NICO

I didn’t sleep the next night either.

Not because of guilt—no, that wasn’t it.

It was the silence that kept me awake. The echo of Ares’s voice in my head, the memory of his touch still burned into my skin.

My body remembered everything.

And I hated how much I wanted more.

I trained harder than usual at the gym that morning, trying to sweat him out of my system. It didn’t work. Nothing worked. Not even when I pressed a cold shower to my burning neck. Not even when I distracted myself with clients, meetings, and a few flirty texts from a hookup I barely remembered.

Ares had ruined all of it.

I didn’t want anyone else.

And I didn’t know what the hell that meant.

He texted me that night.

Ares: You left something behind.

Me: What?

Ares: Your self-control.

I almost threw my phone across the room.

Instead, I sent one word:

Me: Asshole.

The three dots showed he was typing again… then disappeared.

I stared at the screen for five minutes.

He never replied.

Bastard.

ARES

I wasn’t in the business of chasing.

I didn’t need to be.

People came to me. Offered themselves, begged for my time, my money, my attention.

But Nico?

He didn’t beg.

He resisted.

And that made him irresistible.

I watched him from the security cameras that dotted my estate. He had no idea just how many angles I could see him from. His jaw was tight, his eyes unreadable. But every so often—when he thought no one was looking—he let the tension drop.

That’s when I knew.

He was still thinking about me.

I wanted to ruin him slowly. Not just his body. His mind. His control. His idea that he could walk away from this.

Because I wasn’t just keeping him for pleasure.

I was keeping him for a reason.

And eventually, he’d understand.

NICO

I got the call three days later.

“Package for you,” the concierge said.

“I didn’t order anything,” I replied.

“It’s from Ares Castelli.”

Shit.

I went down to pick it up. It was a black velvet box—too elegant, too deliberate. Inside was a simple silver chain.

And a note.

You looked good on your knees. Try wearing this next time you are.

My face went hot. My body betrayed me instantly. I hated the way my cock twitched just from a few arrogant words.

I threw the box across the room.

But not before pocketing the chain.

ARES

He didn’t respond to the gift.

He didn’t return my calls.

But I saw it.

Two days later, under his shirt at the corner of his throat—the chain glinting beneath his collar.

Good boy.

He was falling.

He just didn’t know it yet.

NICO

The night I broke was unplanned.

I was working late, alone in the empty back office of my security firm. It was quiet, the hum of surveillance monitors around me. I should’ve gone home.

Instead, I opened my messages.

Me: Come over.

No reply.

Ten minutes passed.

Then…

Ares: Open the door.

The fucker had been downstairs the whole time.

I buzzed him in.

When he walked in, he didn’t say a word.

Neither did I.

I backed against the wall.

He stalked forward like a wolf who already knew the outcome.

His hands gripped my wrists, pinning them above my head.

His mouth hovered inches from mine.

“You really want to play this game again?” he asked.

“This isn’t a game.”

“Oh, Nico…” He grinned. “It is. And you’re losing.”

I kissed him before he could say another word.

Or maybe he kissed me.

It didn’t matter.

I tore at his clothes. He shoved mine halfway off. We didn’t even make it to the desk. My back hit the cold surface, his hand tangled in my hair, my thighs spreading before I could think better of it.

I should’ve stopped.

I didn’t.

And when he pulled the chain from my neck and wrapped it around his fist, tugging my mouth back to his—

I let him.

God help me.

I let him.

ARES

He screamed my name this time.

No restraint.

No hesitation.

He gave me everything.

And that night, when I left him sprawled across the desk, flushed and breathless, I bent down and whispered in his ear:

“You’re mine now.”

He didn’t argue.

UNKNOWN VIEWER – CCTV FEED LOG: 03:42 a.m.

A private line crackled.

A deep voice spoke into the dark.

“They’ve made contact again.”

A pause.

Then a second voice answered:

“Good. Keep watching. He’ll lead us straight to the truth.”

The first rule: Never let the line blur.

The second rule: Never kiss your employer.

Jace had already broken both by sunrise.

The sun poured in through the penthouse windows, a golden warmth illuminating the quiet chaos of the previous night. Adrian stood near the floor-to-ceiling glass, shirtless, a glass of scotch in one hand, the other resting loosely in the pocket of his slacks. Jace watched him from the bed, his body still humming with the memory of Adrian’s mouth, Adrian’s touch, Adrian’s control.

Neither of them spoke for a long time. Silence wasn’t awkward between them—it was charged.

Adrian finally broke it. “You’re not a good bodyguard.”

Jace propped himself up on an elbow, still naked beneath the silk sheets. “Because I kissed you back?”

“No.” Adrian’s voice was calm, cold even. “Because you let it happen.”

A muscle ticked in Jace’s jaw. “You started it.”

Adrian turned then, slow and dangerous. “And you didn’t stop it. Tell me, Jace—do you think that’s wise?”

“No,” Jace said honestly, “but I don’t regret it.”

Adrian crossed the room in three long strides, stopping beside the bed. He set his glass down on the nightstand, his gaze locked on Jace’s face like a weapon. “You’re playing with fire.”

“Maybe I like the burn.”

Adrian’s lips curved into a smirk, but there was no humor in it—only warning. “You’re not ready for what I can give you. Or take from you.”

Jace leaned forward, unashamed, defiant. “Then try me.”

Adrian’s hand snapped out, gripping Jace’s jaw—not rough, not gentle either. Just firm enough to remind him who was in control. He studied him for a beat too long. “You really don’t know what you’ve gotten yourself into.”

“You think I’m scared of you?”

“I know you should be.”

They stayed like that for a beat. Breathing the same air. Feeding off each other’s tension.

Adrian released him suddenly and stepped back. “Get dressed. We’re leaving in ten.”

Jace frowned. “Leaving where?”

“To meet my father’s lawyer.” Adrian didn’t look at him. “He wants to discuss the will.”

—

The ride down in the private elevator was silent, but the air between them thrummed with unfinished business. Adrian stood tall in a tailored charcoal suit, every inch the powerful heir. Jace, in a dark turtleneck and jacket, looked every bit the dangerous shadow at his side.

When they arrived at the law firm downtown, Adrian’s demeanor shifted into something colder, sharper. It wasn’t until they stepped into the office that Jace realized why.

A tall, elegant man stood from behind the desk, his silver hair slicked back, sharp eyes calculating behind thin glasses. “Adrian. And… this must be the infamous bodyguard.”

Jace didn’t like his tone.

Adrian’s reply was smooth, rehearsed. “Mr. Cavill, this is Jace Moreno. He’s not here for your entertainment.”

“Pity,” Cavill drawled, then handed Adrian a sealed envelope. “This came by private courier this morning. Your father’s final addendum.”

Adrian opened it, read the first few lines, and then—froze.

Jace saw it. Just a flicker. But it was there.

“What is it?” he asked quietly.

Adrian didn’t answer. He reread the document, slower this time. Then he looked at Cavill. “This is real?”

“I verified it myself,” the lawyer said. “Your father left instructions for a secondary heir. In case you… refused to take the reins.”

Adrian’s voice was a razor. “And who is this ‘secondary’?”

Cavill lifted a brow. “Your half-brother.”

The room went still.

Jace stepped closer instinctively, alert. “You have a brother?”

“No.” Adrian’s voice was dark. Final.

But Cavill didn’t back down. “Apparently, you do. And he’s on his way here. You’ll be meeting him in less than an hour.”

Adrian’s eyes narrowed. “This is a setup.”

“Possibly,” Cavill said, unfazed. “But it’s legal. And binding. If he chooses to contest your claim, it could become… messy.”

Jace leaned closer to Adrian, lowering his voice. “Want me to vet him before he walks in?”

Adrian didn’t answer right away. He stared at the letter again, then at the city skyline behind the glass. “No,” he said finally. “Let him come.”

—

Back in the car, Adrian said nothing. Jace didn’t push.

He’d seen the shift in his employer—Adrian had gone from seductive and smug to cold and calculated. But beneath the mask, Jace could feel something else: uncertainty. Maybe even fear.

Jace watched him for a moment, then said, “You okay?”

Adrian looked at him. “You’re not here to ask questions.”

“I’m not just your bodyguard,” Jace said. “Not anymore.”

The car slowed. Adrian leaned in, close enough that their knees touched. “You really want to be involved in this?”

“I already am.”

Adrian’s voice dropped. “Then there are more rules.”

“Give them to me.”

“One,” Adrian said, fingers brushing against Jace’s thigh, “don’t ever lie to me.”

“I don’t.”

“Two,” Adrian’s voice deepened, “don’t fall in love with me.”

Jace held his gaze, unflinching. “Too late.”

A ghost of a smile touched Adrian’s lips—almost sad. Almost dangerous.

And then the car pulled up to the penthouse again, and the moment ended.

For now.

The knock on Theo’s apartment door came just as he was finishing his second glass of whiskey.

He wasn’t expecting anyone. After the argument with his father earlier that day, all he wanted was silence, solitude, and maybe the numbness that came with drinking alone in the dark. But instead, there was that persistent knock—light, but firm. Someone who wasn’t afraid to come uninvited.

He approached the door cautiously, drink in hand. Through the peephole, he saw Gabriel.

In black jeans and a leather jacket. Hair slightly messy. Eyes unreadable. Dangerous and beautiful.

Theo cursed under his breath and opened the door.

“What are you doing here?” he asked, trying to sound irritated. But his voice was low. Curious. Wanting.

Gabriel leaned against the doorframe, one hand still tucked in his pocket. “You didn’t return my text. Or the one before that.”

Theo narrowed his eyes. “I wasn’t aware we had an agreement to keep chatting.”

Gabriel chuckled, but it lacked humor. “We don’t. But I figured you’d want to know I got the job.”

Theo’s brows lifted. “The one with—”

“Yeah. Marketing team lead. Full-time. Starting Monday.”

Despite himself, Theo let a small smile tug at the corner of his lips. “Congratulations.”

Gabriel looked him over, eyes sweeping the room behind him. “Can I come in?”

Theo hesitated. Then stepped aside.

Gabriel entered slowly, his presence as disruptive as a thunderstorm in a library. Theo watched him walk in, remove his jacket, toss it over a chair like he owned the place.

“I thought you didn’t do surprise visits,” Theo said.

“I don’t,” Gabriel replied, pouring himself a glass of Theo’s whiskey without asking. “But this seemed… necessary.”

“For what?”

Gabriel took a slow sip before turning to him. “To break the rules.”

Theo didn’t respond right away. His chest tightened. “Which one?”

Gabriel closed the distance between them. “The first one,” he whispered. “No sleeping with your boss.”

Theo swallowed hard. “You’re not officially on my team yet.”

“Still your employee.”

“Not until Monday.”

“And it’s still Thursday,” Gabriel said with a sly grin.

Theo backed away, just slightly, his breath catching. “We made those rules for a reason.”

“I know,” Gabriel said, voice soft now. “But I’m done pretending.”

Theo could feel the tension—almost unbearable now. The heat between them, the looks, the unspoken moments, the accidental touches that lingered just a heartbeat too long.

“I’ve thought about you,” Gabriel continued. “About the way you look at me. Like you want to tear down every wall we’ve built.”

Theo closed his eyes. He wanted to deny it, to push him away. But the truth sat heavy in his chest, pulsing against his ribs.

“I’ve tried to ignore it,” Theo said finally. “Tried to be professional. Logical. Detached.”

“And has it worked?” Gabriel stepped even closer now. “Because I’m about five seconds away from kissing you.”

Theo’s lips parted slightly. “Don’t.”

“Say you don’t want me,” Gabriel challenged. “Say it, and I’ll walk away.”

Theo’s hand trembled as he set down his glass. “Gabriel…”

“Say it.”

But Theo couldn’t. Because the lie wouldn’t form.

Instead, he pulled Gabriel forward and kissed him.

Hard.

Their mouths crashed together like waves against rock—rough, insistent, hungry. Gabriel wrapped an arm around Theo’s waist, pulling him close, while Theo’s fingers dug into the back of Gabriel’s neck, holding him like he was afraid to let go.

Clothes were shed between staggered breaths. Buttons popped. Belts clattered. And within minutes, Theo’s back was against the wall, and Gabriel was on him, hands exploring with reverence and desperation.

The apartment filled with heat. With groans. With the sound of two people finally giving in to what they both knew had been inevitable.

When they made it to the couch, Theo pulled Gabriel down with him, lips never parting. The world disappeared. All that remained was the tension, the fire, the thrill of finally surrendering.

Afterward, they lay tangled together. Breathing hard. Silent. The rush replaced by something much heavier.

Reality.

Gabriel rested his head against Theo’s chest. “I shouldn’t have come.”

Theo ran his fingers through Gabriel’s hair. “You did.”

“I ruined everything.”

“No,” Theo said softly. “You just made it more complicated.”

A beat passed.

“I’ve never done this before,” Gabriel admitted.

“Seduced your boss?”

“No,” he chuckled. “Felt something real… when I wasn’t supposed to.”

Theo looked down at him, heart pounding in his chest. “You’re not the only one.”

Gabriel sat up, brushing a hand through his curls. “What now?”

Theo sighed. “Now we face the consequences.”

Gabriel turned to him with a raised brow. “You sound scared.”

“I am,” Theo said honestly.

“Don’t be,” Gabriel replied. “If we’re going to do this… let’s not do it halfway.”

Theo stared at him, the words settling like a vow between them.

They had broken the first rule.

But maybe… just maybe… they were ready to write new ones together.