The night was thick with tension. A storm brewed outside Cassian's penthouse, but it paled in comparison to the storm that churned behind his sharp eyes.
Riven stood at the edge of the balcony, arms braced on the cold stone railing, the city lights below flickering like ghosts of promises that were never meant to be kept. The air smelled of wet concrete and betrayal.
Behind him, Cassian paced like a man caged inside his own kingdom.
"She wants what?" Riven's voice was low, too calm. That calm was always a warning.
Cassian turned to face him fully, jaw clenched so tight it looked painful. "Nyra wants me to dissolve my shares in Halcyon Corp… hand it over. In exchange, she disappears. No more interference."
"And if you don't?"
Cassian stepped closer. "She'll leak everything. Every deal. Every whisper. She has footage, Riven—us—and she'll twist it into something monstrous. She's been planning this."
Riven's breath hitched. "You knew?"
"I suspected. I didn't want to believe it," Cassian muttered. "But she's not bluffing. Valen's backing her now. She came tonight. Said I have seventy-two hours."
Riven finally turned, eyes blazing. "So, what are you going to do? Give her the empire? Let her win?"
Cassian didn't answer immediately.
Instead, he reached out, brushing a thumb along the scar near Riven's collarbone. His touch was soft, reverent, but his voice—when it came—was fire.
"I'd give her everything if it meant keeping you safe."
Riven's hand caught his wrist mid-motion. "Don't you dare," he breathed, stepping in close, voice trembling with restraint. "Don't you dare make that choice for me. I'm not something you sacrifice. I burn beside you."
Their mouths met in a collision of defiance and desperation. It was not a kiss of comfort, but of rage, pain, need. Fingers tangled in silk and buttons tore loose as their bodies slammed against the wall of glass behind them. The world outside watched through the rain-streaked glass, but in here, it was just heat and darkness.
Cassian gripped the back of Riven's neck, forehead pressed to his as their breath mingled. "You still want me after all this?"
"I want to ruin you," Riven growled, "and rebuild you all over again."
Their mouths met again—harder, deeper. Riven's shirt hit the floor. Cassian's belt clattered down. They moved together in a dance carved from trust that barely held and lust that overwhelmed it. It was teeth on throats, nails on backs, whispered curses, and unspoken promises. It was love in the language of bruises and breathlessness.
Later, tangled in the sheets, Riven traced Cassian's chest with a finger.
"We fight her together," he murmured. "No more secrets. No more protecting each other by hiding the truth."
Cassian nodded. "Together."
But in the quiet, as Riven drifted off, Cassian stared at the ceiling.
Because he had already made a deal.
And Riven didn't know it yet.