"He's back."
The words on her screen pulsed like a threat.
Selene's thumb hovered over the message. Rocco didn't use those two words lightly, and after everything Darius just said about Lucien, it meant only one thing—this wasn't over. Not even close.
She slid from the bed, she was still naked, her skin was swept away by the storm they just created between these walls. Her rob was on the floor, but she didn't reach for it. Instead, she moved towards the window, tension gripping her bare spine like an invisible claw.
Darius sat up behind her, watching.
"You think it's him?" she asked, voice steady despite the pulse banging in her neck.
Darius didn't answer right away.
Then he said, "If it is, we have a bigger problem than we thought."
Selene turned around. "You said he was a cleaner."
He stood, walking to her with nothing but moonlight between them. "He doesn't just clean, Selene. He erases."
She exhaled sharply. "Then he made a mistake showing his face."
Darius stopped in front of her holding her jaw with both hands. "Except he wants us to know he's here."
The air between them buzzed.
She looked up at him, her voice low. "Are you scared?"
His mouth curved slightly. "Only of you."
She smiled, but it didn't reach her eyes.
They quickly got dressed, both slipped into darker versions of themselves- Selene dressed in all black, her heels clicked like danger with each step, and Darius was shirtless still, throwing on a shoulder belt over his jeans like it was normal. He looked like sin and danger rolled into one.
Eden was still glowing when they returned, but the vibe had shifted. Rocco met them near the bar, his face tight.
"He walked in ten minutes ago," he said. "Asked for you."
Selene's tone was sharp. "Where is he?"
"Main floor. Corner seat. Drinking like he owns it."
She nodded. "Keep the exits covered. If he moves, I want to know before his foot hits the floor."
Selene didn't wait for a reply. She stalked across the room, every eye turning as she passed, the queen of this velvet kingdom moving to reclaim her throne.
Lucien didn't rise when she reached him. He was sipping whiskey, the kind only her private stash held.
"You're bold," she said, sliding into the seat across from him.
"I prefer direct."
She leaned back. "You were told to leave."
"And I did." He smiled. "Now I'm back. Because something interesting happened today."
Her eyes narrowed. "I'm not in the mood of riddles."
Lucian swirled the glass in his hand. "A body was found. Charred, mostly gone. But the bones matched Alvero's DNA."
Selene's heart missed a beat. "That's not possible."
"Oh, it is. And now, the vultures are circling. Every old dog from Alvero's crew is looking for a new alpha to follow." He tilted his head. "But you already knew that, didn't you?"
Her voice dropped, cold as a knife. "If you try to scare me-"
"I'm offering you an opportunity."
"Is that what this is?"
"A deal."
Darius was suddenly there—his body slid into the booth like smoke and steel, all coiled tension and heat.
"She's not taking it," he said flatly.
Lucien's smile faltered for half a second.
Then he said, "Ah. The bodyguard. Or is it more now?"
Selene leaned forward. "If you think you can walk into my territory and dig up graves, you're more foolish than I thought."
Lucien leaned in too. "Careful. You dig deep enough, you find bones you buried yourself."
Darius's jaw flexed.
Selene stood, her eyes like ice. "You'll get your answer soon enough. Until then, stay the hell out of my club."
She walked away before Lucien could respond.
Darius followed.
Back in the office, Selene banged the door and let out a breath that was a little trembling.
"He's pretending," he said.
"Trying to get under our skin."
Darius didn't speak.
She turned.
"What?" she asked.
"He's not bluffing. If Alvero's body really surfaced…" Darius's voice dipped. "Then someone burned it after keeping it."
Selene's stomach twisted. "That means—?"
"Someone wanted it found now. On purpose. To send a message."
She looked away.
Suddenly, Darius stood behind her, his hand held her waist ,grounding her
"Are you okay?" He asked, his tone softened.
"No," she admitted. "But I will be."
He turned her to face him, fingers trailing her jaw.
"I know that look," he said. "You're about to do something reckless."
Her lips parted, But he kissed her before she could say a word
This kiss wasn't like earlier.
It was darker.
As if devouring her was the only way to hold her together
She clutched his shirt, pulled it off and felt his heat rapped around him like armor. He pulled her towards the desk and lifted her on it like she weighed nothing.
Their mouths never broke.
His hands went under her shirt, over the ribs, over her breasts.
He shoved the silk aside and took her nipple in his mouth, sucking until her head fell back.
She moaned.
"Darius…"
He rumbled against her skin, unzipping her pants, dropped them down and dragged her panties with them.
Then his fingers went inside her, thick, rough and perfect.
She gasped.
The wet sounds of his fingers moving filled the room, obscene and addictive.
"You're shaking," he said against her neck.
"You're not helping."
He took out his fingers and licked them, his eyes locked on hers.
"You taste like heaven and war."
Then he was inside her again.
One hard thrust.
She nearly screamed.
He didn't give her time to think - just went fast, hard, tirelessly.
Their bodies slapped together , hot and slick, the desk trembled beneath them
Selene wrapped her legs around him pulling him deeper.
Everything else faded away except him, his sweat, his breath, his body claiming her and and again.
"I won't let you go," he said, voice ragged. "No matter what."
"I'm not asking you to."
Their climax hit like thunder—her back arched, his mouth at her throat.
She came so hard it blurred her vision.
He followed with a moan that sounded like a man breaking.
They collapsed into each other, bodies tangled.
But the moment didn't last.
Rocco burst in, breathless.
"Selene—"
She pushed Darius off, both of them scrambling for clothes.
"What?"
Rocco swallowed hard.
"Lucien's gone."
"Gone?" she hissed.
"Not just him. The back exit was breached. We have a body."
Selene's blood ran cold.
"Who?"
"Raye."
She closed her eyes.
Raye was one of her best girls. Quiet, observant. Loyal.
Darius's fists clenched.
"I'll kill him," he muttered.
Selene opened her eyes, full of fire.
"No. I'll do it."
But before she could move, Rocco added one more thing.
"There was something left on the body."
He handed her a small, bloodstained object.
Selene turned it over.
It was a silver ring.
Alvero's.
Her breath caught.
Lucien hadn't just killed.
He'd declared war.