Adolph
It's well past midnight, and my office now smells like expensive whiskey, bad decisions, and Pranav's questionable life choices. The man is currently draped over my couch like a dying poet, glass in hand, looking more miserable than usual.
"You know," he slurs, pointing at me with the dramatic flair of a man who's definitely had one too many, "for someone so obsessed with tormenting Neti, you're doing a pretty shit job at keeping her alive."
I frown. "She's alive."
"Barely," he snorts. "She hasn't eaten since you brought her here, dumbass."
I pause. That little brat.
"She's being difficult," I mutter, rubbing my temple.
"Gee, I wonder why?" Pranav flops onto his side. "Maybe it has something to do with the fact that you kidnapped her, terrorized her, and now you expect her to sit down and enjoy a five-course meal?"
"She has a luxurious room," I argue. "She has everything she could possibly need."
"Oh yes, because Stockholm Syndrome comes free with silk sheets and gold-plated doorknobs." He lets out a dramatic sigh. "Tell me, Adolph, are you expecting her to fall to her knees in gratitude next?"
"She should be grateful," I murmur, mostly to myself.
Pranav stares at me. Then he cackles. "You're insane," he wheezes, wiping a fake tear. "Holy shit, you actually believe that."
I shoot him a glare. "I'll handle it."
"How?" He grins. "Gonna force-feed her? Maybe tie her to a chair and spoon-feed her like a toddler?"
I throw a coaster at his head. "Shut up, Pranav."
"Nah, this is fun. You're struggling, and I live for this." He leans forward, smirking. "Tell me, villain, how does it feel to lose to a 5'3 Spanish woman?"
I down my drink in one go. "I'm not losing."
"Oh, you so are." He wags a finger at me. "She's got you wrapped around her little starving finger."
"If you don't shut up, I'm breaking your fingers."
"Ooooh," he mocks. "So scary. What if I told Aliya you were being mean to me?"
"She doesn't even know you exist, Pranav."
"Nah,she just wans to kill. Which is why I'm miserable! We're both suffering, man!" He sighs dramatically. "I stalk my woman. You torture yours. We are not good people."
"We're absolute trash," I agree, standing up.
"Red flags."
"Menaces."
"Straight-up villains."
I roll my shoulders. "And yet, here we are."
"Here we fucking are." He raises his glass. "To being the worst people alive."
I smirk and clink my glass against his. "Cheers, stalker."
"Cheers, kidnapper."
We both down our drinks. I set my glass aside and stretch before heading to the door.
"Where are you going?" Pranav asks, tilting his head like a confused puppy.
"To deal with my brat."
He grins. "Tell her I said hi."
"Tell Aliya I said she has five minutes before she finds your little gift and smashes it with a baseball bat."
Pranav gasps, looking truly horrified. "You wouldn't."
I smirk. "Try me."
And with that, I walk out, leaving him fake-sobbing into his whiskey.
Time to make Neti eat. One way or another.
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I push open her bedroom door without knocking.
She's sitting on the bed, arms crossed, glaring at me like she's personally plotting my murder.
Cute.
"Get up," I order.
She doesn't move.
"No."
I exhale, stepping closer. "I wasn't asking."
"And I wasn't answering," she snaps, her Spanish accent thicker when she's pissed. "Get out."
I smirk. "Someone's feisty tonight."
"Someone's unbearable every second," she shoots back.
I ignore her and stroll over to the side table, where an untouched tray of food sits. Steak, pasta, wine-everything a spoiled princess could want. And yet, here she is, pouting like a child.
"You didn't eat," I say, picking up the wine glass and swirling it.
"I wasn't hungry."
I take a slow sip. "Liar."
She shifts uncomfortably, her eyes flicking to the food for half a second before looking away.
I smirk. "See? Even your eyes are hungry."
"Go to hell, Adolph."
"Already there, sweetheart. And you're coming with me."
She huffs, crossing her arms tighter. "I'd rather starve."
I arch a brow. "You sure about that?" I grab a fork, slice into the steak, and hold up a piece. "Because I have all night, and I can make this very difficult for you."
Her jaw tightens. "Oh? What are you gonna do, force-feed me?" She scoffs. "What, you gonna hold my nose shut until I have to swallow?"
I tilt my head. "That's one option."
Her eyes widen slightly, as if realizing she just gave me the idea.
I grin, stepping closer. "Or I could do something worse."
"Worse?" she echoes, wary.
"Mmhmm." I twirl the fork between my fingers. "I could make you beg for it."
She scoffs. "For food?"
I lean in, my lips inches from hers. "For anything."
Her breath hitches, and I feel the way her body tenses.
I smirk. Got her.
"Now," I murmur, pulling back just enough to hold up the fork again. "Open up, princesa."
She glares. "You're insufferable."
"And yet, here we are."
She looks at the steak, then at me. Her stomach betrays her with the faintest growl, and I raise an eyebrow, silently daring her to refuse.
She huffs, then, with an exaggerated eye roll, finally parts her lips.
I slide the fork into her mouth, watching as she glares at me while she chews.
"Good girl," I murmur.
She chokes. "What-?"
"Shh."* I cut another piece. "Keep going."*
Her eyes flash with defiance, but she swallows and, despite herself, opens up for the next bite.
I grin.
This is going to be fun.
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I take my time. Cutting each bite slowly. Feeding her at my pace. Watching her squirm under my gaze as she takes each mouthful like she's swallowing nails instead of steak.
"See?" I murmur, brushing a stray strand of hair from her cheek. "Not so hard, is it?"
She glares. "I hate you."
"You keep saying that," I smirk, lifting another bite to her lips, "but here you are, obeying me like a good girl."
She clenches her jaw but takes the bite anyway.
Smart girl.
I let my fingers ghost over her lips as I pull the fork away, watching the way her breath stutters for just a second before she schools her expression.
"I could have fed myself," she mutters, chewing.
"Could you?" I tilt my head. "You didn't look too eager before I walked in."
She huffs, looking away. "Because I didn't want it."
"No," I correct smoothly, trailing the tip of the fork along her bottom lip. "You didn't want to take it from me."
She swats my hand away. "Exactly."
I chuckle, setting the fork down. "Your pride is adorable."
"My pride is all I have left, cabrón."
Bastard
I smirk. "Not for long."
Her lips part slightly, but no words come out. She knows what I mean. She can feel it in the air between us-the slow, inevitable unraveling of everything she's trying so desperately to hold on to.
And I'm going to enjoy breaking her.
"Are we done?" she asks, trying to sound bored.
I glance at the half-empty plate. "One more bite."
She groans. "Seriously?"
I pick up a piece of steak, but instead of offering it to her, I take a slow bite myself, making sure she's watching as I chew.
"You-" She blinks. "You said-"
"I changed my mind," I murmur, swallowing. "Maybe I'm still hungry."
She stares at me like I just murdered a puppy. "You asshole."
I chuckle, licking my bottom lip. "That's not what you'll be calling me soon, princesa."
Her throat bobs.
I lean in, my breath warm against her cheek. "Sweet dreams."
Then I turn and walk out, leaving her flustered and frustrated, exactly the way I like her.
And her dreams would be anything but-
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