Chapter 5 The Cold Shoulder
1032 Words
Raina dashed into the elevator, clad in fluffy bunny slippers and a simple white cotton pajama set, rushing downstairs as fast as she could. The faster she moved, the safer she would be.
Downstairs, that familiar black Rolls-Royce was parked by the curb. Raina approached and lightly tapped on the car window.
In the next instant, the car door swung open.
Someone grabbed her wrist, and before she could react, Raina was yanked into the car.
"Hey! Be gentle!" Raina wasn't just whining. His grip really hurt. He never realized his own strength.
The car was dimly lit, and Craig glared at her with his dark brown, hawk-like eyes, an intensity in them that made her shiver. "You've been with me this long and still don't know that I prefer things rough and hard? Didn't I teach you that in bed?"
He said the last few words practically out through gritted teeth, dripping with hostility. Raina couldn't help but flinch.
'Gentle? That didn't exist in his world.'
Unbidden, some rather filthy images flashed through her mind, causing her ears to burn.
She quickly looked away, unwilling to meet his eyes any longer.
"I have no idea what you're talking about, Mr. Jenson. It's late, and if you have nothing important to say, I should go."
She turned away, attempting to leave.
But Craig tightened his grip on her wrist, pulling her roughly into his arms.
"Of course, I have something to say. Do you think I came all the way here in the middle of the night just to watch you give me the cold shoulder? Do you think I have nothing better to do?"
Raina was forced to stumble into his chest.
It was late autumn, yet the car was warm. He wore only a black shirt, the top two buttons casually undone.
The thin fabric did nothing to hide the firm, sculpted muscles underneath, and Raina could feel the heat radiating from his body through the shirt.
"Have you touched me enough?"
His voice was laced with suppressed anger as Craig grasped her hands, which had somehow ended up resting on his chest.
Their fingers intertwined, and he squeezed very hard.
"Ow! My hand... It's going to break!"
The pain shot through Raina's hand, bringing tears to her eyes.
Craig loosened his grip slightly, but his expression remained stern. "You dared to join that dating show behind my back. You should know there are consequences. This is just the beginning."
Raina froze.
'He already knew about the dating show? I had only agreed to Willow's suggestion this morning, yet Craig had found out by the evening. As expected, nothing could be hidden from him.'
Biting her lip, Raina struggled to suppress the urge to lash out and curse. "So, you came all the way here just to confront me over something so trivial, Mr. Jenson? Have you forgotten? We signed the agreement three days ago. We have nothing to do with each other anymore. Whether I want to date someone or not is my freedom. What right do you have to interfere with my private life?"
Craig still held her hands, making it impossible for her to break free.
His silence was a clear warning. "Ten days ago, you submitted your application to George for that dating show. You just wanted to seduce other men. How do you explain that?"
Raina was struck by the realization.
The application was something Willow had submitted on her behalf without telling her. Craig must have thought she was already planning to betray him before their agreement had ended.
'God knows how unjust this accusation was.'
Craig never allowed any woman he had been involved with to fall for other men. They were his personal property as long as they were under his agreement.
They had to be available whenever he wanted and always loyal to him.
His obsessive possessiveness had driven him to punish her in the dead of night.
But it was clear he hadn't bothered to verify the facts before deciding to pinch her hands like this.
'This is torture! How could he!'
But she couldn't let Craig know that it was Willow who had signed her up for the dating show. She believed that he would be even more merciless with Willow if he was this ruthless with her.
She had to bear the brunt of his wrath alone.
Taking a deep breath, Raina looked Craig in the eye, meeting his cold, piercing gaze. She interlocked her other hand with Craig's hand, letting him grip both her hands.
She took a deep breath, bracing herself. "Mr. Jenson, since you already know about the dating show, I have nothing to hide. With your power and status, crushing me would be easier than crushing an ant. I can't escape, so I'll take whatever punishment you want to dish out. Do your worst." With that, Raina closed her eyes, adopting a stance of resigned determination.
Her ten fingers, with neatly rounded and well-maintained nails, seemed fragile enough to snap easily, but they were now firmly held by Craig.
And yet, despite being caught in his grasp, her eyes shone with an unwavering determination when she met his gaze.
"So, how do you think I should punish you?"
Craig looked downwards, his cold eyes gradually focusing on her trembling fingertips.
"Should I break each finger for being so unruly?" His voice was icy, his tone cruel, and his expression made it clear that this was no idle threat.
Raina bit down on her lip, silently bracing herself.
'For every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction. If he really dared to crush my fingers, it would hurt him, too. Even if his bones were harder than mine, they weren't made of steel. He would feel the pain just as much. So, I wouldn't lose out this time!'
"Go ahead, Mr. Jenson. I have my pride. Even if you ruin my hands, I won't make a sound... Ah, ouch!"
Craig tightened his grip just a little more, and Raina's resolve crumbled instantly. She grimaced in pain while the pain broke through her.
'Damn it... This hurt way too much! I have lost big time!'
- Writer
