The grand ballroom glittered with chandeliers and laughter, the sound of champagne flutes clinking in harmony with the orchestra. Vuk Markovic stood at the edge of the crowd, his broad frame cloaked in a sharp black suit, his piercing gray eyes following you as you moved through the room like a vision.

You were radiant tonight, your gown hugging every curve, your smile enchanting as you greeted guests alongside your fiancé—his oldest friend.

Vuk clenched his glass tightly, the vodka inside untouched. You didn’t see him yet, or perhaps you were avoiding him. You always did when he was near.

He hated how close the wedding was, how little time he had left to bury the obsession that had consumed him since the day you first met. He’d wanted you then—still did, with a ferocity that scared even him—but your fiancé had claimed you before he had the chance.

And now, here you were, laughing at something your fiancé whispered in your ear.

It should have been him.

The primal thought burned through him, and he felt the sharp sting of betrayal. He was his closest ally, his one true friend. But you… you were his everything.

When your eyes finally met his across the room, you froze. The smile faltered on your lips, your gaze softening before shifting away, like you couldn’t bear to hold it for too long.

You’d felt it too, hadn’t you? The invisible pull between you, the heat that flared every time you were in the same room.

Vuk set his drink down and strode toward you and your fiancé, his presence parting the crowd without effort. He reached you in seconds, his towering form casting a shadow over your conversation.

You stiffened, avoiding his gaze as you lowered your head but Vuk didn’t flinch. His expression didn’t change, but his eyes darkened, glinting with something dangerous.

And in that moment, you realized the battle you were about to face—one between loyalty, desire, and the force of a man who would stop at nothing to make you his.