Lahat ng Kabanata ng Sinful Desires: Kabanata 51 - Kabanata 60

"I must admit, I'm curious," Xavier continued from somewhere behind Jordan. "Did Victor really think one man could succeed where an entire team failed?" A pause. "Or perhaps he simply considered you... expendable." Jordan felt Xavier's presence directly behind him, could sense the man leaning closer to his ear. "Tell me, Jordan," Xavier whispered, his breath hot against Jordan's neck. "How does it feel to be the sacrificial pawn in Victor's game?" Jordan kept his eyes fixed on the wall ahead. "Better than being the king with no kingdom," he replied evenly. "How many territories have you fucking lost to Victor this month? Three? Four?" The sudden backhand caught Jordan across the jaw, snapping his head to the side. Pain exploded through his face, but he smiled through it, tasting fresh blood. "Touched a nerve there, didn't I?" Jordan said, spitting blood onto the floor. Xavier moved back into Jordan's line of sight, straightening his cuffs as if nothing had happened. But Jordan

*Two years earlier* "You know, a normal person would say 'Thank you, Jordan, for saving my life,'" Jordan said, pressing a bandage to the gash on Maria's arm. His touch was gentle despite the teasing tone of his voice. Maria rolled her eyes, wincing slightly as he secured the bandage. "If you hadn't been showing off, I wouldn't have needed saving in the first place." They were in the back of the car, having narrowly escaped a meeting gone wrong. Jordan had pulled her out of the line of fire, but not before she'd caught a stray bullet graze. "Showing off?" Jordan raised an eyebrow, his hazel eyes dancing with amusement. "Is that what you fucking call taking down three armed men while protecting your ungrateful ass?" Maria snorted, but there was a smile tugging at the corners of her mouth. "I had it under control." "Sure you did," Jordan replied, his voice softening. "That's why you were about to charge a guy with a semi-automatic using nothing but your charming personality." The

The heavy metal door slammed shut, the sound echoing through the small cell. Xavier had stormed out, a vein throbbing dangerously at his temple. Jordan's words had hit their mark. The metal door slammed shut with a hollow clang that echoed through the small cell. Xavier had stormed out, the vein in his temple pulsing visibly after Jordan's final insult. Santiago had followed like a faithful shadow, leaving Selena alone with Jordan. For a long moment, the only sound was Jordan's labored breathing. The dim light filtering through the tiny window cast harsh shadows across his battered face. Selena approached him cautiously. "Let me look at those cuts," she said, reaching toward the gash above his swollen eye. Jordan jerked away from her touch, wincing as pain shot through his ribs. "Don't fucking touch me," he spat. Blood sprayed from his split lip with each word. "You need help," Selena insisted, her voice soft but firm. "Not from you." Jordan's one good eye fixed on her with undi

Miguel was so close.The pier was just ahead, the scent of saltwater thick in the air. His small fingers clutched the navigation device, the red dot blinking steadily, urging him forward. Mr. Growls was tucked tightly under his arm, the only comfort in this strange and terrifying night.He could see the boats now—rocking gently in the dark water, their lights flickering like tiny stars. His heart pounded with hope. Maybe Roberto’s sister was already there. Maybe she would take him somewhere safe, somewhere far away from the bad men.But his legs hurt. Every step felt heavier. His stomach twisted with hunger, and his throat was dry. He had been brave for so long, but exhaustion was creeping in. He just had to make it a little farther.Then, everything went wrong.A pair of headlights flared to life behind him, flooding the narrow street with light. The deep roar of an engine cut through the night air. Miguel turned, squinting against the brightness, and his heart stopped.A black SUV.

Maria hadn’t stopped moving since they received the intel.The warehouse buzzed with tension, a storm of controlled chaos. Men checked weapons, strapped on bulletproof vests, and loaded magazines with sharp, practiced motions. The scent of gun oil and sweat thickened the air. Conversations were low, clipped, the occasional snap of a safety being turned off cutting through the hum of voices.But Maria barely noticed.She moved through it all like a machine, eyes scanning over blueprints, fingers tapping against the rough paper as she traced potential escape routes. Her mind ran through every worst-case scenario, every possible outcome, calculating and recalculating. She had to be ready for anything.Because if she stopped—if she let herself think for even a second—she might break.And she couldn’t afford that.Across the room, she felt the weight of Gerald’s stare. He had been watching her for the last hour, waiting. Studying. She could feel the concern radiating off him, but she ignor