Ava's POV
I stood in the doorway of Derek’s office, phone still clutched in my hand, and the words hit me like a slap. “The boys will take care of her… or break her.” My heart slammed so hard I felt dizzy. Marcus was going to burn Derek’s empire for me. For us. And now Derek was already talking about breaking me. I didn’t know who to believe anymore. My knees felt weak. I backed away from the door, breathing fast, and almost ran straight into Marcus.
He caught me before I fell, his arms strong around my waist. “Ava? What’s wrong? You’re shaking.”
I looked up at him, tears in my eyes. “He… he said the boys will take care of her or break her. Marcus, he’s talking about me. What if he finds out about us?”
Marcus’s face went hard. His jaw tightened. “Then he won’t. Not while I’m alive.” H
