RELUCTANT LOVE, RECKLESS HEIR

ISLA

The night I spent with Adrian Knight was supposed to be a mistake. A fleeting, reckless decision made in the heat of desperation. But mistakes don't grow inside you. Mistakes don't take root, shift your body, and leave you staring at a pregnancy test at four in the morning with trembling hands.

I never meant to see him again. And yet, here I am, standing in the towering lobby of Knight Industries, ignored by the receptionist, dismissed like I'm nothing, and fighting the overwhelming nausea that's been my constant companion for weeks.

But I can't leave. Not when I know what's at stake.

I clutch my bag tighter, my heartbeat hammering against my ribs as I glance over my shoulder. I don't see them yet, but that doesn't mean Victor's men aren't watching.

I have to do this. I have to tell him.

And if Adrian Knight thinks he can just toss me aside like I don't exist, he's about to learn just how wrong he is.

THREE MONTHS AGO

I never should have gone to that club.

I told myself I just needed a break. A single night to pretend I wasn't drowning in Victor Morelli's world, suffocating under his threats and the invisible chains that kept me locked in his grasp. I wasn't naive. I knew the risks.

But then he walked in.

Adrian Knight.

He was everything I shouldn't want. Cold, powerful, and dripping with the kind of danger that whispered promises against my skin. He didn't belong in the underground world I was trapped in. He was above it ,,,untouchable.

Maybe that's why I let him touch me.

One drink turned into two. Two drinks turned into stolen glances, whispered words, and his hand resting possessively on my waist as if he already owned me.

I should have walked away. I should have run.

Instead, I let him take me to his penthouse. I let him press me against the glass windows overlooking the city, his mouth devouring mine, his hands learning every inch of my skin.

I let him ruin me.

And by morning, he was gone.

No phone number. No goodbye. Just an empty bed and a memory that burned itself into my mind.

I told myself it was for the best. I told myself it was over.

Until two months later, when I stared at a positive pregnancy test and realized it was just the beginning.

NOW

The receptionist barely glances up from her computer.

"I'm here to see Adrian Knight," I say, forcing my voice to stay even.

She sighs, her manicured nails clicking against the desk. "Do you have an appointment?"

"No, but...."

"Then Mr. Knight is unavailable."

Panic grips my throat. "Please. It's important."

"Everyone thinks their business is important, sweetheart." She waves a dismissive hand. "If you'd like, I can schedule something for next month."

Next month?

I don't have a next month.

Frustration builds inside me. "Listen, I...."

Then I see him.

Adrian Knight, stepping out of the elevator, his presence sucking the air from the room. Tall, broad-shouldered, and wrapped in an expensive suit, he moves with the effortless arrogance of a man who owns the world.

Our eyes meet.

Something flickers across his face,,,recognition, surprise, before it's gone, replaced by ice.

His jaw tightens. "Get her out."

The guards move toward me.

No.

I dig my heels in. My pulse pounds, my breath catches, and before I can think twice, the words burst from my lips.

"I'm pregnant!"

The entire lobby falls silent.

I watch Adrian's expression shift from irritation to disbelief, to something darker.

Something lethal.

He takes a step toward me, his voice low, controlled.

"What did you just say?"

***********

Introduction: Isla Carter

I was born into a world that never wanted me.

My mother died when I was eight, leaving me in the hands of a father who saw me as nothing but a burden. By the time I was sixteen, I'd learned that love was nothing more than a weapon used, discarded, and forgotten.

I ran. Straight into the arms of Victor Morelli.

He was older, powerful, and everything my father wasn't. I thought he would save me. Instead, he turned me into property.

For years, I survived under his control. I learned how to endure. How to smile when I was dying inside.

And then, one night, I found my way out.

Or so I thought.

Because now, I have his child.

And Adrian Knight is the only one who can help me keep it safe.

Adrian Knight

Power isn't given. It's taken.

I learned that from my father.

From the moment I could walk, I was trained to be his heir. Business meetings at ten, financial reports at thirteen, negotiations with billionaires before I was old enough to drive.

By the time I turned twenty-one, I had already built an empire of my own. By twenty-five, I had buried my father and taken everything.

Knight Industries is mine. The city bows at my feet.

And love?

Love is a weakness. A liability I refuse to indulge.

My mother died because of it. My father destroyed himself chasing it.

I vowed never to fall into that trap.

But now, she is standing in my company, saying the one thing that could change everything.

She's pregnant.

And for the first time in years, I feel my control slipping.

***********

Victor Morelli

The moment the bedroom door swung open, I knew.

She was gone.

A slow, measured breath left my lips as I took in the empty bed, the open closet, the missing suitcases. Isla had run.

Again.

A sharp crack echoed through the room as I smashed the glass of whiskey in my hand against the wall. The amber liquid bled down the wallpaper, but I barely noticed.

She thinks she can escape me.

I let my anger simmer beneath the surface as I reached for my phone. A few taps, and the call connected.

"She's missing," I said, my voice dangerously calm.

A pause. Then a voice on the other end, rough and wary. "We'll find her."

I already knew that.

"She won't get far." My grip tightened around the phone. "I want her back by the end of the week."

And when I found her?

She would learn what happens to women who betray Victor Morelli.

Elizabeth

I watched from the shadows as Victor paced his office, fury coiling around him like a storm waiting to break. Isla's little stunt had pushed him to the edge, and I loved seeing him like this unraveled, vicious.

The bastard deserved it.

Still, I had to give Isla credit. She'd done something I hadn't managed in years, she'd left.

I smirked, adjusting my silk robe as I leaned against the doorway. "Poor Victor," I mused. "Did your little pet finally slip her leash?"

His sharp gaze snapped to me, dark with warning. "Not now, Elizabeth."

I laughed, stepping into the room. "Oh, but this is my favorite part. The moment you realize you're not as untouchable as you think." I traced a finger along his desk. "She never loved you, you know."

His expression darkened. "Shut up."

"She was waiting for an opportunity to escape." I tilted my head. "Just like I did."

His jaw clenched.

Good. Let him remember that I wasn't one of his playthings anymore.

But unlike Isla, I wasn't running. I was coming back.

Victor Morelli thought he could discard me. That I was just another woman to be forgotten once he was done using her.

He was wrong.

Because soon, I'd be standing exactly where I belonged.

Right beside him.

Isla

I'd imagined this moment a thousand times.

Walking into Knight Industries, standing face-to-face with Adrian Knight, and telling him the truth.

None of my versions ended with me being thrown out by security.

The second the words left my mouth, "I'm pregnant." the entire lobby froze. Heads turned, whispers rippled through the air, and the receptionist's smug expression faltered.

Adrian stopped mid-stride.

His tall, imposing figure towered over the rest of the room. Dressed in a crisp black suit, he looked every bit the powerful billionaire, completely untouchable. His sharp blue eyes locked onto me, unreadable, calculating.

For a moment, I thought, hoped, I saw something flicker in them. But then his gaze darkened.

"Take her out," he ordered.

Two guards stepped forward.

I took a shaky step back, pressing a hand to my stomach. "You can't just ignore this," I said, voice unsteady but determined. "This is your child."

Silence.

Then, in the coldest voice I'd ever heard, he said, "I don't know you."

My heart dropped.

He was really going to pretend I didn't exist? After that night?

I clenched my fists. "Adrian...."

"Out," he snapped, turning away.

I should've expected this. Of course he wasn't going to accept it just like that. He was Adrian Knight-the man who built an empire by shutting people out.

But I wasn't leaving without a fight.

"Fine," I said, lifting my chin. "If you won't listen to me, maybe the press will."

That made him stop.

Slowly, he turned back, eyes glinting with something dangerous.

The guards hesitated, waiting for his next command.

A tense silence stretched between us before he finally spoke. "My office. Now."

*******

Adrian

I slammed the door shut behind us. "You have five minutes."

She crossed her arms. "I don't need five minutes. Just one."

She was exactly how I remembered her. Soft and Stunning.

Too bad that didn't change the fact that she'd just upended my entire life.

I leaned against my desk, arms folded. "Go on, then. Lie to me."

Her jaw tightened. "It's not a lie."

I arched my brow. "We slept together once. One reckless night, and I haven't seen you since. Now, months later, you show up out of nowhere, claiming you're pregnant?"

She swallowed hard. "I didn't plan this."

"That makes two of us."

Her hands trembled slightly, but she clenched them into fists. "I tried to tell you sooner."

"Did you?" I tilted my head. "Because it looks to me like you waited until it was convenient."

Her eyes flashed. "You're an arrogant bastard, you know that?"

I smirked. "I've been told."

She exhaled sharply. "I don't want your money, Adrian."

"Good. Because you're not getting any."

Her face hardened. "I came here because I thought you deserved to know. I thought..." She stopped herself, shaking her head. "You know what? Forget it. I don't know why I expected anything different from you."

I pushed off the desk, closing the distance between us in two steps. "I don't trust people who show up out of nowhere demanding things."

Her chin lifted. "I'm not demanding anything."

"Then why are you here?"

She hesitated.

And in that hesitation, I saw something I hadn't noticed before.

Fear.

Not of me...but of something else.

My gaze narrowed. "Who are you running from?"

She stiffened. "What?"

I took another step closer. "You're scared. And not just of me."

She forced a laugh. "I'm not scared."

Liar.

Something about this didn't add up.

I studied her carefully, noting the tension in her shoulders, the way she kept glancing at the door. She wasn't just here for me. She was hiding.

And suddenly, I wasn't just pissed, I was curious.

Because if this lady was running...

I wanted to know who the hell was chasing her, and why she thinks I will be her saviour if she pretends to be pregnant.

*******

Victor Morelli

"She's close by around the knights estate."

The words sent a sharp thrill through me.

I leaned back in my chair, tapping my fingers against the polished wood of my desk. "Where exactly?"

My informant hesitated. "That... we're still tracking."

I exhaled slowly, forcing patience. Isla thought she was clever. But she was wrong.

I had men everywhere.

She couldn't hide from me forever.

I poured myself a drink, swirling the amber liquid before taking a sip. "Find her. And when you do..." I smiled darkly. "Bring her back."

She belonged to me.

And no one, not even Adrian Knight was going to take her away.

*********

UNKNOWN

I watched the news footage again, a slow smile spreading across my lips.

Isla Carter, standing in the middle of Knight Industries, shouting that she was pregnant.

Oh, this was perfect.

Adrian had always been untouchable. Too cold. Too controlled.

But this? This was chaos.

And if there was one thing I thrived on, it was tearing apart the lives of men who thought they were invincible.

I traced a red-painted nail down the screen, my smile widening.

Adrian, darling... You have no idea what's coming.

***********

Elena Russo

The private jet hummed beneath me, slicing through the clouds as we neared New York City. The skyline stretched ahead, glowing with the endless lights of the city that never slept.

Adrian.

I hadn't seen him in three years.

Not since I left for Milan, not since we last spoke, not since he refused to stop me from leaving.

But things are different now.

Adrian was mine. He always had been, even if he didn't realize it.

I glanced at my phone, scrolling through the latest headlines.

"Mysterious Woman Storms Knight Industries, Claims to Be Pregnant With Adrian Knight's Child."

I scoffed, rolling my eyes.

Isla Carter.

I'd done my research the moment I saw her name pop up. She was nobody. A struggling woman with nothing to her name, nothing to offer, yet she thought she could walk into Adrian's life and demand something from him?

Pathetic.

Adrian didn't do relationships. He didn't do love.

He was cold. Controlled. Unshakable.

And yet...

Something about the way he looked at her in the security footage just for a split second made my stomach twist.

I clenched my jaw.

I had no intention of letting anyone take Adrian from me.

Not a random girl.

Not a baby.

Not fate.

"Ms. Russo," the flight attendant approached with a polite smile. "We'll be landing in twenty minutes."

I nodded, adjusting my designer sunglasses. "Good."

Because it was time to remind Adrian Knight exactly who I was.

And why I was the only woman who would ever belong by his side.

************

Victor Morelli

I gripped the phone so tightly my knuckles turned white.

"She escaped."

The words kept repeating in my head, over and over again, each time sharper than the last.

My jaw clenched as I exhaled slowly, forcing my temper under control. Isla had always been a trouble. Always too wild, too untamed, too stubborn.

But she was mine.

No one ran from me.

No one left me.

And now, not only had she escaped, but she'd gone to him.

Adrian Knight.

That name burned in my throat like poison.

I turned to the man standing before me, one of my most trusted enforcers. "You're telling me she made it all the way to Manhattan?"

"Yes, sir," he said stiffly. "She went straight to Knight Industries."

Of course she did.

She was desperate. And desperate people made stupid mistakes.

I leaned back in my chair, tapping a finger against my desk. "Find her. Watch her. Don't let her out of your sight."

He nodded. "And if she tries to run again?"

I smiled coldly. "She won't."

Because the next time I got my hands on Isla Carter...

She wouldn't be running anywhere.

SHE WILL BE FOREVER TRAPPED WITH ME

Hahahahhahahhahahhahahahhhahahh

Adrian

I stood at the head of the table, surveying the room. "Good morning, shareholders. I trust you've all received the quarterly reports?"

The shareholders nodded in unison.

I got straight to the point. "Our profits are up 5% from last quarter, and we're on track to meet our annual projections."

John raised his hand. "Mr knight, that's impressive, but what about the recent rumors of a potential merger with Smithson Inc.?"

I maintained my neutral expression. "I can neither confirm nor deny those rumors. What I can tell you is that we're constantly exploring opportunities to expand our market share and increase shareholder value."

Maria spoke up, her voice laced with skepticism. "But what about the potential risks involved in such a merger? We can't just ignore the concerns of our investors."

I remained unfazed. "Risks are inherent in any business decision. I assure you, our team has conducted thorough analyses, and we're confident in our ability to deal with any challenges that may arise."

David hesitated before speaking. "I'm not sure I agree with your assessment, Mr. Knight. Perhaps we should consider alternative strategies?"

I felt a hint of annoyance, but my expression remained cold. "I appreciate your input, David. However, I must remind you that I've been running this company successfully for over a decade. I think I know what's best for knights Industries."

The room fell silent, the tension palpable. I glanced at my watch, signaling the end of the meeting. "I believe that's all the time we have for today. Thank you for your attendance, shareholders. I'll have my assistant send over the meeting minutes and supporting documents."

As the shareholders filed out of the conference room, I couldn't help but feel a sense of satisfaction that nobody said anything about the pregnancy news.

*****

Isla

The city was louder than I remembered. Or maybe it was just my pulse hammering in my ears as I sat on the cold, hard bench outside Knight Industries. My hands trembled in my lap, my stomach twisting with nausea that had nothing to do with the pregnancy.

I was in danger.

And Adrian had just thrown me out.

The guards hadn't been gentle. The second he gave the order, they dragged me to the exit, ignoring my protests, my screams, my pleas.

I shouldn't have expected anything else.

Adrian Knight was not a good man.

I'd known that from the moment I met him, from the second his dark gaze landed on me across the crowded, dimly lit bar that night.

That reckless night.

The night that changed everything.

I pressed a shaky hand to my stomach, my body still reeling from the chaos of the last hour.

I needed a plan. I needed to think.

But all I could do was stare at the revolving doors, hoping.

Waiting.

For what?

For Adrian to come storming outside?

For him to realize he made a mistake and demand I come back in?

I laughed bitterly at the thought.

No. He wasn't coming.

And I was running out of time.

Because Victor would find me.

I could already feel his presence like a shadow creeping up my spine. The way his dark eyes would glint with amusement at my failed attempt at freedom.

I needed help.

And the only person powerful enough to protect me... was the same man who had just abandoned me.

*******

Adrian

I shouldn't have looked down the windows.

Shouldn't have stopped at the floor-to-ceiling window in my office, my gaze locked on the small, trembling figure sitting on that bench.

I was supposed to be in another meeting.

Discussing a billion-dollar merger.

Finalizing a contract that would expand Knight Industries across Europe.

But instead, I was watching her.

Isla.

She looked so small out there.

So breakable.

And yet... there was fire in her eyes. Even when she had been shouting at me in the lobby, her voice filled with anger, desperation, and something I didn't want to acknowledge.

Something that made my chest tighten.

I had pushed her away.

I had to.

This wasn't my problem.

I wasn't the type of man who fixed things.

I was the type who destroyed them.

But then why the hell couldn't I look away?

I should have left her there.

Sitting on that bench, shivering in the cold, clinging to whatever hope she still had left.

But I didn't.

Instead, I found myself walking back into the lobby, my voice sharp as I barked out orders to my security.

"Bring her up."

The guards hesitated, glancing at each other.

"Now."

Within minutes, Isla was standing in my office, arms crossed over her chest, chin tilted up defiantly.

I exhaled through my nose, ignoring the way something inside me twisted at the sight of her. She looked exhausted, dark circles under her eyes, her body too thin.

Pregnant.

With my child.

I still wasn't sure if I believed it. But I couldn't ignore the small part of me that wasn't willing to take the risk.

"Come on," I muttered, grabbing my coat.

She frowned. "Where are we going?"

"You need a place to stay."

"I'm fine on my own," she shot back.

I leveled her with a glare. "Clearly."

Her lips pressed together, but she followed me out of the building and into the waiting black car.

I told myself it was temporary.

A business transaction.

I'd give her a place to stay, figure out if she was telling the truth, and then... deal with it accordingly.

But nothing about Isla Carter was simple.

Isla

The second I sat in Adrian's sleek, expensive car, a wave of nausea rolled over me.

Not from morning sickness.

From hunger.

"Are you okay?" Adrian asked, his voice laced with annoyance.

I swallowed hard. "I need to eat."

"We'll get food when we get home."

I shook my head frantically. "No. Now."

He exhaled sharply, rubbing his temples. "Fine. What do you want?"

I thought for a second.

"Pickles."

He blinked. "Pickles?"

"And peanut butter."

His jaw tightened. "Pickles and peanut butter?"

"And maybe... ice cream?" I added sheepishly.

Adrian stared at me like I had just asked him to burn down his company.

"You're joking."

I folded my arms. "You asked me what I wanted."

He ran a hand down his face, muttering a string of curses under his breath.

Then, before I could react, he pulled the car over to the curb and unlocked the doors.

"Get out."

I blinked. "What?"

"You heard me," he said flatly. "If you're going to make ridiculous demands, find someone else to deal with them."

I opened my mouth, then closed it.

Then I did the only thing I could think of.

I started crying.

Not on purpose. Not as some manipulation tactic.

But because I was exhausted.

Because I was pregnant, alone, and scared out of my mind.

Adrian cursed again, this time softer.

Then, to my complete shock, he reached across the seat and grabbed my wrist, pulling me back inside.

"Stop crying," he muttered.

I sniffed. "Then stop being a jerk."

His lips pressed into a thin line, but he didn't argue.

Instead, he put the car back in drive.

"Pickles and peanut butter, huh?" he murmured.

I nodded.

His knuckles tightened around the wheel.

"This is going to be hell."