Where do we go from here? 

I never liked the constant clicking of a pen, but somehow I needed it to help process the thoughts in my mind. 

If I was sure about anything, it would be that Kieran and I had mutual feelings for one another. 

And if I was sure about anything else, was that I couldn't be with a man who dabbled with the mafia.  

It was getting horrifyingly easier to forget about said fact and lose myself in his presence.  

What would my father say? 

Probably something like, “Kieran is a good man Alina, give him a chance. Just because he’s part of the mafia doesn’t mean he’s a bad person. Look at Wilson, he’s a caring bodyguard and I trust him with your life. 

What happened with your mother was an unfortunate accident, don’t let that stop you from finding love. You know your mother will flip knowing that you rejected him because of what happened to her.” 

I sighed and smacked my pen down on the table, even my work as CEO has never been this complicated. 

I pressed the intercom, “Louis, can I have some tea please?” 

“Coming right up.” 

My phone pinged with an incoming message and I tapped on it. 

-Lunch later? Kieran- 

I melt like fucking chocolate because of this man. 

-If I had a personal trainer, I’m sure he’ll be fine with it. And Lucy has suggested a really nice hotel for this dessert. Said the office didn’t provide a proper romantic atmosphere.- 

Oh my God. 

I stared at my screen, then it hit me. 

The fucker just tricked me into having lunch with him. 

I groaned and heard a knock on my door. I let Louis in and eyed him. 

He placed my tea on the table and gave me a cheeky grin, “Where should I put this?” 

He was carrying a huge bouquet of white roses and I pointed to the sofa, “Who sent these?” 

“Your secret admirer I guess, there’s a card somewhere in there. Your ride is here by the way.” 

I looked up at him from the flowers, “Already?” 

His stupid smile widened, “You’re expecting someone?” 

“Well yeah but not till around noon.” 

He chuckled, “I’m kinda hurt Chief. I’m at your beck and call but I don’t even know that you’re attached. It’s okay, I'll let it slide now that I'm in on it. I can keep this secret for you. Just tell your lover to not send roses to the office, it’s a dead giveaway.” 

“I’m not hiding anything Louis and I’m definitely not with anyone. We’re just- We’re just-” 

“Fuck buddies?” 

“Louis.” 

He put his hands up in surrender, “Sorry, my friend instincts came out. I care for you, I’m happy as long as you are.” 

I gave him a hug and went to grab my handbag, “Thank you for the concern. I don’t know what I’ll do without you.” 

“You’ll get Wilson to replace me in a heartbeat.” 

“That’s not true,” I retrieved the card from the bouquet. 

“You know it’s true, be careful on your date. I’ll go sort out your schedules and future roses you’ll be receiving.” 

I scoffed and he left, shutting the door behind him with his annoying grin. 

I shook my head and opened the card. 

I smiled, the idiot didn’t even bother signing off. 

I rode the elevator and strode out to the lobby, seeing a black Mercedes parked out front waiting for me. 

Richard wasn’t there, a different man stepped out of the driver’s seat and opened the passenger door for me to enter. 

My eyes widened and the driver shoved me into the car quickly before slamming the door shut.  

Rough hands held me down and my screaming was muffled by the cloth placed over my mouth. 

Connor flashed a maniacal grin, “Missed me?” 

“What’re you up to?” 

I continued typing. Having lunch with Alina meant that I had to clear off some work, “Trying to send off some emails. Why?” 

Scott settled himself in the seat across my desk and placed his disgusting feet on my stack of papers, “You’re uncharacteristically hardworking. Have a date with Princess later?” 

I shoved his feet off my workspace, “That’s none of your business.” 

“Why so secretive? I'm sure the whole team saw how infatuated you are with her. And it’s not like you’ve not fucked her here before.” 

My eyes snapped up to him, what the hell? 

He stared at me and his mouth fell open, “Holy shit you did, didn’t you?! Kieran! I never knew you to be so kinky! Office sex?! Look at you! I hit the fucking jackpot! Oh good Lord, I have to hit Vegas tonight man, it’s my lucky day!” 

I mumbled a few profanities under my breath and willed for Scott to actually shut up and go to Vegas. The fucker has too much time on his hands. 

“How did you do it? Isn’t Lucy always at her desk? Don’t tell me, did you do it during work hours?! Kieran! She’s 63! You’ll give her a heart attack if you practice debauchery in your office like that! I don’t know how soundproof your room is but I’m pretty sure Lucy can hear Princess through the walls man.” 

I raised a brow, “What’s up with you and calling Alina a Princess?” 

“In my mind, she’s a fucking Princess. The reports online crown her as one of the most beautiful bachelorettes. Plus she’s a multi-billionaire heiress and her father was a high-profiled man. Definitely royalty by ability, not blood.” 

"Did you have to dig up everything about her?" 

"You told me to. I was just following orders." 

"Can you find something else to do? Other than make my life a living hell and annoy the shit out of me?" 

He patted my back, "You're very welcome." 

I could hear some commotion outside my office and turned to the door. 

Scott and I raised our guns at the intruder as my door swung open abruptly. 

Lucy held a hurt and bloody Richard up, her eyes wide with fear. 

Scott ran over and helped hold the old man, "What happened?" 

I walked over and Richard looked at me, "T-They took the car. They had g-guns. They are after her." 

My blood ran cold, "Who are they after?"  

He gulped, "Miss Simmons, they are after her." 

It’s probably a good thing I decided to wear black today, so whatever blood that stained my attire wouldn’t be that visible. 

But on the other hand, it was a bad idea to be wearing a dress. It was much easier for Connor and his goons to rape me if they decided to. 

And the chill in the room went straight to my legs, making my knees shake. 

Fucking Connor, of course he wouldn’t turn the heater on in this pathetic basement. I just hope I could freeze to death before he got his hands on me. 

The sound of metal scraping shrieked through the basement and I would’ve covered my ears if I wasn’t chained to a chair in the middle of the cold space. 

The shrieking ceased and I noticed that it was the sound of the door opening. A figure walked up to me and when he was close, I turned away. 

“Hey babe, sorry I had to leave you here. I wanted to keep you in one of our more comfortable rooms but my boss insisted on keeping you here,” Connor chuckled, one of his goons standing close behind him. 

He didn’t look the least bit apologetic but I couldn’t really be bothered. 

Once Wilson finds out I’m gone, the SWAT team will be in on him in no time. 

He pulled out a chair and sat in front of me, it was only then that I noticed how mangled up he was. His face was badly bruised with several cuts on his cheek and lip, ugly purple marks stained the skin on his neck and whatever was exposed of his arms was either bandaged or swollen. 

“What happened to you?” 

He scoffed and blew out a puff of smoke from his cigar to my face, “You’re asking me? Your boyfriend’s men beat me into this state.” 

I eyed him, “What’re you talking about?” 

“That night Alina, after I pulled that gun on you at the pool. Fucking dick beat me up and threw me out on the street like a dog.” 

How am I supposed to react to this? 

Should I be happy that he got what he deserved? Or should I be pissed that Kieran let his men hurt someone intentionally? 

“Nothing to say?” Connor asked and puffed more smoke at my face. 

I coughed, “So what’s your purpose for taking me in? You want some sort of revenge?” 

He laughed and stood up quickly, the chair falling to the ground with a loud clang. 

“Revenge? Sounds about right, but I want something better.” 

“Something better than revenge? Heck even I want some of that,” I joked. 

He grabbed my chin and made me look at his badly beat up face. He rested his forehead against mine, breathing deeply, “I can assure you babe, you are definitely better than revenge.” 

My heart stalled, “Me?” 

He grinned and straddled me, his hands tangling in my hair, “Marry me and I’ll let Knight go.” 

Anger immediately spiked in my veins, “What did you do to Kieran?” 

He grinned, “I didn’t do anything to him yet baby, don’t you worry. As long as you listen to my demands, I won’t touch him. Scout’s honour.” 

I struggled against him to get him off me, “Why the fuck should I marry you?” 

He got up and ran his fingers across my cheek, “I need the money sweetheart and apparently you have a lot of it." 

"Work for your own money then, I'm not obliged to pay for your debts." 

He grinned maniacally, "You owe me Alina, from the very beginning I tolerated your interfering father and your stupid depression from your mother’s death for your money and body. You were just dumb enough to think I loved you. I was so close to marrying you sweetheart, one day. One damn day! Oh but it's okay, don't you worry. I have the help of a very capable boss and he'll make sure we get married." 

"Well then I guess you're not the only insane person here." 

"Think about it, it's a win for all of us. I can have you and I'll let my boss have the bank as payment for my debts. It's a foolproof plan." 

"You forgot the fact that I will never marry you." 

"Willingly that is. But you see, I seem to have found your weakness." 

My heart stalled, "You wouldn't." 

"You mean Knight? He was the one that broke us up and threw my plans down the drain in the first place. You’ll marry me, give my boss your company and Knight will be left brokenhearted. What do you say?” 

I actually laughed, the regret from loving Connor pierced my heart. How stupid was I to think that Connor was actually nice once upon a time? He was a dick through and through. 

“If this is about you being jealous because of Kieran and me, then I can assure you I don’t even know what the hell we are at the moment.” 

“Stop playing dumb babe, the whole world can see how doe-eyed you two get when you’re together. It’s disgusting, I’ve never seen you look at me like that ever.” 

“Do you smell that? Smells like someone is jealous.” 

Wrong time to make a joke. He slapped me across the face and my head jerked to the side from the force. 

I groaned, the throbbing pain slowly getting numb.  

Connor paced around me, mumbling incoherently, “Fucking hell you bring out the absolute worst in me I swear.” 

I sat up a little straighter, “Don’t worry about it, that energy is all you.” 

His sinister eyes struck me and he stormed back over to me, grabbing fistfuls of my hair in his hands, “Shut it babe, I’m losing my patience with you.” 

The metal door screeched open again and an older looking man entered with his walking stick, a group of men behind him. 

“Connor, that’s not how you treat a lady, much less your future wife-to-be,” the elderly man’s dark eerie tone rang out through the space. 

The lights in the basement flicked on and I could finally see the expanse of it. Dirty cemented floors and walls, fluorescent lights hanging from the ceiling and the old man with his dark piercing eyes. 

They were strangely familiar. 

Connor released his hold on me and stepped away, letting the old man come forward. For someone his age, you could still see his toned muscles and his greying hair actually complimented his dark features. 

“Is this the lady then?” He asked and Connor nodded. 

The old man knelt down to look into my eyes, “You've grown a lot Alina. But exactly what is it about you that makes my boy want to beat my right-hand man up?” 

The darkness swirling in his orbs, it was frightening. 

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.” 

"You're right, she is a stubborn one." 

Instantly I felt Connor grip my neck and squeeze the air out of me. I choked and gasped, feeling my face turn blue. 

When spots invaded my vision, he released my neck and shoved me backwards. My whole chair fell back and my head hit the ground with a thud. I felt dizzy almost immediately. 

My vision blurred and I shook my head to try to focus. 

Connor pulled my chair up and sat me upright. I blinked hard, my mind in a daze. 

Old man started talking again but I couldn't register his words. I felt the cool surface of a blade pressing into my neck. 

It was then I realised he had a dagger at the end of his walking stick. Some spy shit they've got here. 

The sound of bullets going off and the metal door opening made him dig the blade deeper into my flesh. I felt the warmth of my blood drip and I winced at the sharp pain. 

I heard guns being cocked and the intruder's deep baritone rang out in the space, "Another scratch on her and I'll blow your head off." 

My heart pounded, Kieran was here.  

His dark eyes pierced mine, worry flashing briefly on his face before it froze like stone.  

Angry, he was damn fucking angry. 

Connor whipped out his gun but Kieran was much quicker. He fired at Connor's arm and he collapsed to the ground in pain.  

The old man wasn't the slightest bit bothered by the scene. He retracted the knife and twisted the top of his walking stick, pulling out a pistol. 

He pressed the cold metal to my head and I swallowed hard. 

Where the hell was he getting all this spy gear? 

I waited for Kieran to do something, anything. Instead, he stared at the old man in confusion and finally muttered, “Father?”