by Haley Ladawn
Chapter 6: Freak Out
I watched him through the thin slit of the mirror, eyeing him suspiciously. His gaze was locked on the winding road. His inky black hair blended in with the night, framing his rugged but inviting face. I could see the sharp contour of his bone structure in the haunting shadows, while his Maserati hummed down the deserted streets. He was dark and dangerous, a black beauty.
His intense blue eyes were aware of his surroundings, but he didn’t bother looking back at me for the longest time. I felt like a child who was condemned to the harsh punishment of the silent treatment.
“This is some really nice weather we’re having.” I glanced out the tinted window, noticing the rain coming to a steady stop on the gleaming pavement.
If only the rain could wash away tonight’s events…
For the first time in a while, his dark gaze flickered to me. Leaning back in the driver’s seat, he tightened his grip around the black steering wheel. There was a hint of amusement set in his eyes while the faint makings of a dangerous smirk tugged at his soft lips. “Did you get wet again?”
Elisa didn’t even seem to be remotely bothered by his question, but then again, she probably thought he was just talking about the rain that had been hitting the sidewalk violently. I knew better than that, but I still didn’t know how to answer his question.
“I’m drier than the Sahara Desert,” I lied, forcing a cheeky grin. He wasn’t going to win this round. “I’ve never been so dry in my life.”
His jaw tightened and the radio silence took over again. All I heard was Elisa humming in the background, perfectly fine and dandy. How she was so comfortable was beyond me. I was on the verge of having a nervous breakdown.
“You should put your seat belt on, fiorella.” Elliot furrowed one of his strong brows, giving me a side-glance through the mirror. He managed to look both sexy and sadistic with one smooth motion. “It would be a shame if we were to get in an accident.”
There was a genuine look of concern in his eyes, but it vanished just as quickly as it had washed over him. He was mocking me more than warning me. I laughed at how ludicrous the thought was. Like he could actually care for me. He hadn’t even known me for a full twenty-four hours… or so I thought.
“A car wreck would be a blessing.” I muttered underneath my breath, sighing heavily.
“Enough talk about cars crashing.” Elisa shouted out of nowhere, causing me to squirm in my seat. She was starting to give me whiplash with her ever-changing attitude. “If I wanted to hear about that, I would’ve signed up for car insurance. Let’s talk about your brother!”
“My brother?” Elliot raised his eyebrows, obviously amused by the sultry look in her hazel eyes. “What do you want to know, Elisa? I’ll tell you anything you want to know.”
Of course, he would remember her name, but not mine. The little pit of jealousy that was rising in my stomach was starting to make me feel uneasy.
“Is he single?” She couldn’t contain her overgrowing excitement. It’s like she was foaming at the mouth from all her exhilaration. I had to admire how blunt and careless she was. I always thought of everything I said before I even thought about saying it. “Or does he have a friends with benefits deal going on?”
“He has a lot of deals going on, sweetheart.” He said this almost bitterly, but there was a hint of entertainment in his voice. I couldn’t tell if it was caused by the disgust on my face, or the lust on hers. “He is a businessman after all, but I don’t think any of those deals involve him actively fucking someone else. So, he’s all yours if you play your cards right.”
My eyes widened in terror as hers widened in desire. The way he talked about sex so easily made my skin crawl and tingle all at the same time. I cringed at the satisfying prickles that were shooting up my legs.
“Christmas is coming early this year!” Elisa was fidgeting in her seat while her lips tugged into a firm smile. She was truly happy, and it made me feel a little angry inside. How could she be acting like this? “What’s better than a sexy boss and a new job? Nothing!”
“You should tell your friend that.” His smoldering gaze was back on me, making me shrink beneath his scrutiny. “She’s being hesitant to take the internship. I’ve given her plenty of reasons to accept my offer, but she’s a stubborn one.”
“Yeah, right! You’ve only given me reasons to object it!”
Elisa cocked her head back at me, giving me the death stare. There was disapproval and judgment clouding her sweltering eyes. “She’s stuck in her ways, but she’s going to take that job! I’ll put her in a headlock until she gives in if I have to.”
“Hey, now! Let’s not resort to using physical force.” I pursed my lips into a thin line, choosing my next words carefully. “If you two are done talking shit about me, I’d like to go home.”
“We’re not going home.” Just as Elisa said that, I noticed Elliot passed the street that led to our houses. He was turning down a dark alleyway that was encased in aphotic shadows that played tricks on the eyes. Within a matter of seconds, my heart was beating rapidly against my chest. He was taking us to the kind of place where people were murdered or raped.
“Let me out of this fucking car! He’s going to murder us! We’re going to die!” I kicked the back of her seat, trying to escape with my life. “We have to get out of here! NOW!”
Elliot raised his eyebrows, rubbing the dark scruff on his jaw.
I was still bouncing up and down, trying to get out of the Maserati. I was raking my nails down the leather seats, crying out in frustration. “I hope you like this car because he’s going to stuff us in the trunk after he kills us!”
“Calm down, Lily,” Elisa whispered underneath her breath, her cheeks reddening with embarrassment. “He isn’t going to kill us!”
“If I was going to kill you—” Elliot didn’t seem amused anymore. He seemed all but annoyed with me. “I would’ve separated you two. It takes too much energy to focus on murdering two people at the same time.”
So, he had experience when it came to killing people. That didn’t come as much of a surprise.
“Where the hell are you taking us then?” I furrowed my eyebrows, trying to regain the composure I’d completely lost.
“We’re meeting my brother for dinner to discuss everything.” His grip tightened on the wheel, while a smile played on his lips. “I didn’t bring you out here to fuck you in a dirty alleyway. First, you think I’m going to fuck in Walmart and now this? I do have standards, Rose.”
I wanted to kick his seat for getting my name wrong again, but my stomach growled at the thought of eating something. I hadn’t eaten all day thanks to that disastrous interview he’d given me this morning.
***
We ended up at an Italian cuisine restaurant on the edge of town. It was a high-end place that I had never been to before. I wasn’t the kind of person who spent $100 on a meal and left a tip just as big. To put it lightly, I was poor. I was on a Ramen noodle every night kind of budget.
“What if I don’t like Italian?” I asked, only hoping to make him mad. Honestly, I would’ve eaten anything.
“You like me, don’t you?” He slid out of the Maserati with grace, leaving me just enough room to squeeze out of the back.
“No, I don’t like you.” I straightened out my clothes once I managed to get out of the car. The rain had stopped, and the asphalt was beginning to dry slowly. “In fact, I hate you.”
“The feeling is mutual.” He growled, seeming offended by my comment. He grabbed me by the sleeve of my sweater, pulling me toward him. “Let’s go.”
“I’m not going anywhere,” I huffed, planting my feet into the muddy ground. “Until I get some answers.”
“Yes. No. Maybe?” He gave me a half shrug, rubbing his temples in exasperation. “There are your answers. Let’s go now.”
“No! I want real answers,” I snapped as he grabbed me by my elbow to usher me inside. His grip was warm and secure. “I’m not going in t
here!”
“We’ll see about that, fiorella.” He whispered in my ear, tightening his grip on me. A shudder of pain shot through my arm. “Don’t make a scene, or I’ll drag you into the restroom where I’ll see more than your tits this time.”
The good guy act he’d been portraying only moments ago was gone and his threat was real. I could tell by the way my heart was beating so fast, and the sharp tingle that ran up my legs. There was a survival instinct there, but there was anticipation too. I couldn’t help but wonder what was going to happen next.
The inside of the restaurant was just as I pictured it. Fancy and spacious. Delicate crystal chandeliers dangled from the ceiling. The walls were aligned with old fashioned wallpaper that was timeless. It would’ve been a nice experience if there hadn’t been a psychopath escorting me.
We passed the hostess and the long line that was forming. No one stopped us. It was like we owned the place. Then, I realized that Elliot probably did. He was the head of a prestigious college. He was an entrepreneur. It wouldn’t come as a surprise that he owned other businesses.
Elliot led me to a decorated booth, making me sit against the wall so I couldn’t get out unless he let me. Elisa sat on the other side, still in dreamland. I wanted to rip her hair out to snap her out of her daydream.
There was a moment of silence before I heard the footsteps of someone approaching us. Their voice was low as they talked into a cell phone. I didn’t look back to see who they were. I only perked up my ears to listen to their conversation.
“I don’t have all night.” The deep voice of a man grumbled into the phone. He was clearly upset about something. “Get to it before I get to you! You’re not only going to lose your job. You’re going to lose your head too! It’s not that fucking hard. Are you just that stupid? Handle it or else, bastardo.”
Or else what?
A moment later, a man with icy white hair was standing before us. It appeared to be the color of virgin snow on a December morning. It was so pure and dazzling.
He was almost as tall as Elliot was, but they both shared their prominent bone structure and build. His eyes were the same atmospheric blue, but somehow, they seemed kinder. Despite his previous phone call, he seemed like a genuine person. He was obviously a few years older than Elliot was. Maybe mid to late twenties.
The man’s inviting gaze shifted to the two of us, and Elisa was brought out from her daydream. I could only imagine the sexual fantasies she was thinking about right now.
“These are the two girls you’ve been telling me so much about?” The man looked at his brother briefly.
“No, brother.” Elliot sighed, reaching for a menu quickly. He seemed a little more than tense in his brother’s presence. “These are two totally different girls that I picked up on the street corner earlier tonight. We just had a mind-blowing threesome in the back of my Maserati. You missed it.”
“Well, at least your night has been better than mine.” The man slid into the booth beside Elisa, who had scooted over to get closer to him. He must have noticed Elliot’s sarcasm because he didn’t look appalled to be sitting next to a sexual deviant. “My name is Everet Santoro, and I apologize for my brother’s behavior. He’s the youngest and the dumbest.”
“I’m also the hottest,” Elliot murmured, seeming annoyed.
That was debatable.
They were both gorgeous in two very different ways. Everet had a lightness to him, while Elliot was all darkness. Everet looked like an angel and that made Elliot seem like a demon in return. A dark, beautiful demon that I needed to stay away from.
A few moments later, a waiter came to our table, but I was still sizing up Everet. He was wearing a nice suit that was a shade lighter than his brother’s. His posture relaxed underneath my judgmental gaze. When I pretended to look away, he placed a hand on Elisa’s thigh.
It made me frown a little, but it was mainly out of jealous. Everet seemed nice, unlike his brother.
Out of nowhere, Elliot put his hand around my back, pulling me closer. His touch was smooth, but his intentions were violent. He pulled me so close to the point where there was no room between the two of us. I was practically sitting on his lap, as the heat of his body radiated against mine. He tucked a piece of my auburn hair behind my ear and whispered, “If you’re done eye-fucking my brother, we can order now.”
I didn’t get a chance to reply before he pushed me back to the wall, but his hand stayed on the small of my back with a lingering touch. His fingertips trailed a little lower until he was on the verge of touching my ass. I scowled at the smug expression on his face.
“She’ll have a cup of water, pronto.” Elliot ordered the waiter to get me something to drink. “She’s really thirsty, if you know what I mean.”
Not even a full minute later, the waiter was back with a tall glass of water. Shaped ice cubes floated to the top with bubbles too. I grabbed the glass and the iciness of it sent a shiver up my spine.
“Don’t spill it,” Elliot growled into my ear as I took a drink from the cold glass. “I would really hate for you to get all wet again.”
“I’m going to kill you,” I whispered quietly, shaking my head in aggravation. “I am literally going to end you.”
“Is this before or after you fuck me?”
I almost choked on the water. He didn’t waste any time pulling me back to his chest. There was a menacing smirk tugging at his lips. This booth was beginning to feel all too small.
“I don’t have necrophilia.” I bit down on my lip, rolling my eyes.
“So, you’re going to fuck me while I’m still alive to feel it?” He let out a deep laugh. “That’s good to know.”
I was going to argue, but the waiter was back again to take our actual orders. I was too distracted to say anything, so Elliot had the honor of ordering for me.
I needed to figure out an escape route in case this ended badly. I wasn’t with just one alpha male anymore. I was with two.
Chapter 7: Lady Killer
There has to be at least a hundred ways you can escape from a criminal. However, I couldn’t think of one.
Dumping my hot ravioli on him sounded messy, and it probably wouldn’t deter him for long. Moreover, he would probably make me eat it off him and then kill me. Then, there was the option of stabbing him with a fork, but then how could I eat my ravioli with bloody utensils?
My other option was getting on my knees and begging for him to let me go, but that sounded a bit too dramatic for my taste. Besides, he only wanted me on my knees for one reason, and begging for my life wasn’t it.
I was so screwed.
“What happened to your last assistant?” Elisa asked Everet, running her hands through his shoulder-length ivory hair. They were already getting touchy-feely, and they hadn’t even known each other for five minutes. My maternal instincts were coming in strong, and I wanted to slap her hand away from him. He was poison and she was drinking him in as if she was dying of thirst.
“I had to let her go.” He offered Elisa an unapologetic smile, stretching his arms around her. “She couldn’t handle everything that came with the position.”
“And what exactly comes with the position?” I interrupted their conversation, creasing my eyebrows in suspicion. I wasn’t falling for his attractive smile like she was. I wasn’t that gullible.
“Me,” Elliot whispered into my ear wickedly. He ran his fingertips up and down my back slowly in a back and forth motion. It would’ve been soothing if I hadn’t known he was a complete psychopath.
“Going on coffee runs, answering business calls, dealing with my clients when I don’t have the time to.” Everet answered my question with a faint smirk that showed off his perfectly white teeth. It was the kind of smile that was bought with a lot of money. “A lot of other things, too. We run our assistants to death, but we try to make it worth their while.”
“So, I’ve been told.” I took a sip from my chilled water, avoiding his smoldering gaze. It was so possessing and i
ntimidating. He had the kind of eyes that could make you do anything. He could talk you into jumping off a bridge or selling your soul to the devil. “Personal assistants can cost a lot of money; can you really afford that?”
“We can afford anything.” He let out a bemused laugh, looking toward Elliot who was staring at the ground in boredom. I guess we weren’t entertaining enough for him.
“I guess we can’t afford good service.” Elliot raised his hand in the air to get someone’s attention, but his palm slowly tightened into a fist. “I know this isn’t fast food, but goddamn! I’m going to be skin and my bones by the time you get back with our orders. Hurry up before I choke you with your tie, idiota!”
“I think you have an attitude problem,” I murmured, setting my water back down on the decorative tablecloth. It had swirls in it that somehow reminded me of the chalk outlines of bodies. Maybe I was having a glimpse of my upcoming future…
“And I think you should shut up, Rose.” He bit down on his lip, tightening his grip around my waist. I could feel his nails dig in my skin through the material of the thin sweater. “Your mouth is going to do you more harm than good.”
“Sure is,” I whispered underneath my breath. “Like when I bite your dick off the next time you get my name wrong. It’s Lily. I’m not Rose or Violet! I’m a single flower, not the whole fucking garden!”
“Simmer down, Dandelion.” His lips parted in a corrupted smile, while his eyes darkened with dangerous intent. “I really don’t like your tone.”
“Put a sock in my mouth if you want me to shut up.” I tightened my hand around my butter knife in frustration. I wanted to stab him with it, but it wouldn’t do any real damage.
“I have other ways of making you stay quiet.” He let out a soft groan that sent a tingle up my legs. It was so masculine and deep, but oddly satisfying. “Like putting my dick in your mouth.”
“I’m not a cannibal.” I pushed my food away to the other side of the table. My appetite was gone.