Emma paced back and forth in her apartment, her mind racing as she replayed the woman's words over and over again.
"I will kill you if I lose him to you."
The memory of that eerie threat sent a fresh wave of shivers down her spine.
Her hands were still trembling when a knock sounded at the door. She jumped, heart hammering. Then she remembered, Daniel was coming.
With a deep breath, she rushed to open the door.
And there he was.
Tall, confident, powerful. His presence alone sent a calming warmth through her. But more than that, his eyes, deep and searching, were filled with concern.
The moment he saw her face, his expression darkened. "Emma." His voice was low, controlled, but she could hear the barely concealed worry. "Are you okay?"
Emma hesitated, her throat dry. Then, without thinking, she stepped forward and buried herself in his chest.
Daniel stiffened for half a second before wrapping his arms around her, pulling her close. His scent, rich, masculine, with a hint of expensive cologne, surrounded her.
For a moment, she allowed herself to breathe. To feel safe.
Then, she pulled back, looking up at him. "A woman followed me," she whispered. "She grabbed me… and she threatened me."
Daniel's jaw clenched, his expression turning to stone. "Who?"
Emma swallowed. "A woman. I saw her outside my window last night. She…she said she loves you and that she's been following me, trying to make sure you don't reach out to me. But you did, and now she's afraid she's losing you."
Daniel let out a slow breath, his face unreadable. "Did she tell you her name?"
Emma shook her head. "No. She just warned me to stay away from you… or else."
A muscle in Daniel's jaw twitched. "Describe her."
Emma frowned. "Pale. Sickly looking. Dark circles under her eyes. And… she had this unkempt hair, like she hadn't taken care of herself in weeks."
Daniel reached into the inner pocket of his jacket and pulled out his phone. After a few swipes, he turned the screen toward her.
"Is this her?"
Emma's stomach flipped as her eyes landed on the picture.
It was her.
Her breath hitched. "That's her."
Daniel exhaled sharply, locking his phone and slipping it back into his pocket. "I'll take care of it."
Emma grabbed his wrist before he could move. "Who is she?"
Daniel looked at her for a long moment before answering. "My ex."
Emma felt something twist in her chest. "Your ex?"
He nodded. "Her name is Vanessa. We dated for about two years, but it ended… badly. I haven't seen her in months, but I knew she wasn't doing well. I just didn't think she'd go this far."
Emma's brows furrowed. "Why did it end badly?"
Daniel sighed, raking a hand through his hair. "She was unstable. I started noticing her possessiveness. It wasn't love; it was obsession. When I broke things off, she didn't take it well. She spiraled. I tried to help her, but she didn't want help. She wanted control. She wanted me…even if it meant destroying everything in the process."
Emma swallowed, trying to process everything. "And now she's after me."
Daniel reached out, gently cupping her cheek. "Listen to me. She's not going to hurt you. I won't let that happen. I would involve the authorities"
The certainty in his voice sent a deep warmth through her.
Emma exhaled, nodding. "Okay."
Daniel studied her for a moment, then his gaze softened. "You've been through a lot today. Sit down."
She hesitated but obeyed, sinking onto the couch. Daniel sat beside her, his presence comforting.
After a brief silence, he leaned back, his eyes never leaving her.
"Emma." His voice was deep, smooth, almost hypnotic. "I need to ask you something."
Emma turned to him, suddenly feeling shy under his intense gaze. "What is it?"
His expression was unreadable. "What do you want from me?"
Emma blinked. "What do you mean?"
Daniel leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees. "I don't just want to be the man who's responsible for the baby. I want to know what you want. Do you want a relationship with me, or do you just want me to be the father?"
Emma's heart stuttered.
She hadn't expected him to ask so directly.
A blush crept up her cheeks as she looked down, biting her lip. "I… I want a relationship."
Daniel smirked.
"Are you sure?" His voice had dropped lower, sending a shiver down her spine. "Because a relationship with me is… wild."
Emma's breath hitched.
The way he said it, deep, teasing, seductive, made butterflies in her stomach.
She looked up at him, eyes wide. "Wild?"
Daniel's gaze darkened. He reached out, tracing a slow finger down her arm, leaving goosebumps in its wake.
"I don't do boring, Emma," he murmured. "I don't do simple. If you're with me… you're with me. And I don't hold back."
Emma's pulse skyrocketed.
The air between them shifted, thickening with an unspoken tension.
Daniel reached out, gently tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. His touch lingered, sending a wave of heat through her.
"Do you like wild things, Emma?" His voice was like silk, laced with temptation.
Emma felt her breath catch.
Every inch of her was hyper-aware of how close he was, of the way his lips curled into the smallest smirk, of the fire burning in his gaze.
"I—" Her voice came out barely above a whisper. She could remember flashes of that night with him now, even though she was drunk, she could remember it being wild.
Daniel's fingers trailed down her arm again, slower this time.
"Do you?" he pressed.
Emma swallowed, her cheeks burning. "Maybe."
Daniel chuckled, the sound deep and rich.
"That's a dangerous answer, sweetheart," he murmured, his lips just inches from hers.
Emma could barely breathe.
She had never met anyone like him. A man who could make her heart pound just by looking at her. A man who knew exactly what he wanted and wasn't afraid to say it.
And right now, he was looking at her like he wanted to devour her. "Then I guess," Daniel said, brushing his thumb against her knuckles, "we have a lot to explore."
She felt completely swept off her feet.
And she liked it.
She really, really liked it.