Page 56 of Claimed By the Damned

Grim doesn’t answer right away. He makes another seemingly effortless turn, his large hands steady on the wheel. The silence stretches, punctuated only by the rhythmicthwump-thwumpof the windshield wipers. Finally, he adjusts his grip, his knuckles white for just a fraction of a second. His expression in the dim dashboard light is unreadable, but his voice, when he finally speaks, is flat, devoid of its usual mocking tone.

“Not until he’s dead.”

A chill runs down my spine. Not because of the brutality of the statement, but because of the certainty in his voice. He isn’t just saying it—he means it.

For the first time since running, I am not just afraid of Kolya.

I am afraid of what he’ll do to the people protecting me.

The house is dimly lit when we finally get back, much later than usual. The low hum of conversation coming from the kitchen stops abruptly the second Grim and I step through the door.

Ryker is on his feet in an instant, already moving towards us, his expression tight with poorly concealed anxiety. His dark eyes flick between Grim’s stony face and mine. “Where thehellhave you two been?” His voice is low, rough with tension. “Lila finished work over an hour ago. I’ve been calling—why weren’t you answering your phone, Grim?”

The implied accusation hangs heavy in the air. Before Grim can respond, Ryker’s sharp gaze zeroes in on me, catching the faint light glinting off the small, angry bruise already forming high on my cheekbone, near my temple, a souvenir from when my head snapped sideways during Grim’s evasive maneuver.

His already tight jaw clenches further, fury instantly replacing the anxiety. The tension in the room ratchets up, thickening like a storm about to break. His voice drops to a dangerous whisper."What the hell happened?"

Grim drops his keys on the counter with a deliberate clatter, meeting Ryker’s heated gaze levelly. He exhales slowly, the sound loud in the sudden silence. "Kolya’s men made another move," he states flatly, his tone leaving no room for doubt. "Tried to run us off the road."

The temperature in the room seems to plummet. Ryker’s gaze snaps back to me, possessive fury warring with raw fear in his eyes. "That’s it," he declares, his voice tight and slightly elevated. "You’re done going out. No more work, no more errands. You stay here until we take care of this."

My stomach drops. He isn’t asking. He is declaring it—like I am a problem to be contained.

“Excuse me?” I snap, anger flaring through the lingering fear.

Ryker turns fully to me, his expression dark and unyielding. "You almost got taken—twice in one week. I won’t let it happen again."

I cross my arms, my chest tightening. "You can’t just lock me up! I barely escaped one prison—I am not walking into another. I have a life I'm trying to rebuild."

"Not until Kolya’s dead, you don’t," he shoots back, his voice dangerously low. "You think this is just about you? It’s not. He won’t stop, and next time, it won’t just be you in danger because of him."

Silence thickens between us, tension rolling off Ryker in waves. He isn’t just angry—he is terrified. And trying to control the situation the only way he knows how.

Grim, still leaning against the counter, finally speaks, his voice cutting through the charged air. "Enough."

Ryker turns to him, fuming, but Grim raises a hand, silencing him. "She’s not quitting her life.I’llhandle it. We expand security. More men. More eyes. You trust me?"

Ryker exhales sharply, running a hand through his hair, the fight draining out of him slightly. "Of course I do."

"Then let me do my job." Grim pushes off the counter, fixing Ryker with a hard look. "She’s scared. You barking orders isn’t helping. We keep her safe, but she keeps her life. End of discussion."

Ryker mutters something under his breath but doesn’t argue further.

I let out a breath I hadn’t realized I was holding. Grim turns back to me, eyes steady, the hard lines around them softening almost imperceptibly. "Trust me, Princess. I got you covered."

His voice is rock solid. No bravado, no teasing—just absolute certainty. And for the first time, maybe ever with him, I don't just want to believe it. I think I actually do.

Then that familiar challenging look pulls at his lips, the menace instantly back in his eyes. "Still considering that leash idea though…."

"Excuseme?!" Ryker snaps immediately from where he stands rigidly nearby, his head whipping towards Grim, offense flaring in his eyes. He clearly didn't appreciate the joke, especially after their earlier clash.

Grim doesn't even bother looking at Ryker, his expression smug as he maintains eye contact with me. I roll my eyes, shooting Grim a glare, but there is no real heat behind it this time. Just bone-deep exhaustion mixed with the lingering tremors of adrenaline. Ryker's outburst fades into the background noise of their constant friction.

Safe. The word echoes alongside Grim's certainty, Ryker's fierce, sometimes smothering, possessiveness, even Ethan's quiet reassurance that I always felt from him. They're building walls around me, layer by layer. Itshouldfeel like Kolya's cage, suffocating. But... it doesn't. Not exactly. This feels... different. Sharper edges aimedoutward.

Chapter 18: Seeking Her Anchor

Lila

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