He owned her heart before she even knew it
CHAPTER 1:THE CONTRACT THAT CHANGED EVERYTHING
Amara Hale had never thought she would see the day when her life could be signed away on a piece of paper.
Yet here she was, standing in the cold, marble lobby of Blackwood Tower, staring at the man who had terrified the city for a decade—Lucien Blackwood.
He didn't smile. Not once. Not even a twitch of amusement. Just those piercing gray eyes that seemed to see through her very soul.
"Amara Hale," he said, his voice smooth, low, dangerous. "You understand the terms of the contract you're about to sign?"
She swallowed, aware of the heat rising to her cheeks. "Yes," she said, even though her heart screamed no.
He leaned closer, and the faintest scent of expensive cologne—and something darker, sharper—wafted toward her. "Good. Because once you sign… there's no turning back."
Her hand trembled as she reached for the pen. One signature, and her life would belong to him. Her family's safety, her freedom… all tied to the man who made the entire city shiver.
Amara thought she hated him. And maybe she did.
But the moment their eyes locked, she realized hate had nothing to do with the heat crawling across her skin.
Lucien's lips curled—not quite a smile, more like a predator noting his prey. "Don't make me regret this, Amara. I can be… very persuasive."
And in that instant, Amara understood something terrifying: he already had her heart.