The crisp October air bit at Ava's skin as she stood on the winding path in Central Park, the morning sun filtering through the canopy of amber and gold leaves. It was 10:02 AM, the clock on her phone glowing with the time, and the anonymous text had drawn her here, alone as instructed. Her leather jacket hugged her frame, the weight of a concealed knife against her thigh a quiet reassurance, though she'd told Julian to stay away, her badgirl independence flaring against his Alpha protectiveness. The park thrummed with life joggers in neon gear, dog walkers with leashes tangled, the distant honk of a taxi but her focus narrowed to a single figure approaching through the mist.
The woman wore a gray coat, her face half-obscured by a scarf, her steps deliberate. As she drew closer, Ava caught the glint of sharp green eyes, assessing her with a predator's calm. Mid-forties, maybe, with a presence that suggested she'd seen more than she let on. Ava's pulse quickened, but she held her ground, arms crossed, her Dominant streak ready to take charge.
"You're late," Ava said, her voice cutting through the morning chill, sharp and unyielding.
"Safety first," the woman replied, her accent a faint, elusive thread Eastern European, perhaps. She stopped a few feet away, her gaze steady. "I'm Elena. I sent the texts. You need to know what Julian Pierce really is."
Ava's lips twitched, a smirk suppressed. "A killer, right? He told me about his brother. What else you got?"
Elena's expression hardened, her lips thinning into a line. "That's the surface. He didn't just quit the firm he betrayed them. Stole data, millions in offshore accounts, and vanished. They've been hunting him for years, and now you're in their sights. That scar on his thigh? A cartel hit, but the real threat is the bounty on his head. You're leverage, whether you like it or not."
The words landed like a blow, but Ava kept her face neutral, her mind racing to process the implications. The affair she'd reveled in, the steamy nights with no strings, had morphed into something darker a forbidden love tangled with danger. "Why tell me? What's your angle?"
"I was his handler," Elena said, her voice softening, a hint of regret seeping through. "I got out too, but I owe him a debt. This is a warning and a deal. Give me the data he stole, and I'll get you both clear. Meet me tonight, 9 PM, at the abandoned warehouse on 12th. Come alone."
Before Ava could demand more, Elena turned, her coat flapping as she melted into the crowd, leaving a burner phone in Ava's hand. She stared at the device, its weight a puzzle, then typed a curt We need to talk to Julian. Her loft awaited, a sanctuary of exposed brick and cluttered creativity, and she headed there, her thoughts a storm of suspicion and resolve.
By evening, the loft felt smaller, the city's hum a distant pulse against the windows. Ava paced the hardwood floor, her boots clicking, the red dress from the night before swapped for jeans and a black tank top. Julian arrived at 8:30, his suit rumpled, his Alpha aura strained under the weight of whatever haunted him. He leaned against the counter, arms crossed, his dark eyes searching hers.
"What's this about?" he asked, his voice low, edged with tension.
"Elena," she said, watching his reaction. His face paled, a rare crack in his armor, and she pressed on. "She says you stole data, that there's a bounty. True?"
Julian sank onto a stool, running a hand over his face, the scars on his knuckles catching the light. "Partially. After Mark's death, I couldn't stay with the firm. I took files proof of their crimes, accounts to fund my escape. Hid them on a drive, thought it'd be insurance. Elena helped me disappear, but she might've turned. The cartel, the firm they're both after it."
Ava's stomach churned, but her Dominant side kicked in, demanding clarity. "And me? Am I just a pawn in this?"
"No," he said, standing, his voice fierce as he closed the distance between them. "You're more. But they'll use you to get to me." His hand brushed her cheek, a touch that lingered, and she didn't pull away, the forbidden love tag pulsing in the air. His cedarwood scent wrapped around her, a familiar lure.
"Then let's use them back," she said, her badgirl edge sharpening. "Elena wants the drive. We give her a fake, draw them out."
Julian's smirk returned, a flash of approval in his eyes. "Risky. But smart." He pulled her against him, the air shifting to their familiar heat, his hands sliding to her waist. "One last time, then we plan."
Ava didn't resist. She led him to the bedroom, a space they'd never explored, the unmade bed a chaotic nest of sheets and pillows, a stark contrast to the penthouse's sleek luxury. She pushed him down, straddling him, her jacket hitting the floor with a soft thud. His hands roamed her thighs, lifting her jeans down, and she unbuttoned his shirt, her fingers tracing the scars new ones on his ribs, jagged and fresh. His mouth found her neck, teeth grazing, and she shivered, the sensation igniting her.
She freed him, guiding his penis into her vagina with a slow, deliberate thrust that drew a sigh from her lips. The pleasure built gradually, a warm tide, her hands pinning his wrists above his head as she rocked, her voice a husky "My rules." He groaned, his body tensing beneath her, then broke free, his hands sliding up to cup her breasts, thumbs brushing her nipples through the fabric. The lace rasped against her skin, sending sparks through her, and she arched into his touch.
With a sudden move, he flipped her onto her back, his Alpha nature surging, and thrust deeper, the rhythm intensifying. Her legs wrapped around him, pulling him closer, her moans filling the room as the bed creaked beneath them. The pace quickened, a dance of dominance and surrender, and she felt the pressure build, her body tightening around him. He groaned her name, his breath ragged, and they climaxed together, a shattering release that left them trembling, their bodies slick with sweat.
They lay tangled in the sheets, the city's hum a distant lullaby. Julian traced a scar on his chest, his voice low. "The drive's in a safe deposit box downtown. We'll need to move fast tonight, after the meet." Ava nodded, her mind shifting to Elena, the warehouse, the trap she sensed brewing. She rolled to her side, propping herself on an elbow, her eyes searching his.
"Tell me more," she said, her tone firm. "The cartel hit how'd you survive?"
He sighed, staring at the ceiling as if the memories were etched there. "I was in Prague, guarding a shipment arms, I think. The deal went sour, and they turned on me. Tied me to a chair in a warehouse, beat me bloody. Those scars on my ribs? A knife fight to escape. I killed two of them, barely made it to a safehouse. That's when I decided to come back, build something here. But they've got eyes everywhere."
Ava absorbed the weight of it, the killer label from the text gaining clarity. The forbidden love she'd dismissed was deepening, a thread tied to his guilt and survival. "And Elena? Can we trust her?"
"Not fully," he admitted, his hand resting on her hip, a touch too intimate for their rules. "She saved me once, but she's a survivor. If the firm's got her cornered, she'll sell us out."
Ava's phone buzzed on the nightstand, breaking the moment. She reached for it, the screen lighting up with a new text: Tonight's a trap. Bring backup.Her heart skipped, but she masked it with a smirk. "Looks like we've got company coming."
Julian sat up, his Alpha gaze hardening. "We stick to the plan. Fake drive, draw them out. But we need to be ready." He stood, pulling on his shirt, the scars a map of his past. Ava followed, dressing quickly, her mind racing. The sex had been a bridge, a release, but now it fueled her resolve. The affair was a war, their contract marriage a shield, and she was ready to fight.
She grabbed the burner phone, typing a response to Elena: See you at 9.Then she turned to Julian, her voice steady. "We use my place as base. No more penthouse too exposed. And if this goes south, I'm not going down easy."
He nodded, a ghost of a smile on his lips. "Wouldn't expect you to." His hand brushed hers as they moved to the door, a silent pact forming. The city awaited, a battlefield of shadows, and Ava felt the thrill of the game surge anew.