Chapter 17

Conrad's POV

The mug of steaming coffee sits on the desk in front of me while my gaze is fixed on the screen of my laptop as I type softly.

I have things to settle before Diane's arrival so that when she does come, we can just talk and drink, nothing serious.

"Don't tell me you already screwed her up." I scoff softly as Ward's question from last night rings in my ears.

That bastard doesn't know his limit.

I raise my brows when my phone begins ringing beside me.

A smile lights up my face when I see who's calling. Is she that eager to see me? Is she here already? A lot of thoughts run through my mind even before I pick up, but the moment I do, my face falls, the smile disappears as if it was never there, and my jaw hardens.

A sniffle. That's the first thing I hear, and my skull reboots, my grip tightening around the phone.

Then her voice comes, soft, low, too low, as if she fears someone else might hear her.

I stand from the chair without even realizing it. "What happened?" I ask straight up, wondering what could have happened that she has to call me, that too while trying to stop herself from crying.

She sniffles again, and it's as if my head is ticking.

"They... They came to get me."

They?

Who are they and why?

"Can you wire 10,000 dollars into my account right now? I'll work for it when I stop by today." She says, and for a moment everything pauses, just her words echoing in my skull.

"Don't say no, please. They'll really take me with them if I'm unable to provide the..." That's all my brain can calm down to hear before I cut in. "Just hang on, I'm coming." 

I don't wait for her response. I reach for my car keys from the table, grab the jacket hanging on the arm of my chair, and the next minute I'm bolting out of the study, my footsteps echoing off the walls.

I barely hear my house staff greeting me. I just walk, no pause, until I reach the parking lot.

I shove myself in, turn the wheel, and I'm zooming out of the lot. I can still hear her occasional sniffs from the speaker since I didn't bother to disconnect the call.

Then the voices, two different hoarse voices, blare out through the speaker, loud, dangerous, tinged with warning. As if they deliberately want me to hear that they're threatening her, as if they want to test my patience and see what I'll do.

I don't say a word and never react to anything they say. I drive calmly, not because I lack words, not because I have nothing to do to them, but because Diane is still in their hold, and a single wrong move from me could cost her something I'm not prepared for.

Diane is my secretary, and I have to come to her rescue now that she's asked me to.

I turn off the car engine the moment I get to her apartment. I push the car door open, and with five long strides, I'm in front of her door.

I don't knock, don't bother to. I twist the door handle and the door pulls open.

The heavy stench of smoke is the first thing that slams into my nose, but that's the least of my worries.

I'm here for Diane.

My gaze sweeps across the room, and my eyes dwindle when I see her.

Face tear-streaked, sitting in the midst of those fucking bastards, and they're... oh God, smoking.

Who the hell are they, and how the eff did she get mixed up with such scum?

"Sir..." She whispers, but I notice how shaky her voice is and how she makes no attempt to stand up from their midst.

They probably forced her to sit there and ordered her not to stand even on my arrival.

Freaks!!

I take another step, but my bones crack and my eyes widen when I see it.

Jesus.

She's still dressed in her nightie, and those goddamn animals are feasting their eyes on her.

That's all it takes before the thread of patience in me snaps.

I move, literally like lightning, and within seconds I'm with them. I have no business with those two, so I shove past, grab Diane, and before they can react, she's standing at my back while I stand in front of the two.

"Who the hell..."

Fuck!!!

I turn my gaze away from him, wipe my face, then turn back to face them.

"Cover your mouth whenever you intend to speak. Your breath stinks." I say. I don't say it to spite him or whatever, but honestly, his breath stinks and I almost, throw up everything I had last night.

His face squeezes into a frown. He drops his smoke and stands to face me.

"Who the hell do you think you are? A knight in shining armor?" he scoffs, his gaze blazing with rage.

"I'm her boss, so yeah, that technically makes me her knight in shining armor!" I reply nonchalantly, crossing my arms.

The other huffs, his expression hardening. "Dude's got some balls." he says, standing up too.

I chuckle, not the kind one, but the "my time is too precious to spend on idiots" kind.

Then I turn to Diane. "How much do you owe them?" I ask.

The two guys share a look, then scoff. I pull out my phone and make the transaction after Diane replies.

But freaks don't stop until they have their teeth knocked out and their bones crushed, do they? Because the next minute, one throws a heavy, brutal punch at my face, earning a gasp from Diane, who quickly holds my hand, while the other erupts into mocking laughter.

"He's got no balls. He's bleeding from a single punch. What happens if I punch him too?" Their laughter fills the background once more.

I hiss, wiping my lips with my fingertip.

"He already cleared my debt, so you two should stop and leave my house." Diane snaps, still holding my hand.

I slowly take my hand away from hers. "Just wait outside, Diane. Freaks will always be freaks, and they do need their bones reset, at least once in a while."