I’m so engrossed in my new design proposal that I lose track of time. My heart is beating faster when I receive a message from Pyke, telling me he’s on his way.
I stand up from my chair after closing the desktop, then I leave the room that serves as the office of the design team. I’ve never been excited about dinner with him until right now. The clicking of my shoes echoes in the entire showroom where I take the exit to the front door.
A gasp escapes my mouth when I almost bump into a broad chest. My hand instantly flies to my chest to steady my frantic heartbeat. I look up to the person in front of me.
My eyes widen. “Mr. Gray, my apology. I wasn’t looking at my way.” It comes out a squeal.
I move to my left to give him the way. He might go up to the second floor. His hazel eyes trace my face to my lips down to my chest. My face heats with his intense stare. His tongue darts out, licking his lips that gives me shiver in a creepy way at his sudden gesture.
“Cam, don’t you think you work so hard?” His deep baritone voice is playful.
Cam?
“I lost track of time,” I reply politely, looking down to the floor. Suddenly, my phone buzzes-it’s Pyke for sure. “I’m not gonna hold you any longer. Good evening, Mr. Gray,” I say, giving him a smile.
“Cam, wait,” he calls before I can take a step.
I stop and face him again. “Yes, sir?”
“Cut the formality, Cam. It’s just you and me now. I’m glad I catch you before you go. Let me send you home, but let’s have dinner first,” he says, gesturing his hand to walk with him.
“Um, I’m sorry, Mr. Gray, I-I mean, Aaron, but my friend is probably waiting in the parking lot right now.”
“Are you and Hughes fucking together?” he asks with his eyes narrow to crinkle slits.
My eyes widen in surprise as his question caught me off guard.
His features suddenly change from soft to dark and about to grow horns. His evil eyes squint intently at me. His hard jaw clenches and his nose is almost flaring.
“E-excuse me?” My throat dries instantly while my heart is pounding hard in my chest.
“You heard me, Cam. Did he fuck you hard enough?” he seethes. His voice is lethally sharp as a knife.
“I-I really should go,” I rush the words out.
I quicken my pace away from him, but my four inches high heels don’t help me from doing so. My legs wobble with every step I make. My sweaty hands tremble as I grip my purse tightly to my chest. This place is so quiet that I can hear his strong footsteps echoing at my back. I’ve never been so scared in my entire life until tonight.
“You know what?” he pauses, chuckling sarcastically. “I hired you because of him…” he trails off.
My feet stop before my brain commands.
“You know you are not qualified for the job, right? You sucked during the interview, but because of Pyke Hughes, the notorious motherfucker, I was curious why did he call me, and asked me to give you a job. Honestly, you suck at what you do! And you’re just an ordinary girl, but now, I know the reason why, because you are fucking him. Your mouth must be so talented in sucking his dick. You must have a tighter ass if he’s still keeping you. The Pyke I knew never fucks a woman twice and never gives a damn shit even the woman tries killing herself in front of him!” The bitterness wrenches in each word that leaves his mouth, and it’s like poisons spreading fast into my veins.
Despite the fear crawling up my skin, I manage to turn around to face him. I blink back the tears and press my lips together. His hard and evil penetrating stare rakes me with disdain. The unrestraint anger on his face makes me cower.
Why does he hate Pyke so much? What Pyke did to him to make him do this to me?
“W-why are you telling me this?” I choke, swallowing hard the bitterness rises up in my throat. I lean my free hand to the black car on my right for support.
“I wanted to show him that I can do better than him. He can’t always get what he wants and that you don’t belong to him,” he hisses, taking another step closer to me. “I’ll show you how to be thoroughly fucked, Cam.”
Panic streaks through me. I take wobbly steps back.
What took him so long? I mentally beg for Pyke to appear. Second ticks like forever.
“I don’t belong to Pyke, Mr. Gray, and I don’t belong to anyone.” My lips tremble.
“Liar!” His strong large hand connects my face with a hard sickeningly loud smack causing my head to jerk and my sight to spin. My purse falls to the floor as my hand instantly on my warm face in reflexive response. I wince in pain and startle a little bit.
He pushes me hard, making me stumbles. I lose my balance, almost falling back to the floor, but my back hits the car that serves as my support to keep standing.
It happens so fast for me to realize what he did to me. Aaron Gray slaps me.
I cry out as his strong hand grips my throat firmly leaving me without air. My teary eyes widen in fear while gulping and gasping to breathe.
Despite the fear, I thrash and back trying to dislodge him. My fingernails dig harder into his hands to loosen his grip. I use the air left to scream, but nothing comes out.
He presses his body against mine, grinding his hard erection against my lower belly. Tears slip my eyes as I struggle hopelessly.
“Can you feel this? I enjoy watching you beg for life to fuck you, bitch!” he hisses each word through gritted teeth.
His eyes glimmer with anger. His free callous hand travels down between my thighs, slips under my skirt until it reaches to where he wants them to be. He forces his fingers into me, as deeper as he gets causing me to silently cry in pain.
Desperation to breath take over me, my lungs burn in pain. My edge of vision goes dark.
Beep…
While my eyes still close, I breathe deeply, listening to the beeping sound of the monitor that matches my heartbeat. Curiosity pries my eyes to fully open.
I’m breathing. I’m still breathing.
How am I still alive?
I slide my eyes sideways to see Bianca slightly frowning while looking intently at the monitor.
“B,” I whisper in a raspy and hoarse voice. My throat hurts like I swallowed broken glasses as I speak.
Her head snaps at me with wide eyes, then smiles. “Oh, my God, you’re awake!” She launches herself at me, giving me a tighter hug.
“I thought I’d die without taking a sight at my niece or nephew.” Tears escape my eyes. I cry on Bianca’s shoulder as she rubs my back. I can feel she’s also crying.
“I’m so sorry, Cam. For everything. We shouldn’t hide that from you.” Sadness and pain fill her eyes.
“It’s alright, B. Now I realize that life is too short to dwell on the past and crappy things that we can’t change.” I wipe her tears from her face.
The door swings open, my cousin emerges with a luminous glow of happiness in his eyes. He literally runs toward my bed.
“Cam, Jesus Christ!” He hugs me tighter, running his fingers through my messy hair.
“I’m sorry, Kill, if I made you worry.” I cry even harder on his arm. His warm body gives me comfort.
“Hush, Cam. Everything will be alright, okay? I promise you that,” he ensures as he pulls himself away from me, kissing my forehead.
“That bastard won’t get away for what he did to you.” His voice sounds determined.
I bite lip, wiping the tears of remorse that floods in my eyes.
You suck at what you do! You’re an ordinary girl!
“Hey, it’s alright.” Kill tries to calm me down, giving me a tight smile.
“How did I get in here?” I manage to ask him.
“Hughes,” he answers while his jaw clenches. “How did he end up in your office building, Cam? I’m glad he was there, but don’t tell me it was a coincidence.” Kill shoots me an unrelenting stare, searching for an answer.
“Kill, don’t you think it’s too early for your interrogation? That can wait. What is important is he came and rescued Cam on time. She could’ve ended…” she hesitates, “…I don’t wanna think about it.” Bianca blows a shaky breath.
“Yeah, I was thankful that he arrived on time, otherwise that asshole might have done horrible things to her,” he replies to Bianca, then his eyes back at me, shooting me a hawkish gaze. “Are you sleeping with Hughes, Camila?”
I’m caught off guard by his question. I flinch, and his icy words hit my bone. My heart thunders in my chest while I think of what to answer.
Kyland swallows hard, suddenly stands up from the bed and breaths heavily with hands on his hips now pacing back and forth. Simultaneously, the door swings open, revealing the stunningly gorgeous, Pyke. How can he look so handsome even with additional bruises on his face?
My heart hammers in my chest when Kyland launches towards Pyke, throwing him a punch directly on his face. Pyke staggers backward causing his head to slam against the wall.
I jerk and yelp involuntarily at another strong blow from Kyland’s fist.
“Enough!” Bianca yells at them, but Kyland doesn’t seem to care-he is consumed by his rage. Pyke manages to block his punch with his arm, trying to cover his face, but he doesn’t fight back though.
“I said, enough!” Bianca shouts again.
“Get the fuck away from here, asshole! I trusted you with my life, with my cousin, yet, you used her behind my back. I quit, you are not my boss anymore!” Kyland breathes heavily, shaking his bloody knuckles.
Pyke manages to stand on his shaky feet, wiping the blood out of his mouth. “I’m not going anywhere,” he mumbles.
“What did you fucking say?” Kyland roars.
“Enough!” The burning sensation grows as I yell at them. I slide myself out of the bed after removing the things attached to me.
“Stop and act like normal people. You’re both in the hospital for…” I swallow the ache. “… for g-god’s s-sake!” I rub my aching throat while I wince in pain.
They all grimace in response while looking at me.
“Stop talking already, Cam, the doctor said you need to rest and not to swear and shout around,” Kyland orders, then look at Pyke. “Hughes, just get the fuck out, and I don’t wanna see your face around, especially with Camila. You’ve already caused her so much pain. Why did you let her work with that asshole if you knew he’s a sadist?”
“How did I know, asshole? I didn’t fuck him. Don’t you think I will let Camila get near him if he is a sadist like what you said? For fuck’s sake, I don’t wanna see her get hurt, or worse seeing her being molested by that psychopath! I can’t stand…” he chokes, “… I can’t even stand watching her in that position.” His eyes glance sideways until they meet mine with hollows of sadness, then pulls the door open, rushes his way out, slams the door, and leaves us all in stunned silence.