Chapter Three

“Elena’s POV”

The bathroom filled with steam, wrapping around me like a blanket I couldn’t escape. Water cascaded over my skin, warm enough to sting, but it didn’t wash away the memories.

I pressed my forehead against the cool tiles and closed my eyes—and there he was again, like a ghost I couldn’t banish.

His lips. Hot, demanding, leaving no space for hesitation.

His touch. Firm but careful, as if he wanted to brand himself into me.

His voice, low and rough, a whisper that pulsed through me: *Don’t think. Just feel.*

A shiver ran down my spine despite the heat. My fists clenched under the spray until my knuckles ached.

“God, what did I do?” I whispered, covering my face with trembling hands.

The memory wouldn’t loosen its grip.

The way his hands slid over my waist, pulling me closer until I thought I would drown in the heat.

The way my own body betrayed me, arching, craving, answering every kiss with desperate need.

His scent—sharp and intoxicating—expensive cologne tangled with something darker. It lingered in the back of my throat as if I’d inhaled him.

I bit my lip, my face burning. I hated the way it still thrilled me.

“Stop it, Elena. Stop thinking about him,” I scolded myself, slapping a wet palm against the tile.

But another wave of memory came anyway, sharper than the first.

His voice, rough with desire, groaning my name as though he owned it.

The way he looked at me, dark eyes like fire, stripping me bare without a single word.

The way he pressed me into the sheets, as though I was the only thing in the world he wanted, as though he couldn’t get enough.

My knees weakened. I grabbed the edge of the sink to steady myself, steam curling around me like ghostly fingers.

“How could I… with a stranger?” I muttered, shaking my head.

Guilt stabbed sharp. Michael’s face flashed through my mind—my ex. My *scumbag* ex. Him and Lila, her sickening moans still echoing in my ears like a taunt.

Rage surged, drowning the shame until my jaw clenched so tightly it hurt.

“Bastards,” I hissed. “Both of them.”

I twisted the tap and shut off the water. Silence settled, broken only by the slow drip from the showerhead. My reflection stared back from the fogged mirror—red eyes, trembling lips, cheeks still flushed with thoughts I shouldn’t be having. I looked like someone I didn’t recognize.

The vibration of my phone shattered the quiet.

I snatched it up, still dripping. “Hello?”

“Elena!” My father’s sharp voice thundered through the speaker, making me flinch. “Where the hell are you?”

I stiffened. “I’m at home, Dad. Why?”

“Get to the company immediately.”

I blinked, confused. “What? Dad, today was supposed to be my day off—”

“No excuses,” he snapped, cutting me off. “We have a major businessman here for a meeting. You’re coming, whether you like it or not.”

“But Dad, I—”

The line went dead.

I lowered the phone slowly, jaw tightening as a bead of water slid down my arm. “Unbelievable,” I muttered, gripping the towel tighter around me. The warmth from the shower couldn’t keep the chill from crawling up my back.

Emperor Bay

Morning sunlight spilled through the tall glass windows, gilding the room in soft gold. The air smelled faintly of cedar and smoke. Adrian sat at the edge of the bed, broad shoulders slightly hunched, eyes fixed on the rumpled sheets.

The bedspread still held last night’s evidence, stark against the crisp white linen.

A low chuckle rumbled in his chest, dark and amused.

“She thought she could just run away,” he murmured.

Logan leaned against the wall with a lazy grin, arms crossed. “You sound amused, Adrian.”

“Amused isn’t the word.” Adrian’s fingers brushed the sheets absently, tracing an invisible pattern. “She was… different.”

“Different?” Logan pushed off the wall, arching a brow and smirking. “That’s new. You don’t usually care who warms your bed.”

“She looks fit for the role,” Adrian said simply, his eyes dark with meaning.

Logan’s grin widened into something sly. “The role? Don’t tell me the infamous Adrian Blackwood is considering her for more than a night.”

Adrian didn’t answer. His expression stayed unreadable, but a glint in his eyes said enough.

“Boss,” his assistant said, stepping in with a tablet. “It’s nearly ten. We should head out.”

Adrian finally stood, the motion fluid and unhurried. He adjusted his cufflinks, the faint click of metal against fabric the only sound. As he slipped on his watch, the ghost of a smirk lingered at the corner of his mouth.

“Find her,” he ordered, voice low but firm. “I want every piece of information about her. Everything.”

The assistant nodded instantly. “Understood.”

Logan folded his arms, studying him with an arched brow. “Looks like you’ve already decided. This is going to be interesting.”

Adrian’s jaw tightened ever so slightly, though the faint smile never left. “Let’s go.”