Chapter 64: Chapter Sixty Three

Athena

I tightened the strap of my bag and pulled my coat closer around me as I walked down the dimly lit street. The air was crisp, carrying the lingering scent of damp pavement from the evening rain. I had spent longer than planned at the library, engrossed in the books I had meant to skim through, and now the streets were nearly deserted.

As I passed an alleyway, a sudden rustling noise made me halt. My breath caught. I turned sharply toward the sound.

"Who's there?" My voice was steady, but the silence that followed unsettled me.

After a brief pause, I turned back and continued walking, now hyper aware of my surroundings.

Then it happened.

Before I could react, a strong arm wrapped around my waist, yanking me backward. A gloved hand clamped over my mouth, smothering my scream.

"Stay quiet, and you won’t get hurt," a deep voice growled in my ear.

Panic surged through me. I thrashed against the iron grip, but my attacker was strong. Still, I refused to go down without a fight—not this time. I stomped hard on his foot with my boot, twisted in his grasp, and jabbed my elbow into his ribs.

His grip slackened just enough. Seizing my chance, I clawed at his face, my fingers catching on the fabric of his mask. With a sharp yank, I pulled it off.

I needed to know who had been haunting my every step. Who had been lurking in the shadows, waiting for the right moment to strike.

It wasn’t who I expected.

My breath hitched. "Alfred?" I gasped, staring into the familiar face of Beatrix’s former chauffeur.

His expression twisted with fury. "Damn it," he muttered through clenched teeth.

I stumbled back, my pulse hammering. Eros had warned me about Alfred's vendetta, but I hadn’t taken it seriously. He was someone familiar—someone the police could easily track down if he ever tried anything reckless. 

So I had worried about my faceless stalker instead. The one whose voice I couldn’t quite place, even though it felt eerily familiar.

Alfred’s glare darkened. He lunged forward, seizing my wrist and dragging me toward a sleek black car parked by the curb. “You should’ve just played along,” he spat, pulling a gun from inside his coat. The cold barrel pressed into my side. “Get in.”

I wrenched my arm free, catching him off guard. My heart pounded, but I straightened my spine, refusing to cower. “And if I don’t?”

His grip on the gun tightened. “Get in the car. Now.”

I met his gaze head-on, my voice unwavering. "No."

His nostrils flared. “I said, get in the car, Athena!”

"Or what?" I lifted my chin. "You’ll shoot me? Go ahead, Alfred. If you think you can."

His jaw clenched, muscles twitching with barely contained rage. "I don’t want to hurt you," he ground out, "but I will."

A cold, bitter laugh escaped me. “Then do it.” I took a step closer, daring him. “If you have the guts, pull the trigger. I dare you.”

The gun in his hand trembled slightly. His fingers curled tighter around the grip.

The air between us was suffocating with tension, but I refused to let him see my fear.

Even if I was terrified he just might pull the damn trigger.

"Don't test me," Alfred muttered, his grip tightening around the gun.

I held my ground, eyes locked on his. "You were never brave enough to face me like this," I spat, my voice laced with contempt. "You hide behind masks, behind threats. But we both know you don’t have it in you."

His hand trembled slightly. The gun remained aimed at me, but hesitation flickered in his eyes, the war waging within him. He wanted control, but he didn't have the resolve to pull the trigger. 

For a brief moment, I thought he might back down—until the roar of an approaching car shattered the silence.

Tires screeched as a sleek black vehicle came to a halt. Alfred barely had time to react before the doors swung open and Eros stepped out, his bodyguards flanking him.

The moment Eros’s gaze landed on me, his expression darkened, his entire body radiating lethal intent.

"Let her go," he commanded, his voice low, dangerous.

Alfred stiffened, his grip tightening around the gun. His eyes darted between me and Eros, calculating his next move. Panic set in as he realized there was no escape.

His finger slipped.

The gunshot rang out, echoing through the street.

"Athena!" Eros’s voice rang out, raw with fear.

Pain exploded in my shoulder, stealing the breath from my lungs. I gasped, staggering backward as my vision blurred. Distantly, I saw Eros lunge forward, his bodyguards swarming Alfred before he could fire again. They tackled him to the ground, wrenching the weapon from his grasp.

Strong arms caught me before I collapsed.

"Athena!" Eros's voice was taut with worry. His hands hovered over my wound, his expression carved from something raw—something I’d never seen in him before. Fear.

"Stay with me," he urged, voice shaking ever so slightly. "Just hold on."

I forced a weak smile, gritting my teeth against the pain. "It’s… just a scratch," I murmured. "Just a shoulder wound."

Eros shook his head, jaw clenched. "You're bleeding too much. Stay with me, Athena."

Despite the pain, my lips quirked up. "I dared him, you know… and he actually did it."

Eros’s expression darkened, his grip on me tightening. "That bastard is never getting near you again," he said, his voice laced with cold fury, with a promise of vengeance.

The chaos around us faded as he lifted me into his arms, cradling me as if I were something fragile as he strode toward the waiting car. The last thing I heard before the darkness pulled me under was Eros’s voice—firm, desperate.

"Drive. Now."

And as the car sped off, sirens wailed in the distance, drowning out the remnants of the night’s violence.

\~~~~~~

Eros

The emergency room doors flew open as I stormed inside, Athena cradled in my arms. Blood seeped through her dress, soaking into my shirt. Her breath was shallow, her face pale, but she remained conscious—barely.

A surge of hospital staff rushed toward us, a nurse pushing a gurney into place.

“Gunshot wound to the shoulder,” I said, my voice tight, controlled. “She needs immediate attention.”

“Sir, set her down here,” a doctor instructed, motioning to the gurney.

I hesitated for half a second before carefully placing Athena onto it. Her eyelids fluttered, pain flickering across her features.

“Eros…” Her voice was a whisper, fragile.

“I’m here,” I assured her, gripping her uninjured hand. “You’re going to be fine.”

The doctor swiftly assessed the wound, his expression grave but not panicked. “She’s lost a lot of blood, but the bullet didn’t hit any major arteries. We need to get her into surgery now.”

My grip tightened around her hand. “I’m coming with her.”

The doctor shook his head. “You can’t. We’ll take care of her.” He turned to a nurse. “Prep the OR.”

I watched as they wheeled Athena away, her fingers slipping from mine. My hands clenched into fists at my sides. I hated this—standing on the sidelines, powerless.

I paced outside the surgical wing, jaw locked, tension thrumming through every muscle. The moment Dr. Ruiz appeared, I strode toward him.

“How is she?” I demanded.

“She’s stable,” he said. “The bullet missed any vital structures, but she’ll need rest. We’re keeping her under observation, but I expect a full recovery.”

A slow exhale left my chest, easing some of the pressure suffocating me. “When can I see her?”

“She’ll be moved to a private room shortly. You can see her then.”

I nodded, my relief tempered by the simmering anger beneath the surface. Alfred was going to pay for this. He would regret the day he ever dared to lay a hand on Athena.

Just then, Dante approached, his expression grim.

“Sir, we have a situation.”

I turned to him, my eyes sharp. “What is it?”

“The press is outside,” Dante said. “Someone recorded the shooting and leaked it. There’s a crowd, cameras, and questions. They want a statement.”

My expression darkened. Of course. I should have seen this coming.

“Handle it,” I ordered. “No one gets in. Find out who leaked the footage. And when Athena is moved, make sure no unauthorized person comes near her.”

“Understood, sir.” Dante gave a curt nod and walked off, speaking into his earpiece.

I glanced toward the surgical doors, clenching my fists. Athena was safe—for now. But this wasn’t over.

Then there was the matter of who had taken her. I could have forced the truth out of Scarlett, but something told me I didn’t have to. Whoever was behind this would reveal themselves soon enough.

All I had to do was wait for the pieces to fall into place.