Chapter 5 - The Maybach Ride
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The cool night air of Manhattan hit my face, snapping me out of my daze. Victor carried me past the valet stand and straight toward a sleek, armored black Maybach idling at the curb.
A massive man in a dark suit opened the rear door instantly.
“Boss,” the driver noted, his eyes flicking to me with brief surprise before returning to a neutral stare.
“Take us to the private clinic on 65th, Marco,” Victor ordered as he gently set me in the plush leather backseat. He slid in beside me, closing the heavy door. The noise of the city vanished, replaced by perfect, insulated silence.
“You really don't have to do this,” I said, my voice shaking. I tried to slide his jacket off my shoulders to hand it back, but my bruised hip flared with sharp pain, making me wince.
“Leave it,” Victor commanded softly, stopping my hand with his own. His fingers were warm and rough. “You’re in shock. Your core temperature is dropping.”
I looked at him, utterly bewildered. “Why did you help me? Men like Ethan Caldwell do things like that all the time. Nobody ever stops them.”
Victor poured a glass of water from a small console in the car and handed it to me.
“I have a very low tolerance for bullies,” Victor said, staring out the tinted window at the passing city lights. “And an even lower tolerance for men who think money buys them the right to be cruel.”
I took a sip of the water, my hands still trembling. “He’s going to come after me. Ethan. His ego is bruised, and he knows where I work.”
Victor turned his head slowly, his dark eyes locking onto mine with an intensity that made my breath catch.
May you like
“Ethan Caldwell will not look in your direction ever again,” Victor promised, his voice carrying the weight of a blood oath. “You have my word on that, Anna.”
I stared at him, my heart hammering against my ribs. I had been invisible my entire life. Now, the most dangerous man in New York knew my name.
