Synopsis:Elena thought she had escaped. She thought she had finally broken free from the chains of her past, from the man who had controlled her life for too long. But freedom is a fragile illusion, and danger is never far behind. When her past comes hunting for her, there is only one person she can turn to-Adrian Devereux.Cold. Ruthless. Possessive.Adrian is everything she should fear, everything she swore to stay away from. But when he looks at her, she feels anything but fear. Their connection is undeniable, a wildfire that refuses to burn out no matter how much they try to extinguish it. He claims he doesn't love, that his world is built on power, not emotions. But for Elena, he would set the world on fire.Love and hate. Passion and destruction. Their story was never meant to be a fairytale.It was meant to be a war.And in the end, no one walks away unscathed."Love. Hate. Fire. Fate."
Chapter 1 Forbidden Heat
I lay still, staring at the ceiling, listening to the rhythm of Vincent's breathing. His arm was draped over my waist, heavy and possessive, his fingers tracing absent patterns on my bare skin. Every touch burned, a reminder of how many times I had been here before, how many times I had sworn I wouldn't return.A cold shiver ran down my spine, though the room was warm. The heat of his body pressed against mine, a stark contrast to the ice creeping through my veins. I should have left hours ago. Slipped out before the sun started creeping over the horizon.
Before the weight of my choices settled over me like a leaden blanket.But I was weak.And Vincent knew it.His lips brushed my shoulder, a ghost of a kiss, meant to tether me. "You always look so guilty afterward."I clenched my eyes shut. "Because I am."He chuckled, but there was no warmth in it, only something sharp and jagged, like broken glass. "Then why do you keep coming back?"Because I didn't know how to escape him.Because I was too afraid to be alone.Because, deep down, some part of me still wanted him, even though I knew he would ruin me in the end.I swallowed against the lump forming in my throat. I couldn't do this anymore. I couldn't keep pretending that his arms were a safe place, that his lips spoke anything but lies. I had been drowning in him for too long, and if I didn't leave now, I never would.I turned my head to the side, meeting his dark, knowing gaze. "I'm leaving."His grip on my waist tightened. "No, you're not."It wasn't a plea. It was a statement, a certainty, as if the very idea of me walking away was laughable. I could almost hear the smirk in his voice, the arrogance that had always kept me trapped, convinced that I belonged to him.I inhaled shakily. "Yes, I am."Vincent exhaled through his nose, his fingers pressing deeper into my skin. Irritation seeped into his voice, threading through every syllable like poison. "And where will you go, Elena? Who will save you?"The question struck deep, a reminder of the isolation he had woven around me, stripping me of friends, of choices, of any sense of independence. He had made sure I had nowhere to run. No one to turn to.But I couldn't let that stop me.I couldn't keep living like this, suffocating in his shadow, waiting for the next moment he would pull me back in.I didn't have an answer to his question. But I knew I had to leave before he destroyed me completely.So I took a deep breath.And I ran.My bare feet hit the cold floor as I slipped out of his grip, wrenching myself from the bed. Vincent cursed behind me, moving faster than I anticipated. His fingers brushed my wrist, but I jerked away, stumbling toward the door."Elena-"I didn't look back.I couldn't.I threw open the door and stepped into the unknown.The hallway was dark, eerily silent, except for the frantic pounding of my own heart. My breath came in short gasps as I sprinted toward the stairs, my mind racing. I had no plan, no idea where I was going, only the desperate need to get away.Behind me, I heard Vincent moving, sheets rustling as he sprang up. "Elena!" His voice was sharper now, edged with something dangerous.Panic surged through me. I lunged down the stairs, my legs shaking, gripping the railing to keep from tumbling forward. My mind screamed at me to run faster, but my body felt sluggish, heavy with fear.I reached the front door, my trembling fingers fumbling with the lock. It wouldn't turn. My pulse pounded in my ears.A hand closed around my arm."You're not going anywhere."I gasped, twisting in his grip, shoving at his chest. "Let me go!"Vincent's jaw clenched. "Where will you go, Elena? You have nothing out there."I met his gaze, swallowing back my terror. "Then I'll have nothing. But at least I won't have you."And with every ounce of strength I had left, I yanked free and bolted into the night.