MATURE

Life hasn’t been kind to me. One moment, I was a carefree eighteen-year-old with dreams of a bright future. The next, I was a 28 year old lady and my world went up in flames. literally. My mom died in the fire that destroyed our home, my little sister is in a coma, and my brother’s in jail for trying to keep us afloat. My dad? He left us drowning in debt and despair.

I thought I’d hit rock bottom, but then I found myself working in a place where dreams go to die, doing things I never imagined just to survive. That’s when he walked into my life, Alex Romanov. Dangerous. Mysterious. And entirely out of my league.

He’s everything I should fear, but there’s something about him that draws me in. Maybe it’s the way he looks at me like I’m more than just another broken soul. Or the way he makes me feel alive when I thought I’d forgotten how.

But Alex has secrets, dark ones that could destroy us both. And as my past collides with his world, I’m left wondering: Can I trust the man who’s slowly stealing my heart, or will his darkness swallow me whole?

This isn’t the life I wanted, but it’s the one I’ve been given.

His hands roamed carefully, tenderly, as if he was trying to memorize every inch of me. We weren't rushing anymore. The urgency from earlier had quieted into something slower, more meaningful.


"Are you sure about this?" he asked softly, brushing a strand of hair behind my ear. His thumb gently traced my jawline.


I nodded, meeting his eyes. "Yeah... I am."


He searched my face for a moment, as if to make absolutely sure I meant it. And then he leaned down, kissing me again, this time slower, deeper, as if he was pouring everything into it. There was something different in the way we touched now. It wasn't just about desire. It felt like we were letting our guards down, letting ourselves be seen, completely.


Chapter 210 - 212