Alec sat comfortably in a black velvet chair. He had changed into a more casual suit to fully enjoy the moment. His legs were crossed as he watched the frightened girl from the back of the room. She turned to acknowledge him and they locked eyes. This time her gaze didn't falter and look to the ground.

"Have a seat, Ms. Black," he motioned for Mila to sit in the empty chair across from him. There was a circular glass table between two facing chairs.

"What is this?" She was able to speak calmly, surprising herself.

"Ms. Black," he said in a slightly irritated tone, "I've asked you twice now to have a seat and you've been uncooperative. You're not in any position to object my wishes, so before you make me do something you regret, I suggest you do as I ask."

Mila was stunned. He was speaking as if she were the one being impolite. Mixed feelings boiled inside her as she moved to sit in the chair.

"You drugged me," she said.

"Yes," he replied.

"You've been monitoring my family, my friends?" she said.

"Yes," he replied sounding bored.

"Why?" Her voice wavered.

"Because it is the most prudent way to get you to do what I want," he said standing up.

Her fear began to dissipate as her anger boiled over. Her rage so potent and maternal, she felt like she could black out from its intensity.

"You're threatening the lives of the people I love so you can control me? Because you like me? Because I rejected you?" She yelled. "Get over yourself!"

She was ready to cause him as much physical harm as she possibly could. Mila was not a violent person and respected human life, but she was ready to do anything to save the people she loved. Nervousness overcame her for a brief moment, as she wondered what it would be like to gouge someone's eyes out.

As she took inventory of the room, she felt the presence of another man in the hallway to her right. When he stepped out of the shadows he looked tough. At about six feet, he had similar tanned skin to Alec's. But he had cold black eyes and way more muscle. So much so, it couldn't be hidden by his dark leather jacket. Other than that, he looked average in almost every way.

She wanted to pounce on Alec, grabbing whatever she could to disable him. There was only a brief window to take him down, and she had to make it count. She lunged at him with everything she had, almost knocking over his chair and taking them both down in the process. The chair managed to stay upright.

It was fast, but she was able to get one solid punch to his face before she was pulled off him. Her fist burned immediately, and she felt the satisfying crack of her knuckles hitting his cheek bone. A pair of thick arms wrapped around her from behind, pulling her off of Alec, making her feet hover half an inch above the white marble floor. 

She wasn't done. As soon as Alec began collecting himself she bit into the man's arm, clenching down so hard she could hear his skin crunch beneath the leather.

"Shit!" He yelled as he loosened his grip enough for her to squeeze under him.

Blood trickled down his arm spilling onto her green dress as she made another desperate grab for Alec. Because she knew she wouldn't get another chance at him she needed to hit him where it hurt. Her knee hit his groin, disabling him. He groaned, instinctively putting his hands down under and leaving the rest of him vulnerable.

She had attacked him with enough force to take them both to the ground this time. Her hands grabbed his hair, ready to bash his head on marble floor, when she saw a flash of black in front of her.

The man gut punched her in the stomach, knocking the wind out of her. She was left gasping for air.

He picked her up from behind again, this time positioning his arms low enough so she couldn't reach them. Not as if she had the energy, she could barely breathe and he was squeezing her so tightly she doubted she could regain her breath.

She stared at Alec as he slowly stood back up, pausing on bended knee before standing upright. He didn't look at her as he put the chair back in it's place and situated things.

"She hits like man, no?" The man holding her spoke in a thick accent she did not recognize. "She charges like crazy bull."

Alec didn't respond. He just looked at them both with spite in his eyes. The man shut up.

For a while, Mila's staggered breathing was the only sound in the room. She knew she was going to lose consciousness any moment.

"Raul," Alec said talking to him calmly. "Why don't you tell Ms. Black the special instruction your team has been given."

"My team has strict instructions that any harm to Mr. Laurent will be done trifold to Ms. Black's friends and family," he said.

Her eyes bulged in horror. She stopped struggling. Alec smiled. He knew he had her gridlocked.

"Please!" She said, still gasping. "I-I didn't know. Please don't punish them for my actions. I'm sorry Alec! I'm really sorry."

He paused for a moment. "Raul, why don't you let her go before she passes out," he said.

Raul loosened his arms, but did not anticipate her falling to the floor. She landed with a thud as her body drew in deep relieving breaths of air. When she regained her strength a bit, she sat up.

"Why are you doing this to me Alec?" She asked, still trying to regain her breath. He paused for a moment and leaned down so they were eye to eye. Raul held her shoulders down so she stayed put.

"First thing you should know about me is that I desire control-more so than money or sex. I've had a desire for it since I can remember. The second is that I've lost a lot of time focusing on the wrong things. I've put my trust in the wrong people, and made some very bad choices in women." His eyes searched her face contemplatively. "I see my friends with families now and the beautiful lives they have..." He trailed off as he ran his hands through her hair. It repulsed her. "It's my turn to have that, and it wasn't until I met you I fully realized it."

"I'm not understanding why I should have to pay for your mistakes, Alec?" She asked.

"To be fair, they weren't all my mistakes," he said to her coolly. "I've spent my life paying for the sins of my father." He stood up again. "It's my turn now, and I choose you."

"Alec," she spoke softly and slowly, making one last plea. "You need to let me go. If you let me go now, I won't press charges and we can forget everything that happened tonight." She tried appealing to his rational side. "I have someone I love, who loves me for who I am. It took me a long time to find him. Please, don't take that away from me."

For a moment it seemed like she got through to him. His eyes softened.

"Beautiful Mila," he said, squeezing her chin a little too tightly. "Don't ever mention him again. If you do, I'll kill him. You're lucky I'm keeping him alive as is. He's irrelevant to us now."

Adrenaline and emotions overpowered her as she began to weep.

"This is my life," she croaked through tears. "Every person on that screen makes my life worth living. How could you just..."

"Don't cry Mila Bee," he said softly, using the nickname her mother gave her as a child.

She spit in his face. She had never done it to anyone before, but her hatred was so visceral, she needed to express it any way she could.

Bracing for him to hit her, she was surprised when he got up and left the room. Before exiting he motioned for Raul to sit her back in the chair.

When he came back in the room he carried a black velvet jewelry box. "Raul, what's the best way to cheer up a woman?" He answered his own question, "Jewelry," he smiled. Alec held the box in front of Mila and opened it.

Inside was an exquisite and very expensive looking watch. The clock was square and was the same width as the band. The band was sprinkled with tiny diamonds, with the coloring in between adjusting between silver and gold. Two large square diamonds sat on both sides of the clock. It was a truly unique piece and Mila had never seen anything quite like it. Though, she was wary of anything Alec gave her.

Raul pushed her left arm forward, as Alec put the watch on her wrist. She thought it odd that the clasp was in the body of the clock piece and not in the back.

"It's digital," Alec said. "I made it myself with specifications just for you. Now you'll always know what time it is."

She looked at her new watch as it sparkled on her skin. It was sturdy, snug, and very heavy for a watch. There was something menacing about it.

"Bellissima!" Alec said viewing his work. She watched him with hatred as tears cooled on her face. She felt weak, tired, and completely defeated.

"So Mila," he said. "Now that you know what will happen if you cross me, are you done fighting me?"

She stared at her blood stained dress silently.

"Yes," she said quietly.

"Louder," he said.

"Yes, Alec," she said with more volume.

"I need you to say: I, Mila Black, submit to Alec Laurent."

Hadn't he already taken enough from her? She thought. He needed more of her dignity? For a second she thought of rebelling, but looked at the muted television still playing surveillance footage. She took a deep breath, doing what he asked because there was no alternative.

"I, Mila Black..." she began.

"Look me in the eye," he interrupted.

She started again, after clearing the lump in her throat. "I, Mila Black, submit to you- Alec Laurent."

If she was being honest with herself, saying the words out loud was disheartening. Alec seemed satisfied and motioned instructions to Raul who left the room. He didn't have to worry about her harming Alec again.

"I knew you'd make the right decision," Alec said, his eyes lighting up. "You're a pragmatic girl."

Still holding her arm on the table, he tightened his grip, pulling her closer to him, making her lean so much she could no longer sit in her chair.

"Don't think I will forget about you attacking me," he said with malice in his voice. "You will pay dearly for it. I will keep in mind you don't know how things work yet, but if you break my rules, you'll get no mercy from me."

He let go of her wrists and she fell back into her cushioned seat.

"No arguing or snappy comments?" He laughed. "I like the new Ms. Black already!"

She swallowed her tongue and focused on rubbing her wrist. Raul came back in the room and sat two glasses of champagne in front of them.

"I know this is going to be an adjustment for you, so I'm giving you until sunset tomorrow to meet me at the address I've saved in your watch," he said. "It will flash on your screen an hour before it's time."

She rejoiced briefly at the thought of getting away from him. It was exactly what she needed-time to think.

"Don't get too excited, Ms. Black." He interrupted her thoughts. "There are rules that come with this generosity. If you tell anyone, I will hurt someone you love. If you decide to go to the police, I will hurt someone you love, and if you are late, I will..."

"I get it," she snapped.

"Watch your tone Ms. Black," he replied sharply. "It's time for you to know your place."

In no scenario, real or fiction had she ever imagined holding her tongue while a man spoke to her like he did.

"Let's toast," he said holding up his glass.

She held hers up knowing it was poisoned, but she didn't have any choice but to do as he asked.

"To new beginnings," he said as he took a sip. She hesitated briefly.

"Drink!" He demanded.

She did.

He sat across from her, watching her drink the entire glass. It didn't take long before her body started going limp. Before the darkness took over, she felt incredible fear and sadness wash over her. For the first time that evening, she wasn't thinking about her family, she was thinking about her fight with Alec. A scary realization came to mind.

She had been ready to end a man's life tonight. More than that, she enjoyed fighting him and that terrified her.

She embraced the darkness, thankful to put her thoughts to rest. When the morning sun woke her the next day, the shit had hit the fan.

===============================

Don't forget to vote ;-P

Cheers!