married to the ruthless ceo

chapter 11

*Married to the Ruthless CEO - Chapter 11: The Bullet Meant For Me*

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The muzzle flash was the last thing I saw before everything went black.

Pain exploded in my shoulder. Hot. Wet.

I hit the ground hard, concrete scraping my cheek.

"Lia!"

Damien’s voice sounded far away. Muffled. Like I was underwater.

Strong arms scooped me up. His chest. His cologne mixed with the smell of gunpowder and blood. My blood.

"Don’t you dare close your eyes." He growled in my ear. His hands were shaking as he pressed his suit jacket against my shoulder. "Stay with me. Look at me."

I tried to. His face was pale in the flickering dock light. For the first time since I married him, Damien Voss looked scared.

The SUVs were still there. Men shouting. More gunshots.

Adrian was gone. Vanished into the fog like the ghost he was supposed to be.

"Who... who are they?" I whispered. Blood was in my mouth. Metallic.

Damien was already dragging me to the car. He laid me across the backseat and peeled out, tires screaming.

"Enemies. Mine." His voice was clipped. Controlled. But his hands on the wheel were white. "They found out about you. About the baby."

I clutched my stomach with my good hand. "The baby is okay? The baby is—"

"The baby is fine." He cut me off, glancing at me in the rearview. "You’re going to be fine too. Don’t you dare die on me, Lia. Do you hear me?"

Tears burned my eyes. "Why did he say the baby could be his?"

Damien’s jaw clenched. For a second, I thought he wouldn’t answer.

"Because three years ago, you were with him." He said it flat. No emotion. "And because I don’t know yet either."

The words hit harder than the bullet.

I wanted to argue. To scream. But the pain was pulling me under.

The hospital was chaos. Nurses, bright lights, Damien barking orders like he owned the place. Which he probably did.

"Gunshot wound. Right shoulder. She’s pregnant. 12 weeks. Get OB down here NOW."

They wheeled me away from him. I reached out. "Damien—"

"I’m right here." He grabbed my hand, not letting go even as they pushed me into surgery. "I’m not leaving you. Not this time."

Anesthesia pulled me under to the sound of his voice. Low. Furious. Promising.

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I woke up to beeping.

White ceiling. IV in my arm. My shoulder was wrapped tight and throbbing.

And Damien.

Asleep in the chair beside my bed. Still in his dirty suit. One hand holding mine like if he let go I’d disappear.

The door opened quietly. A nurse slipped in.

"She’s awake," she whispered. "Mr. Voss, she’s awake."

His eyes snapped open instantly. No grogginess. No hesitation.

"How is she?"

"The baby is fine. Strong heartbeat." The nurse smiled. "And the bullet missed anything vital. She’s lucky."

Damien exhaled like he’d been holding his breath for hours. He turned to me.

"Lia."

"Adrian." My voice was hoarse. "He’s alive."

"I know." His thumb brushed over my knuckles. "And we’re going to deal with him. But first, we need to talk."

"About what?"

"About why someone tried to kill you tonight." His eyes went hard. "And about the paternity test I ordered an hour ago."

My heart stopped. "You—"

"Because I need to know." He leaned forward, elbows on the bed. Voice low. "Is it mine? Or is it his?"

Before I could answer, my phone on the bedside table lit up.

Unknown number.

A text message.

`You should have died tonight, Lia. Next time, I won’t miss. And the baby will be mine either way.`

Damien saw it too. His whole body went rigid.

He picked up the phone, read it, and threw it across the room. It shattered against the wall.

"Get dressed." He said quietly. Dangerously quiet. "We’re leaving. Now."

"Where are we going?"

He looked at me. And for the first time, I saw real fear in Damien Voss’s eyes.

"Somewhere they can’t find us. Because they’re not after me anymore, Lia."

"They’re after the baby."

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