London

I picked the wrong time to have my conversation with Crewe. If I had just done it a few hours before, I would have had his undivided attention. But he was gone with Ariel all day and most of the night. He didn’t call to check in, so I had no idea when he would be back.

Bad timing.

The stress of the situation was getting to me because I really had no idea how he would react. In my heart, I believed he cared enough about me that he wouldn’t hurt me after I made my request. He would be understanding and compassionate. He would understand he couldn’t keep me as a prisoner forever.

We couldn’t stay like this.

I had my own dreams and ambitions. I couldn’t be his plaything forever.

If he loved me, he would let me go.

And I believed he did love me—in his own way.

Crewe returned at three in the morning. I knew he was home because I hadn’t been able to sleep without him beside me. I tossed and turned constantly, the sheets feeling cold without the heat of his body to keep me warm throughout the night. I was used to having sex before bed, so that threw me off too.

He walked inside and tried to shut the door as quietly as he could, assuming I was asleep.

I sat up in bed wearing one of his t-shirts and sweat pants. I usually slept in just my underwear, but that was too cold when I was sleeping alone. “Everything okay?”

He stilled at the sound of my voice then flicked on the light near the doorway so he wouldn’t have to walk around in the dark. “Yeah. We retrieved the shipment.”

“How did you manage that?”

He ran his hand through his hair and kicked off his shoes at the same time. After working for over twelve hours, he probably didn’t want to talk about it, but he didn’t show me any attitude. “I’ve got eyes and ears all over the world.”

I didn’t leave the bed because I knew he would join me once his clothes were off. “Sorry that happened.”

“Not your fault. No one’s fault, really.” He pulled his phone out of his pocket and set it on the nightstand. “I know you were trying to tell me something earlier, but can it wait until the morning? I’m out of it right now.”

“Of course—”

A gunshot rang through the air.

Crewe stilled, his eyes immediately moving to the window.

A machine gun sounded in the distance, echoing across the castle walls. It was coming from outside, near the entrance.

Joseph.

There wasn’t a doubt in my mind he was here. He said he would give me two weeks, but he had obviously changed his mind. He probably assumed I was crazy for wanting to protect Crewe. His anger had blinded his judgment, and now he was the one who was crazy.

Crewe immediately sprang into action. He opened one of his drawers and pulled out a pistol. He checked the barrel to make sure it was loaded before he shoved it into the back pocket of his jeans. “Come on.”

“What are we doing?” I jumped out of bed, my heart racing a million miles a minute. I was more scared than the day I was originally captured. Joseph was here to take me, and he didn’t give a damn about sparing Crewe’s life.

Shit.

He grabbed my hand and pulled me to his side. He didn’t bother putting his shoes back on. “I’m gonna get us out of here.”

“Maybe it’s safer if we stay in here?”

“Doubt it. Whoever is here is looking for me.” He opened the door and stepped into the hallway, the sound of gunshots even louder. It sounded like a gang war was waging outside. “And they won’t hesitate to kill you too.”

I knew I was safe, but that didn’t stop me from being terrified. Now that Crewe’s life was on the line, I could hardly breathe. I gripped his hand tighter, unable to handle the possibility of something happening to him. I didn’t care about any of his men, but I didn’t want anything to happen to them either—not even Ariel. “Where are we going?”

“There’s an escape route on the other side of the castle.”

“What about everyone else?”

He pulled me into another hallway and approached a second staircase. “They know what they’re supposed to do.”

“Ariel?”

“She knows where the secret room is. She’ll be fine.”

I hoped so.

He pulled me down the staircase just as the large glass window that led to the courtyard was shattered by bullets. It burst into shards and blanketed the maroon rug that led down the stone hallway.

Crewe yanked me to the floor and protected my body with his.

This couldn’t be happening. This was a nightmare. The worst nightmare I’d ever had.

Crewe was on his feet an instant later, firing his weapon at any enemies I couldn’t see. He took one down and another fired, but he dodged out of the way behind the staircase, taking me with him.

“It’s him.” Joseph’s voice rang in the air. “He’s got her with him.”

Crewe’s held his gun at the ready and didn’t react, but he must have figured out who it was.

“Let her go, asshole.” Joseph cocked his gun. I could hear the sound echo against the stone.

Crewe was outnumbered three to one. It didn’t matter how smart or fast he was. He couldn’t get out of this. Gunshots still fired from outside the walls, Crewe’s men engaged in the battle to keep the rest of Joseph’s men out. It was merely a distraction so Joseph could enter through the back.

Crewe kept his hand firmly on mine, looking eerily calm for the dire situation he was in.

“I’m coming out,” I announced. “Don’t shoot.”

Crewe gripped me tighter and looked down at me.

I avoided his look and slipped out of his grasp, knowing there was no time to explain anything. Now his life was on the line, and I had to do whatever I could to spare it. I stepped out with my arms by my sides, relieved when I wasn’t shot even though I was never a target. “Joseph, tell your men to stand down.”

Joseph looked maniacal, his eyes wide. His eyes were just as dark as the bulletproof vest he wore. “Come here.”

I held my ground. “Drop your weapons.”

“We aren’t gonna shoot you,” he hissed. “Now get your ass over here.”

“Don’t shoot Crewe. I told you I didn’t want anyone to get hurt. Tell your men to stop. You won. Now let’s go.” Crewe didn’t need to hear the backstory to understand what my words meant. I’d plotted this entire thing with Joseph during those phone calls, and now he knew what I was really up to.

Joseph lowered his weapon, as did the others. “Let’s go, then.”

I breathed a sigh of relief now that I had accomplished the most important thing—protecting Crewe.

“Are you gonna show your face, you coward?” Joseph asked. “Say goodbye to the slave you’ve kept for seven months?” Spit flew from his mouth, and the vein in his forehead throbbed. His anger was hotter than a raging wildfire. I could feel the ferocity from my fingertips to my toes.

Crewe stepped out from behind the staircase, his gun hanging by his side. But he didn’t look at Joseph once. All he did was look at me.

With fury.

With pain.

With betrayal.

His jaw was tighter than I’d ever seen it, and the devastation in his eyes made me feel worse than he had ever made me feel. There wasn’t a fight inside him. He didn’t even care that Joseph was standing there with two armed men. He showed more vulnerability in that moment than I’d ever seen him show during our relationship. “You got me.”

“You actually thought she loved you?” Joseph asked incredulously. “You took this woman as a prisoner. How stupid are you? If you didn’t think my sister would fight every single day to get out, you really are an idiot.”

Crewe didn’t take his eyes off me. “You’re right. I am an idiot.”

“It wasn’t like that,” I whispered. “I was going to talk to you—”

Joseph raised his gun and fired, shooting Crewe right in the chest. “Die, asshole.”

“No!” My hands moved to my face when I saw Crewe jerk before he crashed to the floor. His body hit the stone with a loud thump, and he lay still, his eyes still open and blood spraying into the air in front of him. His t-shirt started to become soaked, and his arms lay by his sides.

Joseph stood over him and pointed the gun right at Crewe’s face.

“Stop!” I covered Crewe’s body with my own, protecting as much of him as I could. “Joseph, stop! You told me you wouldn’t kill him.”

Joseph lowered the gun and shrugged. “Well, I changed my mind. Now, move.”

“No.” Tears immediately poured from my eyes, and I sobbed as I felt Crewe’s blood absorb into my own clothes. “Get away from him.” I kicked Joseph in the shin so he would stumble backward.

One of his men got a message through the speaker in his ear. “Crewe’s reinforcements are on the way. There’s a lot of them. We’re outnumbered ten to one. We’ve got to go.”

Thank god.

Joseph rubbed his chin but didn’t give any indication he was in pain. “London, we’ve got to go.”

“I’m not leaving. I’m getting him to a hospital.”

“Are you crazy?” He grabbed me by the arm.

I smacked him away then bit him on the forearm when he grabbed me again. “Leave!”

“I risk my life for you, and this is how you repay me?” my brother asked.

“I told you not to shoot him, Joey! You did it anyway. Now, go.” I grabbed Crewe’s gun and pointed it right at my brother. “Don’t call my bluff, Joseph.” My hand didn’t shake, and I wouldn’t hesitate to shoot him right in the chest if he made me.

Joseph knew me well enough to understand I was serious. “Let’s go.” He led the way as they headed to the entrance, his men following behind him.

I dropped the gun and immediately focused on Crewe, my training kicking in on instinct. I ripped his shirt with my bare hand and saw the wound in his chest. Blood was pouring out, and it was dangerously close to his heart.

I got the shirt off then examined the wound. The bullet didn’t pierce his heart, but it was close enough that I was concerned it had pierced his chest cavity. If I didn’t get him to a hospital immediately, he would bleed out and die. Without a CT scan, there was no way for me to know the extent of the damages. I left the bullet in place because removing it could hurt his chances of survival. I tied the shirt over his shoulder and across his chest, trying to stay calm even though I couldn’t stop sobbing.

Crewe stared at me with indifference, as if he didn’t feel anything. He didn’t show pain or anger. Only indifference. “Just leave, London.” He stared at the ceiling, refusing to look at me. “You have what you want. Just go.”

“No.” I secured the shirt and stopped the bleeding as much as I could. My palms were slick because they were soaked in his blood.

“Just. Go.” With strength that came from nowhere, he shoved me off him. “I mean it.”

“No.” I grabbed the rug underneath him and began to pull. “You’re gonna be okay. Just stay calm.” He was so heavy I could barely pull him. My fingers kept slipping on the material, and my back ached because I wasn’t equipped for this.

“I am calm,” he said with indifference. “Leave me here to die—exactly like you wanted.”

“You know that’s not what I wanted.” I dug my feet into the stone and pulled him harder, slowly getting momentum. I had to drag him hundreds of feet to the other side of the castle. “I need you to stop talking, Crewe. I need to you to stay calm.”

“Trust me, I’m calm.”

My fingers slipped, and I fell to the ground, my entire body aching from pulling him. I turned around and searched for help, hoping one of his men could loan me their strength. “Hello? Somebody help.”

“Just go,” Crewe repeated.

I came back to him, the panic rising even more. “I need you to walk for me, okay? I know you can do it.”

He stared at the ceiling, refusing to look at me. “Yeah, I can walk. But I’m not going to.”

The tears poured harder down my face. “Crewe…”

“Just. Leave. Me.”

“Crewe—”

“Enough.” He silenced me with just a word, his eyes glued to the ceiling.

I ran to the front door and burst outside, seeing Joseph’s men quickly piling into their trucks. I spotted Ariel on the ground with her arms handcuffed behind her back. One man grabbed her by the neck and yanked her to her feet.

No.

I pulled out Crewe’s gun and aimed it at the man. “Let her go.”

Ariel looked at me with a new glare of hatred. It was more powerful than any other glares she ever gave me.

I pushed the gun into his face. “I said let her go. Now.”

He turned to Joseph, who hopped out of the truck.

Joseph stared me down with annoyance. “An eye for an eye.”

“You shot him!” I yelled. “The score is even. You aren’t taking her. Now, let her go. I don’t have time for this.”

Joseph shook his head. “You’re lucky I didn’t shoot that asshole in the head. Be grateful.”

I aimed the gun at this his chest. “Let her go. I’m not fucking around, Joseph.”

Joseph finally nodded to the man to release her. “I’m leaving. This is your last chance to get out of here.”

I watched the guard uncuff her. “I’m staying right here.”

Ariel was finally released from her handcuffs, and the first thing she did was punch me in the face. “You fucking whore.”

I didn’t feel anything because I was numb to the pain. And I deserved it.

Joseph didn’t retaliate.

“Crewe has been shot. He’s too heavy for me to carry. I need your help getting him to the hospital.”

The second Ariel heard that information, she lowered her hand and stopped attacking me. Her mentality changed, turning from anger to pragmatism. “Where is he?”

“Follow me.” I ran inside and led her to where he lay on the rug in the grand hallway. “Help me pull him.”

Ariel gripped one edge and began to pull. “Crewe, I’m here.”

Crewe stared at the ceiling.

Ariel pulled the rug with me, but we weren’t making as much progress as I had when it was just me. She gave up and kneeled beside him. “Crewe, I need you to walk. Now.”

“No.” Crewe didn’t look at her either. “You were right about her. I’m sorry.”

Ariel grabbed his hand. “I know how you feel right now. But we need to get you to the hospital. You’re gonna bleed out and die.”

I stood back because I knew I wouldn’t be any help. I would just make it worse.

“Then let me die,” he said simply.

Ariel stared at him hard then leaned down and whispered in his ear. I had no idea what she said. Perhaps she spoke of something only the two of them knew about.

I hoped it was enough to get him up.

Crewe lay there for a few more seconds before he finally sat up, his movements wobbly because he had already lost so much blood.

I cried harder when I saw him get up. “Thank god…”

Ariel hooked her arm around him and helped him to the door. “Get a car.”

I sprinted outside and found a Jeep parked along the grass. The engine was still running, but it had been abandoned by Crewe’s men. I got the back door open and watched Ariel get him inside. She took the seat beside him and placed her hand over his chest, keeping the pressure on. “Drive, bitch.”

I hauled ass away from the castle and drove straight into the city. I knew we weren’t far from the rest of civilization, but I had no idea where the hospital was.

Ariel directed me. “Make a left here.”

I turned and sped through traffic, cutting off anyone who got in my way. I accidentally scraped against a parked car on the side of the road, but that didn’t stop me.

“Right,” Ariel commanded.

I nearly hit a person in the crosswalk, but luckily they dodged out of the way. I finally pulled into the entrance of the hospital, the roundabout where the emergency department was. “We’re here.”

“I can see that,” Ariel hissed. She threw the door open and helped Crewe out.

But he stumbled until his knees hit the ground.

“Crewe!” I rushed to him, leaning over him, seeing his eyes close. “Stay awake. Come on, stay awake.” I slapped his cheeks to make his eyes open again.

Ariel sprinted inside and got the attention of the staff. They ran out with a stretcher and a team of doctors and nurses, getting him on the gurney and rushing into the department.

I jogged after the gurney, seeing them push him through the double doors and out of my sight.

Ariel stopped when security told her to turn back.

She stood in front of the double doors with her hands on her hips, her arms covered with blood. She slowly turned around and looked at me, her eyes acting as two guns. If she could shoot me and get away with it, she would.

And I knew I deserved it.

Ariel and I stayed away from each other.

One by one, Crewe’s men arrived at the hospital. Dunbar was one of them, and fortunately, he hadn’t been injured. But from his report to Ariel, they’d lost a few men in the attack.

I felt worse.

Dunbar stared at me coldly from Ariel’s side, his glare just as terrifying as hers.

The longer I stayed, the more I put myself in danger. Crewe’s team wouldn’t hesitate to kill me after what I did. I betrayed him and everyone else. They didn’t understand that I never wanted Joseph to storm the castle like that. They didn’t understand that I specifically told Joseph not to hurt anyone, especially Crewe.

Hours passed, and we didn’t hear anything. The nurse said he’d been rushed to emergency surgery, complications from the bullet lodged in his chest. He probably had internal bleeding along with a few broken ribs.

I hoped he would be okay.

I hoped he would make it through.

I cried on and off as I waited in the emergency room, my arms tight across my chest. If he didn’t make it, I wouldn’t know what to do with myself. I did what was necessary to be free again, but now that he wasn’t with me, I didn’t feel free at all.

I was trapped all over again.

Hours turned into days. I didn’t sleep because I couldn’t leave, not when I didn’t know if he was going to be okay. More of Crewe’s men arrived at the hospital, but that didn’t scare me off. They lost some of their comrades because of me, so of course, they wanted me dead. Even when the threat grew bigger and bigger, I still didn’t leave. I didn’t sleep either.

Finally, a doctor came out and walked up to Ariel.

I rushed to her side, not caring if she slapped me or pushed me away. I needed an update on Crewe, to know he was still breathing.

Ariel gave me a fiery look but didn’t tell me to leave.

“We got the bullet out and patched up the severed artery,” the doctor explained. “We gave him a transfusion because he lost a lot of blood. There weren’t any other complications, so he’s going to pull through. We’re going to keep him for a few more days to monitor his progress, but I think he’ll be okay. As long as there’s no infection, he should be alright.”

I covered my face as I felt a new wave of hot tears emerge. They dripped down my face and coated my lips. I knew everyone was staring at me, but I didn’t care. Relief washed over me in waves. “Thank god…”

“Thank you, Dr. Mitchel,” Ariel said as she dismissed him.

He walked away, leaving us alone together.

I pulled my hands down and looked at her, unashamed of how ugly I looked at that moment. Now that Crewe was okay, she was probably going to threaten me. The second I left that hospital, I was dead meat.

“You have no right to be here.” She had a tiny drop of blood on her cheek, probably Crewe’s that she hadn’t noticed yet. “You got what you wanted, so now you need to leave.”

I wanted to see him, but I didn’t know what I would say. Everything was different now. He knew I played him, and even if I told him I cared about him, it wouldn’t make a difference. The relationship I enjoyed was gone. He didn’t trust me anymore—not that he should. There was nothing keeping me there. While I wished things had worked out differently, my desire was the same. I wanted to be a free woman, and now I was. “I didn’t mean for it to happen this way. I told Joseph to back off. I wanted to talk to Crewe myself—”

“I really don’t give a shit,” she said coldly. “I knew what you were doing long ago. I warned Crewe, but he didn’t listen to me. Now some of our men are dead, and Crewe nearly died too. You outsmarted the most intelligent man I know, so congratulations. But you no longer have a purpose here. Enjoy your freedom.”

My feet remained glued to the tile. I could hear the quiet conversations around me, people concerned about their loved ones while sitting in the emergency room. I heard some of Crewe’s men speak on the phone, instructing other men what to do while their leader was incapacitated. “I know you’re going to kill me, so I don’t have any freedom.”

Her eyes narrowed like I’d said something new to offend her. “You wanna know what I whispered to Crewe?”

Actually, I did. I nodded, surprised she would share that information with me.

“I told him I was going to kill you if he didn’t get to his feet. I threatened to cause you as much pain as possible if he didn’t do everything he possibly could to get to the hospital. That’s why he got up, London. That’s why he’s alive right now—to protect you.”