THE CHAIN THAT BINDS.

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Volume 3, Chapter 93 – The chain that binds

Vincent stood there. Silent.

Cain was gone, but the weight of him lingered—like a bruise beneath the skin, like a wound that had never really healed.

Zane was still in front of him. Still close. But something had changed.

Vincent could feel it.

The shift. The tension.

Zane's voice was quiet. Controlled. Too controlled.

"Talk."

Vincent's pulse stuttered.

"What?"

Zane's eyes burned. "Talk, Vincent." A pause. A slow inhale. "You think I don't see it? The way he looks at you? The way he knows you?"

Vincent's stomach twisted.

"Tell me what the fuck happened between you two."

Silence.

Zane's patience thinned. His jaw flexed.

"You let him touch you," he said, voice rough. "You let him. You froze. You didn't push him away." His hands clenched. "And I need to know why."

Vincent's chest ached.

Because he didn't have an answer Zane would want to hear.

Not one that wouldn't break them.

Not one that wouldn't change everything.

But the silence—

The silence was worse.

Zane exhaled sharply. "Vincent."

Vincent shut his eyes.

"I can't."

Zane's gaze sharpened. "You can't or you won't?"

Vincent exhaled, slow. "Zane, please—"

"No." Zane's voice cut through the air, sharp and final. "You don't get to do that. You don't get to ask me to trust you when you won't even look at me when he's in the room."

Vincent flinched.

Because Zane was right.

And that was the fucking problem.

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Years Ago

Vincent was sixteen the first time he met Cain.

And sixteen the first time he owed him.

He hadn't been looking for salvation. Hadn't expected anyone to come when he was backed into a corner, ribs aching, blood in his mouth.

But Cain had been there.

Cool. Unshaken. Smiling.

And when he offered his hand—

Vincent took it.

Not knowing it was the first link in a chain that would never fucking break.

Not knowing that Cain didn't save people.

He owned them.

And Vincent?

Vincent had just sold himself to the devil without even knowing the price.

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Present Day – Lancaster Corporation

"Boss?"

The voice pulled Dominic from his thoughts.

He didn't look up from the contract in front of him. "Speak."

"We got word from the inside."

Now, that caught his attention.

Dominic set his pen down. Slowly.

"And?"

The man hesitated. "Zane and Vincent were seen together."

Dominic's jaw tensed.

"Close?" he asked, voice dangerously calm.

The man swallowed. "Very."

Dominic leaned back in his chair, fingers steepled.

Interesting.

So Vincent was still caught in that little tug-of-war.

Between the boy who wanted to save him—

And the man who had already claimed him.

Dominic smiled.

This game was only getting started.

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