Page 89 of Bonds of Obsession

“Your husband traffics people,” Nico adds bluntly. “Women. Children. You know what he is.”

She shudders. “Yes.”

“Then you know what he’d do to your baby,” I say quietly. “Boy or girl, that child would never be safe.”

“He said—” Her voice shakes. “He said he’d make the baby his heir.”

Atlas makes a disgusted sound. “Yeah? Like he made those other girls his ‘employees’?”

Fresh tremors run through her body. “You know about that?”

“We know everything,” I tell her. “By morning, he’ll be dead. Along with everyone loyal to him.”

“Arturo’s enemies?” Real fear enters her voice. “You’re with them?”

“Yes.” No point in lying now. “But I’m not like the others. I don’t kill innocent people.”

“Then why did they send you?”

“They ordered me to kill you. I chose to do something else.”

She turns to face me, rubbing her throat. “But… why?”

“Because I’ve done some fucked up shit,” I say. “But I won’t add killing an innocent woman and her baby to that list.”

Nico moves closer. “We can protect you. We’ll get you somewhere safe.”

“But we need to move fast,” Killian adds. “Before someone realizes those guards missed their check-in.”

She looks between us all again, desperate hope outweighing the fear in her eyes for the first time. “If you’re lying…”

“We’re not,” Atlas says softly. “Quinn doesn’t lie. And honestly? We wouldn’t go through the trouble.”

Celine sways slightly, and Killian steps forward to steady her. She flinches but doesn’t pull away.

“When is the baby due?” I ask, trying to build some connection.

“Three months.” Her hand drifts to her stomach. “I haven’t… he wouldn’t let me see a doctor.”

“Fucking bastard,” Atlas mutters.

“We’ll get you proper care,” I promise.

“He always finds me,” she whispers. “I tried running before. Three times.”

“What happened?” Nico asks, although his tone suggests he already knows.

She pulls up her sleeve, revealing cigarette burns. “He said the fourth time, it wouldn’t be me he punished.”

My jaw clenches. “He won’t touch you again. Either of you.”

“You don’t know him,” she says. “His reach?—”

“We know exactly what he is,” Killian cuts in. “A fucking coward who preys on people weaker than him.”

“But he’s not weak anymore,” she argues. “The things he can do, the people he knows?—”

“Won’t matter when he’s dead,” Atlas says flatly.

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