"Ari! Ari, answer me!" Xavier screamed into the air Twenty minutes of agonizing, silent dread passed. Just as Xavier was about to veer toward the northern ridge, he caught a flicker—a faint, rhythmic pulse of light reflecting off the canopy of low-hanging leaves. He stopped dead, his breath hitching. He didn't hesitate. He broke into a sprint, his boots pounding against the earth. "Ari!" he roared, his voice cracking with hope. At the bottom of the sinkhole, Ari’s eyes widened as the beam of light swept near the edge of the pit. She clutched her phone, her thumb shaking, and waved it frantically. "Xavier! I’m here! I’m down here!" Xavier skidded to a halt at the edge of the sinkhole, his flashlight beam dropping into the darkness. When it landed on her, he let out a sound that was half-sob, half-laugh. "Ari! Stay still! Don't move, I’m right here." Seeing his face—that sharp, handsome silhouette framed by the stars—broke the dam. Ari burst into tears, her body shaking with the su

The atmosphere in the subterranean boardroom of the Andja organization was suffocating, thick with the scent of expensive cigars and the sharp tang of unease. Xavier sat at the head of the dark oak table, his usual composure replaced by a simmering intensity. He wasn't the besotted man who had shared a quiet dinner in bed just hours ago,he was the head of the most feared underworld syndicate, and he was currently bleeding out resources. "The last attack on Bella Vendetta cost us three shipments and twice as many men," one of his captains stated, slamming a dossier onto the table. "If we don't rebuild before Gabrielle or Leonardo mobilize their next strike, our territory will be nothing more than a graveyard." Peter leaned forward, his face tight. "It’s not just the violence, sir. The drug distribution is slowing. Our buyers are spooked by the instability. They’re starting to look toward other syndicates." Xavier exhaled a long, steady breath, rubbing the bridge of his nose. The weig

"You want to make love to you right here?" he asked, unable to control the electric feeling surging through him. "No." She shook her head, which made him narrow his eyes, wondering what she meant. "I want you to fuck me." She whispered it like a secret, like a sin. "There is a difference." That was it. Something shifted in his gaze — something dark and hungry that he had clearly been keeping on a tight leash. His lips crashed into hers, fierce and unrestrained, and she felt the impact of it everywhere. The kiss stole her breath. It was rough and demanding, the kind of kiss that didn't ask — it took. Before she could gather a single coherent thought, he had lifted her clean off the table. She gasped against his mouth, and then she was sitting on his thigh, her dress riding up, and she could feel him — the hard, unmistakable evidence of exactly how much he wanted her — pressing against her through the fabric of his trousers. The contact made her hips roll forward instinctively, chasi

"Sir, with all due respect, that can't be right,” Peter’s voice crackled through the phone. Even through the speaker, the tremor of hesitation was evident, "Ari? The woman who’s been living in your house, the woman you’ve been... that’s the most random thing to even imagine. It's a random tattoo, sir. It has to be." Xavier’s eyes remained fixed on the bedroom door, his jaw set like granite. The slight challenge from Peter didn't even register as insubordination; he was too far gone in his own tunnel vision to care about the tone. "Whether or not you believe it,I need you to get to the root first until whatever comes out of it is undeniable. Find me a DNA sample. The old doctor who handled Alessandro’s medical files for years—he’s the only one who would have stored biological matter. Get it. Now." "Understood, sir," Peter replied instantly, his voice snapping back into the discipline. "I will contact the Doctor and have the lab prepped for a priority match. I'll call you the moment I

The morning light filtered through the heavy curtains, painting the room in soft, golden hues. Ari stirred, the remnants of a deep sleep clinging to her until she blinked her eyes open, only to find the room unnervingly quiet. She sat up, rubbing the sleep from her eyes, and her gaze immediately locked onto the couch. Xavier was there, but he was unrecognizable. He was dressed in a crisp, dark-washed button-down shirt, a leather vest, and a cowboy hat tilted slightly to the side,a rugged, western aesthetic that looked startlingly natural on him. He was hunched over his laptop, his brow furrowed in concentration. "Xavier?" she asked, her voice raspy with sleep. "What on earth are you doing dressed like a cowboy?" A slow, playful smile spread across his face, transforming his usually guarded expression. He leaned back in his chair, his eyes trailing over her with an appreciative, hungry heat. "Well, the sight of your breasts is definitely soothing, the best way to start the morning