Chapter Nineteen: Harmony of Havoc.

Violet Virgilson.

The warehouse smelled of betrayal.

Not just smoke and rust and old whiskey, but betrayal. That sharp, metallic tang that clings to the air when people who once swore loyalty decide to trade you for a better deal.

I should've known the moment we stepped inside. The silence was too thick. The shadows stretched too long. Vincent's men-no, not his men anymore-shifted restlessly, eyes sliding away from his like guilty schoolboys caught cheating on an exam.

I hugged his leather jacket tighter around me, watching him with that terrifying, infuriating calm he wore like a second skin. Vincent Virenson could be bleeding out, and he'd still look like the devil in charge of the underworld. But even devils cracked, and I could see it in the hard line of his jaw.

And then Marco spoke.

"I'm sorry, Centy." His voice broke the silence like a cheap violin out of tune. "Caroline-she made an offer none of us could refuse."

Centy.

The nickname slipped from his lips like a curse and a mockery all at once. My stomach twisted at the sound of it.

Vincent didn't flinch. He didn't blink. He just tilted his head, glass of whiskey still in his hand, his eyes glowing like embers ready to set the whole damn city on fire.

"She made an offer?" His voice was soft. Too soft. That dangerous kind of soft that made your spine shiver. "And you-what? Jumped like a dog for scraps?"

Marco smiled. Actually smiled. That sheepish, traitor's smile, as if betrayal was nothing more than a joke between old friends.

That's when I realized-Marco wasn't sorry. Not one damn bit.

The glass shattered before I even saw Vincent's hand move. Amber liquid sprayed across the concrete wall, dripping like fire, but no one dared breathe. Except Marco. He just kept smiling like he thought he'd won.

And maybe he had.

Because in the corner of the warehouse, tied to a chair with ropes digging into his arms, was Daigo.

Daigo. The one man who'd never flinched, never backed down, never questioned Vincent. If Vincent was the fire, Daigo was the steel that kept it burning. And Caroline had him.

The realization hit like a punch. My heart stuttered in my chest.

And then she walked in.

Caroline.

God help me, she looked like a storm in heels-perfect hair, red lips, every step clicking against the concrete like a countdown to destruction. And beside her? A stranger who was no stranger at all, not once you saw the resemblance. Taller, older, darker. His smile was a mirror of hers-wolfish, smug, lethal.

"Dominic," she purred, like she was introducing her pet panther. "Meet Vincent's little darling. The one making him weak."

Her eyes landed on me. Sharp. Hungry. And suddenly I felt every inch the burden I swore I wasn't.

Vincent stiffened, his body a wall of fury between me and them, but Dominic's gaze slid past him like he wasn't even there. His eyes found mine-and lingered.

And then he smiled.

A slow, sheepish, devastating smile that made my blood boil and my stomach flip all at once.

"Well, well," Dominic drawled, voice smooth as silk dipped in venom. "The songbird herself. No wonder Centy's empire is crumbling. If I were him, I'd burn down a city for you too."

Vincent growled, low and lethal, but Dominic didn't even blink. He just tilted his head, studying me like I was already his prize.

"You don't know me," I snapped, my voice sharper than I felt.

"Oh, I know enough," Dominic said, his smirk widening. "I know you're the reason Daigo's in that chair. I know you're the reason Vincent's men are turning on him. And I know..." His eyes dipped, then rose again, deliberate. "...you're worth every second of this little game."

I swallowed hard, hating the way heat rose to my cheeks. "Stay away from me."

Marco chuckled from where he leaned against the wall. "Good luck with that, Violet. Dominic doesn't stay away from anything he wants."

The betrayal in his voice cut deeper than Dominic's flirting. Marco, the man who used to swear loyalty over late-night drinks, who once carried Daigo out of a firefight with his own hands-now he was smiling, mocking, while Daigo bled in a chair.

"Marco," I whispered, almost to myself. "How could you?"

He met my gaze, shrugging like it was nothing. "Survival, sweetheart. Caroline knows how to pick the winning side."

The world tilted.

Daigo groaned.

And Vincent finally moved.

He stepped forward, each stride a promise of violence, his eyes locked on Marco like the bullet already had his name carved into it.

The warehouse went silent.

And I?

I realized this was only the beginning of the havoc.

---

The night pressed heavy around me, as though the shadows themselves had grown teeth. I could barely catch my breath. Betrayal still tasted bitter on my tongue-Marco's smirk replaying in my head like a broken record.

"Marco... why?" I whispered into the silence, though there was no answer except the faint hum of the generator outside. He had laughed. He had looked Vincent in the eye and chosen Caroline. Again.

And now Daigo-sweet, stubborn, loyal Daigo-was gone.

I tried not to think of him tied to a chair somewhere, bruises blooming across his jaw while Caroline sharpened her claws. Tried not to think of Vincent's face, the way it had drained of color when Marco revealed his betrayal.

Vincent...

God, if only he knew how much I hated myself right now.

I hugged my arms around me, pacing the dimly lit safehouse, shoes clicking against the tiled floor. I wanted to scream. To break something. But instead, I pressed my teeth against my knuckles until I tasted blood.

That's when the door creaked.

I spun, heart in my throat, and there he was.

Dominic.

Caroline's elder brother. Trouble incarnate wrapped in an expensive suit and a smile that was far too amused for the chaos he'd helped unleash.

"Well, well," he drawled, leaning casually against the doorframe. His voice slid through the air like velvet dipped in poison. "The infamous Violet Virgilson. Even prettier up close than the stories say."

My jaw tightened. "Get out."

He chuckled low, ignoring my glare as his eyes dragged over me. Not lewd. Not yet. But heavy enough to make my skin prickle.

"Now, now, don't be like that. I came to deliver a message." His grin widened. "Your precious Vincent? He's bleeding allies faster than a sinking ship loses water. And Daigo-" he tilted his head, feigning sympathy "-he's in our care. Caroline's care. Though, between you and me..." He leaned closer, lowering his voice. "...she doesn't have half the finesse I do when it comes to breaking men."

My stomach churned, but I refused to flinch. That's what he wanted.

"You touch Daigo and I swear-"

"Oh, relax," Dominic cut in smoothly, though his gaze flickered over my lips, lingering there too long. "I wouldn't hurt him. But you..." He let out a soft whistle, stepping closer until only a breath separated us. "...you're the kind of woman a man could go to war for. I almost pity Vincent."

The audacity of him-standing there, flirting, while Daigo was in chains and Marco played Judas all over again-made something snap inside me.

I shoved him back hard. "Keep your pity. And keep your distance."

He stumbled a step, then laughed. Actually laughed. "Spirited. I like that. No wonder Vincent clings to you. He knows if he lets go, I'll be right there to catch you."

My hand itched for a weapon, but there was nothing within reach. Just my fury. Just the tremor in my chest.

"Get. Out."

This time, Dominic obeyed, but not before flashing that wolfish smile again. "Careful, Violet. Broken men don't make good lovers. They make great enemies. And Vincent..." He tapped two fingers to his temple. "...he's already breaking."

Bye songbird

The door clicked shut behind him.

And I sank against the wall, fighting the urge to crumble. Because for once, Dominic wasn't wrong.

Vincent was breaking.

And I-I was part of the reason why.

---

Vincent Virenson

The glass shattered against the wall before I even realized I'd thrown it.

"DAMN IT!" My roar echoed in the hollow expanse of the safehouse office, bouncing back at me like a chorus of my own failures.

Whiskey streaked down the wallpaper, dripping onto the carpet. Another stain for the collection. Another mess I couldn't clean up.

Daigo. Loyal Daigo. The one man who'd stood by me when the world crumbled, when Caroline sharpened her knives, when Marco first betrayed me. Now he was gone. Snatched by the very vipers I'd spent my life trying to cut down.

And Marco-God.

That smirk. That sheepish smile as though betrayal was just a game. As though handing me over to Caroline and Dominic was nothing more than a casual pastime.

"Bastard," I growled, slamming my fist against the desk. Wood splintered. My knuckles split. The pain felt good. Real. Something I could control.

But control was slipping.

My men were scattered, half of them bought, the other half too scared to stand. Allies? Gone. The empire I'd built was a house of cards, and Caroline had just exhaled.

And then there was Violet.

I dragged a hand through my hair, pacing. God, the look in her eyes earlier-like she was the burden, like all this blood was somehow staining her hands instead of mine.

If only she knew.

If only she could see that she was the only damn thing keeping me from burning everything down and letting the flames take me too.

The door creaked.

I spun, half-expecting Marco to slink back in, ready with another dagger for my spine. Instead, it was Dominic. Smug, polished, and too calm for a man who should've been bleeding out on my floor by now.

"You've lost your touch, Vincent," he said with that sheepish smile of his, the one that always made me want to rearrange his jaw. "I walked right past your guards. Or what's left of them."

I clenched my fists. "Where's Daigo?"

He tilted his head, eyes glittering with mock sympathy. "Safe. For now. Caroline's... entertaining him." He smirked. "Though between us, she lacks creativity."

Rage boiled in my veins. "If you lay a hand-"

"Oh, relax." Dominic waved a hand like I was a child throwing a tantrum. Then his smile sharpened. "Your problem isn't me. It isn't even Caroline. It's Marco."

The name hit like a knife.

"Your lapdog wagged his tail for us again. Twice bitten, twice fooled, Vincent. How many times will you let the same snake strike before you crush its head?"

My nails dug into my palms, blood seeping from the cuts on my knuckles. He wasn't wrong. But hearing it from Dominic's mouth made me want to rip out his tongue.

"Careful, Dominic," I said through clenched teeth. "You're circling too close to fire."

"And you," he countered smoothly, "are circling the drain."

For a moment, silence stretched between us. Heavy. Suffocating. Then he leaned forward, voice dropping low.

"Tell me, Vincent... when you break-and you will-do you think Violet will still be here to pick up the pieces? Or will she realize she deserves better?" His grin widened. "Like me."

My vision went red.

Before he could blink, my hand shot out, grabbing his collar and slamming him against the wall. The plaster cracked. His smirk didn't falter.

"You so much as look at her again-" I snarled, breath hot against his face. "-and I'll put you in the ground beside your sister."

Dominic chuckled, unbothered. "Ah, there's the Vincent I remember. Ruthless. Unhinged. Tell me-do you threaten every man who notices how exquisite Violet is? Or just the ones who make you insecure?"

My grip tightened. His smirk dared me to snap his neck.

And for the first time in a long time, I almost did.

"Careful, Centy, break too hard and even Violet won't want your shards".

Chapter Twenty: Ballad of Brokenness.

Violet Virgilson.

The safehouse was too quiet.

The kind of quiet that doesn't soothe-it suffocates.

Every tick of the old clock on the wall thudded in my ears like a countdown. Countdown to what? To Daigo's return? To Marco's next betrayal? To Vincent finally snapping and burning the whole damn city to ash?

The silence pressed in, dragging Marco's smirk back into my mind. That smile-the kind that says, I've already won.

And maybe he had.

Because no matter how many times Vincent growled his threats, no matter how many glasses he shattered against the walls, Marco wasn't afraid. He had chosen Caroline, and this time, there was no regret. No guilt. No hesitation.

He had traded us in like old currency, and Vincent's empire was bankrupt.

I hugged my arms around myself, pacing across the narrow room, my bare feet whispering against the cold tile. If I closed my eyes, I could still see Daigo tied to that chair in the warehouse, the ropes biting into his wrists, the blood on his lip. Daigo, who never flinched. Daigo, who never broke.

Where is he now?

The door groaned open, and I froze. My breath caught, waiting for Vincent. Or Marco. Or worse-Dominic.

But it was Daigo.

Two of Vincent's remaining loyal men staggered in, half-carrying him. He looked like he had gone ten rounds with the devil and walked away just to spite him. His shirt was torn, his knuckles split, and bruises climbed his jaw like storm clouds. But his eyes-sharp, stubborn, alive-met mine.

"Daigo!" I rushed to him, my hands hovering as they lowered him into a chair.

He waved me off, even as pain carved lines across his face. "Don't you dare cry, Violet. I'm not broken." His voice was gravel, but his pride was intact.

I bit down hard on my lip. "What did they do to you?"

He chuckled, then winced. "Caroline tried words. Dominic tried charm. Neither worked."

My stomach turned. Dominic.

I crouched beside him, studying the rope burns around his wrists. "You should be in bed, not making jokes."

Daigo's hand shot out, gripping my arm with surprising strength. His voice dropped low. "Listen to me, Violet. Don't let them in your head. Caroline wants you to feel like a weakness. Dominic wants you to believe you're already his. Both of them-" his eyes locked onto mine "-thrive on your fear."

Heat pricked the back of my eyes. "Daigo, I-"

"You're not the burden," he snapped, fierce even in exhaustion. "You're the reason Vincent hasn't drowned yet. Don't forget that."

But the words only twisted tighter in my chest. Because wasn't I exactly what they said? The reason Vincent was unraveling? The reason Marco saw an opening? The reason Dominic smiled like a predator every time our eyes met?

Before I could answer, the door slammed again.

Dominic.

He leaned against the frame like he owned it, dark suit sharp despite the late hour, tie loose as though chaos was his favorite accessory. His smile was all teeth and amusement, the kind that could cut and caress at the same time.

"Well, well," he drawled. "Songbird looks even lovelier in candlelight."

My pulse jumped. I straightened, placing myself between him and Daigo instinctively.

"Get out." My voice came out harsher than I meant, but his grin only widened.

"Relax," Dominic purred, his gaze sweeping over me like a brushstroke. "I came to deliver a message. Daigo here-" his eyes flicked toward the bruised man, then back to me "-wasn't much fun. Too loyal. Too stubborn. Caroline lost interest."

"Go to hell," Daigo rasped, coughing blood onto the floor.

Dominic clapped slowly, mock applause echoing in the room. "Spirited. I'll give you that. But loyalty is boring, Daigo. Unshakable men are predictable men."

He stepped closer, ignoring my glare, his voice dropping into that infuriating velvet. "But you, Violet... unpredictable. You walk into a room and Vincent forgets how to breathe. I see it. Everyone sees it. You're not his weakness. You're his addiction."

Heat crawled up my neck, fury and shame tangling together. "Stay away from me."

He tilted his head, smirk sharpening. "Oh, I will. But only after I've had my fun."

Marco's laugh drifted from the shadows of the hallway. That smug, mocking laugh. He strolled in, hands in his pockets, bruises absent, betrayal worn like perfume.

"Don't waste your breath, Violet," Marco said. "Dominic doesn't leave what he wants. He circles it. Claims it. Just like Caroline." He leaned against the wall, eyes glinting. "You think you're safe? You're already theirs."

My throat tightened. For the first time, I had no words.

And Dominic-Dominic leaned in, lips brushing the air just above my ear.

"Careful, songbird. Broken men don't sing. And Vincent?" His breath was hot against my skin. "He's breaking."

---

Vincent Virenson.

Daigo's return was supposed to feel like a victory.

It didn't.

Yes, he was alive. Yes, he hadn't broken. Yes, he still snarled Caroline's name like a curse. But the moment I saw him stumble through that door, half-dead and grinning, I knew what Caroline's real play had been.

It wasn't to kill him.

It was to prove she could take him.

And she had.

I stood in the shadows of the room, arms crossed, watching Violet rush to Daigo's side, her hands trembling as she touched his bruises. Watching Dominic lean in like he owned her. Watching Marco-my Marco-laugh in the corner as though betrayal was a card game he'd just won.

My blood boiled so hot it was a wonder the walls didn't catch fire.

"Marco," I said, my voice low. Dangerous. "Still smiling after betraying me twice?"

He smirked, not even pretending guilt. "Business, Centy. You taught me yourself-no loyalty in this world. Just survival. Caroline offered more. I took it."

"More?" My jaw ached from clenching. "More what? More lies? More blood?"

He shrugged. "More future." Then he leaned forward, eyes gleaming. "Face it, Vincent. You're finished. And when the dust settles, all you'll have left is her. Which makes her..." His gaze slid toward Violet, slow and deliberate. "...a very convenient target."

I snapped.

My hand shot out, grabbing him by the collar, slamming him against the wall. "Say her name again, and I'll rip your tongue out."

Marco just chuckled, unfazed. "Touchy."

Dominic's laugh joined his, smooth and amused. "See, Centy? This is why I like her. She brings out the beast in you. Makes you sloppy. Makes you dangerous. Caroline doesn't even have to touch you. She just has to touch her."

I turned, fury blazing. "You so much as look at her again, Dominic-"

He stepped closer, smirk dripping arrogance. "And what? You'll kill me? Or will you watch her slip through your fingers like everything else you've already lost?"

The room pulsed with silence. Violet's breath hitched. Daigo muttered a curse. Marco smirked wider.

And I realized-Caroline's biggest scheme wasn't about territory. It wasn't about money. It wasn't even about Daigo.

It was about Violet.

She wanted me to see her as the burden. She wanted Dominic to circle her like a wolf. She wanted Marco to remind me that loyalty was a myth.

She wanted me to break.

And God help me, I was breaking.

Chapter Twenty-one: Chosen Not Chained.

Vincent Virenson.

The silence after betrayal is louder than gunfire.

It wasn't Marco's smirk or even Dominic's smug amusement that cut deepest-it was the way Violet's eyes trembled when she looked at me, as if wondering how many more pieces of me she'd have to carry before I shattered completely.

"Vincent," she whispered, her voice trembling, "don't-don't look at me like that. Like you're already gone."

I clenched my jaw. I couldn't let her see. Couldn't let her carry this weight. Not when Marco had sold me out for the second time. Not when Caroline, the viper, slithered closer with her brother Dominic hovering behind her like a dark shadow, eyes fixed shamelessly on Violet.

Marco leaned back in the chair like he was the king and I was the fool. "Don't glare at me, Centy," he mocked, twisting the nickname Dominic had coined for me. "Loyalty doesn't buy bread. Caroline does. And she pays well."

I wanted to break his smirk with my fist, but I couldn't-not when I felt Violet stiffen beside me. My fury was a luxury. Protecting her was necessity.

Caroline's laugh was soft, venom-laced. "Oh, Vincent, you should've learned by now-love makes men weak, betrayal makes men blind. You've had both. How do you plan to crawl out of this hole?"

I opened my mouth, but Dominic beat me to it. He stepped forward, his grin shameless, his eyes never leaving Violet. "Or maybe he doesn't need to crawl out. Maybe he should just let someone else handle his precious flower." He winked. "Tell me, Violet, do you prefer red roses or lilies? I'll have them delivered to your window once I've killed your husband here."

Violet froze. My fists curled.

"Say another word," I growled, my voice low enough to rattle glass, "and I'll make sure it's your last breath."

Dominic only chuckled, hands raised in mock surrender. "Temper, temper. Don't worry, Violet, I like my women fiery. I'll handle the heat."

Her gasp turned into sharp defiance. "Keep dreaming," Violet snapped, surprising even me. "The only fire you'll handle is the one that burns you alive for being pathetic."

Caroline's smirk faltered for just a heartbeat before she masked it. Dominic's grin widened, clearly delighted by the challenge. And me? I wanted to drag Violet behind me, away from their poison, away from their games.

But then the glass shattered.

A bullet hissed past my ear, embedding itself in the pillar behind me. Instinct roared through me-I threw Violet to the ground, covering her with my body as another shot rang out. Dominic swore, Marco ducked, Caroline cursed.

Chaos erupted.

"Sniper!" Daigo's voice cut through the madness from where he had been restrained, now fighting his way free.

Violet clutched at me, her heartbeat pounding against mine. "Vincent-"

"Stay down," I snarled, scanning for the shooter. Another shot cracked, close-too close. My arms tightened around her automatically.

She looked up at me, eyes wide, terrified-but not of the bullets. Of losing me.

"Why are you doing this?" she whispered fiercely, her hands fisting into my shirt. "Why do you keep throwing yourself in front of me like I'm breakable? Don't you see? I'm not chained to you, Vincent. I'm choosing you."

Her words cut sharper than bullets.

Caroline's scream ripped across the room as Dominic dragged her to cover. "Kill him!" she shrieked at the unseen shooter. "I want him gone!"

The sniper obliged. Another shot cracked.

This time it wasn't aimed at me. It was aimed at Violet.

I saw it before she did. Saw the trajectory, saw the glint of metal, saw her fate. And I didn't think-I just moved.

I slammed her down, rolled her under me, and the bullet seared across my shoulder, tearing through flesh. Pain ignited like wildfire, but I didn't let go. I wouldn't.

"Vincent!" she screamed, horror shattering her voice. "You're bleeding-"

I grit my teeth, pulling her face up to mine. "Better me than you."

Tears welled in her eyes, and she shook her head violently. "Stop saying that. Stop acting like my life is worth more than yours. If you die-Vincent, if you die-I'll never forgive you."

I wanted to tell her I was already half-dead without her. I wanted to tell her that love was the only reason I breathed anymore. But the words lodged in my throat, stuck between pride and desperation.

Another shot cracked. Daigo finally got free, tackling the shooter's spot. Shouts, chaos, and then silence-the kind that comes after blood is spilled.

But all I could hear was Violet's ragged breathing, all I could feel was her hands pressed to my wound, trembling.

"Don't you dare leave me," she whispered brokenly. "Don't you dare make me a widow before you've even made me a wife."

Something inside me snapped.

I grabbed her chin, forcing her to look at me. "You think this is about chains?" My voice was raw, torn. "No, Violet. This is about choice. And I choose to protect you, even if it kills me. I'd rather bleed out in your arms than live a century without you."

Her tears broke. Mine almost did.

And then, in that chaos-blood on my shirt, smoke in the air, Caroline shrieking orders, Dominic smirking even while dodging Daigo's rage-Violet kissed me.

Hard. Fierce. Desperate.

For the first time, I kissed her back without restraint, without fear, without walls.

Chosen, not chained.

---

Violet Virgilson.

The taste of his blood was still on my lips.

Not because I meant to taste it-but because when I kissed him, I didn't care that he was bleeding, didn't care that bullets had carved through his flesh. All I cared about was that Vincent was alive.

And he had kissed me back.

For a moment, the world shrank to just us: his trembling hands gripping my face, my tears streaking down my cheeks, the weight of everything unsaid pressed between us.

But of course, chaos refused to let us have peace.

"Well, well," Dominic drawled, stepping out from behind a column like he owned the room. His grin was so smug I wanted to throw my shoe at him. "What a sight. Vincent Virenson, the untouchable wolf, finally brought to his knees by a kiss. And here I thought you only bled for bullets, not brunettes."

Vincent growled low, protective even in pain. "Back off, Dominic."

Dominic ignored him entirely-his eyes locked on me. "But why would I? Violet, you were spectacular just now. So fiery. So... intoxicating." He dragged out the last word, his gaze shameless as it raked down me. "No wonder my darling sister can't compete. You're far too much woman for a man like Vincent to handle."

I stood. Trembling? Yes. But not from fear-from fury. "Listen carefully, you overgrown mosquito," I snapped. "You can buzz around all you want, but you'll never be anything more than an annoying itch. And if you ever look at me like that again, I'll personally swat you into next week."

For a heartbeat, silence. Then Daigo-bleeding, bruised, but standing strong-actually snorted. Caroline hissed. Vincent's lips twitched despite the blood. And Dominic? He laughed, delighted.

"Perfect," he said, clutching his chest as if I'd shot him with charm instead of words. "Sharp tongue, sharp mind. Violet, you just became my favorite flavor of trouble."

"Try tasting me," I said coldly, "and I'll choke you with it."

Caroline stormed forward, her perfect curls bouncing like angry snakes. "Enough!" she screeched. "Violet, you don't belong here. You're nothing but baggage, dragging Vincent down with your tears and your sentiment. Look at you-standing there, pretending to be brave. Do you even know how much weaker you've made him?"

Her words landed like daggers because-truth be told-I'd asked myself that same question in the dark of night. Was I a burden? Was I the crack in Vincent's armor?

But then I looked at him-bleeding, yes, but alive, standing taller than anyone else despite betrayal-and I realized something. I wasn't the crack. I was the glue.

"You're wrong, Caroline," I said, my voice steady even though my heart raced. "I don't weaken him. I make him stronger. Because he finally has something worth fighting for. Something worth living for."

Vincent's eyes locked on mine. Fierce. Shaken. Raw.

Caroline faltered. Just for a moment.

Then Dominic ruined it. Again.

"You see?" he said smugly. "That passion. That loyalty. That's what I want." He stepped closer, too close, his cologne choking the air. "Violet, forget Vincent. He'll bleed himself dry for you. But me? I'll worship you. I'll give you power, freedom, choice. Say the word, and I'll make you my queen."

I stared at him. Blinked once. Then slapped him.

The crack echoed through the room.

Dominic touched his cheek in stunned silence-then grinned like I'd just proposed marriage. "God, I think I love you."

Vincent lunged despite his wound, but Caroline grabbed her brother back, snapping, "Enough! This isn't about your petty crush, Dominic. This is about ending Vincent once and for all!"

She snapped her fingers.

From the shadows, more men emerged. Guns. Knives. Masks. An ambush.

I felt Vincent shift closer to me instinctively, his body still between me and danger. But this time-no. Not again.

"Vincent," I whispered, grabbing his uninjured arm. "Let me fight with you."

He shook his head immediately. "No. You're not-"

"Chosen, not chained," I cut him off, my voice trembling but clear. "Those were your words. Let me choose you, too."

His eyes widened. The chaos blurred around us-the shouting, the threats, the loaded guns-and for one heartbeat, it was only us.

"Violet-"

"I love you." The words tumbled out, fierce and broken. "I love you, Vincent Valentino Virenson. And I'm not letting you die for me when I can fight beside you."

Something in his face shattered-his walls, his fear, his endless guilt. He pulled me into him, pressing his forehead against mine.

"I love you, too," he whispered, raw. "God help me, I love you more than I can stand."

And then the room erupted.

Bullets flew. Dominic shouted something about keeping me alive. Caroline screamed for Vincent's head. Daigo roared like a beast as he charged.

And me? For the first time, I didn't hide behind Vincent's shadow. I stood beside him.

Truly chosen. Not chained.