The Contract of heart

chapter 5

But I knew I’d rather make a break for freedom and be on the run than to just accept whatever my fate was going to be.

I watched as my purchaser went to the cashier to arrange payment while I was pulled down the steps and out of the bright lights that had nearly blinded me.

We came to a stop beside the man who had bought me, and disappointment nearly crushed me as I realized my new owner was the very man who had given me momentary hope.

It was the dark-haired guy from the front row who had briefly met my eyes with what I’d perceived as kindness.

As usual, I’d been so damn wrong.

I blinked as he looked up at me, his expression now filled with anger.

“Cover her and release her!” he barked at the man still holding my chain.

My restraint was removed, and I was handed a dark cover-up that I quickly donned. It was thin, like something you’d toss on over a bathing suit—barely enough to be called clothing. Still, I pulled it down over my body, relieved to have even that small shield between me and the eyes that had seen too much.

The fabric was light, almost delicate, but I clung to it as if it could hide the shame still crawling beneath my skin.His hand gripped my upper arm—firm, insistent, but never cruel. He guided me through the dimly lit hallway like a bodyguard ushering someone away from a scene, rather than the captor I knew him to be. His breath ghosted over my ear as he muttered,

“Let’s go.”

There was no menace in his voice this time. Just something low, maybe even resigned, though I couldn’t tell if it was toward me or the situation. My heart raced anyway, reacting more to the memory of where we were than to him.I walked alongside him, anxious to escape. The club’s air was thick, tainted with the stench of alcohol, sweat, and things I didn’t want to name. The walls seemed to close in on me, the lingering scent of cheap perfume reminding me of the women those women who had stood where I had. Some with eyes hollowed by resignation, others with defiance still burning in their gazes.At least they had a choice. I didn’t.“Is this really necessary?” I dared to ask, my voice smaller than I intended, but it still echoed down the hall. He said nothing for a moment, his pace steady as he guided me toward the exit.“Yeah, it is.” His response was simple, not unkind, but it carried the weight of someone bound to do a job. No anger. No spite.

Just the tone of a man who didn’t particularly enjoy what he was doing but would see it through anyway.

I almost wished he’d be more hostile it would’ve been easier to hate him that way. But he wasn’t. There was no malice in his touch, no predatory gleam in his eyes. Just a determination to get me out of the club and away from whatever nightmare was still playing out in the room behind us. For a moment, I wondered what role he played in all of this, how deep into the rot he was. Was he just another cog in a corrupt machine, or was there something else behind that steely mask?

I stumbled slightly to keep up with the man who now owned me. He wasn’t moving that fast, but my feet were bare. I occasionally stepped on what I assumed were peanut shells, but I was pretty sure I didn’t really want to know if it was anything else.

That’s when I noticed that my latest captor had a weakness, a slight limp to his step that I could probably use to my advantage. It wasn’t much, but considering his massive size and strength, I’d take whatever help I could get.

The music, muffled now, pulsed through the walls in time with my heartbeat, a reminder of how close I’d come to losing everything. I felt his grip shift slightly, just enough to let me know he wasn’t holding me out of malice but out of necessity. He didn’t trust me to walk on my own. Maybe he was right not to.The neon sign of the club flickered above the door as we approached the exit, casting strange shadows on the grimy floor. I could see the faint glow of streetlights beyond, where the cool night air waited to erase the stifling heat of the club. Outside.

Finally.“You’re not gonna fight me, are you?”

His voice broke into my thoughts, softer than I expected, like he was trying to gauge my state of mind rather than mock me.

I shook my head like I was too drained to think of escape, too weary to run. “No.”“Good. Let’s just get you out of here.” There was a strange gentleness to his words, a reassurance I hadn’t anticipated. Not from him. He tightened his grip just a fraction, not in threat, but to steady me, like he knew my legs were close to giving out.As the door swung open, the cool breeze hit my face, a welcomed contrast to the oppressive air inside. I breathed it in, hoping it could wash away the memories, but knowing it wouldn’t be that easy.

He stepped outside with me, keeping pace, his hand still on my arm but no longer commanding. He wasn’t forcing me anymore—he was guiding me.For a moment, as the night wrapped around us and the sounds of the club faded into the background, I could almost pretend this wasn’t some twisted version of freedom. That he wasn’t part of the world that had auctioned off souls like they were currency.

My escort released my arm as he motioned toward the parking lot to indicate that he was parked beside the building.

A quote floated into my mind:

Freedom lies in being bold!

I was pretty sure the great poet Robert Frost was responsible for writing that phrase, but I was too terrified to be certain. All I knew was that those words were completely true in my situation.

I had to have courage if I was going to live.

My buyer stepped forward to make his way to the parking lot.

And I took off like a shot in the opposite direction.

“Kyran!” I heard the irritated male bellow, but I didn’t stop.

I was pretty much determined to escape…or die trying.

Kyran

It didn’t take me long to realize that I was in one of the roughest parts of Miami, but I didn’t care. My bare feet kept hitting the pavement, and I told myself I’d rather face the seedy area than to give in to a man who had paid a fortune to own me.

Once I was outside the lights of the club, I was met by darkness. Most of the businesses were closed, and the light was so dim that I couldn’t see where I was going.

But I kept running until I could hear my own ragged breath as I kept pushing forward, getting so close to freedom that I could almost taste it.

Certainly, my nemesis would have to stop because of his bum leg, and if I could just keep going, I knew I could outlast his endurance.

I had far more at stake than he did.

I was out of breath, and in bad shape from the weeks I’d been held captive and inactive, but my drive and energy was strong from being well-fed and terrified.