I fought not to spin around and get them out of here. This didn’t feel right.

But David said they’d be safe. He wouldn’t lie to me.

Before I could make up my mind, though, the glass doors opened wide.

“Kai!” my father boomed from inside as Ilia held the door open for us. “Come on in!”

Kai walked around me, my feet still rooted to their spot. Rika and Will followed, and I finally moved, sticking my hands in my pockets, my fingers sliding into place on the grips of the blades I hid there.

“How do you like it?” Gabriel held out his hands at the massive room. “Just refurbished. I thought I’d make it your and Vanessa’s home when you visit. It’ll be nice to have some family around again.”

Ilia closed the door behind me, and we all stepped farther into the room. Three men loitered behind my father, spread out casually, but they were moving. Albeit slowly as to not attract attention.

But they had mine. They were positioning themselves around us. Ilia stayed at my side, while Lev and David were absent, probably on an errand somewhere.

“What do you want?” Kai stopped behind a cushioned chair, looking at Gabriel. “We’re heading out.”

My father moved behind a desk and picked up a black fountain pen, holding it out to Kai. “Just the small matter of a signature.”

I let out a breath. He wasn’t in danger, after all. This was just about the stupid contract that Kai would never sign. I’m guessing he didn’t hand in the one with the signature I forged yesterday morning in anger.

“Send it to the dojo,” he told my father. “If there are no more changes to be made, I’ll sign.”

“You’ll sign now. Vanessa is here, and the wedding is being planned.” He looked at Kai, all patience and pleasantries now gone. “Now.”

Kai took a step. “How do I know you didn’t slip in a contingency that I haven’t seen? I’m going to take my time to read it again before I agree to anything.”

My father dropped his hand and shot a glance over to Ilia, nodding to him.

What—

“Sorry, kid,” Ilia mumbled.

Huh?

And then he grabbed me.

“Hey!” I cried out.

But he hauled me across the room, and I twisted my head around, trying to see what was happening. Everything went down so fast. My father’s men each grabbed one of our guests, and Kai sliced his attacker across the face with the heel of his hand, sending the other man collapsing to his knees.

He immediately looked at me as I was forced over behind the desk with my father, and then someone whipped a steel bar across his shoulder blades, and Kai went down, grunting. He stumbled, shaking as he tried to see Will and Rika who were each being restrained by their arms.

“What the hell is going on?” he bellowed.

I twisted in Ilia’s arms.

“No contract, no agreement,” Gabriel gritted out. “No hotel, and Banks is ours.”

“I don’t give a shit about the hotel!” Kai shouted as he was hauled off his knees by the one who’d hit him. He shoved the man off and turned, glaring at my father. “And she doesn’t have to stay anywhere she doesn’t want to. She’s not your property!”

His eyes burned, looking both furious but ready.

Gabriel turned to me. “You want to go with him? Go.”

No. Don’t do this. I pleaded him with my eyes.

“Go,” he told me again, the challenge thick in his tone. “See how long he wants you. See what happens when you try to crawl back here, because you know how I reward disloyalty. Go.”

I squeezed my eyes closed for a moment, feeling all their gazes on me. This was unbearable. If I left with him, I left with nothing. Completely dependent on Kai.

I wanted him, but my father was right. Would I really exchange the devil I know for the devil I don’t? I couldn’t rely on what might or might not be between Kai and me. He was the next five minutes, and my family was the rest of my life.

“You want him?” Gabriel prodded again. “Go.”

He pushed, and I trembled, trying to hold in the tears. Please. Kai was waiting for me, and this was torture.

I could hear Kai’s breath shake as he held out his hand. “Come on, baby,” he begged. “Just reach out.”

My fingers hummed, wanting his touch. Wanting to take his hand.

But I curled them into fists and met his eyes, slowly shaking my head.

And Kai just stared at me, his expression frozen, but his chest slowly caving. The heat of shame spread over my face. I hated hurting him.

But we both knew this was over before it even began.

“Don’t look so surprised,” Gabriel told him, self-satisfaction in his voice. “She loves him. She’ll always choose him.”

The hint of hurt in Kai’s eyes turned hard, and he straightened up, smoothing a hand down his shirt and jacket as he glared at me.

My father turned to me, amused. “I don’t think he wants you anymore.”

I swallowed the lump in my throat.

“If you don’t come, it’s war,” Kai threatened me, his tone as dead as a machine. “And I will make this hurt. Dare me.”

I heard my father chuckle, but I knew Kai wasn’t bluffing. And this might not even be about Damon anymore. He was angry with me now.

And then, all of a sudden, it happened. Kai shot out, grabbed the pen, and scribbled his signature across the line.

“Kai, no!” Rika cried out.

“No,” I gasped under my breath. Every bit of air left my lungs as I stared in horror at the signed contract.

Oh, my God.

He flipped the pen, letting it fall onto the desk and shoved the contract at Gabriel, his expression defiant. Then he reached over the desk, grabbed me by the collar with both hands and hauled me over, my legs and feet sending papers, a tray of files, and a lamp crashing to the floor.

“Kai,” I breathed out, clutching his hands as tears welled in my eyes. What did he do?

He stood me up in front of him, both of us facing Gabriel as Kai wrapped his arm around my neck. “Now you’re mine,” he threatened in my ear. “At least until the wedding.”

“’Atta boy.” Gabriel smiled as he picked up the contract and flipped all the pages back into place.

“Kai, what did you do?” Rika rushed forward.

But Kai didn’t say anything.

“I’ll inform your bride of the good news,” Gabriel told him.

Kai clutched my collar in one hand, pushing me to the side as he backed away.

“We’ll be in touch,” he assured Gabriel.

And he squeezed my hand, dragging me out of the cottage as Rika and Will both jogged to catch up.

“Kai, listen to me!” Rika tried to get his attention.

But Kai just kept walking, leading us around the house and into the driveway. I stumbled, my muscles burning to keep up.

We stopped in front of their cars.

“Kai!” Rika growled. “You can’t do this!”

“You’re not thinking straight, man,” Will chimed in. “We need to get that contract back.”

“That contract is the least of my worries,” Kai spat out, reaching the cars. “I needed leverage, and now I have it.”

“No, screw that!” Rika yelled. “You can’t—”

“Damon has something on me!” Kai said, cutting her off.

What?

He spun around, looking at all of us. “Something bad, okay?”

Everyone froze, just staring at him.

What? He has something on him. Why wouldn’t I know that?

“What does he have on you?” Rika stepped up to him.

“Does it matter?”

“What does he have on you?” she shouted again.

Kai stared off, fury in his eyes but hesitant. What didn’t he want to say?

“His mother,” he finally said. “She’s dead because of me.”

My mouth fell open slightly, and I stared at him in shock. Rika and Will were quiet.

She was dead? I mean I suspected she might be by now. No one had seen or heard from her since that night six years ago, but I thought it might’ve been Damon or Gabriel who’d finally done her in.