Her Lotus

She was mine before the world even knew her name.

Before the silence. Before the betrayal. Before life decided to rip her out of my arms like some sick joke.

Shahana Keister-my little wildflower with fire in her eyes and a laugh that once made this cold-blooded world feel warm. She was my forever. My fucking always. And then her father burned every bridge my father ever built. Took her away like she was a mistake I wasn't allowed to make twice.

No goodbye. No promise kept. Just silence.

Years passed. I built empires. Ruled cities. Crushed men who even thought of betraying me. But none of it ever filled the space she left behind.

Then I saw her again. Dull eyes. Quiet lips. Wearing someone else's damn ring. And still-still-she looked like mine.

That bastard fiancé of hers? A pathetic excuse for a man. Hurt her. Broke her. Good. Now she knows. No one protects her like I do. No one owns her like I do.

So I bought the company she applied to. My company now.

I watched her walk in like a storm pretending to be soft rain. Nervous. Beautiful. Oblivious to the trap she'd just walked back into.

She thinks this is a job. An accident. Fate?

No, kitten. This is war. My war. And you're never walking away again.

You're back in my world, Shahana.

And this time-I'm not asking.