Chapter 6 Spells
MIREILLE’S POV
“Mireille!” Kian shouted again from the hallway, aggressively rattling the locked door handle when he didn't get an immediate response.
The intense, intoxicating spell that had consumed me broke in a fraction of a second. Panic exploding in my chest, I violently shoved Slaine off me and scrambled off the mahogany desk. Slaine just stood there, his expression entirely unbothered and blank as he casually crossed his arms over his bare chest, his muscles rippling in the office light.
“What exactly do you think you're doing?” he asked calmly, his eyes tracking me as I frantically yanked up my underwear and jeans.
“Slaine! Open the damn door!” Kian yelled again, pure annoyance lacing his tone now.
I gasped, my heart hammering against my ribs as I rushed toward the exit. Slaine moved like lightning, his large hand wrapping around my wrist and halting my frantic escape.
“No, you don’t,” he challenged, his green eyes narrowing.
“Are you completely insane?! Your brother is standing right outside that door!” I hissed in a terrified whisper.
Slaine just drew his brows together, letting out a careless shrug as if the entire situation were beneath him.
“Listen to me, Mr. Shane,” I whispered fiercely, stepping closer to him. “You have a girlfriend, and I am your brother’s fiancée. From this exact moment on, we are going to pretend we don't even know each other.”
I didn't bother waiting around to see if he agreed. I twisted my wrist out of his grip, sprinted to the door, clicked the lock open, and flung it wide.
Kian was standing there, his eyes narrowed into furious slits. His gaze immediately darted past my shoulder to Slaine, then snapped right back to me. A violent, hot blush burned my cheeks as I frantically checked myself over, praying to God that my clothes weren't visibly disheveled.
“I’ve been knocking out here for over five minutes,” Kian complained, his tone heavy with suspicion.
“I... uh...” I stammered, my mind scrambling through a thousand terrible excuses. “Your brother saw me leaving the lobby and insisted I wait in here until you were done with your meeting,” I lied. The excuse sounded entirely fake even to my own ears, but it was the absolute best I could do under pressure.
“Did he touch you?” Kian demanded, his blue eyes hardening as he stared past my head at his older brother.
I rapidly shook my head, thoroughly confused by the sudden, intense wave of protective worry bleeding into Kian’s expression. Why did he look so utterly terrified of me being left alone in a room with Slaine?
“No, I didn't,” Slaine answered from behind me, his voice smooth and cold. I wanted to turn around and glare at him, but I couldn't find the courage. I didn't have to wait long anyway; a heavy set of footsteps approached rapidly until Slaine was standing right beside me, his towering presence suffocating.
“But that doesn't mean I won't,” Slaine declared calmly.
Before my brain could even process the weight of his words, his arm shot out like a flash of lightning. A sharp smack echoed through the corridor. Kian gasped loudly, staggering back as he clutched his rapidly bruising cheek, his blue eyes blazing with a wild, untamed fury.
“The next time you knock on my office door while I am busy, turn around and get the hell out of my building,” Slaine commanded, his voice horrifyingly serene.
I stared at him, utterly bewildered by how he could maintain such a calm demeanor after violently striking his own brother.
“You—” Kian snarled, stepping forward, but he stopped dead in his tracks.
Suddenly, Kian’s eyes began to water violently. His head dropped, his face turning an unearthly, ghostly shade of pale. He let out a choked, agonizing groan, his entire body trembling as if he were actively fighting off an invisible, crushing weight. I looked over at Slaine, who just stood there, completely unbothered, watching Kian suffer.
“Fine!” Kian choked out finally, the word ripped from his throat.
And almost instantly, the agonizing pressure seemed to vanish. The color rushed back into Kian’s face, and he stopped shaking. Reaching out, he aggressively grabbed my hand and yanked me behind his back in a fierce, protective instinct.
“If that's all...” Kian muttered, leaving the threat hanging in the air as he practically dragged me down the hallway, away from the office and away from Slaine.
He didn't break his frantic stride until he pulled me into another spacious corporate office, slamming the door shut and locking it. He turned around to face me, and I winced at the angry red mark swelling on his cheek. His eyes locked onto mine, silently demanding answers.
“I... I was just mad because you turned me away on the phone,” I lied again, my voice trembling.
“And you refused to open the door? For over five minutes?” he demanded, stepping closer, his gaze drilling into mine.
I shut my mouth, completely out of excuses.
“Mireille,” he said, his voice dropping into a dead, serious tone. “My brother is not someone you toy with. Stay as far away from him as possible if you value your life.”
I nodded grimly. To my absolute shock, Kian reached out, wrapped his arms around me, and pulled me into a tight hug.
“I’m so sorry about how I treated you at the house yesterday,” he murmured against my hair. “I should have defended you against my father.”
I froze in his embrace, utterly stunned. Kian never apologized. If anything, he was a master at twisting arguments until I was the one begging for forgiveness. I peeked up at him, wondering if Slaine’s slap had literally scrambled his brain. He offered a tight smile, his hand reaching up to gently ruffle my copper hair as a heavy sigh escaped his lips.
“You smell incredible,” he complimented, leaning down to nuzzle his chin against the top of my head.
I uncomfortably shifted out of his embrace, my eyes searching his features. This wasn't Kian. He was acting completely out of character. “Why?” I asked bluntly.
He grabbed both of my hands, gently caressing my fingers. “I’ve spent the last few hours thinking. About us.” He shook his head wearily. “And I realized I never actually show you how much I truly love you. Please, just give me a chance to make it up to you.”
A small, hesitant smile tugged at my lips. If Kian was genuinely changing for the better, I wasn't going to complain. I stood up on my tiptoes and pressed a soft kiss to his cheek. His blue eyes swarmed with sudden, intense affection.
“Weren't you supposed to be busy?” I reminded him gently.
He shook his head. “Never too busy for you.” He leaned down, nipping lightly at the base of my chin.
A violent jolt of electricity ran through me as the memory of Slaine doing the exact same thing hours prior crashed into my mind. I immediately backed away from Kian, a suffocating wave of guilt eating me alive.
“I... I should probably go,” I stammered, forcing a fake smile to ease his confusion. “Maybe you can drop by the apartment after work and we can have some private time?” I suggested.
He seemed thoroughly satisfied with that, nodding as he completely released me. I practically ran out of his office, my heart thudding violently against my ribs. But the moment I stepped into the main corridor, someone cleared their throat.
I turned around slowly, letting out a silent curse. Slaine was leaning lazily against the glass railing of the atrium, looking like he had all the time in the world.
“What?” I snapped at him, thoroughly exhausted.
He didn't say a word. He just began walking toward me, his heavy steps slow and calculated. I took a step back with every stride he took until my shoulder blades slammed into something solid and freezing cold. I gasped, turning around to realize I was pinned against the massive glass windows overlooking the city. Slaine stepped directly into my personal space, leaning down to inhale sharply against my neck.
I tried to scramble to the side, but he blocked me, his green eyes darkening into a terrifying abyss.
“I can smell him all over you,” he growled, his voice vibrating with a primal fury.
Smell him? What?
He gripped my upper arm roughly, pulling me flush against his chest. “Do not forget my warning, Storm. If any other man touches you besides me, they die.” He slammed his lips onto mine, a brutal, punishing kiss that left my lips bruised. “Even if it is my brother.”
He released me abruptly, turning around and walking away. The pure terror in his eyes left me physically shaking. I ran. I ran down the corridor, shoved past the lobby, and didn't stop until I was safely out of the S.A.S. Groups building entirely.
Needing a sense of normalcy, I ducked into a crowded restaurant down the street, collapsing into a booth just wanting to feel safe around normal human beings.
“Well, look who it is,” a harsh, gravelly voice sneered from behind me.
I spun around, my breath catching in my throat. Standing over my table was a terrifying, bald man. A massive, jagged scar mutilated his face, running from his left forehead all the way down to his right chin. His left eye was barely open through the scar tissue, and the corner of his mouth was permanently warped into a crooked, sinister sneer. He smiled, revealing a row of teeth heavily stained brown from smoking.
“W-what do you want?” I stammered, my heart leaping into overdrive. Everything about this man and the two large, muscular thugs flanking him screamed absolute danger. “Is it money?” I frantically grabbed my purse, dangling it in front of them. “Take it. Take all of it.”
The scarred man let out a low, guttural chuckle that promised absolute hell. He leaned over the table, sniffing the air deeply.
“You smell exactly like Slaine,” he murmured.
What is it with people telling me I smell like other people today?!
“How do you know Slaine?” I demanded, my fear momentarily overridden by confusion.
The scarred man let out a sharp, dark laugh. “Oh, that bastard owes me a massive debt.” His expression turned entirely predatory, and for a split second, his green eyes seemed to bleed into a strange, metallic gold color. “And you, little girl, are going to be the one to pay it.”
