Chapter 2

Chapter 2

Elena's POV 

The car ride had no sound. I looked outside the window, my heart beginning to beat fast in my chest as we drove through the places I had never set my eyes on before.

The city lights became a blur as we passed them but my thoughts fixated on one idea.

How the hell had my life flipped so fast?

They had betrayed me, sold me, and now a man who gave off a dangerous aura had kidnapped me. 

My father's words rang in my head, his cowardice eating through me. How could he have done this to me?

"What's our destination?" I asked, at last, ending the silence. 

My voice was trembling but the aim was to sound tougher than I felt. The man, who sat opposite me, shifted his cold dark eyes to look at me. His sharp features seemed chiselled from rock, and his presence made it hard to breathe.

"You'll know soon," he answered, his tone as frosty as his look.

"Hey," I said, my anger starting to rise. "You can't just—"

"I can do as I please," he cut in, his voice deep and firm. 

"You're in my domain now."

I squeezed my hands into fists. "You can't push me around like this. I won't be a piece in the messed up scheme that you have with my coward father.”

There was a subtle smile curving his lips as if I was toasting him. “You’re bold for someone in your situation.”

“Let me go,” I said, leaning in. “I’m not a part of this. I owe you nothing. My dad owes you not me. You know that so what the hell do you want from me?”

His smile vanished, and his face turned as dark as it was before. He leaned in his face inches from mine.

“Your father owed me a debt. He offered you to me. That makes you mine now.”

I glared at him, not backing down. “I’m not a thing to be bought or sold. You—”

The car stopped short and I slammed back into the seat. Two of his men pushed the door open and motioned me out.

“Get out.”

“No,” I said.

The man moved toward us, but when they wanted to take hold of me, he extended his hands. He was the boss.

“Don't touch her," he muttered, the words holding the tone of a soft but firm command that made both the air and me stand still.

The man backed off immediately, bowing his head. The boss first got out of the car, his imposingly tall figure in the low light of the street lamps.

He looked at me, his eyes flashing from a threatening look.

“Come willingly, or I’ll make you come. The choice is yours.”

I choked. I wanted to refuse but I knew it would do me no good.

I wanted to run but I was smart enough to know I couldn't get away from these men at the moment. My resistance broke down in the face of his focused look. I got out of the car after much refusing.

They took me to a grand house, it was so bright that it almost blinded my eyes. My eyes went from side to side, absorbing the furnishings and the vast space.

“Where do you keep all the hostages you abduct?” I joked.

He laughed, a deep, threatening sound that prickled the hairs on the back of my neck. “No. You’re special.”

I didn’t like the way he said that.

He motioned for his men to leave. “Go. I’ll handle her.”

“One last thing,” he said before they could leave. “No one is allowed to touch her.” He said firmly.

They all nodded and left. The room emptied, leaving just the two of us. My heart beat against my chest as he turned to look at me.

“You don’t seem to understand your situation, he said, his voice deceptively calm.

“Oh, I understand perfectly,” I retorted. “You’re a sadistic criminal who thinks he can intimidate me.”

His jaw became clenched and for the first time, I saw anger present itself even in his eyes. He moved in closer, and I moved back instinctively.

“Sadistic criminal, huh?” he murmured. “You’ve got quite the mouth on you.”

“I'm not afraid to apply it," I retorted.

His lips went into a smile that didn’t match his expression. “We’ll see about that.”

Before I could even say anything, he closed the gap between us. His hand reached out and grabbed my wrist with a shockingly soft embrace.

“Let me go!” I demanded, struggling against his grip.

“You’re making this harder for yourself,” he said softly, his tone more scarier than if he had yelled.

Driven by anger, I did the only thing I thought of. I slapped him.

His whole head turned to the side and when he looked back at me, he was shocked and fuming.

“You shouldn’t have done that,” he growled.

I could not react in time as he grabbed both of my arms and pulled me forward. 

His power was tremendous.

What seemed weird was the fact that his grip didn't hurt me even if it tightened more.

He fixed his gaze on mine, his eyes burning through me. “You’ve got some nerve.”

I glared up at him, refusing to show fear. “What are you going to do? Hit me?”

He laughed, a deep, unsettling sound. “No. That would be too easy.”

He lifted me out of bed and flipped me back down on the bed.

“Stay,” he commanded, his voice low and dangerous.

I got up. “You can’t just order me around like I’m your servant.

He leaned down, face almost touching mine. “You’re in my house, under my rules. And if you don’t behave, you’ll regret it.”

I forced a laugh, though my heart was racing. “You’re all talk. You don’t scare me.”

His pupils contracted, and momentarily, I thought I may have gone too far.

“Oh, I don’t scare you?” he murmured.

He caught hold of my hair and pulled me closer to him. “AHH…” My breath caught in my chest as his face came close to mine.

“You’re getting under my skin,” he hummed into the side of my ear. 

“I may run out of energy if I keep going at this rate. Your stubbornness keeps turning me on and I'm not sure how much longer I can resist it.”

I shivered and for the first time, some real fear came in.

"Stop," I whispered low.

He let me go, his face unreadable. "Then behave," he said so simply. 

I nodded as he backed away.

He straightened, adjusting his suit as though nothing had happened at all. "Good girl," he said mockingly.

As he turned to leave, starting to, I grasped his hand. "Wait," I said.

He looked down at me, an eyebrow arched high in surprise.

"I'll be a good girl," I said. "But only if you treat me right."

Something crossed his face at the mention of my words. Amusement? Respect? Crossed his face.

"We'll see," he said, pulling his hand away.

And then he was gone, leaving me all alone in this room.

I sat on the bed and thought through what had happened.

He was dangerous, yes. But something there just didn't fit. He could have hurt me, and he didn't.

Then it occurred to me that he needed me alive to get his money back from my father. 

I was just collateral in place of his cash.