A DEAL WITH THE BOSSY BILLIONAIRE

Stage Bait

Nolan POV

Before I knew it, I was kidnapped, shoved into a blue Mercedes-Benz van with the Chandler Enterprises logo on it. I was blindfolded, my ears were blocked, and I was put into a body bag after being tied up with a rope—no ordinary rope, but the kind that burns you if you struggle. All I could think of was whether this was my last day on Earth or if this was some big prank. Either way, it wasn’t pretty, and even in this uncertain situation, I found myself craving a hotdog and ice cream—possibly because I had a clue that Sia might be behind my kidnapping.

The van pulled over, and I was dragged in the body bag to an abandoned warehouse in a far, remote area, away from civilization—a perfect hideout for inter-gang or drug deal operations, as well as a place for body dumping.

It was around dusk, somewhere between 5 pm and 7 pm. I could smell the hard work of laboring nude women packaging drugs, the villainous bulldogs barking loudly, their chains held by bodyguards. The warehouse was more of a fortress, and not just that—I could smell cash, likely over 700 billion, along with grades of arms and ammunition. After a few minutes, my body hit the ground, and I could hear a conversation between my kidnappers and the one who had ordered my abduction.

Although I couldn’t make out any words, I sensed that I was in big trouble.

Soon after, I was gagged, tied with that same burning rope, and my mouth was sealed with a rough strip of duct tape. They weren’t taking any chances—I was effectively silenced and immobilized, left with nothing but my thoughts, my fears, and the overwhelming sense of dread creeping over me.

I was dragged again, this time into an elevator that hummed ominously as it descended. I tried to count the seconds, to estimate how far down we were going, but panic had my thoughts spiraling out of control. When the elevator finally stopped, I was hauled out roughly, my feet barely touching the ground as they pulled me along a cold, damp corridor.

I couldn’t see a thing, but I could smell the stench of death—rotting flesh, stale blood, and something far more sinister that I couldn’t identify. It was as if I was being dragged into the bowels of hell itself.

The muffled sounds of agony reached my ears, though I couldn’t pinpoint their source. Was it a scream? A moan? It was hard to tell, but whatever it was, it added to the terrifying atmosphere that enveloped me. Every nerve in my body was on edge, and the rope around my wrists burned whenever I tried to pull against it.

After what felt like an eternity, they stopped. My heart pounded in my chest, each beat a countdown to whatever fresh horror awaited me. Then, without warning, they threw me to the floor. I landed hard, my shoulder slamming into the cold concrete. The pain shot through me, but I barely had time to register it before they were on me again, untying the rope and ripping the gag from my mouth.

"Get up," one of them growled, his voice like gravel. I struggled to my feet, my legs trembling as they forced me to stand. The blindfold was yanked off, and I blinked rapidly, my eyes trying to adjust to the dim, flickering light.

I was in a small, windowless room, the walls stained with years of grime and something that looked suspiciously like blood. The air was thick, heavy, and the only light came from a single, bare bulb hanging from the ceiling. The room was empty, except for a single metal chair in the center, bolted to the floor.

Without a word, they pushed me toward the chair. I hesitated for a split second, but a sharp shove from behind sent me stumbling forward. I had no choice—I sat down, the cold metal biting into my skin.

They quickly bound my wrists to the armrests and my ankles to the legs of the chair, leaving me utterly defenseless. The woman, the one from the SUV, crouched down in front of me, her eyes locking onto mine with a look that sent chills down my spine.

She leaned in close, her breath hot against my face. “You’re going to answer some questions, Nolan,” she whispered, her voice dripping with menace. “And if you lie, if you even think about holding back... well, let’s just say things will get very unpleasant for you.”

I swallowed hard, my mouth dry. “What do you want to know?”

She smiled—a cold, cruel smile that didn’t reach her eyes. “Everything,” she said simply.

Before I could respond, the door behind her creaked open, and a tall figure stepped into the room. The man was dressed in a dark suit, his face partially obscured by the shadows. He moved with an air of authority, every step measured, deliberate.

He stopped just a few feet from me, his eyes boring into mine with a calculating intensity. The woman stepped aside, giving him room to approach, though she stayed close, her hand resting on the gun at her hip.

“Nolan,” the man said, his voice smooth, almost soothing. “You’ve been causing quite a bit of trouble lately, haven’t you?”

I didn’t respond, my mind racing as I tried to figure out who this man was and what he wanted from me. But he didn’t seem to need an answer; he already knew.

“We’ve been watching you for some time now,” he continued, his tone casual, as if we were discussing the weather. “You’ve made some powerful enemies, and unfortunately for you, they’ve decided it’s time to collect.”

I clenched my fists, the restraints biting into my wrists. “What do you want from me?” I asked, my voice trembling despite my efforts to stay calm.

The man smiled—a small, humorless smile that sent a fresh wave of fear crashing over me. “I want you to listen very carefully, Nolan,” he said, his voice dropping to a deadly whisper. “You’re going to do exactly what we tell you, when we tell you. You’re going to follow our orders to the letter. And if you don’t...”

He trailed off, leaving the threat hanging in the air. I didn’t need him to finish the sentence; I knew exactly what he meant.

“But why?” I asked, desperation creeping into my voice. “Why me?”

The man’s smile faded, replaced by a look of cold determination. “Because you’re the perfect pawn,” he said simply. “And pawns don’t get to ask questions. They just do what they’re told.”

I opened my mouth to protest, to plead, but the woman cut me off with a sharp slap to my face. The sting of it shocked me into silence.

“Enough talking,” she snapped. “It’s time to start answering.”

The man reached into his coat and pulled out a small, black device. It looked like a remote control, with a single red button in the center. He held it up, his eyes never leaving mine.

“Do you know what this is, Nolan?” he asked.

I shook my head, my heart pounding in my chest.

“This,” he said, holding the device closer, “is your life now. And if you step out of line, if you try to run, or if you fail to do exactly as we say, I’ll press this button.”

He paused, letting the gravity of his words sink in. “And when I do, the explosives we’ve placed inside your body will detonate.”

My blood ran cold, the full horror of my situation crashing down on me like a tidal wave. They had turned me into a walking bomb, a living weapon at their disposal.

The man leaned in closer, his voice dropping to a whisper. “So, Nolan, do we have an understanding?”

I couldn’t speak, couldn’t move. All I could do was nod, my entire body trembling with fear.

“Good,” the man said, standing up straight. “Now, let’s get started.”

As the door to the room closed behind them, I was left alone in the darkness, the reality of my situation sinking in. I was trapped, a puppet in their twisted game, with no way out and no hope of escape.

And the worst part? I knew, deep down, that this was only the beginning.