Page 11 of Potent Desire

If nothing else, the hotel room is stunning. The room is painted a creamy white, with golden finishes all around. It’s compact, with only a single round table beside an enormous window. A bed is on one side with a single door leading into a bathroom. A sofa sits, facing a television set, already playing music. A small tray with two glasses of champagne awaits.

I’m only eighteen, I can’t even drink legally yet – but somehow I’m trapped in this messed up situation.

“Yeah, sure,” Vik walks over to a small table with two chairs on either side. Stacks of papers sit on one side, where Vik takes a seat. My father joins him at the table. Lucio and Maxwell stand behind Papa, as Vik hands him the papers.

“As discussed, it’s all signed and sealed. My entertainment business and boating operations from Quincy are all yours. I’ll be moving into early retirement, handing over the keys to my castle for a nominal fee. A gentleman’s agreement that Isabella is part of the deal, but that’s not in any formal contract.”

Papa hands the documents over to Lucio, who goes through them first. Then Maxwell takes a look. The tension in the room is so thick I could cut it with a knife. Papa doesn’t speak, his cold stare only lingering over Vik.

I turn to Dominic, who mouths sorry, but doesn’t break from the line of papa’s men.

“It all looks good, Bruno. The deal’s done,” Maxwell says, after going through the paperwork.

“Then we have a deal,” Papa stands up from his chair. Vik joins him. They shake hands.

“Papa, don’t do this,” I say again. This time, he doesn’t even look at me, just walks by while his men move of the hotel room one by one out.

It’s actually happening. I’m a woman now, and this is my life. I’m a mere pawn in my father’s game. If I had been born a son, I wouldn’t have had to use my womanly assets to get him what he wants. I can do nothing to stop whatever Vik has planned.

Finally, when the door shuts behind Dominic, who’s last to leave, my world comes crashing down.

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