I Should Have Taken The Deal

The moment Lucian stepped into the cabin, the air thickened with an oppressive weight, suffocating in intensity. His presence was undeniable, a force that demanded obedience without words. The men who had stormed in before him immediately stepped aside, their movements were synchronized, and disciplined. This wasn't just a retrieval but was a display of control. Selene remained where she stood, her breathing steady, but her pulse hammering beneath the surface. She had expected Lucian to come after them, she had known his ego wouldn't allow their escape to go unanswered but something about the way he looked at her now—calm, composed, but utterly unwavering- unsettled her more than any chase through the night ever could. Eve was still at her side, her stance rigid, her fingers curled into fists. Selene could feel the tension rolling off her in waves, the unspoken defiance burning beneath her otherwise expressionless face. Eve wasn't the type to surrender, neither was she. Lucian's gaze swept over both of them, his lips curving into something that wasn't quite a smirk but carried the same condescension. 'I must admit," he mused, his voice smooth, even amused, 'I expected a little more distance between us before I caught up." He took another slow step forward and the creaking of the wooden floor beneath his polished shoes was the only sound in the room. 'You've disappointed me, Selene." Selene didn't flinch, didn't shift under his scrutiny. If there was one thing she had learned about Lucian, it was that he thrived on reactions. He wanted fear, he wanted resistance, he wanted to feel like the predator in control of his prey and she refused to give him that satisfaction. 'We didn't run," Selene said, her voice even. 'We made a choice." Lucian's brows lifted slightly, intrigued rather than angered as he studied her for a long moment before shaking his head. 'You always were a difficult one." His eyes darkened slightly, his amusement dimming into something more dangerous. 'And yet, you always find yourself right back where you belong." Eve took a step forward, placing herself slightly in front of Selene. 'If you think we're going anywhere with you, you've miscalculated." Her voice was sharp, unyielding. 'You're outnumbered." Lucian sighed as if tired of hearing the same argument. 'You misunderstand something, Eve." He gestured lazily around the room. 'If I were truly outnumbered, do you think I would have walked in here so calmly?" Selene's stomach clenched at the implication. Lucian tilted his head slightly, his gaze flickering toward the door before returning to them. 'How confident are you that there aren't more of my men waiting outside, how sure are you that, should you make the wrong move, you'll leave this room alive?" Selene remained silent, her mind working through every possible angle. He was right about one thing—Lucian didn't take risks without knowing the outcome so if he was standing here, smug and composed, then he had already accounted for every possible response they could give. Eve didn't back down. 'You can kill us," she said flatly, her fingers twitching slightly at her sides. 'But you'll never own us." Lucian chuckled, the sound was light but empty. 'Kill you?" He took another slow step forward, closing the space between them with an unsettling ease. 'No, Eve. I'm not here to kill you." He looked at Selene, his smirk returning, sharper now. 'I'm here to remind you both of something you seem to have forgotten." Selene clenched her jaw, her fingers itching to move, to act, to break the cycle that kept pulling her back to this moment; she had escaped once and she could do it again. Lucian exhaled softly. 'You think this ends with a choice," he murmured. 'That if you resist long enough, fight hard enough, I'll let you go." His gaze locked onto hers, the amusement draining entirely from his expression. 'You don't understand yet, do you?" Selene refused to look away. Lucian's smirk faded completely. 'There is no letting go." The words settled into her bones like ice. Lucian shifted his gaze toward Eve. 'You think protecting her will change anything?" His tone was almost disappointing. 'You think your presence gives her strength?" He let out a slow breath, tilting his head slightly. 'Let me show you how wrong you are." The words barely had time to register before the room erupted into motion. Lucian's men moved swiftly, cutting off any possible escape routes, their bodies forming a solid blockade against the only exit. Eve reacted first, lunging toward the closest threat, her movements sharp and precise. Selene followed, twisting away as one of Lucian's men reached for her, ducking low and grabbing the first solid object she could find—a broken chair leg near the fireplace. She swung without hesitation, the impact landing against the ribs of the man closest to her. He grunted in pain but didn't falter, his grip closing around her wrist with crushing force. Eve was still fighting, but she was outnumbered. They both were. Selene struggled against the hold, twisting, kicking, fighting with everything she had but Lucian's men were trained, and their every movement was designed to subdue rather than kill, Lucian didn't move. He just watched. Selene felt the strength in her limbs begin to falter as the fight stretched on, the exhaustion of the last few days catching up to her all at once. She couldn't win this, not like this. A sharp pain shot through her scalp as one of the men grabbed a fistful of her hair, yanking her backward until she lost her balance and hit the floor hard, the impact rattling through her bones. Eve's voice rang out, filled with anger, but it was cut short as another man grabbed her from behind, forcing her arms behind her back. Selene struggled, her vision blurring slightly from the force of the fall. She could hear the sound of footsteps approaching, slow, deliberate. Then Lucian's voice. 'I told you," he murmured, his tone almost gentle, 'you don't win by running."Selene forced her eyes to focus, blinking past the dizziness. Lucian stood over her now, looking down at her as if she were nothing more than a piece on a board he had already won. He crouched slightly, lowering himself until they were at eye level. 'You should have taken the deal," he said quietly. 'Now, we do things my way." Selene's chest rose and fell sharply, fury and defiance warring with the helplessness gripping her limbs. Lucian smiled faintly, before she could react, he reached out and gripped her chin, forcing her to hold his gaze. Selene tried to jerk away, but his fingers tightened just enough to keep her still. His smirk widened. 'Welcome home." Selene's blood ran cold and then darkness.