The Threat

Chapter 5.

The Threat.

Tori Nathan.

My phone rang beside me and my eyes snapped open immediately. The first thought that sprang to my head was Lily, my sister. I turned around the comfy bed and I almost yelped in shock.

Fuck, what had I done? I stared at the man who slept peacefully beside me, his fingers still grabbing on to my inner thighs. My nipples hardened again at the sight of that, and my cheeks flushed with embarrassment.

I needed to leave before he woke up. I wouldn't be able to face him if he woke up. Even at work; that is if he didn't outrightly sack me. I knew I would beg him if it came to that, no matter how bad we were treated at work, my salary was enough to get Lily's monthly medications.

Not only that, but he would know me to be this kind of person; sleeping around just to make money or thank someone. I slapped a hand over my face in mortification. What had come over me to sleep with my boss? And I even made the first move! I kissed him first. This wasn't like me at all.

Thinking back to last night, something in me had changed when he touched me. I didn't feel repulsed as usual. I didn't have that sick feeling at the pit of my stomach anytime I was being touched. No, quite the contrary. I yearned for his touch this time.

I gently removed his hand from my thigh, and one of his fingers brushed my pussy. I bit my lip to hold the moan that almost escaped my throat. I was getting wet again?

No, I needed to leave. As soon as I hopped off the bed, I threw my clothes on haphazardly, clutching my silver earrings in one hand, my borrowed Hermes purse and shoes in the other hand. I tiptoed out of the room, occasionally looking over my shoulders to see if he stirred on the bed. As soon as I was out of the room, I breathed out in relief, the tension easing down my chest a little.

I rushed down, looking for where I would exit the building. It was two o'clock in the morning, would I still find a taxi around this time?

"Where do you think you're going?" A sinister voice asked behind me.

Cold metal pressed against my temple. My breath hitched; my pulse raced, and my palms grew slick with sweat. I lifted my hands in surrender, turning slowly to face my assailant, my gaze still fixed on the hotel’s tiled floor.

“Did I ask you to turn around?” The voice was cold.

Maybe I should have stayed in the room and faced my demons tomorrow. But no. I fled to avoid the shame burning in my chest.

“I’m sorry,” I squeaked, freezing mid-step. “Please, what do you want? My phone and cards are in my purse. Take them. Just… don’t hurt me.”

A robbery in this kind of hotel? It was so unlikely, but I wasn't going to take any chances.

“Hmph.” A scoff. A burly man, I realized. “As if anything in that ratty bag could interest me.” He shuffled closer, his whisper sharpening. “Open the door beside you and step inside. Try anything, and my bullets will bury you before you scream.”

I gulped and shoved the door beside me. I had to obey him. I had to do everything to get out of here alive. It creaked open, revealing a cramped janitor’s closet. My heart lurched as darkness swallowed us, the stench of bleach and harsh detergent clawing at my throat.

“I could paint these walls with your blood,” the man hissed, his voice thick with malice. “No one would mourn a nameless cockroach like you.”

“Please…” Tears blurred my vision. “What do you want? Just… don’t…”

My mind flashed to Lily, home alone. She was waiting for me to come home. Who will care for her if I vanished? Who was this person? What did he want from me? What could I have possibly done to be a victim of this?

Light blazed suddenly. The man had flicked the switch on, and the gun withdrew from my temple.

“Look at me.” His harsh voice commanded.

I turned, and a phone was suddenly thrusted into my field of vision. I was on a video call with a woman.

My lungs seized. I have seen her on TV a thousand times. Mrs. Eleanor Ravensworth, the First Lady of the country. Her steel-gray eyes pinned me like a specimen.

“I see you recognize me.” Her lips curved into a joyless smile.

I stared, mute, my mouth hanging open. Her frown deepened.

“You had fun tonight, didn’t you?”

The burly man trailed the gun’s barrel down my cheek, then pressed it to my nape. His finger toyed with the trigger.

I couldn't think straight from the pressure of the barrel against my skin, but all I could remember today was him. Heat flooded my face. Memories surged. His hands, his tongue gliding against my skin, his… I squeezed my legs together as the memories kept flooding in.

“You did,” she purred, and the gun dug harder into my skin. The disgust in her voice was even more pronounced. “And now you’ll crawl back tomorrow, desperate for more, yeah?” She huffed out a breath.

Why did she care who I slept with?

“I—I don’t understand. Why does it matter who I…?”

Then the surnames clicked. Ravensworth? Kaius Ravensworth.

“Because he’s my son.” Her voice was flat. "Put the gun down, Tempo."

And sure enough, the burly man holstered the gun immediately.

“Oh.” My breath shuddered out. "I... I promise you." I raised my hands up in surrender, "I have no interest in him. I—"

"Oh, really," Her lips curled into a cruel smirk. "You sweet little devil, you don't know, do you?"

My brows rose in confusion even as I was shaking, "What do you mean? I don't understand."

"He has had his eyes on you for a while now..." She continued, "Always watching your movements and all... You were about to become his next conquest for the year." Then, she shrugged. "Naturally, I don't really care about such things, but you see... I have plans for my son this year." The shadows in her eyes darkened.

"What does that have to do with me? I'm really not interested in your son. I don't even know what you're talking about."

"You say you're not, I believe you." She smiled. "But, what makes you think he is done with you? He will still come back for more, I know my son. Who do you think is the reason why your sister has been rejected from countless hospitals lately, huh?"

"Huh?" Confusion etched on my face. "How is that possible? He is the reason why…"

"Why your sister was attended to last night at the hospital, of course I know that. He wants you to see him as your saviour. That way, he can easily manipulate you and insert himself into your life, and make you his year's conquest."

If that was really true, then that was the most cruel thing one could ever do.

"I think you're mistaken, ma'am." I denied the allegations on him. "I know my boss can be heartless some times, but he would never do that. He doesn't even like me in the first place!"

She chuckled slightly and shook her head. "You are the woman who calls him out in business meetings and questions his management capabilities, aren't you? Victoria Nathan? I'm not mistaken, sweetheart. He is my son. He plays this game every time. Ask Cecilia Martins and Taylor Darius. They are his exes, right? Ask them how they came to become his girlfriend in the first place."

I couldn't form words as I stared at the screen in resignation, completely tired and drained. Why would Kaius go to such lengths of putting a life in danger just for a relationship quest? It wasn't making any sense to me!

Her smirk deepened and she looked at me with an air of superiority. "He is relentless in his pursuit, and he will bend you over more times than you can count. You will fall in love with him... Before he dumps you by the end of the year too. It's a habit he keeps repeating."

"I don't care about him at all!

"Save it!" She shut me up. "I don't want to hear any more of it. I want you to leave the country before he makes it happen. Or..." She clicked her tongue. "You could work for me."

"I... I don't know about that." I shook my head slightly in apprehension.

A glint flashed in her eyes when she saw the hesitation on my face, and she tilted her face towards me. "How is your sister? Lily? That's her name, right?” Eleanor sighed, almost bored. “Weak heart, yes? Imagine her frail body hooked to machines… That's a sight that breaks your heart every single day, right? I hear she needs a new heart to survive.”

“Don’t touch her!” My hands were shaking in fear as she mentioned Lily.

Why did she have to bring Lily up? Why? Why did it sound like she was threatening me?

She laughed, all polished venom. “I would have. But you’re a victim, aren’t you? Broke. Desperate. Working trash jobs to survive… to make your sister live. You just got wrapped up in one of my son's silly games.”

I choked on silence.

“So here’s my proposition.” She leaned closer into the screen. “Do you want your sister to live? To wake up healthy? No more hospitals. No more fear. No more races to the hospital at night…” Then, she rolled her eyes and chuckled. "Well, it's not like you have any choice right now. One phone call and she could be dead as well, and that's only if you say no to my offer."

My palms were sweaty and my hands were shaking when she asked her last question.

"So, Victoria Nathan, can I welcome you as one of my staff now?”