Scarlett POV:
I heard his voice—angry, sharp. It was coming from outside the garage.
He should have been happy. He had Mr. Grey captive… or so I thought. But there was no excitement in his tone now. No confidence. Only rage.
I prayed silently.
*Please let Mr. Grey be okay.*
"What the hell do you mean he doesn't have a single cut on him?" he roared from outside.
Fear wrapped tightly around my chest.
Who was he talking about?
"I—I'm not sure, sir," another voice replied shakily. "There are bodies everywhere… except his. He's perfectly fine. Not a scratch."
A loud crash followed—metal slamming against something solid. I flinched, my heart nearly bursting from my chest. A curse came after.
He'd smashed something. Or kicked it.
"Are you sure he's alone?" he demanded.
"Yes, sir. The cameras and drones tracked his every move."
Silence.
Then another voice, hesitant. "Boss… I don't think this will work. We should just dump the girl somewhere—"
"Shut the fuck up!" he snapped. There was anger in his voice—but fear too.
Relief washed through me.
Mr. Grey was fine.
Why was I even surprised? This was Xavier Grey—cunning as a fox, ruthless as a lion. Unstoppable.
Then he spoke again.
"Trash her."
My heart slammed violently against my ribs.
The door burst open and two massive men stormed inside.
I scrambled backward, whispering broken pleas through swollen lips and burning eyes. They didn't listen. But just kept coming closer and closer.
A hard slap landed across my face.
Another.
Then another.
I cried out loud, trying as much as possible to shield my face from the hot slaps. But they didn't stop there.
I screamed as they kicked me, my body curling in on itself as pain tore through every inch of me. Each blow landed heavier than the last. I begged. I screamed.
They didn't stop.
When they finally stepped back, I was barely conscious—my body screaming, my limbs useless. I lay there, sobbing silently as the pain swallowed me whole.
Then they returned but not alone.
This time, not for me.
They carried bags. Heavy ones.
They unzipped them.
Weapons.
So many weapons.
Snipers. Rifles. Guns I'd never seen before.
Panic surged through me.
All of this… for one man.
Mr. Grey.
They positioned themselves strategically, weapons aimed at the entrance. A few stayed near me, guns hovering above my head.
But I wasn't afraid anymore.
Death would be kinder than this pain.
Their boss entered through the back door, his steps sharp . His eyes flicked to me—cold, hateful.
I didn't flinch.
I would never be his.
The two men who'd nearly broken me stood close to him now. Armed. Ready.
Yet I could see it—the difference.
Fear.
They didn't have what Mr. Grey's men had. Courage. Control. The ability to hide tension.
Theirs eyes where covered with fear and their body filled with tension.
The door creaked open.
He stepped in.
Alone.
Hands in his pockets. Eyes scanning calmly.
A gunshot rang out—the bullet whizzed past him.
A poorly aimed shot. Fear-driven.
He didn't flinch, neither did he flinch or retard. He walked slowly and majestically— like a model, doing a photo shoot.
Another shot.
But nothing, he didn't even flinch.
His black eyes remained fixed on his target, as he kept on moving.
He stopped at the center of the room.
Then—slowly—his gaze shifted to me.
I held my breath.
---
Xavier POV
Interesting.
Ajax truly did love theatrics.
Everything here was miscalculated. Perfectly imperfect.
I walked in without emotion, my eyes locked on him. Inside, I smiled as I watched him tremble—just barely.
A bullet flew past me.
I didn't react.
The shot was sloppy. Fear always showed itself.
As I moved closer, his control unraveled. His eyes trying to hid the fear in it. But fear can't be hidden. My pony is a good example.
He should've known better.
I didn't earn the title *King of Dons* for nothing.
I stopped a few feet from him. Every weapon in the room was aimed at me.
This is just child's play, I have seen and done worst.
I'd survived worse.
My gaze drifted—and landed on my pony.
Chained. Bruised. Bloody.
Barely upright.
She looked half-dead.
I felt nothing.
If anything, I would punish her more severely for going against me.
But first, I had to deal with the idiot who thought he could touch what belonged to me.
"We have her," Ajax said smugly. "Your game is over."
I almost laughed.
What did he think she was to me?
She means nothing, just a pleasure toy I will use and eventually dump.
This was getting entertaining.
I stepped toward her.
"One more step, Grey, and she dies!"
Is that a threat—or fear disguised as one.
I ignored him.
He wouldn't dare shoot me from behind.
I crouched before her. She was conscious. Her eyes were red, wide with fear as she tried to turn away.
Pathetic.
"You dared disobey me, pony," I said calmly, lifting her chin with a finger and forcing her to look at me.
Her punishment was far from over.