THE CEO'S BINDING DEAL

‎ ‎Kayla pressed a trembling hand across her mouth ‎Don't breathe ‎She chanted I her head like an a mantra. Heavy footsteps thundered past the corridor outside ‎ Her heart pounded so hard she was sure the people outside could hear it through the door. Please don't come in. Please…. As if hearing her plea, the footsteps slowly faded away. Kayla held her breath for a while just to sure they'd gone. Then she finally exhaled her knees almost giving out beneath her. She had escaped, at least for now. She carefully pushed herself off the floor using the wall as support. ‎ Every muscle in her body trembled The room spun around her Something was terribly wrong. Her skin burned, her breathing became uneven The drug was kicking in, her vision blurry. No, not here Kayla, not now. Just hold on for a little while She regretted coming out today, she should have just listened to the other part of her gut that was chanting in her heart for her to stay back. Everything just felt off. From her stepmother's repeated instructions. “Sit straighter, you're representing the Carter family” “That's not how to chew infact forget about the food” “That's not the way to hold cutleries. Why are you stabbing the food like it's your first time. Do you know nothing about etiquette?” “Smile Kayla” everyone's watching” And she had forced a smile to her face. Following every Instruction bit by bit like a robot with no emotion. She had barely been back to the country for two weeks yet her good stepmother and stepsister had already begun treating her like an unwanted guest in her own family. Not even caring about keeping up face even if it's just for a while. Today's banquet was supposed to celebrate Carter's Enterprises latest partnership. Somehow, Kayla had begun to start doubting that celebrating was the reason she was here. “Here” Irene had handed her a wine glass pulling her out from her thoughts “Huh” “Drink” she said with a sweet smile on her face. Kayla hesitated. Something in her, a gut feeling told her she couldn't take anything from Irene. Especially not wine. Just when she was about to reject politely “You're not going to reject and make me make a fool of myself in front of everyone. Right?” Irene said still with that sweet smile on her face. Kayla chuckled nervously and looked around with her side eye. Sure enough, they had pulled a little audience. People observing, murmuring. Which she hated so much. She reached out with trembling hands to take the glass out of Irene's hands. Irene's sweet smile turned even larger “Go ahead Kayla, drink up” Kayla gulped, there really might be no escape from this one Just when she was about to bring it to her mouth somebody bumped into her, hard. The glass broke and the wine stained her dress. She heard gasps around and murmurs but she actually felt relieved. Irene face had scrunched into a frown as she looked at the new uninvited guest. “I'm sorry” the uninvited guest, Anna apologized with a bow. Where no one could see, she winked at Kayla and mouthed ‘you're welcome’ and Kayla looked at her gratefully. “Please excuse me I'd like to go look for a change of clothes” she said not even looking at her stepmother for permission. She walked to the restroom where she saw enthusiastic girls heading towards the main room. “Did you hear” “The CEO of Vance industries is attending tonight” ‘You mean the Andrian Vance?” “Who else?!” Kayla ignored them. It wasn't like she could go see this hot shot in stained clothes anyways. She went to the room assigned for her and changed her clothes. Just when she came out she saw a waiter carrying water In a tray. She felt parched and called him to stop and reached for the nearest glass. Water was safe at least, or so she thought. While heading to the main room she felt funny so she went straight to the washroom. ‎ She bent to the faucet to wash her face and maybe clear her head. ‎ ‎Just as she raised her head, she saw a shadow looming over her in the mirror. ‎ ‎She was being followed! ‎ ‎She tried to rush out, but she was cornered and a meaty hand clamped over her mouth and held a weird smelling white cloth to her nose. Which she figured was what should be used to knock her out. ‎ And then she passed out. She groggily opened her eyes to see herself hoisted like a bag of rice over a masked man. She was still trying to process the situation when she was dropped on the floor with a loud thud. She wanted to scream out loud but held back, she couldn't let them find out she was awake. “Careful, boss said we shouldn't hurt her” Another figure in a mask said, walking in slowly. Kayla kept shut listening to their muffled up conversation. And then they left, this was her chance She held her breath for a while before struggling to crawl under the bed, gritting her teeth and biting her own tongue to keep herself awake. And that was how she found herself in this situation. She wobbled out of the room and was going through every floor, trying every door to see which one would open up for her snd luckily she found one and jumped in. Closing the door with a loud bang ‎She couldn't even steady her breath when the door handle turned ‎ ‎Oh no her breath hitched I've been caught Kayla froze ‎ ‎The door swung open and a tall figure filled the frame. ‎ ‎He wasn't one of them. ‎ ‎He was wearing a dashing suit, slightly disheveled, reeking of alcohol and he was staring right at her. ‎ ‎“Wrong room” he said with a grunt ‎ ‎Kayla opened her mouth to scream, but that's when the drug chose to hit. ‎ Her fingers felt numb, his figure turned blurry. ‎A whimper slipped out instead, soft, broken, inviting. ‎ ‎His eyes darkened instantly. He stepped further inside, shutting the door behind him with a click. ‎ ‎“You're not supposed to be here”, he slurred, swaying slightly. The whiskey wasn't the only thing in his system. His skin was burning hot, his cheeks flushed and his eyes hazy. ‎ His expression looked just like hers, he was drugged too! ‎ ‎He didn’t wait for an answer. ‎ ‎The drug had her eyes glassy, her lips parted, her chest heaving like she’d run a marathon. ‎ ‎“f**k it,” he breathed, and then his mouth was on hers. ‎ ‎He was desperate, hungry for her, angry at himself for wanting her this bad and having no control against his desires. ‎ ‎His hands weren’t gentle, one fisted in her hair, the other crushing her waist to him like she’d disappear if he let go. ‎ ‎He tasted like whiskey and bad decisions, and her. ‎ ‎Kayla melted. ‎ ‎The drug stole her fight. A broken moan slid from her into his mouth and that was it. That was the sound that made him hold back. ‎ ‎A little bit of clarity returning to his hazed eyes. ‎ ‎He tore away, panting, forehead crashing to hers. His eyes were wild, pupils blown from alcohol and lust and something else. Something wrecked ‎ ‎“Leave,” he rasped. ‎ ‎Kayla blinked, confused. “W-what?” ‎ ‎“Leave,” he said again, this time louder, but his arms didn’t move. If anything, he pulled her closer. His voice cracked, barely a whisper. Begging. “Please... just go. Before I do something we both…” ‎ ‎“Search every room” the door rattled as a voice barked outside ‎ ‎Kayla went rigid. They were back. Back for her. Trembling, she held his shirt like it was redemption and was the only way for her escape. ‎ ‎Andrian softened as he looked at her and pulled her into his embrace. ‎ ‎“Do you trust me?” ‎ ‎But he didn’t look at the door. He looked at her like she was the only thing in the room. ‎ ‎“Too late,” he whispered against her lips.“You’re not leaving now.” ‎ ‎His thumb brushed her swollen bottom lip, his touch suddenly devastatingly soft. “God help me, I don’t want you to go.” ‎ ‎Another bang on the door. ‎ ‎Andrian’s whole body curled around hers, shielding her. Protecting her. Claiming her. ‎ ‎And Kayla, drugged and dizzy and terrified, realized something with soul-crushing clarity: ‎ ‎She didn’t want to leave either. ‎ ‎ ‎