The Devil's Heir

"Don't let her escape!"

The shout echoed through the rain covered street as Elena ran blindly between moving cars, her lungs burning with every breath. Her white prison-release envelope was still clutched tightly in her trembling hand. A horn blasted, a car nearly hit her, she stumbled back just in time, her thin sandals slipping against the wet road. Behind her, two men in black suits pushed through the crowd.

"There she is!"

Fear crawled down her spine, why were they chasing her? She had only been out of prison for twenty minutes. Twenty minutes, that was all freedom had given her before turning dangerous. Rain soaked her hair and clothes as she forced herself forward again. Her chest ached, but she didn't stop. She couldn't stop, not after everything she had survived. Not after losing two years of her life for a man who never came back for her-Ryan, even thinking about his name made her stomach twist painfully. She still remembered the night the police broke into their apartment. The flashing lights, the screaming, Ryan holding her shoulders while whispering desperately into her ear.

"Please, Elena. If you love me, help me this once."

And like a fool, she had. She took the blame for the stolen company funds because Ryan promised it was temporary. He promised his lawyers would get her out in weeks. Weeks turned into months, months turned into years. And Ryan? He disappeared, not a single visit, not one letter, nothing. Elena pushed through a narrow alley, gasping for breath as thunder cracked above her, her legs finally gave out. She grabbed the brick wall for support, panic filling her chest as footsteps approached closer.

"I found her." Her heart dropped.

One of the men stepped into the alley, rain dripping from his dark coat. He was tall, broad, and expressionless. The second man joined him quietly.

Elena backed away immediately.

"I don't have money." The man didn't answered, that frightened her more. "Who sent you?" she whispered.

Still silence.

Then, headlights suddenly flashed across the alley entrance, a long black car rolled to a smooth stop. Everything changed instantly, the two men straightened. Respect filled their faces, the back door of the car opened slowly. A man stepped out, Elena froze. Black suit, black gloves, cold grey eyes, he looked calm in a way that made him terrifying. Rain poured heavily around him, but he moved without hurry, like the storm itself answered to him. Elena's breathing slowed despite her fear, the stranger stopped in front of her, studying her face carefully. Not with pity, not with kindness, like he already knew her.

"You look disappointed," he said softly. His voice was deep but controlled.

"What?" Elena frowned weakly.

"The man you went to prison for," he continued. "You expected him to be waiting for you today."

Pain stabbed through her chest. "How do you know that?" The man ignored the question. Instead, he pulled something from inside his coat and handed it to her, a wedding invitation. Elena's fingers shook as she opened it, then the world around her disappeared-Ryan Carter & Vanessa Hale-Wedding Ceremony - Tonight.

Tonight! her vision blurred. "No..." she whispered. Ryan was getting married? Tonight?

The stranger watched her silently as the invitation slipped from her fingers into a puddle.

"He used you well," he said.

Elena felt sick, everything inside her cracked open at once. The prison nights, the humiliation, the loneliness, the hope she stupidly held onto, all for nothing. Tears burned her eyes, but she forced them back angrily.

"I don't care," she lied.

The man stepped closer,

"You should." His eyes darkened slightly. "Because the people celebrating tonight are the same people who destroyed your life."

Elena looked up at him slowly. "What do you want from me?"

For the first time, a faint smile touched his lips, dangerous, beautiful, empty.

"My name is Atlas Black," he said.

The alley suddenly felt colder. Even Elena, who had spent two years cut off from the world, recognized the name. Atlas Black-the devil's heir. The most feared man in the city, rumors followed him everywhere. Violence, power, blood. People said even the police avoided crossing him. Fear rose sharply in her throat, Atlas noticed.

"Good," he leaned slightly closer. "I can give you revenge, Elena." Rain dripped from her lashes as she stared at him speechlessly.

"And all I want in return," he said quietly, "is your loyalty."

Lightning flashed across the dark sky, Elena's pulse pounded loudly in her ears, every instinct told her to run but another part of her-the broken, angry part wanted to know one thing.

"How do you even know my name?"

Atlas stared at her for a long moment, then he said the one thing that made her blood run cold.

"Because," he murmured, "I'm the reason you went to prison in the first place."