The CEO and the Country Wildflower chapter 9

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The CEO and the Country Wildflower


Chapter 9: The Bloodied Bargain


The air in the server room was thick with tension, the hum of machines drowned out by the pounding of Emelly’s heart. Lucas’s grip on her wrist was firm, his body angled protectively in front of hers as Leo’s men advanced, guns gleaming under the flickering fluorescent lights. “Stay behind me,” Lucas muttered, his voice low and rough. Emelly scoffed, though her hands trembled. “Oh, now you’re the hero? You spent the last month making me organize your coffee orders by roast level.” A bullet whizzed past, embedding itself in a server unit. Lucas didn’t flinch, but his jaw tightened. “Focus, Clus.” Leo Brown stepped forward, his smirk venomous. “Touching. The great Lucas York, playing bodyguard for a nobody from Birbinghums.” He gestured lazily to his men. “Take the girl. Lucas and I have… unfinished business.” Emelly’s mind raced. She’d memorized every inch of this building’s layout during her brief stint in Brown Group’s archives.


There was a ventilation shaft—small, cramped, but passable—hidden behind the farthest server rack. If they could reach it… She tugged Lucas’s sleeve. “Vent. Behind the rack. On three.” He didn’t question her. When had he started trusting her instincts? “One,” she whispered. Leo’s men moved closer. “Two.” Lucas’s fingers brushed hers—warm, steady. “Three!” Chaos erupted. Lucas shoved a server rack forward, sending Leo’s men stumbling. Emelly darted for the vent, wrenching the cover free. She scrambled inside, Lucas right behind her, his broad shoulders barely fitting. Bullets pinged against metal as they crawled, the sharp scent of gunpowder stinging their noses.


The shaft led to a maintenance hallway, dimly lit and empty. Lucas collapsed against the wall, his breath ragged. A dark stain spread across his sleeve—blood. Emelly’s stomach lurched. “You’re hit.” “Scratch,” he lied, but his face was pale. She tore a strip from her blouse, tying it tightly around the wound. “We need to get out of here before Leo—” “He’ll have the exits covered,” Lucas interrupted. His gaze locked onto hers, intense.


“You go. I’ll distract them.” “Absolutely not.” “Emelly.” His voice softened, just for a second. “You’re the only one who can prove what Leo’s done. York Group needs that evidence.” Her throat burned. “And what about what I need?” Something unreadable flickered in his eyes. Before he could answer, footsteps echoed down the hall. Leo appeared, flanked by more men. “Ah. The lovebirds.” He sighed.


“Lucas, you always did have a weakness for strays.” Lucas stepped forward, shielding Emelly again. “Let her go. You want me? Here I am.” Leo’s grin turned predatory. “Oh, I want more than that. I want you to watch as I destroy everything you’ve built.” He nodded to his men. “Take him.” Emelly lunged, but strong hands yanked her back. “Lucas!” He didn’t fight as they dragged him away, his eyes never leaving hers. “Run,” he mouthed. The last thing she saw was Leo’s smug smile before a guard shoved her toward the emergency stairwell. Alone in the dim stairwell, Emelly clenched her fists.


Leo had underestimated her—just like everyone else. She wasn’t just some country wildflower. She was Emelly Clus, and she never left a debt unpaid. Lucas had saved her. Now, it was her turn.


To Be Continued… Will Emelly risk everything to rescue Lucas? What twisted game is Leo playing? And with York Group’s fate hanging by a thread, can one reckless girl and a wounded CEO outsmart a villain with nothing left to lose? Find out in Chapter 10: The Wildflower’s Wager.