The elevator doors slid open with a soft chime. Celeste stepped inside, clutching her coat tight around her. Her heart was a drumbeat in her ears, each floor number lighting up like a countdown to freedom.
She didn't hear him until the doors began to close.
"Going somewhere?"
Damien's voice was calm — too calm. He stepped into the elevator, pressing the button to halt its descent. The air between them thickened.
"I'm leaving," she said, forcing her chin up.
His eyes flicked to the small overnight bag at her feet. "You think it's that simple?"
"It is for me."
He studied her for a long moment, then reached past her to restart the elevator. But instead of the lobby, he pressed the button for the basement.
Her pulse spiked. "What are you doing?"
"Showing you what happens when you walk away without understanding the rules."
The doors opened to a dimly lit garage. A black SUV idled in the shadows, its headlights cutting through the gloom. Two men stood beside it — the same ones from the night before.
Damien stepped out first, turning back to her. "You're not the only one who's been watching. The moment you leave my protection, you're theirs."
She froze, the weight of his words sinking in.
"This isn't protection," she said, her voice trembling. "It's a cage."
He stepped closer, his gaze locking on hers. "Then you'd better decide which cage you'd rather be in."
The SUV's engine roared, and Celeste realized the choice wasn't hers anymore.