7 Take your clothes off

''I… I just took my bath. ''

She explained; pursing her lips.

''I'm sure you don't want me to repeat myself. '' Ma Lee said, raising her brows. Tiana bowed her head low and turned towards the bathroom; the maids looked at her with pity as though she was a lamb taken to be slaughtered; they could only imagine what evil she must have done to their boss to attract his venom.

After taking her bath; the elderly lady pointed at some specific lotions on her vanity table; and she applied it; after which, a maid dried her hair, and after applying a sweet-smelling oil; let it fall to her back. A light makeup was applied to her face which stressed her beauty, but beauty was the last thing she wanted that night.

After her makeup was applied, she was given the basket;

''Put those on and follow me. ''

Ma Lee instructed; Tiana stared at the basket for a moment; his lips thinned into a straight line; inhaling sharply, she took out the long purple robe. She was already putting on lingerie, so when she tied the robe, it covered her whole.

A maid helped her pull her hair from under the robe.

Her heart slammed against her chest as she was led upstairs. When they approached the second floor, the three maids turned and went back downstairs; although they didn't provide any safety, she was more scared now that she was left alone with Ma Lee. Ma Lee led her to the third floor and Tiana was stunned; it was as though the third floor was a different house altogether. In contrast with the bright colors and furniture in the first two floors, the third floor was monochrome_ black and white; there were dark paintings on the wall which sent chills down her spine;

Everywhere was so quiet that she could hear the echoes of their footsteps on the floor; Ma Lee suddenly stopped by a large door at the end of the long hall, and she knocked lightly; there was no sound from the other side, she took her time and knocked again;

''Come in.''

She remembered his voice, it was impossible to scrape the sound of it from her memories. Ma Lee pushed open the door and led her inside;

As expected; his room was black and white too, and it was vast. There were many partitions in the room; Tiana accessed her surroundings briefly;

There was a black curtain covering the glass wall which faced the east; he had a mini parlor in his room and there were so many dark drawings on the wall, and in the middle of the large room was the enormous king bed.

Tiana's eyes fell on Nicklaus, who was sitting on a couch on the east, just beside the glass wall; he had his eyes glued on her as he inhaled a cigar; she noticed that there were about five cigarette butts on the glass tray sitting on a stool beside him.

Nicklaus didn't respond; he tapped on the butt of the cigar in his hand, letting the ashes drop onto the plate. He didn't say a word, but Ma Lee bowed a little and left. Tiana became more fearful after Ma Lee closed the door behind her.

She could feel beads of sweat dripping from her face and her hands were fisted behind her as she tried to appear calm; he was far away from her, but his aura permeated every inch of the room. He had not spoken since they entered the room and even now that Ma Lee had left, he still did not speak; keenly smoking one cigar after another; the smell was repulsive, but that was the least of her problems at that moment.

Nicklaus shifted his gaze from the lighter in his hand to the woman standing right beside the door; she had her hands behind her and from where he sat, he could tell that she was terrified. Who wasn't scared of him?

The room was getting too stuffy by the second; the man on the couch hadn't spoken since she entered the room, his dark eyes kept keen on her body, as though she was a bird he was aiming to kill.

The light in the room was bright so she could see his face; he looked tremendously angry as though he needed to vent his anger on something or someone;

''Come here… '' His voice was cold and stern; he continued puffing the cigar as though he had said nothing.

Tiana stood for a moment before she pulled her legs from the hard tiles underneath her and walked towards him; she stopped seven feet away from him afraid of getting any closer; her heart was pounding against her rib cage, and she could hear each thud on her ear;

Her hands fell to her sides, but they were still fisted;

Nicklaus raised his eyes to look at her, she was still far off but he didn't ask her to come closer;

''Take your clothes off… ''

He said, picking a new cigar and lighting it. Tiana's heart skipped a bit; if she had not heard wrongly, he just told her to take her clothes off.

He would indeed sleep with her! Just the mere thought of it sent bile rising to her mouth; and she forced herself not to gag.

Her hands were stiff, and her throat tight, although she didn't want to do so, she knew she didn't have a choice, that was what she had bargained for. Nicklaus was still smoking as though he had said nothing; and she was still staring at him, reluctant to do so.