I swallow the lump in my throat and square my shoulders. "Then I suppose I should get some sleep."
Ford hesitates for half a second before nodding.
And with that, he turns and leaves, the door clicking shut behind him.
I stand in the silent room, my pulse hammering in my ears. Then, with slow, deliberate movements, I cross to the grand mirror above the fireplace. My reflection stares back at me, calm, composed, untouchable.
A perfect daughter.
A perfect pawn.
But beneath it all, I feel it. A flicker of something restless, something dangerous. I’m not sure I can let myself go down without a fight.
Chapter three
Hayden Herron
Iwas never supposed to want her, and nowwantisn’t the strongest word to convey what I feel.
Martine Huntington-Russell was meant to be another calculated move in a life built on control. But then she walked into the room, sharp-eyed, untouchable, carrying her last name like a blade rather than a burden, and I realized I wanted to be the one who held the hilt.
Initially, I found her menial association with my long-term goal annoying, but curiosity quickly replaced irritation. Now, I find myself imagining how her pretty clothes would look rumpled, or how it might feel to lick her face.
I want to see her crawl through the mud on her hands and knees toward me. I want to watch her tears mix with her spit. I’d like to know the color and taste of her blood.
Will she obey me when I tell her to crawl to me? Will she reach for me in the night, only to find her hands and legs already tied to our bed?
Martine is incredibly fragile beneath her sharp exterior, her attitude fierce enough to distract a lesser man from her vulnerability. She doesn't belong to me, literally, but she will. And in some ways, she always has.
I watch from a distance as the car carrying her pulls into the driveway of her family's estate. I always know exactly where she is. Leaning back into the leather seat of my own vehicle, my fingers curl around the untouched glass of vodka, ice cracking gently against crystal.
Her father is throwing another one of their parties, and she’s heading straight into the lion’s den. Ford and Dex, with all their righteousness, have no idea what they've unleashed by agreeing to my terms. If Martine were smarter, she would have seen this coming.
But instead of running as I expect her to, she sharpens herself. Stands taller. Meets the storm head-on, even knowing it will consume her. I can already imagine how satisfying it'll be when her defiance breaks, when the pride in those eyes melts into desperation, when her sharp tongue begs instead of challenges, when her lips quiver instead of pursing proudly.
I could admire her fight if it weren’t so fucking foolish of her. If the desire to crush that resolve beneath my shoe or my calloused hands weren't stronger.
I glance toward the Huntington-Russell estate entrance, a place I know like the back of my hand, and feel nothing but anticipation for the evening.
The siblings move with practiced assurance. Ford walks beside Martine, his grip firm on her elbow as if reassuring himself she’ll follow instructions. Dex trails slightly behind, alert and cautious with both hands tucked into his slacks.
Martine walks with a certainty tinged with arrogance. But beneath it, I can see the tension ride her shoulders; her pressed lips betray hidden discomfort.
Fear? Not quite.
Doubt.
She wonders what exactly awaits her, and I almost catch myself feeling bad for what’s to come.
I step out of my car, adjusting my jacket cuffs, drawing her attention. Her gaze searches around, sharp as a blade, but she doesn’t see me, so I smirk at her anyway. Because Martine Huntington-Russell doesn’t know it yet, but she's already mine.
The Bonesmen do not deal in mercy. Loyalty is not freely given. It's bought with blood and sealed by much more. Ford and Dex understand that. Their father does not.
The old man thought himself untouchable, powerful enough to order his own sons' deaths without consequence. He forgot true power isn’t wealth or lineage, it's decisiveness, the cold certainty to end a life without hesitation and leave before the body hits the ground.
That’s where I come in.
Ford and Dex approached me with their offer. I accepted without question, not for money or loyalty, but because I wanted her. They asked me so simply, unaware that I was already working on it.
