EUPHORIA : A SECOND CHANCE AT LOVE

"Working overtime again? Haven't you heard that's bad for your health both physically and mentally my dear handsome Amory Roman?" A deep voice drawled in the dark.

I had no weapon to protect myself as I closed the door of his apartment. I cursed at my foolish decision in the morning to leave my gun in the bedroom safe and not carry a weapon home. The damn day must be cursed since I had an intruder in my condo.

I remained still waiting for any movement, waiting for him to attack, but the man sitting at my desk by the window did not move an inch. Resigning myself to the fact that the intruder was already here, and there was nothing I could do, I walked to the corner of the condo and switched on the living room lights.

In the sudden glow of lights, the man smiled. There was no way to describe him other than he was fucking handsome. His eyes pierced through mine and his smile showed how sexy his lips were. The mole below his lips made my mouth water and catch my breath. I was instantly attracted and drawn to him so that I forgot the current predicament of him being an intruder. The intruder smirked at my apparent scrutiny, and I managed to snap "Is there a more appropriate reaction when confronting an intruder?"

The man laughed and the sound that came out of his mouth was husky, sweet, and like an aphrodisiac. He leaned back in the chair by the window, looking like he belonged there.

"Intruder?" he drawled. He then cast a sly smile and winked. "Unless your heart wants me to intrude into it. Am sure your body would" He flirtatiously stated while his eyes shamelessly raked my body from head to toe.

"Breaking into a detective's home? You sure are brave. Do you know that you can be arrested?” I threatened him.

"Detective Amory Roman," he responded with a nod ignoring the threat. "Ten commendations for excellence in the last two years, the most decorated detective in Beijing, plus three demerits for being a general bastard to his superiors. Intriguing and damn sexy"

The statement made me annoyed. Of all the things I hated people who ran a background check on me to use it as leverage. And the man had just done that. I walked towards the desk and stood towering over him without any ounce of fear.

"Who the fuck are you?" I demanded.

He smiled. Smug, settled, calculating. "You're a clever man, Amory Roman. You can guess" he stated boastfully. And then he stood up and walked towards me and stood towering over me in confidence.

"So many crimes in the city for the last two years," he looked down at me from his long lashes. "I am a fair boss. But I like to operate in a city that has low crime. The government is not ready to do anything about it or is involved. And my organization will not grow at this rate. I cannot have my members remain stagnant and businesses with slow growth or no growth a lot. We need to expand."

"Organization," I tried to rack my brain with what his statement meant. It then hit me, and I took a step back "You're with the mob." I started in shock.

He laughed and it sounded husky, warm, and cheeky. " I AM THE MOB," he drawled, and smirked at me" Milo Bastian, at your service, ready to overturn the government with me, darling?"

For a moment it was impossible to believe what I was hearing.

"Overturn?" I yelled at him in disbelief. Everyone had heard of Milo Bastian. But the guy standing in front of me was not the description the force had been given. He was young, cheeky, and beautiful. His face was no representation of a mob leader. What kind of mob leader looked like this? From the information I had, the Mob in Beijing has all the territories on the docks. They did business and had never been arrested for anything illegal.

While I was getting over the shock, Bastian waved his hand like that was of no consequence. "Only the corrupt leaders and office-bearers," he answered like he had read my mind. "It's an offer you can't refuse, Amory Roman. Not unless you want to spend the rest of your life working cold cases. Or maybe unless you want to continue dealing with crime after crime."

"If you're threatening me-, "I sneered.

He pressed fingers on my lips to silence me. "No darling," he stated, and it was the first flicker of perfect seriousness I witnessed from him. It was enough to shift his demeanor from a seducing siren to a dominant boss." I don't want any more harm brought to this city. As the Mob, we know our limits. But if the government and high-level businessmen get greedy, it will not be safe for women and children. Part of our code is to protect our women and children. That's why I need your help. I am here to seek unity with you to make the city a little bit bearable."

Fuck his offer was too good to be true. How could I refuse it? With all the medals and accolades, crime in the city was still rising. The wealthy businessmen and the government made it difficult for me. I could make a change by getting reinforcements from the mob if they were within the law. And this was a reminder as to why I joined the force. But my sixth sense told me, there was more to the offer. Maybe the Mob leader just wanted to wipe out the competition. But what did I have to lose?

"If you dare to play me, I will drag you to the station in handcuffs and have you locked up for good," I stated firmly.

"Deal," Milo Bastian forced a breath out, then inclined his head in shock like he had not expected me to accept the proposal so quickly.

"We will have to establish a time and place for a meeting—" I said but Milo Bastian had other ideas in mind as he moved closer and pressed himself against me draping his arms around my neck "I don't plan on hiding like a rat. I have a better idea. Since everyone knows am gay, I will appear to be trying to hit on you.”

My body vibrated and the reaction was instant.

"Can you sell the act; the force would see through you? “I deflected and yet all I could feel was the hardness of my body pressed together with his. Milo Bastian smelled divine and was a pure distraction.

"Act?" Bastian whispered, close enough to kiss. "Oh, Amory Roman, I have poor acting skills." His meaning was clear. He was seducing me.

It was hard to breathe. Hard to swallow, hard to think. Those eyes were too clever, I stared up into his eyes, knowing I should have objected, but—my body did not obey my thoughts. If it was someone else, I would have already arrested them. Before I could finish my thoughts Milo Bastian pressed his lips against mine and stood staring deep into his eyes.

A dare? Yes.

"I will take your silence to mean that you agree," he whispered and grabbed my chin forcing my mouth open, and kissed me deeply before he could object. Slow and soft and sweet, testing, exploring and seconds turned into minutes, I got lost in the kiss as we stood in a deep passionate embrace tasting each other, Bastian moaned into the kiss and the sound snapped me out of the haze and I pushed back, " Not this way."

Milo Bastian looked wild and ready to pounce. His eyes burned into the mine demanding and on fire. After a minute he retreated and took a step back.

" Take it easy. Am leaving. I have left my card on your desk. I will get in touch with you tomorrow with more details. Sweet dreams darling" Within seconds Bastian, he walked out of the apartment.

“What the hell just happened?” I murmured to myself.

Cursing I walked to my desk and a black card with Milo Bastian's number was placed in the center. Switching on my computer, I checked the CCTV footage. The man bastard Milo Bastian opens my house with a card and then sat at the desk for an hour before I got home. How did the damn bastard obtain a key card?

A ding on my phone interrupted my questioning mind as a message came from an unknown number. " Here is my file before you ask your team to do a background check on me. Your sweet darling Bastian."

I chucked and cursed " fucking bastard" yet I was inclined to open the document.

Milo Bastian's film was impressive. The damn bastard was a bookworm, he studied for years, and his wealth was unimaginable. He owned businesses, malls, and condominiums and the list was endless. Did he send me the file to brag or what?

I walked out of the apartment, into the management office, and requested a change in the lock. Having Milo Bastian acce