THE PRICE OF PROTECTION
836 Words
Ava – The Shadow That Follows
Ava wasn't paranoid. At least, she hadn't been.
But since that dinner with Damien, since she'd seen just how deep he was in this world, something had shifted.
At first, it was small things. A car parked too long in front of her apartment. A figure that seemed to be lurking from afar but vanished the moment she turned around.
She had talked herself into believing she was dreaming it.
Until tonight.
Tonight, she knew she was being tailed.
She picked up her pace, her heels thudding against the pavement as she weaved through the city streets. The bar had been too crowded, too loud, and she had needed space to breathe.
Now, she wished she had remained there.
Ava glanced over her shoulder. Dark hoodie. Wide shoulders. Keeping pace with hers.
Her heart raced.
She was not just watched.
She was stalked.
Panic rose in her throat, but she forced it back down. She had to stay calm, had to think.
Her phone was in her purse. She could call someone—Lena. No, Lena would probably be with Xander.
Damien.
The thought made her stomach turn over, but before she could even make a decision, the shape behind her picked up speed.
Ava fled.
She barely made it two steps before an iron grip closed around her wrist, yanking her into the shadows of an alley.
She gasped, twisting, kicking, but the man’s grip was like steel.
“Let me go!” she snarled, her nails digging into his skin.
A deep chuckle sent a chill down her spine. “Oh, sweetheart,” the man purred. “You’ve been causing quite a stir.”
Ava froze.
That voice.
It wasn’t just some random stalker.
This was someone who knew exactly who she was.
And worse—someone who wished she did too.
---
Damien – A Line Crossed
Damien's phone rang once. Twice.
He barely glanced at the number before answering.
"What?" he snarled.
Nothing.
Then—
"Damen?" Ava's voice was breathless, trembling.
He was already up off the couch before she'd even gotten his name out. "Where are you?"
Pause. Then, a man's voice. Amused. Threatening.
"You should really keep better track of your toys, Lancaster."
Damien's body went rigid.
The blood in his veins turned to ice.
Because he knew that voice.
Daman wasn't hurting like this because his father was dead.
And if that son of a b***h had touched her—
The phone was hung up.
For a moment the world was silent.
Then Damien was moving.
His gun was in his hand before he hit the door.
Because there were a lot of things he could live with.
But someone taking what was his?
That was a death sentence.
---
Lena & Xander – A Clue Wrapped in Blood
Lena slapped the file on Xander's desk. "You knew."
Xander raised a brow. "You'll have to be more specific."
She pushed the papers in front of him. "That my father was executed."
Xander leaned back, completely unruffled. "Yes."
Lena's heart was racing. "And you didn't think I had a right to know?"
Xander exhaled, watching her cautiously. "You think I was withholding it from you."
Waves of anger rolled through her. "You weren't?"
No, Xander said bluntly. "I was watching out for whoever hired the hit—until I knew who exactly it was."
Lena's breath caught.
Because that meant one thing.
Xander wasn't looking for answers.
He was looking for revenge.
---
Ava – No Longer Prey
Ava was pressed against a brick wall, the rough surface scratching her skin.
The man who had kidnapped her—a stranger with a smile that seemed so familiar—tilted his head.
"You look just like your mother," he said.
Ava's breath hung.
"What?
The man's smile expanded. "Oh, you don't know, do you?"
Ava's heart pounded.
What the devil was he even talking about?
Before she could insist on answers, shots echoed outside the alley.
The man cursed, whirling around to the noise.
And in that moment, Ava moved.
She didn't think—she acted.
Her knee came up, slamming into his ribs. He growled, grip just loosening enough for her to slip away.
She ran.
But before she could get far, strong arms wrapped around her.
She fought—until she heard the voice.
“Ava. It’s me.”
Damien.
She froze.
Then his grip tightened, pulling her against his chest. “You’re safe,” he murmured. “I’ve got you.”
Ava shook, adrenaline still coursing through her. “I—he—”
Damien’s voice was lethal. “I know.”
He turned his head, eyes locking on the man who had taken her.
The man was already bleeding, a gunshot to the leg, but Damien cared not.
Because this?
This wasn't done.
Not until the man paid for crossing her.
Not until everyone knew that Ava Sinclair was under his protection.
And in Damien's world…
That meant she was his.
- Writer
