been on my desk that afternoon, flipping through the files on Kaelie’s case, though the words barely registered. My mind was stretched thin, caught between the weight of my mistakes and the desperate need to set things right.Kaelie was still out there.I had agreed to Mira’s terms. I had promised to bring Cross.But nothing about this situation felt right.Everything was a mess."Ari."I looked up to see Gina standing near my desk, her expression unusually soft.I tensed automatically, waiting for another lecture, another round of judgment, but instead, she sighed."I just… I wanted to apologize," she said.I blinked. "For what?"She hesitated before sitting across from me. "For how we’ve treated you. For how I’ve treated you. Everyone has been so quick to blame you for everything that’s happened—Kaelie, Aaron, Cross… but I realize now, none of this is just on you."I stared at her, unsure of what to say.Gina exhaled sharply. "Look, I don’t know the full story b
Cross’ POVI was caged.Again.I sat on the edge of the small cot in my cell, my jaw clenched so tightly it ached. My fists balled at my sides; my knuckles white from the pressure.This wasn’t how it was supposed to go.I had been seconds away from breaking out, from finally taking control of my life again. But then she showed up—Ari, with her shaking hands and pleading eyes, pointing a gun at me like she actually had it in her to shoot.I exhaled sharply, rubbing my face.I needed a new plan.Something was coming.Something bad.And I wasn’t about to sit here and let it happen to me.It was then the explosion came to my mind again. Who must have sent the message? Kouvu? Kouvu had been lying low since the last time I had tried to set him up, but I knew he was waiting for the right time to take me out of the picture and become the next street lord. And now, of course, he was sending a message. I could be certain it was Kouvu that sent the bomb.Just then, the cell door and I turned to
Mira’s POVKaelie looked like shit.Her eyes were puffy and swollen from crying, her lips cracked, her whole body slumped forward in exhaustion. She didn’t even flinch when I stepped into the room this time.I walked over lazily, stopping just in front of her chair. “You’re quieter than usual.”She lifted her head weakly. “What’s the point?”I smirked, tilting my head. “Giving up already?”Kaelie swallowed hard, her voice hoarse. “Are they coming for me?”I crouched down, watching her carefully. “Oh, sweetheart.” I reached out, running a finger under her chin before she jerked her head away. “They’re on their way.”Her bottom lip trembled, but she clenched her jaw to keep it from showing.I sighed, shaking my head. “You’re lucky, you know. You get to be part of something big. This isn’t just about you, or me, or even Ari. This is about power.”Kaelie scoffed. “You’re insane.”I grinned. “And you’re boring me.”I stood up, stepping back toward the door. “Don’t worry. Your best friend w
Ari’s POVFirst, Cross.Betrayal, and still, he could not leave my mind.But I had left him.I had walked away, leaving him behind, knowing this was the last time I would see him. And yet, my hands had shaken as I turned the doorknob, my heart twisting painfully in my chest as I forced myself not to look back. Because if I did, if I saw the way Cross was looking at me—pleading, desperate, raw—I would break.I had already broken.But this was how it had to be. I kept telling myself that. Over and over. There was never a version of this story where Cross and I had a happy ending. This was always where it was going to end.I wiped my face roughly, steeling myself. You did the right thing, Ari.I had to believe that. I needed to believe that.***As I made my way to the scene where I was to get Kaelie back, I remembered Cross’ advice for me.Get as close as possible.I had told Lady Smith already; I didn’t want the men around. Anyway, they were all too busy feigning and creating distracti
Ari’s POVWait…Someone had to explain to me how you could be with one person one minute and the other, they were…They were…Everything was a blur.The days after the accident felt like they barely existed, passing in a haze of grief, exhaustion, and an unbearable hollowness in my chest.I barely ate.I barely slept.I barely breathed.I waited for confirmation, but it was true. A body was found. Retrieved. Everything had burned to crisp. But it was true.It was him.Cross Margiello.Deceased.The news had already spread through the precinct, and even though no one dared to say it out loud, I could feel the looks. The silent whispers. The pity. I hated it. I hated that I had let myself believe, even for a second, that Cross could have made it out alive.Because he didn’t.And now, all I had left was this crushing emptiness. And how did I pour it out? Pretending I was fine while I ran into the field screaming and weeping, while I crashed in the bathtub sobbing, while I hated myself in
Cross’ POVThe roar of the engine filled my ears as I sped down the deserted road, the air slashing across my face. My mind was a storm, thoughts slamming into each other. Ari was in trouble. I didn’t know where, I didn’t know how, but I could feel it. The moment I saw that unknown number flash on my screen, I knew. And when the call disconnected before a voice could even come through, I didn’t hesitate. With a flick of my wrist, I activated the tracker embedded in my device, hacking into the last known coordinates of the signal.The result made my blood run cold.A forest. The middle of nowhere. And a part of me already knew who had taken her.Jonathan.If Mira could have worked with someone… Could it be him?The bastard wasn’t dead. Not yet. But I was about to fix that.I pushed the bike harder, trees blurring past me in dark smudges. The location was getting closer, the beeping on my tracker speeding up. My gut clenched as a shadowy structure came into view. An uncompleted buildi
Ari’s POVI ran.Blindly. Desperately. My breath came in ragged gasps, my legs screaming for rest, but I didn't dare stop. What I didn’t expect outside the building was a stretch of green - the woods…I cursed.Behind me, his voice slithered through the trees, taunting, sing-song, twisted in its mockery."Ari, come out, come out wherever you are…"A shudder ripped through me. He was enjoying this. The chase. The fear. The sheer power he had over me.I pushed forward, stumbling over uneven ground. My body ached, but I forced myself onward, lungs burning, heart hammering against my ribs. If I stopped, I was dead.Up ahead, a fallen tree loomed. I dropped to my knees, crawling underneath, pressing myself against the damp earth. I clenched my fists, holding my breath. Maybe, just maybe, I could disappear into the shadows.The silence stretched.Then—a hand clamped around my ankle.A scream tore from my throat as I was yanked backward, my nails clawing at the ground, grasping for anything
Ariana’s POVDarkness.It was thick, suffocating, pressing against me like a second skin.My wrists burned from the restraints, bound so tightly I could feel the circulation slowing. My ankles were the same—tied, restrained, useless. My breath was uneven, a mix of panic and frustration, chest rising and falling against the gag tied around my mouth.I tried to move. Failed.I tried again, twisting my body, but all it did was send a sharp pain shooting through my shoulders.Where the hell was I?The last thing I remembered was stepping into my apartment. Then—darkness.Now I was here.And I wasn’t alone.A noise—a rustling, a whimper—echoed through the blackness.Then, a voice. Weak. Trembling. Familiar.“…Ari?”My body froze.That voice.That broken, barely-there whisper.Kaelie.My head snapped toward the sound, my eyes adjusting to the dimness of what little light seeped through the cracks of wherever the fuck we were.And then—I saw her.Tied. Beaten. Bloody.She was slumped against
Cross’ POVAs I ran through to the car, I already spotted what was coming. If Mira already knew about Ari, she had definitely told the Don, and the Don was already in the picture. If the Don was in the picture, they were coming for me. I and the Don had made an agreement, and that was to stay faithful to Mira.That agreement was broken.In no time, the Don’s men would be here.The air was thick with gasoline and sweat as I slipped into the car. My fingers tightened around the steering wheel as I reached for my phone, barely suppressing the rush of adrenaline flooding my veins.The Don may be on me, but I also had my plans.And it was time to put it in motion.The call rang once before Gustav answered.“It’s time.”There was no hesitation. No questions. Only a sharp exhale from the other end of the line before the call cut off.And then—The roar of engines.Headlights flared in the distance, then multiplied like wildfire. The Don’s men poured in from every alley, every street, surroun
Cross’ POVThe city streets were still drenched in the silence of the early morning when I arrived at the hideout. My body ached from exhaustion, but my mind was sharper than ever.Leo was dead.That truth weighed on me like chains, heavy and unrelenting. I had spent years crawling out of the grave only to return and find the ones I left behind buried instead.Leo should have been here. Laughing. Drinking. Breathing.Instead, we were about to put him in the ground.I entered the dimly lit warehouse, my boots echoing against the cold concrete. Gustav was already there, leaning against a wooden crate, a cigarette burning low between his fingers.He looked up at me, his sharp eyes unreadable. "You're back."I nodded. "Get the men ready. We're taking Leo home."Gustav exhaled a cloud of smoke before flicking the cigarette away. “Took you long enough, boss. I gat you, anyway.” he muttered, pushing off the crate. “I’ll round them up.”Within minutes, my men—Leo’s men—our family—began to gat
Ari's POVThe world was still wrapped in the quiet, heavy embrace of the early morning when I stirred. My body felt warm, blanketed by the remnants of a presence so familiar yet so distant that, for a moment, I thought I was still dreaming.And then I felt it.A slow, steady breath against my neck.The warmth of a body pressed against mine.An arm lazily draped over my waist.Reality settled in.I didn't dare move—not yet. I just lay there, staring at the ceiling, my heart swelling, aching, twisting. He was here. Cross was here. Alive. In my bed.The night had been a storm of emotions, fists, accusations, and unbridled relief. And now, here we were, tangled in the stillness, as if the world hadn’t turned upside down just hours ago.Slowly, I turned my head, and there he was.Cross.His face, barely inches from mine, softened in sleep. His long lashes cast faint shadows on his sharp cheekbones, his lips slightly parted, chest rising and falling in a rhythm that had once been the most c
Ari's POVOnce we reached the bed, he pushed me down before pulling his trouser and boxer off, and then climbing on top of me, his hard length rubbing against my thigh."Spread your legs for me." Cross ordered, his eyes locked on mine as he waited for me to comply.I obeyed, opening my legs wide, exposing my pussy to him.He reached down and ran his finger over my folds, his cock twitching when he saw how wet I was."You're dripping." He smiled, bringing his fingers to his mouth and he licked them clean.He leaned forward, his face only inches from mine. "Are you ready for me, Ari?""Yes," I gasped, my body aching for him.Cross grinned and gripped his cock, he slid the tip along my folds, teasing me to further wetness before pushing himself inside me, his eyes closing and his face tightening as he felt me wrap around his cock."So tight," he groaned. "And so wet.""Yeah." I cried out, arching my back as he started thrusting.His thrusts were slow and steady at first, but they gradual
Ari's POVThe taste of him was intoxicating.The way his tongue slid against mine, his teeth scraping across my lower lip.I didn’t realize that I was pressed up against the wall until his hand slid up the back of my shirt, fingers playing across the bare skin of my back.I gasped."Cross."His name slipped out. It felt like a plea. Or a prayer. But I didn't care.I didn't care at all what it meant or felt like.Right now, all that mattered was him and how he was making me feel.The way his lips were on mine.The way his body pressed against me.Cross's mouth moved to my neck, his teeth grazing over the sensitive skin. I arched into him, heat flooding through me as I have into my desires.It wasn't enough.It would never be enough. Not with Cross.I tugged at the hem of his shirt, my hands slipping underneath to touch the smooth, hard muscles beneath."Take it off," I breathed out, my voice thick with lust. Raw and heavy.Cross pulled back, a smirk on his lips."Are you sure?""Yes,"
Ari's POVThe night stretched on, endless and suffocating. I lay on my bed, staring at the ceiling, unable to close my eyes for more than a few seconds without a wave of paranoia washing over me. My body was exhausted, but my mind refused to shut down. Every creak, every distant honk of a car outside sent a shiver down my spine. I could still feel the weight of what had happened—Kaelie missing, the attack at her house, and then…Cross.The name burned inside my head like fire. It wasn’t possible. It couldn’t be possible. He was dead. I had seen him buried… No, the body was “evidence.” But I had mourned him, shattered myself trying to move on. I had told myself a thousand times that he was gone. But tonight, he was there—flesh, blood, and rage. My rescuer. My nightmare. My ghost.Or was it him?Jeez… What was I doing to myself?A shuddering breath escaped my lips.Perhaps, I just needed to sleep and wake up and everything will be alright.But then I heard it.A noise. A faint rustling