Chapter Two: The Devil Himself
The card burned in my hand long after he was gone.
I knew the name written on it. Everyone did. Aiden Cross. The man who owned half the city's debts, the man whispered about in corners, the one you prayed never to owe.
And now, somehow, he had claimed my brother's debt.
I stumbled into the rain once my shift ended, the card clutched in my pocket like poison. I didn't understand how Aiden even knew about Theo, but if the rumors were true, he wasn't the kind of man who made mistakes.
The next day, I found out how serious he was.
I came home to find Theo pale and shaking, a bruise darkening his jaw. "Nance… they came," he stammered. "His men."
My heart stopped.
Before I could even answer, a knock echoed at the door. Not a normal knock—a slow, deliberate pounding that made the walls tremble.
When I opened it, he was there.
Aiden Cross stood in the doorway like he owned it, rain dripping from the edge of his black coat. His eyes met mine, calm, steady, as if he had been waiting his entire life for this exact moment.
"Good evening, Nancy," he said softly. "We need to talk."
I should've slammed the door in his face. Called the police. Run. Anything but what I did.
I stepped aside.
Aiden walked in without hesitation, bringing the storm with him. His presence filled the small room, making the space feel too tight, too suffocating. Theo shrank back on the couch, silent, guilty.
Aiden's gaze never left me. "Your brother owes me money. A lot of money. And unlike the others he's stolen from, I don't forgive."
Theo muttered something under his breath, but Aiden ignored him completely.
My hands shook, but I forced myself to stand tall. "How much?"
Aiden's lips curved, the ghost of a smile. "It doesn't matter. He can't pay it. You can't either." He tilted his head, studying me. "But perhaps… you can offer me something else."
The way he said it made my stomach twist.
"I don't have anything," I whispered.
His eyes darkened. "You have yourself."
The room tilted. My breath caught in my throat.
Theo jumped to his feet. "No! Leave her out of this, I'll—"
"Sit down," Aiden's voice cracked like a whip. Theo obeyed instantly, face pale.
Aiden turned back to me, and in his calm, dangerous eyes, I saw the truth. He didn't just want repayment. He wanted me.
"You belong to me now, Nancy," he said, stepping closer until his shadow swallowed mine. "You can run if you like. But you won't get far. And when I find you—" he leaned down, his breath warm against my ear— "you'll realize you never wanted to escape in the first place."