Chapter 5 - The Gilded Cage
The penthouse at the top of Gallow Tower was an absolute fortress in the sky.
It was a sprawling expanse of black marble, floor-to-ceiling bulletproof glass, and cold, minimalist furniture.
Victor carried a soaking wet and fiercely struggling Harper through the double doors.
He finally set her down on a luxurious white rug in the center of the living room.
“I am kidnapping you, and you are acting like it’s a sleepover,” she shouted, pacing back and forth.
“This is a hostage situation!”
Victor took off his wet shoulder holster, laying his heavy pistol onto a glass coffee table.
“It is a security measure,” he corrected calmly, pouring two glasses of amber liquid at the bar.
He walked over and handed her a crystal glass of expensive whiskey.
Harper slapped his hand away.
The glass shattered on the floor, splashing liquor over his expensive shoes.
Victor simply looked down at the mess, then back up at her furious face.
No one had ever treated him this way and lived to talk about it.
But with Harper, he found he possessed an endless well of patience.
“I will have Mrs. Vance bring you dry clothes,” Victor said smoothly, entirely ignoring her outburst.
“I don't want clothes, I want my life back!” Harper screamed.
She pointed a shaking finger at him.
“I am a junior graphic designer.”
“I eat instant ramen for dinner and I ride the subway.”
“I do not belong in a mafia war!”
Victor’s dark eyes locked onto hers, burning with an intensity that stole the breath right out of her lungs.
“You belong wherever I can keep you breathing.”
He took a step closer, towering over her small frame.
“Declan Reeve tortures people for sport, Harper.”
“If they had taken you tonight, you would not have survived the weekend.”
The harsh, violent truth of his words hit her like a physical blow.
Harper’s anger slowly drained away, replaced by a deep, numbing shock.
Her knees buckled.
Victor caught her instantly, his strong hands gripping her waist to keep her upright.
His touch was warm and incredibly firm.
“I’m terrified,” she admitted, a single tear escaping down her cheek.
Victor’s expression softened, the cold mafia boss fading away to reveal the man underneath.
He gently brushed the wet hair away from her face, his thumb grazing her jawline.
“I know,” he whispered fiercely.
“But as long as you are inside these walls, the entire city will burn before anyone touches you.”
He pulled her slowly against his chest, wrapping his arms securely around her trembling body.
For a moment, Harper stiffened, fighting the urge to pull away from the dangerous criminal.
But he felt too safe.
His heartbeat was steady and strong against her ear, grounding her chaotic thoughts.
She closed her eyes and let herself lean into his embrace.
“Why me?” she asked softly against his shirt.
“Why do you care about a girl who yelled at you in an elevator?”
Victor rested his chin on the top of her head, closing his eyes.
He thought about the ten years of absolute darkness he had lived through.
He thought about the silence he had built, and how she had shattered it with a single, battered sneaker.
“Because you didn't look at my suit or my money,” Victor confessed, his voice rough with raw emotion.
“You just saw a man blocking your way to work.”
He pulled back slightly, forcing her to look up into his stormy gray eyes.
“You treated me like a human being, Harper.”
“And then, you took care of me when I was bleeding.”
May you like
He leaned his forehead against hers, the space between them completely vanishing.
“I didn't know I had a soul left until you jammed your foot in my door.”
