Chapter 201

Julie’s POV

Training finally wrapped up, and I felt a deep ache gnawing at my muscles. Max wiped his sweat and said, "I’m gonna hit the shower." I nodded, still trying to catch my gasping breath. "Sure, see you later."

A few minutes later, I dragged myself off the floor and headed out of the gym. As I walked down the hallway with heavy steps, a low voice called out to me. "Psst... hey, you." I turned and saw the same guy who’d given that embarrassing answer earlier. He was leaning against his door, his long black hair tied back.

His body was massive, packed with muscle, and his thick black beard framed a face with eyes that screamed betrayal and danger. He looked to be in his forties. I asked him warily, "Are you talking to me?"

"Yeah," he said with a creepy calmness. "Come here."

"I’m busy," I answered cautiously.

"What, you scared?" he mocked.

I tried to hide my trembling. "Scared of what? Of you?" Honestly, the guy looked terrifying.

He stepped back, clearing the way. "Then come in. Just for a second."

I stepped into the room with hesitation. It was laid out like Max’s, but the air was thick with the stench of cheap cigarettes and strong booze. He closed the door behind me and sat on the edge of the bed. "Sit down."

"I’m fine right here," I said, my body stiff as a board.

He watched me with calculating eyes. "Got any questions? Don’t be shy... I can give you all the answers you need."

"No, I’m good," I snapped.

"Don’t be like that, little one," he said, trying to soften his tone. "Think of me like a big brother."

"Thanks, but I don’t need to ask anything," I said shortly.

He shrugged. "Fine, I won’t push. But tell me, what’s your job here exactly?"

"I’m Mr. Robert’s personal assistant."

His eyebrows shot up. "Ha! You look a bit young for that. How old are you?"

"Eighteen."

He looked genuinely surprised. "Shouldn’t you be in school? How’d a girl like you end up in a place like this? I don’t get it."

"Why do you care?" I asked, my suspicion growing.

"My apologies," he said with a fake sincerity. "I’m just an old man with a bit of curiosity. Don’t answer if you don’t want to."

"My father sold me," I said bitterly.

He looked affected. "That’s tragic... but how’d you become an assistant? I’m still confused."

"Because I refused to be a commodity," I said with a wounded sense of pride.

He narrowed his eyes. "Hmm... a brave girl."

I started moving toward the door. "I have to go now."

"Wait!" he called out.

I turned back. "What?"

He stood up slowly. "I just don’t get it. A girl sold by her father at eighteen ends up as the personal assistant to Robert Cross? Doesn’t that strike you as a little... strange?"

"What are you implying?" I asked, the tension crawling up my spine.

He took a step closer. "Every girl who comes through these doors is a product, rented out to the highest bidder. But you... why weren’t you?"

"Because I refused!" I said stubbornly.

He let out a mocking laugh. "Is it because you refused, or because the Boss here chose you for himself?"

I went cold at his question. Was he suggesting Robert had a special interest in me? I felt an obvious wave of panic. "I have to go. Now!"

I bolted out of the room, flying up the stairs with my heart hammering against my ribs. I went straight to my room and into the shower to wash off the sweat of training and the creepiness of that man.

When I finished, I wrapped a towel around my damp body and stepped out only to freeze in my tracks. Someone was sitting in my room, cool as could be.

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Carlos’s POV

The second I walked into the Club, I headed straight for Julie’s room. When I pushed the door open and stepped inside, I heard the roar of the shower from behind the bathroom door. She was in there.

I sat on the edge of the bed, crossed one leg over the other, and leaned back, waiting for her with a predatory patience.

Suddenly, the water cut off. A brief silence followed before the door clicked open. She stepped out, a short white towel wrapped around her.

Her long, wet hair clung to her bare shoulders, and beads of water were still glistening on her thighs. Damn... what a sight.

The moment she saw me, she froze, her eyes going wide with shock. "Hello, darling Julie," I said smoothly.

"Mr. Carlos... get out of my room!" she stammered, frantically trying to cover herself with her hands.

I stood up with confident strides and moved toward her. She took a step back, retreating into the bathroom. She tried to slam the door in my face, but I was faster. I jammed my hand against the frame, stopping it cold. I stepped inside the cramped bathroom after her. "Julie... are you really that afraid of me?"

"I’m not afraid," she whispered, her voice trembling. "I just don’t want you seeing me like this."

"I just want to talk to you," I said, closing the distance between us.

"And you’re gonna talk to me while I’m like this? Let me get dressed!" she protested sharply.

"What’s wrong with how you look?" I said, taking in every inch of her terrified face. "You’re absolutely beautiful and..." I couldn’t even finish the sentence. She was so incredibly sexy that I was already starting to get hard; my desire for her was spinning out of control.

"Mr. Carlos, please, just leave," she pleaded, her voice thick with anger.

"Fine, I’m going," I said, trying to calm her down.

I reached out slowly to brush a wet strand of hair away from her eyes, but she moved fast, swatting my hand away. "What are you doing?" she asked suspiciously.

I wanted to tease her, to see how she’d react. "Relax... there’s a spider on your face."

Her face changed instantly. She went hysterical, frantically clawing at her face and hair, shaking all over. "Julie, calm down! What’s wrong?" I tried to grab her.

But she’d lost it completely, screaming in terror, "Get it off me! Get it off!"

I moved fast, grabbing her by the wrists and pinning her against the wall behind her. I hoisted her hands up high, holding them there with all my strength to stop her wild thrashing. "There’s no spider! It was just a joke!" I shouted over her.

In that moment with her struggling violently and me pinning her there the towel slipped. It slid right off her body and pooled on the floor, leaving her completely naked right in front of my eyes.