I don't even know how many hours has past since Dante confronted me ,to the extent that I did not notice boardroom being emptied quickly
. I barely noticed the shuffling feet, the hushed whispers. My mind was replaying the last few minutes over and over, Dante's words echoing in the slient air: This negotiation is over. Not a threat, not exactly. More like a statement of fact. And that's what unnerved me the most.
" Shut the fuck up and get out of here the
meeting is over " I said to the board members with anger in my voice
" Sorry sir" they all shouted
I scrub a hand over my face, trying to shake off the image of his eyes that unnerving intensity that seemed to see right through me. I need to regain control. Reassert dominance. I can't afford to let Moretti rattle me.
I push myself to my feet, the leather of my chair creaking softly. I need to wash my face, clear my head. I head for the restroom, i just need to get Dante out of my head ,I need to get his scent off me because I smell like him .
When I reached the restroom,it was too quiet for a normal day in my company but I put that thought away .[ Maybe everyone was to embarrassed by that useless Dante ]
I splash cold water on my face. The shock clears the fog in my brain, if only for a moment. I stare at my reflection in the mirror, searching for weakness,[ maybe something that I thought I felt for him ,even if it was for some seconds]some hint of the unease swirling inside me. I look the same as always: composed, confident, in control. But me and myself know that it was fake .
I lean closer, adjusting my tie, when I see him. Dante Moretti is standing behind me, impossibly close. I hadn't heard him enter. Hadn't sensed him at all. It's like he appeared out from nowhere.[ Seriously does he have the power to disappear into anywhere he wants, Alistair focus,this useless guy nearly gave you an heart attack]
My heart skips a beat. I straighten, muscles tensing. "What do you want, Moretti?" I ask, voice careful, controlled.[ Trying to hide my nervousness]
He doesn't answer. He just stands there, staring at my reflection. Silence stretches, thick with tension. I can feel the scent and power coming out off him, a force filling the small space. I fight the urge to step back. I won't give him the satisfaction.
"You're making a mistake, Park," he says finally, low and gravelly. "You don't know what you're dealing with."
I scoff. "I know exactly what I'm dealing with. A desperate man trying to cling to a dying empire."
His lips curl into a faint smile. "Empires rise and fall, Mr. Park. But family… family is forever." His hand hovers just beside my reflection. Doesn't touch me, but the proximity is almost more intimate than physical contact.
"My empire is not falling apart Alistair" said Dante
"What the fuck do you mean by that statement " I asked
Ahhhhhh he laughed and said it was all a trap to get you here ,a trap that you without me doing to much " he said
My eyes wide in horror, explain what you mean by that ,as I walk backwards until my back hits the mirror.
A jolt runs through me. I clench my fists, forcing myself to stay composed. "Get out, Moretti," I say, voice tight. "Before I call security."
" Before you do that let me ,tell me a secret or let's say am answering your questions" he said," five years ago I saw in a gala party with your mom and dad, you were partying with your friend Eliana and you entered your ruts , making everyone in the party to panic but you were subsided by your parents before you were able to do any real damage,he continues it was that day I knew you were going to be my mate,so I planned everything,i made it look like my entire empire is falling just to get to you and you make my work easier. That is all for now ,we will discuss more when you are at my penthouse " he said
Eliana's not even in town she'd laugh this off as my worst hookup nightmare, or worse, tell me to lean into it.
What kind of a psychopath are you " I asked
The one that loves you dearly,he answered
Then I perceived a very strong pheromone from him ,it was stronger than how it was in the meeting room
My vision blurs. A wave of dizziness washes over me. I stumble, reaching out for something to steady myself. The last thing I see before the darkness closes in is his hand, still hovering beside my reflection, a silent claim.
I wake slowly, disoriented. My head throbs. My mouth feels like cotton. I'm lying on something soft, luxurious silk, maybe. My eyes snap open. I'm in a room I've never seen before. Large, very uncomfortable, it doesn't look like a room that human being lives in ,it was too dark,the painting and the sofa , bed was all coverd with black
[ whosoever is living in this room has a poor taste]floor-to-ceiling windows, panoramic city view. But it's not the view that gets me. It's the feeling. Oppressive luxury. [ It's giving me the vibe of I want to control you inside out until I make you mine,ewwww]
I sit up, muscles aching. Silk pajamas, far too large, far too soft. My suit is gone. I swing my legs over the bed, bare feet sinking into plush carpet. I stand, swaying slightly, taking a tentative step to the door. Locked. I rattle it, frustration rising.
"Hey! Is anyone there?" I shout. My voice echoes, no answer. Muffled sounds outside. Where am I? How did I get here? What does Moretti want?
I remember the boardroom. The failed negotiation. The restroom encounter. His hand, the surge of energy, the darkness. Kidnapped. His psychopath obsession revelation.hot and fierce. I won't let him get away with this. I'll make him pay for everything I have been through.
All of a sudden I remember that particular night in the gala, that night Eliana was going to the bathroom,so i escorted her to the bathroom since she is an alpha like me,then an omega in heat bumped into me with his scent all over him but i really didn't put my mind on it ,so me and Eliana went back to the party then I got a drink,I was sipping it when I got the scent of leather and rain ,it flooded by body and soul but i was not able to see the person who was responsible for that scent , then everything went blank my body became too hot,my parents and Eliana were panicking telling me to control my pheromones but I don't know I even enter my rut ,it was supposed to due in two months time, when I woke up my head by feeling dizzy and I saw My parents and Eliana,I asked them what really happened but they only said that I got triggered by my real mate .
So now come to think of it ,was Dante the same person in that gala party? But he said he was ,so does that means he is my real mate [ I would rather die than to have Dante claim me ]
I cross to the window, looking out at the city below. Same city I know, the city I control. From here, it looks different. Distant. Unreal. Trapped. A prisoner in a cage.
I turn, scanning for anything lamp, vase, anything I can use as a weapon. A click behind me. I spin. Dante Moretti stands in the doorway, expression unreadable.
"Welcome, Mr. Park," he says, soft but firm. "I hope you find your accommodations… satisfactory."
I glare, fists clenched. "Let me go, Moretti. This isn't going to end well for you."
He smiles, slow, predatory. "I think you'll find that it already has." He steps inside, closing the door behind him. I stand my ground, eyes locked on him. No fear. No satisfaction. But deep down… a sliver of doubt creeps in.
I underestimated him. Thought I could control, manipulate him. Wrong. Now, I'm paying the price.
This is kidnapping,I will call the police " I said
I dare you to call them " he said
I checked around and I saw my phone and I dialed the police number
Hello police station this is Alistair park speaking I was kidnapped by Dante Moretti , please come and rescue me from this bastard"
We can't help you now Mr Alistair ,we are sorry the police said
What have you done to them I said facing Dante
I have done nothing to them ,am just taking what as mine in the first place
The game has changed. And I don't yet know how to play by the new rules.