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“It would probably be the first time someone accused you of holding them hostage in front of your employees.”
I turned and made a flippant gesture with my hands. “Be my guest.”
Her lips compressed, and any other coercions she might have entertained were swallowed bitterly. After watching her for so long, these unintelligent threats from her were a disappointment. Of course, she wouldn’t make a scene because she had more to lose than I did.
“Thirty minutes,” I repeated. “I’ll have my secretary call for you when I’m finished.”
I walked into my office and shut the door behind me.
BY THE TIME THE RED-HEADED secretary announced that I was permitted to go inside Lucian’s office—as if I needed her permission for anything—I was fuming. After giving her the once-over and noting how attractive she was, I figured she was banging Lucian. I bet she serviced him whenever he asked. But if that was the case, then why did he need me?
“Stay put,” I instructed Birdie before my gaze swung to Ace. “And if you touch her, I’ll murder you right here.”
He smirked, and I walked into Lucian’s office, slamming the door behind me.
“There’s no need for dramatics.” He sighed. “We can get through this without you being a brat, or we won’t get through it at all.”
“Whatever.” I crossed my arms like a petulant child. “You need me for something, or else I wouldn’t be here. As much as you might threaten to turn me in, you don’t want to.”
Lucian looked up from his desk with eyes devoid of emotion. He seemed empty and cold, but for some reason, the only thing I felt when I looked at him was profound sadness.
“Take a seat.” He gestured to the chair across from him.
Standing by my declaration, I remained rooted to the spot. This was a war of wills, and I was determined to win. It was better that he figured out now that everything he asked of me would be difficult. He wanted a wife on a silver platter, but I never promised I would be obedient.
He closed the lid of his laptop, then shoved it aside as he pushed back from his desk. When he circled around, I tried to stay brave. But he was taller than I was, and stronger than I was, and it was hard to deny those things when we were face to face.
His face was impassive, but frustration swirled in his inky eyes. Without warning, his hand shot out behind me and gripped me by the hair, tightening until I was forced to tilt my head up in his direction.
“Sit down,” he said again. “This will be the only time I ask you nicely, Gypsy.”
“This isn’t asking nicely,” I shot back.
He yanked his fist in a downward motion, and I squeaked as my head and the handful of hair he was holding followed. More than anything, it caught me by surprise, and before I could find a way to compose myself, he had me on my knees in front of him. My face was inches from his cock, and I was humiliated. With burning cheeks, I looked up at him.
“Let me go.”
“I think you are still struggling to comprehend how this works.” Lucian forced my gaze up to his face, exerting his dominance. “I know it must be difficult to relinquish control when you love it so much, but that is what you’ll be signing up for. So, you better get used to it.”
I was tempted to junk punch him, but I knew better than to resort to physical violence. A wounded man was a far more dangerous contender.
“What do you want from me?” I asked.
“Are you ready to behave and do as you’re told?”
“I’ll never behave.” I clawed my fingernails into the carpet. “So you might as well get used to that.”
“Suit yourself,” he answered in a low voice. “I will enjoy punishing you.”
My fingers trembled, but I didn’t let him see it. Whatever he was planning to put me through couldn’t be any worse than the hell I’d left behind me.
“I will sit in the chair.” I forced the words between my teeth. “If you’ll let me up.”
To my surprise, he released me immediately. I was left to the humiliating task of getting off the floor in my red dress without exposing myself, but in the end, he granted me a shred of privacy by removing his watchful gaze. I brushed the wrinkles out of the material and sat down, rubbing the redness from my knees that had been left from the carpet. Lucian walked back around to the other side of his desk and took a seat, resting his elbows on the solid wood as he studied me.
“Now that we’ve established that, let me clear up your earlier point. I don’t need you, Gypsy. There is no ulterior motive for me doing this beside the fact that I want to. Turning you in would mean nothing to me, and I won’t hesitate to do it in a heartbeat if you become more trouble than what it’s worth.”
