Chapter 17

Darius's POV

I blame her. I blame Allison for Mandy's inability to satisfy me. Yes, Allison. The irony of catching her reflection in the mirror, her small frame curled under my bed, hands clutched to her chest as if shielding herself from a world she wants no part of—it was amusing.

For two days, I let her be, refraining from intruding on her life. After what I put her through in the red room, she deserved a break, although she'd never admit it. Not that she needs my mercy—she's far too resilient for that. But I've been preoccupied with cleaning up Lucas's mess, a problem that refuses to be solved. His so-called confederate is like a ghost, impossible to track.

No matter how hard my spies dig, they can't uncover the identity of those Lucas mentioned. It makes me wonder if he was lying. But the fear in his eyes was too real to be a bluff.

"We only spoke on the phone. I sent whatever I needed to their email," Lucas had confessed under pressure, his fear making me believe him. Knowing how gullible he is, I could see he was used to his limit. Still, I have to keep pushing, exhausting every resource to find these so-called partners who bought my pharmaceuticals at a bargain and now seek to ruin me. I've managed to control most of my enemies, but this nameless threat—this one disturbs me deeply.

That's why I called Mandy, hoping she could help me forget the stress for a while. I watched her pleasure herself in the bathroom, her moans doing little to distract me from my thoughts. Just as I was about to lose myself in her, I saw a small foot reflected in the mirror, peeking out from under my bed.

For a moment, my heart nearly stopped, thinking it was my daughter. But then I noticed the telltale glow of red hair. Allison. I was tempted to drag her out and scold her, but curiosity got the better of me. I decided to wait, to see how she'd react. Yet, all I noticed was how tense she was, her eyes squeezed shut as if wishing herself invisible.

It didn't matter. All I could think about was her. She invaded my thoughts like a virus, making it impossible to focus on the beautiful blonde trying to please me. It's almost humiliating, how this girl has wormed her way into my mind, despite her defiance and disrespect. Now, I look into her eyes, narrowed to slits, waiting for my next move.

"Hunter!" she called me, unblinking, defiant. For the first time, I'm unsure. I'm running out of punishments for my little kitten. Perhaps I should just sell her, end this game she's playing.

I'm horny, frustrated beyond belief. I'd give anything to have Allison's mouth on me, her lips trembling as she struggles to take me in. It would make a fitting punishment, especially now as she nervously licks her lips, glaring at me like I'm the devil himself.

But I won't give in. I won't let her pull me under, no matter how tempting.

"You're coming with me to the madhouse today," I announce, surprising even myself with the decision. Do I really want her to see this side of me? Of the Hunters? Perhaps I do. Perhaps I want her to know what it truly means to be one of us.

Her eyes widen in confusion. "Madhouse? What's a madhouse?"

A wicked grin spreads across my face, the confusion on hers only exciting me more. "With all your knowledge of literature, I'm sure you've come across the word," I tease, watching as a gasp escapes her lips.

"No, I haven't," she replies, desperation edging her voice. "Please, tell me. Are you going to kill me there?" Her voice is almost inaudible.

Kill her? No. Even if I wanted to, I couldn't. Not in the literal sense, at least.

"Hmmm," I hum, enjoying the fear that flares in her eyes. Without warning, I release her wrist and lift her by the waist, tossing her over my shoulder like she weighs nothing.

"Darius, what the fuck!" she screams, her fists pounding my back, her legs kicking wildly. Perfect. I'll take her to the madhouse in her nightdress. She wanted adventure by sneaking into my room? Well, now she's going to get it.

"Did your books teach you how to swear?" I chuckle, more amused by her than I've ever been in my entire life.

Ignoring the elevator, I run down the stairs with her, passing the bodyguards stationed near my daughter's room. They offer small smiles, clearly entertained by the scene.

"You crazy bastard! Put me down right now!" she shouts, her kicks and punches relentless.

When we finally reach the madhouse, the ride was everything I hoped for. I had to strap her to the chair with a seatbelt and one of my ties. I considered gagging her too, but I wanted to hear every word she had to say.

Now, she's silent, fear freezing her in place as we enter the first torture room. Hector is our victim today—a fitting introduction to what the Hunters are capable of.

"Oh my God…" she gasps, her hands flying to her mouth as she takes in the sight of Hector's bruised face. He's crying, pathetic really, but it's a necessary lesson for Allison. She needs to understand how this place can break a man. I can only imagine what's running through her mind, but one thing is certain: she wouldn't last a second here. And I'll do whatever it takes to keep her out of this place. I'll tame her, using every trick in the book, to ensure she never puts herself in harm's way.

"Why? What did he do?" she asks, tears streaming down her face as she hugs herself, goosebumps rising on her skin. "Will they… Will they do this to me too?"

I want to shout 'Never!', to promise that no harm will come to her. But I bite my tongue, letting her believe whatever she wants. She needs to remember why she's here in the first place—she's my biggest debtor.

"That's Hector," I finally say.

Her eyes widen in shock. "You kept him alive? You lied? You said you'd killed him…"

Did I just make a mistake? What will she think of me now? A liar? A coward?

"…Oh my God, you're evil. You'd rather torture him, make him wish for death? Wouldn't it be kinder to kill him?" She sobs, stepping back from me with new fear in her eyes.

I'm at a loss for words, confusion clouding my mind. She thinks I'm evil because I didn't put a bullet in Hector's head? Because I didn't end his misery when I had the chance? Why am I even questioning myself? I wanted her to think I'm evil. But now, her words pull at me, like a thread being tugged from a wound.

"I'm God here. I do whatever the fuck I like. And you have no place questioning me," I snap, my voice rising with a defensiveness that surprises even me.

She nods, biting her bottom lip to keep from responding, an act that makes my fists clench. Why does she affect me so much? I should lock her down here—she would be the first woman to be tortured in this place. But that's not who the Hunters are. We don't bring women and children here.

Just as we're about to move on to Lucas, I hear a voice behind me.

"Brother," Zain calls, making me turn, masking my disappointment at his intrusion.

"Yes?" I question his presence in my life, but the smile on his face dispels my irritation. There might be good news after all. "What's with the smirk? What's going on?"

Zain's grin widens. "With some persuasion, Lucas finally told us what we needed to know about his associates and how to infiltrate them…" His voice trails off as he glances at Allison, then back at me.

"Keep talking, Zain."

"Yes, brother. The man owns a brothel and a fake church. He runs his drug business through both, mostly the church. And from what I've gathered, he's quite taken with the girls at his brothel, even falls in love with a new one every week. Now, I'm thinking…" He looks at Allison again, making my heart pound wildly in my chest. "What if we send her?"

"Are you mad!?" I bark, wiping the smile off his face.

"No, brother. She's the perfect spy. She's innocent—he'll fall for her. And she can get us the information we need."

A bitter laugh escapes me as I look at Allison, who's completely terrified. "We'll send someone else, brother," I say firmly, the finality in my tone warning Zain to drop the subject.

"Okay. Who do we send then?"

I sigh in frustration. "I'll do my research. Send me the files on our best girls, and everything you have on this mystery man. Don't leave anything out, Zain."

He nods quickly. "Okay, brother."