Fated To Love Them

Four

"Silas." I nudge him, when he still doesn't respond to what i had said. What was the big deal? Why is he so angry about what i just said.

"Riley." He growls my name with so much fury. And grips both of my forearms with his hands. Bringing his face closer to mine. Its a miracle our bodies aren't brushing each other at this point. "You will not work for Luis Martinez. I forbid you to."

"Dont tell me what to do Silas!" I snap. I had told him not to tell me what to do, literally a few minutes ago. But he doesn't seem to get it. Apparently his dump as rocks. Or maybe over the past two years i had gave so much control over my life that now when im denying him something, he just thinks its a tantrum. So he is not taking me seriously. That is gonna have to change. I will have to find a way to make my no's stick. Granted these past two years i had listened to everything he had said, well when he bothered to remember that i existed. He used to just tell the orders to Alex or Mateo. My bodyguards. Boss said you shouldn't leave the room. Boss said you are to go and collect some of the loans at the market. Boss said this. Boss said that. And i had followed all his orders without question. Now that im thinking about those times. Its making me furious. How had i allowed Silas to crush my spirit so much. He had been in love with his ex- wife, probably still is. But how could i have stopped reacting to situations i wouldn't have put up with any day. One thing is for sure, those days are over. All hell will have to break loose to make me listen to his orders ever again. "And im not working for Luis Martinez. Im working for Martinez Inc."

"Same thing." He snaps.

"No its not. You saying im working for Luis Martinez, you make it seem personal and its not personal." I roll my eyes. Im not sure what im trying to do here. But its kinda of fun. Seeing the anger and confusion on his face. I bet his wondering what kind of nonsense i was spewing or drug i was on. No worries, he can think all the thrash he wants to think about me but i liked making him not able to read me. Im gonna have to practice more on this new skill. It might come in handy one day.

"Stop spewing nonsense woman!" He says with anger. But also with confusion. "And im your husband. So i have a right to tell you what to do. And you will stop working for Luis Martinez immediately."

"What does you being my husband have to do with anything? Its not like you have respected this relationship before. So im sorry to say, but you being my husband does not change anything. And before you say it, allow me to remind you. You are also not my king. You are just a man i married to save my parents from debt. So your opinions dont matter. You live your life and i will live mine." I say with a not taking bullshit voice. A bit of surprise flicker in his eyes. If not that our faces were closer, I would have not seen it. Just as quickly the surprise vanishes from his face, leaving only the angry expression.

"Don't test me on this Riley. Luis Martinez and i are arch enemies. And i will lock you up in this room, if you dare disobey my order." He threatens.

"You wouldn't dare lock me up, as if im some kind of prisoner." I say with a shock filled voice.

"I will dare. If you disobey me!." He growls.

"What does you hating Luis Martinez have to do with me?" I yell.

"I assure you, he also hates me just as much. I dont cross his territory and he doesn't cross mine. And you being my wife automatically makes you a Meco and therefore you will be in his territory."

"Maybe he wont mind." I insist stubbornly.

"But i do mind. He is so arrogant, egotistic and bullheaded. And i dont want you working for him." He growls again. Pot meet kettle. Those traits he just described are his too. And he has the nerve to accuse Luis of having those traits. I hate hypocrites. And for some reason he always finds a way to give me one more reason to hate him. If only he cared enough to pay attention, he would see that his basket was already full of reasons of why i hate him. He looks like he wants to add something but his cellphone rings. Making him lose the grips he had on me. Thank f**k. I was beginning to feel hot in a disturbing way, that keeps happening whenever he touches me. And i didn't like it at all.

"You forgot to say he is hot." I mutter to myself.

"Excuse me." He bellows in so much anger that i flinch. Oops he must have heard that. He then smirks when he notices the way i flinched. Damn. I didn't want to give him an idea that i was scared of him. Even if i was, i didn't want it to show. He is a predator, once he smells my fear, even a little bit of it. He wont be able to resist using that against me. But he had replied with so much anger that i couldn't help but react. And i had not expecting a response since he had been already talking on the phone. So in my defence i had only said it to myself. Making this the first time that i have acknowledged that Luis Martinez, is pretty hot. I wonder how he is coping with the day without me. I still hadn't switched my phone on. So tomorrow i was going to have another sexy man growling at me. Eth was right, my life is starting to get pretty interesting.

"So i take it, you will obey my orders." Silas says. Making me snap out of my thoughts of Luis. I hadn't realized that he had finished his call. And now that im looking up at him, his jaw is kind of ticking in an angry way. I guess he didn't like me not noticing that he had finished his call. Poor baby he is getting angry when i have only just begun. I wonder when it will catch on, that i will not be following his orders ever again. Before i could snap at him, again. A piercing scream tears through the night and startles me so much that i jump.

"What was that sound?" I ask turning around to look at the window. The scream had came from outside. It sounded like a man. I start to go towards the window so that i could look outside and see what was happening out there.

"Don't let it concern you." Silas says grabbing my right hand, halting me mid-step. Another scream full of agony tears through the night. Making me jump again. Im officially worried and terrified. What is going on?

"Silas that's a man screaming out there. What's going on?" I ask worriedly because he was acting like this was an everyday occurrence. Probably is since he is the mafia king and all. But it wasn't an everyday thing to me. I have never heard anyone scream ever since i started staying here two years ago. Never mind a person, not even a mouse had so much as squeaked in this house. "Let me go, i want to see what's happening out there?" I say trying to tag my hand out of his hold, but he just tightens it. It will be a miracle if i wake up without bruises tomorrow.

Silas takes out his phone and calls someone.

"Stavros, why have you started torturing the i***t already without waiting until you get into the basement." He growls on the phone. Stavros, the mountain of a man, he is Silas's bodyguard. One of his most trusted man. He kinda scares me. When he looks at you his eyes look empty. Like they have no soul, which sometimes makes me pity him. I wonder what kind of torture life has put him through to make him seem soulless. Oh my goodness, they were torturing someone. This is why i hated the mafia so much. Its always surrounded by death. I know everyone dies but the mafia is a bit too much sometimes. Not a day passes without someone being tortured or dying. Rosalia had once told me about the basement where the twin kings tortured traitors or someone they wanted information from. I had been quite happy to remain in my bubble and not get involved in anything. But hearing this man's screams seems to be announcing that somehow im now involved. I wont stop living my life again thou. Not a chance. I will face whatever situation is thrown my way head on. Another scream tears through the night. Okay now i just want to throw up. Shock had strange ways to make itself known. So i will face whatever situation is thrown my way, just as soon as i learn not to vomit my guts out. Breathe in, breathe out. In. Out. I repeat the process in my head again and again. I start to feel myself calm down. Like barely. Another scream, and i forget my breathing exercises and just head straight for the bathroom. Just in time too because i start puking my guts out. "I dont care. My wife isn't liking those screams. She is not twisted like us. So pause the torture, until you are in the basement." He continues. He goes quiet again, i guess listening to what Stavros was saying. "Just shove his shoe into his mouth. It will keep him quiet enough to make it to the basement." He responds to Stavros again. Shove his shoe into his mouth, that's beyond disgusting. I puke my guts once more.

Getting up from the floor. I flush the toilet and i wash my face and mouth over the sink. I feel a bit dizzy. Besides the juice Rosalia had brought me, i hadn't eaten anything solid. No wonder i was feeling weak. I drag myself out of the bathroom, to find Silas pacing my room. Why was he pacing like a restless bear? He was not even on the call anymore.

"Are you okay?" He asks with something suspiciously like concern. "Sorry about that." He continues. Okay, consider me officially shocked. Silas showing concern and apologizing to me in one day. Did i somehow puked all my guts out and died. Because the husband i know doesn't apologize to anyone. Nevermind showing concern.

"Im fine. Was just shocked." I mumble.

"That's an understatement." He grumbles. Making me blush furiously. Why was i even blushing? He looks like he wants to say something. Probably a jibe. But his cellphone rings. And he turns around to answer it. Thank goodness. Saved by an incoming call.

"What is it Hannah?" He answers. And listens to whatever that's being said over. "Okay i will be there immediately. Wait for me in my hotel room." He finishes and cuts the call. That last statement successfully removes the blush that had still been on my face. Hannah, a woman's name, and his hotel room. Obviously its one of his mistresses or s*x buddies like i heard him call them two months after our wedding.

"I have to go." He says to me.

"It almost seems like you are asking for permission Silas. Go then. Im not stopping you." I say bitterly. Even the bitter taste was in my mouth. I could not be feeling jealous right. Yeah no way. Im not jealous. I have no reason to feel that kind of emotion over Silas. I hate him. He doesn't respond to my bitter comment, thank f**k. I hope he also didn't catch that bitterness emotion from my voice. I go to bed and lay down carefully on it. The dizziness is still there.

"No more working for Luis Martinez, Riley. Send your resignation letter when you feel better. Don't even dare try to disobey me, you wont like the way i retaliate." He warns me. And with that he leaves my room, which i hadn't realized he was still in. He always has to have the last word. Bastard. Tomorrow he will find out that i dont care a hoot about his orders anymore. I just hope that he doesn't come back today. The day was still young and i didn't want to see him again or get into another row with him. At least not until i have regained my full strength.

*****

"Morning guys." I greet Portia and Felicia who had not realized that i had entered the office. Both of them jerk their heads up in surprise and to my shock they just acknowledge my greetings with a nod and go back to whatever they are doing. Weird. Portia not answering but simply nodding. I can understand that. The girl doesn't use her words very often. But Felicia just nodding her head like that, was definitely a cause for worry. She never nods her head. By now she would be almost all over me wanting to know about yesterday's details. But she didn't do that or try to chatter me to death. Unbelievable. I reach my desk and place my handbag down. "Okay girls, what's wrong? Why are you acting all weird? Especially you Felicia. Did you lose your voice or something?" I ask turning around to face them.

"My voice is completely fine." Felicia mutters.

"So what's wrong then?" I ask again.

"You are in trouble Riley." Portia answers this time.

"With who?"

"Mr Martinez!." Portia and Felicia say in unison. And for the first time since i started to work here. I see the fear in their eyes. If they are that afraid when they haven't done anything. What condition would i be in after Mr Martinez finishes with me. My mind creates a vision were Mr Martinez literally picks me up and throws me into his mouth and chew me raw. I snap out the ridiculous vision but can't help to shudder in fear. Dont be paranoid Riley. I scold myself. I cant let the fear in. If it sinks its claws into me things will turn out bad for me.

"I know. I walked away from him." I respond calmly.

"Its not just that!." They say in unison again. Okay, they were starting to creep me out. Since when are they in sync so much. Before i could ask them that, they continue in unison. Again, "You changed the...." They never get to finish because something crashes in Mr Martinez's office. The three of us jump out of our skins.

"What's going on in...?"

"Miss Stone. My office right now.!" Mr Martinez interrupts me. How had he come out of his office without us hearing him. He had done it again. Its creepy as hell. The girls just gives me pity looks and get back to their work. I cant help to feel a bit of fear. I knew changing the schedule would infuriate him. But i didn't think it would be this bad. Whatever he says to me i will face it head on. And try to hold my tongue since the bear is already furious. Lord help me hold my tongue today. Its getting difficult everyday. One thing was for sure thou, I wont show him any fear. I had to go through hoops to make it here today. Silas hadn't came back home like i had hoped. But the infuriating man had told my bodyguards not to drive me anywhere. And told the security at the gate not to let me out. I had been so mad when Alex and Mateo had refused to take me to work. Spitting s**t about Boss's orders. So i had told them that if they wanted to sit their asses at home today, it was fine by me. But i was going to go to work even if i had to crawl. The looks of horror on their faces had been priceless. Firstly because they didn't think i would disobey Silas's orders and secondly, they didn't think i would threaten them to go alone. They knew if something happens to me out there when im alone. Silas's orders or not he will kill them. Because when he firstly assigned them to me he had been specific about protecting me at all costs even their lives. So me disobeying Silas's order meant they were to come with me whether they liked it or not because they couldn't let me go without protection. They had eventually given in, when they saw that i had been serious. We got into the car, for me to encounter another problem because the security had refused to open the gate for me. Boss's orders again. The minute i heard the 'B' word again, i lost it and got out the car and went for the security guy. I kneed him in his balls so hard that fell down in pitiful cries. Where i even got the strength to do that, i wouldn't know. Alex and Mateo had been so shocked by that stunt, so much so they hadn't realized that i had taken the remote control of the gate and used it to open it. They had only came out of their shock when i shouted for them to go already since i was already back in the car. We had drove off. The poor man had still been on the ground whimpering in pain. I had heard that if you kick a man in his balls it will hurt like hell, and seeing Paul like that, had proved the theory i heard.

"Yes Sir." I say entering the office. Noticing how the office was a mess. His desk was a mess. A flower pot was broken on the floor spilling all the soil on it. "Sir." I say again when he doesn't respond but just keeps staring at me. It was making me nervous.

"Why aren't you afraid of me Miss Stone.?" He asks calmly. But i wont be fooled by that at all. A man like him knew how to hide his emotions very well. And calmness was the last thing he was feeling judging by the mess in the office and his ticking jaw.

"Why should i be afraid of you?" I counter.

"Because your self preservation should help you not to make things complicated for yourself but there is something about you."

"Let me save you from trying to psycho analyze me. You might burst your brain from all that effort you are putting in to try and figure me out. My self preservation went dormant a long time ago." I respond. So much for holding my tongue. What am i doing insulting him when he is already furious with me.

"Obviously because you wouldn't have dared to insult me just now if it was still in place. Now what to do with you?"

"What do you mean?" I ask warily.

"You changed all the positions where my documents ar...."

"Because it was my job and i had to arrange them in a way that works for me, since you would be ordering me to fetch them anyway." I interrupt him. His eyes flashes in annoyance but doesn't say anything and just continues like i didn't say anything at all.

"You then switch off yo......"

"My battery ran out." I interrupt him again. Now his eyes triple flashes. If that's even a thing. My point is his anger is now visible. And my battery never ran out but i couldn't very well say i had switched off my phone so that he will have a hard time all day.

"And you keep interru....."

"Im just correcting your wrong assumptions." I muttered.

"Miss Stone!" He growls. Loosing all the control he had on that anger. "Not another word from you." He growls again when he notices that i was about to answer him again. What was wrong with me? I can't seem to stop myself.

"As i was saying, i had a terrible day yesterday because of you. I couldn't find a thing. At first i thought it might have been a mistake but now that im seeing you, i dont think it was a mistake at all. You purposefully switched off your phone to give me a hard time for accusing you of whoring yourself to Bernado didn't you?" He asks. And i don't bother responding. What could i say? It was all true. I had done it to give him a hard time. His right hand goes into his hair to run through it. A sign of frustration. And his hair is always in place but right now its in different directions, some of it flops on his forehead. He goes to push it backwards, for it to flop back on his forehead again. I find myself smiling. He looked so hot and sexy. The disheveled look suits him. Not to mention that i haven't seen him looking like that ever since i started working here. He is always put in place. I smile again when i realize that i put that look on him. Indirectly of course. Making a stoic and always composed man look like a mess when it was just 8 in the morning, surely that should be considered a win.

"Are you laughing at me Miss Stone?" He bellows. Startling me. Oops i guess he saw me smiling.

"No Sir im not, i wouldn't dare." I say calmly, trying not to smile again. He looked so hot. Frowning at me and that hair still on his forehead. Riley he is your boss. I snap myself. Why am i thinking hot and Mr Martinez in the same sentence.

"Now you are just mocking me!." He growls. "You need to be spanked for you to lose that attitude." He continues. And goes still the same time i do. I bet he realized what he just said. He just threatened to spank me. And why do i find that to be so hot. Im not a girl who enjoys pain not to mention my inexperience but somehow an image of me being spanked by my boss gets stuck in my head. Oh goodness. I cant be attracted to him right. Yeah no way. Im simply admiring him. Everyone admires pretty or sexy things. Completely normal.

"Uh mm Sir, what is my punishment going to be?" I ask. Hoping that he would not repeat the spanking statement and just tell me anything other than that. Please please please.

"Its either i will fire you or make you work until your death or save myself the pain and just kill you." He responds without missing a bit. Thank f**k. But what he says registers. He wants to kill me. A prick of fear goes down my spine. He had said it so seriously that i didn't doubt he meant it.

"Okay, let me know what you decide." I say turning around to walk out of his office like i didn't care that he just threatened to end my life.

"Don't you dare walk away from me again Miss Stone. You will leave my presence when i dismiss you and not a second before." He bellows. His anger back in full force. Great. I cant do anything right today.

"Yes Sir. Whatever you say." I say stopping my attempt to walk out on him.

"I have another business meeting with Bernado Montez. So get the documents i will need for the meeting ready. And also confirm if Bernado is still making it. Im going up to my penthouse to put myself together. Also tidy up this office. Every document in its place." He says and walks out of the office. Leaving me with the mess he created when he was throwing his tantrum. Men!. I shake my head and get to work in arranging everything back in its place.

*****

"Hello sexy." A deep voice says and i jerk my head up to see who was calling me sexy here at work. And to my annoyance its Bernado Montez. The same man Mr Martinez had accused me of throwing myself at. He is young and also very handsome. But for some reason he just gives me the creeps. The way his eyes looks at me is eerie. I hadn't told Mr Martinez yesterday that i had found Bernado Montez annoying and creepy as hell because this was business and i had a job to do. As long as his creepiness doesn't mess with the business, i doubt Mr Martinez would care. Like my grandmother used to say, everyone is creepy weird in their own way.

"Hello Mr Montez. You are here a little early."

"Oh sweetness, you can call me Bernado or Bernie." He purrs. Actually purrs as if i would be tempted in someway. Gross. "And i wanted to spend a little bit of time with you, that's why im early." He continues.

"Im afraid i cannot spend any time with you. Simply because im busy but most importantanly i dont want to." I say and then groan inwardly when i realize what i just said. Damn me and my mouth. Since i have already dug my own grave, its better to finish the digging than leave it half way down right. "And my name is Riley Stone. So please refrain from calling me sweetness or sexy or any other name besides my own. I would really appreciate it." I continue. A pen falls down on a desk and i turn around to find Felicia looking at me like i have grown two heads. Oops i guess no one talks to Mr Montez like that. Well too bad, i wasn't here to wipe or massage someone's ass. If someone does or say what i dont like, client or not i will let him know about it. I turn back to see Bernado Montez looking at me like i was a new toy who had managed to surprise him. He didn't look upset by what i had just said, rather he looked intrigued. More than he already was. f**k.

"Ok Riley. Can you give me your number then?" He asks forwarding his cellphone to me.

"No." I respond. Not even bothering to think about it.

"You are breaking my heart." He says, placing his left palm on his chest dramatically. "But i will keep on trying. For now here is my card. Call me if you find yourself thinking about me." He winks at me and then places his business card on my desk.

"Bernado, leave my secretary alone." A deeper voice growls. Luis. I really hate how silent his footsteps are. He had done that silent entering thing again.

"Oh c'mon Luis. She is a little pretty thing. And you know me, i love pretty things." Bernado responds without missing a bit.

"And i said she is not for you." Luis growls. His anger showing a little. Why was he angry now? He couldn't think i had been throwing myself at him, could he? If he dares to accuse me of that again, im going to gauge his eyes out and eat them raw.

"Who is she for then?"

"Mine." Luis growls, and with that he walks back into his office. As if he hadn't claimed me infront of three people. Five if i count him and myself.