My Best friend's Father Made Me His Mistress

8

Maddison Lorenzo.

I shut the door and keep my eyes on it for a moment, like it might change its mind and open again. It doesn’t. When I finally turn around, my luggage’s from my apartment are already in the room. All of it. Seeing it there makes my chest sink, because everything always circles back to Adonis. After giving me a curfew like I’m a child, he still sent his bodyguards to come get me.

I’m not a guest here. I’m a prisoner.

I take the lamp out of my bag and set it on the bedside table, plugging it in with a quiet sigh. It feels stupid, like pretending a small thing can make this place feel less cold. I look back at the luggage and my throat tightens. My laptop, my notebooks, everything is here. They really went back to my apartment and took it all. And now I’m stuck between two thoughts I don’t want to face. Either I believe, deep down, that my brothers aren’t coming anytime soon to take me away from this place, or I accept that this is my life now.

Accepting that feels like giving up.

If I accept it, then I have to unpack properly, arrange my things, make this room feel like home. And the thought of that hurts too much. So I don’t. I refuse to seal my fate this fast. I need to believe Nico and Jacob will find me, wherever they are. I need that hope.

I drag the luggage into the closet but don’t hang anything. I only take out my underwear and put them into the drawers. My shoes stay on the closet floor. It’s temporary. That’s what I keep telling myself. Then I move to the reading table and organize my books.

When I look at it, I almost smile.

And then I remember what Adonis said. The job.

Quickly, I sit in the study chair and turn on my laptop. It connects to the house Wi-Fi so I open the browser and start typing his name, then hesitate. I don’t even know which part of his world I’m supposed to be walking into. My fingers hover over the pad. Top of Form

I didn’t even ask what the job was. He didn’t say anything about making me a stripper or a dancer or anything like that, so I’m assuming it’s something normal.

I hit search.

Adonis Edward IV appears on my screen. Heir to the Praxis Empire. Founder and chairman of Vanguard Holdings. I squint as I read, because before my eyes even reach what the company does, I see the net worth!

According to the most recent update, he owns multiple businesses. A lot of them. And then there’s one name that jumps out so hard it makes my chest tighten.

Nanotech.

I’ve heard of it. Everyone has. A gun manufacturing company but I don’t really understand how it works, only that people say it’s powered by a rare light-based energy source—something experimental that releases concentrated blue rays strong enough to cut through steel. That’s all I’ve ever heard. Enough to know it’s dangerous. Enough to know it’s not small.

I click on Nanotech and stare at the headquarters. Then I scroll and see investors from all over Europe and Africa. Countries. Governments.

I stop and force myself to breathe.

The more I look at this, the more it sinks in how powerful Adonis really is. Not rich-powerful. Not important-powerful and I’m nothing compared to that.

Did my brothers steal guns from him?

Why would they do something like that? Why would they steal from someone like him?

There’s a knock on my door, and before I can answer, it opens.

“Maddy?”

“Fushia?” I feel relieved when I hear her voice. “I’m in here. Come on.”

She comes in seconds later and plops down beside me, resting her head on my shoulder to kiss my cheek.

“You’re back early.”

“Yeah. Um… Carl had something.”

“Oh.” She smiles. “You’re checking out my dad’s company? Congrats.” She sounds genuinely excited. “He got you a personal assistant job there. It’ll look so good on your résumé. You’ll never need little part-time jobs again once they see the name Nanotech.”

I turn slowly from the screen to look at her.

“I’m… working here?”

“Duh. Where else do you think you’re going to work?” she says. “At his club?”

Yeah. That’s exactly what I thought.

“A personal assistant job?” I bite my lip.

“Yeah. But don’t worry…he’s not going to overwork you. And…since you’re back early, come join us and watch a Christmas movie. My little cousins are already here and we’re watching The Grinch. I know you’ve had a sad day and I just… I want to give you more love.”

“Fushia.”

“Don’t no me.” she laughs. “We can play Christmas games, the adults aren’t here yet, so it’s quiet. Blankets, soft cushions…come on. College is starting soon. You’ll have time for your boring research papers later.”

“They are not boring.” I say, chuckling.

She grabs my hand and pulls me up from the chair.

“Okay,” I say, rolling my eyes.

“Take a blanket too. Come on.”

We walk out together, laughing, because she’s reminding me of the time we tried to play tennis and the ball flew straight into her mouth. Their home is really beautiful. Warm. This is what I always imagined a home would feel like if I had parents who weren’t dead and brothers who weren’t gangsters.

When we get downstairs, Fushia immediately decides we need snacks, so we head to the kitchen together. There are staff members everywhere, helping little…maybe ten years old build gingerbread houses while they run around screaming and laughing. Cinnamon rolls sit warm on the counter.

I almost forget this house belongs to Adonis.

“Coke?” she asks.

“Yeah.” I say, grabbing one from the fridge beside her.

“Nessa, Rex…come here,” Fushia calls. “This is Maddy. My best friend.”

The kids stop running and look up at me.

“Hi, Maddy,” they say together.

“Are you Rex?” I point at the blonde girl on purpose. She gapes.

“I don’t look like a boy!”

“Oh no,” I say, pointing to the dark-haired boy instead. “You must be Nessa?”

“I don’t look like a girl!”

Fushia and I fall on each other and begin to chuckle badly.

“I’m kidding.” I say, ruffling both their hair.

We grab blankets and head to the living room to watch the movie.

The room is dim, perfect for a cinema vibes. Although it’’s not The Grinch we’re watching anymore. I notice someone’s phone light flickering, but I can’t see who it is. I figure it’s probably Myron. I sit close to him or what I think is him and pull the blanket up to my chest to stay comfy.

I glance at the screen. It’s a movie.

“Shoot,” Fushia whispers as she sits down next to me. “Francis is here. I’ll just see him for a minute and come back.”

“Okay.” I whisper back, shifting pillows around to get comfortable on the couch.

For over fifteen minutes, it’s quiet as I watch the movie. It’s about a guy who’s locked this woman in his home for 365 days until she falls in love with him. I guess I thought it was interesting until the leads start taking off their clothes, and the female lead is naked.

I blink, wondering if Myron picked this movie. Thank goodness the kids are gone, but it’s still too awkward to watch with anyone. I press a hand halfway over my face as it gets worse…the characters start having s*x on the walls, beds, floors, back, front… I swallow.

“Uh, Myron…are you with the remote?” I ask.

His phone light goes off.

“Myron’s not here. One of the kids changed the channel and ran.”

That voice. It’s Rich. Calm. Scary. I know it too well.

The vague things still happening on the screen don’t stop, and I blink, knowing for a fact it’s Adonis sitting there even though I can’t actually see him. It’s not like I can turn on the lights and check his face. I’d probably panic if I did something like that.

“Get up and switch it off if it’s making you uncomfortable.” he says again, eyes clearly still on his phone.

I get up immediately.

When I reach the TV, my heart sinks. It’s a massive ceiling to floor, wider than anything I’ve seen in my life. I don’t even know where the buttons are. The wall is smooth, no obvious switches, and the movie is still playing, still very loud, still very inappropriate.

I squeeze my eyes shut.

“I’m sorry. I—I don’t know where the power is.”

I glance back into the dark just in time to see him stand up. The movement alone feels sharp, like I’ve annoyed him. He comes around the couch, and before I can step away, I back straight into him.

I gasp.

His lips are suddenly just above mine. I can barely see his face, only the outline of it, heat rushes to my cheeks.

“Yes! Yes! Yes!” the woman on the screen moans.

I want the ground to open up and swallow me whole.

He chuckles softly…actually chuckles, then reaches past me and clicks something. The screen goes black instantly.

Silence and complete darkness.

I don’t wait around to leave. I take one step. Two—before my thumb slams into something hard.

“Ow!” I squeal, losing my balance but before I can fall, strong arms catch me in the dark. When my hand lands against his chest, it’s really tough and that scares me so I push him instinctively, and we both go down, but he twists at the last second, hand coming behind my head so he hits the floor first.

When I open my eyes, I realize that i'm on top of him!

My knees on either side of him and my belly is pressed against something proud, fierce and mature.