My hands were freed first before the scarf was taken from my eyes. The ropes fell away, leaving my skin raw and red where they had bitten in for so long. A rush of air hit me, and then I was yanked up from where I had been tied to the cold, rusty metal rod. My knees were weak, trembling so badly I almost sank back down, but then—
"I saw him."
The words slipped from my lips before I could stop them. My eyes widened as they finally adjusted to the dim light, and I saw the man they all called the boss.
He was a giant of a man. His presence filled the room, as though even the walls leaned back to make space for him. Long, black hair fell past his shoulders in waves, and his face was carved in hard lines that looked as if they had been set there by years of power and command. His eyes—dark, fierce, and unyielding—locked on mine, piercing through me as if he were peeling away every secret I had ever hidden. My chest tightened. It felt like I had wronged him in another lifetime, like I owed him a debt I had never agreed to pay.
"Stop staring and move!" Caleb barked from behind me, his voice slicing through my thoughts like a blade. He shoved me roughly, his hot breath against my ear. "Or should I tie you back?"
I turned my head slightly to look at him. Caleb fit every image I had pictured of a street thug: not tall, with messy blond hair that looked like it had been dyed in a hurry, and a patchy beard that made him look more worn than fierce. His eyes, however, were cruel enough to send a shiver through me. He grabbed my arm like a lifeless object and dragged me across the concrete floor toward a chair.
My heart pounded harder with every step. Sitting at the center of the room, waiting as though he had all the time in the world, was the boss himself. He didn't move, didn't blink, just watched me with those sharp eyes until I was pushed down onto the chair.
"What's your name?" His voice was deep, commanding. It rolled across the room like thunder, impossible to ignore.
I froze, my lips parting, but no sound came out. My fear strangled me, making every word stick in my throat.
Then his palm slammed against the table with a loud, echoing bang! The sound rattled through my bones, jolting me into speech.
"My name is—" My voice cracked. I swallowed and tried again. "Katrina Jones… but my friends and family call me Kiki."
He leaned back slightly, repeating the name as if testing its weight. "Kiki."
Hearing him say it made my head snap up. My eyes locked on his face, searching for a clue of what he meant by speaking it that way. His gaze lingered on me, sharp and unreadable, as if he were waiting to see how I would react.
"So I will call you Kiki, then," he said flatly.
I couldn't stop the small gasp that escaped my lips. The way he said my name—firm, possessive—made it feel as though he had just claimed a part of me.
"Continue." His voice cut through the thick silence, demanding more.
My chest rose and fell quickly, but I obeyed. "I'm just twenty-one years old. In my second year at university. I study mathematics…" My eyes flickered to the pistol lying carelessly on the chair beside him, its dark metal gleaming under the light. Fear made my words tremble. "I'm an only child. I… I live with my parents."
A laugh burst out from Godwin, harsh and cruel. "So your parents will have no child now."
The words stabbed into me like knives. My whole body shook. Tears blurred my eyes as I clasped my hands together. "Please… please don't kill me," I begged, my voice breaking. "I swear I won't say anything. I didn't see anything. I'm innocent. Please, I beg of you."
Caleb stepped closer, his shadow falling over me. "You've seen our faces," he said coldly. "You've heard our names. There's only one option left—"
My breath hitched painfully, and I gasped for air, the room spinning.
The boss raised his hand slightly, silencing Caleb with nothing more than a gesture. His eyes never left me. "There is another option," he said calmly, his tone steady and unnerving.
I lifted my head, hope and fear tangling inside me. "Anything," I whispered quickly. "As long as I don't have to kill anyone. As long as I can live."
For the first time, the corner of his lips curved—just slightly, the faintest trace of a smile. His men stared at him in shock, waiting.
"Unless…" His gaze darkened as it fell on me, steady, deliberate. "You become my girlfriend."
The words rang in the air like a bell.
The room froze. His men gaped, exchanging startled looks. Caleb frowned deeply, Godwin scoffed, and Clinton let out a sharp hiss between his teeth.
As for me—I stood there, motionless. My mouth parted in disbelief, my mind refusing to catch up with what I'd just heard.
"Girlfriend?" I echoed.