Page 20 of Kaid's Empire

Theia

It’s been two days now. Two days I have been stuck in this goddamn room. I pace it every day, desperate for news, desperate to get out. Kaid comes by each day with food, and I have refused it every time. I am weak, I am hungry, but if he wants me to eat, he will have to force me.

The door opens and he steps in with dinner. He places it down, not saying a word. The smell of it makes me salivate. I don’t look at him, turning my back to him as I wait for him to leave. “Kroschka, look at me,” he orders

I ignore him and stare out of the window, looking at the ocean and the view of Monaco in the distance, wondering if I could swim to shore.

“I said look at me,” he snaps. Grabbing my arm, he turns me around to face him. I do look at him but with nothing but hatred and contempt in my eyes.

“When you can behave and be trusted, then I shall let you out of this room,” he states.

“Oh, why thank you, master, how very kind of you.” I roll my eyes sarcastically.

“Do not fucking test me, Kroschka,” he warns.

“Or you’ll what? Hit me? Lock me away? Because I hate to tell you this, you're a little too late. Been there done that.”

“Kroschka,” he growls.

I'm not scared anymore, I'm tired, I'm hungry and I'm pissed the fuck off. If he wanted me dead, he would have done it by now. He played his hand too soon, telling me I'm his and he cannot let me go. I may be held here for however long but he won’t kill me, and why should I make it pleasant for him? I intend on making everything about this as unpleasant as possible.

“Kaid, whatever it is just say it. I'm not eating, I'm not going to be nice to you, and I will fight you every day until I get out of here,” I warn.

Kaid’s eyes turn almost black. I’d be lying if I didn’t feel a little slither of fear, but not enough to have me cowering. Instead, I lift my chin in defiance, daring him, goading him. He moves quickly, grabbing the back of my hair tightly, pulling it hard enough to tilt my head back, and then he crashes his mouth down on mine. I push against his chest, but he just ignores me as his lips continue to caress mine possessively. For a moment, I relax into his kiss… for a brief moment, I allow myself to get lost in the feel of his lips on mine. He breaks the kiss abruptly and my hands that were pushing him away are now gripping his shirt tightly in my fists.

“I like how your defiance tastes upon my lips, but please eat,” he pleads.

His tone throws me off guard completely. I don’t think I've ever heard him ask anyone anything. He only gives orders. But it’s more than that, it’s a concern, a caring concern. “Please?” he asks again. Seeing this side of him, I don’t think, and I automatically nod in agreement. He smiles, and if I thought his caring demeanour was a game changer, his smile has just knocked me on my arse. He moves to the food. “Sit,” he orders. Ah, there is the bossy guy I know, I think to myself.

He sits down and cuts up the food, then proceeds to feeds me, watching me with every bite. “Kaid.” His gaze comes to mine. “Why are you doing this? Keeping me here?”

He reaches forward, wiping some sauce off my lips. “I will tell you, Kroschka, but not yet. For now, all you can know is that it is to keep you safe,” he says with sincerity in his voice.

I nod, not too sure I believe that. At this moment in time, I don’t feel particularly safe… I am being held prisoner after all. If I am to get out of here, I have to play along. Me being submissive, doing as I'm told pleases him, and he lets his guard down. I have to play him at his own game, to get home.

Sixteen

Kaid

I watch her on the security camera––I made sure they were fitted before her arrival. I smile as she looks around the room, opening draws and cupboards, looking for anything that may help her escape. I let out a laugh when she tried lifting the mattress on the bed to see if there was anything under it. I'm not sure what she thinks she will find; I haven’t planted weapons or clues. I pick up the phone and ring the phone in the bedroom. As it rings, I watch, waiting for her to pick it up.

“Hello?” she answers.

“Join me for dinner, tonight. Be ready for seven p.m.,” I order. I watch her on the camera, pulling a face as she flops back on the bed. I let out a laugh.

“Why are you laughing?” she asks.

“Someone did something that made me laugh,” I answer.

“Oh okay, I will see you later then,” she says sweetly before disconnecting. She then proceeds to flip off the phone aggressively.

Another laugh escapes me. She thinks I don’t know her game. She thinks that I would fall for this sweet submissive behaviour of hers. She doesn’t know I have been watching her and that there isn’t anything I don’t know about her. It’s been a week since I got her to eat something, since I had shown her a tiny snippet of the side of me that no one but my mother has seen, and I know it got through to her, but she is also smart and cunning, and she is trying to use it to her advantage to try and escape. If this were anyone else, I simply would have killed them by now. But her, she’s different, I admire her. It takes a certain type of person to be able to stand beside a Pakhan, and she has it. I knew it from the moment I saw her.

I knock before entering her room, like I've always done. She’s wearing a beautiful dress that clings to her body. Thank God for Allegra––I had her make sure there was a wardrobe full of clothes before her arrival.

“You look stunning,” I compliment, and I don’t miss the slight blush that hits her cheeks.

I take her hand in mine and lead her out on the deck for dinner. “Please sit.” I gesture, holding out her chair. She does, and I don’t miss how she takes the napkin in her hand to cover the fact she is taking the knife as she places it on her lap. Taking my seat, I hold back my amusement and click my fingers for champagne.

---