New Hire

I took a hesitant step forward, looking left and right.

“Hello?” I asked the empty hallway, feeling like an idiot.

There was only one door at the very end of the hall, and I walked toward it. I wondered what lay on the other side. Would it be Hael’s sister, Adara?

Her purple-haired wannabe-punk ass didn’t scare me for a second. Hael and Loch, on the other hand…

I knew the rumors. That, as CEOs of Req Enterprise, they’d stopped at nothing to build their empire. Stepping on whoever got in their way and flattening them.

They were giants in both the business world and in the physical sense, towering over everyone at nearly seven feet tall.

I braced myself and opened the door.

It was an office, the most enormous office imaginable.

The glass ceiling seemed to go on forever, spilling into the sky. A fireplace sat against one wall, so large it ran the length of the wall.

A large black granite desk and an empty chair sat in front of the window. There was no other furniture or decoration in the room.

“Well, if it isn’t the little thief…” A voice came from behind me. Its drawl was slow, almost bored sounding.

I spun to see a wall slide close as Loch ~freaking~ Dobrzycka stepped inside the office~.~

He wore sweatpants and a hoodie, but no shoes.

He smirked as smoke poured out of an ornate-looking pipe shaped like a dragon.

Though, was the pipe lit? I wasn’t sure. But if not, where was the smoke coming from?

I took a step toward him, finding myself drawn to him; I was curious about him.

I wanted to know more about him.

It was easy to forget his reputation as I stared into those electric-green eyes he shared with his brother.

As he got closer, I noticed that they were almost reptilian, with yellow a starburst pattern growing out from the black vertical slit of his pupil.

“Why am I here?” I asked defiantly, sounding much more confident than I felt.

He walked past me, seemingly disinterested, to lean against the granite desk, still smoking.

I squinted at the pipe. There was something…unnatural about the smoke. No matter how long he puffed, he never had to light it. As if he had a fire within doing it for him.

“For someone who was able to steal from a Dobrzycka,” he said, eyes flicking to mine, “you’re quite slow.”

Any interest I’d felt for him, however fleetingly, instantly evaporated. I felt my nostrils flare with dislike.

He seemed to be reading my mind, because his smirk grew wider, revealing his sharp teeth.

Smoke poured from his mouth. “And quick to anger. Do you have any ~good~ qualities I should be aware of?”

“Says the man who robs the people in this city blind and treats everyone like gum on the bottom of his shoe.”

I couldn’t believe my own ballsiness. I’d said it before I’d had a chance to think through the consequences.

Loch swiftly stepped to me, placing his leg between mine, forcing me to spread my thighs and blush.

“I’m not wearing any shoes, street rat.”

“Don’t talk to me that way,” I said, fuming.

“Is that not what you are? You’re one to talk about thievery. You took something that wasn’t yours.”

“I don’t know what you’re—”

I froze as Loch leaned forward, snaked a finger through the strap of my shirt, and pulled me close. There was something wicked about the way he lassoed me toward him with only the slightest effort.

~And something exhilarating too…~

We were so close I could feel his hot breath dance across my skin, smell the smoke lingering upon his tongue. The scent of a forest fire…

“You’re a bold one, street rat, I’ll give you that.” He smirked. “But lie to me again, and I’ll ~eat you alive~.”

Loch licked his lips and looked me up and down.

His hulking, muscular body loomed over me, and he gave me a domineering smirk.

“Don’t be so timid, street rat. I thought you were supposed to be a fiery little felon. What happened to your flame?”

I took a step back, trying to put distance between us. I didn’t know where my flame had gone, but I sure as hell felt the heat in my cheeks as they began to burn red.

Suddenly, a massive weight dropped behind me, crashing into the ground so hard my legs almost buckled.

It was as if a truck had fallen from the middle of the sky. I spun around, surprised to see not a truck but a person.

And not just any person…

Hael Dobrzycka.

He smiled and flashed his emerald eyes at me. It was unsettling, the way he looked at me as if he knew me.

I looked up. Had he just dropped from the sky? Was ~he~ the loud crash I heard?

There was a snap of fingers, and the full-wall fireplace roared to life.

I rolled my eyes.

~Billionaires and their fancy toys.~

Hael was the opposite of his brother—a coiffed, pretty boy, except for the neon-green-tinted hair. Polite, straight-forward. But also…somehow more frightening for what he wasn’t saying.

What he was hiding?

“Loch, are you being a good host?”

Unlike Loch’s velvety voice, Hael’s was clipped and precise. Fit for a CEO.

Loch shook his head, scoffing. “That’s rich, Hael. Be good to the girl who robbed me and our sister?”

“How did she do it? Or have you not gotten that far?” Hael asked, amused.

“I was about to—”

“Madeline, is it?” Hael addressed me directly, gesturing with his finger to come closer.

I hesitated but moved forward willingly. I couldn’t help myself. It was like my limbs were no longer connected to my brain, like he’d cast a spell over me.

“So, how did you do it? I’d love to know.”

I opened my mouth, planning to keep up the ruse and lie my way out of this shit, but I suddenly felt compelled to tell the truth. Some mysterious force seemed to be moving my lips.

“I just…distracted Loch. And…stole the watch.”

“Yes, but the speed required would have to be…abnormal. Dobrzyckas have…peculiar safeguards against this type of intrusion.”

“What my brother’s saying,” Loch spat, “is that it’s impossible to steal from a Dobrzycka.”

“And yet you did it,” Hael said.

They were circling me now. I did my best to keep them both in my eyeline. I felt like prey being stalked by two hawks. About to be…~eaten~.

I gulped.

“What can I say?” I tried to re-collect my swagger. “I’m fast.”

At this, the two brothers eyed each other, almost like they were having a conversation without speaking a word.

Their mouths twitched.

“No, Hael,” Loch said as if in mid-conversation, “I don’t see it in her.”

“Then you’re not looking carefully.”

“It’s impossible.”

They moved closer, still circling. I no longer felt like I was going to be eaten…but violated. Something about this dance was…sexual. I could sense it.

“What do you two want from me?” I asked, tense.

“That depends on what you are capable of giving,” Hael said.

“She’s quick with her hands,” Loch said with a smirk. “We know that much.”

“But two at once? That’s another level of quick, brother.”

“Whatever it is,” I spat, “I’m not interested; you hear me? I’m sorry I stole your sister’s fucking watch. But I’m not going to bend over and take this bullshit. I’m not scared of you. Either of you.”

There was a fire in my voice I didn’t know I was capable of. It struck both of the brothers silent. They stopped circling me, each eyeing me.

I could feel Loch’s breath on my bare shoulder. Feel their eerie eyes boring into my body.

“She might just do, Loch,” Hael whispered. “Imagine the possibilities.”

“But I’m still not convinced.” Loch looked me up and down. “She’s entertaining at least. Maybe we could use her just for our amusement?”

My breath sped up as I realized I wasn’t brought here to be an assistant or an intern.

These brothers were playing a twisted game, and they hadn’t clued me in on the rules.

I was just a pawn.

“How do we even know she’s worthy?” Loch sneered.

“You’re ever the skeptic, brother,” Hael said, laughing. “Though I’ll admit, I’m not so sure she’ll hold up either. She’s so…fragile.”

I was starting to get annoyed. Why the hell were they talking about me like I wasn’t there?

“Are either of you listening? I’m not—”

Before I knew what was happening, Hael’s hand covered my mouth while Loch’s snaked around my neck.

My breath caught in my throat. I wanted to pull away from them but also push into their hands.

My skin tingled under their touch, and I fought the urge to reach out to them.

“Listen, Madeline,” Hael said. “You owe us a debt for your transgression. One you will repay with service.”

“As our…~entertainment~,” Loch droned.

“That’s right,” Hael said. “If you fight it, you face a lifetime in prison. Or you can do as we say.”

~Fuck. Fuck. Fuck.~

This was terrifying, but something about the way they were holding me, the hotness of their touch, was electrifying.

I’d never felt so alive in my life.

I wanted more of it.

Hael lowered his hand, and Loch released my neck. They both took a step back.

“What will it be?” Hael asked.

I thought of Darshan and Harry. Thought of what was to come of them now that I was in this mess. What Dominic would do to them…

This was my last chance to save my friends. Even if I was beyond saving.

“What…what are you asking me to do?” I asked nervously. “This doesn’t sound like an internship.”

Hael howled with laughter. “Oh, my dear mouse, you really have wandered into the dragon’s den.”

“So fresh and innocent,” Loch said, smiling sharply.

“I won’t agree until you tell me what I’ll be doing,” I said through gritted teeth.

“I think you misunderstand the situation you’re in, mouse,” Hael said. “You’ll do anything we wish, and you’ll enjoy it. I promise you.” His lips curled and parted, exposing his own set of oddly pointed teeth.

“You’re ours to do what we want with, street rat. And we will do what we want.” Loch’s grin was feral, and yet…

And yet, I still wanted his hands on my body. He looked like he knew what he was doing, knew how to pleasure his bedmates.

Would this really be so bad, in the end? I was one of the lucky ones who’d avoided prostitution so far. But this could give me time to save my friends.

“How long would I be under your…service?”

Loch smirked. “Until your debt is paid.”

Well, that was vague. But maybe I could buy some time. Get Darshan and Harry out of town. Away from this hellhole.

“Give me one day,” I said. “To get my affairs in order.”

“And then?” Loch purred.

“Then…then I’m yours.”

I hated saying those words. But I had no choice.

I had no one to turn to—no one to look out for me.

The only person who could get me out of this mess was ~me~.

With another one of those wordless looks, the two brothers nodded and stepped away.

“We can agree to those terms, Madeline,” Hael said.

“See you tomorrow, street rat,” Loch followed, smirking again.

With that, I turned and bolted out of the office, not looking back.