Page 43 of Temptation and Tyranny

I swallowed hard, suddenly doubting my decision to come here. “I...I needed to talk to you,” I managed, my voice sounding small in the quiet of the deserted street.

Cooper sighed, then nodded. “Come on in then,” he said, punching a code into a hidden keypad. The gate swung open silently, revealing a courtyard overgrown with weeds pushing through cracked concrete.

As we approached the building, its true scale became apparent. The building soared before us, a behemoth of corrugated metal and peeling paint stretching three stories high. Graffiti covered the lower walls in a chaotic mural of urban decay. Several windows were boarded up, while others appeared to be broken. The roof sagged ominously in places, completing the illusion of abandonment.

“Watch your step,” Cooper warned as we neared the entrance. I noticed several inconspicuous cameras tucked under the eaves, their lenses following our movement. A barely visible laser grid crisscrossed the path, likely tied to some silent alarm.

Cooper placed his hand on what looked like a rusted metal panel. A soft blue light scanned his palm, and I heard the click of multiple locks disengaging. The heavy door swung open, revealing a stark contrast to the exterior.

I gasped as I stepped inside. Gone was the decayand decrepitude. Instead, I found myself in a sleek, modern entryway. Polished marble floors stretched out before me, and soft, recessed lighting illuminated the space.

“Welcome to my home,” Cooper said, a hint of pride in his voice. He gestured towards a state-of-the-art security panel near the door. “The place is fully wired. Motion sensors, heat detection, the works. No one gets in or out without my knowledge.”

My attention was caught by a gleaming elevator door set into the far wall. Cooper noticed my gaze and smirked. “Let’s head up, shall we?”

As we approached, he pressed his thumb to a biometric scanner. The elevator dinged softly, and the doors slid open to reveal a posh interior that wouldn’t have looked out of place in a luxury hotel.

“The elevator is another security checkpoint,” Cooper explained as we stepped inside. “It won’t move without the right combination of biometrics and passcode.” He tapped a complex sequence into a hidden panel, and we began to ascend.

The doors opened onto the second floor, and I found myself speechless. The open-plan living area boasted soaring ceilings with exposed steel beams, softened by warm wood accents and plush furnishings. A gourmet kitchen gleamed with stainless steel appliances and sleek marble countertops. Floor-to-ceiling windows offered a panoramic view of Paris, the city lights twinkling in the dark of the night.

“This floor is mainly for entertaining and day-to-day living,” Cooper said. He pointed out the window at one of the tallest skyscrapers in the skyline. “That’s Steele’s building.” I looked out, impressed by the view.Cooper nodded, and then led me towards a floating staircase of glass and steel. “My private quarters are on the third floor.”

We ascended to the top level, which was, if possible, even more impressive. A main suite took up half the floor, with a spa-like bathroom visible through an open door. The other half seemed to be divided between a home office and a high-tech security room, its walls lined with monitors showing feeds from around the building and surrounding area.

“This is...not what I expected,” I admitted, taking it all in. The juxtaposition of the gritty exterior and this hidden luxury was jarring.

Cooper’s lips quirked in a half-smile. “That’s the point. The best security is the kind no one suspects exists.” He gestured to a comfortable seating area near another set of windows. “Now, why don’t you tell me why you’re really here?”

I took a large breath, suddenly remembering the urgency that had driven me to this hidden oasis in the first place. As I sank into a buttery leather armchair, the plush comfort felt at odds with the tension coiling in my stomach. I crossed my arms, trying to stay firm and ignoring the way his tee-shirt strained over his biceps, or how his low-hanging lounge pants left no room for the imagination on what he was sporting. “Cooper, I was followed home tonight. Or rather, chased. I ended up jumping in the Seine to get away. I can’t help but think it has something to do with you and your line of work.”

For a few seconds, he said nothing. Then, the man before me seemed to morph into someone else entirely.

I’d never seen Cooper angry before. Even in the alley with Tomas, he’d been menacing, but not mad. I realized right then and there I never wanted to be on the receiving end of his anger.

“You were followed? Tell me everything!” he boomed, leaping to his feet and pacing the room. He already had his phone out and was texting frantically. His face was red and the cords on his neck seemed to bulge. As I described what had happened, he only got more and more agitated, wringing his hands and grinding his teeth.

“Cooper, you’re going to give yourself a heart attack. And stop pacing. You’ll re-injure your leg if you’re not careful.”

He looked at me, his eyes wild and unseeing. “I don’t give a fuck about my leg! I care about you—and all I want to do is to kill the motherfucker who dared to even look at you!”

I sat there for a few seconds, speechless. His instant possessiveness was unexpected, especially since we had only known each other for a couple of months, maybe slightly more. We’d only been intimate once, and it had been less than a week since then. There was no time for him to form this kind of attachment. My only thought was that perhaps he felt this way about everything in his life—like a tyrant, he ruled everyone around him.

Cooper finally stopped pacing, fixing me with a dark, penetrating stare. “I mean it, Allegra. You’re under my protection now.”

It was my turn to become agitated. “What do you mean, your protection?”

“You’re not allowed to leave this building. You’renot going to work anymore. You’re not going to leave my side. If I have to chain you to a bed or lock you in a room I will.”

I launched to my feet, my blood boiling throughout my body. I could feel my face turn red, and I felt a thunderous pounding in my ears. “Excuse me? I don’t think so! Just because you’re some kind of ridiculous criminal doesn’t mean that you can control my life! I’m my own person, and my job is my life! There’s no way I’m staying with you!” I made a motion to move towards the elevator, but suddenly, Cooper was in front of it.

“Let me pass, Cooper,” I said, my voice rising.

He didn’t budge. “I’m not kidding, Allegra. I’ve witnessed kidnapping firsthand, seen it done successfully, and I will keep you here whether you agree or not.”

I tried to move around him, but he was too quick and too big to dart around. He stretched his arms out to grab me, but I did the only thing I could think of—I kicked him in his leg. The bad leg.

His Achilles heel.

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