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Odin

CHAPTER FIVE

After he's gone, I can finally turn my attention to the woman who fascinates me.

However, any admiration I feel towards her beauty is completely forgotten when I see the red marks that his fingers left on her throat.

Hate is not a foreign feeling for me. I guess I could say it's more familiar than any other feeling or emotion I've ever experienced—apart from sexual pleasure—but seeing the result of that bastard's brutality against her makes me want to kill him.

Elina stares at me, and although she doesn't lower her head and there's not a hint of shyness on her features, she looks like prey at a predator's mercy.

I've never been this close to her, and my body reacts unexpectedly.

I deal well with my own desires. I have no problem letting them surface.

But what happens now takes me by surprise. It's as if my entire system vibrates in anticipation.

Something pulls me to her, and before I can think about what I'm doing, I let my fingers slowly trace the area of her throat, which just a moment before was being abused.

She's soft as silk. Hot .

There's a lot of warmth in the woman I've dubbed in my head as "the ice maiden."

I should turn my back and leave, but I can't.

I'm stuck with the sexual attraction she arouses in me.

The image of her twirling around in the library yesterday, dressed only in a silk nightgown, comes back to my mind.

I watch a vein throb in her throat, and I run my fingertip over it.

She doesn't back down or ask me to stop. Her body shudders slightly, and her heart rate increases, which only deepens my desire for her.

I've never felt anything so powerful towards a woman.

Finally, I look away from her neck and focus on her face. She shows no fear, but she knows that even though I saved her, I'm not a hero either.

Smart girl.

With my fingers still stroking her neck, I run my thumb along her bottom lip with my other hand. I look down and see that her nipples are hard against the fabric of her dress, and I have confirmation that the arousal I'm feeling is mutual. Her skin is flushing, and her breathing fails.

“Open your mouth for me.”

She raises her pale green eyes. “Why?”

I keep touching her lips. “Open. I wanna taste it.”

Instead of obeying, she shakes her head from side to side. “I don’t know you.”

“No?” I scoff because I'm sure she knows perfectly well who I am. I'm dying to kiss her, but I want her consent.

The dread she was feeling against Naim seems to have been replaced once again by her usual defiance, arousing me even more.

She lifts her chin impertinently. “I know your name, but I don't go around kissing men at random.”

“Are you his?”

“I'm nobody's.”

“Good, because I want you.”I've never had to say that to a woman. They're usually happy just to have my attention, but Elina doesn't seem willing to make my life easier .

“That's not my problem.”

“Deny that you want me too.”

“I don't know what you're talking about.”

“I could prove you're lying right here, Elina, but I'm a patient man. I'll wait for you to come to me.”

Her eyes take on a glow of fire. There's not a single trace of the former fragility in them.

“You'll wait forever, then,” she says, leaving the room.

The spectacularly-bodied woman who left me a few minutes ago is the first person I see upon entering the main hall. I look at her and remember what happened the night before, at her home library, and also what just happened ten minutes ago.

Elina doesn't seem shaken by it, and I no longer see red marks on her neck.

Naim stares at me from the back of the room, and I'm sure he hasn't left because he's curious to hear what I'm going to say.

I'd intended to start torturing Leandros tonight, in a subtle way. I wish I could taste his suffering, but after what happened between him and the sheikh, I'll have to show some cards I still have up my sleeve. It's important for Naim to know that he'll be associating himself with a loser if he marries Elina.

Even if he wants her in his bed, I don't believe he'll marry her after what I have to say. After all, it's not only her beauty that interests him but also the possibility of obtaining the privileged contacts that the Argyros name would provide in the business world.

I focus on the Argyros trio in the hall. Do the pair of women have any idea what's coming?

Leandros already knows he's in my hands, but he can't imagine how far I'm willing to go to destroy him.

I forced him to mortgage his properties.

I assured him losses in so many areas that he would never have enough money or credit to cover them, until he got to the point where he had to get rid of the island.

I wonder if the children are aware that their father is now nothing. Leandros has little left but his pride, which I intend to crush soon.

I could kick him out today if I wanted to, but I'd rather have him here for now, knowing that even if he wants to eat, it's up to me to decide if he will do so.

His bank accounts are cleaned out, and his credit is non-existent. Although he tries to maintain the appearance of prosperity, I have no doubt that he'll soon have to sell even his expensive clothes.

The elite of the business world are here. Without them, the humiliation would not be complete. In addition to the money, I'll also annihilate his reputation, but it still won't be enough.

I'll only be satisfied when he loses his life.

“Good evening, everyone, and thank you for accepting the invitation to visit my island.”

Silence.

“You were invited to enjoy the weekend, of course, but mainly so that we can talk about the changes that will occur in the short-term. I think it's common knowledge that Leandros Argyros is broke. I took over his mortgages and debts, and now all of his assets belongs to me.”

I look at the family that has become my target, and I'm once again impressed by Elina's ability to remain impassive.

Her mother, on the other hand, looks like she's about to pass out.

And Leandros...ah, he glares at me, and I almost feel honored.

Like love, hate must be reciprocal.

“As I'm a generous man, I'll give the Argyros family a week to leave my property.” Calculating their deadline, I look at the clock. “You have exactly six days and twenty hours to go. To all who have given him credit or intended to give him any amount of money, keep in mind that henceforth, he is on his own. I'll no longer assume any of his lousy investments.”

I'm not being completely honest. I don't intend to allow them to go anywhere.

At least, not until I can guarantee that his deal with Naim is undone.

“Odin, we need to talk urgently.” It’s the voice of Grigori, my right arm, outside the room.

I'm a light sleeper—as a result of bearing distrust almost like a religion, I’m sure—so it takes me less than a minute to open the door. “What the hell do you want at this time?”

“Argyros ran away.”