The entire police station seemed to freeze.Even the officers, who had been trying to remain neutral, exchanged stunned glances.Cecilia’s breath hitched. “W.. what?”Alexander tilted his head, his fingers tapping lazily against the armrest of his wheelchair. “I said,” he repeated, his tone slow and deliberate, “I. Don’t. Care.”Raven let out a low chuckle, arms crossed, enjoying every second of this.Cecilia’s carefully constructed mask cracked, her lips parting in disbelief. “You.. you don’t care that your wife tried to run me over?”Alexander leaned forward slightly, his gaze a quiet storm. “If Sarah wanted to leave bodies in her wake,” he said, his voice dangerously smooth, “I’d make sure she got away with it.”Cecilia’s hands curled into fists. “You’re insane,” she spat. “You think you’re untouchable, don’t you? That you can just... just let her do whatever she wants?”Alexander let out a humorless chuckle. “I don’t think I’m untouchable. I am.” He cocked his head. “And unlike yo
As Sarah stepped out of the interrogation room, the weight of frustration still sat heavy on her shoulders.Her entire body was tense from the ridiculous treatment she had endured, and though she was relieved to see Alexander, a small ember of anger still burned within her.She had been locked in there for two hours. Two whole hours of nonsense accusations and condescending officers acting like she was some deranged criminal.Raven pushed Alexander’s wheelchair beside her, his presence exuding the same quiet dominance he carried everywhere.Even without standing, Alexander Blake was a force, a presence that commanded attention the moment he entered a room.But as Sarah’s gaze flickered forward, a slow smirk began to tug at her lips.Cecilia and Victoria stood near the entrance of the station, their faces frozen in open shock.The way their eyes darted between her and Alexander told Sarah everything she needed to know. They heard.Good.She made a point to slow her steps, prolonging th
As the sleek black car cruised through the quiet streets, the hum of the engine filled the silence between Sarah and Alexander.The night had grown darker, the streetlights casting elongated shadows that flickered across the tinted windows.The city was alive, yet for Sarah, the world felt unnervingly still.She exhaled, the tension from the day still lingering in her bones.The suffocating walls of the interrogation room flashed in her mind, the accusatory stares of the officers, the blatant disregard for her words.She had always known Cecilia was manipulative, but tonight had taken things to another level.Sarah’s thoughts were interrupted by the sharp buzz of Alexander’s phone vibrating against his palm.His grip on the device was firm, his thumb sliding over the screen without hesitation.His jaw tightened ever so slightly when he saw the name on the caller ID.Carter.Sarah didn’t know much about Carter beyond the fact that he was one of Alexander’s most trusted men.He was effi
The grand estate was silent as Sarah and Alexander arrived home, the air between them still carrying the lingering tension of the police station ordeal.Sarah was still seething, but Alexander, ever composed, simply rested back in his wheelchair, his mind elsewhere.They had barely stepped inside when Alexander’s phone buzzed, the sharp vibration cutting through the heavy silence.He glanced at the caller ID and exhaled sharply before answering."Mother."The sharp, authoritative voice of Mrs. Blake filled the room the moment he pressed the phone to his ear."Alexander Blake, explain to me right this instant what in God's name is happening!"Alexander’s jaw tightened. He had expected this call the moment Cecilia had caused a scene at the police station.He rubbed his temple as his mother continued."Cecilia called me in tears, tears, Alexander! Do you know how humiliating it is for me to hear that my son not only refused to stand by her side but let his wife, that woman, go scot free
Against the wall of the grand hallway, he kissed her with a possessiveness that left her breathless, his lips traveling down her jaw to her neck, marking her with love and fire.His fingers traced patterns along her skin, teasing, exploring, igniting.Then, to the bedroom, where he laid her down like she was the most precious treasure in the world.He took his time, undressing her with reverence, his eyes devouring every inch of her. “You’re mine, Sarah,” he whispered, his fingers tracing the delicate lines of her collarbone before traveling lower. “And no one, no one will ever come between us.”His hands, his lips, his body worshiped hers with a tenderness that was almost overwhelming.Every touch was a promise, every kiss an oath.When he finally joined her, he made love to her slowly, deliberately, making sure she felt every ounce of his devotion with each movement.With every thrust, he whispered against her skin, reminding her that she was everything, his queen, his love, his obs
The night was thick with tension as Alexander’s convoy of black SUVs came to a stop a few miles from Gerald’s estate.The air was crisp, the moon casting an eerie glow over the rugged terrain surrounding the heavily guarded mansion.Alexander and his men, clad in tactical gear and bulletproof vests, moved with a practiced silence as they finalized their approach.Carter unfolded the estate’s blueprint one last time, his finger tracing the primary access points. “We’ll split into three teams. Team Alpha will take the main entrance, draw fire, keep them distracted. Team Beta will circle the south wing and create a breach. Team Delta, we take the underground access Marcus mentioned and head straight for the vault.”Alexander’s jaw tightened as he checked his rifle, its weight familiar in his grip. “No unnecessary casualties,” he reminded them. “We go in, get the evidence, and get out.”His men nodded in unison before dispersing into their respective positions.The moment was here.The fi
Carter quickly moved to the documents, securing the most crucial files. “We have everything we need. Hard drives, ledgers, financial records, it’s all here.”Alexander nodded, but his gut told him it wasn’t over yet. Gerald wouldn’t go down this easily.“Let’s move,” he ordered. “We need to get out before reinforcements arrive.”Just as they turned to leave, a familiar voice crackled through the room’s intercom system.“Well, well, well… I have to admit, I’m impressed.”Gerald.Alexander’s eyes darkened.He looked up at the speakers, his grip tightening around his weapon.“But did you really think I’d make it that easy for you?” Gerald chuckled. “You may have found my records, but let’s see if you can make it out alive.”The room suddenly locked down, and alarms blared through the facility.More men were coming.Alexander exchanged a look with Carter. “Looks like we’re not done yet.”“We need to move quickly,” Carter muttered, reloading his rifle. “If Gerald has another escape route,
Meanwhile, Gerald lay on the cold, blood soaked floor, his breathing shallow, his vision blurring.His chest burned where the bullet had pierced him, and the thick, acrid smoke from the raging fire outside filled his lungs, making every breath agonizing.His empire was crumbling.Everything he had built, everything he had controlled, gone.His men were either dead or captured.The warehouses, the money, the secret documents, everything was up in flames.But Gerald Blake was not a man who accepted defeat.With the last ounce of his strength, he reached for the device strapped to his wrist, a sleek, black panel barely larger than a watch face.Blood dripped onto the screen as he pressed his thumb against the biometric scanner.A soft beep.Then, in a rasping voice, he whispered a string of coded words, "Omega 9… Phoenix protocol… Initiate."The screen flashed red for a second before switching to green.A small confirmation appeared: ACTIVATED.Gerald smirked, despite the searing pain in
Gerald’s world had flipped, literally and figuratively.The scent of leaking gasoline still clung to his shredded suit.His once polished shoes were coated in blood and gravel, and his jaw ached with every breath he took.The crash had thrown him like a ragdoll, flinging his body into a ditch after his vehicle, tires blown out from a desperate chase, had careened off the hillside road.He’d blacked out for a moment. Maybe more.But when he came to, it wasn’t mercy that greeted him.It was Darius.He’d heard the boots crunching over leaves and dirt long before the shadows finally stretched toward him.Then came the firm grip of gloved hands dragging his broken form to a clearing, rifles trained on him, and a half circle of men in black combat gear standing like a wall of death.And at the center of it all, Darius.Pristine as ever, yet colder than a winter grave.Darius stood tall, hands behind his back, his expression unreadable as he stared down at the bloodied man in front of him.G
Sarah turned slowly to Alexander, her hand still pressed to her mouth. “We’re… we’re going to have a baby.”His eyes glistened with fresh tears, shock, joy, fear, all colliding in one single breath.He reached out to cradle her face with both hands, his broken leg momentarily forgotten.A baby.A child made from chaos and pain, love and survival.“I don’t deserve this,” he whispered hoarsely. “Not after everything I’ve done. Not after I almost lost you.”“You didn’t lose me,” she whispered back. “And you won’t. Not now. Not ever.”He kissed her forehead, resting there for a long moment, his tears soaking into her hair. “I swear I’ll protect both of you. Even if I can’t walk. Even if I have to crawl to the ends of the earth, Sarah.”She laughed through her tears, arms wrapping around him tighter than ever. “Then we’ll crawl together. And when we’re ready… we’ll run.”They held each other in the stillness of that room, at the beginning of something even greater.A heartbeat they hadn’t
Sarah stayed curled in Alexander’s arms for a long moment, breathing him in like he was the only tether keeping her from floating away.His hand cradled the back of her head, his chest rising and falling in unsteady waves as if he still couldn’t believe she was real, that she was here.But then her eyes drifted down.Her gaze locked on the white sheets, crumpled and slightly lifted around his lower half.Something tugged at her memory, the shot.The sharp crack of a bullet.The sight of him falling behind her as she ran, screaming his name. Her stomach twisted.She leaned back slightly, her hand moving instinctively to the edge of the blanket, brushing against the thick padding of a cast beneath.Her voice was soft. “You were shot… I remember… I...”Alexander caught her hand gently, pressing it to his lips. “It’s okay. I’m here.”But Sarah’s heart had already begun to race again. “You were limping… and I saw… but I didn’t know it was this bad.” Her eyes darted toward the crutches now
The first thing Sarah registered was the scent of antiseptic, clean, sharp, and nauseating.Then came the ache. Deep in her bones. In her chest. In the marrow of her soul.She stirred, her fingers twitching over crisp hospital sheets as her body shifted ever so slightly, and her mind scrambled to catch up.She wasn’t tied down. She wasn’t cold anymore. She wasn’t in that dark room. That house. That… nightmare.She was safe.Or… something like it.Her eyes fluttered open slowly, lashes damp from tears she hadn’t even known she’d been crying.The ceiling was a sterile white blur. The walls hummed faintly with distant activity, soft footfalls, medical monitors, the low murmur of conversation somewhere outside the door.But none of it mattered.Because he wasn’t there.And without him, none of this felt real.Her lips parted, cracked and dry, and she tried to speak. Tried to push out the name that had lived on the edge of every prayer she'd whispered during captivity.It came out broken a
Alexander turned his head, his eyes bloodshot and glistening. “I’ll be a burden now. She’ll never say it, but I’ll see it in her eyes. Pity. Guilt. I’d rather she hate me than pity me.”“She’s not that kind of woman,” Darius said firmly.A pause. Then Alexander swallowed hard and asked the question that had been clawing at him since the moment the doctor said the word paralysis.“What if she stays… just because she thinks she owes me?”Darius’s brow furrowed. “Then you remind her what you both have been through. Remind her who the hell you are. And what you mean to each other.”Silence again.Then Alexander leaned back against the pillows and stared up at the ceiling. “Gerald got away.”Darius’s expression hardened. “Barely. One of my men put a tracker on his vehicle before he escaped. Victoria got caught in the crossfire. Gerald used her,” Darius replied coldly. “He doesn’t care who dies as long as he gets what he wants.”Alexander’s jaw clenched. “Then we’ll burn every last shadow h
The sterile beep of Alexander’s heart monitor filled the hospital room like a metronome, steady and soft. The worst had passed, so the doctors said. He had survived the bullets, the blood loss, the surgery. He had defied death.But outside the room, just as Darius turned to check on Sarah again, something in her expression shifted.Relief.That was the first thing he saw.A full bodied, all consuming relief that weakened her spine, dulled her eyes, and uncoiled every taut muscle that had kept her upright through pain, fear, and heartbreak.Then she crumpled.“Sarah...!” Darius lunged forward and caught her just before her knees slammed into the polished floor.Her body was limp in his arms, barely conscious, her breathing shallow and unsteady. Her bloodied hands slipped against his shirt as he pulled her close, his voice sharp and commanding as he yelled over his shoulder, “Get a doctor! Now!”Within seconds, nurses flooded the corridor. A gurney was wheeled over, and Darius laid her d
The woman he’d secretly crushed on since the first night he saved her bleeding and defiant.“Holy shit,” he muttered.But she was already in the driver’s seat.The moment her fingers wrapped around the wheel, she changed. Her spine straightened. Her breath slowed. The fear didn’t vanish, but it sharpened, fused into her bones like steel.And when her foot hit the gas, the tires screamed their fury into the night.The SUV became a blur under her hands.Trees melted past them. Headlights glared like ghosts. The world narrowed to instinct and motion.Sarah didn’t flinch when they nearly sideswiped a truck. She didn’t panic when the back tires fishtailed across loose gravel. She was in it.. back.Back to the part of herself she’d buried when she married into the Blake family.Back to Sparrow.“Hang on,” she said under her breath, glancing at Alexander in the mirror, his head resting in Darius’s lap as the man tried to stop the bleeding.“He’s fading,” Darius warned. “We’ve got fifteen min
The air turned electric as Darius’s boots pounded the forest floor, his rifle cradled tight against his shoulder. His men moved ahead of him like shadows, silent, fast, lethal.Their coordinated breaths were drowned out by the distant echoes of gunfire erupting from the estate.Alexander was still fighting.He was alive.But for how long?“Alpha to all units,” Darius growled into his earpiece, “entry on my mark. Hostile count is high. Primary objective, get Alexander out alive. Secondary level anyone who tries to stop us.”“Copy that,” came a chorus of calm, battle hardened voices.Behind him, the night swallowed his words.But not all of it.He turned briefly, his sharp gaze locking onto Sarah, who stood beside the black SUV Darius had arrived in. Her body trembled, her eyes red from tears, but she had not collapsed.She hadn’t fallen apart.And that, Darius admired deeply.“Can you drive?” he asked, voice hard but not unkind.Sarah blinked, startled. “What?”“If this goes south, we’
SarahShe sat on the floor, trembling hands curled around a piece of porcelain, a broken teacup she’d stashed away after a “servant” delivered tea hours ago.The sharp edge glittered in her shaking grip.She was pale.Her lips cracked from dehydration. Her dress hung off her like it didn’t belong to her anymore. Her eyes were void. Empty.As if she was no longer here.“Just one cut,” she whispered to herself. “Just one cut and I’ll see him again.”She looked up, eyes glassy, smile fragile, as if she could see someone standing in front of her already.“Alexander,” she breathed to the ghost in her mind. “I’m sorry I didn’t wait. I couldn’t. I’m just... so tired…”She raised the shard to her wrist.And a hand caught her.Real. Warm. Strong.Her eyes widened in horror and disbelief. “No…”She turned, and for a heartbeat, she didn’t believe it.But he was there.Kneeling before her.Alexander.His chest heaving from the run. Dirt on his clothes. Gun holstered at his side. Eyes red, wild, b