Cassian's POV
She walked into the room looking like a wounded angel. Something in me bent a little; I couldn't tell what that was, but none of the girls ever brought to me had ever made me feel this way.
Perhaps it was because she already looked broken, even before she walked into the room —a broken yet strong appearance, a complex combination to find.
"Sit her down," I commanded the bodyguards whom I had told to bring her into my council chamber.
They dropped her on the seat just opposite where I sat at the table. "Now you can leave us alone," I said, waving my hand dismissively at them.
She wasn't as timid as I had expected her to appear; she had a light to her. She matched my gaze for a moment.
And for that moment, she matched my gaze. I was lost in it. I studied her from head to toe; she was a priceless piece. Mr Klein had outdone himself; she was the best collateral I have ever received.
"You are Mr Klein's daughter, right?" I asked. I was curious to know why Mr Klein would hand over his beautiful daughter so easily, as he had promised me.
Other debtors would have tried to play the smart one by attempting to run away with their daughters to another city before the agreed-upon time; that was the reason I had sent my guards earlier than the agreed-upon time.
"I'm not his daughter," she replied coldly with an underlying tone of disgust.
That explains why Mr Klein handed her over so freely. Even though she wasn't his daughter, she looked precious regardless.
"If you aren't his daughter, I couldn't care less. You are a fair one," I replied to her, not removing my gaze from her.
Her eyes sparkled a little and then dimmed. I wonder why it sparkled and why it dimmed.
Ever since I was born, I have struggled to understand my own emotions and those of others. I just knew that some things made my chest warm, while some attitudes made it hot, and I felt nothing towards others.
And that feeling of numbness was what I had felt almost all my life. I stood up and walked to her front. Since she was still chained, I couldn't tell her to meet me.
I sat on top of the part of the table, closest to her.
"You are just the fit, Mr Klein must have known what I liked. If he hadn't brought you, I would have had not just his head on a spike, but those of his family," I said to her, drawing in closer to her, and lifting her face with my hands.
If Mr Klein had attempted to run with his daughter just like the other debtors, I would have killed him and his family and would have still taken Celine with me regardless.
"Please let me go, I can't stay here," she said, not with a whimper as I had expected, but with a firm, but pleading tone. I couldn't stand her not cowering in fear in my presence, and yet I didn't know what to do with her beautiful, delicate appearance.
"You are mine," I reminded her, gulping hard as I felt my length strain against my pants. I moved my thumb on her lips, and I felt her shiver under my touch, then she bit my thumb.
That caught me by surprise and somehow made my length harden. Everything about Celine turned me on.
"I'm not yours," she shot back defiantly, causing me to chuckle. She doesn't know whose den she entered. If she is feisty, I could keep her. I love feisty. I loved the game.
"You seem too hot to handle, feisty, huh?" I said, massaging the thumb she had bitten. "I guess, you have no idea of who I am, maybe staying here a while with me would teach you who I am," I said, lifting her face to meet mine.
She flinched a little, and I let out a sigh of relief. I had wondered if she was a different creature, but I guess she was still the same as the other ladies. I still emitted fear.
I clicked my fingers, signaling the guards to come.
"Take her away," I commanded them. And as they dragged her out of my chamber, I couldn't stop admiring her.
She had somehow evoked a different feeling in me; it felt like a sparkle, followed by a gentle warmth.
I wanted to see her again and again every day; she has a hidden fire in her that I wanted to experience every time.
A light knock distracted me from my thoughts.
"Come in," I stated, and Liam, my Consigliere, walked in
Liam was quiet and efficient; he always read my mood and expression before making a move. I often wondered how he was able to do that.
He was also one loyal person I had by my side, not that I trusted anyone, but that was one of the many reasons I kept him close. He understood silence better than most men understood words.
"Evening, boss," he said, closing the door softly behind him.
I gestured to the chair across the desk. "Sit. We've got matters to discuss."
He obeyed, sliding into the chair without a sound. He placed the files he had in his hands on the table.
For a moment, neither of us spoke to each other. The ticking of the grandfather clock in the corner was the only noise that existed between us. Each tick was a reminder of the minutes I could not afford to waste.
Liam was the only person allowed to sit when I sat. Every other staff member stood until dismissed or asked to sit.
"The shipment from the port?" I asked, finally breaking the silence.
"Secured," he said. "Our contacts confirmed the containers arrived last night. Customs have been handled. Your name won't appear anywhere."
I nodded once. "And our associates in the state?"
"Still loyal," he replied. "But the police activity around the docks is getting heavier. Someone has been snitching."
"Find out who," I said coldly. "And report back to me. Let me handle them the Cassian way."
Liam gave a short nod.
As he opened his notebook to jot something down, my gaze drifted to the far window. I couldn't stop my mind from wandering to Celine.