Don't Escape, My Contract Bride

Chapter 3 Damien Made the Rules

The men on the couches burst into a cacophony of wolf whistles and rowdy cheers.

Damien Voss, the man who never lost a drinking game, had just been challenged.

To them, this was already a spectacle, but what really got them excited was the fact that Damien who never entertained women in places like this. Seemed willing to make an exception tonight.

The bartender quickly set up two rows of whiskey shots, just as Raine had requested.

Truth be told, Raine's tolerance for alcohol was mediocre at best. What she did know, however, were little tricks to feign drinking in situations like this.

But what she hadn't anticipated was the dozen pairs of watchful eyes glued to her every move.

She had no choice but to grit her teeth and play along.

After a few drinks, she felt the room begin to blur, her head growing heavy and her thoughts slowing.

She tried discreetly spitting out the liquor a couple of times, but it was no use. The whiskey was far too strong.

Meanwhile, Damien took his sweet time, casually swirling his drink like he was savoring the finest of wines. He even slowed down deliberately, as if mocking the very idea of competition.

'Is he doing this to humiliate me?' Raine wondered.

But there was no backing down now. Her only thought was to get out of this godforsaken place, no matter the cost.

The door to the suite slammed open, the force reverberating through the room.

Malcolm's men stormed in, their heavy boots echoing ominously.

The unexpected interruption silenced the room.

"There you are, you little b***h!"

Raine's heart leaped into her throat. She hadn't expected them to find her so quickly.

As Malcolm's men advanced toward her, she acted on instinct. Snatching a bottle from the table, she smashed it against the edge, brandishing the jagged remains like a weapon. In one swift motion, she pressed the broken glass to Damien's neck.

The atmosphere in the room shifted instantly. The unmistakable sound of guns being c****d filled the air, sending a cold sweat down Raine's spine. She didn't need to be an expert to recognize the sound of safeties being disengaged.

'I've really screwed up this time,' she thought, panic setting in.

Leaning closer to Damien, she whispered urgently, "I'm sorry, sir. I didn't mean to involve you. Please cooperate, and I promise I won't hurt you."

Raising her voice, she yelled at the others, "Stay back! If anyone comes near me, I swear I'll kill him!"

It wasn't what she wanted, but it was the only option left.

No one moved.

Raine glanced at Damien, whose expression betrayed no fear or anger. Instead, to her bewilderment, there was a trace of amusement in his eyes. Was he... smiling? She blinked, certain her vision was playing tricks on her. By the time she focused again, his mouth had returned to a neutral line.

At that moment, Malcolm himself entered the room, cursing under his breath.

He pressed a bloodied towel to his forehead, his eyes blazing with fury as he scanned the room.

"Where is she?!" he snarled.

"She's over there," one of his men said, pointing to where Raine stood behind Damien.

Malcolm's gaze landed on her, murderous intent radiating from him. He began to advance, but when his eyes met Damien's, he froze.

His anger dissolved instantly, replaced by a forced calm. It was almost comical how quickly he shifted gears.

"Mr. Voss," Malcolm said, his tone suddenly pleasant, almost deferential. "I apologize for the disturbance."

"Voss? Damien Voss?

Raine turned to look at the man she'd been threatening, her hand trembling. The jagged glass in her grip nearly nicked his jaw as realization dawned on her."

This was the infamous mob boss, the man Malcolm intended to hand her over to as a plaything.

'Of all the people in the world,' she thought, feeling like the ground had fallen out from under her.

Malcolm's lips twisted into a dark grin. "Well, since you're interested, Mr. Voss, consider her my gift to you." He shot Raine a venomous glare before turning to leave.

But Damien wasn't about to let him off so easily.

"What's the rush?" Damien asked, his voice soft but chilling. "You think you can waltz in here, cause a scene, and just leave?"

His men moved swiftly, surrounding Malcolm and his group before they could react.

"Voss, this isn't how things work," Malcolm hissed, his hand sliding to the gun at his waist.

"How things work?" Damien repeated, arching a brow. His voice dropped a degree colder. "Have you forgotten something?"

He leaned back slightly, his tone deadly calm. "Around here, I make the rules."

Snapping his fingers, Damien signaled to his men. His voice, though low, carried a lethal edge.

"And since you've intruded on my territory, you'll have to pay the price. And the price will be... them."

Malcolm didn't have time to reply. Three shots rang out, and before he could process what had happened, his men crumpled to the floor in pools of blood.

Damien waved a dismissive hand. "Now you can go."

Malcolm stood frozen amidst the c*****e, his face pale as death. With one last hateful glance at Damien and Raine, he turned and stormed out.

Raine was paralyzed with shock.

She had only wanted to use Damien as a distraction to escape, not witness a m******e.

Her thoughts were interrupted when she felt a hand close around her wrist. She looked down and found herself staring into Damien's smirking face.

"So," he drawled, his tone dripping with mockery. "What was that about showing me a fountain?"

Raine's heart skipped a beat. She tried to pull away, but he tugged her forward, and she stumbled into his chest.

His warmth seeped through her skin, his clean, cool scent filling her senses. She wasn't sure if it was fear or something else, but her heart began to race.

"Sweetie," Damien said softly, his hand brushing her cheek, "I have to admit, you're quite brave. Thanks to you, I got rid of a few pests I've been meaning to deal with. But..."

He paused, his fingers tilting her chin upward.

"The bottle you smashed was very expensive. Clearly, you don't understand the cost of your actions."

Raine swallowed nervously.

Damien rose to his full height, his broad shoulders and towering frame casting a shadow over her.

Without taking his eyes off her, he issued a curt command to his men. "Take her to my room."