Chased by My Possessive Ex (Dylan) novel Chapter 11

DYLAN

I blew a loud sigh of defeat and brushed my palm along my face as I sat on the bench in the locker room. I lost count of how many times I’ve been blowing a loud breath while thinking, Where would I get the money I needed to pay for the apartment?”

I was staring at the floor when suddenly a pair of feet appeared right in front of me. I slowly lifted my head, and my eyes immediately caught a card that was a few inches away from my face. I ran my eyes along the hand that was holding the card and found a woman standing in front of me.

I frowned as I looked at the card that she was handing me. I don’t exactly know what was going on.

“Get it. It might help you,” she finally said. My frown deepened as I tried to catch up with what’s happening. “Forgive me, but I heard your conversation with Diane. You said you needed money,” she explained.

That’s the only time that I decided to accept the card that she was offering. I looked at it and slowly read the tiny letters written on it. That’s when I realized that it was the name of a famous high–end bar in the city. You can only get inside through invitation. Not once did Beckett and I manage to get invited to this place.

“I don’t understand. What does this card have to do with my problem?” I asked in confusion.

“You said you need some money, and that’s your answer. I think they still have a spot left for one more dancer.”

I swallowed hard, forcing the words out before I could stop myself. “I—I appreciate your offer. But I’m not that kind of dancer.” The words tumbled from my lips too fast, my voice tight, betraying my nerves. I hadn’t even had time to think about how it would sound.

The woman’s eyes gleamed with amusement, and then she let out a sharp, sarcastic laugh. The sound sent a shiver of humiliation down my spine.

“For someone who’s truly desperate for money, you sure do know how to be picky,” she sneered, crossing her arms. “In case you need someone to remind you, you’re not a princess anymore. Don’t look at me as if you were better than me just because I chose to do what I had to do.”

“T–That’s not what I mean.”

She smirked, tilting her head slightly, her gaze sharp and assessing. “I know exactly what you mean,” she said, her voice dripping with condescension. “You think you’re better than us, don’t you? Just because you come from a well–known family, you think you’re above dancing here.” She let out a scoff, crossing her arms. “Well, let me remind you, princess, you’re standing in this place for the same reason as the rest of us. You need money.”

Her words stung, but I refused to let them show on my face. Instead, I took a deep breath, trying to steady my emotions. That wasn’t what I meant at all. I wasn’t looking down on her or any of the women who worked

there.

“I didn’t mean to offend you,” I said carefully, my tone softer this time. “I wasn’t trying to judge you or anyone else for what you do. I respect it; I really do. It’s just… I don’t think this is the right fit for me.”

10:24 Thu, Dec 25

Chapter 11

“Your opinion doesn’t offend me, honestly. I only wanted to offer some help.”

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I hesitated, because honestly? I had no idea. I had no plan, no safety net. All I had was a pile of problems and an empty bank account.

“Thanks for the offer,” I added, forcing a small smile. “I really appreciate it.”

For a moment, the woman just studied me, like she was trying to decide if I was worth her time or not. Then, she huffed out a laugh, shaking her head.

“You’re either really brave or really stupid,” she muttered. “Probably both.”

She turned and walked away, her heels clicking against the floor, leaving me standing there alone, wondering if I had made the right choice.

*

*

I went home feeling drained, my mind heavy with everything that had happened. I sank onto the couch, absently turning the small card over in my hands. I should have tossed it the moment it was given to me, but something kept stopping me.

My fingers traced over the golden embossed letters, the name of the bar practically taunting me. I used to dance on grand stages, beneath elegant lights, and in front of audiences who came solely for the art before I threw all of that away for a man who never truly loved me.

The more I thought about it, the more I realized, was it really so different? At the end of the day, both were about performing, about captivating a crowd with movement. Maybe this wasn’t such a bad idea. Maybe, just maybe, it was worth a try.

Before I could decide, a sudden, violent bang echoed through the apartment, shattering my thoughts. My heart slammed against my ribs as I jumped to my feet. The noise had come from the front door.

I took a hesitant step forward, but before I could even get close, the door gave way with a splintering crack, crashing to the floor with a deafening thud. A cold wave of fear surged through me as three men stepped over the fallen door, their presence filling the room like a dark cloud.

“Look who we have here,” one of them sneered, his voice laced with amusement.

I instinctively stepped back, but my stomach clenched when I realized I had nowhere to go. The other two men stood near the entrance, blocking any chance of escape.

I swallowed hard, forcing myself to stand my ground. “Who are you?” I asked, trying to sound steady, but the slight shake in my voice betrayed me.

The man in the center–tall, broad–shouldered, and exuding an air of dangerous confidence–tilted his head, as if sizing me up. A slow, unsettling grin spread across his face.

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Chapter 11

“Oh, sweetheart,” he said, stepping closer. “We’re just here to have a little chat.”

My pulse pounded in my ears as the man in the center took another step toward me, his grin sharp like a blade. The other two thugs remained by the door, their arms crossed, their expressions unreadable but no less threatening.

I swallowed hard, forcing my voice to stay steady. “What do you want?”

The man chuckled, shaking his head. “Come on now, don’t play dumb. You know exactly why we’re here.”

I shook my head. “I have no idea who you are, and I don’t owe you anything.”

The grin faded from his face, replaced by something colder, darker. “No, but your parents do.”

My stomach twisted. “My parents?”

He nodded, taking his time as he looked around the apartment like he owned the place. “Your dear old dad borrowed a lot of money. And let’s just say… he wasn’t exactly great at paying it back.” His gaze flicked back to me, and he smirked. “And since they’re nowhere to be found, guess who gets to clean up their mess?”

I clenched my fists. “I don’t have that kind of money.”

“Well, that’s a problem, isn’t it?” He let out a long, exaggerated sigh, as if this was all such a hassle for him. “See, I’m a reasonable guy. I like to settle things the easy way. But if you don’t come up with the cash…” His smirk widened. “We’ll have to get a little creative.”

My heart hammered against my ribs. “I told you, I don’t have it,” I repeated, my voice firmer this time. “And even if I did, I wouldn’t give you a damn cent. This is their debt, not mine.”

The man’s expression darkened in an instant. “That’s not how this works, sweetheart. When someone in the family can’t pay, the debt rolls over.” He took another step forward, and I instinctively backed up, my back hitting the wall. “So that means you are responsible now.”

I forced myself to hold his gaze. “And what if I say no?”

His smirk returned, but this time, there was no humor in it. Only something cold and dangerous. He lifted a hand, brushing an imaginary speck of dust off his jacket. “Then things get… messy.”

I sucked in a sharp breath. My mind raced, trying to figure out a way out of this. My parents had thrown me into this storm without a warning, leaving me to deal with the fallout alone.

And now, I had to figure out how to survive it.

“I’m not as heartless as you think, sweetheart. In fact, I’m so kind–hearted that I’m willing to give you until this morning to come up with the money. Your parents owe me five thousand dollars, plus the interest; that’s a total of ten thousand dollars.”

My eyes widened in shock. “How do you expect me to come up with that kind of money!”

He just shrugged his shoulders. “You’re a smart girl. You’ll figure it out. And if not, don’t worry, I have a lot of buyers who are willing to pay a hefty amount of money for a fresh piece of meat like you.”

10:25 Thu, Dec 25

Chapter 11

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