Chapter 5 - THE UNBREAKABLE VOWWilla’s legs felt like water. The adrenaline was draining out of her, leaving behind a cold, shivering shock. She sank down onto the edge of a velvet couch, burying her face in her hands.
A moment later, a heavy jacket draped over her shoulders. It smelled of expensive cedar, gun oil, and rain.
She looked up. Jared was kneeling on one knee in front of her, checking her hands to ensure she wasn't hurt.
"Are you bleeding?" he asked, his voice stripped of its usual icy armor, replaced by a raw, urgent concern.
"No," Willa whispered, shaking her head. "I'm just... I thought I was free, Jared. I thought running away was enough."
"Running away is never enough," Jared said quietly, his thumb gently brushing away a smudge of soot from her cheek. "You can't outrun wolves by hiding in the woods, Willa. You have to become the apex predator, or you have to stand beside one."
Willa stared into his flinty eyes. There was no mistaking the implication now. This wasn't just a temporary shelter; this was a trap crafted of gold and absolute protection.
"And if I say no?" Willa tested, her chin lifting defiantly. "If I want to walk out of here when the sun comes up and go back to my clinic?"
Jared didn't blink. "You can try. But Brendan will be waiting outside. And every rival syndicate in New York knows my men escorted you here tonight. You are tied to me now, Willa. Whether you want to be or not."
It was brutal honesty. No sugarcoating. No false promises of fairy-tale romance. It was a mafia boss laying his cards on the table.
Before Willa could reply, a heavy weight pressed against her legs.
She looked down. Ghost had dragged himself across the floor, resting his massive silver head directly across her ankles, locking her in place. The dog let out a deep, contented sigh, looking up at her with clear, bright eyes that had completely lost their defeated look.
Jared watched the dog, then looked back at Willa. A slow, rare ghost of a smile touched the corner of his lips.
"Even Ghost voted," Jared murmured.
Willa let out a breathless, half-hysterical laugh. She looked at the ruined elevator, then at the sprawling city outside the glass, and finally down at the massive dog who had chosen her to anchor him back to life.
She reached up, her fingers gripping the lapels of Jared’s expensive jacket, pulling him just an inch closer.
"If I stay," Willa whispered, her voice steady and laced with fierce resolve, "I'm not going to be your pet, Jared. I'm going to be your equal."
May you like
Jared’s eyes flared with a dark, burning intensity. He didn't smile, but his grip on her wrist tightened, solid and unyielding.
"Deal," he said.
