The atmosphere in the room was suffocating. It was like stepping into a den of wolves, each man dressed in expensive suits but carrying the stench of danger. The Russians hadn't come to talk; they'd come to stake their claim.
I felt it in the air the moment they walked in—something sharp, something deadly.
Raiden's hand tightened around mine. It wasn't the same comforting squeeze he'd given me before. This one was warning, a reminder of the world I had walked into.
---
Raiden's Office – The Meeting
I sat at the back of the room, not out of choice, but because Raiden had placed me there for my own safety. The Russian men sat at the long table, eyes scanning the room, sizing up their opponents. Their leader, Dmitri Volkov, was the one who made my skin crawl. His eyes were too cold, too calculating, like a predator waiting for the perfect moment to strike.
"You've been avoiding me, Raiden," Dmitri said, his voice smooth, but I could hear the edge beneath it. "Is that because you know what happens when we don't work together?"
Raiden leaned back in his chair, his gaze unwavering. "I don't work with people who don't keep their promises, Dmitri."
I noticed the subtle flex of his jaw. He was holding back something, and I wasn't sure if it was anger or something darker. But I knew one thing—he wasn't afraid of Dmitri. And neither was I.
Dmitri's gaze flickered to me, and for a split second, I felt something shift in the room. "And who is this?" His voice was slick with curiosity.
Raiden didn't flinch. "Someone you'll never touch."
The tension in the room was palpable. Dmitri's eyes darkened, but he didn't say anything. He leaned back in his chair, still watching me with an unsettling intensity.
---
Later – Outside the Meeting Room
I followed Raiden down the long corridor, my heels clicking against the marble floor. He didn't speak at first. He was too focused, his expression unreadable.
"What happened in there?" I finally asked, my voice low.
He stopped and turned to face me, his gaze heavy, his eyes filled with something I couldn't quite place.
"I told you to stay back." His tone was sharp, but there was something beneath it—concern, maybe even fear. Fear of what could happen to me if I was involved any further.
"I won't sit back anymore, Raiden."
I took a step toward him. "I don't want to hide behind doors while you risk your life for this empire."
His jaw clenched. "It's not just my life I'm risking, Aria."
I took another step forward. "I know."
There was silence between us—heavy, laden with all the things we didn't say.
Then Raiden did something unexpected. He reached for my hand, threading his fingers through mine.
"You have no idea what you're getting into," he whispered.
I knew what I was getting into. The same thing I had known from the moment I walked into his world: chaos, blood, and the undeniable pull of a love that was far too dangerous.
---
Midnight – Wolfe Manor, Bedroom
Raiden's presence loomed over me, the air between us thick with unspoken words. The door closed softly behind us, and for a moment, everything was still.
Then, without a word, he pulled me to him.
His lips crushed against mine, frantic, desperate—like he was trying to convey something that words couldn't express. I kissed him back, matching his urgency, the fear of losing him gnawing at me.
"You should stay away from me," he murmured against my lips.
"I don't want to." I pulled him closer, feeling the heat of his body, the weight of his touch.
Raiden's hands were on my skin, his breath hot and uneven. "If you stay, you won't be the same."
But I didn't care. I didn't care if this was the beginning of the end. All I cared about was being with him—right here, right now.
"Then let me burn."
---
End of Chapter 23