Elegbede_Habeeb

The first time they met, it felt like fate. The second time, it felt like a warning.

She was running from a past that refused to die. He was chasing a future that seemed just out of reach. When their worlds collided, it was more than just love—it was an obsession, a wildfire that threatened to burn them both alive.

But love isn’t always salvation. Sometimes, it’s destruction in disguise.

Bound by Fire: Ashes of Desire

The night air was crisp, the city stretching endlessly beneath them. On the balcony, Luca and Cassian stood like two kings on opposite sides of a chessboard, the weight of their choices pressing between them.

Cassian swirled the amber liquid in his glass, watching Luca with a smirk that didn't quite reach his eyes. "You have no idea what you've walked into, do you?"

Luca didn't blink. "Then enlighten me."

Cassian let out a low chuckle. "You've been running on instinct, playing a game without knowing the rules. But here's the thing, Luca—every move you make, every step you take, it's because I allow it."

Luca clenched his jaw, his muscles coiling. "That so?"

Cassian nodded, his expression unreadable. "You think you're coming for me? That you're the predator?" He stepped closer, his voice dropping to something almost amused. "I've been watching you since the beginning. Every escape. Every kill. Every mistake. And yet, here you are. Standing in front of me like you have a choice."

Luca exhaled slowly. "I always have a choice."

Cassian smirked. "Then choose wisely."

He pulled a small black envelope from his inner pocket and held it out.

Luca didn't take it. "What is it?"

Cassian's eyes gleamed. "An opportunity."

Silence stretched. The weight of the moment pressed into Luca's chest. He could feel Mira and Dominic waiting beyond these walls, ready to move if things went sideways.

Luca finally took the envelope, flipping it open. Inside was a single card, embossed with gold lettering.

An address. Midnight. No backup. No weapons.

Cassian stepped back, his smirk deepening. "Come if you want answers. Don't if you want to keep pretending you're in control."

Then, without another word, he turned and walked away.

Luca stared down at the card. His heartbeat was steady. His mind was not.

A part of him knew this was reckless. That Cassian was the kind of man who didn't play fair.

But another part of him—the part that never backed down—was already making his choice.

Next Chapter: Walking into the Trap.

The Devil’s Bargain