Page 91 of The CEO's Revenge

He doesn’t shout or scream as I expect him to do. Instead his voice is flat and emotionless. “You think you’re so clever, so brave. Standing up for that fat, worthless worm.”

My eyes widen with shock.

Oh shit! He thinks I did it deliberately. “No, no… I didn’t spill the drinks on purpose. It was an accident. I swear it. Honestly. You have to believe me. It’s my first day here. I’ll pay for the dry cleaning bill, of course.”

He doesn’t say anything, just stares me intensely, with his tar black eyes. It is impossible for me to know what he is thinking, but he is so close I can smell him. He reeks of smoked mackerel. Strange, but his skin looks shiny and oily as a fish. It takes everything I’ve got not to step away.

“Oh, you’ll pay all right, but not my dry cleaning bill.” Something I’ve seen in Dan’s eyes glitters in his eyes.

First my jaw drops, then I feel a flash of pure fury. The shock of having Dan almost rape me, the pain of my mother’s betrayal, and the fear of not having a place to crash for the night rush into one boiling emotion that burns in the pit of my stomach. I straighten my spine and stare back at him.

“I’ve said it was an accident and I’m really sorry. I’ve also offered to pay for the cost of cleaning your suit even though it will probably mean I’ve worked all night for nothing. So… you can take up my offer or not, that’s totally up to you, but don’t imagine you can ask me to sleep with you just because I spilled some alcohol on your clothes. I swear, I’ll call the police if you try to force me.”

His mouth quirks with amusement, as if he is the devil himself playing with a helpless human. “Who said anything about sleep. After I’m done with you, little pigeon, you can call anyone you want, but think carefully first, it would be a such shame if I had ruin skin like yours. It is so smooth and… young.”

Suddenly, I feel fear like I have never known before. Even with drunk Dan, I was just waiting for the moment I could knee him in the nuts and while he was reeling in pain make my escape. Sure, I was shocked, disgusted, and annoyed, and maybe even a little scared, but it was nothing, nothing like what I feel now, looking into this man’s cold killer’s eyes. Goosebumps scatter all over my body. My mouth opens, but I don’t know what I can possibly say to save myself from a fate worse than death.

Then from the shadows a voice like whiplash, calls out, “Igor.”

To my amazement the devil in front of me freezes. As I watch in disbelief his eyes narrow before he slowly turns to face a man who has stepped out of the shadows.

Chapter Eight

Viktor

“Let go of the girl,” I command in Russian.

There is a flash of confusion in his eyes, then he recovers, and releases the girl as one would a piece of burning coal. “It’s nothing, boss. She’s just a dumb broad in a dive bar.”

I frown, unexpectedly furious with him. She’s no broad. She’s just a kid. Hell, she looks like she just turned sixteen. Not that it is any of my business, but what the hell are her parents thinking letting her work in a shit-hole like this. I keep my tone pleasant so anyone listening would think we were just having a polite conversation in Russian. “Fuck off.”

Igor’s eyes show frustration and impotent rage, but wordlessly he nods, and moves towards the front door, the two goons who came with him follow closely behind. There is fear in their eyes but their faces are deliberately impassive.

I walk up to the girl.

Something about her caught my eyes as soon as I walked into the dive, but I couldn’t see her properly before. Now that I’m closer I clearly see she is not only too young to be working in this place, with its stink of stale beer, where she’s probably groped at every opportunity, but that she is also very, very, very beautiful. With a heart-shaped face and one of those swollen mouths that look like she has just given some lucky guy an unforgettable blowjob. Her hair runs down her back in a thick golden plait. It’s so long, it goes all the way to her ass. And what an ass it is. Rounded and full. The perfect ass to grab onto while fucking.

I shake my head. Annoyed.

What the fuck is wrong with me? She’s obviously way too young for me. As a rule I don’t like them young. When they are this young they are too clingy and desperate for love. I like girls who’ve been around the block and understand the nature of the game.

Her sparkling baby-blue eyes jerk towards mine.

She is completely horrified, but as soon as she locks onto my scrutiny, her eyes widen with confusion and some emotion I cannot pin point. For a few seconds she simply stares at me, her entire body frozen, as if the world around her has stopped revolving, and there is only me and her. Then, as if remembering herself, she suddenly tears her gaze away, dropping it down to the ground. Her long, luscious lashes make blue shadows on her silky cheeks. My gaze drifts lower.

Her top is open too low.

Showing off her pert, little breasts and I can’t fucking help myself. The image of me sucking those breasts slams into my head. I shake the stray thought away, disgusted with myself. I hate predators like Epstein.

She’s just a kid. A fragile thing that needs protecting, not hitting on.

How in heaven’s name did I get here?

This is not me. Part of me silently fumes that through no fault of my own I’m now the owner of a loan shark outfit. In an ideal world, I’d never ever set foot in a place like this, but my cousin, Alexei, unable to meet all his financial obligations, ran away and left me with his mess.

So… I now own his business and I’m not sure I like being the owner of thugs like Igor bullying small-time business owner like Larry, or being in the position of saving under-aged damsels in distress that I am disgustingly attracted to. It all leaves a bad taste in my mouth.

“Are you ok?” I ask her.

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