BLOODHOUNDS #2: THE TAKER

Chapter 10 - MY RULES

Kayden Grant

All my life, I've been trained to be emotionless. My father cut my emotions from the moment I was born, expecting me to give no one my raw and deep emotions because it's a sign of weakness.

The first time I showed one, I was beaten so badly that I almost die if it wasn't for my instinct to run.

The second one was today. I never hesitated to go to work before, but the thought of leaving Tatiana alone in my apartment bothered me. I stood before the elevator, clenching my hands into a fist, and felt something strong within my chest. It felt like someone was slicing through again and again.

Tiffany reported that she only took one meal and asked her to share everything with another colleague. She also said that Tatiana is doing well even though she doesn't talk a lot.

Trisha let me know that she will change her bandage every day because she got lots of cuts on the bottom of her feet. She doesn't want Tatiana to get an infection from her wounds.

As for Hugo, he updated me that Tatiana accepted her things with a smile plastered on her face. Then he updated me that the royal family was sending someone to talk to her, and they would come tomorrow morning.

After hesitating about whether to go to work, I went to work. Clyde was there with me at the first meeting, and he didn't even bother to ask about Tatiana. All he did was protest how long the fucking meeting was because he wanted to go home.

I almost punched him for it.

He dropped his friend to me like it was nothing. I was going to kill him for it, but seeing how Tatiana was, I found myself not to.

After the last meeting, I went straight home and found my penthouse was pitch black. I turned on the lights and walked straight to the living room. She was sleeping while sitting, hugging her legs.

"Princess," I called, and she opened her eyes. She turned to me and got up from the sofa.

"Oh, you're back!" She greeted me like a wife greeted her husband at home after work. She must have taken a shower because she looked freshened up.

"Have you eaten yet?" I shook my head and then looked down at the bandages on her feet. There was a trace of blood on it, and she followed my eyes.

"I can cook, even though it won't be as good as what you eat at the restaurant. My mother said the best food I cooked was lasagna. Are you hungry?"

"No." Her smile fell when I rejected her offer, but she smiled again. "Thank you for the clothes, the new phone, the food, and the doctor."

"You're buying it. You'll pay it with the share," I said, and her green eyes slowly turned gloomy.

"Right. Can I ask when I will go to my apartment? I think I shouldn't appear in front of you that often." She dug her nails into her skin.

"Your family sent someone to talk to you tomorrow morning, and they will go straight to your apartment or here."

"I think I can manage it. You said you'll guarantee my safety, so I trust you that you will make sure they don't take me back, right?" She trusted me too much. "I was wondering how we will do this, though. I will try as much as I can not to call or appear before you. I know you don't like me as much."

"And who will you call if you don't call me?" I snapped because who was she going to lean on other than me?

"Blake Lockwood. He will come here tomorrow evening. He's an old friend even though he lives in New York." I walked towards her, and she stepped back immediately.

"What would people think if my fiancee went out with someone I had a bad history with?" I grabbed her upper arm, and she looked straight into my eyes.

"You have a bad history with Blake?" She asked in disbelief. Her eyes showed everything that I needed to know. She saw me as the bad guy and will always do. She was scared of me but had no choice but to hold on because it was better than returning to London.

"We almost killed each other before." She pushed my hand away and looked down.

"Blake will check on me. He wanted to make sure that I was okay."

"If you don't want me to kill him, tell him not to come," I warned her.

"I just wanted to see him, please." She begged.

"No." She let out a long sigh before sitting down on the sofa. She dug her nails into her skin even more so I could see her hands slowly turning red.

"I would like to pay you the 12 percent of the shares tomorrow, all of it. In exchange for freedom, I should go to New York instead of staying here." She got up and faced me.

"I know you want it so badly that I don't mind giving it to you. I understand that you only do business if it benefits you, and I'm not blaming you. Prepare some lawyers tomorrow, and I'll give them to you immediately. Then I'll follow Blake to New York so you won't have to encounter him." She added, and she was hoping for me to agree right away.

"Mr.Grant?" She raised her eyebrows.

"No."

"What do you mean no?" Tatiana took a step back and looked at me with hatred.

"You heard me. I don't need to explain why I said no. If you dare to meet up with Blake, I'll send you back to London." I regretted saying that. I should not have threatened her with something that she was afraid of.

"Are you going to keep me here for a year?"

"You'll have your freedom, Princess. But you'll be playing by my rules."