Chapter 9

Rowan

As I sat in the back of the car, my heart pounding in my chest, I couldn't help but reflect on the events of the past few days. There was a lot to think about. A lot.

I had been taken captive by Diego, a loan shark from the Nightshade Wolves cartel, and yet, I found myself drawn to him. He was doing everything in his power to make that happen. I couldn't believe I was falling for it.

It was a confusing mix of emotions — fear, desire, and something akin to trust. The more time we spent together, the more confusing it got.

Diego had protected me, kept me safe from the assassin his boss had sent after me, and now, he was taking me to him, a man I didn't know much about. Diego also hadn't talked much about his boss. Part of me thought he hadn't done that because he didn't want to disappoint me.

I felt a mix of apprehension and curiosity as we drove through the winding roads, heading toward a hidden safe house in the middle of nowhere. The closer we got, the more anxious I became.

Diego sat beside me, his eyes fixed on the passing scenery, his jaw clenched. He had finally managed to get in contact with his boss, and the tension between us was palpable.

I hadn't heard much of the conversation, only that it had been anything but amicable. There was a lot of tension between the two of them. For that reason, I couldn't help but think that we were walking into a trap. Nevertheless, Diego had reassured me that everything was going to be okay.

Still, I knew he was worried about how his boss would react to his decision to protect me, and I couldn't help but share his concern. After all, he had gone against his boss' wish. If he hadn't done that, I would already be dead.

As we pulled up to the safe house, my heart hammered in my chest. The place was secluded, surrounded by dense forest, and I felt a sense of foreboding as we stepped out of the car. My heart was tight and my mind was thinking about everything that could happen here. I just hoped we were going to walk out of here alive.

Diego's boss stood on the porch, his arms crossed over his chest, his eyes narrowed in disapproval. Given the way he was looking at us, I already knew this wasn't going to end well for us.

"Diego," he said, his voice deep and commanding. "You've made a grave mistake by going against my wishes. I don't know what you thought you were doing, but it was a mistake. I only haven't killed you because we have history."

Diego stood tall, his eyes flashing with determination. No matter what his boss said, I was sure he didn't regret his decision. If it were possible to go back to that moment, he would do it all over again.

"I did what was best for the cartel," he said. "Rowan owes us money, and killing him would be a waste. I can make decisions for myself for what's best for the group. "

His boss shook his head, his eyes cold and unyielding. "You disobeyed a direct order," he said, his voice like a whip. "You will both be punished for your insolence. I don't know what you were thinking, going against one of my orders. You are crazy. You do things that don't make sense."

My heart sank as I realized the gravity of our situation. I had hoped that Diego's protection would be enough, but now, it seemed that we were both in danger. He told me everything was going to be okay, but it wasn't going to be. Far from that, actually. Everything had just turned sour.

His boss gestured for us to follow him, and we stepped into the safe house, the door closing behind us with a soft click. The place was sparse, the walls bare, and the air heavy with tension. Not only that, but it was also dirty and it was kind of difficult to breathe. I didn't want to stay there for much longer, but it wasn't up to me.

"You will both be locked up until I decide your fate," the man said, his eyes dark and unreadable. He made shivers run down my spine. "Consider it a lesson in obedience. And if you don't learn anything from this, I'll take other measures."

Diego opened his mouth to protest, but his boss held up a hand, silencing him. Just from the way he was looking at Diego, I could tell he didn't have much patience for him.

"You will be kept together," he said, his eyes flicking to me. "Consider it a test of your loyalty, Diego. Can you endure this without fucking it up? I can't help but wonder if you can."

Diego's jaw clenched, his eyes narrowing as he glared at his boss. I could tell he didn't expect this turn of events.

"This is unnecessary," he growled. "Rowan is under my protection. I had to protect him so he could pay us."

His boss smirked, his eyes glinting with amusement. "We'll see how long that protection lasts," he said, turning and disappearing through a door, leaving us alone with two cartel members standing guard. He couldn't leave us alone. He knew he couldn't trust Diego.

Diego turned to me, his eyes dark and intense. "I won't let anything happen to you," he said, his voice low. "But you need to be careful. Marcus is below me in the pecking order, but he's been gunning for my position. He won't hesitate to use you against me or do something worse. A lot of things can happen."

My heart hammered in my chest as I took in his words. Marcus. The name sent a chill down my spine, and I remembered the stories I had heard about him—his ruthless nature and his insatiable appetite for power.

He wasn't someone we could take lightly. We had to be careful. After all, he was going to be watching our every move. His duty was to report about us to his boss.

We were led to a sparse room, the walls bare except for a single window, barred and guarded by cartel members outside. The door closed behind us with a heavy thud, the sound echoing in the empty room. We were trapped. There was nowhere we could go. From that moment on, I was a prisoner even more than I was before.

"This shouldn't be happening like this, Rowan," Diego said, his voice rough. "I underestimated what my boss thought about what I did. If I were sure he hated me so much for protecting you, I wouldn't have reached out to him."

I nodded, my eyes downcast as I took in the stark surroundings. It was his fault, but I couldn't blame him. He had a history with his boss. He thought he understood how he thought about things, but he got it wrong this time.

"Don't keep kicking yourself because of what happened," I whispered, my voice small. "I knew the risks when I borrowed money from the cartel. You didn't have to protect me and go against your boss's order."

He took a step toward me, his eyes burning into mine. "I should have never let it get this far," he said. "I shouldn't even have come here."

I shook my head, my heart twisting at the pain I saw in his eyes. "You did what you thought was best," I said, my voice soft. "And I'm grateful for your protection. I wouldn't be alive right now without it."

He took another step closer, his eyes searching mine. I couldn't help but feel his body's warmth emanating from it, spreading through mine.

"I won't let Marcus touch you," he said, his voice low and dangerous. And the best thing about that was that I knew he was right. He wouldn't let anything happen to me. "I'll kill him before I let him lay a hand on you. That's my promise to you."

I shivered, his words sending a rush of fear and desire through me. I knew Diego would protect me, but the thought of Marcus, of what he might do, sent a chill down my spine. I didn't know the man, so he was capable of anything. He could kill us both right now and there wouldn't be much of a repercussion.

As the hours ticked by, the tension in the room thickened. Marcus hadn't been brought to us yet, and the anticipation of his arrival hung heavy in the air. I couldn't stop thinking about him and the only thing keeping me from having a panic attack was Diego's unwavering presence. Without him, I would already be freaking out.

Diego paced the room, his eyes never leaving the door, his body coiled and ready for a fight. No matter what, he was going to protect me. I just hoped we were both going to be okay.

When the door finally opened, Marcus strolled in, his eyes glittering with malicious intent. "Well, well," he drawled, his eyes raking over me. "Is this the famous omega I've heard so much about? My boss hates you so much. He almost killed you."

Diego tensed, his body coiled like a spring, ready to snap. "Stay away from him," he growled.

Marcus smirked, his eyes never leaving me. "Oh, Diego," he said, sounding amused. "You've really fallen for this one, haven't you? It's a shame you won't be able to enjoy him." I took a deep breath in. "The most surprising thing is we all thought you deserve someone better and yet, here you are with this loser."

Diego lunged, his hands wrapping around Marcus's throat, his eyes flashing with fury. "You touch him, and I'll kill you," he snarled. I only felt the rush of air before that happened. He moved like a lightning bolt.

Marcus's eyes widened, his hands coming up to claw at Diego's wrists. "Get him off me!" He shouted, his voice strained. He wanted to look tough, but in the end, there was a reason why he was below Diego in the cartel. He couldn't hold a candle to him.

Cartel members rushed in, pulling Diego away from Marcus, who straightened his clothes, a smug smile on his lips. "You always were a hothead, Diego," he said, his eyes glittering with satisfaction. "But it seems your little omega has you well-behaved. That's a good thing. At least one good thing has to come out of your relationship with him."

Diego glared at him, his eyes burning with hatred. "You touch him, and I'll kill you," he repeated, his voice cold and deadly. "You won't live to enjoy your victory."

Marcus laughed, his eyes flicking to me. I took a step back. I didn't want him to even remember I existed, but it appeared I was his new obsession.

"Oh, I think I'll enjoy it just fine," he said. "You're even prettier up close, omega. I'm going to enjoy my time with you."

I took a step back, my heart pounding in my chest as I felt his hot breath on my skin. "Stay away from me," I said, my voice shaking. And yet, I knew he wasn't going to do it. He had the upper hand at the moment and was making the most of it.

Marcus smirked, his eyes glittering with desire. "Oh, I don't think so," he said, his hand reaching for me.

Diego, his eyes blazing with fury, lunged again, but this time, cartel members held him back, their grip like iron. There were so many of them just to hold him back. That was how strong he was.

"Let me go!" He roared, his voice echoing in the room. "I'll kill him!"

Marcus laughed, his eyes shining with malicious glee. I hated that he thought he was winning. We had to do something. Just the fact he thought he could do anything made my blood boil.

"You can't protect him forever, Diego," he said, pointing his finger at him. "And when you're gone, I'll have my way with him. Just you wait."

I felt a rush of fear mixed with relief. Diego's feelings for me were genuine, I realized, and even though we were locked up, even though our future was uncertain, I knew that he would protect me as long as he could.

The problem was, I was beginning to wonder if that was going to be enough. It had to be, right?