My mouth dried. My hands twitched at my sides. I cut a frantic glance at the man I’d once given my heart and body to. But like always, Callum gave nothing. Just watched as the bully moved.
His grip came fast—fingers clamping around my wrist like a vice.
“Where. Is. It?”
I yanked back. Twisted hard.
Callum moved then, but not to help me. He was all shadows and control, grabbing my other arm.
“Don’t,” he muttered. Not to the man. To me. “Should’ve brought the book, Cloe. Should’ve bought the damn book.”
His voice wasn’t angry. It was tired. Like this was already done.
I kicked. Screamed. Fought like panic was the only thing left in my chest.
“I HAVE IT OKAY!”
That stopped everything.
My breath tore from my lungs, hot and sharp. Desperation roared inside me. But it wasn’t desperation for me. It was to try to undo all I’d done—to protect the man I’d fallen for.
“I have it,” I panted. “I’ll give it to you. But you have to tell Selene—this is it.”
They said nothing. I swallowed hard.
“She’s to leave them alone. All of them. Barron included. I’ll show you where it is, I swear, just—this is it. No more threats, no more blackmail…no more,” I met his stare. “No more debts.”
The man stared at me like I was nothing more than paperwork. Then, behind him—red and blue lights. A cruiser slowed at the end of the block.
The alley froze.
I stopped breathing. His grip on my jaw tightened. Callum dragged me back deeper into shadow, his fingers digging into my shoulder.
The enforcer shoved me to the wall, breath hot against my ear. “Make a fucking sound and you’re dead, got it?”
I got it.
Real well.
We waited. My face smashed against the pitted brick wall so hard my teeth left indents in my mouth.
Red. Blue. Red. Blue.
The light strobed across the alley. The cop car paused. Engine low.
I wanted to scream. I tried. Bucked hard as I could, thrashing my head to work out of his grip. My jaw wouldn’t open. Blood filled my throat. The car rolled on. Didn’t stop. Didn’t look. Didn’t save. And when the light vanished?—
They started.
My attacker yanked me forward by the hoodie, dragging me forward. Then he slammed my head into the wall. Once. Twice. The pain exploded behind my eyes. My cheekbone crackedagainst brick. Everything went white. I felt the alley. But I saw glass. Wolfe’s office. His hands braced on either side of my hips. His breath behind my ear.
You know who you belong to?
Gone.
I was back in the alley. Back in my body. And my body was breaking. The man threw me down onto the concrete. I tried to roll, but his boot caught my side. Agony ripped through me. A crunch.
I screamed. The sound bounced between the walls like it didn’t belong to me. He crouched beside me and drove his fist into my ribs. Again. Again. My body bucking under the blows. I curled. Tried to protect my stomach. My chest. My face.
