CHAPTER 2
900 Words
I woke before dawn, my body aching in places I had not known it was possible to ache. It was still quite dark in the room, but the man beside me was still, one arm tossed casually across me. Damien Vercelli. His features, slack and almost boyish in sleep, were in shocking contrast to the wild, untamed intensity of last night.
I blinked away the sleep and sat up slowly, not wanting to rouse him. I did not know what was worse, facing him after this or the guilt already creeping in. I reached over and took the phone from the nightstand next to him. My fingers tightened around it as I stood and put a pillow in my place and Damien stirred, tossing his hand over it. I carried it quietly into the bathroom, shutting the door softly behind me.
I touched the small earpiece within my ear. "Information transfer process initiated," I whispered.
"Copy that,"Leon, replied in a calm whisper. "Begin extraction. We're online and waiting to receive it."
I placed the phone on the counter and plugged in the concealed flash drive from one of my rings. The screen sprang to life. Codes cascaded down in a flurry, and the data transferred percentage began ticking up.
My heart pounded.
"Time remaining: 1 minute, 10 seconds."
My foot tapped anxiously against the tile. I periodically glanced at the door as if willing it to remain closed.
Then the handle shook.
“Cherry?" Damien's gravelly, sleep-filled voice drifted in.
Shit.
"Yeah?" I answered quickly, trying to sound casual. My fingers tightened on the edge of the counter.
"Why's the door locked?"
I pretended to laugh. "Well, I’m taking a s**t," I said, trying to be casual, even adding a laugh. "We’ve not reached the level where we s**t together yet.” I joked.
Silence.
The screen said: "Transfer at 85%." "I'll be out soon," I added with a pretend yawn.
More silence.
Then his tone changed, no longer sleepy but sharp and icy. "Where's my phone?"
Panic landed in my chest. I swallowed.
"I don't know," I lied, pretending not to care. "My attention was kinda on… other things last night," I said to him, trying on a high-pitched laugh and flirtatious voice.
"Cherry," he said again, this time more slowly. "Open this door. Or I'll break it down."
"Almost done," Leon said in my ear. "Hold on."
"Transfer at 97%."
My mind raced. My hand inched toward the needle hidden in my ring. Just in case.
Damien's voice thundered. "Open the door!"
"Oh my God, chill. I’m wiping," I screeched.
The door rattled as he threw his body weight against it again and again. The door tore from its hinges with a vicious c***k and crashed on the floor between us just as the transfer reached 100%. I spun, my body tensing as Damien's furious eyes locked on the phone in my hand. He took in everything in an instant.
With a growl, he launched himself at me and I dodged, barely.
His fist went through the area where my face had been a second before. I sidestepped him and tried to make a dash for the door, but he was faster than I'd anticipated. He threw himself at me again, this time succeeding in catching my arm and spinning me back against the wall.
"You little…"
I elbowed him in the ribs and shoved him off, but he came back, his body heavy with rage. He threw another punch, grazing my shoulder, making my body jerk.
We staggered backward into the bedroom.
I ducked and twisted. My training kicked in, but so did his brute strength and skill. He wasn't just a privileged wealthy heir, he knew how to fight and had trained all his life too.
I vaulted over the bed, grabbed a lamp and swung it. He dodged, caught my wrist, and we both fell down. Then he was on top of me, his hand closing around my throat, squeezing.
"Who sent you?" he growled through clenched teeth, eyes flashing with betrayal.
I couldn't utter a word. Spots swirled in front of my eyes. The air thinned and my chest tightened with lack of air.
Then I remembered. My ring.
My hand darted up, fingers shaking as I twisted the band and thrust the tiny, retractable needle into his neck.
He tensed and his eyes widened in shock.
"f*****g…" he choked, and then his grip relaxed. He staggered back.
I gasped for air, rolling onto my side and coughing.
Leon's voice grated in my ear. "Cherry? Cherry, come in. Did it go through?"
All I could do was hack a cough as I tried to get my bearings.
"Get out now," Leon commanded. I got up and made a dash for the door.
As I opened it, I heard a shot fire behind me. A searing pain tore through my side, just beneath my ribs.
"f**k!" I screamed, falling forward, grabbing the doorframe. Blood seeped through the side of Damien's shirt I still wore. I didn't stop. I couldn't.
I raced down the hall, heart pounding, and my head reeling. Just before I turned the corner and was out of view, I looked back into the room one last time.
Damien Vercelli staggered, his teeth gritted and icy blue eyes p
romising pain and retribution just before collapsing to an unconscious heap on the floor.
- Writer
