Page 35 of Awakening the Beast
He gives a small shake of his head. “No, I would like to meet my jewel first and then make my decision.”
The audacity of his words hits me like a shockwave, and I can’t help but laugh—loud and unhinged, the kind of laugh that makes the room feel like it’s closing in on itself.
“Did you hear this motherfucker?” I ask the room, still laughing like a fucking madman.
Some of the Elites chuckle nervously along with me, while others just sit there, frozen, knowing me too well to find this funny, but before anyone can react, my laughter stops, and without warning, I flick my blade out from my sleeve. In one swift, brutal movement, I slam it down into Viktor’s hand, pinning it to the table with a force that makes the entire room wince.
Viktor lets out a bloodcurdling scream, a sound that echoes off the walls. Some Elites jump to their feet in shock, while othersremain seated, eyes wide, too stunned, or too smart to move. My hand stays firm on the knife’s handle as I peer around the room, my breath coming in heavy, ragged gasps through gritted teeth. Viktor’s free hand clutches at mine, desperate to free himself from the searing pain, but I press down harder, enjoying the way he squirms.
“You stupid cunts have no idea who he’s speaking about, do you?” I roar.
I return my wide gaze back to Viktor in an eerie manner, his face slick with sweat, contorted in agony. I lean in closer, dropping to a deadly whisper. “That gem was Wren Hayes. My fucking wife!”
As soon as her name leaves my lips, I notice the change in the room. The Elites who had stood up, ready to interfere, now sink back into their seats, their expressions shifting. The realization hits them all at once—this isn’t just about business anymore. It’s personal, and they know what that means when it comes to me.
The rush of power surges through me as I twist the knife in Viktor’s hand, and he screams again, the sound sweeter than any fucking music. The control, the dominance—it’s a feeling I’ve missed so much, and I relish it, letting it fill the room, letting them all feel it. This is my world, and I’ll be damned if anyone—especially this Russian piece of shit—thinks they can take anything from me without paying the price.
“Arlo, Maddox…” One of the Elites dares to say hesitantly.
My eyes snap to him like a predator locking onto prey. “Fuck, Maddox!” I bark, cutting him off mid-sentence.
In a swift motion, I yank the knife from Viktor’s hand, and his shriek pierces the air. Blood drips from the blade and onto the table as I point it at the room, my voice seething with rage. “I don’t give a fuck about anyone who fucks with my family, just like you cold-hearted bastards don’t either.”
I focus on Viktor, my anger honing in on him. I lower the knife to just beneath his eye, leaning down until our gazes are locked.
“Maddox knows where I am if he’s ever big enough to fucking face me. Now get the fuck out of here before I take your eye out too.”
Viktor, pale, and trembling, begins to stand. I take a step back, allowing him the room to leave, my eyes never leaving him as he clutches his bleeding hand and makes his way toward the door.
As soon as he’s gone, I wipe his blood off my blade on my pants and flick it closed. I slide it back up my sleeve before taking a moment to straighten my suit and collect myself. Just as I’m about to return to my seat, one of the Elites can’t help but speak up.
“Jesus, Arlo, you haven’t changed one bit.”
My eyes meet his, and I lift a brow, my expression now detached. “And don’t ever forget it.”
I move around the table before taking a seat in my chair, feeling my sense of control returning. Maybe this was needed. Maybe they thought that in my supposed ‘death,’ I had somehow become weak. The truth is, I’m more composed, stronger, and wiser now. And that only makes me an even more of a dangerous monster than I was ever before.
I sit forward, my eyes scanning the room as I address them all, my tone stern and final. “I don’t want to hear any more about my father’s debts or his actions in these meetings. I am not him, and they have nothing to do with me. Do I make myself fucking clear?”
Every head in the room nods in unison and once I’m satisfied, I smooth down my tie with my hand while relaxing back, letting the tension in the room simmer down.
“Good. Now, where were we?”
After Lumi’s bedtime feed, I gently de-latch her from my breast, patting her tiny back until a soft burp escapes. I lay her in her crib, smiling down as she scrunches her little body to get comfortable. The mobile above her crib starts to turn, playing a gentle, soothing lullaby that fills the room with a peaceful melody. I stand there for a moment, lost in awe at how she’s almost two-weeks-old already. Finally, I step back, dimming the light as I quietly close the door behind me.
The hallway is dark and still as I make my way to Cree’s bedroom, my footsteps barely a whisper on the marble floor. I softly push his door open, peeking around it to find him asleep, his iPad still casting a soft glow across his face. A smile tugs at my lips as I step inside, quietly approaching his bed. I carefully lift the iPad from his hands, turning it off and placing it on the bedside cabinet.
For a moment, I just watch him as well, brushing a stray curl from his forehead, my heart swelling with pride at how well he’s been doing at school, how much happier he seems to be. I lean down, pressing a kiss to his head before retreating back into the hallway.
As I close the door behind me, the corridor plunges into darkness, and I barely have time to register the shift before I feel him behind me, like a ghost in the night. A sharp edge is suddenly pressed firmly against my throat, and a thrill runs through me.
I smile widely as his warm body closes in on my back, his breath hot against my ear as he speaks, quiet but forceful. “Good evening, my little slut.”
Slowly, I turn my head, the blade grazing my skin, its cold threat sending a shiver through me. My lips hover close to his as I whisper, “Good evening, daddy. I’ve missed you.”
His low growl rumbles against my lips, and the tip of his blade moves slowly down my throat, teasing the delicate skin. Tingles scatter across my body, my breath hitching as his torment continues. “I bet you’d love me to fuck the absolute life out of you right now, with this knife pressed tight against your throat,” he murmurs, his words dripping with darkness.
My core throbs instantly at the memory of our past, the filthy, wild moments we’ve shared flooding my mind, igniting a fierce ache only he can satisfy.
