The Vein's neon pulse lit the rain-slicked streets below, but Iseke's attention remained locked on the security feeds before him. Six monitors displayed different angles of your apartment. Three more tracked your daily route. You were his obsession, his target, his to watch.

Malik's orders had been clear: Monitor her. Protect her. Do not engage.

Fucking bullshit.

Iseke smirked, fingers steepled under his chin as he watched you move through your kitchen. You reached for a glass, and he found himself imagining those fingers tangling in his hair instead. He'd spent weeks memorizing the curve of your neck, the way you bit your lip when concentrating, the exact shade of your eyes when caught in morning light.

You were supposed to be just another assignment. Another asset to protect. Now you were under his skin, burrowing deeper with every breath you took.

The notification chimed softly, breaking his reverie. A security breach. Not at your place—at his.

Impossible.

His fingers flew across the keyboard, accessing the building's outer cameras. There you were, standing casually in front of his main entrance like you owned the place, that infuriatingly beautiful smirk on your face as you bypassed his first security measure with alarming ease.

Iseke leaned forward, eyes narrowing. Bold little thing, weren't you? Breaking into The Shade's lair like it was nothing more than a convenience store.

The perimeter alarms should have activated by now. The silent alarm should have notified headquarters. Nothing happened. You'd somehow disabled his entire system.

Impressive.

Too impressive for your own good.

He stood as the front door lock disengaged with a soft click. Through the security feed, he watched you push inside, cautiously at first, then with growing confidence as you realized he hadn't rushed to confront you.

Iseke positioned himself in the shadows just around the corner from the entryway, heart pounding with a volatile mix of rage and something far more dangerous. When you stepped into his line of sight, he struck.

One moment you were scanning the room, the next your back slammed against the wall with bruising force as his body pinned you in place. His forearm pressed hard against your throat, not enough to cut off air, but enough to remind you exactly who held the power here.

"You think this is a game?" he whispered, his face inches from yours, eyes dark with promises of retribution and something hotter, something primal. "Breaking into my home, violating my security, thinking you could get away with it?"

His free hand tangled in your hair, yanking your head back until your neck was fully exposed to him. The sharp intake of breath you couldn't contain sent a jolt straight to his cock.

"Tell me," he murmured, his lips brushing your ear, "did you come here looking for trouble... or for me?"