Lyra's POV
The night air was cool against my skin as I slipped out of Leo's estate.
Promised to him. The words echoed in my mind. My father had handed me over like a pawn in a game I never asked to play, no matter where I turned, I was trapped.
But even as I walked further away from the estate, my mind wasn't on the towering mansion behind me or Leo's possessive grasp. It was on him. Adrian.
My feet carried me down a deserted street, away from the safety of the estate and toward a place I swore I'd never go. I told myself it was just to get answers. That I needed to confront Adrian, to understand what he really wanted from me. But deep down, I knew it was more than that. A part of me was drawn to him, to the danger he represented. To the power he still held over me, no matter how much I hated it.
Before I realized it, I found myself standing outside an old, familiar building. A place I hadn't been in years. Adrian's safe house. one of the many he kept scattered across the city, where he conducted his "business." My heart pounded in my chest as I stared at the darkened windows, my breath coming in shallow gasps.
What are you doing here, Lyra?
I should turn around. I should run. But I didn't. Instead, I stepped forward, my hand shaking as I reached for the door. The second I pushed it open, the smell of whiskey and cigarette smoke hit me, pulling me back into a past I'd tried so hard to forget.
And there he was.
Adrian.
He was lounging in an armchair near the back of the room, a glass of amber liquid in his hand, his eyes gleaming as they landed on me. That smug, infuriating smile spread across his lips, and I felt my heart twist in my chest.
"Well, well," he mumbled, setting his glass down and rising to his feet. "I didn't expect to see you here, Lyra."
I swallowed hard, trying to steady my voice. "I need answers."
He took a step closer, his gaze raking over me, sending a shiver down my spine. "Answers? Or something else?"
I stiffened, refusing to let him see the effect he had on me. "Don't play games with me, Adrian. You've been circling me for weeks, dropping hints, making threats. Tell me what you want."
His smile widened, but there was a darkness behind it. "I thought you already knew the answer to that."
I took a step back, my pulse quickening. "This isn't about me, is it? It's about Leo. About the debt."
Adrian's expression shifted, his eyes narrowing as he closed the distance between us. "Oh, Lyra. It's always been about you. But yes, Leo plays his part in this. We both do. And so do you."
I clenched my fists at my sides, anger bubbling up inside me. "I'm not a pawn in your stupid power struggle with him. I won't be used by either of you."
He laughed softly, the sound cold and mocking. "You don't get it, do you? You've always been in this. From the moment you were born, you were part of this game. The only difference is, now you know."
I felt a lump form in my throat, my mind racing. Was this really my fate? To be caught between these two men, both of them wanting to control me for their own twisted reasons?
"You don't have to like it," Adrian said, his voice dropping lower as he stepped closer, his body almost brushing mine. "But it's the truth. And the sooner you accept it, the easier this will be."
I swallowed hard, my heart pounding in my chest. "I'll never accept it."
His hand came up, his fingers brushing my cheek in a way that made my skin burn. "You will," he whispered, his lips hovering dangerously close to mine. "Because you don't have a choice."
The heat between us was unbearable, a twisted mix of hate and something I didn't want to name. I hated him. I hated the way he made me feel. But I couldn't deny the pull, the dark, magnetic attraction that had always been there, lurking beneath the surface.
Before I could think, before I could stop myself, I closed the gap between us, crashing my lips against his in a moment of desperate, reckless need. His hands gripped my waist, pulling me closer, and I hated myself for how much I wanted it. For how much I wanted him.
The kiss was rough, full of all the anger and tension that had been building between us for years. I could feel the heat of his body against mine, the way his fingers dug into my skin, claiming me. And for just a moment, I let myself give in to it. To the chaos. To the madness.
But as quickly as it began, the realization hit me like a freight train. What the hell are you doing?
I pulled away, gasping for breath, my heart racing as I stared up at Adrian, his eyes gleaming with satisfaction.
"You can't escape this, Lyra," he said, his voice a low, dangerous whisper. "No matter how hard you try."
I backed away, my pulse pounding in my ears, the weight of my actions crashing down on me. I'd made a mistake,a terrible, mistake. And I knew it.
Leo would find out. He always did.
And when he did, I didn't know what he was capable of.