CHAPTER EIGHTEEN

DALLAS

My head turned swiftly to the direction of the voice to see Mason standing with his arms crossed. A smirk was dancing on his lips. I took a deep breath and made a silent prayer to God to give me patience to not kill him.

“Hello asshole. Not very nice to see your horrible face again. I'd really appreciate it if you get the hell out of my face.” I replied in the same tone.

“Still very feisty, I see.” He smirked, moving closer to me.

“Glad you remembered. Now do you want to relieve some old memories or you'll kindly return to the dining table?”

He smacked his tongue and sucked in a deep breath.

“I searched for you Carlos. You know, after you sent me to the hospital.”

“It's Dallas, Nimrod.”

I drew a long sigh. I was tired of correcting him.

“Dallas, Carlos, whatever your name is. I don't care.”

I tilted my head forward and met his gaze with a fiery one of mine. If I had break his bones all over again, I'd be happy to do so.

“When I saw you earlier, I wanted to get revenge for what you did to me two years ago. Do you know how many parties I had to miss because I was stuck in the hospital getting treatment for what you did to me?”

He sucked in a deep breath.

He got beaten up and ended up in the hospital but all he could think about was the parties he missed. I shook my head in disbelief but I didn't interrupt him. I wanted him to finish his rants before I decide whether to reply with my mouth or fists.

“But then, you've become so beautiful that I couldn't even think of hurting you or throwing you in jail. And I just can't resist you. I've come to a decision that would benefit us. I won't say anything to Oliver about your old life and I won't get you arrested for physical assault.”

I almost laughed.

“What do you mean by ‘my old life'?” I asked, air quoting the last two words.

“You know, about how you were a dirty waitress at a bar and all the dirty work you do.”

I snorted. How can someone this dumb be the COO of a successful company like his father's?. Classic trust fund baby.

“How about we pick up where we left off? You know I'm always down to fuck your pussy.” He inched closer to me, his fingers grazed my forehead as he brushed off a few strands of hair. I curled my fingers into a fist.

He smirked, his hand landing on my fist.

“Don’t even think of raising your hand at me. You work here, and I'm Oliver's business partner. Unless you want to lose your job. This time I'll make sure you don't get employed anywhere else.”

I chuckled. He was delusional if he thought Oliver would take his side. Oliver would gladly throw him out if he finds out what Mason wanted to do to me. He might not like me much but he definitely would not stand any mistreatment towards his employee.

I was about to tell him to go fuck himself when I heard someone clear their throat. My eyes darted to Oliver standing at the entrance. His face was hard and very scary. A smirk settled on my lips.

I took a few steps back.

“Mr Kang, you're here. I was just having a little chat with your maid. We go way back” Mason said.

“Dallas.” Oliver called his tone cold and dangerous. He didn't take his eyes off Oliver.

“Yes?”

“Are you squeamish?”

I was confused with his sudden question but the look on his face didn't give room for argument so I chose to reply to him.

“No.”

“Good.”

That was the last thing I heard before a knife flew towards Mason's outstretched hand. My eyes widened in shock. My mouth hung open as I watched blood gushed out of where Mason's fingertips used to be. Mason stared at his fingers in horror before letting out a shrill cry. He bursted into tears, screaming at the top of his lungs.

“What the fuck, bro? What the fuck? What the fuck?” Mason screamed.

‘What the fuck’ is right. I didn't understand what just happened at all.

“You just sliced me man. You just sliced me. Why?”

More tears. I didn't pay attention to bawling Mason. All my attentions were on Oliver.

“I don't like it when people touch what's mine.” Oliver growled at him.

For some unknown reasons, the butterflies in my stomach took flight beating hard against my ribcage.

Mason ran out of the kitchen holding his hand and screaming his father's name.

“Wow.” Was the only thing I could say.

I stared at Oliver, my mouth wide opened. I didn't know what to say to him. He stared at his bloody knife as if contemplating whether to pick it or not. I finally found my tongue.

“That was one nice throw, Mr Kang. Wow, I'm a proud teacher. I mean I know I taught you how to use a sword not throw knives but still. You were amazing.”

“Follow me.” He turned and walked out of the kitchen without sparing me a glance. He seem pretty upset.

I didn't understand what he was upset about. It couldn't be about Mason. Even if Oliver hadn't waltz in and saved me, Mason wouldn't have touched me. I would have given him another round of the beating of his life.

I followed him quietly, not saying a word. We walked up the stairs towards his home office. Mason's screams and Alberto's yells demanding Oliver's apology slowly faded. Oliver didn't even bother to check the damage he did to his guest.

“Did he hurt you?” Oliver asked as soon as the door to his office shut behind me.

His voice was calm. Too calm. But I could see the anger emanating from every pores in his body.

“No.”

But I wished I had hurt him instead.

Oliver sucked in a sharp breath and clicked his tongue.

“Did he touch you anywhere?” His gaze bore into me as if they could see into my soul.

I had never seen this side of Oliver. His expression was so dark as if he was ready to murder anyone, but also really calm. I would be dumb if I assumed that Oliver was only acting like this because he was protective of his workers. There was more to it. But the question is, what?

He definitely doesn't have any romantic feelings towards me. Oliver and I are polar opposites. I don't know what he wants from me but I was certain it was something dark and really twisted. I asked him a daring question.

“What would you do if he touched me?”

He sucked in a sharp breath.

“Answer me, Dallas. Did he touch you?” He asked again, his eyes not leaving mine.

It was amazing how he could deliver words with such intensity without raising his voice.

“Why do you care if he touched me?”

“Because you are mine, Dallas. Mine. No one touches you in that way but me. You might not know it yet but every fucking part of you belongs to me. Your soul, your touch, everything is mine. Mine to ruin, to care for, and to mark. And I don't like it when someone touches what's mine.”

My lips parted slowly. I have never seen someone act this possessive of something. Or someone. And I had never imagined I would see this side of Oliver. Oliver never lost control of his emotions. He never lets it overpower him. He always talks about how humans are dumb for allowing their emotions control them. Seeing him lose control like this was appalling.

“What do you want from me?” I asked.

He didn't say anything. He just averted his gaze from me.

“I am very sure it's not because you need a cleaner. You have tons of people for that job. And it's not because you need a personal fencing coach. We could have continued our training at the Valhalla club. And it is not because you need a chess partner. You have enough money to get the best chess player in the whole world to play with you. So why did you hire me after I tried to steal from you?”

He walked to the window and turned his back on me.

“You should leave.”

“No, I'm not leaving until I get my answer.” I said with finality in my tone.

“I should have seen the signs and questioned you then. But I was too blinded with the thought that you might send me to jail if I didn't agree to work for you. You even offered to help me fight my mother's will, which you're still yet to talk about after all these days I've been working here.”

The more I talked about it the more sense it all made. No one would offer all the things he offered if they didn't want something in return. I walked to him.

“Was it just a ploy to get me to work for you?”

He didn't answer. I assumed it was true. I scoffed in disbelief.

“Why would you go to such lengths just to get me here? What do you want from me?”

Still no answer.

“Fucking answer me.” I screamed.

He turned to me slowly.

“You want to know what I want from you?” He asked, still maintaining his calm voice.

“Yes.”

He sucked in a deep breath.

“You asked for it.”

He grabbed my wrist and held me firmly.

“Because of this. This is why I need you by my side every single time. This is why I can't seem to think straight whenever you are around and I do extremely crazy things to protect you.”

My eyes widened. He was still holding my wrist. I scanned his face but didn't see any signs of discomfort. He didn't throw up or run to the bathroom to give himself third degree burns.

He is touching me. He is touching me.

Oliver Kang was touching me. I was too shocked to register how his touch felt. I didn't know what came over me but I did something I'd never thought I would do in my life. I snatched my wrist from him and sprinted out of his office.