Chapter 4

His words came slowly, his voice lazy yet intensely aggressive. They seeped through the thin haze of smoke and burrowed into her ears.

Audrey's heart lurched violently and fear instantly spread through her body.

She instinctively turned to look at the manager, who was clearly just as shaken. He hurriedly tried to smooth things over. "Sir, she's new and doesn't know the rules. Why don't you take a look at the other girls? They're all former beauty pageant contestants. If none of them satisfy you, I can arrange...”

Before he could finish, the man lifted his eyes to glance at him. His gaze was indifferent yet chilling.

"Is that so..."

The manager gave an awkward laugh, unsure whether to continue.

"Then choose for yourself. Do you want to come with me?"

Roy lowered his gaze to her again. Seeing that the woman was as stiff as a board with fear, he added, "Don't be afraid. I'm a gentleman. I'll respect your choice."

His tone softened as he spoke, as if he were soothing someone.

Audrey's nerves had just begun to relax when something cold and hard pressed against her side. Her body froze instantly, unable to move an inch.

The man held the gun, casually resting it against her. The icy muzzle pressed against her lower abdomen.

"Well? Made your choice?"

His tone remained nonchalant, and a hint of a smile played at the corners of his mouth.

But deep down, Audrey knew this man never intended to give her a choice.

"If you don't speak, I'll take that as your agreement to come with me."

This time, she closed her eyes in utter despair.

The club had rooms where guests could rest. He tossed her onto the bed but didn't immediately do anything.

Just as she began to relax, he walked over to the sofa, sat down, poured himself a drink, and began sipping it.

His lazy gaze swept over her. “American?”

She nodded.

He asked again, "Where in America?"

Audrey pressed her lips together, remaining silent and guarded.

Her silence drew a cold laugh from Roy. "Are you mute?"

Not a sound had escaped her yet. Had she been poisoned into silence?

He rose and stepped in front of her, clamping his large hand down on her cheek with surprising force.

Seeing her wince in pain yet still refuse to speak, he tightened his grip.

"It hurts..."

A faint gasp escaped the woman's throat.

Her jaw felt as if it might shatter—the pain was real.

Tears welled in her eyes.

The soft, trembling voice that followed tugged at Roy's heartstrings.

This little thing knew how to get under his skin.

His large hand released its grip and reached for the veil tucked behind her ear instead.

This time, Audrey couldn't dodge. The light fabric covering her face was swept away.

She instinctively turned her face away. This movement meant that the man only caught a glimpse of half her face at first, and it wasn't quite what he'd expected.

He had anticipated a face of dazzling, soul-stealing beauty.

Instead, when she turned back, his eyes met a face of pure, unblemished innocence.

She had classic Nordic features with soft, rounded contours that tempered the allure of her slightly upturned, fox-like eyes, adding a touch of dignified coolness. A hint of childishness lingered in her brow and eyes—she couldn't be very old.

Roy suddenly wondered if this woman in front of him could even be considered a woman—perhaps she was still a minor?

The thought instantly dampened his enthusiasm considerably.

"Fuck, you can't be a virgin, can you?"

The possibility made Roy's brow furrow deeply; his inner restlessness intensified. Had he picked a tart, unripe fruit that was hard to swallow?

Audrey blushed fiercely at the crude question. Though she was young, she was a college freshman-to-be and already an adult.

Raised gently and properly, being asked such an intimate question by a stranger left her embarrassed and annoyed. She was utterly at a loss for how to respond.

She could only glare at him, her face flushed and her eyes filled with fear and hurt.

Seeing her timid demeanor, Roy guessed the answer. He placed his hands on his hips, turned his head, and scoffed.

Out of seven or eight women, he’d specifically chosen the one with zero experience. He was so lucky.

"If you're not satisfied, I can ask Kevin to send someone else..."

Audrey caught the irritation in his expression and suspected that he hadn't found her appealing.

That was perfect—maybe she could wriggle out of this.

"Actually... I'm not in this line of work, and I've never been in a beauty pageant. I'm just a waitress here. The manager pulled me in at the last minute to fill the quota.”

At this point, she couldn't care less about offending the manager.

The only thing that mattered now was getting this man to lose interest in her and let her go.

Roy could see right through her little scheme.

He had indeed planned to toss her out; he never cared for this kind of inexperienced uptightness.

But the fleeting slyness in her eyes irritated him inexplicably.

He was accustomed to being the arrogant one who caused others discomfort.

This was the first time a woman, still so young and inexperienced, had made him feel stifled. How could he just let her go so easily?

Even though he wasn't interested in her today, he would force her onto the bed and make her beg for mercy before stopping.

With that thought, a wicked smile curled Roy's lips.

That smile sent a shiver through Audrey's heart. Earlier, in the private room, he'd worn that same expression when dealing with the man whose finger he'd cut off.

She nervously pressed her lips together and shifted her body backward slightly on the bed.

"Sir..."

"Shh."

Roy clamped his hand over her mouth and used his other hand to pin her down on the bed. He pressed his entire weight down on her, his towering frame completely trapping her.

"I'll make an exception and teach you how..."

Satisfied to see fear spread across her face, he curved his lips, ending the teasing. He lowered his head and bit down on her slightly parted lips. The kiss, almost a bite, sent shivers through the woman beneath him.

Her lips were both sore and numb. His large hands roamed over her body, filling Audrey with shame, anger, fear, and utter helplessness.

His movements were brutal and forceful, terrifying her to the point of tears.

Yet, Roy was surprised by the taste of her soft lips. Though inexperienced, they made him crave more for some reason.

Only when her clothes were in disarray did he release her lips, shifting his bite to the side of her neck.

This couldn't go on. She frantically searched her mind for a way to escape, trying desperately to calm herself.

But closing her eyes only made the sensations on her body feel sharper.

"Wait... wait a moment..."

Roy heard the faint tremor in her voice. His eyes, drenched in desire, turned toward her. His hand, propped against her cheek, paused. He said nothing.

His heavy, ragged breaths betrayed his struggle to restrain himself.

For the first time, he showed such patience, even stopping mid-action because of her words. Perhaps his approach toward her had changed because the woman beneath him was so inexperienced.

"I'm scared..."

Her voice trembled, and tears glistened in her eyes. His Adam's apple bobbed as if bewitched. His gaze lingered on her alluring eyes for an eternity.

Finally, astonishingly, he reined in his temper and growled, "You're in this line of work, yet you're so delicate?"

"There's blood..."

Audrey timidly pointed to the bloodstains on his body and bit her lip, her eyes filling with tears. She seemed genuinely frightened by his expression; she looked utterly pitiful.

His Adam's apple tightened. He pinched her soft cheek, his voice low and harsh. "When I come out, you'll have to be more proactive."

He wasn't blind to her trembling, inexperienced body. After biting her lip hard, he rose and walked into the bathroom.

This was the first time he'd ever gone along with a woman's wishes. What the hell.