“For the last time I am telling you that, neither I am your toy nor baby girl. And dare you treat me like an object again. You maybe owning this New York city and yes, I am not as powerful as you but you have no right to ill treat me. Also, I remember that you warned me to never raise hand on you, or I’ll be dead. But today I am warning you that if you keep crossing your limits with me then I won’t hesitate to cross mine.” She threatened me. I wasn’t looking in her eyes, because if I did, she’d be lying dead on ground. I was counting the reasons why I shouldn’t murder her right now and throw her body in Hudson River. She had dug her own grave, up-until now I was hell bent on destroying her life, but I’d have left her. She was a dead girl now. I was still looking downwards and I was breathing like a beast. As much as she was angry, she was also worried about my reaction. She began to leave but I wouldn’t have let her gotten away with this. I held her hand firmly. She was taken aback but then she said. “Leave my hand, now.” She demanded.

“Leave her hand, Black or I’ll call the security.” Carter said but he lacked that firmness. But I didn’t care about him. I kept staring at her and she at me.

“Leave my hand.” She shouted again and tried snatching her hand away. She was lucky that I was just holding her hand and didn’t break it already. I dragged her away with me. As I was taking her with me Carter came in between.

“Let her go, anyways it was your fault.” He interrupted.

“Utter one more word and I’ll bury you right here.” The ferocity with which I dared him shook him inside out. And so, he moved aside. I pulled her with me towards the hostel.

“Where are you taking me? I said leave me!” She cried again. But I wasn’t listening. Even I didn’t know what I was going to do. But if I didn’t do something then the whole New York would be in fire. People around were watching as if some terrorist was yanking away his prey.

“What’s wrong with you, let me go!” she kept shouting and screaming but I didn’t budge. Pulling her through the stairs I finally took her in her room. I know one must think how am I allowed in the girl’s hostel, but who could stop me especially in this situation. I pushed her in her room and she fell on the floor. Closing the door, I stood there for a few seconds. She was trembling with fear, I could here her panting from that distance as well.

“What are you doing? I swear I’ll report you to the police. Enough is enough.” She said but shakingly. For the very first time I had seen her this terrified. I turned around and tread towards her. She shifted backwards on the floor. But I immediately pulled her by her shoulders and pushed her in the wall. More than anger, I was filled with pity for her. She had no way out of this.

“You were right, you did cross your limits today. I warned you, didn’t I? Still, you dared to do what you did?” I scared the shit out of her. With each word of mine she was losing her breath.

“Weren’t you warned beforehand that no one messes with the gladiators and you? You slapped me…. wow! I am impressed though but at the same time I doubt if you’d be able to handle the repercussions of it.” I whispered like a ghost in her ears. And I could feel her sweaty body and thumping heart beneath me.

“You don’t scare me.” She said unconvincingly.

“Unequivocally!” I cried “That’s why you could take such a step.” She had no idea what I would do but she wanted to know about it asap. I grabbed her mouth in my hand and she squealed. God! I was wondering as to how should I lure her into my den. But this little mouse herself came with her own bait.

“You’re hurting me, leave me.” She tried to push away my hand but my grip was rather very tight, I was sure she must be hurting.

“Oh! Believe me I’ve never enjoyed anything more than this. And trust me this is nothing. Your misery has just begun. Up till now I was just playing around, but now I will actually hurt you.” Her eyes had so many questions, she was scared. I left her mouth and put it on her waist. I pulled her to my chest. She gasped loudly.

“Slap me!” I said softly.

“Wh----aat?” She was dumbstruck.

“You heard me. Slap me right now. You did it once, shouldn’t be too hard, right?” Initially she could slap me because she was clearly infuriated but I wanted to see if she could slap me when she was scared, if she gathered that much strength when I am this close to her, because technically I was still manhandling her----in her words “ill-treating” her.

“What do you want from me. I didn’t do anything. I wouldn’t have slapped you if you hadn’t misbehaved with me.” She was almost on the verge of tears.

“Exactly! You slapped me because I mistreated you right? So, what am I doing now? I dragged you through the hallway and I am manhandling you now. So, slap me then.” I said holding her tight in my arms. She was so shocked and kept looking into my eyes. She hadn’t expected this.

“Why? Did I say something wrong? You felt insulted and you slapped. So, I am insulting you now as well, barging into your room and holding you like this without your permission. Therefore, slap me. I want to see if you slapped me just to prove a point or you’re actually so brave.” I stated. She was still in my arms, she wanted to resist but she didn’t.

“Leave me and I’ll slap you again. I am not scared and I won’t allow you to treat me how you want. I will never be your toy.” She said and her hands rested on my shoulders. I felt like squeezing her. She is fucking scared but still she is acting tough. I left her and for a second I felt like grabbing her again. Strangely I enjoyed holding her like that. God! She was driving me crazy.

“Done. Slap me now. I have left you.” She looked fragile physically but she stood strong mentally. She kept staring at me fiercely.

“Yeah, with that same fierceness hit me.” I said again.

“Fine, you want me to slap you right?” She asked straightening her posture.

“Yes.” I said.

“Okay, I’ll slap you and very hard. But before that apologise. Apologise for harassing me in the basketball court. You branded me with horrendous names, calling me a slut and what not and what for? For doing what you forced me into.You forced me to play with you, even when you knew that I couldn’t beat you. Still, I accepted your challenge and it wasn’t my fault if you were affected by me. You blamed me to distract you, but why were you distracted? Weren’t you the one who couldn’t touch me or be around me, still you played along. And when I finally beat you, you couldn’t accept the simple fact that someone could defeat you too. You called me names for no reason however I am going to tell you a fact. That you are a self-entitled condescending jerk who blame others for his weaknesses. You want others to obey you, to treat you with respect while you keep harassing and humiliating them. Since day one you’ve been nagging me and when I get back at you, you couldn’t tolerate. If you can torment people and hound them endlessly then also gather the tolerance and courage to deal with same. Because you aren’t god who could do whatever the fuck he wants and no one would say or do anything to stop you. And at least with me you will reap what you sow.” She expressed herself in a breath. I know I was extremely rough with her, even though I enjoyed our proximity. But it was fate, I was destined to bring her destruction. She destroyed my life and it was her turn now.

“Should I clap? No, I mean what a speech! You actually think that I’d be touched by this moral lecturing of yours’s and go soft on you?” I ridiculed her with a scornful look “And are you actually delusional to even think that I’d apologise to you? “

“So, what did you think, that I’d apologise to you or cry in front of you. Who do you think you are huh? I mean what kick do you get by treating people like dirt. And I don’t know what have I done in this world that you’ve been running after me like a rabid dog since day one. I don’t even know you, still you’re hell-bent on humiliating me. Because of you I haven’t been able to focus on my life. That day you broke into my room I don’t know how? And then after insulting me and also manhandling me you, out of the blue vanished. You know what, initially I thought you’re nagging me because I clashed with you guys that day. But the way you keep coming after me and stalk me it can’t be just that. So, tell me what revenge you are seeking from me.”

Just as she said revenge I was alerted. She can’t know. I needed to shut her or else she’d fuck my mind. What is with girls and their inquisitiveness. I hadn’t even started my plan properly and she already had an onslaught of questions. And look at her guts, she called me a rabid dog. Bitch!  

“Oh, would you just shut up. I am not after you. Just to make things clear for you, it was you who kept coming in my way since…. day 1. You blocked our path and refused to move just to prove a point that you’re right. Then the next time you were sneaking on me while I was fucking someone else, in fact you literally shoved in the room. So, what did you expect I’d do when you meddled in my affairs? The next moment when I came back to my room you were masturbating thinking about me and you let me touch you as well. And don’t blame me for your guilt, you were disgusted at yourself that you let a stranger touch you and enjoyed it as well. And as for the next day when I came to your room, I had left my wallet here. And, for the stalking part, so Miss you don’t own that bookstore or this goddamn city for that matter so don’t flatter yourself. Its none of your business what I was doing there. And lastly and foremostly today you came up to me accusing me and when you couldn’t satisfy your self-esteem you slapped me. I ask you, who do you think you are? Since day one you’re obsessed with me, you have these fantasies about me in your mind and when they don’t match with your reality you loseyou’re senses. I’d not mess with you if you could keep your hands off me. But now, now you’ve given me all the rights to treat you the way you deserve. So, watch it! I’ll make this place a living hell for you now.” I called her out yet again insulting her for the mess I created. But that’s what I wanted for her. To make her feel pathetic about herself. Tears started rolling from her eyes, she had tried her best to stop them but after my revelation she couldn’t control herself. I waited for this, for her to cry and feel humiliated. But I didn’t feel the satisfaction I’d desired. She was not looking at me now and wiping away her tears she came towards me and stood face to face with me.

“I don’t care what you think. I know who I am and what I feel. Do whatever you can in your capacity to hassle me and god knows for what reason. But I ain’t weak and you can’t use me for your sick reasons. I don’t believe you that you aren’t coming after me for your secret vendettas. And trust me when I say this; I will find out what you’re after. If you want this then fine, I’ll fight you.” She challenged me. I didn’t know what to say but its good if she’s strong enough to fight me, at least now I can do what I want without her nosy questions.

“You want to fight me, huh? And how would you do that? What do you know about me while I can extract your life history in minutes? All you can do is watch and suffer. For I won’t give you a chance to stand in front of me, and if you don’t want to lose in shreds then just be my slave and it would hurt less.” I offered her a deal.

“No fucking way. I’ll die before I become, your slave. God knows why I am even having this conversation with you; you might be having an abundance of time to waste because obviously you’ve been served everything in a platter but I have to work hard to earn things”. She wouldn’t say this if she had known what I have to do to earn even a single penny. I moved closer to her moving her in the wall with my hand beside her face.

“Yes, I’ve been served everything in a platter but if I tell you how did I earn that fucking platter, you’ll be paralysed. So, shut you’re fucking mouth and don’t try to interfere in my business if you care for yourself.” I stared in her eyes.

“Wow, you keep interfering into my business, in fact you take you over my business without my permission and I am not even allowed to ask why? But FYI the other girls or boys you mistreat might be acquiescing, I won’t. So, if you still want something from me then it would only be war.” She asserted, softly pushing me back.

“Cool, war it is then. But FYI lady sherlock, I wasn’t mistreating you when I asked you to do as I say, I was warning you. For you won’t be able to fight me or the world I live in. You know you live in a dream world, world of fantasies but my world, its ugly. If you fight me, you enter that world which would sheerly ruin your innocence.” I said sincerely. I don’t care about her, but if she fights me, she would have to enter this dark world. Which was never the part of the plan. I’d never let her discover the hidden secrets of the mafia world but the visuals of the place could disturb her and would do more damage to her than I had already planned. Now it’s her call, it was my job to warn her if she still wanted to fight me then she herself is inviting lucifer.

“I don’t live in a dream world but I do have dreams and I also have the capacity to accomplish them and that’s all the fantasies I have. And as for my innocence, its not my weakness its my strength. I am innocent not naïve. So, don’t you worry. I know after today you’ll keep coming after me and its better to fight you back rather than being domineered by you.” She challenged me back.

“Whatever. So now when you know that I’ll keep coming after me then why bother me right? Be ready today in the evening I’ll pick you up at seven.” I told her.

“Excuse me, what do you mean?” She scowled.

“You said you want to fight me, right? So, what did you think we would play XO in your room over a pizza?” I mocked her.

“Shut up. I won’t come anywhere with you. Anyways I have a job, I don’t have a free supply of money.” She reverted. Enough! I hold her by her shoulders and pushed her in the wall.

“Ah!” She squealed.

“Who do you think you’re talking to huh? I am not asking you; I am telling you. Anyways you don’t seem to have much of a choice. Thank me that I am giving you a chance to fight me. I can very easily turn you into my slave but I’m offering you a chance to show you what you’re actually capable of, otherwise you don’t even stand a chance in front of me. Therefore, if you don’t want any more complications in your life, do as I say.” I tightened the pressure of my fingers on her skin. She reluctantly looked into my eyes, I know she wouldn’t relent just like that. I wanted her to plead me to leave her as I was hurting her, both physically and mentally. But this prude woman seems invincible.

“I won’t come, I have a job and because of your stupid games I’ll not mess it up.” She fired back even though my grip on her was atrocious. I knew she wouldn’t back down.

“Your father’s unwell, isn’t?” I asked leaving her and folding my arms. Her bare skin was imprinted with red marks of my fingers. She was gobsmacked and her frown got more intense.

“I know he’s a cancer patient and I am sure you wouldn’t want to hassle him in such a delicate state.” I knew I had touched the wrong nerve.

“You son of a bitch” She shoved me super hard. She pushed me again and again.

“How low can you stoop, huh?” And just when she was about to hit me again, I caught both of her hands in between turning her around and thrusting her and pinning both of her hands to the door.

“Just because you’re a girl don’t assume that I can’t reply back. But that would be less hurtful than how I can emotionally get back at you. So, think twice before acting impulsively.” I warned her.

“Hit me, hit me as harsh as you can. Kill me if you want but dare you, if you even think about hurting my family. Just because you have power doesn’t mean you can manipulate me.” She shouted.

“Oh, yes I can and I will. Either you comply or put your father’s life in more danger than it already is.” She was still pinned on the door looking at me helplessly. I know she still won’t comply until I give her a reality check.

She wasn’t saying anything so I went on.

“Be present today on the hostel ground at 7pm. If you didn’t come then you’re father has his chemotherapy tomorrow.” I knocked the wind out of her. A tear fell from her eye and I left her hands. Moving my hand around her waist I opened the door jerking her towards my chest. Our noses were at an inch distance. Her eyes were pinned to the floor. With one hand clutching the door I took the other hand towards her face tilting her chin upwards, facing me.

“It’s a tough girl baby girl, if you actually want to fight then keep your head high. I’ll see you in the evening.” Advising her I moved out of the door leaving her helpless there.