Skylar's POV
"May I remind you," he said, his voice low and venomous, "that I have your entire family exactly where I want them… and I won't hesitate to kill every last one of them."
Then—click.
A screen flickered to life on the wall of the dining room.
My heart stopped.
There they were—my mom, Malyia, Isaac… everyone I loved. Each of them surrounded.
Guns trained on their heads. Men in black, waiting. Just waiting for his goddamn signal.
Panic surged through me like fire in my veins.
"You see," Lucien murmured, stepping back, "even your little boyfriend is out there looking for his lost puppy."
My eyes snapped to the screen. There was Isaac, pacing back and forth, phone pressed to his ear as he kept dialing—over and over again.
He was trying to reach me.
My throat tightened. He must be going out of his mind.
Then—Lucien's voice again. Cold. Final.
"Kill him."
I froze.
My eyes widened in horror as one of the guards next to Isaac lifted his gun—aiming. Ready.
"What the hell are you doing?!" I screamed.
He turned to me, calm, unaffected. "Exactly what you think I'm doing."
The gunman's finger reached for the trigger.
"Stop!" I shouted, my voice cracking.
Lucien only smiled.
"Stop!" I cried again, tears spilling from my eyes.
A pause.
"You heard her," Lucien said with a cruel grin. "Stand down."
The gun lowered.
I nearly collapsed from relief—but the dread didn't fade.
My eyes still burned. My hands trembled.
"I'll sign the damn contract," I whispered, voice hoarse, broken. "Just… please. Stop."
"See?" he said softly, mockingly, brushing away a tear from my cheek. "That wasn't so hard, was it?"
He moved closer again, boxing me in with his arms, his scent dark and intoxicating, his presence suffocating.
"From now on, Skylar Mendez…" he murmured, "…you belong to me. Every piece of you—your body, your loyalty—mine."
I couldn't breathe. Couldn't move.
"My pet," he whispered against my skin, "here to fulfill my every desire."
His lips found my neck, sucking harshly, claiming me like property. I squeezed my eyes shut, shame wrapping around me like a chain.
He smirked as he pulled away.
"Gladys!" he barked.
The door creaked open and in stepped an older woman, stern and emotionless.
"Yes, Master Lucien," she said with a bow.
"Give her a pen," he ordered. "Make sure she signs the contract. Then take her back to her room and lock her in. I'll deal with her later."
"Yes, Master," the woman replied, already moving toward me.
Lucien shot me one last look—one that promised a storm.
And then he was gone.
Leaving me in the ruins of my pride, my freedom, and the terrifying reality of what I'd just signed myself into.