My Safest Danger

My Man, Apparently

Skylar’s POV

My vision blurred as the tears I'd been holding back finally spilled. The hope I had left was gone. He had come to make sure the job was finished.

He strolled over to the wine cabinet. His eyes lingered on it for a while before he reached for a bottle of wine.

I wiped at my tears with the back of my hand. So this bastard wanted to have a little party while watching me in pain.

“You." He pointed at one of the men. “Go on. Say his name."

The one Damien had called pressed closer to him.

He lifted a brow. “And you are?”

“Damien... the animal?” Damien drawled, looking at him blankly. “ It's disappointing they sent you without telling you who I am".

My eyes darted between them. Damien didn't send them?

He crossed the room and dropped onto the couch, setting the wine on the table.

His nonchalant display seemed to annoy the men. They moved away from the stairs, keeping a cautious distance from him.

“Do you know you just walked straight into your death?”

Damien chuckled and patted the empty spot beside him.“Come here, Sky.”

My head went completely blank. Everyone here wasn't normal. But at least Damien wasn't holding a damn pill or a dagger.

“Don't you dare take..."

My feet pounded against the steps as I rushed down the staircase. Stumbling over the last few, I threw myself toward Damien, straddling him in the process.

He wrapped an arm around my waist, and pulled me against his chest. “Should I help you, Sky?”

I lifted my face to meet his eyes and nodded frantically, my eyes wide with desperation.

“Open those mouths and state why I should help you,” he murmured, his lips deliberately brushing my earlobe.

“I..." My lips parted, not even knowing what to say.

A loud bang echoed through the room. I flinched and instinctively leaned closer to him before turning toward the men.

One of them had slammed the metal pipe against the table, his glare fixed on Damien.

“Sit down and don't move," he ordered, his jaw clenched. He lifted me as if I weighed nothing, settling me gently on the couch.

Grabbing the bottle of wine from the table, he walked toward them, his grip tightening around it.

They shifted back slightly, their grips tightening on their weapons as Damien closed the distance.

“Hand over the girl. We don't want any issues with you. We only want the girl.”

My gaze travelled over their faces. The mocking smirks they wore earlier had suddenly disappeared.

“Two grown-ass men after a little girl?” Damien shook his head. “I expected better.” His voice turned cold. “I'm giving you one chance. Drop whatever s**t you're holding and kneel down right now!”

One of them swallowed, forcing a smirk onto his face. “I think we’ve to clean up two bodies instead of one.”

I cast a glance back at Damien before staring at the open front door, already calculating my escape.

A man stepped in. His eyes locked on Damien, and he gave a nod.

My body tensed as I sprang to my feet. Without taking my eyes off them, I turned and headed for the other door, only to find it locked.

The sharp sound of glass breaking made me flinch. My hands flew to cover my ears.

I didn't dare turn back. The thought of seeing what was happening behind me made my stomach turn.

A punch landed, sending a body crashing into the wall and earning a muffled grunt.

My eyes dropped to the floor, praying silently for all of this to stop. And right there on the floor was the key.

I crouched so fast my knees almost hit the floor. My fingers shook as I reached for the handle, nearly missing it.

“Please... please...”

A scream tore through the room, followed by a pained cry. My hand moved on its own, shoving the key into the lock until it clicked open.

“Running away without me?”

My fingers tightened around the doorknob. I turned to face him, my eyes darting over him.

He took a step closer and ran his fingertips along my cheek before sliding a loose strand of hair behind my ear.

I swallowed hard, forcing myself to meet his gaze.

His fingers tightened around my shoulders, slowly turning me toward the very thing I'd been avoiding.

“Anyone who tries to hurt you...” His voice dropped against my ear. “...will end up like them.”

My eyes widened at the sight before me.

The men who had threatened me were beaten to a pulp, their bodies covered in bruises.

The unfamiliar man was tying them up. Meeting my gaze, he shot me a look before slipping an object into his pocket. For a split second, I could have sworn I'd seen a gun.

“Who are these people?” I finally managed to ask, watching as the man dragged the bloody bastards toward the door.

“Is that the thank-you I’m getting? I just saved your ass, Sky.”

I dragged a hand through my hair. “I don't even understand what's going on. Who the hell are you?”

He closed his eyes briefly before opening them. “I hate questions, Sky.”

That wasn't what I wanted to hear. A lot of things are running through my head right now.

He crouched beside the table and ran his fingers along the rim of the vase before giving it a push. It shattered into pieces, revealing a tiny camera among the broken glass.

I stood motionless. Why would there be a camera inside the vase?

Without saying a word, he moved to the wine cabinet. I watched in silence as he pulled out another camera.

He strode to the corner of the room and retrieved another one. He gathered them all and dropped them onto the floor.

I stared at the cameras on the floor, my mind struggling to catch up. All this time, I had been watched? My private moments...Had they all been recorded? Passed around for the whole world to see?

He straightened and met my gaze, as if reading my thoughts. “There are no cameras in your room. Do you still want to stay here in this mess? The cops won’t help you, Sky.”

My brows pulled together. “Why won’t they? How did you know there was no camera in my room? And what about my guards?"

Ignoring my questions, he glanced at the bottle of wine now broken on the floor.“ Only worry about yourself, Skylar. Don't forget you owe me a bottle of wine.”

He turned to walk away, but I grabbed his sleeve. "I'm sure someone messed with my phone. How is that possible?"

“Your phone signal was jammed.” His gaze dropped to my hand on his sleeve, and I quickly pulled away.

“From now on, don’t eat anything from anyone unless you know exactly where it came from.” His voice lowered. “A single pill could put you in a grave.”

The words made me shiver.

“In case you need my help... I’m always available, whether in the kitchen...” He lowered his head, his nose pressing lightly against mine. “Or for something else entirely. I’ll be right there at your feet.”

I gaped at him. “Are you always this shameless?”

He reached for the phone tucked into the waistband of my pajama pants. His fingers moved across the screen as he typed. Then he handed it back to me with a satisfied look.

“Looks like you'll be the one calling for me soon. Bye, Sweetheart."

I stared at the phone in my hand, with 'My Man' glaring at me from the screen.