CHAPTER 11: 7 DAYS

"You look almost unrecognizable" he said and I somehow managed to break out of whatever spell was holding me. Did he just say I look unrecognizable?? Is that supposed to be a compliment or a mock comment??

"Feel free to sit" he said again and I sat down and then he took an opposite seat.

A standby steward came forward to do the dishing.

I had my two palms clasped together and they were getting moist, there was just this dark aura coming from him, there were unseen danger signs all over him, something about him made me want to run, he was not only cold and aloof, he was equally dark and mysterious.

I didn't realize I was gawking at him stupidly not until he snapped his fingers in my face and I jolted, "you seem lost. Eat up, the food will get cold" he said and I looked down on my plate to see that I've been served.

It was a continental breakfast and most of the dishes were familiar, cereals and milk were regulars for me. I picked up a spoon, that was the only cutlery I used and he noticed, I knew he did.

'What is wrong with you, Selena??! You're supposed to be asking questions not sit here like everything's okay!' I immediately reminded myself of what I came here to do, so I stopped eating, setting my spoon down.

I cleared my throat as I looked up at him, that's when I realized that he hadn't been eating, he has been staring at me the whole time, as a matter of fact, his plate was totally empty.

"You're not eating??" I asked, letting myself get distracted again. If I go on like this I might never get the answers I need.

"The breakfast is for you, don't worry about me. You were going to say something?" he said ever so calmly.

"Oh yes! I was" I said clearing my voice again, my throat had suddenly gone dry and husky and it dawned on me that I didn't even know what to ask first, yes I had questions, lots of them, but I didn't know which one to take first.

"Uhh, I need to..." "We got him boss!" Leo's voice interrupted me and I turned to the direction his voice came from and there stood with him a man bound in chains, hands and legs.

"Mr Baron, we meet again" 'he' said.

The chained man was practically shivering and from his dressing, he seems to be a wealthy man, the gold chain on his neck and rings on his fingers said it all.

"M...Mr King??" the man now identified as Mr Baron said, he seems to be in shock and bewilderment.

"I t..thought you were dead??!" he said, still with the same shocked expression.

'Mr king? is that his name??' I frained in my head.

He got up from his seat and strode to the now kneeling man, his legs seems to have failed him, they could no longer carry him.

"This can't be! No it can't! you're dead! My men made sure of it! How can this be??!" he ranted, he was rapidly going bonkers.

"A dead man certainly can't do thing, can he??" he said putting him hand on the man's shoulder.

"No! No! Don't touch me! Don't!" he screamed in great horror and fear, he was now whimpering and trembling with fear.

"Quiet!" Leo screamed at him giving him a dangerous jab on the jaw with his elbow. Leo seemed to be a short tempered and hot blooded henchman and brown noser.

"Let him, Leo. I want to hear his screams, I want to see him cower in fear and fright" he said, with a look of satisfaction on his face, he appeared to be enjoying the man's emotional and psychological trauma.

"We had a deal Mr Baron, you get your 50, I get my 50 as well, but you let your selfishness and greed get in the way of our business deal, you sent your dogs after me to have me killed, so you can have the entire spoils to yourself, now that's were you made the wrong move."

"Pl.. please let me go! You already have my son! what else do you want from me??!"

"No I don't have your son, I only had him sent on a little exile, don't worry, he won't miss you wherever he is right now. You're actually the one who has something that belongs to me."

"Your money?? Fine! I will have my men send it to you ASAP if that's what you want, just let me go!" the man said. He was afraid alright, but his ego was still in play, and he wasn't even begging for his son, this man must surely be on hell of a selfish man!

"I already have that, the only thing I want now is your life" he said and turned away from him. "Take him away and take care of him" he ordered and Leo began to drag him out of the room.

"No! no! no! have mercy! please don't kill me! I will do anything you want me to do! just don't let him take me! Mr King! Mr kiiiinng!!" he cried as he was being dragged out of the room, I could still hear him screaming in the hallway, then his voice slowly faded away.

'Was he going to kill him??' I asked in my head, 'maybe not, maybe he just wants to scare him, that could possibly be it' I just couldn't bring myself to think that he would kill that man.

"You shouldn't have seen that, continue with your breakfast corazon" he said. Like seriously?? he expects me to continue with breakfast like nothing happened?? after all I just saw and heard?? He must think again! I think I just lost my appetite!

"No, I think I'm full" I said curtly. I was now standing, can't remember when I did, probably when the drama with Mr Baron was going on, but I'm glad I did.

"You were about saying something before the distraction, go on now" he commanded, 'what a G.I Joe!'

"What's your name?" I blurted out, really Selena??! that's what you want to know?? I was disappointed in myself, just where the hell did that question come from??

"I think you already know that" he said, "yeah right! I don't see how two titles can come together to form a name, there's no way Mr King is your name" I said, now standing at akimbo.

"You're smart, that isn't my name" he confessed. "So??" I said urging him on.

"King Jonathan Maxwell, there" he said and I cocked a brow at him.

"You're a King??" I asked, he chuckled lightly at my questions. "Of my world, yes, but just so I don't confuse you, King is my first name" he said.

"Oh" I said, the name suits him perfectly, but he doesn't look like a Jonathan, I thing that name would fit a gentleman more and there was definitely nothing gentle about him.

"What do you want from me?" I asked, at last.

"To be mine" he simply stated, "sorry??" I frained, I heard him loud and clear, but I'm not sure what that means.

"I think you heard me the first time" he said, "yeah I did, but I'm not sure I understand what that means, you might want to explain what you mean."

"I want you to be mine, it's as simple as that, I want your body, your soul, all of you." "What??! can you hear yourself right now?? Who in the world makes such frivolous and ludicrous demand from a total stranger??!" I queried astoundedly, I was completely dazzled and abashed, I felt so embarrassed.

"I just made a proposal to you, I need a reply" he said shortly.

I stared at him with mouth agape, what nerves! what in the world makes him think I'm going to give it to his ridiculous proposal??

With a livid face I said a loud and strong "no! that's my answer."

He chuckled yet again at my answer, what could possibly be funny about what I just said now??

"I knew you would say that sweetie, that's why I came up with this compromise. You see, I'm not the kind of man that would force myself on a woman, so listen to this, I will give you 7 days to reconsider your answer, 7 days to change your mind, but if after these seven days you don't, which I'm certain you will, then I will let you go, but on the other hand, if you change your mind, which you will, then you become mine forever."

I was completely gob-smacked; speechless, what a blasted proposal that is!

"I'm not going to stay here for another hour! you can't possibly keep me here for 7 days! I have... a family that would look for me!" "a family?? Did you seriously think that I wouldn't know this much about the woman I'm planning to make mine??" he asked.

"What are you talking about??" I asked. "You don't have a family Sel, you're an orphan, you just got out of the orphanage home 3 years ago, I could go on" he said.

"You had me investigated?? Or have you been spying on my life??! How did you know all that??" I asked inquisitively.

"We will skip that part for another day, just know that I know every damn thing about you, so don't bother lying to me again about yourself in the future.

I believe we've had enough for one day, you may now return to your room. You're not a prisoner in this house, feel free to walk around and explore" he said.

"You think that is supposed to make me feel better??! You have no right to keep me here Mr King! I said I want to go home!" I yelled.

"Which home? If I may ask, you don't have a home Selena, this could be your new home, don't throw away a golden opportunity to change your life for good, don't tell me you enjoy living in constant penury and dearth. Look I'm offering you an opportunity of a lifetime, you have 7 days to make the right decision."

"You don't know a thing about me! It's better I keep living in destitution, than to live in a luxurious life gotten from doing dirty things, I don't want your acclaimed golden opportunity!"

"Come back after 7 days then I will listen to you, right now, I think we're done here" he said with a note of finality.

"You cannot..." I was cut short my the deafening sound of a gun, the sound came again and again, three consecutive times!

Where the hell did that come from??!

Oh no! Mr Baron!

He killed him! he killed him!!