When I stepped out of the restroom, the scene before me made my stomach drop.
Sophie was cornered by a group of drunk men.
“Damn, cosplay and everything. What do girls like you go for these days? A few hundred? A thousand?” the bald one leered. He wore a cheap suit, an oversized Rolex knockoff, and reeked of money made too fast and too dirty.
As he reached out to grab Sophie, she stumbled back, terrified.
That only made them bolder.
“Oh, and she’s mute? Perfect. Let’s see if we can make her scream.”
The moment his hand reached for her again, I grabbed the heavy brass teapot off the table and smashed it straight into
his head.
“Get the hell away from her!”
He staggered back, blood streaming down his forehead. His buddies rushed to keep him from collapsing.
Then he looked at me–eyes wide with fury.
“You little bitch. You’re dead.”
His goons lunged.
There were too many of them.
They pinned me down in seconds and dragged me to the bald man.
“You cracked my fucking skull. I’ll crack yours.”
He picked up the same teapot and brought it crashing down on my head.
Instantly, my ears rang. Warm blood gushed down my scalp.
The restaurant went silent. Diners scattered in panic. Even the soft background jazz cut out.
He tossed the bloodied pot aside and tore open his shirt as he turned toward Sophie.
“No… Don’t touch her…” I gasped.
The memory of my parents being torn limb from limb flashed before my eyes, drowning out the pain.
I tried to lunge forward–but one of them kicked me hard in the ribs, sending me sprawling.
“She’s not bad–looking either,” the bald man sneered. “You boys have fun with her. I’ll take the little mute.”
Sophie’s eyes widened. She tried to run to me, but he shoved her to the ground.
As he moved to climb on top of her, she squeezed her eyes shut.
Chapter 4
Tame him, conquer him, but try not to get too attached.
4.49%
Then-
The gunshot tore through the air, stopping everything cold.
All heads turned.
Xavier was walking in–slow, deliberate, and deadly calm.
His face was blank as ever, but the glint in his eyes was pure violence.
He crossed the room, stopped in front of Sophie, and gently brushed a hand over her hair.
“I’m sorry,” he said. “I’m late.”
She clung to his sleeve, trembling, trying to speak–but before she could, a squad of black–suited bodyguards stormed in and surrounded the group of men.
“Get her out of here,” Xavier ordered without looking back. “She doesn’t need to see the rest.”
Sophie was escorted away.
The bald man dropped to his knees, trembling like a kicked dog.
“Mr. Ford, sir–please-”
Xavier didn’t even glance at him. He stepped forward–right onto the man’s hand–and walked past him like he was nothing.
He stopped in front of me.
And for a second, I thought… maybe he noticed I was bleeding. That he might help me.
Then the muzzle of a gun pressed against my forehead.
“When did you find out about Sophie?” His voice was calm. Cold. Deadly.
He thought I’d arranged all this. That I’d orchestrated an assault–just to get back at her.
“Xavier, I stepped in to protect her-”
The bullet tore through my thigh.
I screamed. The pain was white–hot, paralyzing.
“I didn’t like that answer,” he said flatly,
Then he turned toward the bald man.
“Your turn.”
The man was drenched in sweat. His eyes darted wildly–until he finally pointed a shaking finger at me.
“It… it was her, Mr. Ford! She told us to do it! She said if we forced ourselves on the girl, she’d get us in with you said we’d Chapter 4
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be part of your crew!”
“You’re lying!” I shouted.
But before I could say anything else, Xavier grabbed my jaw and forced me to look up at him.
“Avery,” he said quietly, “tonight, you’ll learn what it means to pay for your own choices.”
Then he looked back at the group.
“You want this to go away?” he said to the drunk men. “Do whatever you want with her. You’ll be forgiven.”
He turned away.
Still just as ruthless.
“No–Xavier, you can’t do this! I’m your wife!”
“Don’t worry, Mr. Ford,” the bald one grinned. “We’ll make sure it’s worth your while.”
They rushed me. I was bleeding, shaking, broken.
But they didn’t care.
They tore at my clothes and pinned me down, one after another.
“Monster!” I screamed. “Xavier Ford, you’re a fucking monster!”
He stopped at the doorway.
Paused.
Then kept walking.
For a second, I prayed the bullet wound would kill me. Anything to escape the hell that followed.
“Damn,” one of them laughed. “She was a virgin? What a bonus!”
As he laughed, a single tear rolled down my cheek.
Pain tore through me, but my mind drifted–to my wedding day.
Xavier had stood tall in a black tux, taking my hand from my father’s with quiet grace.
It was the closest I’d ever felt to happiness, and for a long time, I truly believed we’d fall in love someday—but that was just
a beautiful lie I told myself.
By the time dawn broke, one of the guards finally came in.
“You’re done,” he said to them.
The bald man stood, pulling up his pants like nothing had happened. He tossed a business card onto my chest.
Chapter 4
Tame him, conquer him, but try not to get too attached
“You were fun. Call me sometime.”
When they were gone, the guard silently draped what was left of my dress over me.
“Do you need a hospital, Mrs. Ford?”
Right. I’d been bleeding from the head. Shot in the leg. Hours had passed. The wounds were already crusted over with
dried blood.
I pushed myself upright, hand trembling, pulled my clothes back on, and walked out without looking back.
Then I grabbed my phone.
“Nate,” I said, my voice hoarse. “Move up the timeline, Erase me from every system you can.”
“I want Xavier to never find me again.”
