Chapter 3

I let out a scream and immediately moved away from him. I didn’t even know how to cover myself because the room was small, and the only thing inside was a chair. My clothes were still in the other room, so I had absolutely nothing to hide my body with.

“Hey! You can’t be in here—”

The man suddenly slapped Madam Lyn across the face. She collapsed onto the chair and instantly lost consciousness.

Panic flooded me at the sight.

“M-My God! Help!” I screamed.

I backed against the wall, desperately hugging myself. Fear gripped me tighter when the man finally turned his attention toward me. He had been staring at me the entire time, his eyes practically bulging out while drool dripped from the corner of his mouth.

Dear God! I never should’ve come here! I should’ve just talked to Greg instead of forcing myself to come to this place!

Why did I even listen to Camila when she said I needed to come here if I wanted to learn?

Lord, please! Help me! I promise I’ll go back to church!

My knees gave out, and I fell to the floor as the man slowly approached me. Tears blurred my vision because no matter how many times I screamed for help, nobody came. Madam Lyn was unconscious too.

Didn’t this place even have bodyguards?

What was I supposed to do now? At this rate, someone else might end up taking my virginity because of my own stupidity.

I really shouldn’t have come here. I should’ve just talked to Greg. I should’ve—

I shrieked when a loud crashing sound suddenly exploded beside me. I covered my ears and ducked my head. Along with the deafening noise came the sound of glass shattering next to me. Some shards even scattered toward my skin.

Then the man suddenly dropped to his knees and cried out in pain.

“What the fuck?! Who are you?!” the man shouted angrily.

From the corner of my eye, I saw another man emerge from the shattered glass wall. My gaze slowly lifted toward him.

My jaw nearly dropped open when I saw the man holding a gun. He wore a red long-sleeved polo with the upper buttons left undone, exposing the tattoos crawling across his neck and chest. Even his arms were covered in ink because he had rolled his sleeves up to his elbows. His hair was cut clean and short, almost military-style. I still couldn’t fully see his face in the dim light, but his presence alone was overwhelming.

“So there are no more women here willing to get paid to touch you, huh? That’s why you’re forcing yourself on someone now?” the man with the gun asked coldly.

I swallowed hard. Just hearing his voice made something deep inside me tremble. My heartbeat quickened again—not from fear this time, but from an inexplicable excitement to see him more clearly.

The man who attacked me suddenly fell fully to his knees. “T-That voice… Are you…”

“You recognized me, huh?”

The man immediately pressed his forehead against the floor. “S-Sorry! Sorry, Boss! I didn’t know you were here! It won’t happen again!”

“Sorry? Do you want me to believe you’re sorry?”

To my shock, the man suddenly lifted his head and pulled out a knife. “I am, Boss!”

And before I could even process what was happening, he sliced off his own pinky finger.

My mouth fell open in horror. Why?

“I’m really sorry, Boss.”

The man holding the gun only shook his head.

“Leave now before I change my mind,” he ordered authoritatively.

The man scrambled to his feet and hurried out of the room.

I couldn’t believe what I had just witnessed. Why did he have to cut off his finger? Who was this man?

I froze when the man with the gun slowly turned toward me. I still couldn’t completely make out his face, but I could feel his eyes fixed on me too.

I swallowed hard and slowly knelt down.

“T-Thank you,” I whispered softly.

The man suddenly crouched down until we were eye level. Without warning, he grabbed my chin and forced me to face him. Then he closed his eyes for a moment, almost like he was smelling the air around me.

What was he doing?

When he opened his eyes again, he was already smirking.

I blinked repeatedly as I stared into them.

In my entire life, it was my first time seeing gray eyes this close. And the way he looked at me—it felt as though he could already see straight into my soul. His sharp nose and slightly reddish lips only made him even more striking.

He looked so angelic… if not for the tattoos covering his body.

“Thank you? Do you really think I’ll accept a simple thank you for saving you?” he asked.

My brows furrowed. “Huh?”

I gasped when he suddenly lifted me effortlessly and threw me over his shoulder. His body was large and tall, so I wasn’t even surprised that carrying me seemed easy for him.

Although his hard shoulder was digging into my stomach hurt terribly.

But where was he taking me? And why was he carrying me?

“W-Wait! Put me down!”