CHAPTER 21 : The Devil’s Choice

The warehouse smelled of rust and death, the air thick with the metallic scent of blood. Alexander stood at the center of it all, his body beaten, his fists clenched at his sides. Across from him, Eve was bound to a chair, a thin line of blood trailing from her lip. But her eyes—those eyes still burned with fire, refusing to surrender.

Carver leaned lazily against a pillar, spinning a knife between his fingers. "You love her, don't you?" he mused, voice dripping with amusement. "That's your greatest weakness, Alexander. And that's why I'm going to enjoy this."

Alexander's jaw tightened. "If you lay a hand on her—"

Carver laughed. "Oh, I don't need to. You're going to destroy yourself just fine without me. Here's the deal: Fight for her, and you die. Walk away, and she lives."

Eve struggled against her restraints. "Don't you dare let him make this choice for you!" she hissed, voice raw. "I don't need a savior. I need a man who won't let the world decide for him."

Alexander took a slow breath, every muscle in his body coiled like a predator ready to strike. "You want my soul? Take it. But you don't get to touch her."

The fight began.