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.

I was halfway through putting on mascara when the door creaked open.


"Mia?" His voice was soft but warm, instantly recognizable. "Wow…"


I slowly turned my head, the little mirror still in my lap. Michael stood just inside the room, the door swinging shut behind him. His eyes weren't on the monitors or charts or IV poles this time. They were on me.


"You look… beautiful," he said, stepping closer, his gaze lingering for a second before he quickly cleared his throat and tried to act casual. "I didn't mean to barge in…I just came to check on you."


My cheeks flushed, and I smiled softly. "It's okay. I was just…" I glanced down at the makeup scattered around me. "Trying to feel like myself again."


"Well," he said, reaching the edge of the bed, "it's working. You look like you again. And a little bit like someone who's about to take over the world."


Chapter 215 - 217