Page 7 of Darkest Deception

“Not possible.”

“—my responsibilities will remain the same.”

“Also not possible.”

“I will stay out of your way and you will stay out of mine—”

“That’s also kind of not—”

“Would you let me finish?!”

Helia’s eyes narrow, then he stands up and rounds the table. He stalks forward and stops right in front of me.

His hand darts out, then his fierce, brutal grip on my chin jerks my face up. I sneer at him, and his glare is just as dirty and disgusted. A shiver skitters through me at his harshness. I desperately want to sling my bag across his face, but the moment my eyes drop to his lips, my mind takes a different route altogether.

“Me letting you walk into this building is already a stretch. If I didn’t need you, you wouldn’t be standing in front of me speaking like this. Drop the attitude before I take care of it myself, and I assure you, Ms Torre, you will not like the reality of your tears staining your cheeks as you beg at my feet.”

My eyes widen at his very clear threat and the truth behind those words. My eyes flit between his emerald eyes, catching on the dark shadow that falls over his face due to his jet-black hair.

“You will be my secretary, starting right fucking now. You will do as asked, like a good girl, and you will do so with no complaints. I may be a little laid back, but I promise you, the minute you decide to disobey me, the minute you decide to cross a line with me, I will destroy you.” He lets go of my chin with a harsh jerk, making me stumble back a step.

I am breathing heavily, hands fisted around my bag while I try to regulate my breathing.

He has been stomping all over me again and again ever since we met.

“If you need me, then this mouth and attitude will remain. Deal with it, sir, because I don’t drop to my knees for any man, let alone you.”

With those parting words, I head out, slamming the door behind me.

He’s so frustrating.

I hate him so much I want to wrap my hands around his throat, choke the life out of him, and watch his soul leave his green eyes.

My eyes catch the vacant spot right opposite his office, the small room that was for my father’s secretary. It’s empty.

He knew.

He knew, and he wanted me to come back to him and beg like a fucking dog. To fall for his commands like a ‘good girl’, as he put it.

I will show him exactly who he is declaring war with.

3

I know Ambrose inside and out, but there are gaps in my knowledge.

Toying with her last week was fun. I knew she would come back, full of fire and determination and ready to conquer me. And now she’s come back to me, just a week later, confirming that I have her cornered.

She cannot under any circumstance regain her position in Glamorous. I forced her father to hand it over to me so I can hide my cash. Allowing her to work in the finance department would be asking for my own death sentence. Knowing her nature, her fierceness, and her desire to take back this company, she will do anything to bring me down; so I can’t give her any freedom or wiggle room.

As Remo asked of me, I will keep Ambrose close. Hiring her as my secretary should do the trick.

Only, her attitude and the way she bites back just as hard makes me want to bend her to my will.

I thought I was an easy-going guy, relaxed, calm, and a level-headed man in public, but something about Ambrose brings out a side of me that no one should ever see.

I want to conquer her. I want to break her to the point of no return, and I want to dim that fire in her. No one has presented me with a challenge like this before. I prefer my solitude, and I like my own company. Yet ever since I have been watching her, hidden in the shadows, I have been fascinated with the person she is at home and wondering exactly why she is so different from what she shows the world.

I’m only in London for two years, and I want to spend my time here well. Luckily for me, I’ve found myself a very interesting little obsession. One with such a strong fight in her that even if I grip her by the throat, she won’t stop kicking, trying to get away from me.

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