What Now?

(TYLER)

Chills crawl down my spine and dread takes the best of me. It is now or never. If I dare to reject Sasha's offer, it will mean war. War that I'll never win. Going to war with someone in the mafia will certainly bring me to my knees, to my ruin, or my death even.

I have no power over him like he has over me, and I can't even fathom how I'll win that war.

He isn't even pretending that the outcome might play out differently. He was very clear on what to expect if I turned him down.

I am hesitant, but I know for sure that I'm not stepping outside this bathroom before I call Sasha. My fingers hover around the green button.

My body still aches from the beating I took today. I have bruises and contusions all over, but at least I still have my pride.

Pride.

I laugh at myself and I can feel the mocking in my laughter. Right. I have so much pride standing here helpless in the tiny bathroom that reeks of bleach and piss. I have been stripped of the things I had yesterday. Sasha made sure to take even the little I had. I have been desperate for my entire life, but not like this. This is what makes him happy.

12:01. I'm stifling the urge to scream my lungs out now. My heart is beating like crazy and it's the sound I'm hearing in my head as I press the green button and the phone starts to ring. Tears burn my eyes and I'm frustrated because I have no other option. Unless I want to wave my life goodbye, I have to accept the offer.

"Hello," Sasha's voice comes from the other end.

"I…I…" I stammer, not sure if I'm really ready for this hell I'm about to dip myself into. "I accept your offer."

"Too late."

"What?" my brows knit in disbelief.

"I told you to call me latest by midnight. You are a minute late, deal's off." Sasha says then hangs up.

I stare at the cell in my hand disbelievingly before I drop it in the sink. What the hell just happened, and what does he mean the deal is off? Just because I'm a minute late? This man can't be serious. Panic jolts through me. This can't be happening. Just a minute of delay can't surely matter to him. He just enjoys tormenting me.

Fucker.

Anger surges through me at Sasha's arrogance. It was his idea in the first place and now he's acting like a child just because I am a minute late. He can't surely do to me after seeing to it that I have nothing left and the state of my body isn't at its best, especially with the pregnancy. Where am I supposed to go if he refuses now? How will I even run off to someplace before he catches up and murders me?

Or was this just him beginning to rain the fires of hell on me as he had promised?

I pick up the phone and dial his number again. It rings for what feels like eternity, which I'm sure hasn't taken that much time. After a few generous seconds, he picks up the call, and his harsh voice booms over the speaker.

"What do you want, Tyler?"

"You know what I want. Quit being such an asshole." I spit back.

"What did you just say to me?"

"You heard me the first time," I say, barely able to breathe and my nose is now flaring. "I already told you I'll do it. Now stop with your games, Sasha. You need me just as much as I need you."

"Oh, that's what you think?" he says condescendingly. "Another omega has accepted my terms and I don't need you in the least."

"You're lying, Sasha. You can't have lined up another omega in a span of a fucking minute." I know he's lying, I don't know how I do, but I just feel it in my instincts. He is an entitled arrogant prick who's used to things working on his terms. He's mad that I didn't call him in time, and now he is going to make me pay for that.

The problem however is that he does need me. Of that I am certain. If he wanted the omegas, he says he lined up, he wouldn't have approached me to begin with. He came after me.

In person.

He doesn't want them. He wants me.

That realization gives me some tainted firm of clarity and settles on me. Knowing that I'm the one he wants gives me some leeway. Not much though. I will use that to my advantage. He had to reject me too to realize that this had to work. He tried to take his offer away, and that's what made me realize that I too, need him. I'm accepting his proposal, not because I want him, but because I want security. And I sure don't want to die.

"Let's stop with the ego games." I school my voice, making sure to sound as calm as I possibly can knowing too well I'm anything but calm right now.

Sasha grunts.

"I was only a minute late, Sasha. Please. This isn't an easy decision for me. You jumped me and barely gave me enough time to think it through. Just have some empathy for me, at least." I make sure to sound coaxing.

"Empathy isn't my thing"

"And being blackmailed isn't mine." I counter him. "But you see I'm smart enough to know we both have something to gain out of this arrangement. I may have not seen it earlier, but now I do. So put your pride aside and let's work this out. It will be sad if you let it go just because your ego is too big. After all, your father doesn't have time for you to play ego games." I say, making sure to taunt him a little while at it because I know it will strike a nerve, or not, but still, I try.

"Do not fucking lecture me."