“Please, Shane, don’t tell grandfather about this. I have no idea how it happened. I’ve never seen this kid before.” Anna was visibly shaking, hugging the silk bedsheets tightly around her naked body to cover herself as her brother, Shane, and his men barged into the room. Shane threw his head back and laughed. “Sorry, Anna, grandpa has a right to know what a slut you are if he’s going to put you in charge of the family business.” “Slut-shaming, really?” Alex interrupted, rising to Anna’s defense. “Besides, nothing happened between us. I don’t even know how I got here.” Before Alex could say anything more, Shane’s grandfather, Harvey Stone, stormed into the room. As soon as he saw Anna in bed with Alex, his eyes turned dark with anger. “That’s not what it looks like, Grandpa. Please let me explain,” Anna begged him. Harvey shook his head. “Your actions speak for themselves. When Shane told me what you were up to, I didn’t believe him. But there’s no way to deny what I see ri

“How did I get into Anna’s bed that night?” Alex blinked as he sat in the back seat of Anna’s car. He had absolutely no idea how to respond to her question. After all, he didn’t even remember going into the hotel. “Look, I know this is hard to believe, but I really don’t know how I ended up in your bed. One minute, I was out in the street drunk, and the next I was waking up next to you.” Anna rolled her eyes. “That is such a pathetic excuse. You men always lie to protect yourselves. Do you have any idea how much you’ve ruined my life?” Alex arched an eyebrow. “And how have I ruined your life exactly?” “Excuse me, Anna bolted. Did you ever think for one moment that maybe, just maybe, I didn’t want to marry a delivery boy who I’ve never met before? Or maybe that I’d want to actually be in love with the person I marry? No, you only think about yourself, don’t you?” Alex sighed. If only I could tell her who I really am, but I promised Cyrus I would keep it a secret. And beside

“I’m ready whenever you are.” Alex locked eyes with Ben Jamieson, fully prepared to fight him right there in the middle of the Sapphire Club. Ben smiled at the corner of his mouth. “Good. Let’s find out if you really are Samuel Gibson’s son.” Ben got up from the private booth. They both raised their fists, circling each other. “Take it easy, you two,” Cyrus interrupted, jumping between them. “This is a nightclub, not a fight club. Let’s go somewhere else to sort this out.” “There’s a sparring ring downstairs in the basement. Come on.” Cyrus gestured for Alex and Ben to follow him. “After you,” Ben growled, mock politeness in his tone. Alex exhaled and clenched his jaw. I’m going to make Ben Jamieson regret challenging me to a fight. Or else I’ll die trying. Alex took in the sight of the basement beneath the Sapphire Club. It was configured like a makeshift boxing ring with weapons of all kinds lining the walls. A single lightbulb hung from a string over the are

“Did Cyrus send you to come get me?” Alex still had no clue who this mysterious woman was that he was now following through the front door of Shaw Industries. All he knew for sure was that she had helped him get away from Shane and his men without having to start a bloodbath. “That’s right,” was all the woman said in reply. “Cyrus,” Alex repeated. “He owns this company.” “Oh, you mean Mr. Shaw?” the woman replied as they reached the elevators. “That’s what his employees call him. It might do you some good to remember that.” “I didn’t mean any disrespect,” Alex assured her. “He’s an old friend of the family.” The two of them were alone in the elevator, but the woman barely acknowledged him. She doesn’t seem to like me very much. Is she judging me based on my appearance? Alex wondered. I’ll have to fix that. When they reached the top floor, the woman led Alex to her desk and handed him a document. “This is a list of the positions we have open at the moment. What ki

Alex and Charlotte sat in his new car outside of Club Cane, a club owned by Dominic Grayson, the second most powerful mob boss in Chicago. Having lunch there with Charlotte would be the perfect way to take a look around without being noticed. It's dangerous, but it might be worth the risk to learn more about Dominic and his gang. “Let’s have lunch there. I think that’s a great idea,” he told Charlotte. She smiled back at him. As Alex and Charlotte entered Club Cane, Alex looked around. The scale of the space was impressive and nearly just as opulent as the Sapphire Club. Only with a darker, seedier vibe. As they walked through the club to find a table, Alex noticed that a lot of the clientele were carrying weapons in their suit pockets or tucked away in the back of their pants. I’ve got to watch my step around here. Everybody in here is armed. After Charlotte and Alex finished lunch, they sipped on some cocktails, soaking in the atmosphere. “Well, that was delicious.” Charlotte