HE SAVED ME AND MADE ME HIS

Unspoken

Jane

I stared at him, my mind struggling to understand what he meant.

Before I could ask another question, a loud crash came from somewhere downstairs.

I jumped.

Caleb’s expression changed instantly.

The calmness disappeared from his face, replaced by something colder.

He released my hand and reached for his phone.

There was no light.

The entire mansion had gone completely dark.

“Stay here,” he ordered.

I nodded.

I didn’t even have the courage to argue.

He stepped toward the door.

“Caleb?”

He stopped.

My voice came out smaller than I intended.

“My mother…”

His jaw tightened.

“She is safe.”

“Are you sure?”

“Yes.”

The certainty in his voice gave me a small sense of relief.

Then another crash echoed through the house.

Caleb opened the door.

Before stepping out, he looked back at me.

“Lock it.”

“Okay.”

He disappeared into the darkness.

I heard his footsteps fade down the hallway.

Then silence.

I stood there for several seconds, unable to move.

My heart was pounding.

I looked around the room, but the darkness made everything unfamiliar.

I couldn’t see the expensive furniture anymore.

Couldn’t see the windows.

Couldn’t even tell exactly where the door was.

I reached for my phone.

Nothing.

I remembered what Caleb had said.

Your phone was destroyed.

My throat tightened.

My mother.

I wondered if she had been crying.

She probably thought something terrible had happened to me.

I pressed my hands against my face.

“Please be okay, Mum.”

A sound came from the hallway.

I froze.

Footsteps.

Slow.

Careful.

Someone was walking toward the room.

My breathing stopped.

Maybe it was Caleb.

Maybe it was one of his men.

But what if it wasn’t?

The footsteps stopped directly outside the door.

I backed away.

The door handle moved.

I covered my mouth with my hand to stop myself from screaming.

The handle moved again.

Then—

A voice came from the other side.

“Jane?”

I froze.

It wasn’t Caleb.

I didn’t answer.

“Jane, open the door.”

My heart hammered against my ribs.

How did he know my name?

The handle moved again.

I backed toward the wall.

Then a loud gunshot exploded through the hallway.

I screamed.

The person outside the door cursed and ran.

More footsteps followed.

Several of them.

Then Caleb’s voice rang through the darkness.

“Don’t move!”

I recognized him immediately.

I didn’t move.

I couldn’t.

Another gunshot sounded.

Then another.

My knees weakened, and I slid down against the wall, hugging them to my chest.

I had never been this afraid in my life.

Men were shooting inside the house.

Because of me.

I pressed my palms against my ears, but the sounds still reached me.

Shouting.

Running.

Gunshots.

Then silence.

A few seconds passed.

I heard footsteps approaching again.

This time, they stopped outside my door.

The handle turned.

I held my breath.

The door opened.

A tall figure stood in the darkness.

“Jane.”

Caleb.

I exhaled shakily.

He stepped inside and closed the door behind him.

Even in the darkness, I could feel his presence.

“Are you hurt?”

I shook my head.

“No.”

He came closer.

“Did anyone enter this room?”

I shook my head again.

“No.”

He stood silently for a moment.

Then I noticed something warm dripping onto the floor.

“Caleb…”

“What?”

“Your hand.”

He looked down.

There was blood running from his knuckles.

“Are you hurt?”

“No.”

“But you’re bleeding.”

“It’s not mine.”

I swallowed.

I didn’t ask whose blood it was.

I didn’t want to know.

Caleb crouched in front of me.

For the first time since I’d met him, his voice softened.

“Are you scared?”

I nodded.

“I’m scared.”

He looked at me for a long moment.

Then he stood.

“Come with me.”

I hesitated.

“Where?”

“Somewhere safer.”

I slowly got to my feet.

He reached for my hand.

I let him take it.

We stepped into the dark hallway.

I stayed close to him, trying not to trip over anything.

As we walked, I could hear men speaking quietly somewhere nearby.

One of them saw Caleb.

“Boss.”

I stopped.

Boss?

The man lowered his head immediately.

Caleb said something too quietly for me to hear.

The man nodded and walked away.

I looked at Caleb.

He noticed.

“What?”

“Why did he call you boss?”

He didn’t answer.

We continued walking.

“Caleb.”

He stopped.

I looked up at him.

“Who are you?”

His gray eyes held mine in the darkness.

For several seconds, he said nothing.

Then he leaned slightly closer.

“Someone you should be afraid of.”

My breath caught.

He walked away before I could respond.

I followed him.

But one thought wouldn’t leave my mind.

If Caleb Wick was dangerous enough to make armed men obey him without question…

Why had he saved me?