Bet Of Love

Chapter 6

My heart thumps erratically as I lock eyes with him, and I try to remain in a steady tone."Is that all it takes to get the dominant and prominent Valen Hayes all worked up? I expected more from you. She only got upset because she loved you and it turned out to be one-sided. You've been callous enough already. Let her go."

"You don't understand how this game works." His ruthless tone seems to make the air in the hallway drop a hundred degrees.

"Enlighten me."

"When you lose, you die. She lost so the rules must be followed. You have to pay for things you say with your life. I can't pretend that hasn't been the deal all along." That attitude he has on right now is like he doesn't value anyone else's life but his own.

Back in the office, they did talk like they were playing some kind of game. If you lose, you die. I can't deny that makes a certain kind of morbid sense.

Does he think the whole world is just a toy for him to play with?

"What's the matter? You seem quite pissed off." 'Quite' is an understatement. I try not to outwardly display my disgust but it ultimately fails me.

He strides to me at a leisurely pace. He places a hand on my chin and tilts it upwards, forcing me to look him in the eyes. Somehow, I can't escape them. He may have a handsome face but his gaze is impassive.

There isn't a woman alive capable of looking you in the eye at a time like this, is that what you think?

I end up scowling at him, and his macabre expression softens faintly. His lips curl as if to say 'interesting' then he pulls his hand back. "Fine, I'll let her go. Besides, I've found something more entertaining anyway."

He still has the knife in his other hand but he signals the guy to release the woman. At that instant, he captures my arm, "What?" I answer him agitated as I try my best not to glare at him again.

"If you want me to let her go, you have to do something for me." His look is serious for a moment as he declares this but a second later the smiles return like nothing happened. "Come to London with me."

What- what the hell is he talking about all of a sudden?

I can't restrain the bewilderment from painting my face. "That has nothing to do with anything."

"Fine then I'll do with this woman as I please. I'm good either way as long as it's fun." What in the world has gotten into him? "Life is nothing but a constant quest for stimulation. Complacency is the first stop on the road to death. A life without any excitement is just a living death."

"That's a pretty extreme philosophy."

"I though you'd understand..." His confidence was what attracted me to him when I first met him, but this, is a side I've never seen before. His ruthless side that would make people squirm.

"Clearly we don't see eye to eye. But as much as I'd like to turn you down flat, my conscience won't let me turn back on that woman."

"That's right... who knows what'll become of her if you leave now. Then again, she is a total stranger so you could still say no." His knowing grin tells me that he knows I won't decline.

Taken aback by the ludicrous proposition, it leaves me speechless and takes me a while to formulate a reply.

"Let's make a bet. If I can't get you to fall for me, you win. If I can, I win." It wasn't so long ago that he was playing the role of the CEO but now he's making romantic bets at a time like this? I have to roll my eyes at the shameless way he's decided to drag personal feelings into all of this.

"You think I'm going to agree to it?"

"Don't you think it's a delight? I thought you'd be game. The winner takes all. They will win the right to expose everything that they are... everything. Even planning my next step is betting in a sense." Life is gamble to him... it's probably that twisted philosophy that's allowed him to get as far as he has.

"Fine, I accept."

"Decisive. I like that in a woman."

"Unfortunately for you, compulsive bet-making is not a quality I enjoy in a man."

"It's important to approach everything in life playfully. A person who doesn't enjoy life will never succeed in business..."

Rei sighs behind him, "...And so Valen's addiction rears its ugly head again."

Eric finally inputs after silently watching everything that's happened, "You've got a gambling problem, Hayes. Acknowledge it and seek help."

The two turn to walk away, and their exasperated voices echo down the hallway.