Roman had a ball to be at. Something about business.The air inside the ballroom buzzed with muted conversation, the kind of carefully measured small talk that happened when some of the world’s most powerful people gathered in one place. Gold chandeliers bathed everything in a warm glow.Roman adjusted the cuff of his suit as he scanned the room. "You hate these things, don’t you?" Roman murmured, smirking.Kade exhaled sharply. "You’re asking me this now? After dragging me here?""You should thank me. Expanding your social skills is good for you.""My social skills are fine," Kade muttered. "I just prefer the kind of events where I don’t have to pretend I care about these assholes. Most of them are snakes.."Roman chuckled, but the humor didn’t quite reach his eyes. Something felt off. He turned slightly, gaze sweeping the room. No obvious threats. But the feeling wouldn’t shake.And then, glass shattered. A scream followed. Then gunfire. The air ripped apart with the violent sound

The drive to the hideout was quiet. Roman was calculating every possible scenario, every point of entry, every mistake the Herb Hunters had made by underestimating him. He was trying to run through best and worst case scenarios for the plan they made, and possible escape tactics they could use to make sure none of them got caught or killed. And also to make sure their aim of rescuing Annabel was achieved.Kade knew better than to interrupt when Roman was so deep in thought. He focused on driving and allowed Roman to think in peace. The warehouse compound came into view. It was the perfect cover for something much worse than storage. To the outside, others may just assume it was a normal warehouse for a company’s goods.Roman didn’t wait for the car to stop completely. He was out the door before the tires fully settled. They were still some distance away, in order not to give away their position, or the element of surprise on their side.Kade sighed, stepping out and pulling his gun fr

The air tensed when the door creaked open. Roman had gotten a random feeling that Specter would visit, so he was already prepared. But it was still a bit weird to see the man appear out of thin air. Specter stepped in, moving like a shadow in the low light. A slow smirk tugged at his lips.Roman didn’t waste time. “I’m done waiting. You’re going to tell me everything. I don’t have time for your cryptic messages.”Specter smiled. His smile scared Annabel a bit. “Everything?” Specter leaned back, tilting his head. “That’s a lot to ask for. I don’t even think I have the whole story.”Roman’s gaze was unyielding. “Then start talking.”A beat of silence. Then, with a slow exhale, Specter laced his fingers together and leaned in.“You’re not just some random target, Roman. As you may already know, you’re the last of an ancient bloodline. The herbs you’ve been fighting over were never meant to be used the way people want to use them. They can either be used as remedies or weapons. They were

The safehouse they found was a forgotten shack in the middle of nowhere. Enough to keep other hunters off their trail. The kind of place where the walls absorbed screams and the wind carried away secrets before they ever touched the air.Inside, Roman stood over their captured Hunter. The Hunter, bound to a rusted chair, looked far too comfortable for someone with a dislocated shoulder and a knife wound in his leg. He grinned through bloodied teeth, as if this was all some kind of inside joke only he was in on."You’re too late," he muttered, shaking his head. "The moment you learned the truth, you were already behind."Roman’s jaw flexed. He leaned down, resting his hands on the armrests of the chair, getting close enough that the Hunter could see the fire in his eyes. "Then let’s see how much time you have left."The Hunter just smirked.Kade, standing off to the side, exhaled sharply. "We’re wasting time. Let me handle this." His fingers twitched toward the hilt of his knife, his

When Roman returned home smiling from ear to ear, Kade knew there was good news. "I don't have to guess, do I?" Kade asked him and Roman smiled even more."She said yes," he grinned. Kade rolled his eyes. "Of course she did. Now, I can get a break from the anxious version of yourself? It's not even a marriage proposal, and you're this excited."Roman ignored him and went up to his room to change up. He hummed happily and just continued smiling. Nobody ever told him that loving someone again would be this beautiful. Not like he didn't know, but well, he was very excited. Soon, he got back down to meet Kade who was holding a glass of whiskey in one hand, and a book in the other. "Well, if you're done blushing, can we discuss business now?" Kade raised a brow. "The Valeys, you remember them right? They have sent a partnership proposal for one of their projects yet again. But this time, it looks better than the last one."Roman remembered the Valeys. They were a group of brothers fro