"You're running out of time, Elena, and my patience isn't a renewable resource."
"I’m doing what I can," I whispered, my voice a ragged friction. "He’s suspicious. He’s always watching."
"He's watching you because he wants you," Thorne snapped. "Use that. Or do I need to remind you who is currently holding the keys to your son’s future?"
My heart slammed against my ribs, a frantic, bruised bird. I felt a sharp, acidic burn in my stomach, a knot of pure terror twisting tighter with every word. My lungs felt constricted, as if the very oxygen in the room had been replaced by lead.
"Don't touch him," I hissed. "You promised he would stay safe as long as I played my part."
"Promises are for people with leverage. You have none. If Jaxson Vane isn't incapacitated by the end of the Biker Gala tomorrow night, Leo won't be coming home to you."
The line went dead with a sharp, final click. I leaned against the stone railing, my head spinning. The world felt like it was tilting on its axis. I could hear the rhythmic thud of my own pulse in my ears, a heavy, suffocating drumbeat. I looked down at the small vial Thorne’s courier had left for me. The liquid inside was clear, odorless, and lethal—a poison that would shatter Jaxson’s nervous system, leaving him a hollow shell. A prisoner in his own body.
"Mama? Why are you out here in the dark?"
I jumped, the vial slipping into the hidden fold of my silk robe just as Leo stepped onto the balcony. He was rubbing his eyes, his dark hair a messy tangle that made my chest ache with a sudden, sharp pang of love and guilt.
"Just getting some air, baby," I said, my voice trembling as I reached out to smooth his hair.
My fingers were cold, but his skin was warm, a vibrant reminder of everything I stood to lose. I felt a wave of nausea wash over me, a sickness that started in my gut and worked its way up to my parched throat.
"The big man says it's late," Leo said, looking back toward the open French doors.
Jaxson was standing there—a shadow against the warm light of the hallway, a massive, silent presence that seemed to draw all the energy from the room. He was wearing a dark leather vest over a white t-shirt, the ink of his tattoos visible in the dim light. The silver scar on his eyebrow caught the moonlight, a jagged line of defiance.
"Go back to bed, Leo," Jaxson said.
His voice was a low, gravelly vibration that settled in the very marrow of my bones. Leo nodded, giving me a quick hug before scampering back inside. Jaxson stepped onto the balcony. The scent of him—bourbon, cold air, and that dangerous spice—hit me like a physical blow. I felt my skin prickle, a sudden, electric heat radiating between us.
"Who were you talking to?" he asked.
"No one," I lied.
The word felt like a stone in my mouth. I kept my hands buried in my pockets, my fingers curled around the vial of poison. My heart was thudding so loudly I was sure he could hear it. I felt exposed, as if his obsidian eyes could see right through my silk robe and into the dark, rotting secret I was carrying.
"You're a terrible liar, Little Thief," he whispered.
He moved closer, pinning me against the railing. The stone was cold against my back, but he was a wall of fire. I could feel the rhythmic heave of his chest, the intensity of his gaze boring into mine.
"I have nothing to say to you, Jaxson."
"Then let your body speak for you."
He reached out, his large, calloused hand wrapping around my waist. The touch was electric, a jolt of fire that ignited every nerve ending. I gasped, my breath hitching in a throat that felt like it was closing up.
"Don't," I breathed, even as I leaned into him.
"You're trembling," he noted, his thumb grazing the sensitive skin of my hip. "Is it fear, Elena? Or are you finally remembering what it feels like to be wanted by a man who doesn't play games?"
"You're the one playing games," I snapped, the defiance flaring in my gut like a wildfire. "You kept me in the dark for five years. You watched us struggle."
"I watched you survive," he countered, his voice dropping to a dangerous frequency. "And I waited until you had nowhere else to run. Because I knew the moment you saw me again, you'd realize the truth."
"And what truth is that?"
"That you belong to me. And I belong to you."
The claim sent a shiver through my entire body. I wanted to scream, to push him away, to tell him about the poison in my pocket. But my heart was beating in sync with his now, a heavy, desperate tempo. He leaned in, his lips brushing mine. It wasn't a kiss; it was a question. It tasted of salt and longing. My head spun, a dizzying mix of terror and a hunger so sharp it felt like a knife wound.
"Jaxson..."
"Tell me to stop," he whispered. "Tell me you don't want me to protect you. Tell me you want to go back to Thorne."
The mention of the rival’s name was like ice water. I stiffened, my fingers tightening around the vial. I realized then that Jaxson was the only one who could actually keep Leo safe. Thorne was a snake, but Jaxson was a lion. And a lion would die for his pride.
"I don't want to go back," I confessed, the words a ragged edge of truth.
"Then stay. Tomorrow night, at the Gala, we end this. Thorne thinks he’s walking into a trap for me, but he’s walking into his own funeral."
Jaxson pulled back, his eyes searching mine with a sudden, sharp vulnerability. For a heartbeat, the Phantom CEO was gone, replaced by a man who looked like he had been starving for a lifetime. He turned and walked away, leaving me alone in the cold moonlight. I looked down at the vial in my hand and felt a wave of pure, unadulterated self-loathing.
The next day was a blur of preparation and mounting dread. As the sun began to set, the stylist Jaxson had hired arrived. She dressed me in a gown of midnight blue silk, the fabric flowing over my curves like water. It was a dress meant for a queen, or a martyr. I tucked the vial into the hidden pocket of my clutch, my hands shaking so violently I had to grip the edge of the vanity.
I met Jaxson in the foyer. He was wearing a black suit that made him look even more imposing. He looked like a king ready for war. We arrived at the Gala, a sprawling event held in a converted warehouse. The air was filled with the roar of engines and the sound of heavy rock music.
I saw Thorne almost immediately. He caught my eye and tapped his watch. The countdown had begun.
Jaxson led me to a private table. "I need to use the powder room," I said, my voice a dry whisper.
I walked toward the bar, my heart hammering in my throat. I waited until the bartender was distracted before I slipped the vial from my clutch. My fingers were numb, the world around me blurring. I reached for Jaxson’s glass, which he had left on the edge of the table.
"Elena."
I froze. Thorne was standing behind me, his voice a cold venom. "Do it now. Or I send the signal to the men at the mansion. Leo is currently having a snack in the kitchen. It would be a shame if it were his last."
I looked at the amber liquid, then at the man who had given me everything I never knew I wanted. I couldn't do it. I dropped the vial into my own drink instead. I turned to Thorne, my eyes burning with defiance. "Tell your men to stand down. I've done it."
Thorne smirked and walked away. I returned to the table and sat down. I watched Jaxson pick up his glass and take a sip. Ten minutes passed. Then twenty. Jaxson didn't collapse. He looked stronger than ever.
I realized then that he had switched the glasses. He had known all along.
I felt a sudden, sharp pain in my own chest, a cold numbness spreading through my limbs. My vision began to blur.
"Jaxson..." I breathed.
He caught me before I could hit the floor. He pulled me into his lap, his face a mask of agony. "I had to know, Elena," he whispered. "I had to know if you would choose him over me."
"I chose... our son," I choked out, the darkness closing in.
"He's safe. My men took out Thorne's team five minutes ago."
I felt a wave of relief, followed by a terrifying, hollow silence. The darkness swallowed me whole.
I woke up hours later in the nursery. Jaxson was sitting in a chair by the bed, his head in his hands. Leo ran into the room, throwing his arms around my neck. "Mama! You're awake!"
Leo pulled back, looking from me to Jaxson with a wide, innocent smile. "Mama," Leo said. "Daddy told me we’re never leaving again."
I froze. My heart stopped. I looked at Jaxson. He didn't deny it. He just sat there, his obsidian eyes fixed on mine. Leo had never called him "Daddy" before.
"What did you tell him, Jaxson?" I whispered.
Jaxson stood up and walked to the bed. He leaned down, his lips brushing my forehead. "I told him the truth, Elena," he breathed. "And now, it's time you told it to me."
He reached into his pocket and pulled out a small, blood-stained locket. It was the one my mother had given me—the one I had lost the night I first met him.
"I’ve had it for five years," he said. "Along with the recording of what you said before you left." He tapped a button on his watch, and a voice filled the room—my voice, but younger.
“I love him. And that’s why I have to destroy him.”
I stared at him, the silence in the nursery turning into a suffocating shroud. "Now," Jaxson said, his hand closing over mine. "Tell me why you lied."
Before I could answer, a heavy thud echoed from the hallway, followed by a woman screaming.
"Elena! Help me!"
It was my sister. The sister Thorne told me had died years ago.
