chapter 2***THE DEAL

The man who had been captured and locked here for some days now was already bleeding profusely when Vince entered the room.

The bright bulb that hung from the ceiling on a loose wire dangled slightly, casting long shadows over the concrete walls.

The man was tied tightly to a chair, his hands were roped soo tightly that his fingers had already began to turn purple and numb.

 Blood soaked the cloth tied around his mouth.

Vince barely glanced at him, simply approached the metal table inside the room, putting on the pair of black gloves already made available, and then turned his focus to the pitifully man.

The man whimpered when the cloth was yanked from his mouth.

“ I..I swear I don't know..” the man sobbed loudly but in the next second, one of Vince's men was already in front of him, a sharp punch met his gut and it caused the chair to scrape loudly against the floor.

The man gagged, chocking on his own blood.

Slowly, Vince crouched in front of him, their faces level.

 For years, he had been tracking the man identified as the mechanic that had tempered with his late brother's vehicle, leading to the accident that was originally meant to take his own life but his brother had been the one in the car that day.

.

“ You've had plenty of time to think about the right answers” Vince murmured coldly 

“ So don't insult me, by trying to lie”

The mechanic shook his head violently, a mixture of tears and blood streamed down his face.

“ I swear on my life I do not know who he is, I never saw his face”

With a lazy sigh, Vince straightened and with a single nod, the sharp end of a knife came in contact with the man's index finger.

A loud scream erupted from the mechanic who watched as his finger fell beside the other two against the floor. Blood gushed out and immense pain followed. He screamed until his voice cracked.

“ Let me shoot him” one amongst Vince's men spoke with impatience but a single hand raise from his boss stopped him.

Similarly to a child, the mechanic cried uncontrollably but Vince simply stared at him with indifference in his eyes, even though his expression remained calm, the gaze in his eyes told another tale.

He was the kind of person who would smile while ripping out your heart. With a twisted personally that sometimes, even his family feared him and what he could do.

“ Answer the question!” One of the men yelled, throwing a kick at the man who refused to stop crying.

“ i..it was a man” he sobbed out

“ I didn't see him, he wore a mask, he'd given me a heavy amount, said all I had to do was tamper with the vehicle, I… I didn't mean to kill anyone” he cried

Vince tilted his head slightly as he listened.

“I…I promise i…didn't want to do it, but I was in drowning..” he paused, trying to catch his breath “ Loans, debt threats, my family.... he offered enough to clear everything”

Vince remained silent for a moment as he studied the man.

“Name” he asked but the man pitifully shook his head

“ I didn't ask any questions…I didn't ask his name…I promise I didn't”

“ Then..” Vince began flatly “  I suppose you're useless to me”

“ No no please…” the mechanic begged, struggling against the ropes that held him bound.

“ I can help, I…”

POW!

Blood sprayed instantly, staining the floor, walls and table.

The Mechanic's body fell forward. Dead.

Not a single ounce of emotion was seem on his face as he turned away.

“Have you checked his phone?” He asked his men

“ Yes boss” one replied “ Everything was wiped off, long before now, we tried to retrieve the phones history data but the files were all corrupted”

Vince exhaled slowly through his nose, frustration tightening at his throat.

His brother's accident, he'd already known had been a conspired act, who was behind it was what Vince sort but every clue he found led him to a dead end. 

Whoever was behind it had made certain to clear off their tracks properly and they'd done a damn well job.

One of his men entered the room and approached him 

“ What?” Vince asked when he simply stood.

“ Sir, the lady, she's still…”

“Clean this mess up,” Vince cut him off as he passed his gun over, pulling off the gloves he'd worn. 

“ Find someone to carry the blame”

Was all be said before he  turned and walked out.

Leaving the annex, Vince walked over to the main house.

As he entered, even from a distance, he could hear the loud banging against the door.

A sigh left him as he made way up the grand stairs with unhurried steps.

Reaching, he opened the door and at same time, the girl inside was about hitting the door again but his reflexes were faster.

Swiftly, he caught her wrist mid-swing, stopping her fist which was inches from smashing into his face.

“ Are your intentions to bring down the door?”  Vince asked flatly as he stared at her. Her eyes, the colour of emerald, were piercing dagger at him.

“ If so, then you're doing quite an impressive job”

“ Let me out from here!!”

She yelled, harshly yanking her hand off and even though he could've easily kept his grip, he let her pull free.

Stepping in, a click followed as he locked the door.

“Why?” He asked dryly. Leisurely walking over to the black couch inside the room, he sat, crossing a leg over the other, unbothered by the glare she continued to pass his way. She looked ready to claw his eyes out.

“ Why?” She asked rhetorically

“ I don't know; maybe because you kidnapped me!!”  She yelled the last bit.

“ Kidnapped?”

He laughed as if the word amused him.

“Isn't that a bit…outstretched?” He asked

“I simply made an offer darling”

“And i don't want it!” She snapped

Who did he think he was.  Just because she'd slept with him, didn't mean she wanted him.

He went quiet for a moment and for the first time since he entered this room, his expression dropped into something…colder, more serious. 

“ You'll be paid” His said in a flat tone which gave no room for negotiation as if he'd already stamped it to law.

Whether she was willing or not.

“ The deal is simple” he said, reclining further into the couch.

“ Marry me for a year, and afterwards, you can go off your seperate way”

She stared at him, the silence filling every corner of the room,but then, a muffled sound came out of her lips, akin to a snicker that soon turned into a loud uncontrollable laughter

Her shoulders shook as she laughed with unrestrained amusement.

Vince frowned, slightly taken aback as he watched her. He couldn't tell what part of what he'd just said was soo funny but the girl's laughter only grew louder until her eyes watered 

“ Ten million “

This single utterance from him was enough to drop the room into a deep and sudden pit of silence.

Tiana stopped laughing.

Her green eyes watched as he stood, stalking towards her with a pace similar to a predator to it's prey.

 Reaching her, his hand stretched, his callous fingers grazed her cheek.

Her skin was smooth to his touch.

“One year” he whispered quietly.

“ and the deal will be off”

Tiana could feel her breath tremble within her. The scent of lemon and mint filled her, possibly from his cologne.

Her thoughts raced wildly.

She barely had nine months to live and this man was asking her for an entire year. She almost laughed again but stopped herself this time.

Marriage.

That hadn't been on the list of things she'd written out as a death wish but wouldn't it be nice to experience, especially since it'll be with the man who she'd had her first night with. At least before her time of death would come.

She smiled at the thought.

Noticing her smile, Vince seemed pleased. He mistook it for greed cause from the kind of world he was from, money always had a way to bend the will of any soul.

No matter how integrit.

“ Fine “ She said but Vince barely made any acknowledgement, as though he had been certain she would eventually agree.

“...but only on one condition” she added.

Vince rose a fascinated brow at her. 

A condition? 

How daring. He thought but waited, curious to know what she'd ask.

“ Give me your word…” she began, staring intensely into his eyes, like she intended to look through to his soul. 

“.. that you won't fall in love with me…else you'll regret it”

And she wasn't lying. 

Knowing first hand what it felt like to loose someone you loved and cared for when she lost her parents. Tiana didn't want to do that to someone else.

His lips curved in a smuged smirk at her words.

“That..” he began, letting his hand rest underneath her chin in a light grip.

“Will be the last thing you ever have to worry about darling. I do no do love”

“ Good” she said, satisfied by his response.

She retrieved herself, pulling away from his touch.

“ I'll need to go home to get my things though”

“No need” he said

“ Everything you require will be provided for you”

“They're some things that can't be replaced, I'll need to…”

“Hand in your address and I'll have someone get them for you”

Anywords she was about saying, died down in her throat. 

“All you have to now darling, is get ready for a wedding”