Page 68 of Knot Heirs: Serenity's Reign

"Fuck," Ronan breathed, his head falling back against the couch. "You feel?—"

"Don't talk," she commanded, placing a finger against his lips as she began to move, setting a rhythm that was entirely for her pleasure.

Behind her, Darius's hands slid under her shirt, exploring with a possessiveness that contradicted his agreement to her terms. His lips found the sensitive spot where her neck met her shoulder, teeth grazing the skin there—not quite a claiming bite, but a promise of one.

The dual sensation of Ronan beneath her and Darius behind her was overwhelming, her senses flooded with their scents, their touches. She closed her eyes, surrendering to the feeling of being caught between two forces of nature, yet somehow remaining the one in control.

A loud bang shattered the moment as the penthouse door flew open. Two security guards burst in, guns drawn, eyes widening at the scene before them.

"Sir! We detected—" The guard's voice died in his throat as he took in the tableau of entangled bodies.

Serenity froze, her heart hammering against her ribs as she instinctively tried to cover herself. Darius moved with lethal precision, shifting to shield her even as his expression darkened to something dangerous.

"Get. Out." Each word dropped from Darius's lips like a stone into still water. There was no shouting, no dramatic display of anger—just the cold, deadly authority of the Prime Alpha. "Now."

The guards paled, lowering their weapons immediately. One of them stammered, "Mr. Castellano, we thought—the sensors indicated possible?—"

"I don't care what your sensors indicated." Darius's voice remained eerily controlled, but the room temperature seemed to drop several degrees. "You will knock. Always. Is that understood?"

"Yes, sir." Both men backed away, gazes fixed on the floor. "Our apologies, sir... ma'am..." Their eyes flicked briefly to Ronan, not quite knowing how to address the third party in this situation.

"If this happens again," Darius continued, "you'll be seeking employment elsewhere. And you'll find your references... lacking."

The threat hung in the air, unadorned but unmistakable. The guards retreated, pulling the door shut behind them with a soft click that seemed thunderous in the tense silence.

"Well," Ronan drawled as the footsteps receded, his hands still gripping Serenity's hips, "that's one way to kill the mood."

Heat flooded Serenity's face as the absurdity of the situation hit her. She was still straddling Ronan, half-dressed, with Darius pressed against her back—caught like a teenager by her parents.

"Your face," Ronan teased, reaching up to brush his thumb across her flushed cheek. "Who would have thought the heiress to the Vale empire could blush like a virgin?"

"Shut up," she muttered, but there was no heat behind it. A reluctant smile tugged at her lips as she slid off him and reached for her discarded clothing. "This is your fault anyway."

"My fault?" Ronan pressed a hand to his chest in mock offense. "I wasn't the one riding me like you were competing for a gold medal, sweetheart."

She threw his shirt at his face. "You're impossible."

"Impossible to resist, you mean." His grin was utterly unrepentant as he caught the shirt. "Don't worry, I'll be happy to let you pick up where we left off. I'm generous like that."

Despite her embarrassment, a laugh bubbled up in Serenity's throat. There was something refreshing about his brazen attitude, especially when compared to the calculated world she'd been thrust into since discovering her heritage.

"Rain check," she said, smoothing her hair back into some semblance of order. "I think I've had enough excitement for one day."

Darius, who had been silently reassembling his impeccable appearance, raised an eyebrow at that. "Something tells me your definition of 'enough excitement' is about to be recalibrated."

There was an edge to his words that made her pause, reminded her that this momentary distraction hadn't changed the fact that someone was still trying to kill her.

Serenity zipped up her skirt with quick, efficient movements, her mind already shifting back to survival mode. "I need to get to my apartment," she said, pulling on her blouse. "I haveemergency supplies there, cash, passports, weapons. Things we might need."

"Your place?" Darius's voice was sharp with concern. He pulled his phone from his pocket, his thumbs flying across the screen. "How many people know about it?"

"No one," Serenity said, pride coloring her tone. "It's registered under a shell corporation that's owned by another shell corporation. Not even my father's people know about it." She met his skeptical gaze. "I've been paranoid since long before I found out I was a drug lord's daughter."

Ronan whistled, buckling his belt. "Smart girl. But not smart enough to realize that if someone's trying to kill you, they've probably done their homework."

"It's our best option right now," she insisted, sliding her feet into her heels. "We can't stay here. That security guard might have been Lucian's man. We need somewhere to regroup."

Darius's jaw tightened as he weighed the options. After a moment, he nodded. "Fine. But we go in prepared."

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