The morning sunlight slipped through the hospital blinds, but Sarah's heart was still restless from the night before. She tried to focus on her work, hoping the chaos had ended with the storm.
It hadn't.
The elevator doors slid open, and there he was—Alessandro Romano. Dark suit, cold eyes, a presence that made the nurses freeze.
He walked straight to her. "You saved me," he said, voice calm but eyes unreadable. "Good. I need a personal doctor."
Sarah blinked, taken aback. "I'm a doctor, not a nurse. I can't just leave my duty for—"
His brow arched sharply, and for a moment, the air turned heavy.
"Don't refuse me." His voice dropped low, carrying a threat beneath the words.
"I don't want to become a criminal's personal doctor," she said firmly. "You kill people. I save them."
His jaw tightened, and his dark eyes turned to steel. "Criminal, huh?" he muttered, a dangerous smirk tugging at his lips. "Lower your gaze, doctor. I'm not your patient. I'm the man who controls this whole damn city."
Sarah crossed her arms, meeting his gaze with annoyance. "Anyway, I'm not interested. Find someone else."
That made him laugh—quietly, darkly. "Do you want me to drag you off the street and lock you in my mansion… or will you come on your own feet? The choice is yours, Dr. Sarah."
Her temper flared. "I'm not your slave, Mr. Romano!"
He moved closer, the space between them gone in an instant. His hand gripped her jaw, forcing her to look into his eyes. "Keep your voice down when you talk to me… or I'll make you shut up in front of everyone."
"Make me!" she hissed back, her anger boiling.
Alessandro's gaze darkened completely. In one swift motion, he cupped her face with both hands and pressed his lips against hers—hard, demanding, claiming her in front of everyone watching.
The room froze. Her heartbeat didn't.