Devil's Prisoner of Love by Prefer

The woman stepping out of the car was like the sun itself, drawing every gaze her way. Her makeup was flawless, highlighting her striking features.

Ignoring the cold, stern man beside her, she brushed past him without a glance. But just as she moved, he pulled her back into his arms.

Her brows knitted in frustration, and she struggled briefly, but with so many eyes on them, she had to relent. There was no comparing their strength-she knew that too well.

His arm tightened around her waist, his sharp features softening slightly as though it had taken a great weight off him to have her close. A murmur rippled through the crowd.

"Mr. Coleman... Mr. Coleman..." someone whispered.

"Shh! Quiet! Don't you know how unpredictable he is? If you upset him, you'll regret it. No one makes it in Clothville by crossing him."

The lively atmosphere instantly turned somber. To the uninitiated, he might have been mistaken for a celebrity. But his presence was something else entirely-an icy, suffocating pressure.

If he was ice, then the woman in his grip was fire-two elements that should have repelled one another. Yet, standing side by side, they looked inexplicably right, as if they were always meant to be together.

Marcos, mid-conversation with Denis Vukic, caught sight of them. His brows rose in mild surprise. He hadn't expected Aurora to be connected to someone like this. Nicholas Coleman-a name that could send chills down the spines of both saints and sinners.

Denis, who rarely visited Clothville, wasn't familiar with Nick's reputation. And Nick, ever discreet, let his name do the heavy lifting while his face remained a mystery to most.

From across the room, Asher, chatting casually with Aurora, caught sight of him too. His sharp eyes narrowed slightly.

"Well, well. Little fox, who's that? You've been busy making connections since you got back, haven't you?"

force that surrounded Nick, as if the man carried

of Julian's.

Coleman..." Asher repeated, his

Nick stepped in. Of course, Julian was the

tilted his head, studying Nick's rigid grip on Irene. "Looks like he's still helping out. Though... not the most subtle way of doing

"Subtlety isn't his

to approach them,

say hi," she hissed, her irritation barely hidden. Nick's reply was a single word, delivered coldly:

rolled her eyes. "Fine. Then move

with a faint, almost imperceptible smile. To anyone

frigid

severed ties with him for good. Yet here he was

He hadn't changed much-still cold, still domineering. But there was something different now. In the past, even the smallest infraction would have unleashed his fury. Now, even

had come today to support Aurora's new perfume launch. Given her connection to Julian, it was the polite thing to do. Dressed to perfection, she had barely stepped out of the elevator when Nick's men swooped in,

had been waiting, his expression unreadable as his sharp gaze swept over her. "You're going to the launch, right?

Irene wanted to laugh. She'd purposely moved across the city to avoid

had gestured toward her Porsche 911 parked nearby, its bold red paint a reflection of her

men. A silent command. The bodyguard

familiar sound of gunfire echoed in her ears. No matter how many times she'd heard it before, it still sent a shiver down

glare with an

on her heel.

low and deliberate. "Do

city that would dare pick you