Chapter 184
Chapter 185
VENUS
My stomach lurched the moment Gerald’s lips curved into that wicked, knowing smile. His words hung in the air like a noose tightening around my throat.
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“Oh, how rude of me. Congratulations on the twins, by the way. You were not nice not telling me, but I’ll be the bigger person p>
The air fled my lungs. My blood went cold, my knees weakened. Twins. He knew. God, he knew. The knowledge in his voice was deliberate, a weapon. My hands flew instinctively to my stomach, as if I could shield the fragile lives inside me from his gaze, from his malice.
Gerald’s eyes followed the motion, gleaming with cruel delight. He laughed, sharp and jagged, the sound ricocheting off the damp concrete walls.
“You are such a whore,” he spat, venom dripping from every syllable. “You’re carrying his babies. Aaron’s. Of all men, his. Do you think I’d ever let that stand? Do you think I’d let you create something with him when you were meant to belong to me p>
Fear knifed through me, sharper than anything I’d ever known. I clutched my stomach tighter, curling in on myself, trembling.
Then his boot struck.
The first kick landed square in my ribs. Pain exploded through me, a white-hot scream tearing from my throat. I collapsed sideways, gasping, the concrete cold against my cheek. My arms locked around my belly, frantic, protective.
“Please!” My voice cracked, high and raw. “Stop! Please, not them p>
He didn’t stop.
The second kick slammed into my side. Fire burst inside my body, radiating out until it stole my breath. The taste of iron coated my tongue. My world blurred, sounds distorting as though the warehouse itself was mocking my helplessness.
“Gerald, please!” My sobs shook me. I didn’t care if he saw my tears, my desperation. Pride meant nothing when my children were under threat.
The third kick came, vicious, deliberate, meant to break me. My scream echoed into the cavernous dark, my body curling tighter, clutching the small swell of my stomach with every ounce of strength I had left.
Then silence.
My sobs filled the void. I could hear Sabine’s struggle but she was tied up. There was nothing she could do. Every breath hurt. My arms shook where they locked protectively around my stomach. I didn’t dare move. I didn’t dare release them.
Gerald crouched down beside me, his shadow swallowing me whole. His voice dripped with satisfaction.
20:49 Wed, Jan 14 d.
Chapter 185
“Those babies won’t save you, darling. It’s the reason I can’t let you go p>
I lifted my head just enough to meet his eyes. His gaze was fever-bright, unhinged, and yet terrifyingly controlled. The calm before the storm.
He leaned closer, his breath brushing my car. “You think carrying Aaron’s spawn binds you to him? No. It binds you to me. Because I decide whether those babies live or die. And right now? You live because I allow it p>
My stomach heaved, not from pain this time but from the sickness of his words, his delusion. My hands trembled as they stayed plastered against my belly.
And then, like a switch flipping, his tone softened. He smiled again-serene, almost tender, which was far more terrifying than the violence. His voice turned coaxing, syrupy sweet.
“No more fighting, my love. I’ll take care of you now. You, the children. We’ll build a home together. A real family. My family. No more lies. No more Aaron. Just us. Isn’t that what you wanted all along? To belong p>
I stared at him, horrified, shaking from head to toe. His words sank into me like poison. He wasn’t just cruel -he was rewriting reality, reshaping it until it bent to his fantasy. He saw me not as a person, but as a doll to be placed in his twisted house of horrors.
“No….” I rasped, voice raw from screams. “You’re insane p>
His hand brushed across my face, mockingly tender. “No, Venus. I’m salvation. You’ll see it soon enough p>
I was too weak to move when he rose to his feet. His boots echoed as he strode toward the table at the side of the room. Metal clinked. Rope scraped. My heart lurched. He was going to tie me down. Make me helpless, make his nightmare permanent.
I whimpered, dragging myself weakly across the floor, clutching my stomach with one arm, trying to pull away with the other. Every movement sent fresh waves of agony tearing through my ribs. Still, I moved. I couldn’t stop moving. If he tied me, it was over.
“Don’t fight it, my love,” Gerald crooned behind me, gathering the ropes in his hands. “It will be easier if you just accept it,” he chuckled “I’ll put you next to your best friend p>
I bit down on my scream, forcing myself onto my knees. My vision spun. My body screamed for me to collapse. But I pushed anyway. I had to. For them.
His footsteps grew louder. Closer. The shadows shifted as his frame loomed over me again.
And then
The warehouse doors exploded open with a deafening crash.
The sound reverberated through the walls, through my chest, like thunder striking the earth. Gerald froze. My heart stopped.
A silhouette filled the doorway, backlit by the harsh beam of headlights cutting into the gloom. Broad shoulders. Rigid posture. Presence like a weapon drawn.
20:49 Wed, Jan 14 d.
Chapter 185
Aaron.
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My breath broke in a sob of relief and fear all at once. Relief that he was here. Terror of what Gerald might do in response.
Gerald’s voice curled low, venomous. “Well, well. The prodigal husband arrives p>
Aaron didn’t answer. He didn’t need to. His silence was more dangerous than any words. His gaze swept the room once-taking in me, curled and bleeding on the floor, Sabine tied and broken in the chair, Gerald standing with rope in hand. And then his eyes locked onto Gerald, and they burned.
I had never seen Aaron like that. Controlled fury radiated off him, thick, suffocating. The air itself seemed to vibrate with it.
“Aaron-” My voice cracked, weak. My ribs screamed as I tried to lift myself higher. “The babies p>
His gaze flicked to me for just a fraction of a second, softening in a way no one else would have noticed. But I saw it. I felt it. Then his eyes snapped back to Gerald, and they were lethal again.
Gerald smirked, lifting the rope in one hand like a taunt. “Come to save her again, Sinclair? How predictable. But tell me what will you do when you realize she was always mine p>
Aaron’s voice was low, steady, deadly calm. “Step away from her p>
Gerald laughed, tossing the rope aside with deliberate carelessness. “Or what? You’ll kill me? You don’t have it in you, not for real. Not when the truth is, you’ve been lying to her just as much as I have p>
Aaron didn’t flinch. His jaw tightened, but his focus never wavered from Gerald. “You won’t touch her again p>
Gerald’s smirk twisted. He crouched slightly, his eyes glinting with madness as he hissed, “I already did p>
My ribs ached, my breath ragged, but I saw it. The shift in Aaron. The storm breaking.
He moved,
AD
Ruby Walker
Ruby Walker is a rising voice in the world of romance and spicy fiction. With a gift for weaving deep emotions, sizzling chemistry, and unexpected twists, her stories are a blend of passion and drama that captivate readers from start to finish. Ruby’s writing style is bold and irresistible—perfect for those who crave intense, addictive love stories.