When successful CEO Amelia Carter begins receiving mysterious threats, she hires ex-special forces operative Luke Knight as her personal bodyguard. Known for his icy professionalism, Luke is determined to keep things strictly business. But as danger closes in, their undeniable attraction threatens to break all his rules. Can he protect her without losing his heart, or will the past he's running from catch up with them both? Â
Chapter 1 Shadows in the Night
Amelia Carter stood in front of the floor-to-ceiling windows of her penthouse, gazing out over the glimmering city below. The sharp skyline of New York was alive with lights, yet it offered no comfort. Instead, it seemed to mock her isolation. The world outside was busy, indifferent to her, while inside her home, an oppressive silence had settled.
She clutched the glass of red wine in her hand a little tighter, her knuckles whitening. It had been another long day at Carter Tech, where she was expected to be the unshakable leader, the visionary who had taken the company to unimaginable heights. Yet for the first time in years, she felt vulnerable. A dark cloud had begun to settle over her life, and it wasn't just exhaustion. It was fear.
The first threat had come in the form of a letter-typed, unsigned, and delivered to her office with unnerving precision. "You're being watched," it said. She'd brushed it off as a prank, a petty attempt to rattle her nerves. But then more letters followed, each one more explicit in its threat: "You can't hide." "I will destroy everything you've built." "You'll never be safe."
Amelia didn't scare easily. She had fought too hard to get to where she was. But this... this was different. The letters were too detailed, too personal. Whoever was behind them knew her movements, her habits, even her private moments. She couldn't shake the feeling of being watched, even in the supposed sanctuary of her home.
That's when she'd decided to hire a bodyguard. Not just any bodyguard-Luke Knight.
The man was a shadow himself, an enigma. Recommended by a security firm with an impeccable record, he was said to be the best. Ex-special forces, with a reputation for being cold, methodical, and ruthlessly efficient. He wasn't the kind of person you wanted around unless you needed protection from something... or someone... truly dangerous.
The door creaked open behind her, and she stiffened, feeling her heartbeat quicken despite herself. A few soft, measured footsteps followed, echoing in the open space of the penthouse. She could feel his presence before he spoke-a strange, unsettling sensation.
"Ms. Carter," Luke's voice was low and even, a rumble of quiet authority that seemed to fill the room. "You should move away from the window."
She didn't turn around. "I'm in my own home. I'm supposed to feel safe here." Her voice sounded cold, even to her own ears, but she wasn't sure if it was directed at him or at the situation she found herself in.
"That's exactly why you shouldn't be standing in front of a wide-open glass window, visible to anyone with a clear view." His tone carried no judgment, just a simple fact, as though explaining the obvious to a child.
With a sigh, Amelia stepped away from the window, feeling his watchful eyes follow her every movement. She could sense him there, a powerful, silent presence, analyzing the space around her as if anticipating threats she couldn't even see. It irritated her how much she needed him.
"Is this how it's going to be from now on?" she asked, turning to face him. Luke stood near the entrance, dressed in all black-boots, tactical pants, and a fitted shirt that clung to his broad shoulders. His face was hard, sharp angles, his dark eyes unreadable. There was something about him that was both calming and deeply unsettling.
"You hired me to keep you safe. This is how I do that," he said without missing a beat. "There are too many exposed points in this apartment. You need more secure locations. The windows, the balcony-it's all vulnerable. If someone wanted to, they could take a shot from any building within a half-mile radius."
Amelia's heart lurched at his words. She placed her wine glass down on the nearest table and crossed her arms over her chest, trying to keep her expression neutral. "And you think they will?"
"I think," he said, stepping closer, "that whoever's threatening you isn't bluffing. They've studied you. They've planned this. It's only a matter of time before they act."
A shiver ran down her spine, despite her best efforts to remain composed. Luke's eyes flicked over her face, reading her reaction, though he said nothing. His silence was as unnerving as his presence.
"I don't understand why anyone would want to harm me," she murmured, her voice betraying the sliver of doubt creeping in. "I've made enemies in business, sure. But nothing to warrant this."
Luke tilted his head slightly, considering her words. "There's always a reason," he said, his voice soft but firm. "People don't just do this for nothing. It's personal. And you need to be prepared for that."
His words hung in the air, thick with an ominous weight. She didn't want to believe him, but deep down, she knew he was right. There was something personal about this, something that struck too close to home.
A sudden noise-a faint clicking sound-broke the tension. Luke's body tensed immediately, his hand instinctively moving to the holster at his side.
"Get down!" he barked, and before Amelia could react, he moved with startling speed, grabbing her arm and pulling her down behind the kitchen island. Her heart raced, the adrenaline surging as her mind struggled to catch up to what was happening.
The sound of glass shattering cut through the room like a gunshot. She gasped, her body pressed against the cold marble floor as Luke crouched beside her, his face set in grim focus.
"Stay low," he ordered, peering over the edge of the counter.
Amelia's breath came in shallow, shaky bursts. She could hear her pulse thundering in her ears, her mind reeling from the shock. A loud thud followed, and she felt a sharp gust of wind sweep through the room.
"Was that...?" she stammered.
"Sniper," Luke said quietly, his voice unnervingly calm. "Someone just took a shot."
Her stomach dropped. This wasn't a bluff. This was real.
Before she could say another word, Luke's phone buzzed in his pocket. He pulled it out, his face darkening as he read the message on the screen.
"They're already inside the building," he said in a low, dangerous voice. "We have to move. Now."
Amelia's blood turned to ice as she realized the full extent of the danger.
They weren't just watching her anymore-they were coming for her.
Chapter 1 Shadows in the Night
01/10/2024
Chapter 2 The Making of Amelia Carter
01/10/2024
Chapter 3 Under Siege
01/10/2024
Chapter 4 The Father's Shadow
01/10/2024
Chapter 5 The Hidden Path
01/10/2024
Chapter 6 Ties That Bind
02/10/2024
Chapter 7 Into the Woods
02/10/2024
Chapter 8 Shelter in the Wilderness
02/10/2024
Chapter 9 Confessions in the Dark
02/10/2024
Chapter 10 A New Day, A New Luke
02/10/2024
Chapter 11 Shadows on the Horizon
02/10/2024
Chapter 12 Return to Reality
07/10/2024
Chapter 13 Unsettled Desires
07/10/2024
Chapter 14 Fractured Bonds
07/10/2024
Chapter 15 A Fork in the Road
07/10/2024
Chapter 16 The Unwelcome Visitor
11/10/2024
Chapter 17 Racing Shadows
11/10/2024
Chapter 18 Echoes of the Hunt
29/10/2024
Chapter 19 Shadows of the Past
29/10/2024
Chapter 20 Lost but Found
29/10/2024
Chapter 21 Shadows and Secrets
31/10/2024
Chapter 22 The Edge of Darkness
31/10/2024
Chapter 23 Shadows in the Light
03/11/2024
Chapter 24 The Edge of Fear
05/11/2024
Chapter 25 Shadows of the Past
05/11/2024
Chapter 26 Confronting the Shadows
08/11/2024
Chapter 27 Echoes in the Dark
08/11/2024
Chapter 28 Unseen Shadows
10/11/2024
Chapter 29 Unbreakable Bonds
10/11/2024
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