NEON HEARTBEATS: His To Protect

CHAPTER THREE

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*CHAPTER THREE*

*46:59:00*

The knock came at 7:14 AM.

Three sharp raps.

Professional.

Confident.

Lila was already awake. She hadn’t slept. Not really.

She sat on the edge of the bed, knife in her lap, watching Marcus.

He was standing by the door.

Gun in his hand.

Eyes black.

"Who is it?" she asked.

"Board," Marcus said. "Sent a negotiator."

The knock came again.

"Mr. Blackwood," a voice called through the door. Smooth. Expensive.

"My name is Adrian Cole. I’m here on behalf of Vex Corp’s board.

We’d like to discuss terms."

Marcus didn’t move.

"Terms for what?"

"For her life."

Lila stood.

"Don’t open it," she said.

Marcus looked at her.

And for a second she saw it.

The thing he’d been hiding for four years.

Rage.

Possessive.

_Mine._

"Stay behind me," he said quietly.

Then he opened the door.

Adrian Cole was everything Marcus wasn’t.

Suit that cost more than the car.

Smile that didn’t reach his eyes.

Two bodyguards behind him.

"Marcus," Adrian said, like they were old friends. "It’s been a while."

"Get to the point, Cole."

"Right." Adrian stepped in without being invited.

His eyes found Lila immediately.

Swept over her.

Lingered too long.

Lila felt her skin crawl.

"We’re prepared to offer Miss Vex a deal," Adrian said.

"She signs over her shares. She disappears. In exchange, we call off the contract."

"And if she doesn’t?" Marcus asked. His voice was flat.

"Then the contract stands."

Adrian smiled. "Ten million. Forty-six hours left.

Professional teams. No loose ends."

He looked at Lila again.

"Nothing personal, Miss Vex. Business."

Something in Marcus shifted.

Lila saw it.

The way his shoulders went still.

The way his hand tightened on the gun.

"Business," Marcus repeated.

"Yes." Adrian sat down. Crossed his legs.

"Now, if we could have a moment alone with Miss Vex to discuss the paperwork—"

"No."

The word cut through the room like a blade.

Adrian blinked. "Excuse me?"

"I said no."

Marcus stepped forward.

Put himself between Adrian and Lila.

Body blocking.

Territorial.

"You don’t get to be alone with her."

Adrian laughed. "Marcus, come on. We’re all professionals here."

Marcus didn’t laugh.

"She’s not signing anything. She’s not talking to you.

And you’re not looking at her like that again."

The room went cold.

Adrian’s smile dropped.

"Careful, Blackwood. You’re just the hired help."

Marcus moved so fast Lila barely saw it.

One second he was standing.

The next he had Adrian by the throat and slammed against the wall.

The bodyguards reached for their guns.

Marcus didn’t even look at them.

"Touch one," he said quietly. "And I paint the walls with him."

The bodyguards froze.

Lila’s heart was hammering.

Not from fear.

From something else.

Marcus leaned in.

His voice was low. Deadly.

"You listen to me, Cole.

She’s not a bargaining chip.

She’s not a signature.

She’s not yours."

He squeezed.

Adrian choked.

"She’s mine to protect," Marcus said.

"And if anyone in this room touches her,

if anyone _looks_ at her wrong,

I will end them."

He dropped Adrian.

The man collapsed to the floor, gasping.

Marcus turned.

Looked at Lila.

His eyes were wild. Dark.

Possessive in a way that made her knees weak.

"Are you okay?" he asked.

Soft.

Like he wasn’t the same man who just nearly killed someone.

Lila nodded.

She couldn’t speak.

Marcus turned back to the bodyguards.

"Get him out.

Tell the board their offer is rejected.

Tell them if they want her, they come through me."

The bodyguards dragged Adrian out.

No one said another word.

The door closed.

Silence.

Then Marcus turned to her.

And the mask cracked.

His hands were shaking.

"Did he hurt you?"

"Did he touch you?"

"Did he—"

"I’m fine," Lila said quickly.

"You didn’t let him touch me."

Marcus exhaled.

Like he’d been holding his breath for hours.

He ran a hand through his hair.

"God, Lila."

He crossed the room.

Stopped in front of her.

Too close.

"Professional only," he said.

But it sounded like a question.

Lila looked up at him.

At the man who just threatened to kill for her.

At the man who called her _mine_.

"Is it?" she whispered.

Marcus stared at her.

Jaw ticking.

Eyes dark.

Then he reached out.

Brushed a strand of hair behind her ear.

His fingers lingered on her cheek.

"No," he said.

The word was rough. Honest.

"It’s not professional.

It’s never been professional.

And if they send one more man to look at you like that,

I’m not responsible for what I do."

Lila’s breath caught.

"Marcus—"

"Don’t," he said.

"Don’t tell me to stop.

Don’t tell me this is wrong.

Because I’ve spent four years trying to stop

and it didn’t work."

He stepped back.

Put distance between them like it physically hurt.

"We need to move," he said.

"They’ll send someone else. Someone worse."

Lila watched him.

Watched the way his hands shook.

Watched the way he couldn’t look at her.

"Where are we going?" she asked.

"Vex Corp HQ," Marcus said.

"We pull your father’s files.

We find out who’s funding this.

And we end it."

He grabbed the duffel.

Gun. Ammo. Passport.

Everything.

Lila followed him to the door.

"Marcus?"

He stopped. Didn’t turn.

"Thank you," she said.

For a long time, he didn’t answer.

Then:

"You don’t have to thank me for keeping you alive."

"Not for that," Lila said.

"For choosing me."

Marcus closed his eyes.

When he opened them, they were different.

Softer.

And more dangerous.

"Always," he said.

Then he opened the door.

And they walked out into a city that wanted her dead.

---

*IN THE CAR | 46:40:00*

The drive to Vex Corp was silent.

Tense.

Lila broke it.

"What you did in there—"

"Don’t," Marcus said.

"Why not?"

"Because if I think about it too long,

I’ll go back and finish it."

Lila stared at him.

"Was that... possessive?"

Marcus’s knuckles went white on the wheel.

"That was survival."

"Bullshit."

She leaned forward.

"That was you marking territory."

Marcus didn’t answer.

Lila smiled.

Small. Dangerous.

"Good."

Marcus glanced at her.

And for a second, the darkness in his eyes softened.

"Don’t smile like that," he said.

"Why not?"

"Because it makes me want to do stupid things."

"Like what?"

"Like pull over and—"

He cut himself off.

Lila’s smile widened.

Marcus groaned.

"God help me."

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*VEX CORP HQ | 46:30:00*

The building was glass and steel and ghosts.

Her father’s name was still on the door.

Marcus swept the lobby first.

Gun out.

Eyes scanning.

"Clear," he said.

They took the elevator to the top floor.

Her father’s office.

It was exactly as she left it.

Desk. Computer. Files.

And a photo.

Her, Damian, and their father.

Before everything went to hell.

Lila picked it up.

Her hand shook.

Marcus came up behind her.

Didn’t touch her.

Just stood there.

Present.

"You don’t have to do this," he said.

"Yes I do," Lila said.

"They want to erase me.

I’m not letting them."

She sat at the desk.

Logged in.

Started pulling files.

Marcus stood by the window.

Watching the city.

Watching her reflection.

*46:15:00*

"Got something," Lila said.

"Bank transfers. From a shell company.

To Adrian Cole.

To the hit teams."

"Who owns the shell company?"

Lila clicked.

And froze.

"Marcus."

"What?"

"It’s owned by..."

She couldn’t say it.

Marcus crossed the room in two steps.

Looked at the screen.

And swore.

"The board," he said.

"They’re not working for your father.

They’re working against him.

They want Vex Corp for themselves."

Lila looked up at him.

"So what now?"

Marcus’s eyes were hard.

"Now we burn them."

He pulled out his phone.

Dialed.

"Yeah," he said.

"It’s me.

We have a problem.

And I’m done playing nice."

He hung up.

Looked at Lila.

"Ready?"

Lila stood.

Knife in her hand.

"Always."

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