Chapter 9 - The Safehouse
The armored SUV tore through the streets of Chicago, completely ignoring traffic laws. Damian sat in the back with Harper, his jaw clenched so tight a muscle ticked violently in his cheek. He was on the phone, barking orders to lock down his territories and mobilize his enforcers.
When he hung up, the silence in the car was deafening.
“We aren't going to your apartment,” Damian said, his voice flat. “It’s compromised. We’re picking up your brother and taking you to my secure penthouse. You’ll stay there until Volkov is dealt with.”
“You can’t just uproot my brother!” Harper protested, though her hands were still shaking from the gunshot. “He needs stability!”
“He needs to be breathing!” Damian snapped, the raw terror he had felt when the gun went off finally bleeding into his voice. He reached out and grabbed her hand, squeezing it tightly. “Volkov missed me. That means he will target the person who stopped the bullet. You and Leo are coming with me. That is not a request.”
Thirty minutes later, Harper and a very sleepy, very confused Leo were escorted into the top floor of the Blackwood Tower. The penthouse was a fortress, accessible only by biometric scan, guarded by heavily armed men.
Leo clutched his worn backpack, looking up at the towering, terrifying man in the blood-spattered tuxedo.
“Are you a superhero?” Leo asked, his eight-year-old eyes wide behind his glasses. “You have a lot of guards.”
Damian, the most feared man in the city, looked down at the boy. The coldness in his eyes vanished entirely. He knelt down so he was eye-level with the child.
“No, Leo,” Damian said softly. “But I am going to make sure the bad guys never come near you or your sister. You have my word on that.”
Leo nodded seriously. “Okay. Do you have a PlayStation?”
May you like
Damian let out a sharp, unexpected laugh. “I think I can arrange one.”
Harper watched the exchange, her heart twisting in a complicated knot. Damian Blackwood was a killer, a criminal, a monster. But as he stood up and gently guided her brother toward a massive guest bedroom, Harper realized the most terrifying truth of all: she was falling for him.
