Bound by the Past, Locked by the Heart novel Chapter 132

"Ms. Vance, I really... I really had no one else to turn to. I just can't make heads or tails of these documents."

He got up, pulled a stack of paperwork from a drawer, and handed it to her.

Willa took them and went through the pages, explaining everything to him one by one.

"Mr. Cavanaugh, there's nothing inherently wrong with the clauses, but the compensation standard is quite low. If you want to negotiate a higher payout, a professional lawyer could review this for you..."

After discussing the redevelopment, Willa stayed at the shop a little longer, only leaving when the sky had completely darkened.

She didn't feel like she was being followed the entire way back, until she reached an alley right next to her apartment building.

Two men suddenly jumped out of a van parked by the curb. Before she could even scream, a hand clamped tightly over her mouth.

Despite her desperate struggles, she was no match for the sheer strength of two grown men. They dragged her backward toward the van.

Just then, a pair of headlights from an oncoming car flashed across the street.

The glaring light made the man holding her instinctively squint, loosening his grip for a split second.

Seizing the opportunity, Willa bit down viciously on the hand covering her mouth.

"Ah! You bitch!" The man let out a howl of pain and released her.

Willa sprinted away as fast as she could, but before she could make it two steps, the other man grabbed her by the hair.

A sharp, stinging pain radiated across her scalp as she was yanked backward, stumbling directly into a solid chest.

The man raised his hand and delivered a brutal slap across her face.

The impact knocked Willa's head to the side, and her vision went black for a moment.

"Hold still!"

She had no energy left to fight, allowing the man to drag her forward.

Suddenly, a black car shot out from the intersection at a terrifying speed, barreling straight toward the van.

"Fuck!"

The two men immediately let her go, shouting in panic as they dove out of the way.

The car slammed on its brakes less than three feet from Willa, and several men poured out of the vehicle.

His hand finally dropped, gently cradling her cheek. His thumb brushed the trace of blood from the corner of her mouth with infinite tenderness.

"Don't be afraid. I'm here to take you home."

He scooped her into a desperate embrace, holding her so tightly his entire body shook.

"Willa..." Randal's voice cracked, sounding like a mix of laughter and sobs, full of aching heartache and a twisted sense of resentment.

"Are you done hiding?"

"Run again. I dare you to try."

"I told you, I'd hunt you down to the ends of the earth."

One of the bodyguards stepped up and asked quietly, "Mr. Yates, what should we do with these two?"

"Have them deliver a message." Randal's gaze turned instantly murderous.

"He dares touch what's mine?"