Serena jumped, whipping around with fury blazing in her eyes. "Don't touch me, pig!" She hissed, her face twisted in anger. "You think a few words and a touch are all it takes? That I'll just crumble under your thumb? You have no idea what I've sacrificed for Sirius. None."
Dick didn't flinch. Her outburst wasn't unexpected. He stepped back, giving her space. Serena was a woman who'd invested too much of herself in a man who never saw her worth, and now, faced with Dick's intrusion, all of that bottled-up anger was spilling over.
He smiled. "I understand more than you think," he said, his voice calm, almost soothing. "You've been loyal. Too loyal, maybe. But what has that loyalty really gotten you, Serena? More work? More stress? A man who barely knows you exist?"
Her jaw clenched, fists tightening by her sides. "It's not about what I get," she snapped. "It's about what I give. My loyalty isn't a currency you can manipulate, Dick. I don't expect rewards, and I certainly don't expect validation from someone like you."
Dick raised an eyebrow, a trace of amusement playing on his lips. "Is that right? And yet, here you are, defending a man who's never given you a second glance. You can pretend it's about duty or sacrifice all you want, but I see through it. You're just as human as the rest of us. You want recognition, respect… maybe even love." His voice softened on the last word, watching her reaction closely.
Serena's breath hitched, a brief flicker of vulnerability crossing her face before she hardened again. "You don't know anything about me," she said, but her voice had lost some of its fire. She crossed her arms over her chest, a defensive barrier between her and the truth she didn't want to admit.
Dick took a step closer, keeping his voice low, almost intimate. "You're right. I don't know everything about you, but I do know this—you're wasting your life on a man who's never going to see you the way you want him to. And deep down, you know it too."
Her lips trembled for a fraction of a second before she set her jaw. "You think I care what you think?" she spat, but her words lacked the venom they'd had moments ago. The cracks were showing, the years of repression and denial starting to wear her down.
"You care more than you let on," Dick replied smoothly. "If you didn't, you wouldn't be this angry."
Serena opened her mouth to retort, but the words died on her lips. Her eyes flicked away from his, focusing on the papers strewn across the desk. She was unraveling, and she knew it. All the years of burying her emotions, of pretending to be unaffected by Sirius's indifference, were starting to catch up to her.
Dick watched her carefully, sensing the shift. "You've sacrificed so much for him," he said quietly, his voice dropping to a murmur. "But what has Sirius ever done for you?"
Serena's eyes darted back to him, the anger in them dimming, replaced by something else. Uncertainty. Pain.
"Stop," she whispered, her voice trembling slightly. "Just stop."
But Dick didn't stop. He stepped closer again, his presence almost suffocating. "You deserve better, Serena. You know that. You've given everything, and for what? A thankless job, a man who doesn't care, a life you've convinced yourself is enough because it's all you've known."
Her breath hitched again, tears welling in her eyes as the weight of his words bore down on her. She blinked rapidly, trying to hold them back, but it was clear she was losing the battle.
"Shut up," she said, but it was weak now, more of a plea than a demand.
It was time for the final nail.
"And do you know why he married you off to Marc?" Dick's voice was casual, like he was just recounting an old story. Serena froze, her eyes locking onto his, searching for a hint of deception, something to tell her he wasn't about to shatter the last shred of her carefully constructed reality.
Dick shook his head, a mocking grin creeping onto his face. "It's pity, really. I remember the day it happened. I was playing in his office, hiding in the closet near the door. You know the one—the one stuffed with all the old documents, the contracts, the crap Sirius never looks at?I was supposed to be playing a game. Thought it'd be funny to jump out and scare him. But when Sirius came storming in, I stayed put. He was pissed about losing some big tender, fuming."
"Then Marc showed up," he went on, his tone calm, almost disinterested. "He looked scared shitless, standing there like a deer in headlights. But eventually, he worked up the nerve and said he knew something. Something about Harold Holt—the guy who beat Sirius out on that tender. Turns out, Marc had a little chef buddy working in Harold's house, overheard some things."
Serena's lips parted, eyes widening in shock, the disbelief written all over her face. She didn't want to hear it, didn't want to believe it, but Dick wasn't stopping.
"When Sirius asked what he wanted in return, Marc didn't hesitate. He didn't ask for money, a promotion, or even a favor." Dick leaned in slightly, his gaze locked on hers. "He asked for you."
The room went dead silent. Serena's breath caught in her throat, her hand instinctively reaching for the edge of the desk as if it could somehow steady her.
"He sold you for a contract, Serena," Dick said quietly, his voice devoid of any malice, just cold, hard truth. "Like you were a piece of property, something to be traded for business leverage. And Sirius? He didn't even blink. He agreed without a second thought."
"Not many people know, do they?" he asked, his voice low, almost pitying. "That you didn't marry Marc out of love. You married him because Sirius told you to. You can think I'm lying all you want, Serena, but deep down, you already know the truth."
Her breath hitched, her lips parting as if she was going to argue, to deny it. But nothing came out. She was frozen in place, the shock of the revelation washing over her in waves. Dick didn't press. He let her stand there, staring at him, the truth settling like a stone in her chest.
"Why else would he do it?" Dick continued, taking a step closer, his hand brushing the side of her arm. His touch was light, almost imperceptible, but it was enough to make her flinch. She didn't pull away this time, though. "You think Sirius cared who you ended up with? Think he spent sleepless nights agonizing over who'd make you happy?"
Serena swallowed hard, her eyes still wide, but she didn't respond. Everything Dick was saying was true, and the realization was tearing her apart from the inside.
"No," Dick whispered, his voice softening as he leaned in, his lips just inches from her ear. "He didn't care. He just saw an opportunity, and he took it. That's all you've ever been to him, Serena. A tool."
She trembled beneath his touch, her body betraying her. Dick's fingers slid up her arm, tracing the curve of her shoulder before resting gently on the back of her neck. He didn't rush. He didn't need to. Serena was already his, whether she knew it yet or not.
"I..." Her voice cracked, barely audible. She was trying to hold on, trying to maintain some semblance of control, but it was slipping through her fingers.
Dick's thumb brushed against the nape of her neck, sending a shiver down her spine. He could feel her resolve breaking, piece by piece, and it only made him push further.
"You've spent your whole life trying to prove your worth to a man who never saw you," he murmured, his breath warm against her ear. "But you don't have to anymore. You don't have to be loyal to someone who never gave a damn about you."
Her breath hitched again, her hands shaking as they gripped the edge of the desk for support. Dick stepped even closer, his chest almost brushing her back, his hand sliding down to rest on her waist.
"You deserve better," he whispered, his voice a low rumble that sent another shiver through her. "You deserve someone who sees you for who you really are. Someone who appreciates you."
Serena's eyes flicked to his, her walls were crumbling. "Let go," he said softly, his hand tightening ever so slightly on her waist. "Stop pretending you don't want this."
Her lips trembled, a soft whimper escaping her as she closed her eyes, her body leaning back into his touch. She was giving in. Dick's hand slid up her side, tracing the curve of her body. His other hand found her chin, tilting her head back slightly so he could whisper against her ear. "Tell me what you need, Serena."
She swallowed hard, her breath shaky. "I don't know," she whispered, her voice barely audible, filled with fear and longing.
"You do," Dick countered softly, his thumb brushing against her jaw. "You know exactly what you need. You've just been too afraid to ask for it."
Her body tensed for a moment, her mind racing as she fought against herself. But the battle was already lost. Slowly, hesitantly, she let out a breath, her eyes fluttering open to meet his.
"I need... I need to feel wanted," she admitted, her voice barely more than a whisper.
Dick's smirk was subtle, but there. He leaned in, his lips brushing her ear as he spoke. "Then let me show you what it's like to be wanted."
Without waiting for her response, he pulled her closer, his hand sliding up her stomach, beneath her blouse. Serena gasped, her body arching into him as his fingers traced the skin just beneath her ribs, slow and teasing.
"Shh," Dick murmured, his lips brushing her neck. "Relax."
Serena's breath quickened, her head tilting to the side as his lips found the sensitive skin just below her ear. His hand continued its slow exploration, moving higher until his fingers brushed the lace of her bra, teasing the edge.
"You don't have to be strong anymore," Dick whispered, his voice low and soothing. "Not with me."
Her hands trembled, still gripping the desk, but she didn't pull away. His cock pressed against her shapely ass. Dick's fingers slid up, brushing over the lace of her bra, teasing her nipples through the delicate fabric. Serena gasped, her body arching involuntarily, caught between her shame and the undeniable pleasure coursing through her.
With a soft moan, Serena turned in his arms, her eyes wide and dark with desire. She met his gaze for a brief moment before her lips found his, the kiss desperate and hungry, like she had been starving for this her entire life.
Dick didn't hesitate. He kissed her back with equal hunger, his hands tightening around her waist as he pulled her flush against him. This was what she had been craving all along. Not power, not control—just someone who saw her, who wanted her.
And he was more than willing to give her exactly what she needed. Serena's breath hitched, a soft whimper escaping her lips as his fingers toyed with her, rolling her nipples between his thumb and forefinger, just enough pressure to make her squirm.
A soft moan slipped past her lips, her body betraying her with every touch. She was melting under him, her resistance crumbling with each calculated movement of his fingers. Serena had spent years suppressing this side of herself, hiding behind a mask of efficiency and duty, but Dick was peeling it away, layer by layer, and she couldn't stop him.
"Tell me what you want," he said, his voice soft murmur. "I want to hear you say it."