Dark obsession

His rules

*CHAPTER 16: "HIS RULES"*

The hotel room smelled like him.

Expensive cologne. Whiskey. Control.

I woke up to the sound of the shower running.

King size bed. Me in the middle. No Damian.

On the nightstand was a note. Black ink. His handwriting. Sharp. Angry.

`Rule 1: You answer my calls. Immediately.

Rule 2: No other men. Not even eye contact.

Rule 3: Wear what I tell you.

Break them and I break you.

- D`

Break me.

The words should've scared me.

Instead my stomach flipped.

The bathroom door opened. Steam rolled out.

Damian walked out in just a towel. Water dripping down his chest. His hair wet.

He stopped when he saw me awake.

"Morning," he said. Bored. Like he didn't look like sin.

"Morning."

"Get dressed. We have a meeting in 40 minutes." He tossed something on the bed.

A dress.

Navy blue. Sleeveless. Knee length. Professional.

Boring.

"That's what I'm wearing?"

"Yes." His eyes narrowed. "Unless you want me to pick something else. Something red. Something no one else but me should see."

Threat. Disguised as a choice.

"I'll wear this," I said quickly.

"Good girl." He smirked and walked to his suitcase. "And Maya? Rule 2. Remember it."

---

The meeting was with Abuja investors. 10 men. All older. All powerful.

And all of them looked at me when I walked in behind Damian.

He hated it.

I could tell by the way his jaw ticked.

We sat. He presented. Numbers. Graphs. Revenue.

The whole time his foot was pressed against mine under the table.

Halfway through, his phone rang.

He glanced at it. Frowned.

"Excuse me," he said and stood. "Miss Adele will continue."

He left.

And the second he did, Mr. Adebayo from the investment firm smiled at me.

"Miss Adele, you look lovely today. Are you new to Cross Holdings?"

"Yes sir, 6 months."

"Beautiful and smart. Rare combination." He leaned forward. "Perhaps we can discuss the project over dinner? Just you and I?"

My blood went cold.

Because I heard footsteps behind me.

"She's busy."

Damian's voice. Ice.

He walked back in, sat down, and put his hand on the back of my chair. Possessive.

"My assistant doesn't do dinners, Mr. Adebayo. She does work."

"Of course, of course." The man laughed nervously. "Just being friendly."

"Be friendly somewhere else."

The room went silent.

Damian finished the meeting in 10 minutes flat. No smiles. No small talk.

In the elevator after, he slammed his fist against the wall.

"What did I say about Rule 2?"

"I didn't do anything!"

"He asked you to dinner!" His eyes were black. "Did you say yes?"

"No!"

"Good." He crowded me against the elevator wall. "Because if you had, I would've fired him. And you. And then I would've kept you anyway."

The elevator dinged.

He stepped back like nothing happened.

---

That night was worse.

Company gala. Abuja elite. Champagne. Music.

Rule 3: Wear what I tell you.

He sent the dress to my room at 6pm.

Red. Backless. Slit to the thigh.

I put it on.

He came to get me at 7.

He didn't speak for a full minute. Just looked.

"Perfect," he said finally. Voice rough. "Now everyone will see what I see."

The gala was hell.

Every man looked. Every woman whispered.

And Damian?

He didn't leave my side. His hand on my lower back. His body blocking anyone who came close.

Until 9:47pm.

A young CEO from Port Harcourt walked up.

"Miss Adele, right? I'm Tunde. Can I get you a drink?"

Before I could answer:

"No," Damian said.

Tunde blinked. "Sorry?"

"I said no. She's with me."

"Apologies, I didn't realize—"

"Now you do." Damian's voice dropped. "Leave."

Tunde left.

Damian pulled me onto the dance floor.

"You embarrassed me," I whispered.

"I protected what's mine." His hand was on my waist, pulling me flush against him. "That's Rule 2, Maya. No other men."

"I'm not your—"

"Say it." His hand tightened. "Say you're not mine."

"I can't."

"Exactly." He spun me. "Because you are."

The song ended.

He led me out. Past everyone. Past the whispers.

Back in the hotel room, he closed the door and locked it.

"Did you like the attention?" he asked. Dangerous.

"No."

"Liar." He backed me to the wall. "You liked them looking. But you love that I stopped them."

His hands were in my hair.

"These are my rules, Maya. And you follow them. Because the moment you don't..."

He didn't finish.

He kissed me instead. Hard. Punishing.

Like he was erasing Tunde's offer from my lips.

When he pulled back, I was shaking.

"Go to bed," he said. "Alone. Tonight. Because tomorrow Rule 1 gets tested."

"Which is?"

"Answer my calls. Immediately." His eyes darkened. "Even at 3am."

*END OF CHAPTER 16*

*Word count: ∼1034*