Lana’s sprawling luxury penthouse was filled with the loud, thumping beat of expensive club music and the sharp clinking of crystal champagne glasses. She was throwing a lavish, exclusive party for her high-society friends, and the mood in the room was absolutely euphoric.She stood by the massive floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking the city, holding a glass of imported champagne. A triumphant, wicked smile was plastered across her face. She was completely thrilled. In her mind, the two people she hated most in the entire world had finally been permanently removed from her path."To the future," Lana announced loudly, raising her glass to Cade and a group of wealthy socialites gathered around her. "And to the complete destruction of anyone arrogant enough to stand in our way!"Cade laughed loudly, clinking his glass against hers. "Mara is probably begging for mercy in some dark basement right now. And Dane? That pathetic street rat is probably already dead in a ditch. They completely

Standing next to the wheelchair was one of the father's surviving thugs."Slap him again!" the father roared, his voice hoarse and filled with raw, unfiltered terror.The thug stepped forward and slapped Vaughn ruthlessly across the face. The sharp smack echoed loudly in the hospital room. Vaughn cried out, holding his bruising cheek."Dad! Stop! What are you doing?" Vaughn screamed, completely bewildered and terrified of his own father. "Why are your arms and legs broken? Who did this to you?""You did this to me, you stupid bastard!" his father screamed back, his face turning purple with rage. He could not move his arms to hit Vaughn himself, so he ordered his man to do it. "Hit him again!"The thug slapped Vaughn a second time, harder than the first.Lana stood perfectly still by the door, horrified by the sight. The powerful mafia boss she had counted on to destroy Dane was completely shattered."I told you to investigate his background!" the father yelled, spitting blood onto his

"Do you want your limbs broken too?" his father asked angrily. "Because that is what will happen! You are completely unfilial. You do not care if I die as long as you get to keep your pride."Seeing the genuine, terrifying pain in his father's expression, Vaughn felt a tiny flicker of guilt. He knew his father was suffering immensely. But his stubbornness was still stronger than his guilt. He crossed his arms and looked away, refusing to say the words."Fine," his father said. He made a final, ruthless decision. "I am laying down a new rule today. I have two sons. Whoever can get Dane to forgive our family will inherit the entire business. Whoever gets his forgiveness gets the money, the properties, and the power."Vaughn panicked. His eyes went wide. "You cannot do that! My younger brother is weak!""Your younger brother tried to stop me from kidnapping the girl today," his father countered sharply. "He actually tried to save her. He already has a head start on getting forgiveness. I

Lana sat in the driver’s seat, gripping the leather steering wheel so tightly her knuckles turned entirely white. She glared through the windshield at the rundown, ugly apartment building in front of her. The streetlights were broken. Trash blew across the cracked sidewalk. It was the absolute worst part of the city slums. This was where Dane used to live when they were in university together.In the passenger seat, Vaughn groaned loudly. The crippled villain was sweating through his hospital bandages. His broken limbs throbbed with intense, agonizing pain. He shifted uncomfortably against the car door, his metal crutches leaning awkwardly against his knees."Call him again," Vaughn demanded through gritted teeth. "We have to get this over with. My pain medication is wearing off."Lana snatched her cell phone from the center console. She was furious. She had already called Dane’s number five times. She hit the dial button again and put the phone on speaker so Vaughn could hear.The ph

Dane looked away for a second.He remembered exactly what had happened. He remembered her straddling him on this very bed. He remembered her begging for him, violently tearing her own clothes off to try and seduce him. He remembered having to strike the nerve in her neck just to knock her out safely. After she was unconscious, he had carefully wrapped her bare body in the blankets himself without looking.But he knew he could not tell her that. If he told her she had stripped herself and begged him for sex, she would feel completely humiliated and ashamed. She was a proud, dignified CEO. He wanted to protect her dignity.A rare, deep red blush crept up Dane’s neck. He cleared his throat and looked back at her, deciding to tell a smooth white lie."The drug caused your body temperature to spike dangerously high," Dane explained, keeping his voice calm and steady. "You were sweating heavily. Your clothes were completely drenched, and the fever was getting worse. I knew you needed to coo