"Blackwood, let go! You're hurting me... You're gonna break my arm! Let go!" Sienna's voice cracked from the pain, her screams echoing down the silent service corridor. "Help! Somebody help me!"
"Keep screaming, Sienna. Go ahead," Julian growled, his voice vibrating with a lethal, terrifying edge. "But get this through your head—in this city, nobody is coming to save you from me."
Sienna's face drained of color. The iron grip on her arm tightened until she winced, and his other hand—devoid of any gentleness—clamped onto her jaw. He forced her mouth open, the raw, savage power behind the move cutting off any chance of a coherent plea.
Julian's fury rolled off him in waves. In the dim light, his handsome face looked like a judge sentencing someone to hell. "Listen to me, you little brat. You only get to act out when I allow it. Do you understand?"
Sienna felt a white-hot flash of pain shoot through her jaw. She could only stare back with wide, terrified eyes, blinking rapidly to signal her surrender. The man is a psychopath, she thought. Is he trying to shatter my face?
"Don't think for one second that just because you're pretty and you've been in my bed, you get to act like a brat. If you really push me, I won't just ruin the Thompsons—I'll bury the Zhangs' entire future just to blow off steam. You want to see what it's like to have your life burned down? You want to see what it's like to be out on the street with nothing?"
Every word hit her like a serrated blade. She was just a college student. If this man hadn't backed her into a corner, she never would've had the guts to scream at him like that.
Julian's hawk-like eyes bored into her pupils. He could handle a little back-talk if it was playful, but if she actually tried to challenge his authority, he wouldn't hesitate to crush her.
The fire in Sienna's eyes died out, replaced by a deep, hollow dread. She knew exactly what Julian Blackwood meant in New York—he was the God of the 1%, the man who held the deeds to everyone's lives.
Julian let out a cold snort and released his grip on her face, only to snap a hand around her wrist and drag her out of the locker room.
"What are you doing? Let me go..."
The rest of her protest died in her throat when he shot her a look that could freeze the Hudson. Sienna followed him like a broken doll, stumbling over her own feet. Julian's strides were massive; she practically had to jog just to keep from face-planting on the floor.
Her jaw felt numb. She cradled her face with her free hand, convinced her jawbone had actually been cracked.
Julian hauled her out of the Conrad. Sawyer, his assistant, was waiting by the curb. When he saw them, he let out a subtle sigh of relief and stepped forward.
"Boss."
Julian didn't even look at him, heading straight down the marble steps with Sienna in tow.
Sawyer followed close behind, his mind racing. If Julian was in such a hurry to "finish the job," why wasn't he taking her to the Presidential Suite upstairs? Why were they heading for the garage?
A black Cadillac Escalade was idling at the curb, the valet standing at attention. Sawyer was on it instantly, pulling the heavy door open.
Julian stopped at the door and looked at Sienna, who was shrinking into the shadows. His patience was officially zeroed out.
"Are you getting in the car yourself, or do you want to spend the night out here and 'walk' back to campus?"
Sienna fought back tears, her voice thick with a sob. "Where's Mira? Where's my friend?"
Julian paused, seemingly surprised that she could still give a damn about anyone else right now.
Sawyer cleared his throat and stepped in. "Miss Thompson, don't worry. I've already arranged a car to take Miss Mira back to her dorm. I give you my word, she's perfectly safe."
In reality, Sawyer just wanted the girl out of the way so his boss could handle his business. Julian gave Sawyer a quick nod of approval, and Sawyer felt a tiny surge of pride.
"Get in," Julian said, his voice dropping slightly, trying to dial back the intimidation.
Sienna stood her ground, resisting the pull of his hand with every ounce of strength she had left.
Julian's face clouded over instantly. Sawyer watched, heart in his throat, thinking: Is this girl crazy? She hadn't inherited her stepfather's talent for kissing ass, that was for sure. He'd never seen anyone push his normally cold-blooded boss to the edge of an absolute meltdown like this.
"I'm going to count to three."
He didn't even get to "one." Sienna grit her teeth and climbed into the SUV.
Julian's mouth twisted into a ghost of a self-mocking smile before he climbed into the back seat after her.
The door clicked shut, and the heavy, expensive silence of the cabin made Sienna's skin crawl. She curled into the far corner, every nerve ending on high alert.
Julian glanced at her, his tone dripping with mockery. "Relax. You really think I'm in the mood for round two right now?"
Sienna's face flushed red, then went pale. She dug her nails into her palms.
"Julian Blackwood!"
Julian winced as her scream echoed in the tight space. He rubbed his ear, his voice suddenly turning eerily smooth. "I'm right here, Miss Thompson. You have something to say?"
"If you weren't the boss of that scumbag Zhang, do you think I'd put up with a person like you for even a second?"
Julian turned to her, a playful, dangerous glint in his eye. "And if you weren't the woman I chose, do you think I'd put up with you acting like a feral cat in the back of my car?"
"I am not 'your woman'! Mr. Blackwood, keep your word! Does your board of directors know you're a liar? Does the Wall Street Journal know?"
Seeing her fall apart only seemed to make Julian more relaxed.
"How exactly have I broken my word?"
"You!" Sienna's lips went white. "That night at the hotel, you promised! You said we'd go our separate ways and act like nothing ever happened!"
Julian watched her play the part of the accuser. He looked like he was actually considering it for a moment, then arched a brow with total nonchalance.
"Sienna, sweetheart... you really shouldn't believe the things a man says when he's in bed."
Watching her freeze—watching her entire body start to shake with pure, unadulterated rage—finally cleared the heavy weight Julian had been carrying all night.
Sienna stared at him, her voice coming out as a hissed whisper. "You are a disgusting, low-life, narcissistic creep. You're just an old pervert who uses his power to trap girls who can't fight back."
She felt like she'd been shoved into an abyss by the very people who were supposed to protect her. She was losing, and she knew it. That was the price of having a mother and a stepfather like hers.
Julian's expression went cold again. The car felt like it was filling with a dark, violent energy.
"There's a phrase you should learn, Sienna—watch your mouth."
Sienna took a deep breath, looking at his sharp, chiseled features. Her lips moved, but she stopped herself. She just clamped her mouth shut and stared out the window at the blurred lights of the city, her gaze fixed and defiant.
Before Julian, she was a girl who actually liked Manhattan, someone who thought she had a bright future.
Now, he was like a storm cloud that wouldn't move, blocking out the sun and leaving her world cold and grey.
Julian's gaze remained icy, the weight of his status pressing down on the small space.
Finally, Sienna couldn't handle the suffocating silence anymore. She was the first to turn away.
The car fell into a weird, dead quiet. Up front, Sawyer considered saying something to break the tension, but wisely decided to keep his mouth shut.
After a long time, Sienna let out a faint, bitter mumble.
"You're only big and bad because you're the head of the Blackwood family... if you were just some regular guy..."
Julian's lips curved into a cold, arrogant smirk. She's small, but she's got more fight in her than a Brooklyn stray. Breaking her was going to take some time.
He stretched his arms out, resting them casually across the back of the seat. Sienna immediately lunged forward, terrified of even brushing against his sleeve.
"I guess God really does have favorites," he chuckled. "He gave me the silver spoon, and then he put you right in front of me. Tell me, Sienna... don't you think that's destiny?"
"I just hope you get so full of yourself that you walk in front of a yellow cab and get knocked off the Manhattan Bridge!"
Julian's hand shot out, catching her jaw again. His sheer presence cut her curse off mid-sentence.
"Careful, baby. I'm not a charity case. I don't just sit back and let people put hexes on me."
His voice was soft, almost a whisper. He stared at her face, slightly distorted by his grip, for a few seconds before letting go, looking satisfied.
"If God loves you so much," Sienna spat back, "then shouldn't he bring you up to heaven to be with him sooner? Am I wrong?"
Julian looked at her, a spark of genuine interest flickering in his eyes—a look he didn't even realize he was giving her. A feral cat with a sharp tongue.
"If that day ever comes," he leaned in close to her ear, his voice a low, dark silk, "I'm taking you down to hell with me. I wouldn't want you wandering around up here all by yourself, complaining about the world."