The Bond Between Us (Anastasia and Herman)

Herman took one look at Rowan, battered and bruised, and knew his suspicions

were spot on.

He shot Dailey a look, and Dailey wasted no time yanking Hanna out of the room.

It was just Herman and Rowan now, tension thick between them.

From the hallway, Hanna's shouts echoed, her voice shaky. "You're trespassing!

This is illegal-I'm calling the police-"

Dailey's reply was cold as ice. "Go ahead. I dare you."

The look he gave her could freeze the sun. Hanna's face turned ghostly pale, and

her protests died off.

Back inside, Rowan eyed Herman, clearly surprised. "How did you even find this

place?"

Herman stepped closer, looming over him. "The four men in the cave-you killed

them."

He wasn't asking. He was stating a fact.

Rowan said nothing, which said plenty.

Herman's eyes darkened. "You know what happened that night. Who took

Anastasia?"

Rowan let out a dry, bitter laugh. "Does it even matter now? Whoever sent those

four guys, it's not important anymore. Herman, I told you-you don't deserve her.

You call yourself her husband, but where were you when she needed you? She

wouldn't have gone through any of this if you'd done your job. The photos are out

there, everyone's seen them. How much longer can you pretend to love a woman

who's been ruined?"

The truth was, Rowan knew Anastasia hadn't been assaulted. He'd arrived just in

time-walked in on them taking photos, but they hadn't gotten further. He'd taken

down the one restraining her, then the other three turned on him. Rowan kept

yelling at Anastasia to run.

But she'd been drugged, mind clouded, stumbling through the woods, cuts and

scrapes from the branches marking her escape.

Rowan had zero plans to tell

Herman any of this. He wanted to

see how long Herman could keep up

his act, loving a supposedly "tainted"

Anastasia. Part of him if he was

honest, wanted to protect her

forever. He didn't think Herman was

worthy of her.

Herman's jaw tightened, his stare sharp as a knife. If Rowan hadn't been so badly

hurt-hurt saving Anastasia-Herman would've decked him right then and there.

He held back his fury. "The police didn't get anything useful from those four. But I

know you've got something."

Rowan did actually. He had a goodnoveldrama

guess who was behind it all. He'd

warned Anastasia about Autumn. It

had to be someone with real power

to pull together four ex-cons like

those.

He suspected Autumn, but couldn't be sure. And now, with Mr. Walker's political

career on the rise, no one in their right mind would risk crossing the Walker family.

Herman might be rich, but he didn't have any real clout. If Mr. Walker wanted, he

could shut down the Salstrom family with a single policy.

Rowan told himself, once he was healed, he'd settle the score with whoever hurt

Anastasia.

He flopped back, acting casual. "I have no idea what you're talking about."

Herman loosened his tie, his gaze razor-sharp. "Alright, let's talk about what you

do know. The chip you gave Anastasia. What's on it?"

Rowan's eyes widened. "You have the chip? You cracked it?"

Herman hadn't cracked it yet-he

hadn't even had time to try. But

seeing Rowan's panic, he pressed

his advantage. "Hand over whatever

you found in that cave, and I'll give

the chip back. Or maybe I'll just give

it to Asher."

The threat hung heavy between them. The real bargaining was about to begin.