The kiss was giving chills.Caspian's lips were warm and firm against hers, tasting like whiskey and something darker. His hand slid into her hair, gripping gently, and Lia felt a jolt of heat shoot straight through her body.

God. When was the last time Julian kissed her like this? Like he actually wanted her?

Never. The answer was never.

Caspian pulled back slightly, his gray eyes searching her face. "Are you sure about this?"

"Yes." Her voice came out breathless. "I'm sure."

He stood, pulling her up with him, and led her toward the bedroom. His movements were still slightly unsteady, whatever was affecting him not quite worn off, but his grip on her hand was firm. Certain.

The bedroom was dim, only the city lights filtering through the floor-to-ceiling windows. Caspian turned to face her, and for a moment they just stood there, breathing hard, staring at each other.

Then his hands were on her waist, pulling her close. His mouth found hers again, hungrier this time. Desperate. Like he needed this as much as she did.

Lia's hands fumbled with the buttons of his shirt, her fingers clumsy with nerves and want. He helped her, shrugging out of it and tossing it aside. And oh God, he was gorgeous. All lean muscle and smooth skin, tattoos she wanted to trace with her fingers.

The dragon on his ribs. Roman numerals on his left wrist. A small crown behind his ear.

"You're staring," he murmured against her neck, his lips trailing heat down to her collarbone.

"You're beautiful."

He laughed, low and rough. "That's my line."

His hands found the zipper of her dress, sliding it down slowly. The emerald silk pooled at her feet, leaving her in nothing but the black lace lingerie she'd bought just for this.

Caspian's eyes darkened as he took her in. "Fuck, Lia."

The way he said her name made her shiver.

He backed her toward the bed, his mouth never leaving her skin. Kissing, tasting, learning every inch of her like he had all the time in the world. Like she mattered.

And for the first time in five years, Lia felt alive.

Caspian's head was swimming.Whatever those bastards had drugged him with was still in his system, making everything feel hazy and distant. But the woman in his arms felt real. Solid. Warm and soft and smelling like jasmine and something sweet.

He didn't know who she was. Didn't know how she'd gotten into his room or why she thought he was someone she'd hired.

But right now, with her hands on his skin and her lips against his, he didn't fucking care.

His enemies had trapped him here. Locked him in this suite after slipping something into his drink at the meeting downstairs. He'd barely made it up here before the drug hit, leaving him disoriented and weak. They'd probably planned to come back and finish him off once he was completely helpless.

But then she knocked on the door.

This beautiful, nervous woman with sad eyes and a wedding ring she kept twisting around her finger.

And for some reason he couldn't explain, he'd let her in.

Maybe the drug was making him stupid. Maybe he should have sent her away, called Dorian, and dealt with the threat properly.

But when she'd said she wanted to feel like she mattered, something in her voice had gutted him.

He knew that feeling. That desperate need to be seen. To be wanted.

So he'd kissed her.

And now he couldn't stop.

Her skin was like silk under his hands. Her mouth was hungry and hesitant at the same time, like she wasn't used to being kissed like this. Like she'd forgotten what it felt like to be wanted.

What kind of idiot husband lets a woman like this feel invisible?

Caspian laid her back on the bed, his body covering hers. She gasped when his mouth found her throat, her fingers digging into his shoulders.

"Tell me what you want," he murmured against her skin.

"You. I want you."

Simple words. But the way she said them, raw and honest, made something crack open in his chest.

He should stop this. Should tell her she had the wrong room, the wrong man. That he wasn't whoever she thought he was.

But the drug was making it hard to think. And she felt so good. So right.

Tomorrow. He'd deal with reality tomorrow.

Tonight, he'd give this broken, beautiful woman exactly what she needed.

Lia woke slowly, warmth cocooning her.

For a moment, she didn't remember where she was. Then it all came rushing back.

The hotel. The wrong door. Caspian.

Oh God. Caspian.

She opened her eyes. Early morning light filtered through the windows. She was wrapped in expensive sheets, her body pleasantly sore in ways it hadn't been in years.

And she was alone.

Lia sat up quickly, clutching the sheet to her chest. The bedroom was empty. No sign of Caspian anywhere.

Panic fluttered in her chest. Had he left? Just walked out while she was sleeping?

She climbed out of bed, legs shaky, and grabbed her dress from the floor. Pulled it on with trembling hands. Her hair was a mess, makeup smudged, but she didn't care.

She walked into the living area of the suite.

Caspian was there.

He stood by the windows, fully dressed in last night's clothes, staring out at the city. His posture was tense, shoulders tight. When he heard her, he turned.

His eyes were clear now. Sharp. Assessing. No trace of whatever had been affecting him last night.

And his expression was cold.

"Good morning," Lia said awkwardly.

"Morning." His voice was flat. Different from last night.

Something was wrong. Very wrong.

"Are you okay?" she asked. "You seemed really out of it last night. Were you drunk or..."

"Something like that." He crossed his arms, studying her with an intensity that made her want to squirm. "So. You want to tell me what the hell happened last night?"

Lia blinked. "What do you mean?"

"I mean, how did you end up in my room? Who sent you?"

"Send me? Nobody sent me. I booked you through the service. The agency said you'd meet me here at eight."

Caspian's expression shifted. Something dangerous flickered in his eyes. "What agency?"

"Discreet Companions. They said your name was Marcus. But obviously that was wrong, or maybe they made a mistake with the names, I don't know. I was so nervous I probably mixed everything up."

He stared at her for a long moment. Then he started laughing. Low and dark and without any humor.

"What's funny?" Lia asked, anxiety crawling up her spine.

"You think I'm an escort."

"You're not?"

"No, sweetheart. I'm not." He moved closer, and Lia instinctively stepped back. "Want to know what I actually do?"

"I... what?"

"I run this city. The parts people don't like to talk about. The dangerous parts." His smile was sharp. Predatory. "You hired a fucking call boy and got a mafia boss instead. How's that for irony?"

The room tilted.

"You're lying," Lia whispered.

"Am I?" He pulled out his phone, made a quick call. "Dorian. Suite B at the Azure. Now." He hung up and looked at her. "My second-in-command will be here in five minutes. You want to stay and meet him, or you want to run while you still can?"

Lia's heart was pounding so hard she thought it might explode. "I don't understand. If you're not Marcus, then who are you?"

"Caspian Nero. And last night, someone drugged me and locked me in this room. They were probably coming back to kill me. But then you showed up." His expression was unreadable. "So thanks for that, I guess. Interrupting an assassination attempt with a case of mistaken identity."

This couldn't be real. This had to be a nightmare.

"I need to go," Lia said, backing toward the door. "I'm sorry. This was a mistake. A huge mistake."

"Wait." Caspian's voice stopped her. "You're married."

How did he know that? Then she remembered. She'd told him last night. About Julian and the open marriage.

"Yes."

"To who?"

"That's none of your business."

"It is now. Because you just spent the night with me, and I have enemies. A lot of them. If they find out about you, they'll use you to get to me." He moved closer. "So I'm going to ask one more time. Who's your husband?"

"Julian Whitemore."

Recognition flashed across his face. "The trust fund baby? Whitemore Pharmaceuticals?"

"You know him?"

"Know of him. Piece of work, from what I hear. Makes sense why you'd need to hire someone to feel wanted."

The casual cruelty of the words stung.

"I'm leaving," Lia said, grabbing her purse. "And I'd appreciate it if we could both forget this ever happened."

"Can't do that."

"Why not?"

"Because like I said, you're a liability now. My enemies will find out eventually. They always do."

"So what are you saying? You're going to, keep tabs on me? Follow me?"

"Something like that." Caspian pulled a card from his pocket and held it out. "My number. You call me if anything weird happens. If anyone approaches you. If you feel like you're being watched. Anything."

Lia didn't take the card. "I just want to forget this happened."

"Yeah, well. Life doesn't work that way, sweetheart. Take the card."

She snatched it from his hand, shoving it in her purse. "We're done here."

"Not quite." He stepped in front of the door, blocking her exit. "One more thing. Last night. You left before you paid."

Heat flooded her face. "I didn't mean to. I thought... I mean, you were asleep, and I didn't want to wake you, and..."

"Relax. I don't want your money. But I do want to know something." His eyes locked on hers. "Last night. Was it what you needed?"

The question caught her off guard.

She thought about Julian. About five years of feeling invisible. About one night where someone had looked at her like she was the most important person in the world.

"Yes," she whispered. "It was."

Something softened in Caspian's expression. "Good."

He stepped aside, letting her pass.

Lia walked out of that suite on shaking legs, clutching her purse like a lifeline.

She'd gone to that hotel looking for one night of feeling alive.

She'd gotten that.

But she'd also gotten something much more dangerous.

She'd gotten the attention of Caspian Nero.

And something told her that her life would never be the same.

Lia's hands wouldn't stop shaking on the steering wheel. She'd just slept with a mafia boss. A fucking mafia boss. Not some professional escort who'd disappear from her life after one night.

Not some safe, anonymous transaction. No. She'd walked into the wrong room and ended up in bed with Caspian Nero. A man who ran the criminal underworld of Silvercrest. What the hell had she done?

The early morning streets were empty as she drove home. Saturday dawn, the city still sleeping off Friday night. Lia felt like she was moving through a dream. Or a nightmare. She couldn't tell which. Her body ached in places that reminded her exactly what had happened.

The way he'd touched her. Kissed her. I looked at her like she was the only thing in the world that mattered. Stop it. Stop thinking about it. But she couldn't. His gray eyes. His hands. His voice said her name.

Lia pulled into the driveway of Ravencourt Estate and sat there for a full minute, trying to calm her racing heart. The house was dark. Julian's car wasn't there. Still out wherever he'd gone last night. Probably Vanessa's bed. Or someone else's.

Did it even matter anymore? She let herself in quietly, like she was sneaking into her own house. Went straight upstairs to the guest bathroom. Couldn't use the master. Couldn't go near that bed where she'd found Julian with another woman.

The shower water was scalding hot. She stood under it until her skin turned red, trying to wash away the evidence. But she could still smell him on her skin. Still feel the ghost of his touch. A mafia boss. Jesus Christ. What was she supposed to do now? Pretend it never happened?

Go back to her miserable life with Julian like nothing had changed? Except everything had changed. She felt alive last night. For the first time in five years, she'd felt like she mattered. Like she was seen. And now she had to go back to being invisible.

Lia got out of the shower and wrapped herself in a towel. Caught sight of herself in the mirror. Her lips were swollen from kissing. There was a faint mark on her neck that she'd have to cover with makeup. Evidence written on her skin.

She got dressed in jeans and an old sweatshirt. Not the designer prison uniform she usually wore. If Julian came home, she'd tell him she stayed at Isla's. He wouldn't care enough to question it.

Downstairs, she made coffee with shaking hands. Sat at the kitchen counter staring at nothing. Her purse was on the table. Caspian's card was inside. She'd shoved it in there this morning before leaving the hotel, not sure why she'd kept it.

Lia pulled it out now. Simple black card with a phone number. No name. Nothing else. She should throw it away. Tear it up. Burn it. Instead, she tucked it back into her wallet.

At ten-thirty, she heard Julian's car in the driveway. Lia's stomach twisted. She poured a second cup of coffee, trying to look casual. Normal. Like she hadn't just cheated on him with the most dangerous man in the city.

Julian came through the door looking like hell. Rumpled suit. Hair a mess. He smelled like expensive perfume and sex and alcohol. Didn't even try to hide it anymore.

"Morning," he said, not looking at her. Already on his phone.

"Morning. Coffee's fresh."

"Thanks." He poured himself a cup, scrolling through emails or texts or whatever. Some woman, probably. "Where were you last night?"

Lia's heart hammered. "Isla's. I told you I was going out."

"Right. Yeah." He wasn't even listening. "I'm gonna shower and head to the club. Golf with Dad and some clients."

"Okay."

He walked past her without another word. Like she was furniture. Like she didn't exist. Five years of this. Five years of being nothing to him. Lia waited until she heard the shower running upstairs. Then she pulled out her phone. No new messages. No calls. Nothing from Caspian. Why would there be? It was one night. A mistake. He'd made that clear this morning when she left. She was a complication he didn't need.

Her phone buzzed in her hand. Unknown number. Lia's breath caught. She opened the text. A photo. Her black lace underwear on white hotel sheets. And below it a message that made her face burn hot.

"You left something behind. Black lace looks better on you than on my floor. -CN"

Heat flooded her entire body. Oh God. He had her underwear. He'd kept it. This was insane. This whole thing was insane. Lia blocked the number with shaking fingers. Deleted the text. There. Done. Over. She wasn't doing this. She wasn't getting pulled into his world. Last night was a mistake. A moment of weakness. It couldn't happen again.

Her phone buzzed again. Different numbers. Lia stared at the screen, heart pounding so hard she thought it might break through her ribs.

"Blocking me won't work, sweetheart. We need to talk. Tomorrow. The Onyx Club. 8 PM. Don't make me come find you."

The Onyx Club. Lia had heard whispers about that place. Underground casino and club downtown. Where rich people went to do illegal things. Drugs. Gambling. Worse. She'd never been there. I would never go there. Except now Caspian was telling her to show up. She should ignore it.

Block this number too. Pretend she never got the message. But even as she thought it, she knew she wouldn't. Because part of her wanted to see him again. I wanted to feel alive again. Even if it was dangerous. Even if it was stupid. Especially because it was dangerous.

Lia set down her phone and finished her coffee. Julian was still in the shower, probably scrubbing off evidence of whoever he'd been with last night. The irony wasn't lost on her. She picked up her phone again. Stared at Caspian's message. Tomorrow. 8 PM. She typed back before she could stop herself.

"I'll be there."

The response came immediately. "Good girl. Wear something nice. And Lia? Don't tell anyone where you're going."

She deleted both messages. Blocked this number too, though she knew it wouldn't matter. He'd just use another one. Caspian Nero didn't take no for an answer. She was starting to understand that.

Julian came downstairs twenty minutes later, clean and dressed in golf clothes. He grabbed his keys without looking at her. "I'll be back late. Don't wait up."

"I never do."

He paused at the door, finally looking at her. Really looking. "You seem different."

Lia's heart stopped. "Different how?"

"I don't know. Just different." He shrugged. "Whatever. See you later."

The door closed behind him. Lia sat alone in her huge, empty house and tried not to think about tomorrow night. About walking into a dangerous club to meet a dangerous man. Tried not to think about how much she wanted to. Her phone buzzed one more time. Another unknown number. Of course.

"And Lia? About last night. Best mistake you ever made. See you tomorrow."

She should be scared. Should be running in the opposite direction. Instead, she was already planning what to wear. She thought about the emerald dress she'd worn to the hotel. Too obvious. Too much like she was trying. She needed something else.

Something that said she wasn't afraid of him. Even though she was. God, she was terrified. But she was also tired of being afraid. Tired of playing it safe. Tired of being the good wife who did everything right and still ended up with nothing.

Lia went upstairs to the guest room where she'd been sleeping for weeks now. Opened her closet and started pulling out dresses. Black. Red. Navy blue. She held each one up to the mirror, trying to see herself the way Caspian might see her Strong and Confidence.

Someone worth risking everything for. The thought made her laugh. Risking everything? She had nothing left to risk. Julian had already taken everything that mattered. Her dreams. Her self-respect. Her sense of who she was.

Maybe that's why last night felt so good. For a few hours, she'd been someone else. Someone brave enough to walk into a stranger's hotel room. Someone desired. Someone who mattered. She settled on a simple black dress. Elegant but not trying too hard.

With heels that made her legs look good and gave her enough height to look Caspian in the eye. Not that she'd need the help. He was tall. Really tall. She remembered having to tilt her head back to kiss him.

Stop it. Stop remembering.

But the memories kept coming. His hands in her hair. His mouth on her neck. The way he'd looked at her like she was the most important thing in the world. Like he'd die if he couldn't touch her.

Julian had never looked at her like that. Not even in the beginning when they were young and supposedly in love. He'd looked at her like a prize he'd won. Something to show off to his friends and family. Proof that he could get whatever he wanted.

Lia hung the black dress on the back of the door and lay down on the bed. Tomorrow. She had twenty-four hours to change her mind. To come to her senses. To remember that Caspian Nero was dangerous and getting involved with him was the stupidest thing she could possibly do.

But she wasn't going to change her mind. She knew that already. She was going to The Onyx Club tomorrow night. She was going to see him again. And whatever happened after that, at least it would be her choice. Her decision. Not Julian's. Not Margaret's. Hers.

For the first time in five years, Lia felt like she was taking control of her own life. Even if that control led her straight into the arms of the most dangerous man in Silvercrest.

Sunday dragged by like torture. Lia spent the day pretending to read, pretending to watch TV, pretending she wasn't counting down the hours until eight PM. Julian was home for most of it, locked in his study on conference calls. He came out once for food, barely acknowledged her, then disappeared again. The open marriage was working perfectly for him. He got to do whatever he wanted with whoever he wanted, and Lia stayed home like a good little wife. Except tonight she wasn't staying home.

At six, she started getting ready. The black dress fit perfectly, hugging her curves without being obvious about it. She did her makeup carefully, dark eyes and red lips. Bold. Not the soft, pretty look Margaret always insisted on. When she looked in the mirror, she barely recognized herself. She looked dangerous. Like someone who belonged in Caspian's world.

Julian was in the living room when she came downstairs. He glanced up from his laptop, barely registering her appearance. "Going out?"

"Yes."

"Where?"

"Does it matter?" Lia grabbed her purse, her heart hammering.

Julian shrugged. "I guess not. Have fun."

That was it. No questions. No jealousy. No concern about where his wife was going dressed like this. Five years of marriage and he couldn't care less. Lia walked out without another word.

The drive downtown took thirty minutes. The Onyx Club was in a part of Silvercrest she never went to. Industrial buildings. Dark streets. The kind of neighborhood where bad things happened. Her GPS led her to what looked like an abandoned warehouse. No signs. No lights. Nothing to indicate this was a club at all. Lia almost turned around. This had to be wrong. But then she saw the cars. Expensive ones. Ferraris. Lamborghinis. Bentleys. All parked in a roped-off area with security watching.

She parked her Mercedes and got out on shaking legs. A massive bouncer stood at a plain black door. He was easily six-foot-five, built like a tank, with cold eyes that sized her up in two seconds.

"Private club," he said. His voice sounded like gravel.

"I'm here to see Caspian Nero."

The bouncer's expression changed immediately. He pulled out a radio. "The boss's guest is here." A pause. Then, "Copy that." He looked at Lia again, this time with something that might have been respectful. Or fear. Hard to tell. "Go on in. Someone will meet you."

He opened the door. Bass-heavy music hit her like a wave. Lia stepped inside and felt like she'd entered a different world. The interior was nothing like the outside. All dark wood and leather. Low lighting from expensive fixtures. Beautiful people everywhere, dripping in designer clothes and jewelry. But there was something else too. An edge. A danger. These weren't the people from Margaret's charity galas. These were people who did bad things and didn't apologize for it.

Lia had taken maybe five steps when a woman appeared in front of her. Late twenties. Stunning. Dark hair pulled back in a sleek ponytail. She wore black leather pants and a silk top that probably cost more than Lia's car payment. But it was her eyes that caught Lia's attention. Cold. Assessing. Dangerous.

"You're the one who fucked the boss," the woman said. Not a question. A statement.

Lia's face burned. "Excuse me?"

"Don't play dumb. I'm Nina. I run this place for Caspian." She looked Lia up and down. "Come with me."

"I can find my own way."

Nina's smile was sharp. "No, you can't. This isn't your world, princess. You don't know the rules. You don't know who to avoid. And trust me, there are people here who'd love to get their hands on Caspian's latest toy." She turned and started walking. "Keep up."

Lia wanted to argue. Wanted to tell this woman she wasn't anyone's toy. But Nina was already moving through the crowd with the confidence of someone who knew she was dangerous. Lia followed, trying not to stare at everything around her. The main floor was a high-end bar and lounge. But through doorways, she caught glimpses of other rooms. Card tables with stacks of chips. People snorting lines off glass surfaces. A woman in a corner with two men, doing things that should have been private.

Nina led her up a staircase to a second floor. The music was quieter up here. More controlled. At the end of a hallway was a door with another guard. This one nodded to Nina and opened the door without a word.

Caspian's office was exactly what she expected. Huge. Expensive. A massive desk that probably cost more than some people's houses. Floor to ceiling windows overlooking the club below. And behind the desk, Caspian. He wore a black suit that fit him perfectly. His dark hair was styled back. Those gray eyes locked on her the second she walked in. Next to the desk stood another man. Tall. Calm. Watching her with the same assessing look Nina had given her. This had to be Dorian.

"Thanks, Nina," Caspian said without looking away from Lia.

Nina left, closing the door behind her. The click of the lock felt final. Lia stood there, suddenly unsure. This was different from the hotel. Here, in his office, surrounded by his people, Caspian looked like exactly what he was. A crime lord. Someone powerful and dangerous and completely in control.

"You came," he said.

"You didn't give me much choice."

"There's always a choice." He stood, moving around the desk with that same controlled grace. Like a predator. "You look good."

"Thanks." Her voice came out steady even though her heart was racing.

"Sit." He gestured to a leather chair. It wasn't a request.

Lia sat. Caspian leaned against his desk, arms crossed. Dorian remained standing, silent. Watching.

"We need to talk about what happened Friday night," Caspian said.

"I thought we already did. I made a mistake. Wrong room. It won't happen again."

"It's not that simple."

"Why not?"

Caspian exchanged a look with Dorian. Then he opened a drawer in his desk and pulled out a folder. Dropped it on the desk in front of her. "Open it."

Lia's hands shook as she picked up the folder. Inside were photos. Black and white surveillance shots. Of her. Leaving the Azure Hotel Friday morning. Getting into her car. At Isla's café yesterday. At the grocery store. Outside her house. Someone had been following her. Watching her.

"What the hell is this?" Her voice cracked.

"The Kozlov Bratva. Russian mob. My enemies." Caspian's voice was flat. Cold. "They have people watching the Azure Hotel. They saw you leave my suite Friday morning. Now they think you're my woman."

"But I'm not."

"Doesn't matter what you are. They think you matter to me. Which means they'll use you to get to me."

Lia stared at the photos. Her stomach twisted. "This can't be happening."

"It is happening. You're a target now. My enemies will try to hurt you. Kidnap you. Use you as leverage." He pushed off the desk, moving closer. "So here's what's going to happen. My people will watch you. Keep you safe."

"No." Lia stood up, anger cutting through her fear. "I didn't ask for this. This was supposed to be one night. One stupid night to feel something other than invisible. That's it."

"Life doesn't care what you asked for." Caspian's voice was steel. "You're marked now. There's no unmarking you. So either you let me protect you, or you end up dead in a ditch somewhere. Your choice."

"This is insane. I can't live like this. I can't have people following me. I have a life. A husband."

"A husband who doesn't give a shit where you are or who you're with." Caspian stepped closer. Too close. She could smell his cologne. See the cold calculation in his eyes. "Face it, Lia. You're safer with me than you've ever been with him."

"I don't need your protection. I'll be fine."

Caspian's laugh was harsh. "You think the Bratva plays nice? You think they'll just leave you alone?" He grabbed another folder. More photos. These were worse. Crime scene photos. Bodies. Blood. Things that made Lia's stomach turn. "This is what they do to people who get in their way. This is what they'll do to you if they get the chance."

Lia looked away, bile rising in her throat. "Stop."

"No. You need to see this. You need to understand what you're dealing with." He threw the folder back on the desk. "I'm not the good guy here, Lia. I've done terrible things. But the Bratva? They're worse. And they want my head. Which means they want yours."

She couldn't breathe. This was too much. Too big. She'd just wanted one night. One choice was hers. And now she was trapped in something way over her head.

"What do you want from me?" she whispered.

"Let me protect you. My people will watch you. You won't even know they're there most of the time. But they'll keep you safe."

"And what do I have to do in return?"

Something flickered in Caspian's eyes. "Nothing. You don't owe me anything."

"Bullshit. Men like you don't do things for free."

His smile was sharp. Dangerous. "Smart girl. But really, Lia. This isn't about owing me. This is about keeping you alive. Because whether you like it or not, you're mine now. And I protect what's mine."

"I'm not yours."

"Keep telling yourself that." He moved even closer. She could feel the heat coming off his body. "But we both know the truth. You felt it Friday night. That connection. That pull. You're mine. Have been since the second you walked through my door."

"That was a mistake."

"Best mistake you ever made." His hand came up, fingers brushing her jaw. The touch sent electricity through her. "So here's how this works. You go back to your life. Your house. Your boring husband. But my people watch you. Keep you safe. And when I want to see you, you come. No questions."

Lia jerked back. "I'm not your call girl."

"No. You're something much more dangerous." His eyes locked on hers. "You're the woman who makes me want things I shouldn't want. Feel things I shouldn't feel. And that makes you valuable. To me and to my enemies."

"This is crazy."

"Welcome to my world, sweetheart." He stepped back, putting distance between them. "Dorian will give you a number. You call it if anything weird happens. If anyone approaches you. If you feel like you're being watched. My people will handle it."

"And if I refuse? If I just walk out and pretend this never happened?"

Caspian's expression went cold. "Then you'll be dead within a week. Maybe less. Your choice."

It wasn't a choice. They both knew it. Lia looked at the photos on the desk. At the evidence of people watching her. Following her. She thought about going home to that empty house. To Julian who didn't care if she lived or died. And she realized Caspian was right. She was safer here. In his world. Under his protection. Even if it meant giving up the last shred of control she had.

"Fine," she said. "Your people can watch me. But that's it. We're not friends. We're nothing to each other."