Chapter 6

"Take her," a voice said, sharp and urgent.

The moment I heard those words, my consciousness snapped back. My nape throbbed, a dull ache reminding me of the blow that had knocked me out.

"Don't!" I yelled, struggling against the men who were closing in on me. "What do you people want from me?" I pushed myself to the edge of the seat, my back pressed against the car door.

Their faces were unfamiliar. They weren't Gideon's men, that much was clear. Then, I remembered their conversation before I passed out. Without realizing it, I was back in this mess, tangled in Gideon's twisted life.

They exchanged glances before grabbing my arms. I fought back, but they were twice as strong as I was. They'd subdued me before, and I couldn't seem to find the strength to resist.

"Who's behind this?!" I demanded, but no one answered.

They dragged me out of the car, treating me like a sack of rice.

"Stop moving!" one of the men shouted, his voice laced with anger. He choked me, his grip tightening around my neck.

"Hey! Stop it! You'll kill her!" I felt his hand loosen, a flicker of hesitation in his eyes. I coughed, gasping for air, my lungs burning.

I hadn't expected this man's sudden change of heart. I'd tried my best to stay away from Gideon and his world, but here I was again, dealing with his mess, his twisted web of lies and danger.

"What's with all the fuss? She's going to die anyway! Tss," one of the men said, his voice dripping with indifference. I kept coughing, my lungs burning, as they argued about my fate.

Their audacity, their casual disregard for my life, was insane. They didn't even have the decency to lower their voices.

"Let's stop this argument," another man said, his voice a bit more measured. "We all work for the same person, and he decides what to do with this woman."

They grabbed my arms again, pulling me inside.

A strong smell of chemicals hit me as I stepped into the room. It was a real deal, no doubt about it. The air was thick with fog, illuminated by dim green lights. People moved around, their actions precise, almost robotic.

The floor was wet, slick with an unknown substance. My heart pounded a steady rhythm as I scanned the room, taking in the scene.

"What kind of place is this..." I muttered, my voice barely a whisper. I heard the faint sound of footsteps approaching from my right.

The men around me immediately bent their heads, their bodies tense.

"Good evening, boss. We got Valois' wife as you commanded. Unharmed," one of the men said, his voice deferential.

I let out a faint chuckle, a sound that echoed through the silent room.

"Unharmed? One of you almost choked me to death," I retorted, my voice laced with sarcasm. I refused to look at their so-called boss. I didn't have time to spare on figuring out what kind of person he was.

"Gideon isn't my husband. I'm not bound to him by marriage. Stop the delusion that he'll appear in front of you to save me." My words hung in the air, a challenge in the face of their silent, watchful gazes. It was as if I'd stepped on a ticking bomb, the silence deafening.

"No one asked for your opinion, lass," a voice said, low and dangerous. It wasn't one of the men who'd dragged me here. I turned my head, meeting the death glare of the man behind this abduction. I couldn't see his face clearly in the dim green light, but he was roughly the same age as Gideon.

Could he be one of his enemies?

I thought back to my escape from Gideon, to the way I'd been dragged back into his world of trouble. If I'd faced him earlier, would things have turned out differently?

No. There was no time for regrets, no time to dwell on the decision I'd made to stay away from my condo. This was a thousand times better than having another discussion with that man.

"I just want to inform you that all of this is a waste of time," I said, my voice flat, emotionless. I wasn't known for my talkativeness, but something in me had snapped. I heard the boss chuckle as he walked towards me.

I met the men's eyes, their heads bowed in deference. I quickly turned my face forward, refusing to meet their gaze.

"You have some guts to talk back," a voice said, a gravelly tone that sent a shiver down my spine. I felt his hands grip my chin, forcing me to meet his gaze.

I could see his face clearly now. He was handsome, with sharp features, probably the same age as Gideon. I stared at him, my breath catching in my throat.

He grinned, his eyes lingering on every inch of my face.

"No wonder Valois is head over heels for your bewitching beauty," he said, his voice a smooth caress. He didn't take his eyes off me. My forehead furrowed as I wrenched my chin free. I didn't like being called that, especially not in this situation.

"What do you want from me?" I asked, my voice a low growl.

"I don't need anything from you, but I need you to get something from someone who admires you," the man said, turning his back on me. "Take her to the cabin and lock her in," he added, not giving me a chance to speak.

Then, he vanished, disappearing into the shadows. I wanted to struggle, to fight back when the men grabbed my arms again, but I forced myself to stay calm. They dragged me through the room, my feet barely touching the ground.

This time, I wouldn't let them see a flicker of fear in my eyes. I didn't know what their boss was planning, but I couldn't deny the flicker of hope that Gideon might come here, that he might save me.

"You stay here," the man who'd choked me earlier said, his voice a low growl. He shoved me into a room and slammed the metal door shut.

Did he think I'd just sit here and wait?

I let out a frustrated sigh and paced around the room. It was small, with only a small glass table and a metal bed. I sat down, my eyes scanning the room, searching for a way out. But everything was sealed, locked tight. Even a rat couldn't get in.

Frustration gnawed at me. I remembered being in a similar situation four years ago, the hour before I was supposed to marry Gideon.

I'd escaped.

I had escaped...

Yes, I had. But... My parents had died that day. There was nothing I could do to save them. I couldn't blame myself. I'd been powerless. But a part of me still whispered that it was my fault.

If I'd just accepted the marriage without a fuss, they'd still be here, alive. I wouldn't be going through all of this alone.

I closed my eyes, tears welling up. This wasn't the time to remember all of it. I stared at the closed door for a moment, then stood up. But my legs gave way, and I crashed back down to the floor.

My heart hammered against my ribs, a frantic rhythm. Small, ragged gasps escaped my throat. I gulped for air, screaming silently.

What was happening?

I tried to crawl towards the bed, but my body felt heavy, my life slipping away. Suddenly, a small chemical compound ignited in the room, filling the air with a stinging, choking gas.

I gasped, my lungs burning, my throat closing. I was slowly losing consciousness. I screamed for help, a desperate cry that echoed in the silent room, before darkness finally claimed me.

...

I opened my eyes, wincing as I turned my head. My head throbbed, a dull ache that made me want to vomit. I lifted my right arm, noticing an IV taped to it.

When I turned my head to the left, I saw a handset with a call button and a gray curtain in front of me. The memories flooded back, and I sat up, wincing as the dextrose in my arm pulled.

"How long have I been here? Whose place is this?" I mumbled, my voice hoarse.

"You've been here since last night. You were unconscious," a voice said. I turned my head, and behind the gray curtain, the doors were open.

Gideon stood there, watching me, his eyes glittering with amusement. He smirked, enjoying my confusion.

"You were lucky you didn't inhale another dose of chemicals. I arrived just in time," he said, walking towards me. I was still trying to gather my thoughts.

"What happened? Why are you here?" I asked, meeting his gaze as he stopped in front of me, arms crossed.

He stared at me, the smirk fading from his face. His expression shifted, a flicker of something dark and dangerous crossing his eyes.

He was suppressing his anger, I could feel it. I wanted to lash out at him, blame him for this, for putting me through this hell, but I didn't have the energy.

Those chemicals had nearly killed me, and I felt like I was hanging on by a thread.

"Stop moving," he said, his voice a low rumble. He surprised me by sitting beside me, gently cupping my hands. "You need to regain your health." My brow furrowed as I met his gaze.

There was worry in his eyes, a flicker of concern that shouldn't be there. He shouldn't feel anything for me. He shouldn't show it, not when he was the one who'd put me in this situation, the one who'd had me kidnapped.

I wanted to scream at him, to slap him.

"I know you despise me, Greer," he said, his voice softer now. I bit my lower lip, turning my gaze away. "You can do that, but for now, recover." He gently lifted my chin, forcing me to look at him. "Don't think I'm doing this out of pity. I know I can't change what you see in me, but please, rest. Recover."

I remained silent, stunned by this unexpected shift in his demeanor.

"After you're healthy again, you can fire me with any hatred you have," he said, his voice a low murmur. The silence that followed felt heavy, charged with his intensity.

I felt his gaze on me, his sudden movements sending shivers down my spine.

"Stay at my place. I'll take care of you. I'll make sure no one hurts you again while you recover," he said, gently pulling my head closer, planting tiny kisses on my forehead.

I was unguarded, my heart fluttering for the first time, a strange, unsettling sensation in the face of his dark intentions.