Page 28 of Scent Of Obsession
“I’m not a model.” I smiled politely, ignoring the hair rising on my skin. “I’m friends with your son, Adonis.”
A vivid glow lit up his eyes alongside a beam. “Oh, right.” He stroked my arm like we were relatives, a feeling of discomfort lashing across my stomach. He held a smile on his face before he added, “Lily Bellerose. My son is very fond of you.”
“I’m—I—” I stammered, not knowing what to say.
“Well, if you need anything, princess, I’ll be your man. If you’re interested in a change of career, I have some contacts in the modeling world.” He handed me his card. “And Adonis’s girlfriends are always welcome to the house.”
I struggled to swallow a knot in my throat. The first and last time I went to Adonis’s place, I didn’t feel at ease. I always had a bad, unfounded feeling about Christian. I’d probably misunderstood the situation back then. He had been nice to me. Too nice. Too friendly.
I never talked about it with Adonis; it was his father, after all. But the way he touched my inner thigh that day hadn’t been innocent. The way his hand traveled to places he shouldn’t—
“Mr. Carmin, maybe you’d like to head to your table?” Hugo saved me by delicately placing one of his hands behind my back, interrupting us. No doubt that Hugo was imposing, but in a gentle way. The contrary of Radcliff. “Lily, Radcliff is waiting for you in his office.”
“You deserve a promotion, Hugo,” Christian said in a patronizing kind of way, before posing his hand on Hugo’s shoulder.
Melissa leaned in toward me. “Men. They are all the same—they don’t keep their interest long,” she hinted quietly with malice. “One minute you’re the queen of their eyes, the next one, they toss you away. Terrifying, isn’t it?”
Christian shot a last glance at me as he and Hugo were about to leave. “Lily, would you join me?”
No. I didn’t want to. All eyes were on me. The flaming ones of Melissa. The hurry-the-fuck-up stare of Hugo. The sparkling ones of Christian. My heart jumped in my throat, a feeling of strangulation, as if a cord encircled my neck, suffocating me.
“I’m sorry, I can’t. Radcliff is waiting for me. I should go.” I got up from my seat, ready to finally see what was behind the glass window. “It was nice to meet you again, Mr. Carmin.”
“Surely Mr. Radcliff can wait.” Christian’s hand reached for mine. I was screaming inside when his thumb brushed mine. “It’d be a pleasure to talk about my son with you, please.”
I dug my nails inside my palm.
“S-Sure.”
“Thank you, Mr. Radcliff,” LeBon said weakly with shaking hands.
He probably hadn’t slept for days. For an incorruptible judge with a rare sense of right and wrong and a true example of justice, he had no sense of presentation, not bothering to adjust his suit properly. He wasn’t old, in his forties, and yet he had gained at least ten years today. The bastard had made it his personal goal to be part of my downfall, and his dearest wish was to bring me to trial. And now, here he was inside my club’s office.
“Make this quick.” I was already bored.
“Sure, sure, I…” He trailed off. “I need your help.”Shocking. “I want personal revenge on an untouchable man. I know you can introduce me to some people… You have contacts, and I was hoping—”
“I said quick.”
“Christian Carmin, he—” He struggled to articulate. “He violated my eighteen-year-old daughter. And not just once. You have to help me. She’s stuck on an internship with Carmin to study fashion. It’s her biggest dream and… He did so many—”
And here were the crocodile tears.
He stopped talking to let his gut-wrenching sobs tear through his chest. Another human would be touched by this display of weakness. I wasn’t. Yeah, Carmin was a disgusting jerk who abused women, most of them young and in search of stardom. Everyone knew it—except for his foolish, blind son—but nobody had proof. We had a fake politeness. Business was business, after all, and I wasn’t known to have any principles.
In any other way, not my problem.
“Why do you think I’d be interested in making an agreement with you.” It wasn’t a question. I wasn’t interested. Heroes fight for good causes: they “help” people. Villains fight for gains.
“Didn’t you just hear what he did to—”
“If you’re looking for someone who cares, you came to the wrong person. I can’t help you, nor do I have the desire to.”
I nodded to the security guards, signaling them to take him away.
“Wait. I’ll give you everything I have. I’m a judge—I’ll work for you. I’ll do anything. That’s how it works, right? My soul for your help. That’s why they call you the Devil…”
A sardonic smile drew over my lips. “Beg.”
