Five years later.

The rain lashed against the floor-to-ceiling windows of the Manhattan penthouse.

Everette Baird stood in the dark, staring out at the city. His face was a mask of stone. He raised the crystal glass in his hand and swallowed the amber whiskey in one brutal gulp. His Adam's apple rolled as the alcohol burned its way down his throat.

He turned and walked to the wall safe. He punched in a long, complex code. The heavy steel door clicked open.

He reached inside and pulled out a framed photograph. The edges of the picture were charred black. Inside the frame was Deliah, smiling at him from five years ago.

Everette traced the curve of her cheek through the glass with his thumb. His chest ached, a constant, hollow throb that never stopped. His eyes darkened with a familiar, obsessive madness.

The door to the living room opened. His executive assistant, Joshua Nolan, stepped in.

"Mr. Baird, the itinerary for Wall Street today is ready," Joshua said quietly.

Everette didn't look up from the photo. "Short them. Every single rival firm trying to acquire Baird Capital. Short them into the ground."

Joshua felt the drop in the room's temperature. He nodded, stepping forward to hand over a thick acquisition contract.

Everette didn't read a single word. He took the pen and slashed his signature across the bottom line, then turned and strode toward his private elevator.

Miles away, the arrival hall of Terminal 4 at JFK International Airport was a chaotic sea of noise.

Deliah Buck pushed a luggage cart through the customs exit. Exhaustion weighed down her bones.

Five-year-old Leo Buck sat on top of the suitcases, his small legs kicking back and forth. He was twisting a Rubik's cube in his hands, his amber eyes scanning the crowd.

Deliah looked down at her phone. The screen displayed an interview notification from a top architectural firm. She rubbed her temples, a dull headache forming behind her eyes.

Leo noticed the tension in her shoulders. "Mom, let's go to the VIP lounge. You need coffee."

Deliah smiled, a genuine warmth spreading in her chest. She reached out and ruffled his dark hair. "Thank you, baby."

She pushed the cart toward the Air France first-class lounge. The heavy glass doors slid open, shutting out the noise of the terminal. Deliah parked the cart next to a secluded leather sofa in the corner.

She sat down, holding a cup of hot latte. The exhaustion of the transatlantic flight finally caught up to her. She leaned her head back against the leather. Her eyelids fluttered, and within seconds, she fell into a deep sleep.

Leo immediately stopped twisting the Rubik's cube.

He slipped quietly off the luggage. He unzipped his backpack, pulled out a soft cashmere coat, and stood on his tiptoes to drape it carefully over his mother's shoulders.

Once he was sure she was asleep, Leo reached deeper into his mini backpack and pulled out a sleek, black portable laptop.

He flipped it open. His small fingers flew across the keyboard. Lines of green code cascaded down the black screen.

Within seconds, he bypassed the airport's internal security network. The live feeds from every camera in Terminal 4 popped up on his screen.

Leo typed a command into the facial recognition program he had built. He was looking for a specific target.

The screen flashed through hundreds of faces before locking onto a tall, broad-shouldered man walking near the VIP security checkpoint.

A profile popped up next to the face. Everette Baird. Billionaire. Single. No children.

Leo stared at the cold, handsome face on the screen. He rubbed his chin, a very un-childlike smirk forming on his lips.

He shut the laptop and shoved it back into his bag. He glanced at his sleeping mother, then slipped away from the sofa.

Leo dodged the lounge attendants, his small frame easily avoiding their line of sight. He slipped through the automatic glass doors.

He looked up at the terminal signs, orienting himself toward the VIP checkpoint.

Then, he started running. He moved like a heat-seeking missile, heading straight for the man he had chosen to be his perfect stepfather.

Leo pressed his back against a massive marble pillar outside the VIP security corridor. He peeked his head around the edge.

At the far end of the corridor, Everette Baird was walking toward him.

Everette wore a custom Tom Ford suit, pitch black. He moved with a predatory grace, his aura so cold it felt like a physical wall pushing people out of his way.

Joshua walked half a step behind him, speaking rapidly. "The hostile takeover of the Silicon Valley tech firm is in motion, sir."

Everette's brow furrowed. "Clean them out. Every executive on their board is gone by tomorrow."

Leo watched them approach. He calculated the distance and Everette's walking speed in his head.

He turned and walked over to the counter of a nearby Starbucks. He stood on his tiptoes and grabbed a Venti hot Americano that someone had just ordered.

The barista was looking down at the cash register, completely missing the theft.

Leo walked back to his pillar, holding the scalding cup in both hands. He took a deep breath.

When Everette's leather shoes stepped onto the third marble tile from the pillar, Leo launched himself forward.

He intentionally let his foot slide on the polished marble. He lost his balance and fell straight toward Everette's long legs.

With a dull thud, Leo's head collided with the hard muscle of Everette's thigh.

The Venti Americano flew out of Leo's hands. The dark liquid arched through the air and splashed directly onto Everette's custom suit jacket and crisp white shirt.

The dark brown stain ruined the fifty-thousand-dollar suit instantly. Steam rose from the fabric.

Joshua gasped, stepping forward. "Where did this stray kid come from?"

Four men in black suits materialized instantly. The bodyguards surrounded Leo, dropping the temperature in the corridor to absolute zero.

Everette stopped moving. He looked down at his ruined clothes. A flash of pure, violent rage ignited in his eyes.

He slowly lowered his head, his gaze slicing down like a blade toward the boy sitting on the floor.

Leo sat on the marble, rubbing his forehead. He didn't cry. Instead, he tilted his head up and met Everette's terrifying stare without flinching.

When Everette saw the boy's amber eyes, his heart physically stuttered in his chest.

The breath was knocked out of his lungs. Those eyes. They were exactly like Deliah's.

The rage in Everette's throat vanished, replaced by a sudden, suffocating tightness. He raised a hand, signaling the bodyguards to back off.

Leo dusted off his pants and stood up. He looked up at the giant of a man.

"Sir," Leo said, his voice clear and serious. "Your suit is ruined. But my mom can pay for it."

Joshua stared at the boy in absolute shock, his professional composure cracking for a fraction of a second, though he wisely kept his mouth shut.

Everette shot Joshua a look so cold it made the assistant snap his mouth shut.

Everette slowly crouched down until he was eye-level with the boy. "What is your name? Where are your parents?"

Leo crossed his arms over his chest. A sly smile touched his lips. "I'm Leo. My mom is super pretty. And she's single."

A harsh, breathless sound escaped Everette's chest. He was actually amused. The corner of his mouth twitched upward.

"I see you have a lot of money," Leo continued, his tone completely business-like. "If you agree to be my stepdad, you don't even have to give me change for the coffee."

Joshua stared at the boy in absolute horror. No one spoke to the tyrant of Wall Street like this.

Everette stared at Leo's face. It was the eyes-amber, intelligent, and carrying a stubborn light that was an exact echo of Deliah's. The sight struck a deep, buried chord inside him.

Everette stood up. He pulled a silk handkerchief from his pocket and wiped the coffee from his hand.

"Fine," Everette said, his voice a low rumble. "Take me to this single mother of yours."

Back in the Air France VIP lounge, Deliah jerked awake.

She sat up so fast her vision blurred. The cashmere coat slipped from her shoulders onto the floor. The spot next to her on the sofa was empty.

Her heart slammed against her ribs.

She grabbed her purse and sprinted to the front desk. "My son," she said, her voice shaking. "Did you see a five-year-old boy?"

The attendant shook her head apologetically.

The blood drained from Deliah's face. Separation anxiety, a leftover symptom from a trauma she couldn't even remember, gripped her throat. She couldn't breathe.

She shoved through the glass doors and ran out into the terminal. She pushed past travelers, her eyes darting frantically.

"Leo!" she screamed, the sound tearing at her vocal cords.

Panic made her stomach cramp. Just as she was about to grab a security guard, she heard a familiar, bright laugh coming from the duty-free shops.

Deliah whipped her head around. She shoved through a group of tourists and ran toward the sound.

Leo was standing there, perfectly safe, holding a piece of chocolate someone had given him.

Deliah dropped to her knees and pulled him into her chest, crushing him against her. Tears spilled hot down her cheeks.

"Don't you ever do that again," she scolded, her voice cracking. "Do you know how scared I was?"

Leo patted her back, looking guilty. "Mom, I'm sorry. I was just finding you a husband."

Deliah froze. She pulled back, confused by his words.

Before she could speak, a voice drifted down from above her. It was deep, raspy, and heavy with an oppressive weight.

"Is this how you teach manners, ma'am?"

Deliah's spine stiffened. She realized Leo had caused trouble. She stood up quickly, pushing Leo behind her legs to protect him.

She kept her eyes on the floor, staring at the ruined, coffee-stained fabric of the man's suit. "I am so sorry. I will pay for all the damages."

She lifted her head as she spoke, her gaze traveling up the sharp lines of the suit, up the strong column of his neck, until she met his face.

Their eyes locked.

The air in the terminal vanished.

Everette's pupils dilated so fast his eyes looked entirely black. His massive frame went completely rigid, as if he had been struck by lightning.

The custom phone in his hand slipped from his grip. It hit the marble floor with a sharp crack, the screen shattering into a spiderweb of glass.

His breathing turned ragged. He stared at the face in front of him. The exact face he had mourned for five agonizing years. The edges of his vision turned red.

Deliah took a step back. The man's eyes were terrifying. They looked like they wanted to devour her alive.

Everette lunged. His hand shot out and wrapped around her wrist. His grip was bone-crushing, desperate, burning hot against her skin.

"Deliah," he choked out. The name tore from his throat like a physical wound.

Deliah winced, her brow furrowing in pain. She yanked her arm, trying to break his hold. "Sir, you have the wrong person. Let me go."

Everette felt the rapid pulse beating against his palm. She was warm. She was alive. The possessive madness inside him exploded.

Behind him, Joshua gasped, his face turning pale as he saw the woman's face.

Deliah twisted her wrist hard, finally breaking free from his grip. She reached into her purse with shaking hands, pulled out a business card, and shoved it against his rigid chest.

"Here is my card," she said, her voice cold and distant. "I will cover the full cost of cleaning or replacing your suit. Please send the bill to my assistant. Goodbye, sir."