shadow in my mind.
Slipping from Nathan’s grip, offered him a soft but determined smile. “Thanks,” I said, slipping out of Nathan’s grip. I already spoke to Alex about meeting
Η
In my mind, 1 tried to push away the nagging thought about the other woman Alex mentioned. Maybe I’d ask him about it later–if it was the hoped he was just bullshitting me, trying to stir trouble like always.
Nathan’s volice pulled me back. “What about the restraining order?”
“For now, it doesn’t matter,” I replied firmly. “I’m not waiting two months until the case just to see my son.”
I gave him a small, apologetic smile. “I’ll see you later.”
As I tumed to leave, taught the smug smile Alex shot Nathan. It grated on my nerves, but I refused to acknowledge it. My chest ached as I walked away–it hurt to leave Nathan standing there–but my children would always come first. Before anyone else
In the car, Alex broke the silence first
“You look beautiful today,” he said casually.
Ignored him, staring out the window.
He chuckled softly, then pulled his phone out, recording our conversation. “Promise me something, Raina. If you find out where Liam’s location is, you won’t disclose it to anyone–not even Nathan. And you won’t go there without me.”
I tumed to face him, frowning. “Why?”
“Just promise mue,“heinsisted, his eyes serious.
1 rolled my eyes but gave in. “Fine. I promise.”
Satisfied, Alex put the phone away and kept driving. We ended up on the opposite side of town–nowhere near his house.
For a moment, suspicion crept in, and I tensed. “Where are you taking me?”
Alex chuckled. “Relax. I love you too much to do anything to you.”
The words made my stomach turn. Love? Was he serious?
We finally pulled up to a small, quiet apartment complex. The place was simple but well–kept. 1 stepped out of the car cautiously, my heart pounding.
And then schim
He was playing in the yard with a toy truck, his cheeks rosy and his movements lively. Rellet washed over me like a wave. He looked better–healthier.
“What happened?” asked, my voice soft.
Alex came to stand beside me, his tone calm. “He’s getting treated. I felt guilty about how far behind his health was, so I’ve had a team of scientists doing research to help him heal faster.”
My throat tightened as I tumed to look at him. “Thank you.”
Alex met my gaze, his expression earnest. “If you really want to thanke, share custody with me, faina. Don’t take him away!
1 looked away, unwilling to respond to that instead, I said, “I want to see him often.”
“You can,“Alex replied:
I bring you here whenever you want.”
There was a pause before he added, “And I didn’t lie about Nathan and that wo
woman. I saw them.”
Istilered, but I pushed the thought aside, I wasn’t here for that. I was here for Liam.
Spending time with Lam was exactly what I needed hugged him tight, played with him, and even rocked him to sleep. For the first time in a while, I felt like
could breathe.
Thad just finished putting Liam to sleep, the warmth of him still lingering in my arms, when I stood up, ready to leave. As I moved toward the door, I felt Alex’s hand grip my arm. His touch was firm, but I could teclatemor in it that betrayed his usual confidence.
“Baina,” he said, his voice low, almost pleading. “What can I do to fix this? i refuse to believe you feel nothing for me.”
His words hit me hard, sharper than I expected. I tumed to tace him, my eyes nunowing. “Let go, Alex,” I said, trying to shake off his hald, “stow aside. I feel nothing. You don’t get to decide how I feel anymore.”
I knew it wasn’t true. It was a lie, I told myself. But as much as I tried to hate him, there was always
ays this part of me that still wanted him–despite everything. despite all the hurt, and despite the mess we had become. I couldn’t deny that part of me, but I would never admit it to him.
2/3
Mex stepped closer, his gave intense I’d like to best this theory of yours,” he said, his words slow and deliberate. “I’m going to kiss you, and if you don’t move. I’ll know you don’t teel anything for me
Betoond could even respond, before I could tell him how absurd and manipulative his suggestion was, I felt his lips on mine
it was electric, arush of wath and tansliarity that i hadn’t expected. Dammit, his kiss tasted good. It was gentle, tar too gentle, a softness I hadn’t felt before. The kind of gentleness that made me want to stay, to give in, despite everything 1 told myself.
1 screamed in my mind to push him away, to step back and member all the reasons I couldn’t let him in again. But my body betrayed me. I couldn’t stop myself trem reacting 1 kissed him back, fast for a moment, but it felt like an eternity.
When finally came to my senses, the reality of what was happening hit me like a tidal wave. I pushed him off with all the strength 1 could muster, stepping back with a sharp breath. My heart was racing, my mind in turmoil.
*Damnit, Alex!” 1 shouted, my hand coming up to slap him across the face. The sting of the slap echoed in the room, but it didn’t feel nearly as satisfying as 1 wanted it to
1 knew coming here was a bad idea,” I said, my voice thick with emotion. Without waiting for a response, I tumed on my heel.
Alex stepped forward, his hand on my arm again. “I’ll drive you. You didn’t come here in your car
I wanted to argue,
to insist I didn’t need his help, but I didn’t have a choice either, nor the energy. My mind was too scattered, and I didn’t want to fight anymore. I just wanted to get aww.
“Fine,” I mittered, trying to keep my voice steady. “But you better not talk to me the whole ride. I’m not in the mood to talk.”
Alex drove the home in silence. I didn’t look at him, and he didn’t speak The second the car pulled up to my house, I jumped out and humed toward the door.
“Kaina –
1trode at the familiar voice, Taming slowly, I saw Nathan standing there, bis expression hard
what happened to you?” he asked, his voice low.
Iswallowed my heart pounding. What do I say?
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50
NATHAN
That bastard couldn’t keep his mouth shut. I clenched my tists against the steering wheel, shaking with anger. My chest felt tight, every breach shallow as
played Alex’s words in front of Raina. He’d see me, no doubt about it. The question wasn’t it–it was what. Did he have anything concrete? Proof? Exidence he could use to tumher against me?
My stomach charmed. What would I even say if he did? Could explain it away? Or had Alex already poisoned her against me?
I pulled at my hair in frustration, groaning under my breath. No. 11 Alexbad said anything, Raina would’ve confronted me. She wasn’t the type to sit on some like that. But then why did she insist we couldn’t resume our relationship?
I stated at my phone, thumb hovering over the screen. Her photo stared back at me—a candid shot she didn’t know thad taken. It wasn’t incent, either. This was from years ago, back when I first heard about her divorce. Not that it was only then i lonew her though.
Thad wanted to approach her then, God, I had been so close. But there was no confined connection to the Gothams at the time, no reason to insert myself into her
life. Not yet, anyway.
My plan had been slow and deliberate. Painstakingly so. Aligning myself with people who mattered to her family positioning myself exactly where I needed to be. But Raina? the one piece of this puzzle hadn’t anticipated falling for.
And now Alex was screwing everything up
Years ago, I’d only suspected who she was. The resemblance to Dominic was subtle, but it nagged at me. When I finally confirmed that she was his sister, everything dicked into place. My plan began to form, but I couldn’t rush it. I’d learned to be patient, calculated. The Grahamns hadn’t announced her yet, hadn’t exposed her existence to the world. Instead, they’d hidden her away, sending her off somewhere far trom prying eyes.
That forced me to shift tactics. My initial idea–working directly under Graham Corporation was too risky. If Dominic spotted me, my cover would be blown. So, embedded cell in one of their allied companies, close enough to monitor their movements but far enough to stay out of Dominic’s line of sight.
It was excruciatingly slow. Every step was deliberate, every move carefully calculated, at law the results would be worth it. I’d sworn to kill them and take it all back. To make them all pay for what they did. Every last one of them.
I hadn’t anticipated her. She wasn’t supposed to matter. But as the years went by, as I watched her, something changed. She wasn’t just a piece on the hoard anymore, she became the centerpiece of my life. I couldn’t get enough of her
She could only be mine. I wanted her before and I still wanted her now.
I touched my lips, a slow smile spreading across my face. The memory of her kiss lingered, and I whispered to myself, “Soon, those lips won’t be the only thing I’ll have. All of her will be mine.”
My phone buzzed, jolting me from my thoughts. For a brief moment, I thought it was Raina, but the name on the screen soured my mood. Of course, it wasn’t her
was that whining bitch who refused to leave me alone. Who didn’t understand the meaning to boundaries.
Her constant meddling was becoming a liability. She had been useful initially, instrumental in helping me set up certain parts of the plan, but her constant poke nosing was always getting me found out. And now, Alexknew I’d met with a woman last night.
ignored the call and drove off, my grip tightening on the wheel with each passing thought. By the time arrived at the base, my frustration was simmering
beneath the surface.
My uncle greeted me with a curious look as I stepped inside. “Back so soon?” he remarked, histone laced with suspicion
I shrugged, brushing past him. “Didn’t have much to do,” I replied curtly, heading toward my room.
Betour I could leave the poem entirely, his voice stopped me. “Is the plan going well?” He crossed his arms, ning against the doorway. “We need to crank things.
up before anyone catches on.”
I sighed heavily and took a seat, running a hand through my hair. “I thought Raina would have made things official by now,” admitted. “We could’ve been working toward putting a ring oner finger already, but her damn ex–husband keeps interfering. And I think he’s starting to suspect me, which complicates things.
My uncle’s expression darkened. “That’s exactly why you need to move faster,” he urged, his voice fim. “The longer this drags on, the greater the risk of exposure.
Inodded, his woods hitting home. 11 radle it,” Lassword him, though the weight of the situation pressed heater on my shoulders. Handling things was easier
My uncle passed me a file, and I opened it, scanning the damage done to the Voce Project’s supply chain. It wasn’t as bad as I’d hoped. I frowned, lookup at him. “Any reaction from the Grahams? Since the Sullivan are handling the supply, we were hoping to shake things up, get Alex out of the picture.”
He shook his head, disappointment clear in his eyes
“We’re going to need something bigger,” I told him already thinking of the next move. Something to make the inner circle on the Sullivans. And then, in the back of my mind, I thought about Kairu. Something that would make her finally mine.
-25 Bohus
Leave to me, Uncle. I’ll figure it out,” I added, standing up and heading for my mom.
I dropped the tile on the table, my gare falling on the board in front of me. My eyes moved over Raina’s pictures, each one reminding me how perfect she was. The truthuvas, as much as I planned to get rid of her and her family and also destroy everything she and her family stood for, I knew I was going to keep her. She’d be my prize, my little trophy.
The board was covered with every picture I’d ever taken of Raina. I’d been staling her for years–since the moment she first came to the orphanage with Dominic. Iwatched her through college. I loved her long before Alex ever came into the picture. I just kept my distance.
I stepped closer, my fingers brushing over one of the photos. “I loved you first.” I whispered. “And soon, you’ll realize that,”
I decided I was going to see her. No more waiting. I walked out of the house, my Uncle calling after me, asking where I was going, but I didn’t bother to answer. 1 got in the car and drove straight to the Grahams‘ property.
I tried calling Raina, hoping she’d pickup. No answer I cursed under my breath Just when I thought I wouldn’t see her, I spotted Alex’s car driving through the
The sight of her–walking out of the car–didn’t sit right with me. Her lips they looked like they’d been kissed. That pissed me off more than I cared to admit, but 1kept mycool.
1 approached her. “You olay?” asked, my voice steady but my insides seething-
She raised an eyebrow clearly startled. “Nathan! Uhmm… What what are you doing here?”
1took a step closer, my gaze fixed on her lips. I had the feeling Alex had kissed her. Whether the kissed back or not, I didn’t care. I just knew i had to erase that memory from her mind.
Before she could say another word, I was pressing her body against the door. “What are you doing?” she exclaimed, trying to push me away. She reminded me that we were on a break, as if that mattered. “We’re on a break, Nate, you can’t do this…”
I leaned in, lossing her hard. I told myself it was because I had missed her, that this was something I needed. But deep down, I knew it was more than that. I wasn’t going to let her forget who she belonged to
She finally pushed me off, her eyes flashing with fury. “That’s enough! Leave,” she commanded, her voice hand and unforgiving. I stood there, trying to gain control, but I couldn’t hide the anger rising in me. I put on the good guy facade, that mask always wore, but it was useless Raina wasn’t buying it. She crossed her ans and took a step back, making it clear she wanted nothing to do with me.
“Raina… I tried again, bewathing hard like I had just run a marathon.
“No, Nathan. You had no sight to kiss me like that. What even are you doing here so late?,” she asked, her voice icy, and with that, she tumed and slipped inside the house, the door closing with a fleality that echoed in my chest.
I didn’t understand it. I didn’t understand how it was okay for Alex to be with her this late but not me
Latayed tooted to the spot for a moment, fists clenched at my sides. My mind raced–my thoughts a chaotic mess of frustration and rage. I’d never felt so damn powerless. My pride burned as I turned away, heading for the car, trying to shake the anger that seemed to build with hevery step.
I reached my car, yanked open the door, and slammed it shut with enough force to cattle the frame. I sat there for a moment, breathing heavily, my fingers gripping the steering wheel until my palmes started to sweat
And just when 1 thought I might finally start to calm down, my phone buzzed in my pocket. I glanced at the screen, and a familiar name flashed across it–Adelaide The anger inside me flared back to life, hotter than before.
Without thinking, I answered the call, my voice harsh and thick with rage.
“What the fuck is your problem, Adelaide?” i snapped, not bothering to hide the fury in my tone.
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