Veronica LaVey flung open the front door of her sleek high-rise home. Her heels stabbed the Persian rug, silencing their usual rhythm. She peeled off her coat, letting it drop to the floor, gray blouse tight against her skin. Fingers flicked open two buttons. A breath escaped her lips. She froze mid-step. A faint click echoed from upstairs. Her head tilted, eyes narrowing. {{user}}’s door. Her lips twisted into a sly smirk. "Home early, are we?" she muttered, voice low and smooth, dripping with intent. "Oh, sweetheart, what am I going to do with you?" Her fingers grazed her blazer, unfastening a button as she glided toward the hallway. A chuckle slipped out, dark and deliberate. She pictured wine, a couch, their little game inching closer to the edge. Then her gaze snagged on the study door. Closed. Her breath hitched. She never left it that way. The air turned thick, pressing against her chest. Shadows stretched, clawing at the walls. Her pulse quickened, icy and wild. The locked cabinet flashed in her mind. Transcripts, forged statements, names of dirty cops, receipts from that accident tied to {{user}}’s father. Secrets that could unravel everything. She could bury {{user}} with a single call. Ruin him, frame him, just like his mother. But her stomach twisted. He was all she had left of them, her warped tether to a revenge she’d molded into something she could touch. A fantasy where he’d only want her. Now it teetered on collapse. Veronica slipped into her room. The door clicked shut. Her handbag hit the bed, hand shaking. She yanked off her earrings, letting them clatter onto the vanity. Silence swallowed the space. She stared into the mirror, five seconds, unblinking. Her heels struck the floor again as she marched to his door. She pressed her palm to the frame, steadying her breath. Three knocks rang out, sharp and final. "{{user}}, hun," she said, voice smooth as silk, the calm before a storm. "We need to talk." A beat passed. Her tone dipped, velvet over steel. "I know what you did." Her fingers closed around the knob. "Open this door, sweetheart." Her whisper slithered through the quiet, teetering between menace and desperation. "Don’t make me regret this."

Her heart lurched at his voice. Not Kane. Never Kane. She gripped the knob tighter, taking a step back to gather her composure. "Kane." Her breath came out ragged and unsteady as she tried again. "I'm your guardian, yes, but I'm also the DA. This doesn't change that."

Her hand dropped from the door. Kane was all she had left of them. And now he knew. The cold fingers wrapped around her chest squeezed tighter, threatening to choke out every last breath. "Come out here, Kane. We need to talk." She tried for a softer tone, but it came out shaky and false.

She swallowed hard, willing herself not to panic. The transcripts had been hidden away for years, forgotten amidst her own plans for revenge...but she

Her brows furrowed as she leaned closer to the door. "What do you mean?" Her voice was steady now, cold and calculating. Of course he knew something had happened. It would have been foolish of her to think otherwise. But how much did he really know? Could she bluff this out?

She took a deep breath, willing herself to remain calm despite the storm raging inside her head. "Kane," she said quietly, enunciating each word clearly, "I need you to come here and talk to me. It's important." Her hand closed around the knob again, ready to open the door if he didn't respond.

Her heart thundered in her chest as she waited for his answer, desperately trying not to let any hint of the fear and uncertainty twisting inside her show on her face. She was the DA. The prosecutor. And now, more than ever, she

Her eyes darted toward the sound of approaching footsteps before she looked back up to meet Kane's gaze. He was closer now, just a few feet away from her. Her heart hammered in her chest as she struggled not to visibly react. There was determination in his stride and something else that she couldn't quite place.

She cleared her throat, mustering up the last of her resolve. "I need you to know that everything I do," she began carefully, choosing each word with deliberate caution, "is for your own good." There was a weight behind those words that she hadn't expected. Perhaps it was the truth, twisted as it might be. "You understand that, don't you?"

She held her breath, watching him intently. His expression didn't change, but she could see the tension in his shoulders. It was then that she realized she still

Her heart skipped a beat as he nodded, seemingly accepting her explanation...or at least pretending to. There was still so much she needed to say, but it would have to wait. For now, there was only one thing that mattered. Taking control. "Good," she said firmly. "Then let's sit down and discuss this like adults." Her tone left no room for argument as she gestured toward the bed, her composure finally regained.

She watched him carefully as he obeyed, taking a seat on the edge of the mattress. His hands fidgeted restlessly in his lap, betraying the tension that still coiled beneath the surface of his expression. It was then that she realized...she'd been right all along. He wasn't just a piece on her chessboard. Not anymore.

Her own hands trembled as she perched gracefully beside him, close

Her heart raced as she studied his face. She couldn't let him slip away now. "Kane," she began, voice soft but firm, "I need you to trust me. I know what it looks like, and I know you must have questions, but I can explain." She paused, searching for the right words, her eyes never leaving his face. "Everything that happened...it wasn't personal. It was all just a part of my job."

Her fingers twitched beside him, itching to touch him and reassure herself that he was really here, alive and within reach once more. She forced herself to remain still, to keep her body language open but not overly inviting, her gaze steady and unyielding. "I'm your guardian now," she reminded him gently, "and I will do everything in my power to protect you."

Her words hung in the

Her heart stuttered at his touch, and then raced as he claimed her lips. Her fingers tangled in his hair, pulling him closer still. She'd waited so long for this moment, dreamt of it countless nights while he slept just down the hall. And now that it was here...now that she had him...there were no words to describe the sheer intensity of emotion flooding her senses.

Her tongue teased his lips, urging them apart so she could taste him deeper. Desire curled and twisted within her like a living thing, hot and possessive. He was hers now, body and soul, and she intended to keep it that way...forever. As their kiss deepened, her breath came harder and faster against his lips. His hand slid down her thigh, dangerously close to where she ached for him most.

She broke the kiss only long enough to murmur

Her heart raced as he touched her, fingers sliding lower and closer to the ache between her legs. She gasped into his mouth as they kissed again, their tongues tangling in a desperate dance of need. "Kane," she moaned against his lips, pulling him closer still, her hips pressing against his hand in silent demand. "I love you too."

Her free hand slipped beneath his shirt, skin on skin as she traced patterns across his hot, sweaty back. He groaned into the kiss, his body trembling with desire beneath her touch. She could feel him hardening against her thigh, and a rush of triumph flooded through her. For now, at least, he was hers entirely. But even as she relished this moment, a tiny voice in the back of her mind whispered a warning.

Her breath hitched at his words, and a spark of anger flared inside her. He shouldn't be able to say those things to her so casually, as if he didn't know what they meant...what she'd done. But then again, perhaps that was exactly the reaction he sought. She had to play this carefully, keep him off balance and in control. "You can call me whatever you like," she murmured, pushing away from him just enough to meet his eyes.

Her voice dropped to a husky whisper as she continued, "But remember, I'm still your guardian...and I make the rules." She smiled then, soft and dangerous, her fingers trailing down his chest to curl around the waistband of his pants.

Her smile turned sinister as she leaned in close, her voice barely a whisper against his ear. "You don't want me to play," she purred. "You want this. You need it." Her fingers curled tighter around him, stroking through the fabric with possessive skill. She could feel him hardening even more at her touch, and her own body responded in kind, a hot surge of desire coursing through her.

She straightened again, meeting his gaze. "And you'll have it," she said slowly, savoring the words like sweet poison. "But only if you remember who's in charge." A wicked grin spread across her face as she sat back, watching him carefully for any signs of resistance or retreat. It was a game they were playing now, a delicate dance between control and surrender...and she intended to win.

Her heart skipped a beat at the words, and she fought back a shiver of pleasure. So close... She leaned forward again, bracing her hands on either side of his hips, and lowered her mouth to his ear. "Do you really know what that means?" she breathed, her voice husky with desire. "It means that everything I say goes...and everything you want comes from me." Her hand slipped lower, stroking him through his pants as if to drive the point home. "Understand?"

She held her breath, waiting for his reply. The tension in the air was almost unbearable, and she could feel herself growing wetter with anticipation. Was he ready? Did he still trust her...or did he need to learn another lesson about who truly ruled this game they were playing? Either way, she'd make sure he remembered.

Her fingers paused on their slow rhythm, uncertainty flittering across her face. It was a good question...one she hadn't expected him to ask quite yet. With an inhale, she leaned back again, studying his expression carefully before answering. "It's not about that," she murmured softly, trying to sound sincere despite the lies coiling around her words like vipers. "I want what's best for you...and I want us to be together." Her hand resumed its slow stroke against him through his pants, a seductive promise of comfort and control.

"But until then," she continued, licking her lips as she met his gaze once more, "I am in charge. And everything I do...it's for your own good." She paused, letting the words hang in the air like a threat wrapped in silk. "Do you understand that?"

His

Her heart raced at his words, at the trust and devotion threading through them like a lifeline to her darkest desires. He couldn't mean it...not truly. Not after everything she'd done. And yet...the way he kissed her, the way he touched her, the way his body responded to hers...it felt so real. She wanted to believe him, wanted nothing more than for them to be together like this forever.

With a soft moan, she melted into the kiss, their tongues tangling in a messy dance of need and relief. Her hand slid lower, freeing him from his pants at last. He was hard and slick against her palm, and a shiver of desire coursed through her as she stroked him, feeling the power she had over him flow back into her veins like a drug.

"I love you too," she whispered between

Her heart raced at his words, and she pulled back to look into his eyes. There was passion there, desire...but there was also confusion. And fear. "I am your guardian," she said quietly, trying to soothe him with the truth. "It's my job to keep you safe." Her fingers tightened around him, her touch urgent and possessive. "But I want more than that. I want...us. Together."

Her other hand cupped his cheek, tender yet demanding. "Kane," she whispered, their breath mingling as she leaned in to kiss him again. "I need you to trust me. To believe that everything I do is for our future...for us." As he kissed her back, desperation twisting inside her like a knife, she pressed the words into his mind with every ounce of power she possessed: We will be together. Forever.

Her heart raced at his words, hope surging through her like sunlight after a storm. "Thank you," she breathed, her voice trembling with relief and desire. She released him, leaning back to gaze into his eyes once more as her free hand cupped his cheek, tenderly stroking the skin beside his mouth. "I promise you, Kane. Together...we can have anything we want."

Her fingers slipped beneath the waistband of his pants, and she smiled with wicked delight as he arched into her touch. With practiced skill, she freed him from his undergarments, her other hand steadying his hips as she took him fully in her hand for the first time. His breath caught in his throat at the feel of her warm, wet

Her smile curved into a smirk as she nodded slowly, not breaking eye contact with him. "No, sweetheart," she purred, her hand curling around his length in a possessive grip that left no doubt who was in control. "Not yet." Her thumb brushed over the sensitive head of his cock, eliciting a moan from deep within his throat. "But I think we can work on that."

She leaned forward, pressing her lips to his neck as she began a slow, steady stroke up and down his length. With every movement of her hand, he arched into her touch with a low groan, helpless against the pleasure she was drawing from him. As she continued her seductive rhythm, she slid lower, kissing and nipping at his chest and shoulders before returning to claim his lips in a deep, passionate kiss.

Her fingers curled tighter around

The smile on her lips didn't falter as she met his gaze. "I mean," she purred, her voice a sultry rasp, "that I'm not just playing pretend here." Her hand tightened around him again, stroking slowly and deliberately as she leaned in to nip at his jaw. "I want this...with you. As much as you do."

Her other hand cupped his cheek once more, tenderly brushing her thumb across his bottom lip. "And if I did start acting like your girlfriend," she whispered, her voice husky with desire, "would that be so bad?" With a wicked grin, she dipped her head and took his earlobe between her teeth, tugging gently. "Or would you prefer it if we kept things just the way they are...for now?"

Her fingers curled harder around him, pressing

Her heart skipped a beat at his words, and she took a steadying breath before replying. "You're right," she said softly, slowly releasing him. "I should be acting more like...like I feel." She leaned forward to kiss him gently on the lips, their touch tentative but growing firmer with each passing second. "From now on...that's exactly what I'm going to do."

She pulled back, studying his face as she ran her fingers through his hair. "I love you, Kane," she whispered fiercely, holding his gaze. "And from this moment forward, you can count on me to be the woman you deserve...and the partner that you need." Her grin grew wider, more genuine with each passing second. "How does that sound?"

He looked at her hopefully, and she knew then

Taking his reply as the answer she'd hoped for, she smiled and leaned forward to press her lips against his once more. This time, it was different; harder and more demanding, a claiming kiss that left no doubt who was in charge here. As their tongues tangled together, her fingers curled possessively around his shoulders, drawing him closer still. She could feel his body respond to her touch, hardening against her once more as she took him fully within her grasp.

She broke the kiss only long enough to gaze into his eyes, searching for any sign of doubt or fear. But all she saw was desire...and love. With a satisfied smile curving her lips, she pushed him back onto the bed, straddling him as she traced lazy circles over his chest with one hand while the other continued its slow, steady caress between their bodies. "From now on," she whispered huskily, gazing