Gunnar's POV 

“What do you want?” I asked directly, because there was no point in circling around it.

“You already know,” he replied without hesitation.

“No,” I said, holding his gaze firmly. “I want to hear you say it.”

For a brief moment, his expression shifted slightly, like he respected that response more than he expected to.

Then he spoke again.

“I want the bond broken,” he said clearly. “And I want it done properly.”

I let the words sit for a second, letting the silence stretch just enough to make it clear I wasn’t taking them lightly.

“And if we refuse?” I asked, my voice low but controlled.

He...