Subjugated - Chapter #2 - Free To Read

ADAM

- This is a business meeting, and you are nothing more than an assistant; I hope you understand that. - Marina was clearly expecting something more, and I can see in her eyes that she has already spun a fantasy for herself. But three years ago, I made it clear — only business relations, there will never be anything more between us, yet she obviously doesn't get it.

- Mr. Kelly, I understand everything. - Adjusting her overly deep neckline, this blonde wonder looks at me as if I’ve offended her with such a remark.

- I warned you; one more misstep, and you’re out of my company. - Those who work with me have long gotten used to the fact that Adam Kelly does not forgive mistakes and gives no one a second chance. From a young age, I knew there were only two options: either you’re first, or you’re worthless.

Perhaps ten years in no-holds-barred fights made me like this, or maybe it’s just in my head, but I will never lose.

- Boss, they are already waiting for us. - Again, Marina's sweet voice, which begins to make me nauseous, but I pull myself together; I don’t want to spoil my mood.

Today’s meeting is too important for me to be concerned about a woman who doesn’t know where to put her ass and is clearly aiming for me.

A driver is already waiting under the office. I usually drive myself, but I know that for my status, I need to use his services from time to time, and I most often drink a few glasses of whiskey at such meetings, so I definitely don’t plan on getting behind the wheel.

I get into the car, and my assistant settles next to me, starting to talk about the presentation event we’re planning for next month, but I’ve learned not to listen to her, so I just look out the window.

Ten minutes later, we pass by a beach, with which I have too many memories. A story I will never tell anyone, but one I can never forget. The only time I lost what I wanted the most by my own fear, but couldn’t keep.

Seven years ago.....

My mood is so terrible that I just want to get drunk and forget everything. I'm sure a bottle of whiskey will gladly help me with that. Today, I buried the only relative who wouldn’t let me grow up in an orphanage. When my parents disappeared, or rather just took off abroad, leaving five-year-old me all alone at home, my grandmother came to visit just in time, and from that day she was the only one who took care of me.

She always wanted a better fate for me. But unfortunately, when I turned 17, she got very sick, and then my boxing coach offered me a way to earn money.

I had heard many times that such fights were held in our city, and that the winners could earn quite well, but I refused to even think about it for a long time.

But one day I came home from school and saw doctors in our apartment.

— What happened? — the only thing I feared was that my grandmother had died and I would be left completely alone.

— It’s okay, Adam, just a bit of high blood pressure. — Her voice from the room sounded too quiet, too tired, but she was alive.

Then the doctors prescribed some medication that needed to be taken, otherwise the consequences would be very bad. And of course, my grandmother's pension wasn’t enough for it.

So without a second thought, I agreed to my coach’s offer.

And it continued for seven years; I became a champion and earned so much for one fight that I couldn't even dream of it. But today, all of that ceased to matter. The person for whom I tried died, taking a part of my soul with her. Lost in my thoughts, I didn’t even notice how I reached the beach. We often walked here with my grandmother when I was younger, but recently we spent very little time together.

— What a fool I am! — I can’t forgive myself for being with her so little in the last years. She always said that my happiness was more important to her than money, and I, the idiot, didn’t want to hear that.

Taking another sip and feeling the pleasant warmth of the whiskey, I moved closer to the beach. But suddenly a silhouette caught my attention. Only getting closer did I see long black hair almost lying on the sand, and its owner was clearly sobbing, her body trembling slightly.

— Tough night? — the girl jumped at my voice, clearly not expecting to see anyone here at this hour. But when she turned, it felt like a shock hit me. The greenest eyes I had ever seen were looking at me. They were beautiful, even though they were red from crying for quite a while. The girl tensed up, as if expecting some kind of trick from me.

- Of course, little one, I'm a mean, scary uncle. - I thought to myself, and I definitely wouldn’t say that out loud; she might just die of fright here.

- I can offer you medication for tough nights. - I wanted to offer her my whiskey, but as I started to raise my hand, I saw true fear in her green eyes, and suddenly she began to back away from me.

- Damn, I really need to think about what I say sometimes. - I scolded myself again in my thoughts, because watching her tremble made me genuinely feel ashamed, albeit just a little.

- But I'm not a maniac; here, take it. - I slowly raised the bottle of whiskey, and only then did the stranger relax a bit.

- Kitten, are you mute? - why I asked this, I don’t know, but I must admit, for half a second I truly believed it might be so, and here I am like a fool talking to her. Maybe she’s deaf too and now thinks I’m some idiot hitting on lonely girls.

- No, but I don’t talk to people I don’t like. - Her voice made my eyes widen; it sounded slightly hoarse and obviously scared, but it carried a challenge. Before me stood a girl, God forbid she is of legal age, no taller than one meter sixty, trembling either from cold or fear, yet still showing some character.

This whole situation made me smile a little.

- Well, it turns out Kitten has some teeth. - At these words, she looked into my eyes again, but I had no intention of continuing this conversation today; I simply smiled, making the girl flinch, and walked past her. I needed to clear my head because what was starting to stir inside didn’t bode well for this situation.

I heard Kitten behind me calling me God, clearly hoping I wouldn’t hear. But for some reason, that phrase made me take another look, watching her silhouette disappear against the backdrop of the city, and it left me feeling empty.

When I returned to reality, I realized we had already arrived and were quite late.

By the way, I always arrive late to such meetings to remind the partners once again that they need me, not the other way around.

We didn’t even step into the hall when Marina grabbed my arm with her little tentacles, clearly showing everyone that we were together.

- Damn, why did I take her with me? - I hadn’t even managed to detach my hand from this leech when Kirk started announcing my arrival too loudly.

He has always had one trait — he knows precisely who to crawl in front of. And no matter how much he annoys me, even today’s contract, which promises me big profits, is his doing.

Because it was he who found a firm abroad that could meet our needs and even persuaded its owner to come to the US to personally discuss all the details.

But before I could say anything, I saw a mirage that disappeared seven years ago.

The girl I loved from the first meeting and almost destroyed because I couldn’t do otherwise.

Now she was completely different. Her hair shorter, her facial features sharper, her gaze far from what it used to be, but those green eyes were something time could not change. Looking at her now, I suddenly didn’t know what to do.

Seven years have passed, so it’s too late to try to explain anything. She looks at me as if those years had not happened, as if my betrayal and everything that happened that fatal day were nonexistent.

- Ms. Amanda, meet Adam Kelly, our main partner. - Kirk’s voice brought me back a bit to life, and something like a smile appeared on Amanda’s face, but her eyes remained so cold that my body was covered in goosebumps.

- And this is Ms. Stewart. - Amanda’s stare suddenly shifted sideways, and something unknown appeared in her eyes, something I hadn’t seen before. Was it anger? It just dawned on me that Marina was already uncomfortably close to me, and her hand was gripping mine.

- Oh shit. - This will definitely be the last time I take her anywhere; yet before I could say that she was my assistant, those green eyes returned to me.

- Nice to meet you. - She forced another smile, though I could tell from her voice she was clearly unhappy to see me, especially next to another woman.

And the way she looked at Marina gives me hope that maybe this isn’t the end. Perhaps I can correct the mistake I made seven years ago and get back the one for whom I want to live.