Chapter 89
Chapter 89
AARON
The city was never quiet.
But tonight, even Manhattan’s chaos-the honking, the distant hum of engines, the blur of voices carried on the wind- faded into something low and far away.
Dull. Insignificant.
I stood at the edge of my living room, the lights dimmed, a glass untouched in my hand.
The skyline stretched out before me like temptation. Like escape.
But there was nothing out there I wanted.
Only her voice could’ve reached me.
My phone buzzed.
VENUS:
Landed safely. The flight was smooth, and the villa is beautiful.
Sorry I didn’t text sooner, London is breathtaking.
PS: Sabine said to tell you she’s claiming this one for her birthday in April.
I started typing.
Paused.
Deleted.
Typed again.
Still wrong.
Eventually, I sent:
Good. Let me know if anything feels off. Don’t wander alone.
And tell Sabine that one is off-limits.
She didn’t reply right away.
I didn’t expect her to.
I turned and headed for the study, each step muffled by the rug she once said was “too expensive to be walked on p>
She’d laughed when she said it
That soft, unexpected laugh that had cracked something in me I didn’t know was hollow until it echoed in my chest.
I opened the drawer and pulled out the contract.
Still crisp. Still perfectly intact.
GAT
3
O
| က
15:15 Sat, Jan 3 GO
Chapter 89
I stared at it like it could offer clarity Answers. Restraint
She had a copy I wondered where she kept it
Did the mark the end date on her calendar!
Wiss the counting dow
A year and de
Clean Legal Impersonal
why the hell did it feel like a fune already lit?
I’ve never given her that necklace.
Told myself it was protection. Something small she could hold when things got heavy.
that that was a lie.
It wasn’t just protection.
It was a piece of me.
And I’d handed it over like a coward, too afraid to say what it really meant.
The phone buzzed again.
VENUS
Gianna’s making me try oysters. I’m scared.
If I die, I blame you.
I stared at the message.
A smile tugged at the corner of my mouth.
It didn’t make it.
I set the glass down, crossed the room to the console, and hit play on the feed.
Not the penthouse.
The villa.
Connor’s team had cameras installed. High-end. Discreet. Invisible to anyone who wasn’t trained to see.
He said it was to track movement. Just in case the stalker followed.
Just in case I was the one they were after.
I told myself I was checking for her safety.
But when the image loaded-her and Gianna on the balcony, drinks in hand, wind dancing through her hair-1 didn’t
move,
Didn’t blink.
15:15 Sat, Jan 3
Chapter 89
She looked lighter.
Freer
Like she didn’t need me.
55 vouchers
I watched her throw her head back and laugh, her eyes vanishing behind joy, her whole face soft with something I hadn’t seen in weeks.
And she was still wearing the necklace.
A simple chain. A delicate bar that lay just beneath her collarbone.
I’d seen her bare.
But this?
This was the most intimate thing she’d ever worn.
A mark.
My mark.
The door buzzed once. Opened without a word.
Connor stepped in, holding a box of takeout like we hadn’t just fought in the car earlier.
“You always eat like this when she’s gone?” he asked, dropping into the chair like it belonged to him.
“I didn’t ask you to come p>
He smirked, already digging in. “Didn’t wait for an invite p>
I didn’t take my eyes off the screen.
He caught that. Of course he did.
“So,” he said around a bite. “Still not in love, huh p>
I didn’t answer.
Because I wasn’t.
Not really.
I couldn’t be.
Not after watching what love did to people.
To my mother.
To Andrea.
To me.
“You’re brooding,” Connor said. “Watching her like some obsessed Victorian ghost. Want me to cue the tragic violin music or p>
I clicked off the screen.
15:15 Sat, Jan 3 GD
Chapter 89
“She’s safe. That’s all that matters p>
“Mmhmm p>
“She signed a contract. She knew what this was p>
“Right.” He leaned back, grinning. “A legally binding, emotionally devastating, slow-burn torture device p>
I leaned against the table, jaw tense. “You ever going to stop being dramatic p>
“You ever going to stop pretending p>
I didn’t respond.
65 vouchers
Then he added, quieter this time, “You gave her a necklace, not a ring, but it was still a vow. Whether you realize it or not p>
“She got what she wanted p>
“And what about what she didn’t ask for?” he murmured. “What about the part of her that started to hope p>
It hit deeper than I expected.
I stared at the blank screen.
“Do you regret it?” I asked, the words low, sharp.
Connor blinked. “Regret what p>
“Falling in love p>
His face softened, just slightly. “Not once p>
I nodded slowly. “You and Sabine… you’ve liked each other for years p>
He raised a brow, surprised I’d brought it up.
“You didn’t make a move because she’s my sister,” I said. “But if there’s anyone I trust with her, it’s you p>
Something flickered in his eyes. Gratitude. Maybe something deeper.
“I’m glad you found her,” I added quietly.
Connor didn’t say anything for a beat. Then he stood, tossed the takeout box in the trash, and clapped a hand on my shoulder.
“But I’ll say this, Sinclair. If you let Venus go, it won’t be because you’re incapable. It’ll be because you were too much of a coward to try p>
Then he left.
The door clicked shut behind him.
And I was alone again.
Just me.
The ghost of her laughter still floating in the corners of the room.
And a necklace I gave away like it meant nothing…
SAY
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.