Under His Dominion

CHAPTER FOUR

Anna’s Pov

My phone rang!

I glanced at the screen, it was an unknown number. It made me frown, “Sorry, let me take this.”

I stood up and stepped out of the room. When I was out, I held the phone to my ears, “Hello.”

A voice I did not recognize came through, urgent and low, “Miss Hayes, this is Detective Harris. I am calling to warn you; stay away from Alexander Cross.”

I froze, my heart stopped. “What do you mean?”

“He is dangerous.” The person on the phone said, “If you value your life, hyoid will walk away, now!”

Before I could say anything else, the phone went dead. I stood there, my body frozen as the warning echoed through the room. I walked back to the room, my mood dampened.

“Who was that?” he asked me.

I blinked twice to regain my composure, “Uhm…just a…. Wrong number!” I slid the contract across the table, “Hmmm…. I think I need more time to think.”

He studied me for a while. I hoped that he didn’t notice something was up. Fair enough, but don't take too much time. My patience is limited.

I nodded, stood up, and exited the room. As I left the restaurant, my mind raced with questions, which did not seem to be answered.

The warning from Detective Harris ran through my mind. Each step I took felt like a huge one and the weight of the decision I had to make was pulling me down.

What did he mean by saying Alexander was dangerous? Was it a part of Trina’s scheme or was there truth in his words?

When I finally got home, my head was spinning badly. When I got in, Jack was on the couch flipping through the channels.

“Hey, you are back……that was fast.” He asked me suspiciously, “How did your work go?”

“Uhh….it was fine” I quickly replied as I ignored his gaze.

“Fine?” His eyebrows raised, “You look like you just saw the boogie man.”

I forced myself to laugh to avoid more questions, “I guess I’m just tired, that’s all.”

“Anna?” His tone softened, “If anything is wrong you can talk to me.”

His concern touched me and made me feel warm inside. I wanted to sit him down and tell him about everything but…. I couldn’t, not yet.

I took a deep breath, as I patted his shoulders, “I’m fine….okay?”

Before I could say anything else, my phone buzzed. The screen lit up and Alexander’s name was on the caller ID.

I hesitated for a while before I picked it up.

“Anna”, his deep voice filling the place. “I need you in my office tomorrow.” We need to finalize the arrangements.

I swallowed hard, “I haven’t made my decision yet!”

His tone hardened, “There’s nothing left for you to decide, you have already agreed to the arrangement. Time is not on our side, be here by 8.”

Then the call ended before I could say anything else to him, leaving me frustrated.

“Hmm….who was that?” Jack asked, his eyes narrowing down on me.

I looked up, “Uhm… no one important,” I lied through my teeth. “It is just work stuff.”

He did not look convinced but the usual Jack, he did not push it further and let it slide.

I walked up to my room, as I tried to go get rested for tomorrow’s problems.

***************

The next morning

I had arrived at Alexander’s company as the assistant led me in without a word, her expression unreadable.

When we got to the office, Alexander was seated behind the desk and his sharp gaze landed on me.

“Sit.”

I obeyed without a word, gripping the strap of my bag tight.

“Have you finally signed the contract?” he asked as he leaned back into his chair.

“No…no, I haven’t” I came out plain.

His jaw tightened, “Anna, what is the problem? I have offered you everything: money, stability, a way to help your brother and all I asked in return was your time for six months.”

My head bowed, as I refused to meet his eyes, “it is not that simple.”

“Huh?”

I swallowed, “I got a call yesterday from a stranger, warning me to stay away from you as you are dangerous.”

His eyes darkened, and I could see real horror in his eyes. “From whom?”

“I don’t know. I wasn’t given a name.” I lied, “The person just told me you were dangerous, and I shouldn’t be around you.”

Alexander leaned forward, his aura ice-cold, “Let me make this clear, Anna. If you listen to baseless warnings from strangers, you are going to be led down the wrong path, and you will find yourself in the worst situation.”

My hands began to tremble, as I held them and tried to calm myself down, “but why would someone make up stuff about you? Is there anything you are not telling me?”

He paused for a while, looking at me. I thought he was going to confirm it, “People love to create drama where there isn't any. Don't let it distract you from what is important.”

“Which is?”

He stood up from his chair, and walked around the desk, as he hovered around me, “Your brother’s life, your future? Do you want to be able to save your brother?”

The reminder of my brother’s fragile state was like cold water poured on my face.

“Fine…” I sighed, “I will sign.” I whispered.

“Good.” he slid back the contract, with a pen. “No more stalling.”

My hands shook as I picked up the pen, my heart pounding as I wrote my name at the bottom of the contract.

“There!” I pushed it back to him, “Happy?”

His expression did not change a bit, but I could see he was satisfied. “Very.”

Once again, the door burst open, and I did not need a soothing Sayer to tell me who it was, Trina.

“Look who it is, the charity case.”

I rolled my eyes, as I thought about how she always knew the time I was going to be with Alexander.

“Could she be behind the phone call? Is she posing as Detective Harris?”