AuraLysWriter
She swore she'd never let him near her again.
She swore she'd destroy every remnant of the empire he built.
But power has a way of binding enemies closer than lovers-and when Maya finds herself face-to-face with Julian Deveraux, the man who once broke her, the man the world now calls ruined, she makes him an offer no one else could.
Not forgiveness. Not love.
A partnership.
Together, they'll burn Meridian to the ground.
But when survival turns into obsession and dominance turns into something darker, Maya must ask herself:
Is she using Julian... or is Julian still using her?
Because this time, she's not just fighting for justice.
She's fighting to own the predator himself.
⸻
Maya leaned forward, elbows on the table, her voice razor sharp.
"Let me be very clear. If I agree to anything, it won't be because I need you. It'll be because I choose to use you. Understand?"
Julian's mouth twitched, the closest thing to a smile she'd seen from him since the trial.
"Understood."
She stood, her chair scraping against the floor.
"I'll think about it."
🔞 - Trigger Warnings: sexual exploitation, power imbalance, coercion, psychological manipulation, violence, physical assault, abusive dynamics, profanity, trauma references, toxic relationships, alcohol use, emotional abuse, mentions of human trafficking, themes of control and submission