His Reluctant Obsession

ier Th

erimeter. Nikolai stood on the terrace, sleeves rolled, a glass of dark bourbon un

was

er yet. Not since that night when her voice shook but her spine di

that. Admir

as a dangerous t

. His thoughts wandered to the Sinclair name and the uneasy truce it now symbolize

te him for i

ightened arou

from behind him. "We just got word. T

dn't turn.

e security, but this was

t wasn't one of them. Every move Nikolai made would provoke a

o one gets near her unless I say s

red. "You think this wil

and unreadable. "It doesn't need to ho

ull and walked inside, the weight of

between war

ndtrack coming from her phone. Having removed the "funeral outfit" hours ago, she now wore a simple tank top and shorts, the creamy skin of her legs a pale contrast against the deep jewel tone of the bedding. Beside he

Elena was interrupted from her phone as

uder by the door, her fingers instinctively stilling on her phone. Her v

sight. The casual attire, the discarded hairpins scattered on t

ears, a possessive claim over a woman he barely knew. He pushed off th

a lady's room unannounced, hanging up a human grotesque antique. You certainly live up to th

chair, his long legs stretching out before him, his eyes never leaving her. Th

ever spoken to him so casually before and this lady – his new troph

, he seemed

yes briefly meeting his over the sugary sweetness. She licked a stray bit of cream

scriptions involved si

r low expectations?" A s

." His tone shifted, the playful edge fadin

ack on the plate, sat up straighter against the pillows an

platter as if on cue. She then sat on the edge of

"You seem to be under the misconception that

on for...anything." Her voice remained steady, unwavering. "Di

essary

rowing slightly, but he didn't interr

o survive this twisted alliance without killing e

negotiation?" he aske

she countered, voice low but laced with strength. "And I d

ck in the hallway suddenly loud in the quiet. Her posture was regal, c

reciat

ly, voice quiet but firm

e smirked faintly, amused

scandals, no sabotage. In return, I want honesty. No lies, no manipulation-not

once, leaning

d quickly, eyes hard. "

ch his eyes. "Afraid

you in your sleep,"

ikolai laughed. A low, genuine sou

d at last. "On

an eyebrow.

-I want you to try. Not because y

hing unreadable flicke

kolai," she said. "But I c

ng that as more th

ed again, this

e an agreeme

ightening his

otiations," His gaze softened, a

" Elena flashe

e, he paused by the

look

dangerous t

d you're not nearly as

r

ord, but the ghost of a s