Beauty and The Beast

Four

My father said to me to be on top, you've got to start from the bottom. And he said the way to learn to achieve it is to spend every second watching someone do it. I did it. I learnt and spent every second watching my father did it. Now i had become invincible, i'd definitely on top of the world. I never considered him as a father, he never acted as a father. I didn't know what love, affection, and tenderness are. I never felt those kind of feelings, all i ever felt was just pain and hurt. Those were that made me who i am now.

I put on my Armani three pieces suit, opened the first top button of my white shirt. I buttoned my jacket and took out my cufflink buttons with 'B' engraved on it from the drawer. I was ready to work andwalked downstairs. I found Greta preparing my breakfast in the kitchen counter.

"Good morning, Mr.Black."

"Morning , Greta." I replied her with a firm voice with a nod.

Greta was one of my trusted staff who i respected. Beside Costner and Andrea. And i only replied to my respected staffs, to the others i just ignored them or gave a curt nod as a response. She was in her fifties, she handled the households. She's been working here since my father still alive. I respected her loyalty.

I ate my breakfast in silence. Read the finance column on a newspaper. Then i heard a cough.

"The car is ready , Sir." Costner informed.

"I'll be done in 5."

I liked Costner, he was trusted, efficient, and dependable. He was in his mid forties. I saved his life once back then, when he was robbed by 10 men. When they tried to kill him i saved him and killed all of them. I wondered why he didn't fight back, with a skill like that, he'd turned down 10 elephants. Until i saw his baby in his arms. He tried to protect the baby no matter what. Since then, he worked for me like he owed me a life.

"Of course, Sir. And the package from Mr.Pearce has arrived."

"A package ?"

"He couldn't get the money, so my men took his daughter instead. Like you ordered."

I sighed and stood up buttoned my jacket. "Very well then. Let's go"

As soon as we were outside, Sam and Dexter approached me giving a report. Good boy, i trained them well. I waved them off, they ran to get back to their position. Costner was about to open my Range Rover 5.0 door when i noticed a limo was parked next to my Rover when it should be parked in the back garage. Some of my henchmen circled in front of the limo talking about something, one of them looked up and shocked to see me. They ran toward me and one of them with a scar on his face that i assumed was  their commander stepped forward to greet me, while the others keep their head down.

"What's in the limo ?" I asked to him.

"It's the package, Sir. I was going to send it to the cartel . ."

I hold up my hand, stopping him from talk. I had the meeting in 1 hour, i should probably just go and left him do his job. But suddenly i had the urge to see the package.

"Open the door." I command, he confused but ordered one of his men to open the limo door.

When the door opened, i saw legs that covered with bruises. I've seen those legs, those fairy skin, but i couldn't recalled. As if aware of being stared, she tried to move her tied legs from the light to the shadow where she hid her face.

"Get her out of the car." I ordered with a stern voice, made everyone startled.

Two men got her out of the limo, she fought weakly. When she stood in front of me, she looked up and i felt a big rock fell on my head. My heart stopped beating, i forgot how to breathe for a second. It was her. The same green eyes i met two months ago. Her long brown hair, and her split night robe gave me the advantage to ravish those long legs that goes for miles. I stare went up, but chose to skipped her cleavage because i did't what i'd do if i stare at them.

I looked to her face and saw fear and vengeance in her eyes. She didn't recognized me, good. Then i noticed her lips were split. My anger surfaced, i surveyed her arms and legs that now full of bruises and cuts. I didn't how and why, but i felt an ache in my chest. I faced the guy who had scar on his face, i will made another one on his face.

"What happened to her ?" I asked with anger in my voice. He was shaken, and looked at his right and left for help but nothing.

"She was . . She was hard to handle, Sir. She kept fighting back. So we shut her up. . I mean keep her down." He stuttered with his answer.

"By hitting her ?" I raised my voice louder this time. "You think you can sell bruised and wounded girl to the highest bidder?"

"Sorr . . Sorry, Sir. I didn't think that far. I thought. ."

My fist flew to his left jaw made him hit the ground. He held his jaw like it would healed the pain. From years of practice and the leak of bleeding, i knew his jawbone was sheared off.

"If you work for me, you don't think. You just do what you are ordered." I said looking down to him.

"Phease fohgif me sergh . . Phease." He apologized.

I turned my face to her. She was still gasped from the stunt i pulled, why she gasped when i punched the man who hit her ?

"Take her inside." I told Costner and walked back inside the house.

Two of his men grabbed her arms and leaded her inside. Once inside, all the house staffs were shocked looking at the girl. She was a mess. Her hair was ragged, her night robe was torn and the knot was loosened made it split revealing her black underwear.

"What's her name ?" I asked Costner.

"Cassandra Pearce, Sir." He handed me Charles's file.

How can i missed to read his file and made a false assumption that the blonde was his daughter. She tried to get away from the grip my men had on her.

"Release and untie her." I took a step closer to her.

She looked threatened by my approach. She fastened her robe. I cupped her chin and inspected her face to find another cut other than her split lips. She slapped my hand away.

"Don't touch me." She hissed with teary eyes. Disgust displayed on her face.

I narrowed my gaze on her, it made her shrink. I really distasted her reaction to my touch. No one dared to touch me, let alone slap me. Her disgusted face replaced by fear, good. I preferred her to fear me than hate me. I need her to fear me so i can control her.

"Take her to the guest room." I said to Greta.

She hurriedly took Cassandra by the arm and helped her walk. When she turned her back on me, she stole a glance at me. Looked me in the eyes. Those eyes told me that she was so unsure and confused. But she let Greta walked her to the guest-room on this floor.

"Not the guest-room on this floor, Greta." I said, made Greta stopped and turned to me confused.

"The one next to mine."