Her eyes flicked to the glass in her hand, a spark of calculation flashing through them.
Then, with a slow, sultry curl of her lips, she smiled—a smile so dangerously beautiful it made him falter.
“Fine. I’ll drink. But tell sothing first. Calling here wasn’t part of their plan. What happens if they find out you’re protecting ?”
For a mont, Zachary’s heartbeat stumbled. Her beauty was dizzying, intoxicating. His eyes darkened, his voice thick. “What’s there to be afraid of? Nobody can touch . I’ve got connections. Even the Wraith family can’t lay a hand on . Stick with , and I’ll keep you safe.”
Her lips parted, voice soft, coaxing. “But I’m greedy. I want my company safe too. You’ll make that happen, won’t you?”
Zachary chuckled, his eyes roving over her. “Greedy woman. But fine—if you promise to drink, I’ll consider it.”
Without hesitation, Clarissa lifted the glass and downed it in one gulp.
Zachary burst into laughter, triumphant. “That’s what I like—straightforward! Don’t worry, Clarissa. Be my woman, and I’ll make sure you never lose out.”
He lunged toward her, but she snapped her purse up between them. His mouth landed on leather instead of skin.
“Wait.”
“What now?” he growled.
Clarissa swallowed her revulsion, silently vowing to burn the damn bag later. eting his eyes again, her expression softened into sothing dangerously enticing. “Go take a shower. What’s the rush? We’ve got all night.”
For a second, Zachary just stared, caught off guard. Then he grinned and hurried toward the bathroom.
The sound of running water filled the suite.
The mont he vanished, Clarissa bolted upright, staggered to the trash can, and gagged.
Her stomach twisted violently. She retched until there was nothing left but bile, her whole body shaking. Finally, she rinsed her mouth with a bottle of water, tied the ss into a plastic bag, and shoved it under the sofa.
When she finally sat down again, her eyes were hard.
A force not even afraid of the Wraith family…
Zachary was nothing more than a tax official, albeit a dirty one with plenty of skeletons in his closet. He wasn’t clever enough to mastermind this. Soone was pulling his strings. But once again, she’d gotten nothing concrete out of him.
Her phone buzzed—Delilah’s ssage. Ten more minutes.
Clarissa’s gaze flicked toward the bathroom, the water still running. A dark glint lit her eyes.
I just need to get out of here.
At least she’d recorded their conversation. It should be enough to prove she was being frad, enough to buy her company so breathing room.
She rose, ready to slip out—
The water shut off.
Clarissa froze.
So soon?
Not even five minutes had passed.
Zachary stord out of the bathroom with nothing but a towel wrapped around his waist, dripping water in his wake. Before stepping further, he doubled back, doused himself with cologne, swished so mouth spray, and slicked his hair back. Sucking in his gut, he strutted out with the swagger of a man convinced he looked “handso.”
But when he reached the living room, his smug expression froze.
Clarissa was gone.
“Fuck!” He spun in circles, panicked. “Where the hell did she go?”
As he fumbled for his phone, Clarissa erged silently from behind the door. In both hands she gripped a heavy ashtray, and with every ounce of strength she had, she smashed it into the back of his skull.
Zachary howled, blood spilling down his face.
She didn’t stop. Two more savage blows landed before he collapsed onto the carpet, groaning, half-conscious.
Clarissa hurled the ashtray aside and bolted for the door—
Only to find a wall of n waiting in the hallway.
Her chest tightened. She glanced back at Zachary, spitting out, “You said it was just the two of us.”
Clutching his head, Zachary staggered upright, his face twisted with fury. “You bitch. I gave you a chance. If you’d just obeyed, you’d have only had to serve . But no—you had to make it worse for yourself.”
Two hulking n grabbed Clarissa and slamd her to the floor. Pain shot through her side, she forced herself to snarl up at them. “If you dare touch , you’ll die screaming.”
“Ooh, feisty,” one of them jeered. “I like it.”
“Yeah,” another laughed. “We’ll see if she’s still got that mouth on her after we’re done.”
“Zachary, told you she wasn’t gonna play nice.”
Zachary’s original plan had been to keep Clarissa for himself a while before passing her around. But her defiance had lit a darker rage in him.
He sneered. “What are you idiots waiting for? Set up the caras.”
Clarissa’s blood ran cold as she watched them unpack tripods and lenses, every gaze on her dripping with sick hunger. “What the hell are you planning?”
One man grinned. “With so many of us here? We’d be crazy not to film it. Imagine replaying Miss Clarissa’s performance over and over.”
Laughter erupted around her.
Clarissa’s stomach twisted. “Bastards.”
“Shaless?” Zachary’s grin widened, vile and smug. “That’s right, I’m shaless. And tonight, I’ll teach you what it ans to be a woman. You should be thanking .”
She spat at him. “Go to hell.”
But before she could curse him again, a strange heat flared inside her, spreading fast. Her face drained of color, then flushed scarlet.
Zachary saw it imdiately and his eyes glead. “Well, well. Looks like the drug’s kicking in.”
“You…” Clarissa’s voice shook, her cheeks burning unnaturally.
He sauntered closer, savoring her reaction. “Specially prepared. Strongest shit money can buy. Soon, you’ll be begging to touch you.”
He lunged—
—but Clarissa’s hand shot into her bag. A crackle of electricity filled the air as she jamd a stun gun against his neck.
Zachary’s whole body convulsed, and he collapsed with a strangled scream.
Clarissa bolted for the window.
“Get her!”
Several n rushed after her, hemming her in against the glass.
“Run? Where the fuck do you think you’re going?”
“Go on—jump. Sixth floor. We’ll watch.” They laughed cruelly.
They closed in, eyes gleaming like wolves circling prey.
Then—
A thick rope dropped outside the window.
With a sharp crash, the glass door shattered inward as Delilah swung through, boots colliding with two n’s faces. Shards exploded across the room, slashing skin, drawing screams.
“Aahhh! My face!”
“Where the fuck did she co from?!”
Clarissa ducked instinctively into a corner as Delilah landed, ready for battle.
Delilah balanced on the shattered window fra, brushing glass away with the tip of her shoe. She wrinkled her nose. “Ugh, city houses are such a pain. Slippery roofs, nowhere to stand—I finally find a foothold, and it’s still awkward.”
Her eyes flicked across the room and landed on Clarissa, crouched on the floor, trembling.
Delilah froze, then darted over. “Clarissa? What’s wrong? Did they hurt you?”
Clarissa’s chest rose and fell rapidly, her cheeks flushed with an unnatural heat. At the sight of Delilah, her body sagged with relief—but the mont she relaxed, the drug slamd through her system.
Delilah misread it as fear. Her expression hardened, and her small fra straightened like steel.
“Did you bastards bully Clarissa?”
The n glanced at each other, then burst into laughter. She was young, pretty, barely more than a girl. None of them took her seriously.
“Bully?” one snorted. “Sweetheart, why don’t you stay and *play* with us too?”
“Yeah,” another chid in. “Join Miss Clarissa. We’ll make it fun for everyone.”
“Play?” Delilah tilted her head, smiling faintly. “Sure. I love playing.”
She stepped forward.
Clarissa blinked through the haze, trying to speak, but every breath scorched her throat. Her skin crawled as though ants were crawling over her body. She managed to fumble for her phone, whispering into it, begging Atticus to hurry. Deep down, she feared Delilah couldn’t possibly handle so many n on her own.
But then Delilah moved.
She grabbed a thickset man—easily five-foot-eight and heavyset—by the collar and, with one arm, *heaved* him across the room. He hit the far wall with a sickening thud before sliding limp to the ground.
For a heartbeat, the entire room went still.
Clarissa’s eyes widened. The n’s mouths hung open.
What the hell kind of monster was this girl?
Delilah didn’t stop. Her fighting style was unpolished, but her raw power was terrifying—every punch sent a man sprawling, bones cracking under the force.
Clarissa had never seen Delilah like this. She wasn’t just strong. She was furious.
All those days spent at Clarissa’s side had bound her to the woman. Add Phoenix’s standing orders—if anyone dares touch Clarissa, beat them to death—and Delilah was unrelenting.
Soon the floor was littered with blood.
The last two n dropped to their knees, begging for rcy, but Delilah didn’t hesitate. With a single brutal kick apiece, she sent them skidding across the room until they slamd into a cabinet and collapsed, coughing blood before fainting.
Delilah dusted her hands, then skipped back to Clarissa with a grin, her tone light as if nothing had happened. “There! Taught them a lesson. Told you I could handle it. But you owe ice cream when we get back.”
Clarissa forced a shaky smile. “You were amazing, Delilah. I’ll buy you ice cream… I promise.” Her voice broke. She hugged herself, a small sob escaping.
Only then did Delilah’s smile falter. She crouched beside her, worried. “Clarissa? What’s wrong?”
Clarissa grabbed her arm desperately. “Delilah, take to Atticus. Please.”
“Atticus? But didn’t you call him already? He’ll be here soon—with the police. We can just wait.”
Clarissa bit her lip hard, swallowing down a moan. Every nerve scread under the drug’s grip. “Then—then help to the bathroom. Please.”
“Oh, of course!”
Delilah, thinking Clarissa was simply ill, scooped her up with ease and carried her into the bathroom. She set her gently into the bathtub.
“Clarissa, you’re burning up. Do you have a fever?”
Clarissa’s voice was ragged. “I’m so hot… turn on the cold water. Please. I need it.”
Delilah quickly twisted the faucet. Icy water cascaded over Clarissa, soaking her hair and clothes. For a few precious monts, relief numbed the fire under her skin.
But within minutes the drug surged back, fiercer than before. Clarissa curled up tight, muffling a desperate moan against her arm.
Her body shook. She had already vomited most of it out earlier, yet the drug’s grip was relentless.
Stronger—far stronger—than the poison Yuriko Nomiya had used on her.
Her lips trembled as she whispered through clenched teeth, “It’s so strong… too strong… Zachary, that bastard…”
Her vision blurred. The cold water couldn’t drown the heat clawing through her veins.
Atticus… hurry…
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