CHAPTER 5

Katherine’s pov

I stared at him, my heart pounding so loudly I could barely hear anything else.

Mr Dacre Silver. He was just… he just stood there. Tall. Unbothered. His eyes like ice as they scanned the hallway and the men in black suits that surrounded him, their glare scanning the hall full of people like they were waiting for someone to make a mistake.

I couldn’t believe it.

I couldn’t breathe. I was pregnant with his child?

My hands shook as I clutched my stomach, that one night… that one night i couldn’t remember… it was with him?

How was this even possible?

I looked up at him… he was real. He was right there in front of me.

That was when my father stood up so quickly from the ground and I looked at him. He and my stepmother were staring right at me; little puppet Emily hung off her mother’s arm with a little smile.

“This is… this is…” He couldn’t get it out. “This isn’t possible! Is this some kind of joke?”

Dacre’s hands were clenched, and the knuckles were white. His breathing was coming in short, shallow breaths. He looked at me as if he wanted to break me, and lick up my tears.

My stepmother smiled sweetly. She leant back against the wall with her arms crossed over her chest. “If that is true then you can have her.” Her voice was so serene but I knew better than to believe she had suddenly become generous. She was a demon from hell and needed to go back. “As long as I have the money proposed, I’m fine with you taking her.”

Dacre didn’t even flinch. He turned to her and his voice was deadly calm, “I’m afraid you misunderstood. You did not find her. My men did.”

My stepmother’s smile faltered. “You can’t be serious! I kept her! I fed her! I looked after her! You owe me that money!”

Dacre arched an eyebrow and he put his hands in his pockets as if he were bored. “You will watch your tone,” he said slowly.

My stepmother ignored the warning. She took another step towards Dacre until they were almost nose to nose and she was spitting when she spoke. “You can’t just take her! I was about to bring her to you! I deserve–”

“You deserve nothing,” Dacre broke in, voice sharp as a knife. The hall fell quiet. I saw my stepmother freeze in motion, her mouth mid-gape when he’d spoken out of turn like that. “And if any of you come near her,” his eyes whipped around, “I will make sure you regret ever having dared draw breath before me for this long.”

He was disturbingly calm but there was no mistaking how much venom dripped off every word he spoke.

People scurried hastily away from our ring like cockroaches. My father’s gaze focused on me as he had a sad look on his face.

My mother steeled back in rage as she looked at me.

Dacre turned to me then, his eyes softer. He stepped a little closer. I could see his bodyguards out of the corner of my eye. They moved aside to give him more room if he needed it. I was in no hurry to stay near Dacre. Every part of me screamed for me to run and yet I stayed perfectly still.

Why was I not moving?

Dacre reached across and held my hand gently. I was struck by the strength of his grip.

What? Why was he holding my hand??

"Come with me," he said in a calm way as we started to walk towards the elevator.

I blinked up at him, my mouth suddenly dry. “Wh-what… what about my brother?” I managed to breathe. He was still in the hospital, still fighting to simply survive.

Dacre didn’t break his stride. Or even look down at me. “Your brother is on the penthouse floor of the hospital,” he said, his voice so steady it made me want to scream all over again. “And he will receive nothing but the best medical care money can buy.”

My eyes went wide. “The best…? But… that’s… what are you doing? Why are you doing this?!”

He looked at me for the first time since we started walking, and those sharp eyes lanced through mine. “Just follow me.”

I nodded slowly, unable to say anything else. I followed him, my feet moving almost on their own. I felt like I was in a trance, walking beside the most dangerous man alive, the man who was the father of my child.

I could still feel his hand on mine as we walked and I couldn't remember when anyone had held me like this before.

The moment we reached the elevator, Dacre guided me inside, his hand never leaving mine.

The bodyguards bowed to him as they stepped aside while I stood alone with him inside.

I swallowed, wanting to say something but not knowing what at all, my hands grabbed the fabric of my dress to where it wrinkled in a ball and my eyes traveled to look at him again.

"Why," I started trembling as I spoke. "Why… are you doing this?"

“Because you’re mine,” he said with a deep voice.

“Yours? I don’t even know you.”

Dacre’s lips curled into a small smile, almost like he was amused. “You will,” he said.

I swallowed again, my gaze going to the numbers above the elevator as they continued to descend. “M-my brother… He’ll really get help?” I whispered, fear lacing my words.

“Yes.” There was no softness in his voice. “He won’t have to worry about anything anymore.”

I blinked fast, hoping to look like I wasn’t sobbing, but I didn’t really want him to see that, or anyone else.

“Thanks,” I said.

He said nothing as I saw the doors slide open.

Dacre led us out of the elevator, still holding my hand.

We walked down another hallway before getting out and he ushered me into a limousine.

I entered as he sat across from me with his legs crossed in that expensive suit.

“You belong to me now Katherine,” he whispered. “Don’t forget it.”

The door clicked shut, and there I was left in the silence as the car started to drive off.

I sunk down into the seat with my hands still shaking. I didn’t know what just happened. I didn’t know why he wanted me. Why he was protecting me.

But there’s one thing that I did know for a fact.

I was his now. Whether I liked it or not.