Flowers for the Devil

Chapter 6

I woke up in a room I didn’t recognize. Panic hit me instantly, and it only got worse when three men walked in, all wearing masks.

“Call Boss. She’s awake,” the one in the black mask ordered the guy in the blue mask.

“What do you want from me? Why am I here? I don’t have money, and I definitely don’t have parents you can call. You’ll get nothing from me,” I yelled at them.

“Really?” A man with red hair and a red mask stepped in. “What if I told you we could call someone?”

“What do you mean? Who? I don’t have any family left.”

“Not your family. The one who’s obsessed with you.”

I was curious, but I refused to show it. “Who? Obsessed how?”

“Can we skip the questions?

What do you want from me?”

“You,” he said bluntly.

“Me? Why?”

“Because he won’t stop coming after me. He plans to have me killed. And it’s because of you.”

“Who? Why? Let me go. I don’t know anything about what you’re talking about.”

I just cried. They stood there, watching me like I was about to pass out from fear.

“Who are you people?” I sobbed, screaming at them.

“Really, you don’t know? He didn’t tell you when he took you to his penthouse?”

Oh. Now I know who they’re talking about. It was him.

My thoughts cut off when I heard a burst of gunfire outside. Terrified, I glanced around, looking for anywhere I could hide.

“Guard her. Don’t let her escape.”

“Yes, Boss,” the black mask answered.

They all filed out, leaving only three of us in the room.

Minutes passed. The gunfire outside didn’t stop. Then the black mask’s phone rang.

“We’re heading out. Bring the hostage. The enemy’s too strong—we need to leave now.”

They yanked me to my feet and cut the rope off my ankles. Suddenly the door slammed open—and there he was. Holding a gun, wearing nothing but a white T-shirt. No vest. No protection. Nothing to keep him safe.

I came back to my senses when I saw the other two collapse. I froze. Their bodies were riddled with bullets. He walked toward me. I could only stare, dazed, until he pulled me into his arms. A few minutes later, he scooped me up bridal style. I was too shocked to think, so I just wrapped my arms around his neck by instinct.

I don’t know how long I stayed numb, but by the time I realized it, we were already at his penthouse. Yes, I knew it was his. He brought me here once before.

“Maxine.” He said my name once we got inside, but I just stared at him, still in a daze.

I didn’t want to speak. I was terrified of what I’d just witnessed. At the bar I only cleaned tables, but today I saw bodies turned into ground meat from all the bullets. And worse—one of them had been looking right at me. Their crumpled clothes, their eyes… I couldn’t get it out of my head.

“Are you okay?” he asked, worried, but I couldn’t answer. I heard him call someone named Yvonne. I just listened to him argue with his men.

“F*ck, where is Yvonne?” he cursed, his voice sharp.

“Boss, you just called her. Maybe it’s better to let Maxine rest for now.”

“I can’t. This was my fault. I dragged her into this danger.” His voice was heavy, full of blame. I couldn’t process it. Earlier, those men blamed me—said he wanted him dead because of me. Now he was blaming himself.

“Draven, what happened?” A woman’s voice echoed through the house.

“Oh my God, who is she? Is she the one you told me about?” she asked, curious.

“Can you stop asking?” he snapped.

I just listened. No reaction. Just listening.

“She was kidnapped by Marco,” he said, spitting Marco’s name like venom.

So that was Marco.

“Why?” Yvonne asked.

“Because I hunt him. The same way he hunts her.”

I had so many questions, but nothing came out. My mouth wouldn’t work.

Eventually, they left me and Draven alone. He carried me to his bedroom.

“Sleep for now, hmm? Rest,” he said softly.

He stared at me like he was searching for some kind of reaction, so I just stared back. I could feel how worried he was.

“I’ll get some food, hmm? Wait for me here.” He kissed my forehead.

The second he left, I searched for my phone. But I couldn’t find it. It must’ve fallen when Marco’s men grabbed me. I had no way to contacting anyone. Then the images came back—the bodies in that abandoned place, the eyes staring at me. I started shaking. It felt like they were still here.

I screamed. He rushed in. Outside his door, his men erupted into chaos. He pulled me into his arms instantly, calming me down. Before I knew it, I was clutching his broad shoulders, burying my face in his chest. I could hear his heartbeat, thudding hard. The gentle rub on my back and the small kisses on my forehead slowed my breathing. I let myself drown in the safety of it and drifted off.

I woke up to noise again. They were outside, and I could hear every word through the door.

“When you find him, bring him to me. I want to kill him myself. He touched what’s mine, so he faces the consequences.” His voice was low, dangerous.

“Boss, ‘mine’? Like, you actually have a claim now?” one of them joked. Everyone laughed. Was he laughing too?

“Okay. 5k a day. You want it?”

“Ah, Boss, pass.”

I actually giggled at that. I didn’t realize the door was slightly open until it swung wide, and he was staring at me—like he needed to confirm it was really me laughing. I slapped my hands over my mouth.

He walked in and closed the door, eyes still locked on me. I dove under the blanket and hid my face.

“I heard you laugh, hmm? Cute.”

My heart did something stupid that cute. Like, 99% stupid.

I shook my head when he tried to pull the blanket off.

“You smell bad,” he said, and I froze. He used that chance to yank the blanket away and study my reaction. I scooted back immediately. Rude.

He kept moving closer. I kept moving away.

“Can you stop following me? Stop it, will you?” I snapped. Anger activated.

“I’m sorry. I was just kidding.” There he goes, panicking now.

“Stay away from me.” I ran to the bathroom.

If I shower, what do I wear? Oh, I know. His clothes. He brought me here, so it’s his problem. Hehe.

I finished showering, but then—problem. No panties. I’m not comfortable without them. I stopped spiraling when I saw another door inside his bathroom. I opened it. Jackpot. His kloset.

Success. I found one of his boxers. It was huge, but I also found a pair that actually fit. They looked new, so I figured they were spares. I also grabbed an oversized T-shirt. Oversized on me, perfect on him because he’s huge.

The shirt hit below my knees, but it was fine. I’m comfortable. At the tree house I wore cycling shorts and a tank top with a bra anyway.

I hand-washed the clothes I took off, so it took a while. He was probably gone by now.

When I opened the door, I jumped. He was standing right there, facing the bathroom, eyes raking over me from head to toe. He looked away fast—but then looked right back.

“I used your clothes because I didn’t have anything to wear,” I explained.

He closed the distance in two steps and lifted me. He sat on the bed with me straddling his lap. I felt something press against me every time I shifted, so I scrambled off and stared at his belt, reaching for it in shock.

“What are you doing?”

“I think a snake got into your pants. It moved when you made me sit on you.”

He just laughed.

“If you open that, it’s going to get you.”

I dropped my hands instantly and hid behind him.

“Pft. Cute.” He laughed softly, and that shut me up. He’s the cute one. His neck and ears were red.

I pouted because I actually wanted to see the snake. Why was it in there? How did it get in?

“Why’s your face like that? Are you mad?”

“I want to see the snake.”

“You’re 28 and still this innocent?”

“What? Age doesn’t matter when it comes to seeing snakes. I saw one by my tree house before and I just left it alone. It probably had a family waiting for it.”

He burst out laughing, and I pouted harder.

I lay down and ignored him. I checked the clock—shocks, 9 PM already? What about my job? I wanted to ask if he found my phone, but I didn’t want him to laugh at me again.

I’ll just sneak out early tomorrow.

“Don’t sleep yet. Your hair’s still wet,” he said, standing up and heading to the bathroom. He came back with a hair dryer.

“Come here.”

I kept ignoring him, so he just picked me up and put me back on his lap. I let him. What happened to Nathan? He’s probably worried. I want to call them, but how?

“Boss, Boss!” Someone called from outside.

“What?” he answered, irritated.

“Aren’t you going to eat? Feed Maxine, or her stomach’s gonna start a riot. You’re such a red flag.”

I laughed and stood up, opening the door before Draven could stop me.

“Hiii,” I greeted, excited. I feel like Diego and I would get along fast. He’s funny. He makes me laugh.

“Hi, ganda. Let’s eat?”

“Shut up, Diego,” Draven snapped.

“Let’s go,” I said to Diego, grabbing his hand and pulling because I was hungry. The second food was mentioned.

He followed right away. Draven looked like a dinosaur about to breathe fire.

“Stop holding her hand, will you?” he said, his voice deadly. Diego went cold instantly.

“Diego, are you scared of Draven?” I asked, but he didn’t answer. He just gently freed his hand from mine.

I ignored Draven and went to the table. There was so much food.

“You can go,” Draven told him.

“But I’m hungry,” I said, annoyed.

“Diego.”

Ah, so his name’s Diego.

“No, eat first, Diego. Come here,” I said, but Diego just shook his head and left.

At the door, he threw over his shoulder, “Boss, you’re so jealous you want to punch someone?”

I laughed, especially when he slammed the door shut in a hurry.

We ate in silence. I couldn’t stop thinking about what time I should leave. Nathan must be worried.

After eating, I tried to wash the dishes, but he stopped me. Said he’d do it. So I went to the living room and turned on the TV. Rich people things—he has Netflix.