CHAPTER 5
1269 Words
MABEL’S POV
I pulled my hands out of his grip the moment we were outside.
“What the hell was that?” I demanded angrily.
“Not now, Mabel,” he said through clenched teeth.
“No. Now.” I stepped closer. “You almost got me raped.”
His jaw flexed. “Nothing happened. I got there before he touched you.”
I laughed bitterly. “Oh, right, that makes everything better, doesn’t it? I’m supposed to forget the part where you shoved me in there like I was disposable?” My voice rose. “If one of his guards hadn’t tried to drug you, I’d still be trapped in that room with him.”
A few nearby guards started glancing our way, but I didn’t care anymore.
“You saving me once doesn’t suddenly give you the right to throw me at men whenever it benefits you.”
Zach’s expression darkened instantly.
In a blink, he closed the distance and grabbed my jaw, shoved me back against the motorcycle.
The impact knocked the breath out of me.
“Listen carefully,” he said. “If you still care about the life you were so willing to throw away a few weeks ago, you’ll stop talking right now.”
My pulse hammered, but I refused to look away.
I’m not starting a war with a pack of brainless rogues because you feel like screaming at me in public.”
He released me abruptly, then slammed a helmet against my chest.
“Put it on,” he ordered. “And save the tantrum for later.”
He climbed onto the motorcycle expecting me to do the same but I stayed exactly where I was.
His head turned slightly. “Get on.”
“No.” I crossed my arms and glared at him.
He dragged a hand through his hair in frustration.
“What is your problem?” he muttered. “Do you want me to get on my knees and apologize?”
“Yes,” I shot back. “That’s usually how apologies work.”
A humorless laugh left him.
“Maybe when you start acting like someone who actually wants to stay alive, I’ll consider it.”
His expression hardened again.
“Because if you keep testing me, I’ll leave you right here, and I won’t lose sleep over what those rogues decide to do when they find you.”
My stomach twisted.
“And don’t forget,” he added, “you’re the reason Shadow’s walking around with a broken nose.”
Fuck. He had a point.
My jaw tightened as I shoved the helmet on and climbed onto the bike.
The engine roared to life instantly.
The ride back to campus was silent except for the freezing wind cutting across my skin. By the time we reached the dormitory building, the sky had turned dark, streaks of fading orange swallowed by deep blue.
The second the bike stopped, I climbed off.
“I’m never going back there again,” I hissed. “And I’m definitely not doing something like that for you ever again. You can’t force me.”
Zach pulled his helmet off slowly, looking exhausted already.
“We can spend the next hour pretending your opinion changes anything,” he said dryly, “but eventually, you’ll do what I tell you to do.”
My eyes narrowed.
“You signed your life over to me, Mabel. I decide what happens to it.”
“That’s dramatic considering all you did was pull me off a balcony.”
“If I hadn’t,” he shot back instantly, “your body would’ve been splattered across the pavement.”
I flinched.
His gaze sharpened. “You’re lucky I saved you instead of letting you throw your life away over some pathetic excuse for a mate.”
I knew he intended for that to hurt and it did. I hated looking stupid especially in front of this devil incarnate. I looked away in embarrassment .
“Well,” I muttered bitterly, “he’s still better than you. At least he isn’t some lowlife biker,”
A low growl rumbled in his chest.
“Dont compare me to a man who smiled in your face while screwing half the women on campus.”Zach warned. “At least I admit what I am. That’s the difference between me and him.”
The words stung because they were true.
“And trust me,” he continued coldly, “you are not the only one disappointed by this bond. I didn’t exactly dream of being tied to a rich spoilt girl who tries to kill herself the second life stops going her way.”
My chest tightened painfully .
Something in my expression must’ve shifted because his eyes flickered for the briefest second before the coldness returned.
I swallowed hard.
“Believe it or not,” I said quietly, “I’m not that girl anymore.”
He said nothing.
I took a slow breath before stepping in front of the bike, blocking him from leaving.
“If you want me helping you with whatever dangerous mess you are involved in,” I said carefully, “then maybe stop treating me like dead weight.”
One of his brows lifted slightly.
“You’d get a lot more out of me if this actually felt like a partnership.”
His eyes narrowed. “The terms aren’t negotiable.”
“Maybe not,” I said quickly, “but you’re smart enough to know people cooperate better when they actually want to.”
I crossed my arms tighter.
“And judging from tonight, one wrong move in your line of work can get people killed.”
We remained silent for a while before Zach spoke.
“What do you want?”
The question caught me off guard, I honestly hadn’t expected him to give him so quickly.
I hesitated, suddenly embarrassed.
“My family is having their annual gathering at our vacation villa next week,” I admitted shyly. “And I’m going to be the only one there without someone beside me.”
I hated how pathetic that sounded out loud.
“My ex-mate and my stepsister are both going to be there,” I continued. “And I just…” I looked away. “I don’t think I can survive that alone.”
“No.”
I blinked.
“What?” My mouth fell open. “You didn’t even let me finish.”
“I’ve met your family,” Zach said flatly. “I’d rather fight rogues.”
I sighed using my last resort. “There’s money in it for you.”
His eyes narrowed slightly.
“You really haven’t figured me out yet, have you?”
He put his helmet back on.
“I’m not your ex-boyfriend hanging around for your family’s cash. I already have money.”
I scoffed.
“Help me and I’ll help you.”
“I think you’re forgetting how this arrangement works,” he said. “I make demands, Mabel. Not the other way around.”
I stepped closer. “Please.” I sounded more desperate than I would like to be.
For one brief moment, I thought he might actually say yes but he lowered his visor.
“I’ll see you around.”
The motorcycle roared to life seconds later before disappearing down the road.
I stood there staring after him long after the sound faded away.
I didn’t know whether the next time I saw Zach would be during one of his dangerous jobs or at my family’s villa.
I hoped it was the latter.
- Writer
