Bound by Fire

Episode 3: A Deal with the Devil

Seraphina stared at the black envelope in her hands, its contents burning into her mind.

Kieran Blackwell had just handed her something priceless—the key to her revenge.

But there was no such thing as a free gift. Not from him.

She lifted her gaze to meet his, searching for cracks in his confidence. There were none. Kieran didn’t make offers unless he knew the answer. He was already sure she’d say yes.

Arrogant bastard.

“What exactly do you want from me?” she asked, keeping her voice steady.

Kieran’s smirk deepened. “For six months, you’ll be by my side. Publicly, you’ll be my business partner. Privately…” His fingers trailed the rim of his glass. “You’ll be mine.”

A sharp thrill shot through her, tangled in defiance and something far more dangerous. “And what does that mean?”

Kieran leaned in, his voice lowering. “It means you’ll be where I tell you to be, when I tell you to be there. By my side at events. In my meetings. In my world. And if I call, you answer.”

His meaning was clear.

Her breath caught, not from fear—from anticipation.

Seraphina had spent years training herself to hate this man. And yet, sitting here now, the line between fury and desire blurred dangerously.

“I don’t belong to anyone,” she said coldly.

Kieran chuckled, slow and dark. “We’ll see.”

Her fingers clenched around the envelope. Six months of playing his game. Six months of walking the tightrope between revenge and surrender.

Could she do it?

Did she even have a choice?

Seraphina reached for her drink, taking a slow sip before setting it down with a decisive clink.

“Fine,” she said. “But let’s get one thing straight—I’m not one of your obedient little acquisitions. If you think I’ll just fall in line, you’re in for a hell of a disappointment.”

Kieran studied her, amusement flickering in his gaze. “Oh, sweetheart,” he murmured, brushing his thumb against her jaw before she could pull away. “I never get disappointed.”

His touch burned. She hated that she liked it.

Seraphina forced herself to smile, tilting her chin up. “Then I guess we’ll both enjoy the next six months.”

Kieran’s smirk was slow, predatory. “Oh, we will.”

As she walked away, she felt his eyes on her, like a phantom touch trailing down her spine.

She had made a deal with the devil.

The only question was—who would survive it?