Chapter 199

Damian's POV

Flynn stared at me like he could not believe what he was hearing, his eyes wide with confusion. "If I remember correctly, you worked your ass off for this shipment. And now you're telling me you're just walking away from it?"

I tilted my head and gave him a sideways glance, making no effort to hide the contempt in my voice. "It's one shipment. So it's gone. I'm not about to start living out of my car over it. Honestly, you're the one surprising me. I didn't think you'd treat a load of cargo like it was your whole life."

Flynn's face turned an ugly shade of gray. He hated being looked down on, and I had hit him right where it hurt.

He glared at me, his hands hanging stiffly at his sides, his fists tightening until the knuckles stood out.

Watching his expression twist, I felt a sharp flash of satisfaction.

Guys like him were easy. Push the right button, and they did exactly what you expected.

I began to step back, already preparing to leave, when Eli shouted behind me, "Mr. Costello, move!"

Before I could even turn, Eli slammed into me, shielding me with her body. The heavy, metallic scent of blood filled my nose, and her voice came thin and ragged near my ear. "Mr. Costello, go. It's a setup."

I frowned and reached to push her off me.

I didn't get the chance. Eli forced herself to roll, like she was using the last of her strength to keep me from being the target.

Her face had gone completely pale. I tapped her cheek lightly, trying to keep her conscious. "Eli, stay with me. Talk to me. Are you okay? The security team is on the way."

I had dealt with Flynn before. I knew his temperament and his methods.

I'd come prepared for everything.

Everything except Eli.

I had never expected her to throw herself in front of me.

Eli's eyelids fluttered. She pushed weakly at my shoulder, still insisting that I leave.

She was my most capable assistant. I wasn't leaving her behind.

Even if she died, I would take her back with me. I would carry her home if I had to.

Thankfully, my team arrived in time. Flynn could bring as many men as he wanted, but it made no difference against trained security.

They swarmed in, pinned his men down, and subdued him quickly.

As Flynn was dragged past me, he leaned in and hissed, "Damien, I seriously underestimated you. You'd better pray I don't get out. Because if I do…"

"You won't," I cut in, my voice flat. "After what you've done, you're going away for good."

Flynn's eyes widened. He stared at me as though trying to determine whether I meant it.

Even as they shoved him into the car, he kept twisting around to look back at me.

I watched as they loaded Eli onto an ambulance gurney. Only then did the tight knot in my chest begin to loosen.

Truth was, if Eli hadn't acted on her own and tackled me, I would've already pulled back and cleared the area.

She was the one variable I had not accounted for.

I let out a breath and lifted my hand, only for a sharp, icy pain to tear through my arm.

That was when I realized it. My arm was broken, most likely from the impact when Eli hit me.

I muttered under my breath and headed toward the ambulance to find a medic.

My phone rang.

I glanced at the screen, and a warmth spread through me. "Olivia? Why are you calling all of a sudden?"

Her voice came fast and breathless, as if she had been running. "I heard something happened at the docks. What's going on?"

I didn't ask how she found out. I just gave her the basics, quick and clean.

I was about to tell her not to worry when I heard a familiar voice not far away. "Damien? Are you okay?"

I froze and turned toward the sound.

Before my mind could catch up, my feet were already moving.

The moment Olivia opened her arms and wrapped them around me, it felt as though warmth flooded back into my body.

I held her tight, because the image of Eli throwing herself in front of me was still too vivid, like a flash burned into my mind.

I couldn't even swear that if Eli hadn't moved, I would've gotten out of the line of fire in time.

Flynn could not even be certain that, if Eli had not moved, I would have gotten

But I had no other choice.

To force him to show himself and make the arrest hold, I had to place myself at the center of it.

And now, with Olivia in my arms, a kind of fear I never allowed myself to feel crept slowly up my spine.

Yeah. Fear. I was afraid of taking a bullet, because then what? Olivia would be left alone. How would she survive that?

And I was scared that if I died, Olivia would move on with someone else.

That was something I would never be able to accept.

But it was fine. Everything had unfolded in time, and everything was still under control.

I slid my fingers through Olivia's hair and then cupped her face in both hands, holding her steady as I looked at her.

She tipped her chin up. Her eyes glittered, the tears held back by sheer will, and it hit me hard how much she cared.

I could not stop myself. I leaned down and pressed a kiss to her slightly dry lips.

Her eyes were red. She patted my shoulder, half scolding, half relieved. "Don't ever do something this dangerous again. I'm going to worry myself sick."

The way she frowned made my chest ache, as if something sharp had cut through it. Until that moment, I had not fully understood what it meant to occupy someone's thoughts so completely.

I brushed my thumb near her ear, keeping my voice gentle. "Don't worry. I know what I'm doing."

Olivia looked like she was about to argue, so I quickly raised my good hand in surrender. "But listen. I promise you, this is the last time. I won't put myself in that kind of situation again."

Only then did her shoulders ease.

She wrapped her arms around my waist, as if afraid I might disappear the moment she let go.

I watched her cling to me, and a deep, quiet warmth settled in my chest.

After a moment, reality snapped back into place, and I pulled back just enough to look at her. "You came out here like this, what about our baby?"

They were still so small, not yet ready to leave the incubator—the temperature-controlled unit in the NICU.

For safety, I always had someone there. Most of the time, Olivia stayed with them as well.

She could not hold them yet or truly touch them, but at least they were safe under our eyes.

And now she was here, away from them, and I didn't like it.

I took her hand, intending to lead her back, but she pressed her palm against my shoulder and stopped me.

"Don't move," I said instinctively. When I looked up, I saw that her expression had turned serious.

She'd noticed.

"It doesn't even hurt," I lied, trying to guide her toward the car. "I'll go home, rest it. I just want to see the baby."

Olivia didn't budge.

I had no idea where she found the strength, but she grabbed my injured arm and held her ground, forcing me to stay where I was.

Her voice turned firm. "We're going to the nearest hospital first. You are getting that treated."

I tightened my jaw, clearly unwilling.

Olivia saw it, and she went straight for the one thing she knew I couldn't ignore. "Damien, don't you want to marry me? Then listen to me and go to the hospital. Because I'm not marrying a guy who can't even lift his arm at our wedding."