INDEBTED To A Tyrant King

She is Mine

Summer

Next morning came too soon and I woke up disoriented and frustrated. My heart was hammering, my body was drenched in cold sweat and all I could remember was a pool of blood from the dream, this time the man from last night was looking up at me through glassy eyes. I knew it wasn't a dream as much as it was a memory and I shuddered still clutched in that horrific dream. I jumped out of bed, pushed the dream at the back of my mind and made my way to the bathroom.

Almost an hour later, I locked my front door and walked down the stairs. My phone was glued to my ear as I talked to my sister and it was the only reason that it took me a moment to realise that there was a man standing beside a black Escalade in front of my apartment building. “I’ll call you later. Take care. Love you.” I said into the phone and stopped in front of the man that I hadn't ever seen before. I should've been afraid, considering that I had just gotten a visit from the Russian mafia boss not a week ago. But I recognised the Escalade so I knew whose man he was.

“Miss, I am here to drop you at work.”

“Tell your boss I don’t need a driver,” I said as I sidestepped him and started walking in the direction of the bus stand.

“Miss, I have my orders.” The man said from behind, as he walked toward me. When I didn’t say anything, he added, “Please, Miss, I could lose my job.”

I stopped. Not because he’d lose his job, but because there was a possibility that he’d lose his life too and I knew that Gabriel Wolfe was animal enough to do that. With a silent curse, I turned around and made my way to the car. As I slid on the backseat, I glared down at my phone still clutched in my hand, the fact that I didn’t have his number irritated me. When my new driver slipped inside, I said, “Give me his number.”

The man looked at me through the rearview mirror and replied, “Sorry, Miss, but I don’t have his number.”

Of course. Why would some foot soldier have his number. “How the hell do you contact him then?” I asked.

“Through Mac.” A pause, then, “I can give you his number.”

A minute later with Hulk’s number programmed in my phone, I sent him a text in all capitals. “TELL YOUR BOSS TO STOP BEING A PRETENTIOUS ASSHOLE, I’M NOT HIS TO MANAGE.”

Almost a minute later I got a text from a private number. “May be, not yet. But soon enough.”

I almost stab the screen as I sent the middle finger emoji back, not needing for a divine intervention to tell me who texted me. Instantly I got a reply.

“Classy, Little Red.”

Making a face at my phone, I was about to slip it inside my purse when another text came through. It wasn't a private number, but I didn't recognise it. And when I opened the message, the two words I read made my blood ran cold. “Tick Tock.”

By the time the car pulled up in front of Ryan Enterprises, I had already worked myself in a bind. I went through the motions without realising. I murmured a thanks to the driver and heard him reply, “I’ll be here waiting, Miss.” I didn’t answer him, I was too busy thinking about the fact that it had been more than two weeks and the Russians were reminding me of the time that has already passed. And on that thought another came, the words Gabriel had said last night, 'let's pray the Russians don't start sending you tidbits of your father.' And that only soured my mind more.

As I walked inside the building, I was too aware of every presence around me. I had almost convinced myself that one of the Russians were just waiting for an opportunity to pounce on me. I slightly turned to my left, looking around myself, trying to see if any person here looked like he wouldn’t mind breaking into houses and threatening women around for money owed by their father but all I could see were men milling about in expensive suits.

I turned back around and screamed. “f**k, Winter! You scared me!”

“Me? Me!!” I screeched. “I wasn’t the one creeping up on you.” I said, still rattled, as I placed my hand on my racing heart.

“Well, what happened, you look spooked?” Arjun, Ryan’s best friend and my good friend too, asked.

“Its just nothing.” I shook my head, willed my body to relax. “I was just lost in my mind. So what are you up to?” I asked as we started to walk toward the bank of elevators. “Any new sexy lady I should know about...” I wiggled my brows at him.

“No. Not at the moment.” He replied, his eyes giving me a once over and he added, “But I wouldn’t mind proposing the one in front of me.”

“Oh, shut up…” I rolled my eyes at him. It was an ongoing joke between us, he’d flirt and sometimes I’d flirt back. But no matter how many times I convinced myself that I should give it a try, the problem was Arjun never made me feel what I knew I should feel for someone to go forward with. “What about your exotic club?” I questioned. “Surely there must be someone.” Arjun owned a club, not a normal one. Rose had told me in passing which kind of club it was. And many times I had considered visiting, but never found enough nerve to actually go there.

“Nope. For now, I’d prefer myself a redhead.” He said, his eyes playful. “I had to admit it, I was quite surprised to see your designs when you were so…” He looked down at me, intentionally letting his gaze linger on my black sensible a-line skirt that fell past my knees and on my grey shirt.

“So boring, you mean?” I asked, finishing for him as we both entered the elevator. Because I knew what I presented. Even though, I had let my natural hair color to be shown in all there glory, I hadn’t been able to cast off the sensible clothes I had started wearing after coming to New York. But yesterday… yesterday, when I had gone to meet him, I had worn what I wanted without a second thought.

“Not boring per se, but yeah, more like sedate and one who follows the rules, whereas your designs are risqué and almost erotic.” Arjun replied, as the elevator doors opened and we reached our floor. Besides being Ryan’s best friend, he was also his advisor and head of many projects so most of the times we worked alongside.

“I don’t know I should be offended or take it as a compliment.” I said, making my way to my cabin.

“Oh, you should take it as a compliment. By the way, drinks tonight at our regular hangout?” He asked, as he stopped at the workbench where all the notes were posted for what’s coming in the upcoming week.

I gave it a thought and I surely shouldn’t engage in a time to let loose when my life was falling apart, but I needed it more at the moment so I said, “Only if you are buying them for me.”

“You got it!” Arjun replied back, already sorting out through the envelops and post it notes.

Gabriel

For the hundredth time I looked down at the text messages Mac had forwarded me and the one I got from her. My feisty Little Red sure got spunk in her, but as much as she tried at the end of the day she'd be mine, whether she wanted it or not.

“Are you even listening to me?” I looked up at Mac who was watching me with a strange expression on his face, as if he didn’t know what to do with me.

I slipped the phone back in my pocket and responded, “Of course, I am listening.”

“Dinna look like it.” He muttered, his tongue slipping into familiar brogue. Even years later he hadn’t managed to hide it as effectively as me.

“What do you propose?” I asked, because even though my eyes were on the phone screen I was hearing what he was saying. The Russians were double crossing us, and now they were trying to tie their knots with Italians against us. I won't let any son of a b***h get one over me, I hadn’t worked my way through streets to the throne now I sat on just to lose it all.

“We have to go back home.” Mac said, his eyes boring into me. We both know what he wasn’t saying. “We can keep our men on her for the time being.”

“And why do you think I’d do that, Mac?” I asked, genuinely curious, even though inside I stiffened already planning what to do to make him pay for even suggesting it.

He sighed. “I knew you won’t, but I couldn’t help myself from suggesting.”

“Every time someone gives me an unnecessary advice my fingers itch to pull the trigger.” I let the threat settle in. It didn't matter to me if he had been my only friend, more like a brother to me, since we left our home, but I’d never let anyone decide for me what I do.

“Sorry, boss. I just didn’t want you to get distracted.”

“I have let this cartel, and his legacy, take almost everything from me. But no more, I am f*****g done waiting. She is mine, which means she’ll be by my side.” Every word out of mouth was a vow in itself. And I meant every word. I was done waiting.

Mac, or as she said- the Hulk, looked down at the floor and I sighed, stood up from my chair and said, “Round up the men, we will leave for New Orleans soon and collect all the information about the Russian boss, I even want to know the name of the last dog he owned.” As I passed by him, I put my hand on his shoulder just to show him that he was still my friend. But as I reached the door, I paused and said, “And, call the Coastline Residential Rehabilitation, ask about their newest addition. I need weekly reports.”

Hope you guys are taking care of yourself, because this lockdown isn't agreeing with me no more. Aka, now suffering from fever since last two days. There might be some delay in the next update, try to be patient.

Thank you. 

And hope you liking Summer and Gabriel so far. Hearts and love.