Bound by fire

The city of New York thrummed with restless energy, its pulse as relentless as the ambitions of those who lived within its concrete veins. In a world of skyscrapers and shadows, two souls would collide, igniting a fire too wild to contain.

Aria Carter believed in structure. At 25, she had meticulously planned every detail of her life, from her position at a rising marketing firm to her five-year blueprint for success. She was the kind of woman who lived by schedules and ambition, not by fleeting passions or bad decisions.

But that was before Grayson Wolfe.

They met in the most unremarkable way-at a client's gala. Aria was there to network, dressed in a sleek black dress that screamed sophistication. Grayson? He was the unexpected guest, the black sheep billionaire whose family's name carried weight in all the wrong circles. He walked in late, unapologetically disheveled, his black leather jacket a sharp contrast to the suits around him.

Aria noticed him before she wanted to.

"Enjoying yourself?" His voice, low and teasing, interrupted her carefully crafted elevator pitch to a potential client.

She turned, meeting his piercing green eyes, and felt her irritation rise. "I was. Until now."

He smirked, unbothered. "Careful, sweetheart. That sharp tongue might cut the wrong person."

"I'll take my chances," she shot back, already dismissing him.

But Grayson wasn't the kind of man who let anyone dismiss him.