Chapter 4

Karli slowly opened her eyes. The harsh fluorescent lights stabbed at her retinas. The sharp, sterile smell of bleach and rubbing alcohol filled her nose. She was lying on a stiff mattress in an unfamiliar room.

She felt a dull ache in her left arm. She turned her head and saw an IV tube taped to her skin, dripping clear saline into her vein. Her right arm, covered in glass cuts, was wrapped in thick white gauze.

She sat up abruptly. A wave of dizziness hit her. She gripped the edge of the mattress, her eyes darting around the small emergency room bay, searching for the man from the convenience store.

Before she could process her surroundings, the heavy wooden door of the room was violently shoved open. It slammed against the wall stopper with a loud crack.

Warren stormed into the room. His heavy leather shoes squeaked aggressively against the linoleum floor. His face was a mask of pure, unadulterated rage.

Myra followed close behind him. The ends of her perfect hair were damp from the rain, making her look slightly unhinged. Her eyes locked onto Karli with venomous intent.

Warren marched straight to the side of the bed. He pointed a thick, trembling finger inches from Karli's nose. He screamed, demanding to know what she thought she was doing, reminding her that the Rocha family representatives were already waiting for her.

Karli's body reacted before her mind did. She scrambled backward, her spine hitting the cold metal of the bed's headboard. Her hands grabbed the thin white hospital blanket, twisting the fabric into knots.

Myra lunged forward. She ripped the blanket out of Karli's hands and reached out, her manicured claws aiming for Karli's bicep to drag her off the mattress.

A heavy, rhythmic footstep sounded in the hallway. It was the sound of a predator entering its territory.

A massive shadow fell across the room, blocking out the light from the corridor. Darnell stood in the doorway. His hands were shoved deep into the pockets of his cheap black jacket. His face was an emotionless mask.

Warren snapped his head around. He looked Darnell up and down, taking in the unbranded clothes and the scuffed boots. He sneered, yelling at the 'street trash' to get out of the room before he called security.

Darnell didn't even blink at Warren's shouting. His dark, piercing gaze bypassed the angry parents entirely and locked onto Karli, who was trembling against the headboard.

The moment Karli saw Darnell, a desperate surge of survival instinct flooded her veins. He was her only way out.

She didn't hesitate. She grabbed the plastic hub of the IV needle in her arm and ripped it out. A stream of dark red blood instantly shot out, splattering across the pristine white sheets.

Karli swung her bare feet off the bed. She stumbled forward, pushing past Myra's outstretched arms, and sprinted toward the door.

She crashed hard into Darnell's solid chest. She threw her arms around him, her hands desperately gripping the rough fabric of his jacket. Her entire body shook violently against him.

Darnell's muscles went completely rigid. He looked down at the woman burying her face in his chest. His jaw tightened, and a subtle frown formed between his brows.

Myra let out a high-pitched shriek. She pointed a shaking finger at the two of them, screaming that Karli was a shameless whore for throwing herself at a beggar.

Warren's face turned a dangerous shade of purple. He closed the distance in three long strides. He raised his right hand high, aiming a brutal slap directly at Karli's face to reassert his dominance.

Karli squeezed her eyes shut. She pressed her face deeper into Darnell's chest, bracing for the explosive pain.

The pain never came. Instead, a sickening crunch of bone grinding against bone echoed in the small room.

Karli opened her eyes. Darnell hadn't moved his body. He had simply raised one hand and caught Warren's descending wrist mid-air. His grip was like a steel vise.

Darnell's eyes were no longer indifferent. They were pitch black and lethal. The air in the room seemed to drop ten degrees, suffocating everyone with his sheer physical presence.

He twisted his wrist a fraction of an inch. Warren let out a choked, guttural groan. Sweat instantly beaded on the older man's forehead as his knees buckled slightly under the agonizing pressure.

Darnell leaned in. His voice was a low, terrifying rumble that vibrated through Karli's chest. He told Warren never to touch what belonged to him with his filthy hands.

Karli peaked out from behind Darnell's arm. She took a deep breath, forcing her voice to stay steady. She looked Warren dead in the eye and announced that she and this man were legally married.

Myra's eyes bugged out. She gasped, shaking her head frantically, screaming that it was impossible and she would never allow it.

Karli let out a cold, mocking laugh. She told Myra she was a legal adult, the certificate was signed and stamped, and the Lewis family had absolutely no right to dictate her life anymore.

Warren clutched his bruised wrist as Darnell released him. He took a step back, his eyes darting between Karli's defiant face and Darnell's imposing figure. His mind raced, calculating the sudden, disastrous shift in his plans.