Epilouge

Dimitri

My rage, instead of cooling, sharpened. She called me a prison. She didn't understand the depths of my claim, the sheer, undeniable bond that night had forged. She thought I was just some random, powerful stranger. It was time to strip away the last of her ignorance. To make her understand. I grabbed her, pinning her to the wall. I was so close, I leaned down.

"You want to know who I am, Ava?" My voice dropping, low and dangerous, forcing her to listen.

"You want to know why I have the right?"

She looked up at me, her eyes defiant and furious, and stayed on mine.

"Because I'm the man you came to that night," I whispered, the words cutting through the air like razor wire.

"The one you sold your honor to for that $100,000. I was the one who bought it. I was the one who gave you the money for your mother. I was the one you sacrificed everything for."

The words landed like a physical blow. Her eyes widened, losing their defiant fire, replaced by pure, sickening horror. The color drained from her face, leaving it ashen. Her mouth opened, but no sound came out. She was recognizing it. My voice, my presence. The context of that night.

"Yes, Ava," I continued, pressing the advantage, letting the truth sink its claws into her. "It was me. The man who saw your desperation, your courage. The man who gave you the money and then watched as you fought and lost and rebuilt your life. I've been watching you ever since. Protecting you. Fixing your problems. Because that night, you became mine."

Her legs seemed to give out, and she slid down the wall, sinking to the floor, her eyes fixed on me, now filled with a crushing mix of shame, betrayal, and absolute terror. The fight had drained from her, replaced by utter devastation. I pulled back and looked at her.

"Leo," I barked into my comms, my voice now calm, cold again. The immediate surge of rage had subsided, replaced by a chilling clarity.

"Alex Vance. The man who just left her apartment. I want him dealt with. Subtly. No rough stuff. A transfer. A sudden, unavoidable career opportunity out of Axton. Far away. Make it look like a promotion he can't refuse. And I want it done by morning."

"Understood, sir," Leo's voice came back, efficient and unphased. He knew what "dealt with" meant. He understood that my personal desires superseded all other rules.

I looked down at Ava, crumpled on the floor. Her revelation was complete. The veil was torn. My past with her, my obsession, my possessive claim—it was all laid bare. The confrontation was messy, painful, but necessary. She needed to understand the depth of her entanglement.

"You are under my protection now, Ava," I stated again, but this time it wasn't a warning; it was a declaration of absolute ownership.

"And you will remain so. You will not try to leave, Axton. You will not seek out… other company." My gaze swept over her, taking in her crumpled form.

"Your life, your safety, it's my concern now, and if another man touches you. Their fate will be your fault.”

I could see the faint tremor in her body. The defiance might return later, but for now, she was utterly broken. She hated me. I could see it. But hatred was a powerful bond, too. It was something to work with.

I took one last look at her, her small, trembling form against the wall. The apartment felt like a prison now, but it was my prison, her gilded cage. And I was the only one with the key. I turned and walked out, leaving her in the quiet horror of her new, utterly exposed reality. The drama was only just beginning.