When Belinda woke up, she found herself in an unfamiliar room.
It was dark save for a standing lamp which illuminated the room. And judging by the scent which lingered in the air, it didn't take long for her to understand she was in a man's bedroom.
"You're awake." A voice suddenly called from the darkness.
Belinda suddenly looked up from hearing the familiar voice. Stavros was siting in a corner, watching her.
His suit jacket draped neatly at the back of the armchair he was sitting on. His shirt rolled up to the arm. A few buttons propped opened at the neck. The light from the lamp casting a shadow on his face, making his eyes glow in the night and highlighting the harsh planes of his face.
He caught her looking at him, and she looked away. "What happened?" she asked, avoiding his eyes.
With a simple flick of his hand, the lights came on in the room. He had risen to his full height, and had his hands tucked into his pants pocket, and was watching her curiously.
"You fainted. The doctor said you have not been feeding well and, from what I hear, you have also been working yourself to death."
It sounded like he was reprimanding her, and also like he detested the fact she was working. Belinda huffed. What did he know? If she wanted to make end meets and clear up her debts, then she would have to work like this. She is not doing it because she loved working like that!
Pushing the bed cover away from her body, Belinda swung her feet on the floor, suddenly pissed. "Well, thank you for helping me, but I need to go." She tried to get up, but instantly felt dizzy.
Stavros was at her side immediately. "Sit down," he pulled her down on the bed and pushed an orange juice into her hand. "Drink this."
Belinda did as she was told. She didn't stop until all the liquid in the glass was emptied. Stavros collected the glass from her and placed it on the bedside table. Then he was pushing a plate in her hands. It contained a sandwich.
"Didn't you understand when I said you fainted? The doctor said you have not been feeding very well, and you need to rest." His mouth was a thin line of displeasure.
Belinda didn't feel like eating anything, so she shook her head.
Automatically, his eyes narrowed. "Come on, it's not like it's poisoned or anything." Then he sat down on the bed beside her and tried to get her to eat. He was so close, Belinda's pulse raised out of control. Her body prickled with awareness. Her oxygen trapped in her lungs.
Quickly, Belinda realized that, if she didn't collect the plate from Stavros, he was going to remain there, and if care was not taking, she was going to have a heart attack. So, she snatched the plate of sandwich from him and munched into it. A mighty bite while she kept her eyes on him. Silently praying, he would leave.
Luckily, he stood from there to go and stand in the corner watching her with those intense gaze of his. It made Belinda feel nervous. She pulled her gaze away from him and started looking around his room for want of something to do.
The bedroom was done in gentle gray and silver colors to create a magnificent atmosphere. A trendy crystal chandelier hung over the bed, dangling over a luxurious silvery gray carpet. Belinda noticed a white gauze curtain covering the windows and two enormous paintings on the wall. Gray cushions, mirror, and table.
To put it clearly, the room was simple, yet tastefully designed. He must be having the time of his life.
While Belinda ate her food and looked around his room, she wondered if she should ask him for money.
The money would be a mere change to Stavros. From what she had seen, Stavros was far richer than she could ever imagine. Belinda had thought about asking Stavros for money earlier. Initially when she met him, but there was no way to reach Stavros, and she didn't have his contact, nor did she know where he resided.
Belinda had gone to his office once, but discovered she needed to make an appointment to see Stavros. She had waited all day but had not seen him. Finally, she had decided it was pointless to repeat the event the next day.
Especially when she considered how much money she could have made if she had gone to work that day.
Now, as Belinda thought about asking Stavros for money, for reasons beyond her immediate comprehension, she hesitated. Her hands gripping the bedsheet.
To her utter surprise, Stavros was watching her with a sort of unreadable expression. His eyes missing nothing.
Belinda placed her empty plate on the side table. "I have a favor to ask of you."
"Go on. Ask," he rasped out.
Suddenly, Belinda didn't want to say anything. Those eyes of his were intense, mocking.
He hadn't said a word yet. It felt as if he was saying thousands! Belinda felt so ashamed. The words refused to come out of her mouth.
"Belinda, I do not have all day," Stavros warned. His tone was soft. Dangerously soft.
"I was wondering if I could borrow some money from you."
Leaning away from the wall, Stavros stalked towards Belinda. He didn't stop until he was standing a breath away from her. "What makes you think I will give you my money?"
Belinda tried to placate him. "Come on, you are a good man. Surely, you would want to help someone who is in great need. It will only be, but a mere change to you. And I promise I will pay you back. I just need-" Belinda mentioned the sum.
And after saying that, Belinda winced. She was going about this well, she can tell.
Risking up a glance at Stavros, she noticed he seemed to be fuming.
"And what will I stand to gain from this arrangement?"
What he stands to gain? Is he serious? He can't be serious, right.
Can't he help someone without expecting something in return? Belinda's expression fell, and she became thoughtful. The Stavros she knew would have helped without blinking an eye.
Pushing the thought away from her head, Belinda prepared to give Stavros another speech when she heard,
"I want you to be my mistress. Only in that circumstance will I consider helping you with the money you need."
It took a long time for the words Stavros had spoken to settle, when it did. Belinda leaped out from the bed. "You must be joking, right?" Anger hurtling through her in an acrid flow.
"Do I look like I'm joking to you?"
Belinda studied him, at the determined twist of his mouth and the harsh contours of his face, and realized he was dead serious.
"I won't do it." She grabbed her bag from the foot of the bedside table, nudging him out of the way as she made her way towards the door.
"Then I wonder what will happen to your sister by tomorrow."
"What did you say?" She turned to look at Stavros. Her body quivering in renewed fear. She did almost forget that threat existed.
But how did he know?
"You heard me." Stavros replied.
Belinda was shaking. Her bag slipped from her hand and fell to the plush carpet.
"Oh my God," she cried and quickly sat on the bed, burying her head in her hands.
"You ran a background check on me. I can't believe you," she hurled at Stavros. "You knew I owe money to those scumbags. If you knew what predicament I was in why didn't you try to help?"
"I wasn't obliged to," was his answer. "Beside, I wanted you to come to me on your own. And I wanted you to be desperate."
"Are you saying I played right into your hands?"
He shrugged. "You can say that."
A heavy silence settled in like a blanket, of which, after a few seconds, Belinda said,
"Why? Why would you want something like that? What do you want from me?"
"Isn't it obvious? You were the one person in the world I thought would understand the basic needs of the human body. In the past, you had been drawn to this same need. Finding release and seeking pleasure. I simply want the same thing."
Belinda's brows puckered. Was he referring to that statement she had made seven years about wanting him for his body? Fulfilling her sexual needs. She hadn't even meant any of that. She had only said it to hurt him!
"What I'm suggesting is a union where we both give in to our carnal needs." He paused and surveyed her. His eyes resting on her plump lips. "I know you want me, and I want you more than you can imagine. In exchange for that pleasure, I will clear your debts and do so much more."
Belinda opened her mouth, probably to say some sort of refusal. He must have sensed it because his eyes narrowed.
"Don't make any decision you will regret. Think carefully about what I'm about to offer you before you reject it. I will give you a stipend every month. Foot you with new clothes and a new apartment."
"And in exchange?"
His smile came very slowly. "I can see you're coming around."
Oh God, she can't believe she was considering this. Belinda fisted her hands. But she had to think rationally about this. She'd lied and told those thugs she would bring the money tomorrow. It was already close to 8pm. It's not like if she left here, she had any hopes of securing the money.
"Er...how long do you expect this arrangement to last?"
Stavros lifted a broad shoulder in a fluid shrug. "I'll want you for as long as you provide me with entertainment."
In other words, until he tires of her! Then she will have to do everything to make sure it happened faster.
Surely, he can't be wanting her for that long.
"So what's it going to be?" Dense black lashes lifted over his brilliant dark tawny eyes,, and he managed to look very bored.
Belinda gritted her teeth. "I would do it."
He released a fine smile from his lips.
"But on one condition."
"Shoot."
"I want my mother to start treatment. I want her to quit alcohol, and you will pay for it."
"Done. Anything else you want to add to the list?"
Belinda shook her head. "No."
"Good." And before Belinda could say anything, those silken lips of his pressed with painstaking gentleness on her mouth, and he kissed her with such shocking force and potency that all the air in her body seemed to get trapped in her lungs.
Without further ado, he hauled her against him, hands weaving across her slender back. In a manner that set her body alight with reckless response. His touch consumed her. He touched her as if he owned her.
Belinda was nineteen again, pressing her body ardently against his. She couldn't get enough.
Suddenly, the warmness of his lips was gone.
As she tried to catch her breath and emerge from the sexual spell he had cast, she looked up to find Stavros surveying her with unashamed satisfaction.
"I was right in my assessment."
Belinda's cheek burned with shame. How could she easily have been caught in his trap?
"My lawyers would be in touch."