CHAPTER 11

SAOIRSE.

“I’m going out.”

The words tumbled out before I could swallow them. Zeus's head snapped up from the ledger he'd been poring over, and his eyes that could swallow a soul whole locked onto mine.

The air in his opulent study thickened. My heart hammered against my ribs, but I held his gaze, refusing to flinch. This wasn't a request. It was a declaration. As far as I remember I wasn't his prisoner, at least not entirely.

“Where did you get the audacity to tell me that?” His voice was a low growl but calm. He leaned back in his chair, fingers steepled. “And what makes you think I'd even allow it?”

Zeus is a twisted god in a suit, and every inch of him screams control and authority. But I wasn't here to bend. Not for this. And above all, I needed fresh air to breathe and get away from him. 

I cannot breathe when he is near, his presence has been nothing but suffocating. Every breath I take near him is a battle for space and I’m afraid that I can feel my body slowly giving in and I cannot let that happen.

“I'm not asking for permission.” I crossed my arms. “You should at least be glad I'm still informing you. I have a life outside these walls. A brother who needs me.”

His laugh was a cruel, biting thing, echoing off the shelves and across the room.

“A life? Darling, you traded that away the moment you stepped into my world. You're mine now. Body, soul, and whatever scraps of freedom you think you cling to.”

The words stung. I wanted to scream, to shatter the illusion of his dominance, but I bit it back, channeling it into steel. My want was simple, desperate, to see Aofie, to ensure he was safe in that rundown hospital, away from the shadows that Zeus cast. 

While him? He wanted obedience, submission, the thrill of breaking me. But I'd seen the flicker in his eyes, the hunger for a challenge. He craved the fight as much as the surrender.

“You're wrong,” I shot back, stepping closer, the carpet muffling my steps like a whisper of warning. “I'm here to serve your twisted games, nothing more. That doesn't mean you own every breath I take.”

He rose slowly, unfolding his tall frame with grace, the chair scraping back like a threat. The air crackled between us, charged with the unspoken, his desire to dominate, my refusal to yield. 

“Oh, but I do, Saoirse. Your life is in my hands. And unfortunately for you, that includes your precious little freedom.”

The way he said my name, rolling it off his tongue like a curse and a caress, sent a shiver down my spine. But I stood my ground, chin lifted, eyes blazing. 

“Freedom isn't yours to give or take. It's mine.”

His smile was wicked, a flash of teeth that promised pain and pleasure in equal measure. "Fine. You can go out...only if you beg for it."

The challenge hung there, heavy and taunting. My stomach twisted, a knot of defiance. Beg? To him? To the man who held my brother's fate like a bargaining chip? 

The grin on his face grew larger. “Earn it, little fox. Beg for it.”

I wanted to spit in his face, to walk away and prove him wrong. But Aofie...I needed to see him. The hospital room, with its peeling paint and the faint smell of antiseptic, haunted my thoughts.

“You…you really do value submission to validate your authority, huh?” I provoked, my voice steady despite the tremor in my chest. 

The room's atmosphere shifted, the dim light from the chandelier casting long shadows. His eyes narrowed, a muscle ticking in his jaw, subtle danger, the kind that could erupt at any moment. 

“I expected more from you. I thought you were a man who didn't need people on their knees to feel in control.”

Zeus's breath hitched, a barely perceptible crack in his armor. He wanted me broken, yes, but also...alive. Vibrant. The conflict raged in him, unspoken, as he stepped closer, invading my space.

“I don't give second choices, Saoirse. Take it or leave it. Your stubborn little pride or kneel, which is it?”

My knuckles turned white as I grit my teeth together. I slowly dropped to my one knee then, but not in surrender.

The floor was cold beneath me, a stark contrast to the fire building in my veins. I reached for my shoelace, tying them neatly, my fingers trembling just enough to betray the storm inside. 

“Fine, you want me to beg?” I looked up, meeting his gaze, my voice a sultry whisper. “This is how I beg.”

Rising smoothly, I closed the distance, wrapping my arms around his neck. His body tensed, a coiled spring ready to snap. My fingers traced his jaw, rough with stubble, down to the pulse throbbing in his neck. The touch was electric, forbidden, stirring desires I wished I could bury. 

If I go lower, I’ll make sure I have the last laugh. His breath came shallower, eyes darkening. 

“Zeus, please? I can go out, right?” I leaned in, with the pleading eyes locking onto his. “You'll allow me, won't you? I’ll be a good girl. I promise. Hm?"

The word hung between us, loaded with mockery and genuine need. His hand twitched, as if he longed to reach out, to grab, to claim. But he held back, a subtle shift in power that made my pulse race.

In the end, his dominance won. Zeus’ hands wrapped around my waist, a silent war of wills. He wanted to deny me, to crush this rebellion. 

But beneath it, I sensed the shift, the way his resolve wavered, the power tipping ever so slightly in my favor. His conflicting urge to dominate versus the thrill of my boldness, my hidden fear that this game might cost me everything.

Finally, he exhaled sharply, releasing me with a shove that sent me stumbling back. 

“Go. But Knight and Haizer will accompany you. One wrong bold move, woman. And you're done.”

Relief flooded me, mingled with suspicion. Why give in so easily? I nodded, grabbing my coat from the hook by the door, the leather cool against my heated skin. As I stepped out into the crisp night air, the city lights blurring past the tinted windows of the car, my mind raced. 

I’m coming, Aofie. 

The hospital loomed like a forgotten relic, its facade cracked and weary under the streetlamps. Knight and Haizer flanked me, silent shadows, their presence a constant reminder of Zeus's leash. The elevator dinged, and I hurried down the corridor, the linoleum squeaking under my shoes. My heart pounded, it's been a while since I've seen him.

The door to Aofie's room swung open, and emptiness greeted me. My shoulder became dreary from what welcomed me. The bed was stripped, the machines silent, the air stale with abandonment. No Aofie. No nurse. Just a void that swallowed my hope whole.

Panic clawed at my throat. “Where…where is he?” I whispered, spinning to the two men behind me. Their faces were impassive, but his eyes flickered, was it guilt, knowledge?

Haizer checked his phone, a low curse escaping his lips. “Zeus’ order. We need to go.”

The word echoed, a hammer blow. Zeus. Of course. My knees buckled, and I gripped the bed rail, the metal biting into my palms. 

“No.”

I stared at them, my voice shaking. “Not when I know where you took Aofie. Where is he? Answer me!”

Tears pricked my eyes, but I blinked them back, fury rising like bile. He played me. That ‘begging’ had been a farce, a way to make me think I'd won. But this?

This was control, pure and merciless.

—࿐—

I sprinted through the rain-slicked streets toward Avante Pavilion, the mafia's fortress of a hospital, exclusively for them.

My heart pounded, not just from the run, but from the chaos churning inside me. 

Oh please, not Aofie — not my little brother. He’s my only anchor in this twisted world. Now, he was in there, and Zeus had something to do with it. I can’t help but to think about every horrible thing he can do to him.

I burst through the ornate doors, ignoring the guards' wary glances, and raced down the marble halls until I spotted them in a private room.

Zeus sat on the edge of a plush armchair, his massive frame relaxed in a way that seemed out of place. Aofie, my wide-eyed thirteen-year-old brother with his mop of curly hair, perched on his lap, giggling as Zeus ruffled his locks. 

“You're a tough little guy, aren't you?” Zeus murmured, his deep voice surprisingly soft, a faint smile cracking his stern facade as Aofie tugged at his sleeve, mimicking a punch with tiny fists. 

It was subtle, almost endearing, the way Zeus let Aofie win the playful tussle, his hand gently patting the boy's back before Aofie snuggled closer. For a moment, the ruthless devil looked...warm.

“Aofie!” I gasped, as I slid the door open, rushing forward.

“Saosao! Oh, she’s here!” He perked up, eyes lighting with recognition, but stayed put, his hand clutching Zeus's shirt. “So, how did you know my sister, Mr…I’m gonna call you: Mr. Zuzu.”

“It’s quite complicated.” Zeus glanced up, his expression shifting to that familiar mask of indifference, but I caught the flicker of something warmer before it vanished.

My body trembles with the effort to keep my voice steady. I stepped closer to the bed, positioning myself between them, my fists clenched at my sides. 

“You. Outside. Now.”

“Mm, quite demanding, aren't we?” Zeus's jaw tightened, his gaze hardening into that unyielding stare. He rose to his full height, towering over me, his presence filling the room. “Make it quick — I've got business to handle.”

“Not quick enough.”

I grabbed his arm and yanked him towards the door. His muscles tensed under my grip, solid as rock, but he let me pull him out into the hallway. The door clicked shut behind us, muffling Aofie's curiosity.

“What do you think you’re doing?” I spun on him, jabbing a finger into his chest, my breath coming in ragged bursts. 

“You think you can just shove yourself on my brother and play the hero? After everything you've done? Taking me against my will, chaining me into your cage, and now you're doing what?” 

Zeus's eyes flashed as he stepped closer, his body pressed close, heat radiating off him. “Watch your tone, Saoirse. I don’t like it.”

"So, why?" I demanded, stepping closer, my voice sharp. His body language shifted, shoulders tensing as if he’s feeding on my anger. “What do you want from my brother? Why did you take him here?”

“This is merely part of our arrangement," he said, his tone cold, detached. “Do not think of this as mercy, Saoirse. I don't do mercy.”

The words hit like a slap, but I felt the undercurrent, the way his eyes softened fractionally, the conflict in his stance. He wanted me to see him as the villain, but this act…as much as I hate to admit it, it blurred the lines.

He straightened, his gaze unwavering. “Now, go back in there and play nice, like the kind sister that you are. I’ll see you at home, Saoirse.”

My mind raged — gratitude warring with suspicion, hate clashing against a grudging pull I couldn't name. Help was help, even from a monster. I'd take it, but it twisted me inside.

He was about to walk away but my hand reached out.

My fingers close around the loose cuff of his sleeve, gathering the fabric in a tight fist. Pulling him back before he can leave. Why did I stop him? I didn't know. I didn't know why. My hand yanked out faster than my mind could ever comprehend.

I swallowed, looking down. “T–Thank you…” The words tasted bitter in my tongue, but they were true. “I mean it…”

When I looked up, I hated him for that smug smirk on his face. “Pleasure is mine, little fox.”

I let go and followed him with my eyes as he turned away, the hall echoing with his footsteps — until his broad shoulder disappeared from my sight.

Even though I'd never let it show, the overwhelming gratitude that surged through me when I saw Aofie bursting with life, his smile and laughter ringing like a melody I'd long forgotten, it left me more profoundly thankful than words could ever say, my heart swelling with a joy I could barely contain.

I shoved it down, but it lingered, a crack in my resolve. Hate battled freedom's call, but beneath it, a flicker of curiosity never let my mind rest, that maybe…maybe in that cold facade of his, he wasn't as bad as I painted him to be.