Page 12 of Billionaire Wolf Needs a Writer

“Get some rest.We’ll figure this out in the morning.She nodded, but as I turned to leave, her voice stopped me.”Sterling?"

I glanced back, my hand on the doorframe.“Yeah?”

“Thank you.For letting me in.”

I gave a stiff nod and stepped into the hallway, closing the door behind me with a quiet click.

I paced the length of the living room, my mind racing.Rafe’s message had been clear, a venomous whisper that slithered through my thoughts.Ariel was a target now, a pawn in Rafe’s twisted game.And if I knew my brother, this was only the beginning.

I poured myself a whiskey, the burn as it went down my throat did little to settle the storm inside me.The amber liquid sloshed in the glass as my hand shook.I hated this helplessness and fear.I’d spent years building walls, making it impossible for anyone to hurt me again.And now, in a matter of weeks, armed with nothing than a cheap notebook and a disposable ballpoint pen, Ariel had dismantled my defenses without even trying.

It was past midnight, but sleep was the last thing on my mind.I found myself standing outside the guest room door, listening for any sign that Ariel was still awake.The faint rustling of sheets confirmed it.

I knocked softly.“Ariel?”

The door opened a crack, revealing her tired face.“Couldn’t sleep either?”

I shook my head.“Kitchen.Now.”

She followed without protest, padding barefoot across the marble floor.I poured her a whiskey, sliding it across the counter.She took it with a grateful sigh.

We drank in silence for a while, the alcohol warming the space between us.Finally, Ariel spoke.“Tell me about them.Your family.”

I stiffened, my grip tightening around my glass.“What’s there to tell?They’re criminals.Violent.Manipulative.Ruthless.Take your pick.”

“But you’re not like them,” she said softly.

I scoffed.“You don’t know that.”

“I do,” she insisted.“You’re nothing like them, Sterling.You never were.”

I looked away, focusing on the night sky beyond the window.“I used to think that.But I’m starting to think that it’s impossible to wash away your past, Ariel.No matter how far you run.”

She reached across the counter, her fingers brushing mine as she took the glass from my hand.Her fingers lingered for a moment, and I could feel the gentle pressure of her touch, the softness of her skin.In that instant, time seemed to slow, and I was acutely aware of the space between us.“You’re not your family, Sterling.You’re you.And from what I’ve seen, that’s someone worth fighting for.”

I stared at her, my throat tight.“You don’t know what you’re saying.”

“I do.And I’m not going to let you push me away because you’re scared.”

“Scared?”I echoed.“I’m not scared.”

She raised an eyebrow, a small smile playing on her lips.“Aren’t you?Because it sounds to me like you’re terrified of letting someone in.Terrified of caring about someone who might get hurt because of you.”

I opened my mouth to argue, but the words caught in my throat.She was right, and we both knew it.I was scared.Scared of losing her.Scared of failing her.Scared of the chaos my family could bring into her life.“You’re impossible, you know that?”

She grinned.“So I’ve been told.”

I shook my head, a reluctant smile tugging at my lips.“Alright, Hayes.You win.For now.”

Her smile widened.But the reprieve was short-lived.My phone buzzed on the counter, the screen lighting up with a notification.I picked it up, my stomach sinking as I read the headline.

I scanned the article, my stomach sinking further with every word.The piece didn’t just target me.It went after Ariel, too.

“Who is Ariel Hayes?The mysterious woman spotted with Sterling Nightfang has been revealed as his ghostwriter.But sources close to the Nightfang family suggest there’s more to their relationship than meets the eye.Is she a gold-digger capitalizing on Sterling’s vulnerability, or is she another pawn in the Nightfang family’s dangerous game?”

I cursed under my breath.“She’s making her move.”

Ariel leaned over.The furrow on her forehead deepened as she read the screen.“Your mother?”

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