Chapter 125 Blood Settlement
Briar's POV
I drove straight to Four Cedars, my hands steady on the wheel even though my heart was hammering.
I walked through the restaurant's entrance past the hostess who stepped aside without a word. The hallway stretched ahead, and at the end Julian stood outside the private room door. He turned when he heard my footsteps, his eyes dropping to my bare arms.
His hand shot out and caught my wrist, his palm warm against my cold skin. "Where's your coat?"
I yanked free, stepping past him. "I don't need it."
Through the gap in the doorway I saw her. Willow sat at the table, fingers wrapped around a teacup, turning it slowly. When our eyes met, her knuckles went white against the porcelain. She didn't look away and neither did I. She could use Ash as a pawn, could orchestrate an attack that left him broken and bleeding, and I was supposed to just accept it.
No. Not anymore.
I turned back to Julian, placing both hands on his shoulders and pushing down to make him lower his head. When he bent toward me, I leaned close to his ear. "This is what you owe me."
He went very still. I could feel the tension in his muscles, could hear his breathing change.
"I'll be right outside the door," he said finally, his voice rough.
I pushed past him into the room and slammed the door shut, turning the lock with a sharp click. Willow set down her teacup carefully.
"Briar," she said, almost amused. "I wasn't sure you'd actually come."
I grabbed the purple clay teapot and swung it at her head. It connected with her temple with a dull crack and she stumbled, blood trickling down her face. I had her by the collar, twisting the fabric as I slammed her against the wall.
"Ash has six broken ribs," I said, my voice low and harsh. "His leg is shattered. Skull fracture. The doctors weren't sure if he'd wake up. Do you understand what you did?"
Willow laughed, blood running down her face. "You should be thanking me for not killing him outright."
Something snapped. I grabbed a heavy wooden chair and brought it down on her shoulder. She crumpled with a choked gasp, but when she looked up her eyes were still bright with amusement.
"Is that all you've got?" she wheezed. "Come on, Briar. Hit me again."
I threw the chair aside and crouched beside her. "We're not the same, you and I. You hide in shadows and pay others to do your dirty work. You're a rat in the gutter, Willow. But me?" I grabbed her chin. "I want you to see my face. I want you to know exactly who's doing this to you."
Her smile faltered.
I wrapped my hand around her throat, fingers pressing just hard enough to cut off her air. She clawed at my wrist but I didn't let go. I watched her face turn red, watched real fear appear in her eyes for the first time.
"Do you know what happens when you cross me?" I asked calmly. "Do you understand the consequences now?"
She couldn't answer, couldn't do anything except struggle weakly. I counted to ten, watching her movements get slower, then released her. She collapsed, sliding down the wall, coughing so hard her body shook.
I pulled a napkin and wiped blood from her neck where my nails had broken skin. Her eyes were red-rimmed and wet, something breaking behind them.
"How does it feel?" I asked softly. "Being that close to dying?"
She didn't answer.
I walked toward the door but turned back. She was slumped against the wall, looking smaller than I'd ever seen her.
"Julian's outside that door right now," I said clearly. "He's not going to help you. He's going to help me clean this up. Do you understand what that means?"
A tear spilled over, cutting through the blood on her cheek.
"You want to know how much power I have over him? You already know the answer. You've always known."
I stepped into the hallway. Julian straightened immediately.
"Feel better?" he asked.
Ice crystallized in my chest. "Not even close."
"Then keep going. I'll wait."
"No need. Send her to a hospital." I walked past him. "And Julian? Make sure this gets cleaned up properly. Make sure your father doesn't hear about it, make sure Willow's family doesn't cause problems. That's what you owe me."
I didn't stop walking. He was trying to make up for rejecting me years ago. Fine. If he wanted to pay his debts, I'd make sure the cost was real. Whether it was dealing with Dominic or handling Willow's family, Julian was going to help me.
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Julian's POV
The moment Briar closed the door I called my private doctor. I could hear muffled sounds from inside—a crash, a thud—but I didn't move. I'd promised to stay outside.
When the doctor arrived I directed him to wait around the corner. Then I leaned against the railing and listened to the sounds filtering through the door. Part of me wanted to stop this, but Briar needed this. Needed to feel like she had some control.
When she finally emerged and walked past without looking back, I watched her go. Then I went inside.
Willow was slumped against the wall, one hand pressed to her bleeding temple. The doctor was cleaning the wound. I took in the damage—bruises on her throat, blood in her hair, the careful way she breathed.
"She really went for it," Willow said, almost admiring despite the pain.
"You attacked her people. What did you expect?"
The doctor confirmed nothing was seriously damaged. When he left, I sat across from Willow.
"How are you going to take the fall for what Briar just did?" she asked.
"That's not your concern."
"It absolutely is." She struggled to sit straighter. "You promised you'd protect me from fallout. I just got beaten bloody and now you need to make it go away."
"What do you want?"
"Every public event for the next month. I want to live in your apartment. I want people to think we're serious."
"We can live together. Separate rooms."
"One room. I want to sleep in the same room as you."
"No."
"Then we have a problem." She smiled coldly. "Why do you think I let her come tonight? I wanted leverage. You can give me what I want, or I can make sure everyone knows Briar Vance assaulted me while you stood guard."
I stood slowly, looking down at her. "You're assuming I need your cooperation."
Her smile faltered.
"There's no one who saw her attack you. The staff is cleared, security cameras are controlled by me, my doctor won't talk. As far as anyone knows, Briar was never here. It was just you and me, and you got hurt because you slipped and fell. Tragic accident."
Willow's face went pale. "You wouldn't."
"Try me."
We stared at each other. Finally she looked away. "Fine. Separate rooms. But you still take me to public events."
"Agreed." I walked to the door and paused. "Don't ever threaten me again, Willow. I'm not someone you can manipulate. The sooner you understand that, the better."
With that, I left the room.