Their trip concluded, and it was finally time to head home.

"Stay here," Maximus Anderson said, flashing a rare, genuine smile as he kissed Rose Harrison’s forehead. "I’ll go grab our luggage."

Rose beamed back at him, her eyes bright. She pointed to a structural pillar nearby. "Alright. Take your time, stay safe. I’ll wait right here for you."

She waved as his broad shoulders disappeared into the bustling flow of the airport crowd.

But when Maximus returned, the space by the pillar was empty. Her luggage clattered to the floor, forgotten. He sprinted, his eyes darting frantically through the dense sea of travelers, searching for that one silhouette, that one face that kept his world anchored.

His heart hammered against his ribs. *Don't panic,* he told himself, biting his lip until he tasted blood. *Stay calm.* He shoved his terror down, shifting into professional efficiency. Within minutes, he had his team scanning the terminal. Moments later, he found it: her handbag, discarded like trash next to a waste bin in a darkened corner.

Maximus pulled up the airport surveillance feed. He squinted at the graining footage. It was a targeted hit. The video confirmed his worst fear: two men had cornered Rose, silenced her, and dragged her into the shadows.

Maximus crushed the plastic water cup in his hand. *Snap.*

The glass shattered. Sharp shards bit into his palm, and thick, crimson blood dripped onto the linoleum floor. His brow knit together in a sharp, jagged line. *Who? Why her?* His eyes burned with a lethal promise. *If I find you, I’ll bury you.*

***

Rose woke up in darkness. A thick cloth was knotted tightly over her eyes, and her wrists were bound behind her back. Her last memory was of Maximus walking away, his back fading into the crowd.

She shifted, straining to hear her surroundings. Where was she? Who had taken her? Every attempt to peer through the blindfold met only suffocating blackness.

Suddenly, the heavy metallic thud of a door echoed, followed by the slow, rhythmic crunch of boots on concrete. Someone was coming.

A rough hand yanked the blindfold away. A man with a face like overstretched dough leaned into her space. He lifted her chin with a thick, greasy finger, squinting at her with beady, predatory eyes.

"Well, well, looks like the little bird is awake," he sneered, his voice dripping with malice. "We’re rough men, sweetheart. Don't go crying if we bruise you a little."

Three lanky men stood behind him, their gazes raking over her with oily, invasive intent.

Rose, her mouth taped shut, couldn't scream. She pinned the lead man with a glare, her eyes spitting fire.

The man ignored her, clearly unbothered by her fury. "The boss wants a word with you. Let’s go, Ms. Harrison." He signaled to his men.

They hauled her to her feet, dragging her toward the door. As they moved, a wandering hand grazed her, a familiar, revolting sensation that made her skin crawl. Panic clawed at her throat; these were not men of honor.

They shoved her into an adjacent room. It was vast, cavernous, and cold—an abandoned textile factory on the city’s industrial fringe. In the center, sitting on a rusted metal chair, was a middle-aged man in a sharp black suit, flanked by a phalanx of silent, stone-faced bodyguards.

The man tossed her into the center of the room. Rose collapsed, landing hard on the dusty floor at the man's feet.

"Boss, we’ve got her," the heavy-jowled man announced.

The man in the chair looked down at her, then arched an eyebrow at his subordinate. "So, this is the woman who’s been glued to that little brat Maximus's side?"

"That’s her, Boss. The boys have been tracking him. He hasn't even stepped foot in the office all week. He didn't even bother with that other girl. He’s been dragging this one all over the world on some vacation, playing house. I picked her up at the airport just like you said. It’s her."

The man paced a finger against his thigh, the rhythmic *tap-tap-tap* echoing in the silence. He squinted at Rose. "The kid’s got a taste for the pretty ones, I’ll give him that."

He finally looked away, bored. "Take her out back and keep her quiet. And make sure she’s comfortable enough to keep breathing." He let out a low, gravelly laugh. "Maximus, you little prick. Let's see how you handle this."