The Debt Collector's Bride

Damien's pov:

  "Get him inside," I snapped. My men rushed out to bring Gideon in. The heavy doors slammed shut, leaving the big room terrifyingly quiet.

  Sera hadn't moved. She was frozen, not like a statue, but like a small, trapped, beautiful thing cornered and shaking against the wall.

  Her huge, frightened eyes locked onto mine. "Why... why did you hurt him?"

  "I didn't," I answered, trying to sound calm even though my blood was boiling. "If I had, he'd be dead already."

  She flinched. A shiver of fear ran down her arms. "Then who did it?"

  "Someone who wants you hurt and broken," I said, staring at her. "And they want me to take the blame."

  She shook her head violently, tears starting to gather. "This is crazy! This whole thing, this place..."

  She gasped and stumbled back until she hit the cold wall.

  "Stay away from me." Her voice was a terrified plea, barely a whisper.

  "I've been doing just that," I told her, my voice low and rough. "For twelve long years."

  The confused pain in her eyes hit me, but I pushed it away. Not now.

 The doors burst open again and Luca carried Gideon in. The older man was barely breathing, his shirt was soaked with blood. He looked like a puppet with cut strings. Sera let out a scream. "Dad!"

  She tried to run to him. I grabbed her wrist, stopping her short. She jolted. "Let go of me!"

  "You can go to him," I whispered.

 She snatched her hand away and dropped to the floor next to her father.

  "Dad... Daddy.. please look at me," she cried, desperately trying to wipe the blood from his face.

  Gideon's hand twitched, reaching slightly. "S... Sera..."His voice was almost gone.

  Sera sobbed. "Who did this to you? What did they do?"

  His eyes found me, and I saw a flash of pure, cold terror. Good that he remembered his choice.

  "Gideon," I knelt down, forcing his gaze. "Look at me." He started shaking, his breath coming in panicky, short gasps.

  "You ran away," I reminded him. "You made a promise and you ran."

  "I-" He coughed, and a trickle of blood appeared on his lip.

  Sera looked horrified. "Dad, what promise? What is he talking about?"

 Gideon squeezed his eyes shut, unable to look at her.

  "Sera..." His voice cracked with pain. "I... I had no choice."

  "You always have a choice," I corrected, my tone hard. "You just didn't want to pay the cost."

  Sera turned on me, her eyes blazing with fury through her tears. "What did he promise? What cost?"

  I looked right back at her.

  "You."

  Her breathing stopped. She shook her head slowly, trying to push the horrifying word away. She looked back at her father, pleading.

  "Tell me he's lying. Dad. Please, tell me that isn't true."

  Gideon simply broke. He was a grown man, and he was shattering in front of her.

  "I'm sorry... Princess... I'm so sorry..."

  She recoiled, as if his words had physically slapped her. Her voice came out small, terrified, like a child's.

  "How could you do that? How could you give me away?"

  He tried to reach for her, but Luca stepped in.

  "Boss," Luca said quickly. "He needs a doctor now."

  "Take him," I commanded. "Two guards with him and no one goes near him."

  Luca carried Gideon away. Sera scrambled to follow, but I blocked her path again.

  "Move!" she hissed, her teeth clenched.

  "No." I said.

  She shoved me, hard. Again, and then a third time. I didn't even sway.

  "MOVE!" she screamed, heartbroken.

  I grabbed her wrists, not to hurt her, but to keep her standing. She was shaking uncontrollably.

  "He will live."

  "You don't know that!"

  "I do know," I cut in firmly, "that I did not do this. And someone wants you to hate me for it."

  Her breath hitched. Fear, confusion, and the pain of betrayal swirled in her eyes. "I just want to go home," she whispered, defeated.

  "You are home."

  "Stop saying that!" Her voice broke with a sob. "This is not my home!"

  "It's the only place you can be safe."

  She stepped back, staring at me like I was a monster and a difficult, terrifying truth all at once.

  "Boss, we need you," Luca called from the hall.

  I let go of her wrists. They fell to her sides, limp and helpless.

  "Go with Luca," I told her. "He'll take you to your.."

  "No."

  "Sera..."

  "I said no." Her chin lifted with a tiny, fragile act of defiance. "Tell me what you want. Why did you take me? Why did he have to promise me?"

  I looked at her, the real reasons burning hot in my chest. Because I loved the sound of your voice.. Because you trusted me... Because you were the only thing that mattered... Because I won't lose you again.

 But I couldn't say those words. Not yet.

  "You are here," I said slowly, carefully, "because someone is using you to hurt me."

  She froze. "Using me... how?"

  "By making you look like a weakness I can't control."

  "Control of what?"

  "Everything I have."

  One of my guards rushed in, breathing hard. "Boss the cameras. Someone inside gave away her location."

  Sera went pale. "What... what does that mean?"

  I looked right into her eyes.

  "It means someone who works for me wants you dead."

  Her mouth opened. She swallowed hard, her throat bobbing. A sharp, terrible new fear replaced the old ones. She didn't back away this time.

  I gently lifted her chin, making sure she couldn't look anywhere but at me.

  "You're not just a debt, Sera," I said quietly. "You are a target."

  She shivered.

  "So what happens now?" she whispered.

  I let my thumb touch her jaw, just once.

  "Now," I told her, my voice a solemn vow, "I find and destroy the traitor."

  "And me?" she whispered, trembling.

  "You stay right here, where I can see you."

  "Why?" Her voice was shaking, desperate. "Why do you care what happens to me?"

  Because I can't live without you... Because no one will ever touch what is mine... Because I love you.

  I forced the words back down.

  Luca reappeared, his face grave. "Boss. Gideon woke up for a second."

  Sera rushed forward. "Is he okay? Can I see him?"

  Luca glanced at me, then spoke slowly. "His exact words were... 'Tell Damien... fulfill the deal.'"

  Sera gasped, the sound ripped from her chest. "What... what does that mean?"

  I breathed out slowly. Twelve years of waiting, of silence, crashed into this single moment.

  "It means," I said, the words heavy and final, "your father just confirmed the promise he made to me."

  She shook her head, tears streaming down her face. "No... no... you can't mean... "

  "I do."

  I stepped in close. Close enough for her to feel my presence like a wave. Close enough that she knew her world was changing forever. Close enough that there was no room for denial.

  "At dawn," I decreed, my voice a low, unbreakable promise, "we marry."

  Her eyes went wide, frozen in horror. Her lips parted, unable to make a sound. The truth hit her like a cannonball and I left her standing there. Broken, in shock, and completely mine.