Page 25 of Dark Possession
I smirk as I pull my trousers back up, fastening my belt with slow, deliberate movements. I have a meeting soon, and normally, I’d be focused on business.
But now?
Now, all I can think about is what will be waiting for me when I get home.
My fingers flex as I adjust my shirt cuffs, my mind already working through how to make this meeting as quick as possible.
Because I know exactly how I plan to spend my night.
And she won’t be walking away from me so easily next time.
An hour later, I lean back in my chair, fingers wrapped around a glass. The room is dim, shadows cutting across Koka, who sits across from me. He’s one of mine, but tonight, he’s also the reason for the unease scratching at my brain.
His smirk grates on me as he speaks. “I upped the price. A hundred grand now. The girl already paid fifty, but we managed to squeeze her for another fifty. Which, of course, benefits you, boss.”
I don’t react, don’t move, though my grip tightens around the glass. My face remains unreadable, but inside, I’m already picking apart his words. Fifty was the debt. That was the deal. No one mentioned doubling it. No one ran it by me.
“When exactly did we decide to up the price?” My voice is even, controlled, but I watch him closely, noting the slight shift in his expression.
“Yesterday,” Koka answers, too quickly, too confidently. “We messaged her, told her fifty wasn’t enough. She didn’t even argue, just asked how soon she needed to pay.”
I go still.
Yesterday.
Alina didn’t hesitate this morning. That makes sense now. The way she accepted everything so easily, the lack of resistance—it wasn’t fear, not entirely.
Koka mistakes my silence for approval, grinning like he’s just done me a favor. “Figured she’d pay up. Pretty girl like that, she wouldn’t want her sister getting hurt. Easy money.”
My jaw tightens. There’s a fine line between making money and making a mess. Koka thinks he’s smart, playing his own little game, but he doesn’t see the bigger picture. Doesn’t realize that forcing people into desperation doesn’t always end in profit. Sometimes, it ends in blood.
“The debt is cleared,” I say, voice smooth, final. “But you don’t tell her that. And no harm comes to her sister.”
A flicker of confusion passes over his face. He doesn’t question it, just nods. “Okay, boss. Whatever you want.”
But I see it. The way his mind ticks, weighing the money against my orders. He thinks he got away with something. He thinks I’ll let this slide.
He’s wrong.
He leaves, and yet, the tension in my chest doesn’t ease. If anything, it tightens.
The morning replays in my head. The nervous energy in Alina’s movements. The red lingerie. The way she laid herself out in front of me, so willing.
Was she working up the nerve to ask me for the money?
The thought sinks into my gut, heavy and bitter. Irritation creeps in, but so does something else. Something darker. A curiosity that coils around my spine.
Did she think she could play me?
I roll the idea around in my head, letting a plan form. I won’t confront her. Not yet. Let her squirm. Let her wonder how to bring it up, all while I watch, waiting to see how far she’s willing to go. It’ll be a test.
A game.
I leave the office building and slide into the driver’s seat of my Aston Martin, the leather cool against my palms as I grip the wheel. The engine growls to life, a deep purr that vibrates through my chest. I pull out of the lot and make my way home.
The iron gates glide open as I approach, the motion sensors recognizing me instantly. I park to the left of the mansion before climbing the two steps to the front door.
The doors swing open before I can reach for them. Dima, the housemaid, stands just inside, her hands folded neatly in front of her.
