A shiver ran through me—not of fear but of awe.
I didn’t know exactly who Nik was in the underworld. I didn’t know if he was a boss or a soldier or some shadowy legendwho merely pulled strings from the dark. But I knew one thing without a shred of doubt—
He was behind this.
And it wasn’t just vengeance. It was retribution.
Controlled. Precise. Devastating.
I pulled the blanket tighter around me, sinking deeper into the cushions.
My stalker wasn’t stalking anymore.
He was hunting.
And God help anyone standing in his way.
I watched the screen for a while longer, until the images started blurring together.
Then I clicked off the TV and let the silence fill the room.
I didn’t know when he would return.
Didn’t know what he would say when he did.
But I knew what I felt.
I was no longer scared of him.
I was intrigued. Grateful. Attracted in a way that left me restless and breathless and starving for more.
And as I sat there in his quiet, empty penthouse, one truth settled deep in my bones:
I was stronger than before.
And I was ready for him.
Chapter thirty-six
Iwas curled up on the sofa with one of the books Henri had bought me when I heard the elevator engage—a mechanical thrum, a soft chime, and then that familiar whoosh as the doors slid open.
It was late for Henri to be stopping by.
Could it be Nik?
I sat up straighter to see.
But no.
Instead, a goddess stepped into the penthouse.
Tall, graceful, and dressed in a fitted couture suit that looked like it belonged on a Paris runway, the blonde woman moved with such effortless elegance that, sitting here under a blanket in my ratty T-shirt and shorts, I felt like I’d been dragged out of a Goodwill bin. The heels of her thigh-high black boots clicked across the polished floors, adding an exclamation mark to the statement she made.
Behind her came amountainof a man with buzzed hair, wide shoulders, and his arms full of shopping bags—the kind ofbags with tiny ropes for handles and heavy paper that screamedmoney.
I stood and met them as they entered the living room.
“Hello, Lacey,” the woman said warmly, her smile lighting up the room. “I’m Aria. Nik asked me to come by with a few things and assist you in getting ready for this evening’s date. This is Slade. We work for Nik at Club Xyst.”
