A Cage of Gold
908 Words
The ride back to Caius’s penthouse is silent.
Not because I don’t have anything to say.
Infact, I do have a lot to say. But I'm scared of what might happen if I open my mouth.
And right now, I can’t afford that.
Caius hasn’t let go of my wrist since he dragged me out of the Black Orchid. His grip isn’t bruising, but it’s firm. Possessive. A warning.
I stare at the passing city lights through the tinted windows, my mind racing.
Damien Renard had answers. And now, thanks to Caius, I’ve lost my chance to get them.
I finally exhale, forcing my voice to stay calm. “You’re overreacting.”
Caius doesn’t even look at me. “You don’t understand the kind of game you just walked into.”
I clench my jaw. “Then explain it to me.”
I'm met with silence.
I turn to him, barely keeping my frustration in check. “Caius...”
His hand moves before I see it, fingers gripping my chin, forcing me to face him.
His touch isn’t gentle.
His eyes burn into mine.
“You don’t talk to Damien Renard.”
His voice is calm. Too calm.
My pulse stutters, but I refuse to back down. “And why is that?”
Caius leans in, his breath warm against my skin.
“Because if you do, you won’t live long enough to regret it.”
A shiver runs down my spine.
But I refuse to let him see it.
So instead, I smirk. “Is that a threat?”
Caius tilts his head, considering me. Then, ever so softly...
“It’s a promise.”
For the rest of the ride, I realize just how little I truly know about the man holding my fate in his hands.
I don’t look at him for the rest of the ride. My thoughts are a storm, my body still humming with adrenaline. When the car finally stops, the sight of the penthouse barely registers. But as I step inside, reality crashes back into place.
He releases me the moment we step inside.
I rub my wrist, glaring at him. “You don’t get to control me.”
Caius shrugs off his jacket, unbuttoning the cuffs of his sleeves. “That’s where you’re wrong, little heir.”
I stiffen.
“Until this marriage is done,” he continues, rolling up his sleeves, “you belong to me.”
I hate the way his words make my stomach tighten.
I fold my arms. “So what now? You lock me away? Keep me hidden like some caged bird?”
Caius smirks. “Tempting.”
I grit my teeth. “I’m not your prisoner.”
His smirk vanishes.
He steps closer, his presence overwhelming. “Then stop acting like one.”
I blink. “What?”
Caius lifts a finger, tracing the edge of my jaw. Not gently, not cruelly. Just enough to make my breath hitch.
“You think you’re helpless,” he murmurs. “That you’re at my mercy.”
I stay silent, but my pulse betrays me.
He leans in. “So prove me wrong.”
Before I can respond, his phone buzzes.
Caius pulls it out, frowning at the screen.
Then, his entire demeanor shifts.
Tension coils through his body, his jaw tightening.
I step back. “What?”
His grip on the phone tightens.
Then, without looking at me.
”We are leaving first thing tomorrow.”
My stomach drops. “Why? Where to?”
Caius’s gaze is dark. Unreadable.
“Because I need to guarantee your safety.”
Something in his tone sends ice through my veins.
I swallow hard. “Did something happen?”
He hesitates. Just for a second.
“Someone broke into your apartment.”
The world tilts.
I take a step back. “That’s… impossible.”
Caius doesn’t blink. “Nothing’s impossible.”
I shake my head. “But...but I have security. Cameras. How...”
His voice is quiet. “They didn’t take anything, Zariah.”
I freeze.
Caius watches me carefully, his next words slow. Deliberate.
“They left something.”
My heartbeat pounds in my ears. “What?”
Caius steps forward, pressing the phone into my hand.
The screen is open to a text message.
I force myself to look.
It’s a photo.
Of my bedroom. My bed. My pillows.
Stained in red.
A single note sits on top.
“Run, little heir.”
My breath catches.
Caius takes the phone back, slipping it into his pocket.
“We leave in the morning.”
I force myself to breathe. “Where are we going?”
His lips curl as into something almost amused as he accesses me.
“Somewhere even the devil wouldn’t dare to follow.”
I try to steady my breath, the cold creeping up my spine like a shadow I can’t shake.
I don’t know what to make of the situation, whether to be terrified or to trust blindly in Caius.
But the way his voice has shifted, the way his body is rigid with tension, tells me this isn’t just a casual threat.
Whoever’s behind this knows far more than they should, and they’re clearly not afraid to escalate things.
I look at Caius, hoping for some hint of reassurance, but all I see is a man who’s as dangerous as he is determined. A man who’s already one step ahead, and I’m just playing catch-up.
- Writer
