Elias froze in the dark hallway, the glint of unseen eyes pinning him in place. His heart pounded, his hand clutching the sweater that hid the mark on his neck from that creepy doctor. Then Viktor's voice cut through, sharp and commanding. "Elias. Follow me."
Elias exhaled, his shoulders sagging with relief. He'd forgotten Viktor's words that their discussion wasn't over. Heavy footsteps echoed as Viktor moved closer, and Elias stepped back, his back hitting the wall. But Viktor just brushed past, his cedar scent making Elias's head spin.
"You'd better keep up," Viktor said, not looking back.
Elias hurried after him, his legs unsteady as his mind raced with unnecessary thoughts.
'What exactly does Viktor want? Was it about the "date" misunderstanding?'
They reached a massive double door, its dark wood carved with sharp lines. Elias's stomach twisted as he realised that... this was Viktor's room. He watched Viktor press his thumb to a scanner and punch in a code. Elias turned his head away, not wanting to seem nosy.
Viktor noticed, smirking. "Smart," he said, as the door beeped and swung open. "Get in."
Elias hesitated at the entrance, his voice small.
"What? Are you sure I'm allowed in there?"
Viktor shot him a glare, his grey eyes cold. "I don't repeat myself, Elias."
Elias swallowed hard and stepped inside, his sneakers quiet on the polished floor. The room was huge, dark, and grand, with black furniture and walls lined with photos... Viktor with Dante and Dario, laughing, playing, no trace of a wife or mother. Elias looked away immediately. He would never ask about Viktor's past. Not in a million years.
Viktor held out a glass of amber liquid, his expression unreadable. Elias grabbed it without thinking, then froze. "Am I... supposed to drink this?"
Viktor frowned, swirling his own glass. "Throw it out if you want. Your call."
Elias stared at the alcohol, his throat tight. He'd never touched the stuff. At the diner where he worked before, he'd seen drunk guys act like creeps, groping him when they thought they could get away with it. He didn't want to be like them.
But Viktor was watching, so he took a small sip. It burned, going down the wrong pipe, and he coughed hard, tears stinging his eyes.
Viktor laughed, a deep, rough sound that made Elias's face heat.
"First time?" Viktor asked, his smirk softer now.
Elias nodded, wiping his eyes. "Yeah. I'm sorry, Master,"
Viktor clicked his tongue, setting his glass down.
"Let's not waste time. We need rules in this house."
Elias's stomach sank. Rules? He didn't like the sound of that, but what could he do? Viktor was the boss. "Yes, Sir," he said, his voice quiet. "What are they?"
Viktor leaned against his desk, swirling his glass as he spoke. "Rule one: Don't abandon my kids for any date. I don't care who you're seeing." His eyes flicked to Elias's neck, where the sweater hid the mark. "Rule two: Don't take Dante or Dario anywhere without my permission or Gerald's. Rule three: Don't get too close to my kids if you use them to get something. And four..." He paused, smirking. "Don't show up in front of me unless it's urgent. I don't do men."
Elias's chest tightened, his face burning. He nodded, unable to speak. Viktor's words stung, but he couldn't argue with the boss.
Viktor tilted his head, thinking. "One more thing... If you break these rules, you get punished. And I'll decide your punishment. Also... more rules might come later. Do you understand?"
Elias set the glass on a table, his hands shaky.
"I understand," he said softly. "I'll try not to break them."
Viktor's smirk faded. He walked to a drawer, pulled out a small bandage, and stepped close... too close. Elias froze as Viktor peeled the bandage and pressed it over the mark on his neck, his fingers brushing Elias's skin. The touch was warm, sending a shiver through him. "Thank you..." Elias mumbled, his voice barely audible.
"Save it," Viktor said, his tone sharp. "I don't want my kids seeing that mark. It looks bad." He stepped back, his eyes lingering. "That's all. You may leave."
Elias turned to leave, his heart racing, but Viktor's voice stopped him at the door.
"One more thing. Dress the twins well tomorrow. My fiancée's visiting. She wants to meet them."
Elias's eyes widened. The fiancée... the one the twins hated. He nodded, slipping out and closing the door. As soon as it clicked shut, he leaned against the door, touching the covered mark on his neck.
.
Inside the room, Viktor stared at his hand, the feel of Elias's soft, pale skin lingering. He hated that mark, hated the faint alpha scent on Elias. He knew he didn't cover it up because of the twins, but for a reason he couldn't name. Growling, he grabbed the bottle of alcohol and poured another glass.
.
.
Elias collapsed onto his bed, pulling the duvet over his head. Viktor's rules felt like a cage, and that comment about not doing men stung more than it should. It's not as if Elias cared if he slept with men or not... he just felt insulted as if Elias's purpose in the house was to seduce him.
If he could just survive one month, get paid, and go back to his part-time jobs, he'd be free. But the fiancée's visit was tomorrow... and he also had to go to college. He cursed under his breath and fell into a restless sleep.
.
.
The next morning, Elias was in the twins' closet when he heard a crash from the twins' room. He rushed in, finding Dante and Dario wrestling over a tie, their suits half-on, a lamp knocked over.
"Young Masters, calm down!" Elias said, his voice firm despite his tired eyes. "What's going on?"
Dante threw the tie at him, his face red. "You lied to us, didn't you? The reason we're getting dressed is not because of a 'special' guest but because Dad's fiancée is coming! We hate her!"
"Yeah!" Dario said, crossing his arms. "She's the worst. You gotta stop her, Nanny."
Elias sighed, picking up the tie. "Why do you hate her so much?"
"Don't even ask," Dario snapped. "Just seduce Dad or something. Make him forget her."
Elias's face heated, remembering Viktor's words about not doing men. "That's not what kids your age should talk about," he said, trying to sound stern. "I'm not seducing anyone."
"That's what 'that woman' is doing!" Dante said, kicking a shoe across the room. "Why can't you?"
Elias shook his head, forcing a smile. "Look, I'll keep her away from you if that's what you want. Deal?"
The twins exchanged a look, their anger easing slightly. "Fine," Dario said. "But you'd better do it well."
Elias helped them into their suits, styling their hair despite their grumbling. "You look like the mini version of your father," he said, hoping to lighten the mood.
"Duh!," Dante said, but he grinned. "We're our father's son!"
.
In the kitchen, Elias was surprised to find Gerald already cooking, the counters covered with fancy ingredients... steak, fresh herbs, and some sauce Elias couldn't name.
"Morning, Gerald," he said, his voice tired. "You cook?"
Gerald chuckled, flipping a steak. "When the master's fiancée visits, we go all out. No regular breakfast today."
Elias's eyes widened. "I had no idea you could do this."
Gerald shrugged. "You're off to college today?"
Elias hesitated, thinking of Viktor's rules.
"I can skip. The fiancée's coming, so I'll stay and help."
Gerald nodded, a hint of sympathy in his eyes. "Sorry about that. Help me set the table, then."
Elias grabbed plates, his hands shaky from the morning's chaos. The twins burst in, looking sharp in their suits.
"Oho! Look at nanny, Dante. He's so slow!" Dario teased, grabbing a roll from the counter. "Gerald's way better at this."
"Yeah," Dante said, laughing. "He's definitely gonna burn the house down one day."
Elias forced a tired laugh. "Thanks, you two. Real nice."
They set the dining table with fancy silverware and cloth napkins, the room looking like a restaurant. Viktor walked in, his black shirt rolled up to show a tattoo snaking down his arm, his dark hair perfect.
Elias's heart skipped, and he quickly looked away. "Morning, sir," he said as his soft voice was echoed by Gerald's.
Viktor waved a hand, his eyes on the twins.
"You two ready?" he asked, ruffling their hair.
The twins exchanged a look, their faces tight. They couldn't say no to their dad. "Yeah," Dario mumbled, nodding.
The doorbell rang, sharp and loud. Viktor smirked, his eyes glinting.
"I guess she's here already!"
Elias's stomach twisted, his hand brushing the bandage on his neck. The twins glared at the door, their fists clenched.
"I'll go get the door!"
Gerald moved to answer it. After a few seconds, a loud sound echoed from the hall, followed by a woman's sharp curse.
Elias froze, his eyes darting to Viktor, whose smirk never left his face.
'What had just happened? What kind of woman is she?'