Chapter One

I ran.

My breath scorched in my lungs, my heart crashing against my ribs like a drum as I held my son’s small hand. “Keep going, Leo,” I gasped, willing my legs to move more quickly.

Heavy footsteps echoed behind us. I knew that they were getting closer. I had no reason to glance back for reassurance. All day, I had felt their eyes on me, watching, waiting — until they finally made their move.

And now Damian Sinclair’s men were here to steal it all away.

Leo whined, falling behind. “Mommy, I’m tired.”

I sat stiff as a board in the backseat of Damian’s luxury SUV, my fists balled so tightly my nails cut into my palms. Leo sat next to me, his tiny frame wedged against mine, his large eyes alternating between me and the man dining across the table.

Damian.

He sat with his legs crossed, his piercing blue eyes boring into me. He seemed completely relaxed, as if abducting me and my son was merely a business deal.

I swallowed, breathing through the tension. I needed to be calm for Leo. There wouldn’t be much use in panicking now.

I looked to Damian, my voice low but powerful. “Where are you taking us?”

His lips curled as if my question were funny. “Home.”

A shiver ran down my spine. “I already have a home.”

His jaw tensed a bit, but his face held no expression. “Not anymore.”

Anger burned in my chest. “You can’t just—”

“I can,” he interrupted me, his voice brooking no argument. “And I have.”

I sucked in a sharp breath. Of course. This was the Damian I knew — controlling, ruthless, utterly unaffected by what I wanted.

Leo’s tiny fingers wrapped themselves around mine. “Mommy…who is he?”

Damian’s eyes sharpened on Leo’s question.

I swallowed the lump in my throat. “He’s...” I faltered, my pulse pounding. How do I tell him about what happened?

Damian then leaned in slightly, his voice steady. “I’m your father.”

Leo looked up at him, confusion flashing in his little face. “No, you’re not. My daddy is in heaven.”

A heavy silence descended on the car. My breath hitched.

Damian’s face remained the same, but something perilous flashed in his eyes. “Is that what she told you?” He spoke softly, but I could hear the threat behind it.

I felt my stomach drop.

Damian looked down at me then, his eyes swimming with something cold and inscrutable. “We’ll discuss that later.”

I swallowed hard and gripped Leo’s hand tighter.

The vehicle turned onto a private road, and my chest constricted when I saw our destination ahead. Ahead loomed a massive mansion with tall iron gates swinging open as we approached.

No.

I had been running from this place, from this man, for five years.

And now I was back where I had begun.

The car stopped rolling, and Damian opened his door. He turned to me and reached out his hand. “Out.”

I stared at him, my mouth frozen shut.

He smiled darkly, lips curling. “Or would you prefer me to carry you?”

I glared at him and climbed out, hugging Leo close.

The moment I set my feet on the ground, I could sense him right next to me. Damian loomed over me, his body exuding dominance and strength.

“This is your home now,” he whispered, warm breath on my skin.

I raised my chin, willing myself to look him in the eye. “You can make me come, Damian. But you’ll never control me.”

His gaze darkened, humor dancing in those black depths. “We’ll see about that.”

And then, before I had a chance to react, he leaned in, lips against my ear.

“Welcome back, sweetheart.”

I squeezed his hand tighter. “Just a little more, baby. We’re almost safe.”

That was a lie. We weren’t safe anywhere. Not anymore.

A black SUV squealed to a stop in front of us, blocking our path. My stomach was in knots. No. No, no, no. I spun, looking to run the other way, but two more men emerged from the shadows and stepped into our path.

Trapped.

My heart thudded in my ears as I stood in front of Leo. “Stay away,” I said, shaking my voice.

One of the men took a step forward. “Miss Carter”, he said, his voice even, nearly courteous. “Come with us.”

I glared at him. “Like hell, I will.”

The man sighed like I was being difficult. “Let’s not complicate this unnecessarily.”

Harder? They had no clue how difficult my life had already been. How hard I had battled to keep my son safe from the man who now wanted to take him from me.

I shuffled on my feet, ready to flee. But just as I was about to take a step, a deep, commanding voice rang through the night.

“Elena.”

My body tensed as every muscle contracted.

I knew that voice.

I slowly turned, my breath hitching in my throat as my eyes landed on piercing blue ones.

Damian.

He was standing in the glow of the streetlights, tall, powerful, devastatingly handsome in his expensive suit. Time had done nothing to dull the hard angles of his face, the frigid calculation in his gaze. He was still every inch the ruthless billionaire I'd fled five years before.

And now, he had found me.

My throat tightened. “Stay away from us.”

His lips curled into a smirk. “That’s not happening.”

Leo clutched my dress, his small hands shaking. I could sense his fear, and it sparked a protective fire in me.

I looked back at Damian, my voice low and cutting. “You don’t get to do this. “You don’t just get to come around after all these years and start acting like you have a say so over our lives.”

His expression darkened. “And that’s where you’re wrong, Elena. I’ve always had a say.”

Before I could answer, one of his men reached for Leo.

“No!” I lunged, pushing the man backward with all my strength. But it wasn’t enough.

Arms tightened around me from behind, pulling me away. I kicked, fought, screamed — but Damian stepped closer, his person consuming the space between us.

“Elena, stop.” His voice was steady, but I detected a warning in it. The absolute control.

I shook my head, my eyes stinging with tears. “Please,” I whispered. “Don’t do this.”

His jaw tightened. “Get in the car.”

My whole body shook, and I froze.

If I didn’t, they’d take Leo without me.

I would, if I did, be walking right back into the arms of the man I had been attempting to escape for five years.

Damian stared at me, his expression unknown. “Your choice, Elena.”

I had no choice.

I took a shaky breath and raised my chin and looked him straight in the eyes. “I hate you.”

He only smirked. “Get used to it.”

Then, the door of the car slammed behind me, sealing me again into his world.