Chapter 6 - The Unspoken Vow
The penthouse felt different after that night. The unspoken wall between them was completely demolished.
Two days later, Titan was declared fully healthy by Doc Sullivan, who conducted a final checkup in the living room. The massive mastiff bounded around the coffee table, playing tug-of-war with a thick rope toy, barking happily.
"He's completely healed, Mr. Ashworth," Sullivan smiled, packing his stethoscopes. "His weight is back up to one hundred and forty-eight pounds. It's a miracle."
When Sullivan left, Briar stood near the floor-to-ceiling windows, watching the sun set over the Hudson River. Her three weeks were up. Titan was healthy. Her contract was fulfilled.
A soft step sounded behind her. Damien stepped up, standing so close she could feel the heat radiating from his chest.
"You fulfilled your end of the deal, Briar," Damien murmured, his hand coming to rest softly against the side of her waist. "Your account has been credited. You are free to go."
Briar turned in his arm, looking up into his dark, handsome face. Her heart was beating wildly, not from fear, but from a desperate, deep longing.
"What if I don't want to go?" she whispered.
Damien’s breath hitched. His hand tightened around her waist, pulling her flush against his body. "Briar... I am a dangerous man. My world is full of blood, power, and enemies. If you stay with me, you step into the fire."
"I spent my whole life in the cold, Damien," Briar said, reaching up to cup his jaw, feeling the slight rough stubble beneath her fingers. "I’d rather burn with you."
Damien let out a low groan, bending his head down to capture her lips in a fierce, possessive kiss. Briar wrapped her arms around his neck, melting into him as Titan barked joyfully around their feet.
However, three miles away in a dark warehouse near the Brooklyn docks, Corbin Vance sat across from Don Marco Luciano—the head of the rival Luciano crime family.
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"Damien Ashworth is distracted," Corbin hissed, holding up a file of stolen photos. "He's obsessed with this girl. You want to take down the Ashworth syndicate? Grab the girl, and Damien will walk right into your trap."
Luciano smiled, a cold, gold-toothed grin. "Set the trap."
