Page 3 of Taken By the Dark Billionaires

“What are you babbling about?” the man asked, annoyed.

“You’re The Perfect One, my dear. Chosen from only a handful who would kill to be in your position. It’s a privilege, the highest honor any young woman can have bestowed upon her, so we suggest you start behaving accordingly.”

Nothing they said made sense.

But the icy realization that this had nothing to do with her not delivering a package took hold of her and ignited a new level of fear. She had to make them see reason. She was there to apologize to the owners of Basilisk Industries for something else. She was not the perfect one. She was a nobody. Thecompliantgirl, The Perfect One they were expecting, was not her.

“Please, you have to listen to me. I work—" She didn't get to say a word further. Using the butt of his gun, the man slammed it into her cheekbone, sending her reeling backward against the steel cubicle in agony. The immediate throbbing pain in her cheek blinded her, but she refused to cry out.

“We didn’t say hit her. What is wrong with you?” The taller woman said.

“She told me to get her in order,” the man said, pointing to the other woman. “She wouldn’t stop talking about how she’s the wrong girl, so I gave her a physical warning. Next warning will be my bullet.” He bent and picked up the container of cupcakes.

“She can’t be marred, you moron.”

“She’ll be wearing a veil to cover her fucking face. They won’t see it. But look, not a sound out of her now. Didn’t I do as you said? Aren’t you happy now?” He turned his attention to Sutton. “What’s in here?”

Worried she might pass out from the blow to her face or receive something worse if she didn’t obey, Sutton swallowed her protests. She had no idea what she had walked in on, but she needed to stay alert so she could find a way out.

“Answer my question.”

“It’s… It’s cupcakes.”

“You brought them cupcakes?” he sneered.

She didn’t answer.

“You want to poison the Masters? Eh?”

She shook her head and watched as he flipped the lid open and smashed a cupcake before he brought a chunk to his mouth. Chewing loudly, he nodded his head, then ate all six of them in one go.

The taller woman turned her disgusted expression away from the man eating the cupcakes and addressed Sutton before she walked out of the elevator as soon as the doors parted.

“It’ll be over soon, and hopefully, you won’t feel much.”

Chapter Two

How was this happening to her?

What did the woman mean? What was going to be over soon?

The only thing clear to Sutton was that she had to get out of there. If only they would just listen to her, she could have everything cleared up.

“Don’t think I won’t bust up the other side of your face,” the man sneered in her ear as he pushed her along. It was unlike her to hate someone on sight, but she hated the man shoving her forward with all her might. His breath reeked of staleness and vanilla frosting. The combination made her want to gag.

She tried to take note of where they were taking her, but so far, all they did was lead her down a stoned passageway in the basement of the house. No one standing at the front door of this extraordinary house, with its sleek, modern design, would ever guess what was below it. The only words she could use to describe her surroundings were a dungeon from a lifetime ago.

They entered a circular room lit entirely with candles. A group of ten women, also dressed in crimson-colored robes with golden belts at their waists, came toward her. But these women also had their faces covered with a thick veil that only revealed their eyes.

“The Perfect One,” one of the younger women said, coming forward. She took Sutton’s hands in hers. “You’re so beautiful. But what happened to your face?”

“She had a change of heart, and I had to set her straight.” The man behind her snorted.

“I’m sorry,” the woman said, disturbed, as she pulled her aside. “My name is Briella,” she added, smiling. Sutton instantly felt as if she would listen to her. Leaving the rest of the women and the hateful man behind, Briella guided her to a smaller crevice in the cave-like dungeon to a pool steaming with milky water and laden with aromatic flower petals.

“Please, you have to help me. I’m not the person who is supposed to be here.”

“What do you mean?”

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