Chapter 04 You Chose Wrong

Avery was shoved into a car. The door slammed shut behind her.

The cabin was dark. Dominic sat across from her.

Before she could catch her breath, he spoke.

"Your daughter is with me."

Avery's fists clenched. "What did you say?"

"Wenger's men grabbed her. I intercepted them." Dominic's voice was flat. "She's fine."

She stared at him. Something surged up in her chest.

She lunged. Her fists hit his shoulder. Once. Twice. Dominic didn't move. He took the hits.

When she swung the third punch, he shot his hand up and caught both her wrists. He twisted them and pinned them against the seat back.

Avery's back hit the seat. She was stuck.

She struggled. Her wrists twisted in his grip. His fingers tightened. His knuckles ground against her bones. She sucked in a breath.

"Enough."

She didn't listen. She lifted her knee and drove it toward his stomach.

Dominic shifted sideways. He blocked her knee with his hand and pressed it down. Her leg got trapped between him and the seat. She couldn't move.

"Let me go—"

Avery yanked one hand free. Her nails raked toward his face. He turned his head. Her knuckles grazed his jaw. He grabbed the back of her neck and shoved her down against the seat.

Avery's neck was locked in his grip. She was on her back, looking up.

"Done?" His voice was low, right above her face.

She glared at him, chest heaving.

"You could have just taken her from the start. You didn't have to—"

"Would you have believed me?"

She said nothing.

Dominic let go. Avery fell back into her seat. Red marks circled her wrists. His fingerprints still burned on the side of her neck.

"What's the difference between you and Wenger?" She spat the words out.

Dominic turned to look out the window. He didn't answer.

"I'm bringing my daughter to the villa," she said.

"No."

She blinked. "You said she was safe—"

"Safe doesn't mean she moves in."

"Then I'm not seeing Wenger."

Silence filled the car for a few seconds.

"She can't leave your room," he said finally. "If she shows up in front of me, the deal is off."

"She's six. She won't—"

"She can't leave your room."

Avery stared at him. She knew this was the most he would give.

"Fine."

"Call Wenger. Tell him you're coming."

She picked up her phone. Her thumb hovered over the dial button. "When do I see my daughter?"

"After the call. Forty minutes."

She held his gaze. "You promise."

Dominic didn't answer. He just looked at her.

She made the call. Wenger's voice came through, rougher than usual.

"Avery."

She looked at Dominic. He mouthed *speaker*.

"I'm coming," she said.

Wenger paused. "Did you give him the shot?"

"Yes."

"Confirmed?"

Avery looked out the window. Six years. She had studied under him for her PhD. Done research. Written papers. He was the one who reached out when she had nothing.

"I watched him go down."

Wenger laughed. A soft sound.

"Good. Come to the warehouse. We'll talk about your daughter."

The line went dead.

"You lied to him." Dominic let out a short breath that was almost a laugh.

"You told me to." She didn't look at him.

The car turned. They were on the road to the warehouse.

"One more thing," Dominic said.

She looked at him.

"Your daughter is already at the villa."

Avery froze. "You said forty minutes—"

"That was for you."

The car stopped in front of the warehouse.

Avery pushed the door open and glanced back. Dominic sat in the shadows. He wasn't getting out.

She walked closer. Wenger sat in a wheelchair. His face was yellow.

"Is he dead?"

"Yes," Avery said.

Wenger stared at her.

"Your right hand," he said. "When you're nervous, you make a fist. You've done it since your first year in my PhD program."

She looked down at her right hand. Her fingers were clenched tight.

"Dorothea must be six now," Wenger said. "November birthday."

Avery's steps faltered.

She had never told Wenger her daughter's birthday.

"You looked into me."

"From the first day you came to me." Wenger coughed. "Why do you think I recommended you to treat Dominic?"

She didn't say anything.

"Dominic isn't dead. You came to buy time."

"You think your brother's medical records, your research, your license. All of it is in my hands?"

Wenger's mouth pulled to the side. It wasn't a smile. His expression was horrible.

"You're wrong. When I die, it all disappears. No one will find it. Not even him."

Avery's fingers loosened. Then clenched again.

"My best student." Wenger looked at her. "You picked the wrong side."

His hand slid off the wheelchair armrest. He pulled a wire.

Avery saw it. When she saw what it was connected to, her legs moved before her brain did.

"Run," Wenger yelled at her.

She turned and ran. Her footsteps echoed through the warehouse.

An explosion ripped through the air behind her. The shockwave hit her back. It threw her forward several steps. She crashed into the warehouse's metal door and squeezed through the gap, falling to the ground outside.

Ringing in her ears. The smell of smoke.

She pushed herself up on her hands and looked back at the warehouse.

Flames licked out through shattered windows.

Wenger was still inside.

Avery ran. Her legs were so weak she almost fell to her knees.

The dull blast still vibrated in her ears like a needle stuck in her brain. She couldn't pull it out.

She didn't dare look back. She ran a few steps, but her legs were shaking too hard.

Dominic's car was still there. He leaned against the door, looking down at his phone. When he heard her footsteps, he looked up.

Avery braced her hands on her knees and gasped for air. Her throat tasted like rust.

"You ran fast."

She kept her hands on her knees. "My mentor, he—"

"I figured."

"He said the records would disappear—"

Dominic nodded.

"He said I picked the wrong side—"

Dominic put his phone away and opened the car door. "You didn't."

She stood there, legs trembling. She wanted to say something else, but her head was full of Wenger's face. His last look. The wire.

When the car got back to Dominic's villa, Avery ran through the front door. She grabbed the nearest black suited guard.

"Where's my daughter?"

The man stared straight ahead. He didn't answer.

Avery let go and yelled, "Dominic! Where is my daughter?"

Her voice bounced off the walls. No Dominic.

"Dominic!"

She shouted again. Her voice cracked. Sharp and hoarse. Her breathing got faster. Her hands shook.

A moment later, she heard Dominic's footsteps behind her. He looked at her for a long time before finally answering.

"Mm."

"Where is my daughter."

She stared into his eyes. His eyes showed nothing. Just empty darkness.

He didn't say anything. He turned and walked deeper into the hallway. After a few steps, he stopped and looked back at her.

"Follow me."

Avery hurried after him, taking two steps at a time. She didn't know how long they walked. Her chest was about to explode.

He finally stopped in front of a door.

She tried to move past him to push it open. His arm came across, blocking her.

"Conditions first."

She pulled her hand back and stared at him. He leaned against the doorframe, looking down at her.

Avery's blood rushed to her head. She listened to her own heartbeat. Her fists clenched. She glared at him.

"Come to my room tonight."

"You're dreaming."

"Then try getting in." He stepped aside and gestured toward the door. *Be my guest.*

She stared at the door. Her daughter was right there.

She didn't know how long she had been in there. If she was scared. If she was crying.

She couldn't do anything except stand here and wait for this devil to say yes. She forced her tears back. She gritted her teeth and nodded once.

"...Fine."

The door finally opened.

Avery saw a small figure sitting on the floor. Dorothea had a pile of blocks in front of her. Her old, worn out stuffed rabbit was beside her.

The door creaked. The little girl looked up.

"Mommy."

Avery rushed over. She dropped to her knees on the floor and pulled Dorothea into her arms. The girl's body went stiff for a second. Then she softened and buried her face in Avery's neck.

Her daughter's breath touched her skin. Only then did Avery's shoulders relax.

She looked back. Dominic stood in the doorway. His gaze went past her and landed on the small figure.

Avery glared at him. She instinctively shielded the back of Dorothea's head with her hand.

"Ten o'clock," he said.

Dominic looked at her one more time, then closed the door for them and walked away.

Avery shut her eyes. Her chin rested on top of her daughter's head. Dorothea gripped her collar tight.

"Loud." Her voice was muffled against Avery's neck.

Avery pulled back and looked around the room.

Soundproof walls. Double paned glass.

"Not loud."

Dorothea shook her head. She pressed her hand against the wall. Her eyes fixed on something Avery couldn't see. A few seconds later, she pulled her hand back and pressed it to her own ear.

"Wall. Loud."

Avery stared at her. Words from the diagnostic report floated up in her memory. Sensory overload. She was listening to the house. It was breathing.

"Mommy." Dorothea looked up at her. She put her hand on Avery's chest. "You. Loud."

Avery looked down. Her heart was pounding.

In the study, the screens on the wall glowed. Security footage filled the panels. Dominic sat deep in his leather chair. His fingers rested on his knee.

"Boss."

Two knocks. Drake walked in.

"Wenger is still in the ICU. He hasn't woken up."

Dominic didn't move. "What did the doctors say?"

"No one knows when he'll wake up. Or if he will."

Drake paused. "Something happened with her brother. His primary doctor, Lin. He was picked up yesterday. He went willingly. No struggle."

Dominic's fingers stopped moving.

"There's more." Drake lowered his voice. "Two containers at East Pier got held up. The south side logistics route was tampered with too. Someone knew our timing. Knew the routes."

"How much did we lose?"

"Not a lot of money. But—" Drake stopped. "Someone inside is feeding information."

Dominic said nothing. He looked at the screens. The door on the east side of the third floor was closed. The light was on.

"Find them. Three days."

"Yes, sir."

Drake turned to leave.

"One more thing." Dominic's voice came from behind him. "East side of the third floor. Add a camera."

Drake didn't ask why. He acknowledged the order and left.

After she got Dorothea settled and asleep, Avery walked to Dominic's door with heavy steps. She checked the time. 9:59.

Her fingertips hovered over the door. She hesitated. Before she could knock, the door opened.

Dominic stood leaning against the doorframe, arms crossed. He wore a dark grey cotton set, sleeves rolled up to his forearms.

He didn't say anything. He just looked at her, like he had been waiting a long time. Or like he had known all along she wouldn't have the nerve to knock.

"Lock it," he said. Then he turned and walked inside.

Avery did as she was told. She followed him to the center of the room.

When she caught sight of the oversized bed, her fists clenched without thinking.

She watched Dominic's eyes slide from her face down to her clenched fists. He paused for a moment. Then his gaze moved up to her lips.

And then the devil smiled. A slow, dark smile.

By instinct, she turned and bolted. A muffled explosion erupted behind her.