Chapter 6

Raoul didn’t speak as he led Karina through the airport, his grip unrelenting as she tried to keep pace with his long strides. His silence was deafening, thick with the weight of unspoken commands and promises. The elevator ride felt like an eternity, each floor descending deeper into a place Karina couldn’t escape. Her heart hammered in her chest as her thoughts raced, spinning in a chaotic frenzy.

Her mind kept going back to Raine—had she gotten out? Was she safe? The questions gnawed at her insides, the uncertainty nearly consuming her.

The elevator doors opened, revealing a hallway dimly lit with expensive lighting. The air smelled faintly of leather and cedar, a scent that felt suffocating in the stillness.

Raoul’s hand remained firmly on her elbow as he guided her down the corridor. The walls seemed to close in with each step she took. There was no turning back now. She was in too deep.

They reached a set of double doors, polished to a near-mirror finish. Raoul opened them with ease, ushering her inside. Karina’s gaze darted around the room. It was an office, yes, but it was so much more than that. The room exuded power in every corner. From the towering windows overlooking the city to the sleek furniture that screamed wealth, it was a space built for control.

She looked at him then, the man who held her life in his hands. His blue eyes bore into hers, intense, unyielding.

“Sit,” he ordered coldly, pointing to the chair in front of his desk. It wasn’t a request. Karina didn’t argue. She didn’t have the luxury of doing that.

She took a seat, her fingers gripping the edge of the chair, her knuckles white.

Raoul leaned against the desk, folding his arms over his chest. His eyes were fixed on her, studying her as though she were some kind of puzzle he was eager to solve.

“What did you think would happen, Karina?” he asked suddenly, his voice cutting through the silence. “Did you think you could escape this? Did you think you could outrun me?”

Karina’s pulse quickened, her eyes narrowing at the cold challenge in his tone. “I thought I could protect my sister,” she bit out, her voice thick with defiance. “You don’t own me. You don’t get to tell me what to do.”

Raoul’s lips twitched, almost amused by her words. “Protect her? From me?” He shook his head slowly. “You’re not in control of this situation. You never were.”

He walked around the desk to stand directly in front of her, his imposing figure casting a shadow over her. Karina swallowed hard, but didn’t back down.

His eyes darkened as he leaned in closer, his breath warm against her skin. “I warned you about running. You should’ve listened.”

He paused for a moment, allowing the tension to grow thick between them. Karina’s heart pounded in her ears, but she refused to show weakness. She had no intention of

Chapter 8: The Games Begin

Karina stood in the sleek, cold room, her body tense as Raoul’s words echoed in her mind. There was no way out. No escape. Raine was safer with Raoul’s protection, but that didn’t make her feel any less like a prisoner. The stark reality of the deal she had made sank deep into her bones, a suffocating weight that she couldn’t shake off.

Raoul had a way of making her feel small, insignificant. He didn’t need to raise his voice or throw around threats. His presence alone was enough to remind her who held the power in this twisted arrangement.

For the first time, Karina wondered if she had made a huge mistake. But there was no going back now. The money was due, and she had already made her bed. She would have to lie in it.

She sat in the plush chair across from Raoul’s desk, avoiding his gaze as he continued to review paperwork, his back to her. His quiet dominance filled the room, and the air between them was thick with unspoken tension. Every part of her wanted to run, to get out and leave everything behind, but every move she made, every thought she had, was tied to him now.

She glanced at the clock. It was already late, the hours slipping by faster than she could keep track of. Tomorrow, things will change. She’d be forced to deal with whatever new plans Raoul had for her. For now, she had nothing left but the noise in her head.

Raoul’s voice sliced through the stillness. “Karina.” His tone was cool, almost casual, but there was a bite beneath it.

She looked up, startled, meeting his piercing gaze.

“You’ve been quiet,” he observed. “I’m not used to silence.”

Karina fought the instinct to snap at him. “I’m just thinking,” she said, forcing herself to remain calm. “I have a lot to think about.”

Raoul leaned back in his chair, his gaze never leaving her. “Thinking, huh?” He let the word linger in the air, his expression unreadable. “I’m sure you’re figuring out how much longer you can keep up this charade, how long you can pretend you’re not completely under my control.”

Her heart skipped a beat. He saw through her, didn’t he?

“I’m not pretending anything,” she said tightly. “I’m doing what I need to do. For my sister.”

Raoul raised an eyebrow. “You keep saying that. But you’ve already made your deal with me. You’re not here because of her. You’re here because I’m your only way out.”

Her jaw clenched. “I don’t need your charity.”

Raoul’s smirk was almost imperceptible. “Charity? This isn’t charity, Karina. It’s a business transaction. And you’re lucky I’m offering you this much.”

She shot up from her chair, her temper flaring. “I’m not some… some property you can just throw around. I’m not a fucking pawn in your game!”

Raoul’s expression darkened instantly, his icy blue eyes locking onto hers. “Don’t make me remind you what happens when you step out of line,” he warned, his voice low and sharp.

Karina’s breath caught in her throat, the fury in his eyes enough to send a shiver down her spine. She swallowed hard, forcing herself to stay calm. She wasn’t going to show him weakness, not again.

Taking a deep breath, she forced herself to sit back down. “What do you want from me now?” she asked, her voice cold but controlled.

Raoul leaned forward, folding his arms over the desk as he studied her. “For now? I want you to stop running,” he said quietly. “Stop pretending you’re not already mine.”

Her fists clenched at her sides. “I’m not yours. I’m doing this because I have no other choice.”

Raoul’s lips curled into a small, amused smile. “You keep telling yourself that. You’ll believe it eventually.”

The sharp, cold tension in the room hung in the air like a storm ready to break, but Karina refused to let it consume her.

There was something about him—something dangerous, yet undeniably magnetic—that made her want to claw her way out of this situation. But for now, she had to play along. Her sister’s safety depended on it.

“Fine,” she muttered under her breath. “What now?”

Raoul’s gaze softened, just a fraction, but it was enough to throw her off. “Now,” he said, his voice dark and smooth, “you start your new life. You’ll have everything you need here. A roof over your head, protection… and a chance to pay off that debt.”

“By doing what? Becoming your mistress?” Karina shot back bitterly. The words tasted like acid on her tongue.

Raoul didn’t flinch, his expression never wavering. “If that’s what it takes.”

The silence stretched between them, thick and suffocating. Karina wanted to lash out, to scream at him for everything he had already taken from her. But deep down, she knew this was only the beginning.

There was no escaping the web he had spun around her. She was already tangled in it, and the more she struggled, the deeper it would pull her in.

Her mind raced, trying to find some way out. But all she could think about was Raine. Her sister. The one thing she couldn’t afford to lose.

“You’ll regret this,” Karina said, more to herself than to him. Her voice shook slightly, but she didn’t care. “You’ll regret ever getting involved with me.”

Raoul tilted his head, watching her with a mix of amusement and something darker—something that made her blood run cold. “I doubt that, Karina,” he said softly, his voice like a promise. “But I’ll let you think that for now.”