Seduction's Shadow

Chapter 72: The Devil's Game

As the door clicked shut behind Nikol, Aari felt an uneasy silence settle over the room. She tried to shake off the feeling, convincing herself it was just the aftermath of their conversation. But the ominous silence was broken by the chime of her phone. She picked it up, expecting a routine notification, but her heart dropped as she read the message.

"If you wanna see your best friend Rose alive, come and meet me." The address that followed was of a mansion in a sparsely populated area, far away from Toronto. "P.S. Your one and only Theo"—the message was capped with a wink emoji. Aari's blood ran cold as she scrolled down to see a photo of Rose, bound to a chair, blindfolded and looking terrified. The threat that followed was clear: "Don't even think of informing anyone, as my men are everywhere. One wrong decision, and get ready to say bye-bye to Rose #RIP. Oh, and one more thing, babygirl—wear something sexy underneath. You know how I like it. Tick-tock, you only have 30 minutes. And don't forget to delete this message and leave your phone at home. There's a black G-Wagon outside that will take you to me."

Aari's breath caught in her throat as panic set in. Her hands shook as she read the message again. Theo. The name alone sent a wave of dread through her. What did he want? Why was he doing this? She felt a desperate urge to text Nikol, but before she could even begin typing, her phone buzzed again.

"Babygirl, I told you not to do anything stupid. I'm watching you. Don't test my patience, or Daddy will punish you once I see you. Can't wait to spank that ass."

The vulgarity of the message made her stomach churn. She wanted to scream, cry, anything to release the terror building inside her. But Rose's life was on the line, and Aari knew she had no choice. If she didn't comply, Rose would die.

Aari took a deep breath, trying to steady her nerves. "I have to do this," she whispered to herself, the words sounding hollow in the empty room. She headed to her closet, pulling out a black lace lingerie set—something she knew Theo would find appealing. She paired it with a sleek, form-fitting black dress, its plunging neckline and high slit revealing just enough to hint at what lay beneath.

But Aari wasn't going into this without some kind of defense. She grabbed a small knife, concealing it carefully within the folds of her dress. It wasn't much, but it was something—a small lifeline in the terrifying game Theo was playing.

As she made her way downstairs, Aari felt like she was walking in a nightmare. Every step felt heavy, her mind racing with what-ifs and worst-case scenarios. She reached the front door, her fingers trembling as she turned the handle. Just as Theo had said, a black G-Wagon was parked outside, its engine idling softly.

Aari took one last look at her phone, hesitating for just a moment. She thought about Nikol, about how he would react if he knew. But then she remembered Theo's threat and the cruel promise in his messages. "Rose's life depends on me," she reminded herself as she deleted the messages and left the phone behind. She slipped out the door, locking it behind her.

Unbeknownst to her, Theo was watching her every move. From the confines of a hidden room, he laughed quietly to himself as he watched her on a tablet screen. "Stupid girl," he muttered, his eyes gleaming with malicious delight. "You're walking right into my trap."

Aari climbed into the G-Wagon, her heart pounding in her chest. The driver, a burly man with a blank expression, said nothing as he pulled away from the curb. The car's tinted windows made it impossible for her to see where they were headed, but Aari didn't need to see. She knew exactly where they were going, and every fiber of her being screamed at her to run, to fight, to do anything but go willingly. But she couldn't. Not with Rose's life on the line.

Back at the office, Nikol was in the middle of an important meeting, his mind still replaying the last conversation he had with Aari. But as he glanced at the surveillance footage from his home—a habit he had developed over the years—his blood ran cold. Aari was gone. Panic surged through him as he saw the black G-Wagon pull away from the house. Something was wrong—terribly wrong.

Without a second thought, Nikol canceled the meeting, leaving the room in a hurry. He had to find Aari, and he had to find her now. As he sped toward his car, he called Aiden, his voice filled with urgency. "I need you to pull up the camera footage from Aari's house. Now."

Aiden didn't need to be told twice. "On it, my boy" he replied, already hacking into the necessary systems. "Give me a sec."

Nikol's mind raced as he waited, dread clawing at him with every passing second. He had seen Aari's face before she left—it wasn't just about going somewhere. Something—or someone—was forcing her hand. And whoever it was, Nikol would make them pay.

As the G-Wagon sped through the streets, Aari felt her resolve wavering. But she forced herself to stay strong, to focus on the only thing that mattered: saving Rose. She could handle Theo, no matter what he threw at her. She had to.

Meanwhile, Nikol was closing in, his car speeding through the city streets as he tried to piece together what was happening. His gut told him Aari was in danger, and he wasn't about to let her face it alone.

But time was running out, and with every tick of the clock, Aari was being pulled deeper into Theo's twisted game. And Nikol knew he had to act fast—before it was too late.