Chapter 5: Into the lions den

The sound of Ronan’s voice stayed with me as we prepared to leave the estate. His words, his warnings, were etched into my mind, but my determination outweighed my fear. This was my life now—my fight.

We drove through the city under the cover of night, the tension inside the car thick enough to cut with a knife. Ronan sat beside me, his jaw clenched as he stared out the window, lost in thought. Matteo was driving, his sharp eyes scanning the streets for any signs of danger.

“Are you sure about this?” Ronan asked, his voice low.

I met his gaze, my hands tightening in my lap. “Yes. If this meeting involves David, I need to know.”

Ronan didn’t respond, but the look in his eyes told me everything I needed to know. He wasn’t happy about my decision, but he respected it.

The meeting was set to take place at an abandoned warehouse on the outskirts of the city—a cliché location for a not-so-cliché confrontation. As the car pulled to a stop outside the looming building, my heart pounded in my chest.

“Stay close to me,” Ronan said, his voice firm.

“I will,” I promised.

We stepped out of the car, and Ronan’s men moved into position around us. The air was heavy with tension, every shadow a potential threat.

Inside the warehouse, the atmosphere was suffocating. The dim lighting and echoing silence made the space feel larger than it was. Ronan’s grip on my arm was steady as he guided me forward, his presence a reassuring anchor.

At the center of the room stood Victor Santos, a tall man with sharp features and an air of arrogance. Beside him was David, his expression smug. My stomach churned at the sight of him, but I forced myself to stand tall.

“Well, well,” Santos drawled, his eyes landing on me. “This must be the famous Ashley Brown.”

I didn’t respond, my gaze fixed on David.

“She’s not part of this,” Ronan said, his voice cold. “You’re dealing with me.”

“Ah, but she’s the reason we’re all here, isn’t she?” Santos said with a smirk.

“Get to the point,” Ronan snapped.

Santos chuckled, clearly enjoying the tension. “Fine. David here has a proposition. He wants his wife back, and he’s willing to pay handsomely for her return.”

I froze, my heart racing.

“She’s not his wife anymore,” Ronan said, his voice deadly. “And she’s not for sale.”

David stepped forward, his eyes filled with fury. “She’s mine, Ronan. You have no right to take her from me.”

I found my voice, anger bubbling to the surface. “I was never yours, David. You treated me like garbage, and now you think you can just claim me?”

“Careful, Ashley,” he said, his voice low and threatening. “You don’t know what you’re getting yourself into.”

“I know exactly what I’m doing,” I shot back. “And I’m not going anywhere with you.”

Santos raised an eyebrow, clearly amused by the exchange. “Well, this is entertaining, but let’s get down to business. Ronan, you’ve stepped into my territory, and that comes at a price.”

Ronan’s grip on my arm tightened, his body radiating tension. “Name your price.”

“Leave the girl. Walk away, and we’ll call it even,” Santos said with a smirk.

“Not happening,” Ronan said without hesitation.

“Then we have a problem,” Santos said, his tone turning cold.

Before anyone could react, gunfire erupted, the sound echoing through the warehouse. Ronan pulled me to the ground, his body shielding mine as chaos erupted around us.

“Stay down!” he shouted, his voice barely audible over the noise.

I clung to him, my heart pounding as bullets flew overhead. Ronan’s men returned fire, their precision and training evident.

After what felt like an eternity, the gunfire ceased, and the warehouse fell silent once more.

“Are you okay?” Ronan asked, his eyes scanning me for injuries.

“I’m fine,” I said, my voice shaking.

He helped me to my feet, his hand never leaving mine. Around us, Santos’ men were either dead or retreating, their leader nowhere to be seen.

David was gone too, and I felt a mix of relief and frustration.

“We need to leave,” Matteo said, his voice urgent.

Ronan nodded, his grip on my hand tightening as he led me out of the warehouse.

---

The drive back to the estate was silent, the weight of the night pressing down on all of us. I couldn’t stop replaying the events in my mind—the danger, the fear, and the way Ronan had protected me without hesitation.

When we arrived, Ronan pulled me aside, his expression serious.

“This is only the beginning,” he said. “David and Santos won’t stop until they get what they want.”

“Then we need to be ready,” I said, my voice steady despite the fear gnawing at my insides.

Ronan’s eyes softened, and he reached out to brush a strand of hair from my face. “You’re stronger than you think, Ashley.”

His touch sent a shiver down my spine, and for a moment, I forgot about the danger surrounding us.

“I’ll protect you,” he said, his voice filled with determination. “No matter what.”

I believed him.

For the first time in years, I felt like I wasn’t alone in this fight.