LOGINAurelA hand clamps down on my shoulder, jerking me back against the brick wall.My fingers tighten around my phone. Shoving the screen into my pocket, I twist around, digging an elbow hard toward his ribs.It is not Neylan.A stranger stands under the dim streetlamp. Tailored charcoal suit, crisp white collar, and deep red hair combed back tight. He looks like old money. "Aurel Laurentis," he says. The voice flat in the freezing air. He extends a hand, his gold watch catching the glare of the traffic lights. "Dominic Hitler. A pleasure."Hitler? What kind of fucking name is that?I don't take his hand. My arms stay pinned to my sides, my palms slick with cold sweat. My chest heaves under the stiff tuxedo fabric. The ice in my veins from the emergency injection is already starting to crack. Fuck. I can't waste any more time here. "I'm off the clock," I grit out in a raw voice, "No autographs tonight.""I'm not a fan, Mr. Laurentis," Dominic says. His hand drops back to his side, his
Aurel The master key grinds inside the lock. Fuck. I plant my feet against the tiles, throwing my shoulder against the door. My left hand grips the handle, locking my fingers down with everything I have left. The door shudders. A heavy force pushes from the other side, trying to shove it open. My throat goes dry instantly, my lungs burn as the heat spike rips through me. The door gives way. Shoving forward, my shoes slip on the slick tile. One hand forces the wood back while the other drives the injector down. The person on the other side gives another heavy push. The wood cracks against my shoulder. I can't hold him back. The door opens an inch. A broad chest forces through the gap. I drive the tube down into my thigh and hit the trigger. The needle plunges through my trousers. My scent vanished and sucked back into my pores as the blockers force my body down. The door flies open, slamming hard against the wall. I stumble backward, dropping the empty tube onto the floor. I
Elyce Damn it! I was only able to pluck a few strands of his hair before Neylan showed up and ruined the play. I keep my arm locked around Neylan’s waist, my smile fixed perfectly for the flashbulbs as we walk step-by-step down the red carpet. The reporters are shouting our names, their lenses clicking in a fast, but my mind is entirely down that dark corridor where the captain of the Wraiths just fled. Neylan can pretend to hate Aurel in front of others all he wants. He can play the bitter league rival, grinding his teeth and throwing glares across the rink. But I see right through the bullshit. I can see the fucking look in his eyes every time Aurel enters the room. I can see the longing mixed with hatred, an obsession that goes way deeper than a sports grudge. Something has to be going on between them, for even Aurel to be looking at him like he’d jump on him any moment and I intend to dig it out tonight. I slide my free hand into my designer clutch, my fingers finding the gl
Aurel I throw my weight against the door of the hotel’s private locker room, locking it from the inside with a trembling hand. The metal bolt slides into place with a sharp, hollow thud. My knees give out instantly. I slide down the cold wall, my back dragging against the smooth tile until my ass hits the floorboards. "Fuck," I gasp, my voice sounding like broken glass in the quiet room. My hands fly to my throat, ripping at my black silk bow tie. I yank it loose, tearing the top two buttons right off my tuxedo shirt. They pop off and skitter across the floor tiles like tiny plastic teeth. My chest heaves. Every breath feels like I'm inhaling straight steam. My core temperature surges, a brutal, white-hot fever spiking from the center of my gut and rushing straight into my limbs. I can't help the vibration in my body. The air in my lungs feels toxic. Sweat pours down my face, soaking the stiff linen of my collar until it clings to my skin like plastic wrap. My suppressants are f
Neylan Fuck! I need to get Elyce away from Aurel right now. I know this bitch too well. This isn't some professional corporate talk. She has something up her fucking sleeves, and that small, sharp smirk on her face proves it. The three of us are just standing here in the middle of the crowded ballroom. To the billionaires and board members drinking champagne around us, we probably look like high-profile players discussing some stupid hockey sponsorship deal. But up close, the vibe is pure trash. My fingers are locked like iron around Elyce’s wrist. I don't fucking get it, but there's an aggressive thug in my chest that makes me want to grab Aurel and run the hell out of this place with him. Every bone in my body is hitting red alert. I just need to get her out of his space. Right behind me, Aurel is breathing hard. His broad shoulders are shaking under his suit jacket. His scent is glitching out crazy, did he even take his suppressant? It’s a messy, broken signal, but I can pi
Aurel The noise of the crowd blurs into a low hum as I grip the edge of the champagne table to keep my knees from buckling. The polished wood digs into my palms, the only thing locking me to the floorboards. Sweat slicks my neck, dripping down the inside of my stiff collar. The double dose of meds from earlier isn't doing shit anymore. A raw, violent wave of heat hits my gut, radiating outward until my skin feels like it’s bubbling under my suit. It’s a heat spike. A full, stress-induced breakdown of my blockers. "Get a grip," I mutter, my chest heaving as I stare down at the rows of crystal glasses. The bubbles in the champagne spin, turning into blurry streaks of gold light. "You look like you need a drink, Mr. Laurentis." The smooth, quiet voice cuts right through my panic. I freeze, my fingers locking onto the edge of the table. Elyce steps into my line of sight, a cold, crystal glass of water extended toward my hand. She doesn't wait for me to take it. She slides righ
AurelI lose my temper and my fist connects straight with the bald one standing in front of me. His head jerks back on impact and he staggers, a split forming at the corner of his mouth almost immediately.“Are you mad?” he barks, but I don’t even give him time to recover.The second one, the one w
AurelI step out of the hotel and the cool air hits my face, carrying the faint smell of smoke and traffic from the street. For a second I just stand there, adjusting the strap of my bag on my shoulder, my eyes scanning the line of cars parked along the curb.It doesn’t take long to find him.Jace’
NeylanWhen we heard the commotion from the far end where I sat earlier, I had no reason to even leave my seat, but the sudden pull to look around, to see if I truly saw Aurel, dragged me to my feet.Immediately I sighted him trying to pull the drunk asshole through the back door, and I almost let
AurelShit. How the hell did he find me?My hand moves on instinct, covering my collarbone immediately. He shouldn’t see the mark. I already covered it with a tattoo, matched the color and everything, it shouldn’t be obvious unless someone is really looking.I can feel the way his eyes keep draggin







