Page 11 of To Curse A Knight

His eyes darkened at the challenge. He stood tall and assured, his height within millimeters of my own, as though attempting to force me into submission.

I hadn’t bowed to this man in years. Today would be no different.

“She will pull them up for me,” he commanded, eyes full of malicious intent as he dipped his head toward the woman behind me.

“She will not,” I spat. Losing my patience, I yanked them up for him, keeping my face as far away from his sack as possible. I shoved the unbuttoned folds of fabric into his own hands.

“Leave, or I will hand the keys of this entire network to Lane Enterprises, and she can do what she will.”

It was the most dangerous threat I could manage. This man cared not about money or weapons or morals. He had mastered manipulation and would carefully disseminate many rumors to ensure my downfall. But to endanger his business by handing it to an American woman, one with more wealth and power than him?

It was the most revolting premise to his kind of man.

The wrathful hate in his gaze reinforced what I knew in my heart to be true. I was nothing but a sacrificial lamb. His critical mistake was to mislabel me as such—I was the dark wolf in sheep’s clothing, waiting patiently for the kill of a lifetime.

“You are a castrated man,mi hijo. Los débiles. You are no son of mine.”

“As you are nopadre.” I hardened my stare and grabbed his bicep tightly. “Leave, now.”

I shoved him past his captive, who’d remained where she was, despite the door still wide open to the hall.

He hovered in the doorway, disheveled and glowering.

“I am unafraid of making a scene, father.” I levelly met his glare with a calm, patronizing stare. “Leave.”

With a final fierce scowl of loathing, he brushed himself off, then proceeded down the stairs.

Resolution filled me; I had planned on today being my last day on the premises, but I had a responsibility to protect the people under my care. Even if it was to be a temporary measure.

My attention landed on one such person. She’d averted her gaze to the floor, her head bowed in submission.

“Are you alright?”

It was not my nature to care for anyone’s needs but my queen, though I was compelled to ask the question. The woman’s gaze rose to meet mine for a moment before falling back down to the ground.

“Yes.”

Her gesture was compliant, but the assurance was spit out in bitter anger between gritted teeth.

I ignored it. I could not soothe the sting of my father’s venomous bite. But I could grant her leave to escape this place before my parents inevitably turned the safe space into a predator playground.

“I can dismiss you today, with pay. You will not need to see him again.”

Moving around the desk, I grabbed a pen and notepad from the drawer to proceed with just that.

“No.” Her head snapped up, her eyes flashing in a fierce defiance I knew very well. “He doesn’t get that kind of power. I choose to stay.”

I took her in, truly looking at her for the first time in weeks. She was quite striking even in the dim confines of the office. Dark features, thick lustrous hair, broad hips and a lithe, muscular body—still feminine enough to be considered pretty, but with enough of a flair to stand out in a sea of beautiful escorts. She’d come highly recommended from an associate, and my people hired her on the spot.

“Very well.” I dropped the pen onto the desktop. “But I must inform you, I will no longer be needing your services. If you are to stay, you must take a new assignment. I’ll be upping security measures, and I expect you to report if you’ve been treated poorly.”

Long brown lashes blinked rapidly, but her face remained impassive and unreadable. “Yes, sir.”

I gestured to the hallway, dismissing her. “I’ll speak to Rosa today. Please speak of this to no one.”

I ushered her through the doorway and closed it shut, locking it before I sat down behind the desk.

Closing my eyes, I took a moment to center myself and bury the rage simmering below the surface of my skin. There was no time to be angry; I had to remove a few key files and abandon this place with a handful of directives to my top staff. Primarily to enforce the rules, and keep employees safe until my parents rendered them useless.

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