005

Khloe's POV

Even though I had wished that he would come to make the save, I wasn't expecting him to be at the station.

Maybe I was the one thinking things. I doubt if he is originally here for me. He must have come all the way here to make a report and not for my sake.

"Why are you holding her hostage?" His rich baritone snapped me back to consciousness as I watched him walking towards me.

"She stole these from me." The shop owner said, shoving the items I had picked in his face.

Nevian relieved him of it and after a careful look at the label, he said, "You should conduct an inspection on his store, these items are expired." Nevian shoved the snack back to the store owner as he pulled me up.

Putting his hands around my waist, he said to the sergeant, "Delete whatever data you have about her. She is not a pretty thief as he claims." He said and with that, steered me in the opposite direction.

Once we were outside the station, the cold night air blasted against my face and at once I returned to consciousness.

Grabbing his hand, I pushed it off my waist with a deep scowl on my face.

"Thank you." I said and then began to walk in the opposite direction only for him to appear in front of me, crossing his hands on his chest.

"You wouldn't want to return to your parents, right?" He asked, causing me to gulp as I peered at him with a confused expression on my face.

"What are you talking about?" I asked with a deep frown.

"Khloe Marshall." He smacked his lips as I grabbed the t-shirt I was wearing with both hands. .

For him to know my name, that means he had done a bit of research on me and that explains why he was able to find me in the station without the call being initiated.

Blinking my eyes, I tried to push back the tears that were threatening to roll down but they were stubborn.

He didn't stop there, he shoved his phone which was displaying my picture where I had been tagged missing and a bounty placed on me.

"What am I going to do now?" I cried, biting my lips as I darted my eyes around.

Unsure of what to do, I quickly made my way towards his car and without being coaxed, I slid in.

Had it been I wasn't in a tight corner, this was going to be the least decision that would cross my mind.

All through the drive home, I had my gaze out of the window as tears rolled down my eyes freely.

The grim look on Tyler Greene's face made my stomach churn in protest as I kept fiddling with my fingers, unsure of what awaited me.

When he pulled up in the garage of the mansion I had escaped from earlier that day, I immediately pushed the door open and then got off.

Without a word to me,he led me back to the room I was occupying several hours ago and immediately I was left alone, I slid through the wall to the floor.

Pulling my legs to my chin, I wrapped my hands around it as tears continued to roll down my eyes as the events of the last twenty four hours replayed in my head.

Shutting my eyes tightly, I tried not to think too much about it but I just couldn't as my heart was shredding into minute pieces.

From the betrayal to being set up in marriage to a septuagenarian and now I was at the mercy of Nevain Allerick, someone I already dreaded.

Moments later, there was a knock on the door followed by Nevain stepping in almost bare, save for the shorts he wore.

Despite my distress, I couldn't help but get lost in his physique. His stone washed abs, toned biceps and triceps were alluring that I began to imagine running my fingers on them.

Before I could start drooling shamelessly, he cleared his throat and then plopped on the foot of the bed which was directly opposite me.

"What's your plan?" He asked but I remained mute, not like I had a thing to say even.

After a long silence, I slowly sat up and with my gaze on him, I said, "I will stay here until the heat dies down and then I will go my way."

"Heat you say." He laughed, making me wonder what exactly was funny.

"In case you have forgotten, I want to remind you that the man you are up against is no other person than Tyler Greene, a notorious old man."

"He might be old and confined to a wheelchair but trust me when I say he is someone you wouldn't want to gamble your life with since you are going to lose." He scoffed as I rubbed my sweaty hands against my t-shirt.

"Can't you help me?" I blurted out, daring to raise my hopes.

"Why don't we strike a deal that will be beneficial to both of us?" He retorted as he rose, showing off his v-line.

Gulping, I quickly turned my face away so I wouldn't start creating scenarios in my head.

"What deal?" I managed to ask after a long silence that made the room tension filled.

Blinking my eyes rapidly, I had my heart inside of my mouth as I tried not to think too much about the proposed deal.

"Be my contracted bride for a year and then I will protect you from Tyler."

Before now, I was too weak to do anything but with what he had just said, I was strengthened and with all the strength I could muster, I was on my feet.

"You must be thinking I'm so desperate for you to propose that deal." I snarled. "I can survive out there without your help."

"If you say so." He was so carefree with his response that for a moment I wanted to rethink my decision but I kicked against it.

My hand was already on the knob when he said, "I should lay claim to the bounty."

The moment I turned in his direction, he placed his phone against his ear.