Mag-log inWinston’s POV We both froze. He stood rigidly in the doorway, his hand still wrapped around the doorknob. His eyes darted between Vanessa and me before he quickly stepped outside and locked the door behind him. Vanessa and I pulled apart. I swallowed, my throat suddenly dry. She hurriedly straightened her dress, smoothing down the fabric before walking toward me. Her hand slid around my waist, and she leaned against me as if nothing had happened. “Why are we stopping?” she asked, her fingers tracing my arm. “It’s not as if it’s news that we’re dating.” “I know.” I gently caught her hands and lowered them. “But this is a business, and we need to at least have some decorum.” I glanced toward the door. “Besides, it must be very important for him to rush in like that.” I straightened my collar. “Send him in.” “Fine.” She rolled her eyes. “It better be important, or someone is getting fired.” She strutted toward the door and unlocked it. A few minutes later, she returned wit
Winston’s POV I slipped my phone back into my pocket, a smug smile tugging at the corner of my lips. Plan two was finally in motion. I turned toward the window, staring out at the street below, already imagining how everything would unfold. A sharp voice behind me made me flinch. “What exactly do you think you’re doing?” I spun around. Vanessa stood a few feet away, her arms folded tightly across her chest. Her nostrils flared, and the fury in her eyes was impossible to miss. I leaned against the desk and smirked. “What do you mean?” “You know exactly what I mean, Winston.” Her jaw tightened. “What are you up to with that bitch?” I chuckled under my breath. “Nothing. We’re just friends.” “Friends?!” She threw her hands up and rolled her eyes. “You think I’m a fool? I know you both planned the mayhem you caused at Ava’s wedding.” Her eyes narrowed. “If you loved Ava this much, why did you loop me in?” “Loop you in?” I snorted and shook my head.“Tell me,
Vindell’s POV I strode toward the van, my pulse hammering against my ribs. The moment I yanked the door open, my heart dropped. There she was. Tied to the bottom of the seat, her wrists bound tightly, her mouth covered with layers of duct tape. Her hair was disheveled, her cheeks stained with tears, and her eyes were swollen. For a second, I couldn’t breathe. “Ava…” Her eyelids fluttered at the sound of my voice. The moment she recognized me, her eyes widened. Relief washed over her face, fresh tears spilled down her cheeks. I climbed into the van and crouched beside her. “Hey, hey. I’m here.” My fingers trembled as I carefully peeled the tape from her mouth. She sucked in a painful breath before her lips parted. “Mr. Vindell!” Her voice Laced with happiness. Tears continued streaming down her face. Something inside my chest twisted. “It’s okay. You’re safe now.” I quickly untied the ropes around her wrists and ankles. The moment she was free, she colla
Vindell’s POVThe shorter man dragged his gaze up to me with bloodshot eyes. He turned and drove his boot into the battered man on the ground.The man folded around the kick with a strangled gasp, spitting a mouthful of blood onto the dirt.Then the shorter man squared his shoulders and faced me. “And how’s that your business?”I slipped my hands into my pockets and glanced at the line stretching behind me. Faces stared back, annoyed and curious.“Well, it’s my business because you cut the line.” I tilted my head toward the people waiting patiently. “Unless you’re saying everyone standing here is a fool.”A few people exchanged looks. Someone snorted.The shorter man’s jaw tightened. “Well, you better go back to where you were if you don’t want trouble.”A laugh escaped me before I could stop it. “Trouble?” I looked from him to his partner and back. “That’s rich coming from the people causing it.”The taller one finally stepped forward. He towered over most of the crowd, his thick nec
Ava’s POV The second my scream ripped through the trees, the rumble of an engine answered it. A rusty van burst onto the trail and swerved sideways, its tires spitting dirt and pebbles. It blocked the path completely. The horse reared and crashed headfirst into the side of the van with a deafening bang. The impact launched me forward. I hit the ground hard, tangled in the reins. The horse thrashed beside me, panicked snorts blasting into the air. The van doors flew open. Heavy boots pounded toward us. “Easy, girl!” one of the men barked. The strangers wrestled her down while another crouched beside me, yanking the ropes from around my legs. My pulse slowed for a split second, then the man leaned closer. The sharp smell of cigarette smoke hit me first. He was bald, his scalp gleaming under the afternoon sun. Black tattoos crawled from his neck to his wrists, disappearing beneath a tight white shirt. A crooked grin stretched across his face. “Oh,” he drawled, dragging h
Ava’s POV The first thing I saw when I opened my eyes was a wooden ceiling, warm sunlight spilling across it in uneven stripes. For a few seconds, I simply stared, my mind as blank as the unfamiliar room around me. My phone shrilled beside the bed. I jerked, snatched it up, and nearly dropped it when I saw the screen. I had eighteen missed calls from Sophia. I answered immediately. “Girl! Where the hell are you?!” Sophia’s voice exploded through the speaker. I rubbed my temple, squinting as fragments of last night drifted back. Yesterday, we had sneaked out of the reception hall and got into a helicopter that was on standby. When we got in, we got served with tequila and I took a lot of shot and eventually dozed off. “I…” I pushed myself off the bed and slowly turned in a circle, taking in the polished wooden walls and wide glass windows. “I don’t even know.” Still holding the phone to my ear, I stepped out of the bedroom. A gush of breeze brushed against my skin before







