The Royal Contract

Talking about irony as it brushed through his mind. It must be his unlucky day. Or fate decided to play with him. Though he did not believe in such a non-sense, he chose to acknowledge them today.

“Dad would like to see you tonight. He will be hosting a dinner party at home and asked us to join him.” Haley held his face in her soft hands, caressing his jaw, running her fingers through the soft stubbles growing on his chin.

In his eyes, she had a face of an angel. But he was the devil. So, how could his mind even consider that they could have a relationship? He was only using her. All this was just an elaborate plan to seduce her until she gave him what he wanted.

Then, at the end of this charade, he would leave her, taking what he only needed. He would toss her aside, crying, hating him for his cruelty. But that was who he was. He was not a lover but a monster.

“Why?” Gerald had met the man before, and though they had been civil to each other, he still felt the tension between them.

He could tell it had nothing to do with his other hidden career because if her father discovered that, he would never allow his relationship with his daughter to continue.

.....

He believed it must be about a fatherly instinct, wanting to protect his daughter against the predators out there. From what he had heard of Haley’s past relationships, nothing good came out of those.

They all ended up breaking her heart.

Would he be any different? He doubted. Maybe he might be worse than any of them.

“I think my Dad is warming up to the idea of us.” Haley had been vocal about her feelings for him.

As their relationship continued, she had fallen for him, deeper and deeper. It was supposed to be the idea. He had to make her fall deeply in love with him until she could not say no to all his plans.

But now, was he having some second thoughts?

No. Of course not.

He could not allow emotions to factor in this situation. It was just a transaction he had to accomplish to get his goal. To infiltrate his father’s business and take as much as to accumulate his wealth.

It was the only way he could prove to the organization that he had what it took to be their supreme leader. After failing to acquire the Hamilton Empire, the other group leaders began questioning his leadership.

He had to prove that he had not gone soft by allowing Dani to slip through his fingers. He had to show them he was still the shark that could devour any business he had set his eyes on, even if it was a whale.

“What is the occasion?” He could not think of one, but most of the time, wealthy people did not need a reason to waste their money.

And Haley’s father was no different. But who cares, as long as he was willing to lose it to him? He would gladly join the games these wealthy people loved to play.

He reached out behind her, taking off the pin that had bonded her hair on top of her head. It cascaded beautifully behind her back, entangling in his fingers. He loved it when he could grip it firmly, using it to gain control.

“He wants to introduce you to his partners.” Her words made his hands stop in their movements, making him gaze into her face.

Gerald was unsure if he heard her right. It was a bold move. He wondered if her father was welcoming him to the family. But it could also be a test to check his intentions with his daughter.

At the moment, he would lean into the notion that it might be a trap rather than come unprepared. He could not trust the great Mr. Rosley, just like Haley should not have trusted him.

“Why would he do that?” Gerald asked, suddenly confused by the sudden change of heart. He suspected that her father might have something up on his sleeve.

Then, she pulled him into a deep kiss. As much as he wanted to concentrate on what she was saying, her kisses had been distracting. If he was honest, he could not get enough of her as he finally took control.

“Because I told him how much I love you,” Haley uttered, moaning against his kisses. “I know that saying I love you is not your style. But I can feel in the deepest part of my heart that you feel the same way.”

She was a foolish woman, believing in the illusion he had painted for her. He knew Dani had warned her against him, but this woman in his arms still refused to accept that he was the villain.

She proclaimed that she was deeply in love with him, despite his incapability to say it back. She believed every lie he told her as the truth. He could tell that if he proposed to her, she would say yes instantly.

But tying himself to this woman was not in his cards.

Marriage was not part of his plans.

He had no plans to commit to anyone because he was incapable of love. But eventually, he might consider it, knowing he would need an heir for all of this.

“Then why not her.” His mind told him. Suddenly, he pushed her away, not liking the idea that popped into his mind.

“Is there something wrong?” She looked puzzled by his abrupt rejection. Her hands remained on his chest as her eyes checked his expression.

“Nothing. I am sorry, but I think we need to stop before I ravage you on my desk.” He quickly came up with an excuse. He could not tell her that he was surprised by his thoughts.

“What is wrong with that?” She questioned him with those doe eyes. “It would not be the first time.” She reminded him, which was not helping, feeling himself going hard underneath his pants.

“The difference is...” He tried to recover from the situation. “I still have my next meeting in a few minutes.” He touched her nose, loving her adorable face. “I don’t think I would appreciate someone else looking at what is mine.”

The blush on her face told him she finally understood what he was saying as she ran her fingers through his hair. “I guess you are right.” She still planted a single kiss on his lips, but she made sure that it would count.

Then, her fingers wiped the lipstick, smudging his lips, before tapping him gently on the cheeks. It took everything in him to stop himself from taking her on this table and the heck with his appointments.

But with her, he never liked sharing her with others. He hated seeing her with another man. It was like he was possessed, ready to kill for her. He confessed he was obsessed with her.

Then, he noticed the door opened. He had heard his voice before he saw the man who would be his next appointment. “Your secretary said you were still busy, but I am sorry I can’t wait.”

His friend walked further inside the office, not minding if he still had company. They already knew each other. But he was aware of how much his friend did not approve of this plan of his.

“Mike, how are you today?” Haley sweetly greeted his friend, not minding his animosity.

She was friendly to him, despite his dislike of her. She always said she would someday win him over to her side. She was not giving up on him until they became friends.

“Busy. What are you doing here? Aren’t you busy working on some charity houses?” Mike countered sarcastically, but she only smiled.

“I am, but I was in the vicinity, so I thought I would visit him.” She answered, pulling herself off his lap and standing beside his chair. Then, she looked at her watch, deciding it was time to leave. “I would not keep him. I know you still have some business to talk about.”

She turned to him, kissed him briefly, and said goodbye. “I will call you later for the rest of the plan.” She said as she moved away and out the door.

“So, what was that?” Mike asked, but he knew what he wanted to know.

However, he had no time to explain himself to his friend. They had more pressing matters to discuss, like the latest shipment coming tonight.

“It is nothing.” He answered, not wanting it to become another argument between them. He knew what he was doing despite what his friend was implying. “So, is everything prepared for tonight?” He asked his friend.

He had been coordinating this operation with the different teams for weeks now. He did not want any hiccups that might complicate a simple transaction.

“Fine.” He gave up questioning him about the other matter, probably seeing the seriousness on his face. “Everything is in place. The crew is well aware of the plans.” His friend continued to explain his plans since he had given this task to him.

He wanted to see if his friend could handle this operation because his responsibilities were growing. He needed a reliable right-hand man. He could not think of a better man to do the job than him.

“Good!” He nodded. That was all he needed to know, approving his friend’s plans. “Update me with the rest of the movements. I don’t want anything to ruin this night.”

He could not oversee the operation tonight since he had to attend the dinner party at Haley’s childhood home. But he believed he could trust Mike to handle this with flying colors even without him.

“Where would you be?” His friend asked.

He knew his friend would not like his answer because he never liked his plans. Although the Rosley Empire was one of the most lucrative businesses in the world, Mike did not like his association with Haley.

Mike believed that she would be his downfall.

She would be the Delilah in Samson’s life.