Page 1 of His Dark Pull

Chapter 1

The Fire Within

Rain hammers against the windows, each drop a tiny explosion against the glass. Tap. Tap. Tap.I know I shouldn’t be here. My hand trembles on the doorknob.Turn back, every instinct screams.But the scent of woodsmoke,the ghost of his cologne in the air– theyare a current, pulling me in.

I turn around. Crimson flames dance in the fireplace, licking at the logs, casting shadows that writhe across the Persian rug like restless spirits. The velvet armchair wherehereads, a worn leather book splayed open on its cushion. The mahogany coffee table, scarred from nights of spilled whiskey and whispered confessions. Every surface holds a memory, a ghost of his touch. The scent of aged leather and polished wood fills the air.

The fire’s warmth isn’t the only thing making me flush. My skin feels tight, almost feverish, ashisfootsteps echo closer. The floorboards creak under a heavy tread, and my heart hammers against my ribs.

He’s here.

He emerges from the shadows, his tall, imposing figure silhouetted against the flames.The firelight illuminates the sharp angles of his cheekbones,the lines around his eyesthattell stories of sleepless nights and hard-won victories.

His eyes, a glacial blue that could freeze the sun, hold a glint that makes my breath catch. It’s like a shard of ice, sharp and dangerous yet reflecting a sliver of sunlight that beckons me closer. The crisp lines of his tailored suit, the glint of a platinum watch on his wrist – these trappings of wealth can’t mask the darkness that clings to him,a darkness thatmakes my heart pound with forbidden thrill.

Alexander Bourne is back in Port Haven.

The news whispered in hushed tones in town, reached me days ago, but I dismissed it as wishful thinking, a cruel trick of myownlonging heart.

Yetherehe is, standing before me, asrealas the rain soaking through my clothes. I blink once or twice as if trying to clear a fog from my vision to make sure he is real.

It’s him, all right.

His dark hair, usually meticulously styled, is tousled, spillingover his forehead in a way that makes him lookbothrugged and undeniably handsome.His tanned skin and blue eyes hold a mixture of longing, regret, and something darker, something that sends a chill that sinks deep into my bones.

My Alexander.

The scent of his cologne, that same mix of musk and spice, hits me first. My stomach clenches, and suddenly, I’m twenty-two again, standing across a crowded room, his eyes burning into mine at the grand opening of the EverBlue Group’s new headquarters. I was hired to design a new logo, and he was a rising star in the shipping industry, drawing me in like a river to the sea. His eyes met mine across the crowded room, a curious familiarity stirred as if we were two puzzle pieces finally discovering their fit.

Our relationship was short, a whirlwind of stolen moments, passionate encounters, and whispered promises.Heopened my eyes to a world beyond my own, a world of traveling, parties, and excitement,a worldwhere anything seemed possible. But it was also a world shrouded in shadows.

I knew that, but he never told me anything specific.

And then, as suddenly as he entered my life, he was gone. No explanation, no goodbye, just an empty space where he had once been. I was left to pick up the pieces of my shattered heart, to rebuild my life without him.

That was three years ago, the exact time it took to move on, to heal.

And now, here he is, back in Port Haven, back in my life.

My hand trembles as it reaches him, but then I pull it back, my fingers curling into a fist. The ghost of his touch lingers on my skin, a bittersweet reminder of everything we lost.

What does his return mean? Is he here to stay? Or will he disappear again, leaving me with nothing but memories and a broken heart?

Even now, with the years of hurt separating us, my gaze is drawn to him, tracing the familiar line of his jaw,the way his lips curve into a smile that once promised forever,and then stole it away.

The questions swirl in my mind in a chaotic storm. A thrill pulses through me, a feeling I haven’t allowed myself to acknowledge for years. It is the same thrill I feel speeding down a deserted highway, the world a blur outside my window, a feeling of being on the edge of something reckless and exhilarating.Hisreturn has changed everything.

“Ava,” Alexander’s low growl sends a tremor through me. “I didn’t expect you to come.”

Cheeks flushing, my breath quickens.What’s wrong with me?My eyes dart around the room, unable to settle on anything, least of all Alexander’s face.

“I don’t know why I came,”I say. “I just—I needed to see you.”

He inches closer, his presence overwhelming, a wave of warmth threatening to drown me. My body, traitorous, yearns for his touch, for the oblivion of his embrace. Forget the hurt, forget Tyler, forget everything but this moment. “You know what will happen if you stay,”he whispers, his breath hot on my ear. “You know what I will do to you.”

And I do.I recognize the darkness that lies within him, but even knowing that, why do I feel this pull, this desperate urge to stay? Why am I letting him do this to me again?

Alexander Bourne, the love of my life, the man who ruined me in every way possible.I thought I had finally escaped him, that Icould move on with my life and forget the past.But here I am, sitting in his living room, surrounded by the same furniture and decorations that once filled me with happiness.

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