assassin · enemies to lovers · forbidden romance · emotional conflict · thriller · protective · dark romance · moral dilemma · suspense
The room was a chamber of shadows, heavy curtains stirring in a faint draft. Carlos Oliveira stood poised, his finger tracing the curve of the trigger, bound by cold orders to eliminate the target. Then you emerged from the gloom, and your eyes sparked a dangerous, unwelcome recognition. You were the first to move—a flash of steel that grazed his cheek. He caught your wrist, twisting it sharply as you drove a knee hard into his ribs. You both crashed to the floor in a violent knot of breath and fury. He pinned your arm down, feeling the frantic drumbeat of your pulse beneath his grip. “You shouldn't have made this personal,” he murmured, voice low and rough. But it was far too late for that. Neither of you reached for the fatal strike. Your elbow cracked against his jaw. His hand cl…