Amara instinctively took a step back, her voice trembling as she shouted, "What are you doing here?"


    Hogan didn''t answer. His eyes, wild and hungry, fixed on her with a predator''s intensity. Desire shimmered beneath the surface, raw and overwhelming, as if he''d finally cornered his prey after a relentless pursuit.


    At that moment, Amara became acutely aware of the strange sensations in her own body—a slow, tingling heat spreading through her lower abdomen. She was no naive girl; she understood exactly what her body was craving, and the realization made her eyes widen in fear as she started to shake.


    Frantically, she reyed the events leading up to this in her mind.


    Earlier, Mr. Kevin Everly had personally poured her a ss of fruit wine. He''d mentioned he knew she couldn''t drink alcohol, and that she disliked cold drinks, so he''d brought a bottle of low-alcohol fruit wine and even had it gently warmed for her. He urged her to try just a sip.


    As a pregnant woman, Amara knew better than to drink any alcohol, no matter how mild. But she couldn''t very well exin her situation to Mr. Everly, so she''d only taken the tiniest sip. Could it be that the wine was spiked?


    She was certain the sabotage hadn''te from Mr. Everly-after all, he''d always hoped she''d reconcile with Hogan, not end up in this situation. Someone else had tampered with her drink. But who?


    Meanwhile, Hogan''s behavior was spiraling. His eyes zed a feverish red, his expression clouded and distant, as if he were losing his grip on reality.


    Terror surged through Amara. She fumbled for her phone, desperate to call for help, but before she could dial, she screamed-Hogan lunged at her, head dipping low, trying to kiss her.


    She swung at him, her fistnding hard against his jaw. "Get off me! Don''t touch me!" she spat, struggling to push him away.


    But Amara''s strength was no match for Hogan''s. He pinned her easily, looming over her as he tried to press himself closer.


    Her heart pounded so hard it felt like it might burst right through her chest. She could not-would not let anything happen between them. The very thought made her sick.


    Just as Hogan''s face came


    dangerously close, Amara


    remembered the precautions she''d taken. She''d always known that a single woman out alone had to be ready for anything. With shaking hands, she pulled a stun gun from her purse and jabbed it into Hogan''s side, sending a jolt through him.


    Hogan copsed to the floor, unconscious. Gasping for breath, Amara scrambled


    out onto the balcony and hurriedly slid the door shut behind her.


    She''d escaped for now. But there was no lock on the balcony door, and she had no idea how long Hogan woe qut cold or if hed be lucid when he woke. Her hands trembled as she pulled out her phone again to call for help.


    Nothing. No signal. Was there a signal jammer in the apartment?


    She pressed herself against the window, peering desperately down. She was on


    the fourth floor-there was no way she could jump.<fndb30> Readplete version only at find·novel</fndb30>


    Panic wed at her. What could she possibly do?


    Then, a chilling realization struck her. Someone had set this up, targeting both her


    and Hogan. The drug they''d been given was likely the same.


    It was sheer luck that Mr. Everly had brought fruit wine for her tonight. Whoever had nned this didn''t know she was pregnant and wouldn''t drink much, so they''d spiked the wine, assuming she''d finish it all.


    But because she''d only taken the tiniest sip, the drug''s effects were milder for her. If the ss had held any other beverage something she might have drunk more of-shed be as helpless and out of control as Hogan was now.