Aria’s apartment was a mess. Papers scattered across her desk, notes tucked between books, and her laptop flashing the headline:
“The Voss Empire — Power, Money, and Shadows.”
She leaned back in her chair, sipping cold coffee. Her hands shook slightly — not from fear, but from adrenaline. The gala. The gunshots. Adrian Voss. That man was a disaster waiting to happen.
Her phone buzzed. Unknown number. She frowned but answered.
> Unknown: “Interesting article. But you really shouldn’t play with wolves, Miss Blake.”
Her pulse jumped. Adrian. “Who is this?” she typed back.
> Unknown: “Call me… a friend who enjoys watching chaos unfold. Meet me tonight. 9 PM. Hotel Voss rooftop.”
Aria stared at the message. Should I even go?
Her journalist instincts screamed yes. Her brain screamed no. Her heart? It skipped beats at the thought of seeing him again.
Damn it, she muttered. “Curiosity always kills me.”
---
The rooftop was empty, slick with rain and wind whipping her hair. The city lights glittered below like shards of glass. She hugged her coat tighter and scanned the rooftop. Then she heard it — footsteps. Slow, measured.
“Aria Blake,” a voice purred from the shadows.
She spun around. Adrian Voss stepped into the dim light, black coat billowing behind him. Even wet from the rain, he looked untouchable. Dangerous. Addictive.
“You’re persistent,” he said, tilting his head. “I like that.”
Aria squared her shoulders. “I’m a journalist. I dig for the truth. I don’t run away from danger.”
He smirked. “Danger doesn’t scare you, then?”
She raised an eyebrow. “Only fools are afraid of danger. Smart people avoid it.”
“Smart people…” he repeated softly, stepping closer. “And what are you? Smart, or foolish?”
“Depends on who’s asking.”
He chuckled, and the sound was like velvet sliding over steel. “Careful, Miss Blake. You might be in over your head.”
She felt her heartbeat quicken. Why does he make it so hard to think?
---
Adrian circled her slowly, eyes scanning the city below before resting on her. “You wrote about me.”
“Yes,” she said firmly. “And I’ll keep writing until I know who you really are.”
“You want the truth?” His gaze sharpened. “Truth isn’t pretty. It isn’t polite. And it’s not safe.”
“Then maybe I’m ready to risk it.”
A flash of amusement crossed his face. “Maybe. Or maybe you just like the danger.”
Aria bristled. “I’m not here for games.”
He stopped, leaning close, so close that the cold rain mixed with the heat between them. “This isn’t a game. Not for me. Not for you.”
Her stomach flipped. “Then what is it?”
He smiled faintly, eyes glinting in the city lights. “A warning.”
Her fingers twitched toward her recorder in her bag. “A warning? Or a threat?”
He leaned even closer, so that their breaths mingled. “Call it… a promise.”
---
Before she could respond, a sound sliced through the night — a vehicle skidding on wet asphalt, tires squealing. Adrian’s eyes went cold. “Move.”
Aria barely had time to react as he shoved her behind a low wall. Two men, dressed in black, appeared from the shadows, guns raised.
“Stay down!” Adrian barked, drawing his own weapon with a fluid motion that made her stomach tighten.
“Who are they?” she whispered.
“People who don’t like me very much,” he replied calmly, shooting a precise warning shot into the air.
Her heart raced, but a part of her couldn’t help the thrill. This is insane… and I’m loving it.
Adrian moved with predator-like grace, taking cover behind a concrete pillar. His eyes never left her. “Stay close. Don’t move unless I say.”
One of the men fired. Bullets shattered a nearby railing. Adrian returned fire, and the attackers scrambled, realizing they were outmatched.
When it was over, silence returned. Rain pattered on the rooftop. Adrian lowered his weapon and looked at her, wet hair sticking to his forehead, expression unreadable.
“You okay?” he asked, voice calm.
“I—yes,” she stammered, still gripping the wall.
He stepped closer. “Good. You just learned something valuable tonight.”
“And what’s that?”
He smirked. “That in my world, curiosity is dangerous. But sometimes… worth the risk.”
Her pulse raced, a mixture of fear, excitement, and something else she couldn’t name.
“Why did you save me?” she asked, finally meeting his gaze.
“Because,” he said softly, eyes dark, “you’re the only one who’s not afraid to look at me and still stand your ground.”
She swallowed. “And that makes me… special?”
He chuckled, brushing rain from his shoulder. “Let’s call it… memorable.”
The city lights reflected in his eyes — dark, stormy, and impossible to read. “Remember this, Miss Blake,” he said. “Once you step into my world, there’s no going back.”
She shivered. “I don’t intend to.”
He smiled — a slow, dangerous, teasing smile — and turned toward the edge of the rooftop. “Then let’s see how long you last.”
Before she could reply, he leapt gracefully to the fire escape, disappearing into the shadows.
Aria stood there, drenched, heart pounding, realizing something terrifying and exhilarating.
She was addicted.
To the man.
To the danger.
To the thrill.
And she had no idea what she was really getting into.
— End of Chapter 3 —
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