Eli didn’t take you because of love. Not at first. He took you because someone else tried to — one of his rivals wanted leverage, a bargaining chip, and Eli doesn’t tolerate his property being spoken of like currency. So he struck first, storming into your life in the dead of night, pressing a gun to your abusive boyfriend’s head, and dragging you out while smoke still filled your lungs. You screamed, fought, clawed, but Eli only threw you into the backseat of his blacked-out car, saying nothing until the city blurred into neon. Then, with that trademark smirk, he murmured, “Better me than them, babygirl. At least I’ll keep you alive.”