Chapter 5 Where It All Started

Mona

"We're leaving," Ian said to me.

I was still processing the words when he bent, picked me up like I weighed less than a feather, and began to walk back to his car. The camera flashes resumed with a vengeance, and through my haze, I spotted several of the reporters staring after us in shock.

"Let me go." I tried to wiggle away, but he held on tight.

"Not a chance, Miss Carter." He said in a hard voice, "You started this, and you're going to finish it."

A dark promise rang in his voice and I shivered in terror, wondering what I had gotten myself into. I was in deep trouble, I could just feel it. Ian didn't strike me as the sort of man who just forgave and let things slide.

The question wasn't if he was going to have his revenge for the assault, the question was what he was going to do to me.

He dropped me into the passenger seat of the car and buckled me in before going around to the driver's seat and sliding in. Before the paparazzi could get over their shock, the car had peeled away from the curb.

The drive was fraught with tense silence that made me want to throw up, "How do you know my name?"

"Excuse me?" He asked without sparing me a glance.

"You called me Miss Carter back there. How do you know my name?"

"Do you think I wouldn't do my research on the woman who kissed me, tossed champagne on me, hit me and then caused a media scandal that's costing me millions of dollars?" He asked in an even tone.

I sucked in a breath, "Millions of... Oh God."

"You also ruined my partnership with the Elliots. A business deal that was easily worth sixty five million dollars."

I stopped breathing. How could he mention such a large sum with such a flippant tone? Had he really lost that much? Mia had said he was the richest man in America, and I had the feeling a man like Ian wouldn't waste his time lying to me.

"I'm s-sorry," I said pathetically.

He scoffed, "Sorry isn't going to replace my money. Luckily for us both, I can afford to lose that much without losing sleep."

"So why am i here?" I asked, confused. Had he just saved me from the paparazzi because he was a good man? Somehow I doubted that. I didn't know him, but I had the strong feeling that he didn't believe in charity.

"You're here because I don't believe in losing money." He said, "You've cost me a lot and you're going to pay back every single cent."

A hysterical laughter slipped out of my mouth, "If you really did your research, then you should know that I can't even offer you ten dollars in compensation. I'm sorry, but you're wasting your time."

"Trust me, I did my research thoroughly." He drawled. Suddenly the car came to a screeching halt.

"You're going to pay back with your body, whenever, however and wherever I want it." Ian said coldly.

Fury curled through me immediately, "Who do you think you are? If you think me being poor makes me a prostitute, then you'd better think again." How dare he suggest such a thing? "I'm not going to become your whore, you bastard."

"You're mistaken, Mona," his eyes met mine, "I'm not making a request, I'm telling you exactly what will happen. You don't have a choice."

"What's that supposed to mean? I refuse!" I spat, "I'm sorry for kissing you, and everything that happened. But I'm not going to become your whore just because of that."

My blood bubbled in my veins at his audacity.

I reached for the handle of the door to step out of the car, but just then my phone started to ring. I snatched it out of my purse and picked it immediately.

"Hello?" I said, heart pattering in my chest.

"I can't believe you actually did it," the nurse said, "I thought you were crazy when you said you'd pay for the treatment today. Your mother is asleep now, but as soon as she wakes up, I'll let her know the good news."

Confusion filled my head, "what are you talking about?"

She paused, "you made a payment of two hundred and fifty thousand dollars a few minutes ago for Mrs. Carter's treatment. Wasn't that you?"

I was about to blurt out a resounding no when it suddenly hit me. My head snapped to the side staring at the man at my side who accessed me through dark eyes. I had no doubt that he had been the one to pay it.

But why would he...

Unless it was a ploy to get me in his bed.

"Uh, I'll call you later," I hung up and faced him, "You sick bastard! How can you stoop so low as to try to use my mother to turn me into your whore?" Tears welled up in my eyes but I hurriedly wiped them off.

"I'm a man who's used to getting what he wants miss Carter. And I'll do anything to keep it that way." He informed me, "That's the first thing you need to note before we begin."

I opened my mouth to say we weren't beginning anything, but immediately changed my mind, "And if I say no? You've already paid my mother's hospital bills. What's stopping me from saying no?"

His mouth curled up, "All I have to do is call my bank, and they'll reverse the bank transfer."

My stomach soured. Mia was right, this man was a monster and I'd somehow managed to fall into his net. "You're a monster."

Ian leaned forward, and I froze, as his large body stopped an inch from me, separating our mouths by a breath. My eyes fluttered closed and I waited for the kiss.

What I heard instead was the sound of my seatbelt clicking, "And I can't wait to devour you."

I scrambled away from the car immediately, breathing hard like I'd run a marathon. As the car zoomed away, my legs gave out from under me and I crashed to my knees, sobbing.