This Darkest Man by Sinden West

teeth. “You didn’t need to sell the house and the land. The
debt wasn’t that big, and you didn’t have to sell it at such a low price. I
ended up with nothing. Why did you do that?”
    He
regarded me for a moment. “That’s not the question I’m going to answer. You had
your chance to pick one, and now that time has passed.” He leaned forward
slightly. “Instead, I’m going to tell you why I had your puppy dog Josh bring
you to the club all those months ago.”
    “You had him bring me?” I said in disbelief, my voice rising.
    Daniel
nodded. “He’s doesn’t exactly have the status or money of most of my patrons.
It shouldn’t surprise you.”
    “So why ?” I felt like scoring my nails down his smug smiling face.
    “To
humiliate you. His invitation was subject to him bringing you and having a
threesome. He didn’t even blink an eye at having to force you out of your
comfort zone. Even when you were crying and begging him not to make you, he
still wouldn’t have stopped if I hadn’t directed my men to interfere.”
    I
stared at him; open mouthed and feeling like vomiting. “How did you know that?”
my voice croaked.
    He
indicated to the screens behind him. “Nothing is private to me here. Not even
the private rooms.”
    I
shook my head at him. “You’re a psychopath. Why would you want to humiliate me?
Why do want to ruin my life and—”
    He
straightened. “Those are questions for another time. If you want, I would be
happy to make another deal with you on the same terms as before.”
    “You’ve
got to be kidding me.” I got to my feet. “You really are a sick snake, you know
that? I’m leaving.” I hurried to the door.
    “Oh,
Mattie. I’d like my towel back.”
    I
spun back around to face him, seeing my coat on the chair where he had left it
earlier. I put it on and once covered, let the towel fall from underneath me. He
laughed as I began to leave. “Why so modest all of a sudden?”
    I
didn’t answer him and let the door slam shut behind me. What a sick bastard. I
was still fuming as the driver escorted me to the car. I wanted to refuse his
offer of a ride, but I was naked beneath my coat and had no desire to walk like
that through the city. I sat silently in the back of the car, watching the
world pass me by, but inside my head, all I saw were three wolves all over me,
and a snake looming over us all and pulling all the strings. I had to wait
until the driver opened my door for me, and then I ran from the car and
sprinted up the stairs of my apartment, barely breathing until I had that door
closed behind me.
    My
apartment was cold and dark. I fumbled for the light switch and turned it on,
and when I did, I ceased to breathe. There, in the center of the coffee table
sat a single blood red rose. Someone had been in my apartment. My eyes darted
around me as if expecting a knife-wielding attacker to jump out at me. But it
was plainly obvious that I was alone.
    I
stepped toward the rose and picked up the card that lay beside it.
    What’s
your next question? It read. I let it drop to the floor in disgust. That prick had been in my
apartment, or at the very least had sent someone else to break in. He really
did think he was a god. I let my coat drop to the floor beside the card, and
slid into bed, naked and mad.
    I
slept in the next morning. But I didn’t rush to work, instead I took my time
getting ready, not really caring. I even stopped for coffee on the way even
though there was a long wait. My name was called out and I made my way to the
counter to collect it. The barista was a handsome boy of about my age with ice
blue eyes and spiky blonde hair. There was something about him that looked
familiar but I couldn’t quite place him, not until he passed my coffee and
whispered in my ear.
    “Hey,
Red Riding Hood.”
    I
spilled the coffee. Cloth in hand he quickly began to mop it up. “Sorry, I
thought you recognized me.”
    “Recognized
you?” I said dumbly, still in