Chapter 14 : Bad Choice r18
Aurelia Ashfall stepped into the dimly lit room, her gaze landing on the man lounging on the leather sofa before her. Grim Cross sat shirtless, his muscular frame sprawled comfortably, his head resting against the back of the sofa while he gazed upward, lost in his own thoughts.
A thin trail of smoke curled from the cigarette held between his fingers, the faint glow of its ember illuminating his sharp, handsome features.
His body was a testament to countless battles, a rugged landscape of scars etched across his skin. Bullet wounds, knife slashes, and other marks marred his powerful physique, each one telling a story of violence and survival.
As Aurelia entered, the atmosphere shifted drastically. The air grew heavier, an invisible pressure pressing down on her shoulders.
His mere presence was overwhelming, his indifference only making it worse. Grim continued smoking, completely ignoring her arrival.
Swallowing her unease, Aurelia forced herself to speak. "I have some business with you."
Her voice was steady, but the suffocating aura in the room made her legs feel weak.
Grim didn't respond. His dark eyes remained fixed on the ceiling, his attention seemingly far away.
Aurelia took a deep breath, trying to gather her composure. Without hesitation, she tossed the black leather bag she had brought with her onto the table before him.
The bag landed with a heavy thud, the unmistakable clinking of cash catching his attention.
"I want to hire you to be my bodyguard," Aurelia continued. "This money is for one month's service. Take it."
Grim's expression remained indifferent, his gaze refusing to meet hers. It was as if her words held no value to him.
Undeterred, she pushed forward. "I live in Luxe Haven Apartment, and I need your protection."
That was when Grim finally moved. His head tilted slightly, his dark eyes locking onto her with a cold, calculating stare that sent a chill down her spine. For a moment, she could barely breathe under his merciless gaze.
"What's the cost of an apartment there?" Grim asked, his voice deep and emotionless.
"Ten million," Aurelia replied, trying to maintain her composure.
Grim's gaze shifted away from her as he leaned back against the sofa, his head once again resting on the cushion. "Kade."
Almost immediately, Kade entered the room, his sharp blue eyes darting between Grim, the leather bag, and the woman standing before them.
"What can I do for you, Boss?" Kade asked.
Grim's tone was calm, almost bored. "Take the money we got from those three fools and buy an apartment at Luxe Haven."
Kade's eyes widened slightly before nodding. "Understood." As he turned to leave, his gaze lingered on Aurelia and then on the bag of cash. For a brief moment, he wondered if they would need to clean up one more body today or if she would be lucky enough to walk out alive. Shaking his head, he left the room, leaving Aurelia alone with Grim.
Grim continued ignoring her presence, his attention seemingly fixed on nothing at all. The silence stretched, thick and suffocating.
Growing frustrated, Aurelia raised her voice. "Hey! I'm talking to you. Are you deaf?"
Grim's gaze snapped to her, his dark eyes sharp and dangerous. He stood from the sofa, his towering figure advancing toward her with a predatory grace.
Aurelia's confidence wavered as Grim approached. His sheer size and the overwhelming pressure radiating from him made her feel small and helpless. As he stopped right in front of her, his presence was enough to make her legs tremble.
"You've got guts," Grim said in a low, threatening voice. "What should I do with you? I'll let you go because I'm in a good mood today. So, leave the money here. That's the price of wasting my time. Now, get lost before you get hurt."
He turned his back to her, returning to the sofa and reclining with the same careless ease as before. His dismissal was absolute, his interest seemingly lost.
But Aurelia didn't leave. Instead, she forced her feet to move, approaching him once again until she stood directly before him.
"Please," she said, her voice carrying a desperation she hadn't intended to reveal. "I need your help. If you need more money, I'll give it to you. Whatever you want, I'll provide it. Just... please help me. Just one month."
Grim raised an eyebrow, clearly annoyed by her persistence. His voice rumbled with a menacing edge. "Get lost before I kill you. Do I look like someone who saves others?"
Aurelia's knees hit the floor as she knelt before him, her pride crumbling under the weight of her desperation. "Please help me. There's no one else I can ask for help... other than you."
Grim's dark eyes slowly scanned her, his gaze lingering on her crimson hair and golden eyes. Something about her seemed to intrigue him, a faint curiosity glinting beneath his cold exterior.
"I can help you," he said, his tone turning almost mocking. "But you will belong to me."
Aurelia's confusion was evident, her golden eyes wide as she tried to comprehend his meaning.
But the look in his eyes told her everything. The realization sank in, and her thoughts raced.
"If I don't accept his help, then I'm going to die... along with my sister. And I promised Mother that I would protect her."
Her desperation outweighed her hesitation. "What... do you want?" she asked softly, her voice trembling.
Grim's lips twisted into a smirk. "You know what I mean. I will protect you, and you will be mine."
Aurelia's eyes lowered as she processed his words. The choice was painfully clear.
"I... agree," she whispered.
Grim's smile widened, a cruel satisfaction evident on his face. "This was the worst choice you could make... and you chose it."
Grim's dark gaze remained fixed on Aurelia, his eyes gleaming with a dangerous intensity.
Without warning, his hand shot out, grabbing a fistful of her crimson hair and yanking her forward. She stumbled, her hands instinctively reaching out to steady herself against his powerful chest.
Before she could react, his mouth was on hers, his kiss forceful and unrelenting, stealing the very breath from her lungs.
The sheer aggression of it made her heart race with a mixture of fear and something she couldn't quite name.
"Stop... Let's go somewhere else," Aurelia managed to gasp between their fevered contact. But her words fell on deaf ears.
Grim's hands moved with possessive intent, his grip unyielding as he pulled her even closer. His touch was rough, his presence overwhelming. His lips trailed from her mouth to her neck, his breathing hot and heavy against her skin. The sensation made her shudder, her body reacting against her will.
Aurelia's mind was a chaotic mess of confusion and panic. "Please... Just be gentle..." she pleaded, her voice trembling.
The weight of his power was suffocating, leaving her vulnerable and uncertain.
But the moment those words left her lips, Grim froze. His grip loosened, his eyes narrowing as he studied her face.
Something flickered in his gaze — curiosity, annoyance, and perhaps something darker.
He released her abruptly, letting her fall to her knees between his legs. His commanding presence loomed over her, his voice low and threatening. "If you want my protection, you better make yourself useful. Otherwise, I'll take what I want, whenever I want, without mercy."
Aurelia's body trembled, her golden eyes wide with shock and fear. His words were a brutal reminder of the choice she had made. Yet, despite the terror that coiled around her heart, she found herself nodding. There was no turning back now.
Grim's cold gaze held Aurelia in place, his fingers gripping her chin, forcing her to look up at him. The merciless glint in his eyes made her blood run cold.
The predator had found his prey, and there was no escaping now.
"Pathetic," Grim sneered, his deep voice dripping with contempt. "You come here begging for protection, throwing money around like it means something. But you're just a desperate little girl, willing to do anything to survive. Isn't that right?"
Aurelia's throat felt dry, her voice nothing more than a broken whisper. "Yes... I-I need your help."
Grim's fingers slid from her chin to her throat, his grip just tight enough to send a shiver of fear through her.
His touch was both possessive and punishing, a reminder of who held the power in this twisted exchange.
"I like the way you tremble," Grim continued, his tone almost taunting. "The fear in your eyes... The way your body reacts when I touch you. You're so desperate, it's pathetic."
Aurelia's breathing grew uneven, her chest rising and falling with shallow, frantic breaths. His words tore through her, shredding her pride and leaving her utterly exposed.
But what choice did I have? To protect my sister, I would endure anything.
Grim's gaze roamed over her, his eyes tracing every curve of her body with a brutal, unrelenting intensity. "You agreed to be mine. And I'm going to make sure you understand what that means."
He leaned forward, his mouth brushing against her ear as he whispered, "You'll do everything I say. Without question. Without hesitation. And if you fail to satisfy me..." His lips curled into a vicious smile. "Then I'll take everything I want by force."
Aurelia's hands clenched at her sides, her entire body trembling.
The sheer cruelty of his words left her breathless, her mind spinning with terror and helplessness.
Grim released her throat, his hand moving to the back of her head as he guided her even closer. His fingers tangled in her crimson hair, the roughness of his touch making her wince.
"Now," he growled, his gaze burning into hers. "Show me how useful you can be. And pray you don't disappoint me."