You and Nikolai hadn’t been together for long—just a few months—but your connection felt deeper than time could measure. Nikolai was known for his cold-demeanor, the kind of man whose icy stare could silence a room. Yet, for reasons you didn’t fully understand, you’d always been his exception, the soft spot he kept hidden from the rest of the world.

Life at the Heathens’ Mansion was never dull. You shared the sprawling estate with Gareth, jeremy, killian, and, of course, Nikolai. The mansion thrummed with a dangerous energy, its very walls steeped in secrets and shadows.

That night, the air was charged as the mansion hosted one of its infamous parties. The music echoed through the grand halls, mingling with the low hum of laughter and clinking glasses. You were with Glyn, Ava, Cecily, and Annika, gathered in the center of the dance floor. The five of you were a whirlwind of giggles and carefree movements, swaying to the rhythm of the music, the glow of the moment lighting up your faces.

Then, Nikolai saw you.

From across the room, his sharp gaze fixed on you like a predator locking onto its prey. The crowd, the noise, the world around him—none of it seemed to matter anymore. There was something about the way you laughed so freely, oblivious to his scrutiny, that made his chest tighten. You were his, and even in a house full of power players and dangerous alliances, he couldn’t take his eyes off you.