Page 44 of Lords of Ruin: Owned

For a long moment, Vincent doesn’t answer. He stands there, looking at me, his gaze intense but unreadable. When he finally speaks, his voice is measured, controlled, like he’s carefully considering his words.

The word vomit bubbles up my throat, and I try to take back what I said. “You know, I told him that’s crazy because you’re Vincent Beaumont, and I’m—you know… so I know he’s just punking me. And, it’s not?—”

“He’s not punking you,” Vincent interrupts, his eyes flickering briefly, his jaw tightening before he answers. “I’m in love with you, Willow.”

I freeze. My chest tightens, a lump forming in my throat. “What? You—what?”

His gaze doesn’t falter, and his voice is calm, almost distant. “I’ve been in love with you for a while now. You might not have noticed, but it’s been there.” He pauses for a second, like he’s waiting for me to say something, but I’m speechless, my heart pounding against my ribs. “It’s not a joke, Willow. And it’s not something that just goes away, even if you want it to.”

Before I can think twice about it, I say. “I don’t want it to, but I don’t know.”

“You don’t know?” Vincent teases, and my cheeks flush to a baby pink.

“I... I don’t know what to say,” I finally manage, my voice small, fragile. “Why? Why me? I don’t—this is just... too much.”

Vincent looks down briefly, his eyes flicking away like he’s trying to gather his thoughts. “Since freshman year, Willow, I haven’t ever been able to get you out of my head. We would be together if it wasn’t for Rosemary’s heart, and trust me when I thought I would never get a chance with you I tried to fight my feelings, but... there’s no ignoring it anymore. I’m not going to pretend I don’t feel it.”

My chest tightens, and I bite my lip, trying to hold back the emotions threatening to spill over. “This doesn’t make sense. You’ve always been so... cold, distant. How am I supposed to believe that?”

He steps closer, his presence overwhelming. “That’s just me, Willow. That’s how I’ve been. But I’m not pretending anymore. I’m in love with you, and I need you to understand that.”

I shake my head, still reeling. “But I don’t know how to feel about this. I’m so confused. You can’t just drop this on me.”

Vincent’s eyes soften slightly, but his resolve doesn’t waver. “I’m not asking you to feel the same right away. But I need you to know. You don’t have to rush into anything. I’m not going anywhere. But I’m here, and I’m serious about you.”

“What about the contract?” I cough out.

“Fuck the contract.”

“Vincent!”

Vincent steps closer, his presence almost suffocating as he hovers near me. His eyes lock on mine, and for once, there’s no hesitation. “I’m in love with you. And I need you to understand that. It’s not just about the contract. It never was. I don’t care about that. I just did it to be closer to you. I wanted to be with you.”

I blink, stunned. “The contract… that was just a way for you to be closer to me?”

Vincent nods, his expression unflinching. “I always want to be near you, Princess.”

I struggle to absorb his words, my mind spinning. “But... but what about all the control? The rules, the expectations, the clothes... You wanted to keep me in a box.”

“I didn’t want to control you, Willow,” he says softly, his voice steady but filled with an edge of frustration. “I wanted to protectyou, and see you in cute outfits. I thought—” He pauses, shaking his head slightly. “I thought you should get a taste of how being with me would feel. You would never want for anything, never be vulnerable to anything. You want it? I got. You need it? I got it. Everything I have is yours, including me.”

The realization sinks in like a stone, and for a moment, I don’t know how to react. “You can’t just give me everything, Vincent,” I say, my voice shaking. “I need more than that. I need space. I need choices. I need to be me—not just some... accessory to your life….or”

“You’re not. You are so much more, ” Vincent interrupts gently. “You don’t have to love me back, but I need you to know the truth. I’m serious about you, Willow. And I’m not going anywhere. I want you to be with me, however long it takes.”

A thick silence hangs between us, broken only when the nurse returns, clipboard in hand. She glances at the two of us, then focuses on me with a gentle, professional smile. “How are we feeling now, Miss Cater?”

I open my mouth to speak, but the words seem to falter. I don’t know what to say. I’m still trying to process everything Vincent has just told me.

“She’s talking, and seems to be breathing easy, despite her elevated heart rate,” Vincent answers, winking at me when he said the last part.

“Good,” the nurse nods. “Very good.”

“What happened? I felt like I couldn’t breathe and my heart…”

I try to sit up, feeling the heaviness in my chest. My throat is dry, my mouth slightly numb. "What happened? I felt like I couldn’tbreathe, and my heart…" My voice falters as I swallow, trying to make sense of the pounding, the tightness, the way my body seemed to just shut down.

The nurse looks at me sympathetically, her expression softening. "You experienced something called bradycardia," she explains, moving to the side of my bed and adjusting the IV slightly. "It’s a condition where your heart rate drops too low, which can cause dizziness, shortness of breath, and chest pain. It’s not uncommon, but it’s something we need to monitor."

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