Page 13 of Potent Desire

“Get out of here,” Vik cuts him off.

“Sir, it’s hotel policy. I can’t leave until you’ve signed for it.”

A hard thrust sends my face to meet the carpet and Vik gets to his feet. He’s cursing and blaspheming, from where we were on the floor all the way to the door.

“Give me the goddamned thing to sign,” he barks, as he swings the door open. But there’s no busker or waiter at the door. It’s Maddox Braddock – another one of my father’s associates. He wraps a hand around Vik’s face, and pushes him back into the hotel room. He kicks the door shut behind him.

He’s standing calm, cool, and collected in his black three-piece suit. His olive skin only emphasizes his deep-brown eyes. There’s not a single sign of emotion lingering anywhere on his chiseled features.

“Evening Vik, I’ve heard a lot about you,” Maddox says. He turns to me on the floor, but his attention doesn’t linger long. Was this what my father meant by I have to trust him? Was Maddox’s arrival all part of the plan? What if he got the timing wrong? It was already too close for comfort. “Bruno sends his regards.”

“Bruno? The hell are you on about?” Vik replies, taking a few steps back. All big and tough when it’s only a girl he’s fighting, but I can see the worry in his eyes with Maddox standing in front of him.

“Well, you see, there’s been a little change of plan. The old man doesn’t have the heart to throw his little girl to the wolves,” Maddox replies.

“Then the deal’s off…”

“No, it’s not. You’ve already signed the papers.”

“I’ve got things in place for this!”

“Yeah, Bruno said that might happen. That’s why I’m here,” without warning, Vik draws a gun from inside his jacket. In one swift motion, it’s trained on Vik’s head. Vik doesn’t even have time to get a word out before Maddox pulls the trigger.

His body falls limply at my feet. I can’t stop the screech that tears through me.

“What the fuck did you just do? You just killed him!” I turn to Maddox. My eyes are so wide they feel as if they’re about to pop out of my head.

“He deserved it, didn’t he?” Maddox replies, walking over to me. He offers me a hand and I take it. “I’m sorry you had to see that, Isabella.”

He does his best to block my view of Vik’s body on the floor. He pulls open one of his lapels as we start walking, shielding my gaze until we’re out the door. Maddox keeps an arm wrapped around my shoulder all the way to the elevator. I want to pull away, to show that I’m strong, but this comfort is necessary.

After what I’ve been through, any affection at all is welcome. In the elevator, he releases me and walks over to the other side. He doesn’t speak, just stares blankly at his reflection in the mirror.

What the hell just happened?

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