Chapter 14: Chapter 14.

(Lucian)

As I made my way toward the room, I spotted Tina in the hallway, heading straight for me. I tried to ignore her, but as I passed by, she spoke up with a teasing tone.

“How was the kiss?” she smirked, her eyes glinting with mischief.

I halted, unwilling to let her get under my skin. “What kiss?” I replied, feigning ignorance.

“The kiss between me and Daniel,” she said, her smile wide and taunting.

I scoffed, remaining stoic. “It was disgusting,” I shot back, refusing to show any sign of irritation.

“Yeah,” she leaned in closer, her voice a sultry whisper, “it was nothing like what we shared.”

Our eyes locked, and as she continued, “All through the kiss…” she closed the distance between us, “…I thought only of you.” Her gaze dropped to my lips, brimming with desire. “I remembered how you made me feel things no one else ever has.” Her breath came in shaky bursts as she reached out, her hand hovering near my face.

Instinctively, I stepped back, denying her the chance to touch me. Without uttering another word, I turned and walked away.

Five years ago, I had met her at a gala, while trying to navigate a new life in New York City after returning from Australia. Tina was already infatuated with me; our chemistry was instant. What started as playful drinks and flirtation escalated into a one-night stand that quickly spiraled into a relationship. She was possessive, sending other women away and declaring herself my girlfriend without my consent.

I let it slide until the day she crossed the line. She betrayed me, sleeping with one of my business rivals and passing vital information to him. When I discovered the truth, I was ready to end her life. But she threw me a curveball, confessing she was pregnant with my child. I hesitated, knowing that any harm to her would also harm my unborn child. But that too was a lie, she was never pregnant. I was gonna kill her immediately, but she begged for mercy and offered a deal.

So I made a deal—she would help me take down the rival she had betrayed me for, and I would let her live. Once that was done, I ended things for good. Or so I thought. Now she was back, trying to get me back but that's never gonna happen.

Getting to the room, I noticed the door slightly ajar. I pushed it open and stepped inside, only to find her sitting on the floor at the foot of the bed. Her arms were crossed over her knees, her face buried deep in her bosom, and soft whimpers escaped her lips, echoing off the walls.

I paused for a moment, watching her in silence. How long was I there? Seconds? Minutes? It felt like an eternity. I noticed how her shoulders trembled with each sob, her raw emotions spilling into the stagnant air.

Finally, I couldn't bear to stand idly by any longer. I cleared my throat and walked further into the room, making a noise that would surely draw her attention. "Go do this trash somewhere else. I need some peace and quiet here," I said, attempting to mask my concern with a cool demeanor.

She raised her head slowly, and I was momentarily taken aback by her eyes, swollen, red, and glistening with unshed tears. It was obvious she’d cried a lot. She really loved that Daniel guy.

Our gazes locked for a fleeting moment, and a wave of memories washed over me. I quickly looked away, unwilling to dive into my own painful past right now. "Are you going to start another episode? Because I’m not going to watch," I retorted, trying to maintain my aloofness.

"What the hell are you doing in my room?" she shot back, her voice frigid with disbelief.

"Our room," I corrected.

"What?" She scoffed, rising to her feet, disbelief etched across her features. "Our room?"

Ignoring her disbelief, I strolled over to the couch, plopping down with a practiced grace.

She scoffed again, exasperation radiating from her as she rubbed her temples and squeezed her eyes shut for a moment, probably trying to calm herself. "Get out," she commanded, her voice a low growl. "Get out now... before I lose my temper."

My demeanor remained unchanged as I laid down, crossed my legs and shot her a smirk. It was an expression that only seemed to provoke her further.

With a frustrated huff, she marched over to me, her hands gripping my arm as she attempted to yank me from the couch. But I wasn't budging. Instead, I pulled her toward me, making her crash into me.

Her eyes widened as she realized the situation. She tried to get up, but I held her in place, feeling the weight of the moment. I needed to make her understand some certain things.

"Do you want to win this game or not?" I asked, locking my gaze with hers.

She remained silent, refusing to speak, her eyes ablaze with anger.

"Alright, let me put it this way: I will not let you ruin this game for me. So you better start getting used to having me around," I declared, my tone firm.

Her silence persisted, her furious gaze still fixed on mine. I couldn’t help but glance down at her lips, a struggle within me. The temptation was overwhelming. The fragrance that enveloped her, intoxicating, pulled me in deeper, and I forced myself to resist. The softness of her skin under my grip felt like silk, but I ensured my hands stayed where they were. The way her blue orbs sparkled, despite their rage, was maddeningly attractive. I swallowed hard, internally pleading for my instincts to remain in check.

Help came in the form of my phone ringing, interrupting the tension. I reluctantly let go of her as I reached for it, grateful for the distraction.

"Fire up," I answered, my eyes still trailing her as she stepped away, and left the room.

"We're at the game house," Andrew said, his voice full of urgency.

"We?" I asked, furrowing my brow in confusion.

"Yes. We," he confirmed, "we're in the basement."

Curiosity piqued, I said, "I'll be there," and hung up.

Rising from the couch, I made my way to the basement, where the scent of metal and dampness assaulted my senses. Upon entering, I spotted Andrew and a few of my men gathered around a man kneeling on the floor, his hands bound.

The moment they noticed me, the men bowed, and Andrew led me to a chair they had prepared. I settled into it, my mind racing to piece together what had occurred before my arrival.

"Boss, recognize him?" Andrew asked, gesturing to the kneeling man.

I squinted at the figure before me, digging into my memory. "Who...is he?" I finally asked after a moment of deliberation.

"He’s one of our men from HQ," Andrew replied, his tone neutral.

HQ, the warehouse I had chosen as the nerve center for my operations, was far from ordinary. It stood as the largest and most versatile of my warehouses, a strategic fortress from which I governed my empire.

"Oh," I nodded slowly, absorbing the gravity of Andrew's report. "So, what's his sin?" I asked, leaning back into the chair adorned with plush leather and crossing my legs, a sense of control washing over me.

"He ratted us out to Guston. He’s the reason our ship is stuck," Andrew explained, his voice steady.

"Wow, Andrew, I’m truly impressed!" I offered a amused round of applause. "It’s not even been twelve hours, and you’ve found our little rat."

He flashed me a confirming grin before turning to address the kneeling man, “Speak what you've done.”

"No need," I interjected smoothly, savoring the moment. "Whatever feeble explanation you have, you'll deliver it to God before you pass on to hell, where I'll be sending you."

The man quaked before me, his fear palpable, and I reveled in it. My heart raced, not with vengeance, but with the thrill of wielding absolute power.

Suddenly, Andrew's phone rang. He fished it out of his coat and cast a quick glance at the screen. "It's from the ship," he informed me, his tone shifting to one of urgency.

Taking the call, he put it on speaker mode. A distressed voice crackled through, “The ship is sinking!”

My icy glare shifted back to the knelt figure. "Now I want an explanation for that."

“There’s a hole in the hull! An explosive sound erupted, vibrating through the entire ship,” the frantic voice continued, and a sly smirk crept across my face, my gaze never leaving the rat cowering on the floor.

“What do we do now?” Andrew inquired, his attentiveness alert.

“Abandon ship,” I ordered with a calmness that betrayed none of the storm brewing inside me. He immediately relayed my orders to the team.

"And you," I directed my attention back to the culprit, savoring the delight in his waning composure, "you will pay the price for the losses I’ve suffered.” My voice dripped with lethal intensity.

I extended my hand, and one of the men stepped forward, gripping a long black case with a careful reverence. Another man unlatched it, revealing its stark interior, and from within, he retrieved a pair of sleek black leather gloves. He handed them to me, and I slid them on with practiced ease, the leather snug against my skin, a comforting reminder of the task ahead.

Next, he revealed a hand driller, its metallic surface glinting ominously under the harsh overhead light. I accepted it, my fingers wrapping around the cool handle, and I flicked it on, a soft whirring sound filling the air. A satisfied smirk crept across my face as I felt the power vibrate through me.

The culprit's eyes widened in terror, a primal fear taking hold. He trembled, his voice shaking as he began pleading for mercy—a frantic cascade of desperate words that echoed like a weak heartbeat in my ears, ultimately falling on deaf ones.

I rose from my seat slowly, deliberately, my heart steady. With each step toward him, I could see the hope draining from his face. Bending down to his level, I allowed my gaze to lock onto his, a calmness enveloping me. The driller hovered ominously at his side, the machine's hum a harbinger of the pain to come.

As I pressed it against him, I could feel his body going rigid, a visceral reaction to the moment. The drill pierced through the silence with a jarring whine, his loud cry tearing through the air, a haunting symphony of fear and desperation that echoed back to me, but it did nothing to sway my resolve.