2026-01-09 17:27:34
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BOUND BY FIRE AND BLOOD
Ethan’s patience finally cracked.“This is a mistake,” he said, his voice was tight as he stood with help from the elder. “You’re making a very bad decision, Selene. You don’t know what you’re tying yourself to.”Selene studied him without blinking. “I know exactly what I’m doing.”Ethan shook his head. “No. You’re acting on instinct, not consequence. Marriage isn’t protection. It’s exposure. You are going to expose what you worked hard to build. Including all of this.” Ethan referred to the traditional practice he was in the middle of right now.Her lips curved slightly, but there was no warmth in it. “You still think I’m guessing,” she said. “That’s the problem.”The fire popped loudly, and Selene stepped closer, dropping the last layer of patience she had been wearing. “You are Ethan Ward,” she said calmly. “CEO of the Xavier Group. And grandson of Magnus Xavier.”The words hit him harder than any blow.Ethan’s chest tightened. “That’s not funny,” he said, though his voice betraye
CHOSEN WITHOUT CONSENT
Selene stopped close enough that he could hear her clearly. “It’s the sanctuary,” she said. “You’re safe here.”Ethan let out a humorless laugh. “Safe?”“Yes,” Selene replied. “Safer than you are walking around outside pretending you’re invisible.”Ethan’s voice hardened. “You drugged me and brought me to a stone cave full of strangers.”Selene didn’t flinch. “I brought you somewhere your enemies can’t reach easily,” she said. “You call that a problem. I call it survival.”Ethan’s eyes narrowed. “Why are they bowing to you?”Selene answered simply. “Because I lead this sanctuary.”Ethan fought to push himself back, but his spine punished him. He grunted, then steadied his breathing, refusing to show weakness.“What do you want from me?” he demanded again. “If this is about money, you picked the wrong man.”Selene’s gaze held his. “You’re still lying,” she said. “Even now.”Ethan’s throat tightened. “I’m not lying. I’m not anyone special.”Selene stepped closer, and her voice dropped.
THE SANCTUARY OF NO ESCAPE
Ethan woke up choking on smoke.For a second he didn’t know where he was, or why the air tasted like fire and old stone. His eyes opened to flickering light and shadow, and the first thing he saw was a ceiling carved with shapes that looked like teeth and wings.He tried to sit up fast, but his body refused. Pain ran down the back of his head and into his spine like a hot wire. He sucked in a breath through clenched teeth and forced himself to look around.The room was huge, built from dark stone blocks, the kind that held cold even near heat. Strange markings covered the walls in long lines and sharp symbols. In the middle, a bonfire burned inside a circle of stones, sending sparks up like tiny warnings.Ethan looked down at himself.He was lying on a thick woolen cloak. His wrists were free, but his arms felt heavy. Dark paint marked his face and forearms in patterns he didn’t recognize.“What the hell…” he muttered.A drumbeat rolled through the chamber.Ethan’s head turned to
THE SANCTUARY IS NOT A CHOICE
Selene’s eyes slid to his face. “He said sanctuary,” she replied. “You heard correctly.”Ethan’s voice hardened. “I didn’t agree to any sanctuary.”Selene spoke like she was calming a child who didn’t understand traffic rules. “You agreed to get in the car,” she said. “And that was enough.”Ethan’s jaw flexed. “Enough for what?”Selene’s tone stayed even. “Enough for me to keep you breathing.”Ethan stared at her. “You don’t get to decide that.”Selene’s expression didn’t change. “Men like Darius decide it for people every day,” she said. “I’m simply deciding faster than he can.”Ethan shifted in his seat. His hand moved toward the door handle, testing it. The doors were locked. He didn’t panic, but his mind became a blade.Selene noticed and sighed softly. “Don’t,” she said.Ethan didn’t raise his voice, but it carried weight. “Unlock the door, now.”“No,” Selene replied.Ethan’s eyes went colder. “Then you’re making yourself an enemy in me.”Selene leaned closer, and her calm became
CONTROLLED STREETS
The car pulled away from Titan Crest like it was escaping a crime scene.Inside, the leather seats held the scent of money and quiet control. Streetlights slid across the windows in slow bands, and the distant port lights blinked like cold stars behind them. Ethan sat upright, shoulders steady, but his mind was still tight from Janet’s face and Robert’s voice. Selene sat beside him like she had always belonged there, calm enough to make the silence feel like her decision.Ethan broke it first. “You walked in at the exact moment it mattered.”Selene didn’t look out the window. She looked at him. “It seems like your drama just happened to be waiting.”“You don’t do anything ‘just’ by accident,” Ethan replied.Selene’s lips curved faintly. “You’re observant.”Ethan kept his voice low. “So tell me what you want. Why did you choose to take me with you in your vehicle?"Selene leaned back, relaxed. “I wanted a conversation,” she said. “And maybe peace for your nerves. You looked like you
RESPECT IS LOUDER THAN LOVE
Robert blinked. “Janet—”“Shut up,” she repeated, and Robert swallowed the rest.In the courtyard, the night air was cooler, and the sounds of the deck were distant and heavy. Selene’s vehicle sat waiting, dark and polished, with a driver standing beside it like a statue. The driver opened the door immediately when Selene approached.Ethan paused for a second. “You planned this,” he said.Selene glanced at him. “I planned to inspect my ship and it's maintenance,” she replied. “I didn’t plan to meet you or get caught up in your drama with Janet.”Ethan’s voice stayed guarded. “You walked into it like you own it.”Selene leaned closer slightly, her tone soft but firm. “I do,” she said. “Not because of money alone. Because I refuse to shrink.”Ethan held her gaze. “People who refuse to shrink get targeted.”Selene smiled as if that was familiar. “Let them target,” she said. “Some of us bite back.”She was close enough now that Ethan could catch the faint warmth of her presence, the sub
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