UNFORBIDDEN

Chapter 1 ⋅⋆──

Maya Al-Zoya walked through the glass doors of her company, Maya Tech Innovations, exuding confidence. At twenty-five, she had built one of the fastest growing IT firms in the world. Dressed in an elegant ivory suit, her heels clicked softly against the marble floor as she nodded at her employees, flashing the warm smile that made everyone adore her.

But as much as she was admired, there was only one person whose opinion mattered to her.

And she was about to see him again after six months.

Her heart pounded as she stepped into her private office, knowing that in just a few hours, Liam Kingston would be landing in USA.

The name alone sent a shiver through her.

Six-foot-three of sheer dominance, with hazel-green eyes sharp enough to cut through steel and a reputation that made him an international sensation. The world saw him as the reigning Formula 1 champion for Ferrari, the cold and calculative king of the tracks—but Maya knew the man behind the headlines.

To her, Liam wasn’t just a superstar. He was her best friend, her safe place. The one person who truly knew her.

And yet, that bond was a double-edged sword.

Because somewhere between the late-night calls, the unspoken promises, and the way he held onto her like she was the only thing keeping him grounded, something had changed.

Something dangerous.

Something that neither of them could name.

Monaco, earlier that morning.

Liam Kingston pulled his racing gloves over his hands, the leather fitting perfectly as he flexed his fingers. The habit was ingrained in him—precision, control, distance.

Distance from emotions.

His jaw clenched as he checked his phone, reading the last message from Maya.

See you in NYC, Champ. Try not to crash before then.

His lips twitched. Only she could get away with teasing him like that. Only she knew that beneath the icy composure, behind the calculated decisions and the ruthless talent, he was just a man who had once been a boy chasing after her shadow.

He exhaled, tossing the phone aside.

Maya.

His obsession.

For years, he had convinced himself that what he felt was normal. That best friends could be possessive. That it was okay to hate every man who looked at her for too long. That his need to hear her voice before every race was just a habit.

Lies.

Because every time she smiled at him like he was her world, Liam felt something crack inside him.

A longing he wasn’t allowed to have.

A need that could destroy them both.

He had stayed away for six months, drowning himself in the high-speed world of F1, trying to outrun whatever was brewing between them.

But it was never enough.

And now, he was going back.

Straight to the only person who had ever mattered.

Straight into the fire.

Airport...

Maya stood by the arrival gates, her fingers curling into the sleeves of her blazer. The anticipation buzzed through her veins, her heart racing in a way it had no business doing.

The moment she saw him, she felt her breath hitch.

Liam Kingston strode through the airport like he owned it. The tailored black sweater clung to his sculpted frame, his gloves still on, his sharp hazel-green eyes scanning the crowd. Cold. Untouchable. Perfect.

Until they landed on her.

And for a fraction of a second, the ice cracked.

His lips tilted up, just a little. The ghost of a smirk. A secret only she was allowed to see.

Her pulse skyrocketed.

"Princess" he murmured when he reached her, voice low, rough, devastating.

She swallowed "Liam"

They didn’t hug. They never did. It would be too much. Too dangerous.

But his fingers, clad in leather, brushed against her wrist. A touch so fleeting, so subtle, yet it burned like fire.

She clenched her jaw. This was going to be impossible.

That night.

They sat in her penthouse, a bottle of whiskey between them. The city lights stretched endlessly below, but neither of them looked. Not when the tension between them was thick enough to suffocate.

"So," Maya started, forcing a smirk. "Still the fastest man alive?"

Liam leaned back, stretching his legs out. "Obviously."

"Cocky."

"Accurate."

She rolled her eyes but couldn’t stop her grin. This was familiar. Safe.

And yet, when his gaze dropped to her lips for just a second too long, when his fingers tapped against his glass in restrained tension, Maya knew.

This wasn’t safe at all.

She took a sip of her drink, hoping it would cool the heat rising in her. "I saw your last race. Impressive."

"I saw your last interview. Beautiful."

Her breath caught.

Liam never said things like that. Not like this. Not with his voice so raw, so low, like it meant something more.

She placed her glass down, fingers trembling. "You should get some sleep. You have training tomorrow."