Lyra's POV

I couldn't shake his words.

"Adrian's not done with you, Lyra. He'll come for you. And when he does... it won't end well."

I hated that I was letting Adrian get to me, but more than that,I hated how much space Leo was taking up in my thoughts.

He wasn't just a problem. He was a complication I couldn't afford.

Every time I was near him, my body betrayed me, reacting in ways I couldn't control. The heat of his gaze lingered long after he walked away, and the memory of his touch had a way of curling around my mind, refusing to let go.

I didn't want to be pulled into whatever dark orbit surrounded Leo Weston.

But there was no denying it. I was already in.

I should have been afraid of him. And maybe I was.

But the scariest part? I wasn't sure it was for the right reasons.

I let out a frustrated breath and turned away from the mirror. I wasn't some naive girl. Leo didn't care about me beyond what I could offer him. I was here for Mira. That was it.

That was all it was supposed to be.

I reached for the door, intending to leave my room and clear my head. But before I could even brush the handle, it creaked open.

I froze.

That overwhelming presence filled the room before I even turned around.

Leo.

I swallowed hard, my grip tightening on the doorknob as I faced him. He stepped inside without hesitation, his broad shoulders nearly filling the doorway. The door shut behind him, clicking softly into place.

My stomach clenched.

"Sir," I said quickly, keeping my voice level even as my pulse raced. "What are you doing here?"

His eyes darkened, and he took a slow step forward. "I told you not to call me that."

I hesitated, the weight of his words sinking into my chest. "You're my employer. I feel it's It's appropriate."

His jaw ticked, his hands flexing at his sides. "Not with me. Say my name, Lyra."

His voice was low, almost a warning.

I shouldn't have listened. I should have drawn a line right then and there, cause when you forget the formalities you begin to forget other things. But the way he looked at me made my mind go blank, like he had already erased the boundaries between us.

"Okay Leo," I whispered.

His lips twitched, but there was nothing soft about it.

"Good," he murmured.

I straightened, gripping the edge of the dresser behind me. "Why are you in my room?" I asked, forcing my voice to stay steady.

He didn't answer immediately. Instead, he let his gaze drift over me, slow and deliberate, like he was trying to unravel something about me that I didn't even understand myself.

I resisted the urge to shift under his stare.

Finally, he said, "We need to talk."

I lifted my chin. "If this is another warning about Adrian, I don't need it. I already know he's back, I know I need to stay away from him."

His gaze sharpened. "This isn't just about Adrian. You're caught between something bigger than you realize."

My skin prickled.

"You keep saying that," I said, my voice firm. "But what I don't understand is why you care so much. I work for you, Leo. That's it. So why are you so involved in my life?"

Silence.

Thick, heavy silence.

I could hear the ticking of the clock on the far wall, the uneven rhythm of my own breath.

Leo's jaw clenched slightly, but his voice was steady. "Because you don't understand what kind of man Adrian is."

I let out a sharp breath. "You think I don't know him? I know exactly who he is. I spent years trying to keep him out of my life, and now he's back. But I don't need you to be my guard dog."

His eyes flickered, something dangerous flashing behind them. "You think this is about me protecting you?"

"Isn't it?" I challenged. "Why else would you be here? Why else would you care who I talk to?"

He took another step closer, and suddenly, the room felt smaller.

"This isn't just about who you talk to," he murmured. "It's about who wants you."

My stomach twisted.

What the hell does that mean?

"You're in my house, in my world," he continued, his voice low, rough. "That makes you mine."

I flinched at the word. "I only work for you. I'm not yours, Leo. "

His hand lifted, brushing lightly against my arm, his touch leaving heat in its wake. I sucked in a breath, my pulse hammering.

"Not yet," he said. "But you will be."

I stiffened.

This was insane. This whole conversation was insane.

He was my boss. A man I had known for barely any time at all,a man that was suspected to be involved with the mafia,and yet here he was, acting like he had some claim over me. Like I belonged to him.

And the worst part?

Some dark, twisted part of me wanted to understand why.

"Do you even hear yourself?" I said, my voice shaking with something between frustration and disbelief. "You hired me, Leo. I take care of Mira. That's it. There is no this."

His eyes flickered, but he didn't step back.

"You think you can just stay out of this?" he asked, his voice softer now, but no less dangerous. "You think Adrian is going to let you walk away?"

I swallowed hard.

Leo exhaled, his breath warm against my skin. "You don't see it yet, but you will," he murmured. "You need my protection."

I jerked back, creating space between us. "I don't need anything from you," I said, my voice sharper than I intended.

His lips twitched, like he found my resistance amusing. "No?"

I clenched my jaw. "No."

His hand moved faster than I expected, curling around my waist, pulling me close. My breath hitched, my hands flying to his chest instinctively, but he didn't let go.

"You don't need me?" he murmured, his voice just above a whisper.

I should have pushed him away. Should have done something to remind him that this was not okay.

But I froze.

Because the way he looked at me made my stomach tighten, my head spin.

I hated him for it.

"This is a mistake," I whispered.

Leo's lips brushed against my jaw, a barely-there touch that sent a shiver down my spine.

"Maybe," he admitted, his voice raw. "But it's one you're already making."

And then he kissed me.

The moment his lips crashed against mine, my mind went blank.

It was heat, fire, something primal that I wasn't prepared for. His grip tightened on my waist, pulling me flush against him, and I hated how easy it was to melt into him, how my body reacted without my permission.

I gasped, gripping his shirt, desperate for something to hold onto.

I should have stopped this.

But I didn't.

His hands slid up my back, fingers tangling in my hair, deepening the kiss until all I could feel was him.

When he finally pulled away, his breathing was uneven, his eyes darker than I'd ever seen them.

"You belong to me now," he murmured.

Something inside me snapped.

I shoved against his chest, pushing myself away, my breath ragged. "No, I don't," I snapped. "I don't belong to anyone."

Leo smirked, running his tongue over his lower lip. "Keep telling yourself that."

I glared at him, my whole body trembling. "You're insane."

He exhaled, stepping back toward the door. "Stay away from Blackwood," he said, his voice back to that cold, commanding tone. "Because if he takes what's mine..."

He let the threat hang in the air before turning and disappearing down the hall.

I stood there, my heart hammering, my hands shaking.

What the hell had just happened?

I just made the biggest mistake of my life

And worse,why the hell did I want to let it happen again?

Lyra's POV

My heart was still racing long after Leo walked out of my room, leaving me breathless and shaken. His words wouldn't stop echoing in my mind.

"You belong to me now."

I hated the way my body still burned from his touch, the way my pulse still pounded, as if his presence lingered long after he was gone.

What the hell is happening to me?

I needed air. Space. Anything that would stop the pull he had on me.

I grabbed my jacket and slipped out of my room, my footsteps quiet against the dark hardwood floors. The house was silent, but not the peaceful kind. It was the kind of silence that pressed down on you, made you feel watched even when you were alone.

Because here, I was never alone.

Leo was everywhere. His presence saturated this house, inescapable, his name carved into every wall, every corner. And worst of all, he was in my head, making it impossible to think straight.

I need to get out of here.

The air outside was sharp and cool against my heated skin, but it wasn't enough to steady the pounding in my chest. The estate stretched endlessly before me: a sprawling labyrinth of perfectly trimmed hedges and stone pathways, illuminated only by the dim glow of lanterns lining the walkways.

I wandered deeper into the garden, my hands trembling as I tried to process what had just happened.

Leo Weston was dangerous. He wasn't just a man who demanded power,he was power. It bled from him in every word, every movement, in the way the very air seemed to shift when he was near.

And he had his sights set on me.

I let out a shaky breath, wrapping my arms around myself.

Why me?

I was just a nanny. A woman trying to do her job, trying to survive. But Leo looked at me like I was something more: like I was something he was entitled to, something he wasn't willing to let slip away.

And the most terrifying part?

Some dark, hidden part of me wanted him to want me.

I hated myself for it.

For the way my skin burned under his gaze.

For the way my breath hitched when he spoke in that low, commanding tone.

For the way I wanted,needed,to know what it would feel like to completely give in to him.

I closed my eyes, shaking my head. No. I couldn't let this happen.

I needed to get a grip.

But then I heard it.

Footsteps.

Slow, steady, deliberate.

A chill ran down my spine, but it wasn't fear. It was something worse.

It was anticipation.

I knew it was him before I even turned around.

Leo.

His presence wrapped around me like a slow-moving storm: dangerous, inevitable. He didn't have to say a word. I could feel him.

I forced myself to stay still, my pulse hammering against my ribs.

"You shouldn't be out here alone," he said, his voice smooth, controlled. But beneath it, I could hear something else. Something possessive.

I inhaled deeply, keeping my back to him. "I needed air."

Silence.

Then, the sound of his slow, measured steps closing the distance between us.

He was toying with me. Testing how close he could get before I broke.

I felt him stop just behind me, the heat of his body brushing my back.

"You think distance will help?" he murmured.

My breath caught.

God help me, I don't know.

"I think I need space," I said, forcing my voice to remain steady.

His chuckle was dark, almost amused. "Space from what, exactly?"

I clenched my fists. "From this. From whatever game you think you're playing."

His fingers brushed against my arm, and I sucked in a sharp breath.

"I don't play games, Lyra," he murmured. "When I want something, I take it."

I turned then, forcing myself to meet his gaze.

His dark eyes burned with something raw, something dangerous.

"You can't just take me," I said, my voice uneven. "I'm not one of your possessions, Leo."

His lips curved into something almost predatory. "Not yet."

I swallowed hard. "You don't own me."

He reached out, his fingers tracing the curve of my jaw with agonizing slowness. "I claim what's mine, Lyra." His thumb brushed my lower lip, and I nearly gasped at the sensation. "And I don't share."

I hated how my body reacted to him.

Hated the way I shivered under his touch.

Hated the way I wanted to push closer instead of stepping away.

I forced myself to move, to shake my head. "This is insane," I whispered. "I don't even understand why you're so fixated on me."

His expression darkened slightly, his fingers slipping to my throat, his grip light but commanding.

"Because you walked into my world like you belonged in it," he said, his voice like a slow caress. "Because you look at me like you know exactly what I am and still refuse to bend."

His grip tightened slightly, not enough to hurt, but enough to make my heart race.

"You will bend, Lyra," he murmured, his lips inches from mine.

I exhaled shakily. "You're insane."

His smirk deepened. "You'll learn to love it."

Then, without warning, he kissed me.

But this time, it was different.

This wasn't the desperate, bruising heat of before.

It was slow. Calculated.

A dangerous, intoxicating seduction.

His lips teased mine, brushing, lingering, letting me feel the full weight of his control before deepening it: before claiming me in a way that sent fire through my veins.

I whimpered against his mouth, my fingers clutching his shirt, my resolve slipping with every second that passed.

His hand slid to my lower back, pulling me against him, until there was nothing between us but heat and unspoken promises.

"Tell me to stop," he murmured against my lips.

I should.

I needed to.

But I couldn't.

I was already too far gone.

His mouth moved down to my jaw, to the sensitive skin just beneath my ear. "You belong to me, Lyra."

Something inside me cracked at his words, a dangerous thrill racing through me.

I should have fought harder. Should have resisted.

Instead, my fingers dug into his shoulders, my head tilting as he kissed the hollow of my throat, my breath coming in ragged gasps.

"Say it," he growled against my skin.

I squeezed my eyes shut.

I hated him.

I hated how much I wanted him.

But I couldn't give him that. Not yet.

I shoved against his chest, putting space between us, my breath ragged. "You don't own me, Leo."

He exhaled, his jaw tight, his hands flexing like he was barely holding himself back.

"You can fight it all you want," he murmured, stepping even closer, his voice rough. "But you are mine."

My body betrayed me again, heat pooling low in my stomach at the sheer certainty in his tone.

I shook my head, forcing myself to breathe, forcing myself to think.

"This is a mistake," I whispered.

His smirk was dark, lethal. "Then keep making it."

He reached for me again, and for a terrifying moment, I wanted to let him.

Instead, I stepped back. "I need time," I said, my voice steadier now.

Leo studied me for a long moment, then finally nodded. "Take all the time you need, Lyra." His lips curved into something dangerous. "Just know that when you finally give in,I won't let you go."

And with that, he turned and disappeared back into the shadows, leaving me standing there, heart pounding, breath unsteady.

And I knew he was right.

I was already his.

I just wasn't ready to admit it yet.

Adrian's POV

There's something intoxicating about watching someone who doesn't know they're being watched.

Lyra always had that unawareness of the hold she had on people. She moved through the world like she was untouched, separate from the chaos around her, oblivious to the way eyes followed her, lingering a second too long, drawn in by something they couldn't quite name. But I knew. I had always known. She had that rare, dangerous kind of beauty,the kind that invited both admiration and destruction. The kind that made men want to possess her, to keep her, to unravel her.

And for a long time, I let her believe she could walk away from me. Let her think she had choices, that she was in control. That was her mistake.

Women like Lyra? They weren't meant for ordinary lives. They weren't meant for mundane existences, settling into comfortable routines, blending into the background. No, women like her were meant to be claimed, meant to be watched, meant to be followed by the kind of men who didn't just admire from a distance but reached out and took what they wanted. Men like me.

Because I saw past the innocence, past the wide eyes and soft smiles. I saw the truth beneath the mask, the fear behind the defiance. She wasn't as untouchable as she pretended to be. There was something fragile there, something waiting to be shattered: and I wanted to be the one to break her. Not to destroy her, no. Breaking something didn't always mean ruining it. Sometimes, it meant reshaping it, molding it into what it was always meant to be.

She thought she could fight it. That she could stand her ground, keep me at a distance. I let her believe that for a while, amused by her resistance, intrigued by the fire in her eyes whenever I got too close. But fire could be tamed. Controlled. And hers? It burned bright, but it would flicker and fade in the presence of something stronger.

And I was stronger.

She didn't realize how deep she was already in. She thought she was free, but freedom was an illusion. A pretty lie she told herself when, in reality, she had been mine from the moment I set eyes on her.

And it was beautiful.

I leaned back in the leather seat of my car, parked a few streets away from Leo's estate. The windows were tinted dark enough that no one could see inside, but my view of the house was clear. I had been watching her for days now, tracking her movements, studying every little detail.

It was almost pathetic how easily she'd fallen into Leo's trap.

She didn't even realize the danger she was in.

But she would.

I gave her space, just enough time to think she was free. But she was never free of me. Not really. I had been patient, letting her play house in Leo's world, watching her get tangled in his web. And now, seeing her in his space, wrapped in his influence, only made me want her more.

There was a thrill in it. A challenge.

She was the perfect mix of innocence and rebellion, and every time she resisted, it only made me hungrier.

It wasn't just her beauty, or the way her lips parted slightly when she was nervous, or the way her pulse fluttered against her throat when she felt trapped.

It was deeper than that.

It was who she reminded me of.

Leah.

The name was like a blade to my chest, carving through flesh, cutting deeper with every heartbeat.

Lyra doesn't know. She can't know. Leah was before her time. Before the blood, before the war, before Leo fucking Weston entered my world like a wrecking ball and took everything from me.

Leah was pure, untouched by the darkness I swam in.

But Lyra...

Lyra had fire.

And unlike Leah, Lyra could be bent, broken. She could be mine.

I ran a hand through my hair, smirking at the thought.

I didn't just want to take Lyra from Leo.

I wanted to ruin her for him.

I wanted her so tangled in me that by the time he realized what was happening, it would be too late.

She would already belong to me.

It was poetic, really. A perfect way to make him suffer. Leo thought he owned this city, thought he owned her. But I knew him. I knew how he operated, how his mind worked. His need for control, his obsession with power, it was his greatest weakness.

And Lyra?

She was going to be the weapon I used to cut him down.

My phone buzzed against the dashboard, pulling me from my thoughts. I glanced at the screen, a message from one of my men stationed near the estate.

Saw her leave the house. Alone. Want me to follow?

A slow, satisfied grin spread across my lips.

Lyra never went far without Leo's shadow looming over her. Maybe she was finally feeling it: that pull, that unease that told her something wasn't right. Maybe she was starting to sense me.

No. I'll handle it.

I tossed the phone onto the passenger seat and exhaled slowly, feeling the rush of anticipation build inside me.

I had been patient long enough.

For weeks, I had played this game in the shadows, letting Leo think he was in control, letting him believe that Lyra was his. But I was done waiting.

The moment was close.

It was time to make my move.

There was a darkness inside me that I had spent years trying to drown. A monster that had woken the day Leo took Leah from me.

I never had the chance to fight for her.

But Lyra?

Lyra was my redemption.

My chance to take back what was stolen from me.

I imagined Leo's face when he realized what I'd done. The rage. The helplessness.

He wouldn't be able to do a damn thing.

Not when Lyra was already too deep in my world to escape.

And the best part?

He would know I didn't take her because I needed to.

I took her because I wanted to.

I started the car, the low purr of the engine humming through my veins as I pulled away from the curb. The streetlights blurred past me as I drove, my mind locked onto the plan forming in my head.

I had always been a patient man.

But patience was wearing thin.

She was ready.

She just didn't know it yet.

I parked near the old warehouse district, my fingers tapping against the steering wheel as I let the anticipation settle.

It had been our place once: mine and Lyra's.

Before Leo.

Before everything changed.

The memory hit me like a punch to the gut.

The way she used to look at me. The way her eyes would light up with something close to admiration before she tried to hide it.

She used to trust me.

And she would again.

I pulled out my phone, opening a secure line. The call rang twice before a voice answered.

"You're in position?" I asked, my voice smooth, controlled.

"Yes. She's still alone," my man confirmed. "She's at the garden now."

I smiled.

Perfect.

I ended the call and stepped out of the car, straightening my jacket as I walked toward the edge of the property. I wouldn't approach her tonight.

Not yet.

But she would know I was there.

A whisper in the dark. A shadow in the corner of her vision.

The moment she started looking for me, the moment she started wondering if she was truly safe: that's when I'd strike.

I stood there, just beyond the estate's boundary, my eyes locked onto the garden.

And there she was.

Lyra.

Alone.

The moonlight cast a soft glow on her face, illuminating the conflict in her expression. Even from this distance, I could see it: the way her arms wrapped around herself, the way she kept glancing over her shoulder, her instincts screaming that something was wrong.

She felt me.

She just didn't know it yet.

I watched as she exhaled deeply, running a hand through her hair before turning toward the house again.

I let out a slow breath, my smirk widening.

Soon, Lyra.

I would wait just a little longer. Let her feel the walls closing in.

Let her realize she needed me.

And when the moment was right?

I'd take what was mine.