"I don't want to feel powerful," Autumn yanked her hand out of his hold, curling it into a fist. Zyler let it go with an amusing smirk.
He then curled his arm around her waist and turned her around so that her back was facing his front. He rested his head on her shoulder and traced her arm with his fingers. Reaching her fists, he uncurled her fingers, grabbed her hand, and placed it on her heart, locking her arms under a deadlock. Autumn could hear her heartbeat under her palm. He could listen to hers vibrate under her palm. He closed his eyes while her breath rose till she could hear nothing.
He always did this to her. With him, her senses are always heightened. He was like wildfire, burning her from root to branch. He had a way of igniting her senses, for better or worse, she didn't know. He was constantly stirring them to life. With him, it was as if she was caught in a blazing wildfire, consumed from the very core of her being to the farthest reaches of her soul. Like an inferno, his presence set her ablaze, engulfing her in extreme fear.
He blew a breath in her ear, making her shudder, "as long as this," he tapped their hands on her chest, "is beating, we will always crave power," he kissed her shoulder, making sure his saliva fell on her shoulder.
Autumn's heart began to tremble. He squeezed her tits under their palms, and she gathered to summon some courage. "Maybe I don't want what you want," she tried pushing him, but he was too strong, dominating, and possessive.
"Hmm," he groaned. Grabbing her fingers, he tapped her lips open, and she raised her brow as what. He motioned her to suck their fingers. Autumn shook her head. He squeezed her breasts tighter to the point that she started to feel shortness of breath. "Do as I say," he warned, releasing the looking at her painful expression. He tapped her mouth again, and she silently parted her lips open. Zyler, in one movement, turned her around, and now she was straddling him.
He pushed their fingers into her mouth, and she sucked on it. His gaze moved between her lips and their fingers in her mouth. He let her fingers go and pushed his fingers more into her mouth, and she gagged. He moaned at the way she was gagging. He bit his lip, and she twirled her tongue over his finger.
"That is why I want you. You compliment me perfectly," he pushed them further, and Autumn almost choked. When he had enough, he pulled them out. "You are different," he remarked, his tongue darting out to lick those fingers that had just been inside her mouth, savoring the taste like it was something exquisite.
"I am not," she lowly mumbled, her confidence slipping slightly. He wanted to tell her that she was, but he didn't know why he didn't.
He looked at her face, and she looked lost. Zyler saw her expression crack. She was easy to read, too easy to understand, and he read her very well. She is naïve, compassionate, and too compassionate. Maybe that's why he wanted her, to feel alive, human, and live.
He saw her wear her head high, consistently high. She was a hard worker, no doubt about that. He had seen it the first day he made her run in circles. There was no change in her expression. She did as asked without an ounce of irritation on her face. He loved that about her, and more importantly, he loved her ability not to understand his inappropriate innuendos, and now her devotion to her sister was something he loved and enjoyed. He knew that once she loved, she would love until there was no love to give, and he wanted that devotion from her. No, he will take that devotion from her.
"What is your sister's name?" he asked, wanting to see that light in her beautiful eyes again.
"I don't want to share that with you," she will not share that with him. She is terrified of her current situation. She didn't want Zyler to gain another leverage over her.
Zyler laced his fingers through her hair and yanked her head back. "Just because I am being lenient with you doesn't mean I will allow you to speak however you want," he loathed disrespect, and every fiber in her reflected disobedience right now.
Her eyes watered again. He looked into her eyes and pecked her nose. "What is your sister's name?" At that minute, he appeared like her grandfather.
She closed her eyes, shedding silent tears. She was exhausted from this continuous abuse. He reminded her of her grandfather, "I didn't take that money, Grandpa," 13-year-old Autumn cried as she was dragged out into the kitchen. Her cousin, who was 19, followed her with a grin.
"Silence, brat," he dragged her close to the stove, "you are turning into a useless brat. Hoarding my son's salary. Being a freeloader and a burden on him, and now you are stealing money too?" He grabbed a cane, landing a punch on her bottom. Autumn shrieked.
"No, I swear, I didn't," she tried explaining to her grandfather that her cousin did it. But he didn't believe that. Her parents were away on a trip since they needed to cool off a little after everything that happened.
"I bet she is hiding it in her underwear. Ask her to take it off," her cousin folded his hands, watching her cower in fear. Her grandfather turned around and looked at Autumn. That little girl had no idea why they wanted her clothes off, but all she knew is she was not supposed to be naked before anyone.
"You heard him. Take your clothes off," he motioned with his cane.
"No," Autumn protested, "I will not," the little girl was ready to die, but she wasn't going to do it.
"I said remove it," her grandfather grabbed his cane and hit her on her legs. Autumn didn't move.
"You can punish me all you want. I won't do it," she stood firm while taking another hit on her bottom. "I will not take my clothes off," she stated firmly. They can kill her if they want, but she will not do what they asked her to do. she saw her grandfather and her cousin get angry at that.
"I told you, Grandpa, she is very adamant," her cousin voiced his opinion, but Autumn didn't care. She glared at the boy with fire that could burn anyone down. "Look at her glare," he argued.
"Lower your eyes," her grandfather pinched her arm, but Autumn did not. She was angry, and she wanted them to know. "If you don't, I will make you stand naked," he warned with a grin, and her cousin's ears perked up at that. Autumn gave in and lowered her gaze.
"Bitch," her grandfather kept landing punches on her bottom. She closed her eyes and took all of them while her cousin eyed her crying face and enjoyed it. After a few minutes, the cane cracked, and her grandfather let it go, throwing the pieces on the floor. He grabbed her face and squeezed her cheeks, lifting her off the ground, "If you breathe a word of this to your parents, I will kill you," he pushed her down onto the floor and walked out with the boy.
She lay there, her body broken and battered. She didn't know who to share this with. Will her parents blame her too? Or will they help her? She didn't know, and she didn't try. Her parents returned from the tour, and her mother kissed her lovingly. Autumn felt happy thinking that separation made her mother's heart grow fonder for her. How dumb was she? After a few days, her mother returned to ignoring her as usual.
"Hey," she heard a voice call her out of the abyss. She turned to look at Zyler, his gaze now softened. "Atty?" He called her again. Her teary eyes didn't sit well with him. Her lower lip wobbled a little. He wiped her tears and let her hair go. "Autumn," he hugged her, and she didn't speak a word. She put her head on his chest and fixed her vision on his lapels. He hid her head in her chest and rubbed circles on her back. "Don't cry, Autumn," he cooed to her.
That is when she touched her face. She didn't realize she was crying. "Did something trigger you?" He knew she zoned out when he asked her about her sister. He realized she had been through something harrowing. Autumn didn't respond, and she heard him sigh. He grabbed her chin and made her look at him, and she nodded yes. Sighing, he pulled her into a tight hug.
Autumn picked a point on the wall and stared at it. She didn't want to tell him a single thing. She hoped that he would vanish into thin air, and she turned 10. She didn't understand him, not even a little. All they did was intimacy, but he initiated that intimacy. She didn't even know what to tell him.
He brushed her hair off her face. Her thoughts broke when she heard him sigh again. "Did someone hurt you, Autumn? Did someone scare you?" he asked, trying to sound a little softer.
She wasn't able to understand how quickly he switched his emotions. Not a minute ago, he was ready to pull her hair out, and now he wanted to know if something was scaring her. She longed to scream out the truth, to reveal that the very monster lurking beneath her bed was him all along, and the devil that haunted her daydreams bore his wicked face.
"Do you want me to find your sister for you?" he proposed, fully aware of the impact his words would have. As expected, Autumn's head shot up swiftly, her face lighting up with a genuine, long-lost smile. It was a sight he hadn't witnessed in ages.
He was curious to know what happened to her sister. He knew she wouldn't tell him. His only resort was to ask the right things and strike the right chords. She wouldn't admit it aloud, but he knew he had struck a nerve with just a single question. If she answered yes, that means her sister perhaps went missing. He will have the biggest leverage against her to keep her with him. If she doesn't respond, he would have to get creative.
It was a skill he had honed over time—asking the right question that unconsciously triggered buried memories in people's minds. No matter how hard they tried to conceal their true thoughts, the truth would always find a way to surface, exposing their deepest desires and fears.
"Will you really?" she asked, her hope shining through the skepticism. At that moment, she seemed to forget all the pain he had put her through. Every bit of it.
He observed the fleeting happiness on her face, knowing it wouldn't last. Her expression quickly dimmed, replaced by caution. "Are you playing me?" she questioned, her trust wavering. If he played with her in this matter, she wouldn't be able to tolerate it.
"I may lie to many, my sweet, but you are not one of them," he assured, striving to sound as sincere as possible. He wasn't foolish enough to grant her wish without expecting something in return.
Autumn searched his eyes for truth, but as always, he was hard to read. It was not always easy to tell what this man was thinking. He always kept his interaction minimal with his staff and his subordinates. He is rude and demanding, as if he owned them. She observed that he was very well respected and hated slacking. But why was he talking to her? What made her special?
"Autumn," he called her again. She wasn't sure what to tell him. Should she ask for his help? Will he really do it? But why would a man who keeps hurting her help her find her sister? She slowly nodded, and his face curved into an upward naughty smirk. "What will I get in return?" he asked, tapping her nose.
"I have nothing to offer you," it was true. She had nothing he wanted. She was just a broke college graduate without a penny to her name.
He brought his ring-clad fingers to her cheek, "You have everything I want, baby. You just have to surrender it," he stroked her cheek. "Everything," he stressed every word, tracing his finger from her throat to her pussy, cupping it.. Was he asking to sleep with her? But whatever it was, she knew she would have to sell her soul to the devil to offer him that.
"If you can truly find her without me providing a name or address, then I'll give you everything you want," Autumn's voice wavered, a mixture of skepticism and desperation. The weight of her words hung in the air as if sealing an unspoken pact between them.
His gaze intensified, his eyes searching hers for any trace of deception. A sly smile curled upon his lips, a silent acknowledgment of the challenge she had presented. He thrived on pushing boundaries and defying expectations, and this offer presented an enticing opportunity to test the limits of their unconventional connection.
He threw his head back, and his laughter filled the space, a sinister sound. "Oh, my naïve baby girl," he sneered, amusement dancing in his eyes. "Whether you strike a deal with me or not, I will have you. It was all just a game, a little play to see how you would react."
His words slithered from his lips like venom, laced with a chilling promise. "You should know by now," he hissed, his voice dripping with a malevolence, "that I will take everything I want, consequences be damned." The wicked glimmer in his eyes intensified, the darkness within him gleefully embracing its twisted desires.
The air grew heavy with ominous tension, suffused with the knowledge that his words held a sinister truth. There was no room for negotiation or escape, for he was a predator unbound by the chains of morality. Autumn's heart pounded in her chest, a mixture of fear and defiance battling.
His smile took on a predatory edge as he nonchalantly winked, casting an eerie shadow across his face. It was a chilling reminder that he operated in darkness, where morality was an afterthought and power reigned supreme.
Her heart sank, her eyes narrowing as she realized she had been deceived again. The illusion of choice shattered before her, leaving a bitter taste of manipulation. She straightened herself, determination replacing the vulnerability that had momentarily consumed her.
"What was the point of offering me a choice when you had no intention of honoring it?" she challenged, her voice laced with anger and defiance.
He didn't answer, and she didn't question further. "You can rest for the day," he walked into the house with her to change his clothes.
"I don't like to sit and eat for free," she argued. It was true. She wasn't a freeloader; whatever dollars she earned will be out of her hard work. He nodded, and within minutes, he got ready and came down.
They sat in their car when he received a text from Matt, "How is that little taste Willow doing?" read the text, and he fisted the phone. He wanted to bang that wretched bastard's head for even thinking of his girl.
Autumn looked his way and how he was twisting it. Feeling pity for the person on the other side of the phone, she turned her attention to the people outside the window. Soon, they reached his office.
"Be in your room, don't come out," he warned her seriously and entered his office. He dialed Cole, and the man appeared before him in minutes.
"Did you check all Matt's messages?" He knew Matt wasn't going to let Autumn go. He combed all of Matt's messages to ensure Matt never took her picture, but that didn't mean he would let his girl go.
"I did," Cole answered, but Zyler didn't believe it. He bit his lips. There was something wrong. Why was Matt so quiet? Why didn't he send Autumn's pictures to someone? He never let anything as exquisite as her go. He grabbed his laptop and swiped inch after inch. Something was definitely wrong.
"Is something wrong?" Cole saw Zyler think.
"Did you create fake IDs, as I asked?" he tapped the desk.
"I did. Autumn Willow Wraith doesn't exist. It is Willow Sumner," Cole never let any of his boss's words go to waste. But Zyler had this feeling that Matt wasn't going to let his girl go. But was he overly concerned? Or was it his gut feeling?
He sat in his chair while Cole stood there, waiting for his next instruction. "You seem restless," Cole had never seen Zyler this fidgety.
"I don't know," he sighed. "Matt, there is something he might be planning," Zyler rubbed his temples.
"What gave you that idea?" Cole's brows creased.
"I think he is playing me. The last time he was here, he told me Liam had something in his possession and that I would have him by his knees if I could have it. I want to know what it is," ruthless anger in his eyes. "I want to find it and destroy it," he purposefully didn't inform Cole that Matt was asking about his girl.
"Do you think it is an asset?" Cole raised his brow.
"Or a person," now it was Cole's turn to be stunned. "Maybe his sister?" Zyler knew Liam's sister had disappeared when they were 14. She had never been found since. Maybe they found her.
"We need to find this out. It is important." Whomever it might be, he will slaughter them without an ounce of mercy. If it is a person, their death will remain in the history of human existence. He will make sure of it.
Zyler placed the papers on the table in front of Cole and leaned in. "What did you find with the coordinates we got from Varney's house?" he changed the topic from Liam to Varney.
Cole nodded, studying the papers and tracing a location on the map. "These coordinates lead to a remote area in Death Valley," he replied, pointing to the spot on the map.
Zyler's eyes narrowed as he connected the dots. "I have a feeling Varney's defense team is working on something significant there," he stated, his voice filled with a sense of certainty.
He leaned back in his chair, contemplating the implications. "It could be a crucial piece of evidence or a hidden operation," he mused. "I want to talk to Varney's defense head. Arrange that meeting. I know his daughter is somewhere in Haiti volunteering. I am sure that information will be useful to persuade him," Zyler winked, and Cole smirked in understanding.
Zyler went back to his phone and texted Matt, "Come to the point, Matt," he replied.
"You know what I want, Zyler," came in a message before he could even put his phone down.
"I don't read your fucking mind, Matt. Stop fucking around," an angry message from Zyler's phone reached Matt.
"I have something valuable regarding Liam's secret possession, and if you want that. I need a taste of that little chocolate called Willow," as soon as he read that message, Zyler threw his phone at his window, breaking it into two.
......................
He rubbed my back in circles, "how come you never talk about your sister, baby?" he asked, squeezing my ass, purposefully hurting me.
"She died, and I moved on," I lied. I would be damned if I let this man hurt her. He curled his fingers on my chin and raised it up.
"Are you telling the truth, April?" he stressed every word, squeezing my chin tight. I hissed as he pinched my nipples simultaneously. I gulped. Any change in my expression, any proof of a lie in my words, will earn me a punishment that will make me shudder.
"I am," I answered truthfully as I can.
"Good," he kissed my forehead and pulled me closer, "You do know what will happen if I find out you are lying, don't you?" he pecked my head, but I sensed the threat in his kisses. I nodded.
"Why did you rape me?" I asked, and he laughed.
"You slept with me willingly," he separated my thighs, trying to get in between them.
"I hadn't agreed to sleep with you in three years after out first time. You kept raping me till this day," I appeared bold, but inside, I was trembling about the things he would do to me.
"If you don't want to repeat it again, close your eyes," like a sick psychopath, he warned me.
Closing my eyes, I thought about the incident that happened about a month after I came into this house. His father was about to send me away, but Liam stood there, eyeing me, "she will not," he firmly stated to his dad.
Mr. Hart turned around and huffed, "Go inside, boy," he tried to yank his son's hand. But Liam effectively dodged it.
"She will stay here," he warned, grinding his teeth.
"Liam," his dad warned. I remembered him running to the kitchen island. He began to bang his head on the counter. The entire mansion was stunned.
"She (bang) will (bang) stay (bang, bang, bang). He banged his head until his forehead cracked, and the counter was filled with his blood. His dad tried to stop him, but that only seemed to infuriate him further. Having no choice, his father agreed.
That day, I had no clue that I would turn into his sick obsession.