Fear

At Knight Empire

4:45 p.m.

"I missed your smile"

Rosaline closed her eyes in anger and balled her fists as soon as she heard a deep raspy voice behind her. She turned around only to take a step back in fear.

Xavier was standing in front of her while staring her intensely. Rosaline unconsciously moved back noticing their proximity. His lips were touching her forehead. Unknowingly she felt tingles in her stomach. She turned her head to the left and starting leaving.

But before she could take one step ahead, Xavier placed his long arms on both sides of her, his fingers gripping the banister. He caged her between his muscular arms while Rosaline looked at him in exasperation.

"Let me go Mr. Knight"

She spoke while gritting her teeth so hard that one could hear the sound of her teeth chattering. She threw a glare at him while Xavier raised his eyebrows at her irritated face.

"Why so angry Mrs. Valentino?"

He gave her a smug smirk. Rosaline's face turned red with anger. Already she was so pissed with Noah and-

Wait!

She frowned as Xavier was staring her face but his gaze didn't even falter once. She was well aware that the bruise on her jaw near her lips was clearly visible as she hadn't covered them but Xavier looked so calm. All of a sudden Jennifer's words ringed in her ears.

"Rosa, I think you should tell Xavier about this. He will definitely deal with Noah"

Rosaline tried to find the truth in his obsidian orbs maybe he was trying to hide his emotions. But his eyes were totally void of any emotion. They were frigid, uncaring and implacable.

Her heart squeezed with pain but soon got replaced with anger. Her eyes turned dark with rage and she growled while clenching her jaw.

"Move.out.of.my.way. Mr. Knight. I am warning you"

She seethed in anger. Hearing her venomous voice, Xavier's gaze flickered and his calm composure turned serious. There was a glint of regret in his eyes but he quickly blinked it away.

"I bet you're forgetting who has the upper hand right now Mrs. Valentino. I am well aware that you probably still have a sharp memory or it had been adulterated too"

He spoke in a husky tone. Rosaline scoffed.

"You got to be kidding me Mr. Knight. As far as I remember my memory is well intact and I am still in my senses. And to talk about adulteration, I prefer you to do a bit of introspection or if you want, I can be your mirror too, sua Maestà (Your majesty)"

Xavier smirked and felt proud watching her innocent Rose turned into a gutsy woman. He crouched down to her height and leaned forward towards her face.

"I will be honoured if you do that, mia Regina (My queen)"

He whispered in a husky voice while leaning towards her lips. Her breath hitched as Xavier kept decreasing the distance between their lips. Her back collided with the banister but she kept moving back as if she wanted to get inside them.

Rosaline placed her soft palms on his chiselled rock-hard chest so as to keep safe distance but Xavier tilted his head and kept leaning forward. A gasp escaped her lips as their foreheads touched. She couldn't even turn her face now otherwise their lips would touch. She bit her bottom lip while her cheeks turned red as she averted her gaze away from him and fixed her eyes on his chin.

Xavier smirked and moved a bit back to let the poor girl breathe. Rosaline immediately released a breath which she was holding for God knows how long. Xavier chuckled at her beetroot form.

"Am I making you nervous, mio amore (My love)?"

He said in a husky voice, his gaze was fixed on her rosy lips. Rosaline moved back from him.

"You are so delusional Mr. Knight"

She rebuked. Xavier grinned in amusement.

"Oh! Is that so? Well, I think you should be careful with the choice of your words Mrs. Valentino since it seems that I should become your mirror so that you can check your face which is looking no less than a tomato"

He snickered while Rosaline blushed more in embarrassment as she could feel the hotness of her burning cheeks. She looked away and tried to remove his steel grip but the poor soul couldn't move his brawny arms a bit.

"Let me go"

She hissed while struggling to remove his hands. Xavier chuckled at her pathetic efforts.

"Defeat accepted?"

Rosaline turned her face to him so fast that she could have broken her neck. Her blood boiled in anger and she couldn't resist but shout in frustration.

"Listen Mr. Xavier Knight, don't push me to my limits. I did accept your slavery like job but that doesn't mean you can treat me as one. I did that so as to save the life of my loved ones from you and your merciless gang. Don't think that I will let you all stomp on my morals and pride. You are still the same Xavier. You have a habit of blackmailing my loved ones just to satisfy your ego and terrible desires. I was right. You can never change. And I don't even have an ounce bit of interest in you or in your awful deeds anymore. Let me make it clear for you Mafioso that I am here just for my husband whom I love more than my life and I am tolerating all your shits so as to protect his stature since we belong to a respectable part of society. Otherwise, I won't give a fuck about you at all. So, tell your idiotic jerks to stay in their limits and just buzz off"

She growled while glaring at him fiercely. Rosaline then removed his arms harshly and pushed him back.

All of sudden Xavier's eyes turned pitch black. His jaw got clenched while his face turned dark in rage. He curled up his fists in balls so tightly that his knuckles cracked. His chest heaved up in anger as his eyes blazed with fire.

Xavier slammed his hands on the metallic railings with a loud thud caging Rosaline in-between his arms. Rosaline jumped as her whole body trembled. She looked at him in shock but Xavier hovered over her making her lay back. She shrieked in horror as half of her body was swinging in air now. His 6'2" tall figure was towering over her 5'6" petite one making her feel so small and helpless. Rosaline immediately gripped his shirt in her fists while her eyes turned teary.

"X-Xavier, what are you d-doing? P-please move b-back"

She was trembling as her feet started losing contact with the ground making her panic. Her hairs were now flowing in the air freely and her entire body turned into an arch form. Her grip on his shirt increased as her toes were now barely touching the ground.

"X-Xavier, P-PLEASE I WILL DIE!! MOVE BACK!!"

Rosaline started crying hysterically as her whole body was quavering. The banister was up to her waist so it was obvious for her to get horrified as it won't take a second for Xavier to flip her off the building. Xavier kept glaring her, pinning her on the spot with his intimidating gaze. Her head fell back in air and her grip on his shirt loosened. Her heels slipped off the ground and she screamed her lungs out.

"XAVIER, SAVE ME!!!"

And with that Xavier grabbed her shoulders and pulled her back to her feet in one swift motion. Rosaline immediately pushed him but her legs gave up and she fell on the floor with a thud. Her knees got scrapped but she started moving backwards, sailing on the floor with her hands to get away from him as soon as possible.

Rosaline went to a corner and curled herself into a ball. She hugged her knees tightly to her chest and started crying like a child. She was petrified and shocked. Her dainty figure was shivering like a leaf as loud sobs escaped from her lips.

Xavier didn't have any ounce bit of remorse on his face as he glared her trembling figure with burning eyes. He marched towards her angrily and crouched down to her level. He then grabbed her jaw harshly making her flinch and pulled her closer to his lips.

"DON'T.YOU.EVER.DARE.TO.PUSH.ME.OFF.MY.FUCKING.LIMITS.ROSEBUD"

He snarled with gritted teeth while Rosaline stared him with wide teary-eyes and wobbling chin. Xavier increased his hold on her chin puckering her lips out.

"You think you're tough huh? Use your wonder woman tricks on someone else not on ME!!! Don't forget Rose who the hell I am. I am the same Xavier who had killed your dummies before and I won't hesitate to blow off the heads of your loved ones if you don't keep your fucking mouth SHUT, GOT IT!!!"

Xavier spat and jerked her face back. Her head was about to hit the wall but he immediately put his left hand behind her head as a cushion.

Rosaline kept staring at him in fear with tears streaming down her face. Xavier rested his forehead on hers and he cupped her right cheek in his large palm. He slowly started tracing his thumb on her bruised jaw making her wince in fear and pain.

"I am again warning you Rose, don't provoke me and this is my last warning to you. I know that Agent husband of yours has implanted some secret agent techniques in your curious naive brain. But don't forget that your Agent husband had spent only fucking four years with you while I had known you for the past 25 years of your life. I can easily detect your action before you even begin to contemplate them in your cute little brain. I know you more than yourself so don't fucking ever think to try your fucking games with me. This time my man has only left you with a bruised jaw..."

He growled with clenched jaw while caressing her lips. Rosaline kept whimpering in pain but all of a sudden, he grabbed her bruised jaw harshly making her cry out loud in pain.

"But next time I will slice off your serpent's tongue so that you won't be able to ever dare to bark shits about me or about my gang. Understood Mrs. FUCKING ROSALINE VALENTINO!!"

He growled darkly with gritted teeth while shooting daggers at her. Rosaline was continuously crying silently. Xavier ran his gaze all over her damped face, her pink lips quivering in fear, her chin wobbling like a kid. He stared in her bloodshot eyes for about a minute as he caressed her bottom lip with his thumb. Rosaline jolted when the rough pad of his thumb came in contact with her dry, cracked lips.

Xavier stared her for the longest time but suddenly his gaze turned into a glare which was filled with resentment and rage. After throwing one last killer glare he yanked away her face. He then stood up and stormed off leaving the poor soul with a broken heart.

*****

~Time skips

6:05 p.m.

"Where the hell did she go?"

Emily muttered angrily while closing the door of the last cabin.

"I don't know the last time I saw her she was exiting from Noah's cabin"

Jennifer spoke in a worried tone while increasing her pace matching it with Emily.

Emily and Jennifer had been looking up for Rosaline since the past one hour. Till now nearly everyone in the building had left for home. Xavier and his gang had already left and only Jennifer and Emily were left behind who were searching for Rosaline like crazy. But there was no sign of her making both the girls scared to death. They couldn't call her as her phone was with Emily. She got it as soon as she entered her cabin to pick her up for home.

"Oh, My Good God! I am getting scared now Emily. We have almost checked the entire building but there is no trace of Rosaline. She had also left her phone behind. Is she in any trouble?"

Jennifer said with tears brimming in her eyes as she was hella worried for her friend. Emily looked at her crying form and clutched her shoulders tightly.

"Don't worry we'll find her"

"Find who?"

Both of them turned their heads to the left only to see Antonio watching them with a frown. Emily gritted her teeth in anger hearing his voice. She had the greatest enmity for Xavier and his gang. And why wouldn't it be? She herself was held as a captive and was forced to work for them. She didn't know Rosaline very well but she had already developed a soft corner for the sweet girl.

Emily could easily see the fear in Rosaline's eyes but she was trying her best to deal with these devils. She knew Rosaline was forced just like her and that's why the rage and hatred for Xavier as well as Vincent was increasing in her heart day by day. Vincent was using Rosaline as a bait since CIA was incapable of capturing the Venom. She was just a pawn in the game to catch the king and that's how a sudden urge of protecting the innocent girl developed in her heart.

Antonio approached them and noticed Jennifer's worried face.

"What happened Jennifer? Why do you look so tense?"

He spoke while ogling Emily who rolled her eyes at him and looked away.

"Actually, we are searching-"

"Let's go Jennifer"

Emily immediately cut her off and held her right wrist dragging her away from him. But Antonio held Jennifer's left wrist and pulled her back making Emily glare him.

"Tell me what's wrong Jennifer? Is it related to Rosaline?"

Antonio asked her in a cold tone. Jennifer nodded but Emily quickly butts in.

"So what? Why do you care? I mean don't you all hate her for betraying your Boss?"

She scoffed and crossed her arms over her chest. Antonio ignored her words and looked at Jennifer for an explanation. Jennifer stared at him nervously but now her main priority was to save Rosaline rather than this squabble.

"We are looking for Rosaline. She is nowhere to be seen. She had also left her phone behind. I am scared for her"

Jennifer replied him in a crying tone. Antonio's eyes widened in shock as soon he heard her.

"WHAT? WHY DIDN'T YOU INFORMED ABOUT THIS TO ANYONE?"

He bellowed.

"We didn't consider it necessary"

Emily spat while smirking at him. Antonio narrowed his eyes at her.

"You didn't consider it necessary? Xavier will have our heads if he even come to know about this"

He threatened her but Emily huffed.

"Yeah, yeah. And why the Almighty will decapitate us when he himself don't give a shit about his wife? Let me remind you, your so-called Boss had left for home with her side chick Katherine not even giving a DAMN about his wife and her whereabouts"

She spat in anger while Antonio looked at her in confusion.

"Xavier left while Rosaline is still here? How is that even possible?"

Antonio mumbled as he himself was confused. He was well aware that Xavier will never leave Rosaline behind that too in a totally strange place all alone.

"We have searched her everywhere. My heart is dropping now. Please do something"

Antonio looked at Jennifer who burst into tears.

"Don't worry. We will find her"

He squeezed her shoulders in assurance.

"Now tell me the places where have you looked for Rosaline till now?"

"At every floor", Jennifer replied.

"What about rooftop?"

Emily looked at him irritatingly.

"Who the hell goes on the roof-"

Their eyes widened in realisation.

"Let's go"

Emily nodded and they immediately rushed to the elevator. She was about to press the buttons for the elevator when they heard heavy footsteps from the staircase.

The three of them ran to the staircase only to be left shocked.

~~~💗~~~