Nova_Everly

Emma Carter has spent years building her consulting empire, proving she doesn’t need anyone—especially arrogant, entitled men like Alex Kingston. Smart, ruthless, and fiercely independent, she’s always played to win.

Alex Kingston is a business shark—rich, charming, and impossible to outmaneuver. He thrives on competition and never backs down from a challenge. So when a billion-dollar deal forces them to work together, their rivalry ignites into an all-out war.

But as the battle intensifies, so does the undeniable attraction simmering beneath their fights. Enemies turn to reluctant allies, then something more dangerous—something neither of them is ready to face.

In a city where power is everything, will they fight for dominance… or surrender to a love that could ruin them both?

Against the Odds: A Love Rewritten

Emma paced her apartment, the city lights casting a soft glow through the floor-to-ceiling windows. She had spent hours analyzing the proposed settlement, making notes, weighing risks—doing everything she could to distract herself.

Alex Kingston had this infuriating ability to burrow under her skin, twisting logic into something dangerous. Every look, every smirk, every near-touch felt like a carefully crafted strategy—one designed to make her fall into whatever this was between them.

Emma exhaled sharply, running a hand through her hair.

Grabbing her coat, she stepped onto her balcony, letting the crisp night breeze cool the heat simmering beneath her skin. The city stretched before her, alive and relentless, much like the man she was trying so hard to ignore.

She didn't need to look to know who it was.

Alex Kingston: Still thinking about me, Carter?

Her lips parted slightly, a quiet curse slipping past them.

She should ignore him. She would ignore him.

Instead, her fingers moved before she could stop them.

Emma Carter: I was actually enjoying a moment of peace before you ruined it.

Emma rolled her eyes, but her heart betrayed her, hammering against her ribs.

Seconds later, another text appeared.

Emma stared at the message, knowing what she should do.

Emma arrived at the dimly lit rooftop bar, the city humming beneath them as she spotted Alex at the far end of the lounge.

He looked infuriatingly at ease, his suit jacket discarded, the top button of his shirt undone. A whiskey glass rested in his hand, and when he saw her, that damn smirk reappeared.

"Carter," he drawled, standing as she approached. "You actually showed."

Emma slid into the seat across from him. "One drink, Kingston. Don't push your luck."

Alex chuckled, signaling the bartender. "Whiskey?"

Emma arched a brow. "You think you know me that well?"

His gaze flickered with something dark and knowing. "I do know you, Carter. Probably more than you'd like to admit."

Emma ignored the way her pulse quickened, turning to the bartender. "Vodka. Straight."

Alex let out a low laugh. "Of course."

As their drinks arrived, the air between them shifted, the usual sharp edges of their rivalry giving way to something… different.

Emma took a sip, her gaze steady. "So, what's your angle?"

Alex leaned forward, resting his elbows on the table. "Maybe I just wanted to see you outside of a courtroom."

She scoffed. "And here I thought you thrived on conflict."

His eyes darkened slightly. "Oh, I do. But you and I? We don't need a courtroom for that."

This wasn't just tension anymore. It was something tangible, something neither of them could quite name.

And when Alex reached forward, his fingers grazing hers on the table, she didn't pull away.

For the first time, she let the line between control and chaos blur.

Chapter 45 – The Space Between Control and Chaos