Bought as the Billionaire's Mistress

Chapter 9 Hunter or Prey

'So it has come to this!' I thought bitterly.

There was no escape left, not anymore. A knot of tight, gnawing anxiety coiled in my chest as I followed silently behind Arthur as he led me straight to Victor.

The room he waited in was spacious and minimalist, dominated by floor-to-ceiling windows.

Victor turned slowly in his large leather armchair as we entered, fixing me with a piercing, unblinking stare.

An overwhelming wave of pressure crashed over me the second our eyes met, making my heart race and my hands tremble uncontrollably. "M-Mr. Victor Finch," I stammered.

Victor studied me, his eyes unreadable. "Lillian, you failed your assigned task. On top of that, you've uncovered secrets you were never meant to hear. You know exactly what the consequences are."

He lifted a hand in a dismissive gesture, signaling Arthur to take me away and deal with me permanently.

Panic exploded in my chest at the silent order, and I moved faster than I thought possible, squatting down in front of Victor and tilting my head back to meet his gaze, my eyes wide with desperate pleading. "Before I die, I beg you—let me see my mother one last time. Please, Mr. Victor Finch. Just one final visit!"

I knew exactly how much power a young girl's tears and a fragile, innocent face held over most men.

But Victor did not so much as flinch at my display, his expression remaining cold and unfeeling as he looked down at me from his seat, utterly unmoved by my begging.

I took a deep breath, steeling myself for what I had to do.

My hands moved slowly, deliberately, as I undid the buttons of his pants. Then I sucked his d**k abruptly.

"I've been called a once-in-a-lifetime find. Can I trade this for one last chance to see my mother?" I murmured softly, my voice low and submissive.

A sharp, startled breath hissed through Victor's teeth at my bold move.

He curled a hand around my arm and lifted me easily, settling me onto his lap before brushing his fingers against my cheek. "Weren't you just swearing you belonged only to Desmond, that you'd stay faithful to him? Why the sudden change of heart so soon?"

Ice-cold dread flooded my veins at his words.

'So it is true—every single move I've made with Desmond, every word we've exchanged, has been watched and recorded by Victor all along.'

I leaned into his touch obediently, resting my cheek against his palm and keeping my posture soft and compliant. "I only want to see my mother one last time before I die. I'll give myself to you as payment. After that, you can do whatever you want with me!"

*****

To my quiet relief, Victor finally agreed.

True to his word, he took me straight to a private upscale hospital, where my mother was being cared for in a luxurious private wing.

The best medical team in the city had been assigned to her case, and she was well-tended, but her condition was still declining rapidly, with no hope of full recovery.

I turned to Victor, my voice calm but firm. "I'd like a few moments alone with my mother for this final visit."

Victor's face remained impassive, and he nodded once before turning on his heel and walking out of the room.

The medical staff and security guards filed out behind him in an instant, leaving the two of us completely alone.

The woman in the hospital bed lifted her head quickly at the sight of me, her eyes lighting up with quiet joy and relief.

"Lillian!" she whispered urgently.

I pressed a finger to my lips to silence her, leaning down close to her ear to keep my words hidden from any hidden listening devices. "Auntie, I've made it inside the Finch family household. Everything is going exactly according to plan. Just hold on, and take care of yourself."

This woman was not my biological mother at all, but my maternal aunt, her own sister.

"I never had much time left anyway. Using my illness to get you inside was worth every bit of it. Be careful, Lillian. You and that person must be careful, no matter what," she whispered back.

I nodded solemnly, my expression serious.

The Finch family thought I was a helpless pawn they'd selected and manipulated, but they had no idea the truth: the smartest hunters always hid in plain sight, disguised as the prey.

And deep within the Finch family, there was someone unexpected who had been my secret informant all these years.

*****

Once our brief visit ended, Victor led me to an exclusive, private members' bar, hidden away from the public eye and tucked into a quiet corner of the city.

I was nervous as he settled me onto his lap in a dimly lit booth, dreading the s****l repayment I knew was coming.

Victor poured a glass of smooth bourbon, sliding it toward me with a cool glance. "Drink with me. If you keep me entertained, I might consider letting you live."

I didn't hesitate, lifting the glass to my lips and intending to drink it all in one go. But I had never drunk hard liquor before, and the burning liquid made me cough violently, my eyes watering from the shock.

Victor took a slow sip of his own drink, then suddenly curled a hand around the back of my head to hold me in place. He leaned in, pressing his mouth to mine and passing the bourbon directly between our lips.

I froze in surprise, tensing to pull away, but Victor wrapped an arm tight around my waist to keep me still, his forehead pressed firmly against mine.

A faint, cold smile played on his lips, but his eyes were sharp and alert, no trace of warmth in them. "We're being followed. Play along if you want to stay alive."

Without another word, he leaned down and pressed me back against the leather booth, one hand sliding beneath my top to feign intimacy, the other cupping my cheek to force me to look at him, his gaze softening to mimic a loving, devoted boyfriend.

Alarm shot through me, and I tried to turn my head to spot the threat, but Victor held me firmly in place.

From the corner of my eye, I caught sight of nearly a dozen large men in baseball caps, scanning the crowded bar with hostile stares, clearly hunting for us.

I relaxed into his touch immediately, playing the part of a smitten girlfriend perfectly, pressing closer to hide my face from view.

Victor stood quickly, pulling me with him as we slipped through the throng of people, moving fast to lose our pursuers.

We were nearly at the exit when my foot caught on a large crate of glass beer bottles on the floor. The bottles crashed to the ground with a loud, shattering noise, drawing the immediate attention of the men hunting us.

Victor's face darkened instantly, and he shoved me behind him without hesitation, stepping in front to shield me from harm.

A flash of silver glinted in the dim light as a switchblade slashed toward my waist, but Victor's hand shot out, wrapping around the blade tightly to stop it mid-move.

Eight men closed in around us at once, weapons hidden beneath their jackets, their expressions ruthless.

The bar was loud and chaotic, the crowd completely unaware of the danger unfolding in the corner, no one paying attention to the confrontation.

Victor grabbed my hand, pulling me close as I let out a startled scream, and we pushed our way through the crowd toward the back exit, running as fast as we could.

The men were hot on our heels, their footsteps pounding behind us as we fled.

News of an assassination attempt on Victor could not go public, so he led me through a series of narrow, quiet side streets and alleyways, staying out of sight until his personal security team arrived, pulling up in a black SUV to extract us.

They drove us to a secluded, heavily guarded safe house, with multiple security checkpoints and round-the-clock protection at every entrance.

Once we were inside and the door was locked behind us, Victor turned to face me, his gaze filled with suspicion and shock. "My location has never been leaked before. I've never been ambushed or targeted like this. The first time I take you out in public, this happens. Explain yourself, Lillian."