Saphira POV
---
The suite was too quiet.
It wasn't the comforting kind of quiet either, the type that wrapped around you like a soft blanket after a long day. No, this was the kind of silence that stretched tight, like a rubber band ready to snap.
Caelum's penthouse was immaculate to the point of intimidation. Every line of it was razor-sharp gleaming marble floors that clicked beneath my heels, tall glass windows that gave a sweeping view of the glittering skyline, and furniture that looked more like an art gallery installation than something you'd sit on. It screamed wealth, control, and a man who didn't like to be challenged.
Exactly like him.
I dropped my purse onto the polished glass table and kicked off my heels with a sigh, my toes grateful for freedom. My entire body buzzed from the whirlwind of the last few days: the gala, the surprise announcement, the shock on Lucien's face, and finally the marriage certificate that now sat in Caelum's safe.
Married.
On paper, at least.
I had spent my entire life building my empire brick by brick, clawing my way up in a world that didn't want me there. Now, in the blink of an eye, my future was tied to a man who could ruin me as easily as he could save me.
I walked toward the massive windows, pressing my palms against the cool glass. The city lights stretched infinitely below, a golden web of power and danger. Somewhere out there, Lucien was plotting his next move, sharpening his knives. I'd made my choice when I signed that paper, aligning myself with Caelum Drayke. But aligning with a shark doesn't mean you're safe from being bitten.
The faint sound of footsteps echoed from behind me, smooth and measured. He didn't need to speak I could feel Caelum's presence like static in the air.
"You're pacing again," he said, his voice low, deep, and maddeningly calm.
"I'm not pacing. I'm… thinking."
"You think loudly."
I turned, arching a brow at him. "You're the one who insisted we come back here instead of me staying in my apartment. Don't act like I'm the inconvenience in your perfectly curated life."
Caelum stood there, jacket off, white dress shirt rolled up at the sleeves, dark hair slightly mussed. The loosened tie at his neck was the only sign that he was even remotely human.
"I didn't bring you here for comfort, Saphira," he said, crossing his arms. "I brought you here because this is where I can control the variables. You're not safe in your apartment anymore."
"Control the variables," I repeated with a laugh that didn't reach my eyes. "That's what this is about to you, isn't it? Numbers and leverage. Not the fact that your new wife might actually want a sense of normalcy."
He tilted his head slightly. "Normalcy isn't an option anymore."
I hated how his words sent a shiver down my spine, hated how calm he sounded while my entire life felt like it was spinning.
---
We stared at each other in silence, the weight of our arrangement pressing down on both of us. Marriage of convenience. No love. No strings. We'd signed our names with steady hands, pretending like we weren't making a deal with the devil.
And yet, standing here with him now, I couldn't shake the feeling that some invisible line had been crossed.
"You're bleeding," Caelum said suddenly, his sharp gaze landing on my hand.
I followed his eyes and noticed a thin cut across my palm, likely from clutching my clutch bag too tightly earlier tonight. A smear of dried blood was the only evidence.
"It's nothing," I said, dismissing it.
But before I could turn away, Caelum closed the distance between us in a few strides. He took my hand in his without asking for permission, his touch firm but unexpectedly gentle. The warmth of his palm seeped into my skin, and I found myself holding my breath as he examined the cut.
"You should be more careful," he murmured. "This city smells blood from miles away."
It wasn't a statement about the cut. It was a warning.
"Noted," I said quietly, unable to look away from him.
Caelum's thumb brushed against the side of my palm, sending a shockwave of awareness through me. His eyes lifted to meet mine, and for one breathless second, I swore the mask slipped. There was something there something raw, something real. But just as quickly, it was gone, replaced by the unreadable billionaire façade he wore like armor.
"I'll send for the medic," he said, releasing my hand. "Sit down."
"I'm not an invalid, Caelum. It's just a scratch."
"Sit."
There was something in his voice that brokered no argument. Against my better judgment, I sank onto the edge of one of his expensive leather couches. He moved around the suite with precise efficiency, retrieving a first aid kit from somewhere I hadn't noticed.
As he knelt in front of me, tending to the small wound with quiet focus, I studied him. Every move he made was deliberate, controlled. His expression gave nothing away, but his hands… his hands were careful. Gentle, even.
"You're full of surprises," I said softly.
His eyes flicked up to mine, sharp and unreadable. "I don't like surprises."
I smirked despite myself. "Then why did you marry me?"
The corner of his mouth twitched, almost like he was fighting a smile. "Because you're the lesser evil."
I scoffed. "You really know how to make a girl feel special."
He didn't respond. Instead, he finished bandaging my hand and leaned back slightly, his dark gaze locking on mine.
"You're strong," he said after a long pause. "That's why I chose you. But strength isn't enough in this game. You need someone who can match Lucien."
"And that's you?" I asked, my voice tinged with skepticism.
His lips curved into a dangerous smile. "That's me."
---
Hours passed in a blur after that. Caelum disappeared into his office to take a series of hushed phone calls while I wandered through the penthouse, trying to make sense of this gilded cage I now found myself in. The luxury was overwhelming: crystal chandeliers, floor-to-ceiling windows, an infinity pool that overlooked the city. It should have felt like a dream. Instead, it felt like a chessboard.
When I finally slipped into the massive bedroom that was now supposedly "ours," I found a closet stocked with designer clothes in my size, a vanity lined with perfume bottles I hadn't bought, and silk sheets that smelled faintly of him. He'd planned this. All of it.
I sat on the edge of the bed, staring out the window, my mind a whirlwind of thoughts. My company. Lucien's threats. This marriage. Caelum.
What terrified me the most wasn't Lucien's looming shadow or the fact that I'd tied myself to a man I barely knew.
It was the way my heart had raced when Caelum touched my hand earlier. The way his presence filled the room and made me feel both safe and on edge.
This wasn't supposed to happen.
I was supposed to be untouchable.
---
A knock at the door startled me out of my thoughts. Before I could answer, Caelum walked in, his tie gone, the top buttons of his shirt undone. He leaned against the doorframe, arms crossed.
"You should get some rest," he said.
"I can't," I admitted. "Too much on my mind."
He studied me for a long moment, then crossed the room and sat beside me on the bed. The mattress dipped under his weight, and suddenly the air felt too thick to breathe.
"You don't trust me," he said simply.
I laughed bitterly. "You don't trust me either. This isn't exactly a fairy tale."
"No," he agreed. "It's not."
We sat in silence for a while, the tension crackling like a live wire between us. Finally, Caelum reached out, his fingers brushing against my jaw. The touch was light, almost hesitant, but it sent a jolt through me all the same.
"You're trembling," he murmured.
"I'm not," I whispered back, though my voice betrayed me.
His gaze softened just a fraction. "You don't have to do this alone anymore, Saphira. Whatever happens, I'll protect you."
The sincerity in his voice caught me off guard. I opened my mouth to respond, but before I could, his phone buzzed on the nightstand. He grabbed it, his expression darkening as he read the screen.
"What is it?" I asked, sitting up straighter.
He didn't answer immediately. Instead, he stood, his entire demeanor shifting from calm to lethal in seconds.
"Stay here," he ordered.
"Caelum"
"Stay."
His voice was sharp enough to slice through steel. He slipped out of the room, phone pressed to his ear, his footsteps quick and deliberate.
My pulse pounded in my ears. Something was wrong.
I waited a few moments, then crept toward the door, pressing my ear against it. His voice was low but urgent, words muffled. Then, a single sentence cut through clearly, making my blood run cold:
"They found her."
---
Who was "her"? And why did Caelum sound like the world was about to catch fire?