"Keep that thing away from me, Hector. I will not hesitate to hurt you."
His sharp grey eyes spark with challenge as he comes to a stop directly before me. He's so close that I can feel his minty breath against my face.
"I don't think you have the ability to hurt me, princess. But you can try."
He lifts the rope and in the last moment, out of instant fear, I throw my hands out and yellow sparks shoot from my fingers, making directly for Hector's chest.
"Fuck!" My heart hammers like a runaway train as I cover my face with my hands and shut my eyes.
The silence that reigns in the room seconds later is deafening.
What have I done? Is he dead?
I lift my hands from my face but before I can even form a coherent thought, Hector presses into me and wraps the silk rope around my wrists.
I'm shocked. I'm aghast.
"Wh-what's going on? Let me go! Let goo!"
How the hell was he able to survive the force of my power blast? The last man who was unfortunate enough to get these hands had an instant heart attack and was unconscious for an entire week.
"I'm not your regular Alpha male, princess." His deep voice resonates against my ear. "Now, stay still."
"Never!"
"Your cross."
Despite all my struggling and screaming, Hector still manages to tie my wrists and ankles securely in place.
He steps back to inspect his work and I hate that look of satisfaction on his face.
"Don't think you've bloody won." I snap at him like a petulant child.
I must look ridiculous tied up like a fish for sale on his desk, but the smoky dark look in Hector's eyes as he runs them over my annoyed facial expression and exposed thighs has blood rushing to my cheeks.
"What?" I ask, frowning at him.
He doesn't look away like most men would. He keeps those burning eyes firmly trained on me.
"You're the most beautiful thing I've ever seen. And tied up like that…" he doesn't complete his sentence, but the darkening of his eyes sure as hell does the talking.
He shakes his head and reaches for the first aid box once again.
While he's dabbing at my wound with cotton, my brain is running at a thousand miles per second.
What the hell did he mean by that statement? Does Hector still find me attractive? Did he even find me attractive in the first place?
Anger suddenly erupts deep in my stomach. I tighten my fingers into fists.
This man does not have any right to come into my life and make me feel things I never wanted to feel after betraying me. I hate him.
"Hurry up about it. I've got places to be."
I feel him stiffen above me.
"Is there a problem?"
I look him dead on the eye.
"Nothing much. I just don't like breathing the same air with the person I hate."
Every iota of mirth disappears from his eyes. They go ice cold.
"Okay, then."
Three seconds later, he puts the first aid box away and starts untying me without uttering a single word.
Why the hell is he upset? I should be the angry one, not him.
I hold my peace until I'm free, then I get off the table like my behind is on fire and scurry to the door.
"Open it." I growl when I realise that the door is still locked.
"You know, Athena, when someone does something for you, the least you can do to show your appreciation is a 'thank you.'"
I lift my chin. "Well, I do not remember asking you to do anything for me. And I sure as hell am not appreciative about it. Open the door, Hector."
"Have you thought about my proposal? Will you come home with me willingly?"
I frown.
"The only home I know is New York City. The NightHunters pack has been dead to me for three years. And what do you mean by 'willingly?'"
A horrible feeling weighs on my spirit as I watch him take a seat behind his table like he has all the time in the world.
"You heard me. If you're not ready to come back with me willingly like I asked, I'll have no option but to resort to… measures that you may not like."
My heartbeat instantly accelerates at his icy tone.
"And what are these measures?"
"I'm glad you asked." He picks up a file and scans it. "As stated here, I gave you the sum of thirty thousand dollars to fund your fashion show. I also sent over ten million dollars, which according to the information I've gotten, you've already utilised to pay off your outstanding debts." He closes the file with a depressing "thunk!" and looks down his nose at me.
"Did you read the provisions of this contract properly before making the mistake of signing it, Athena? Or are you not aware that you're not supposed to sign a partnership contract without the presence of a lawyer."
Goddess, my heart feels like it's going to explode.
But Hector is not done;
"There's a clause in this contract which states that I have the right to withdraw my offer within a week after you've signed it." He looks down at his Graff Diamonds wrist watch.
"By my calculation, it's only been five hours, so I'm within my right to withdraw my offer right now. If I do that, you will have to pay back every single penny that I invested in your company."
It feels like the wind has been knocked out of me. For a moment, I can't breathe.
Hector gets to his feet and leans over his table.
"If you do not agree to return to the pack with me, I'm giving you two days, only two days to pay back every single penny I invested in your company.
You and I both know that you don't have that money, Athena, and there's no way in hell that you'll be able to get it in two days.
Think wisely before you make your decision."
It takes a lot of effort to keep my trembling inside. Goddess, what have I gotten myself into?
Hector was right. I was too excited about the offer that I read it myself and signed the contract without a lawyer. And I've already disbursed nine million dollars to pay off our outstanding company debts and purchase new merchandise.
But despite the war going on in my mind, one thing is certain. I will never, ever return to Hector after all the horrible things he put me through. Never.
"Are you really that desperate to have me back that you'd try to jeopardize a business I worked my arse off to establish?" I ask, my voice dripping with disgust.
"How long did it take you to plan this? Weeks? Months?"
Hector doesn't even look bothered.
"It took me a year, actually. A full year."
I blink in shock.
"What?"
"I went looking for you the night you disappeared from the pack, Athena. When I couldn't find you, I kept looking and looking. I never lost hope.
A year ago, I was seating at a business meeting at Le Luxe when I came across a newspaper with your face splashed on the front page. I've been carefully drafting my plan to get you back ever since."
Looking at his serious solemn expression, I'm tempted to believe him. But I've been there, done that. Never again.
"What a wonderfully pathetic story. You can take those lies and shove them up your arse."
He stares intently at me for a long second, then he shrugs.
"You can choose not to believe me if you want, but my deal still stands. Come home with me or return my money."
My throat tightens with anger. "Who yhe hell comes back for the trash he already threw away?"
"Me, princess. I'm just that desperate. And there's absolutely nothing trashy about you"
"What?" I'm shocked at his response.
"I don't think you understand that I would do anything, anything at all, to have you and our children back with me. I'm not joking around."
"And I'm not joking around either!" I snap.
"I struggled alone with those children for three years and I would be dead before I go back with you."
I take a deep breath;
"You want your money back in two days? Then you will get it in two days. I don't care how I do it. I don't care if I literally have to become a whore to make the money, but I'll return it to you. That's just how much I hate you. That's just how much I never want to see your face again, Hector Kensington…"