The door to his room opened and a lady was standing right there. Tyler felt he'd met her somewhere, but he was too drunk to remember.

"Look at me," she commanded softly. Walking towards him.

He had few questions to ask but this moment was magical, deeply intimate, and she compelled obedience. Tyler obeyed. The thick hot night wrapped around them like wet, crushed velvet. Everything seems to have stopped, frozen in time. The air, her heart. In the lamp light she could make out the glistening sheen of his damp body, were his shirt hanged open, and his tight trousers.

The air was sticky. And a wet heat seemed to have risen all over her skin. There was a shortness of her breathing, making it difficult to feel her lungs. And Kimberly became aware of the strange tension throbbing between them, mesmerizing her.

"Don't be scared," he Said gently, trying to reassure her.

Tyler smiled, the smile was lazy and sensual, but he felt tense and determine. His chest rose and fell hard. He stalked her, and she backed up a step.

"Don't be scared I won't make move if you don't want," kim stopped, they were so close, his eyes commanded that she stood still. There was fire there, like the one that runs through her vein. She looked at his mouth, sensually sculpted, parted slightly. She felt an insane desire to kiss him. Taste him. He gripped her hands forcing it down partly.

"I want you, and I know you do same,"

"No," she said not meaning it.

Regardless of her response he pressed her hard against his erection, her eyes flying to his, she felt him pulsating beneath her palm, felt the burning heat.

"Hold me," he said still staring into her eyes

Kim was motionless, her heart slamming as if the devil's were instructing her. She curled her hands around his waist .

He slipped an arm around her and guided them to the ground. Kimberly felt his warm breath in her neck his mouth brushing there. She gasped, reaching for his shoulder. Crazy desires trailed in the wake of his lips. Kimberly lost control of herself, his face buried in her neck. His wet hard body covered hers, his powerful hands crushing her in his embrace. And he was rocking his hip against her softness, and for a moment Kim thought she might die. Wrapped between heaven and hell.

"Please," Kim moaned, her nails digging into his shoulders. She whimpered, unable to make a coherent sound.

Then his hands went in her gown, she gasped as he anchored her by a Hank of hair, while flipping up her gown, his other hand went for her breasts.

Kim fell back, spreading her legs readily.

"Take off your clothes," he said

It was an order that made no sense, it didn't matter. He was stroking her thighs rhythmically, expertly, she couldn't bare it.

He locked his hands around her hip, and buried his face between her legs. Kim was shocked, she felt his tongue. Any desire to protest ceased instantly. As he stroked her intimately, she began climbing peak, racing from one to the other, her wall shattered, she fell. And he thrust inside of her, felling the warmth of her body. And soon they both passed out.

*****

When Kimberly slowly came to her consciousness, the first thing she felt was warm steady breathing against her neck. Confused, she shifted around wondering when she had gotten a cat. A sudden pressure around her stomach tightened and she realized she was feeling rather hot which was weird, considering that she always had the air conditioning on in her room.

But the heat felt wonderful, like soothing licks against her skin and she snuggled deeper into it. Her backside hit something uncomfortable and the pressure around her waist tightened and her eyes flew open.

What the hell?!

There were no grey-painted walls or humidifiers on the bedside table. Heck, there was no bedside table! This was not her room!

Eyebrows furrowed above her sleepy grey eyes and she tried to stand up, dread filling her as she realized what the pressure wrapped her was.

A hand. No, to be precise, she blinked several times just to make sure she wasn't in a darned dream. A man's hand. His huge biceps clenched and unclenched as his hands tightened around her waist and his breathing fell harsher on her neck from behind her.

"Oh no," she whispered in horror, grey eyes flicking around the room uneasily. It was a cheap-ass hotel room that Kimberly could bet her entire fortune had housed plenty of sex-deprived souls and yesterday, she had been one of them.

"Damnit!." She mouthed, slapping the arm around her in irritation. She was screwed. She, Kimberly Lockwood, had spent the night with some man she didn't know. Oh, the press was going to have a field day when they found out. She could imagine the headlines on those shitty tabloids.

The man grunted and loosened his grip. From the sounds he made, she knew he would wake soon.

Good, she needed him as awake as he could be, she thought as she slipped out of the bed, staring down at her naked form as she picked her clothes from the floor. Her breasts were sore, tender and littered with hickeys.

"That's new," She murmured, sliding her hands over them and sighing softly. No man she had ever slept with had ever given her hickeys.

"Hmm, If you're touching yourself without me, that's a bummer," A deep sleepy male voice rumbled and she whipped around swiftly as his voice settled and sunk in her memory.

Dear God, how much had she drunk the night before? She must've been extremely knackered if she had allowed the scumbag before her to touch her. She clutched her forehead, feeling a headache ensue as the memories from the previous night plagued her.

Tasha had dragged her out for a drink. They weren't friends, she was merely someone Kim could stand for a long time without wanting to kill her. She had been feeling quite lonely over the week, having completed her work quota for the week already, and when Tasha had suggested Clubbing, Kimberly hadn't thought it was a bad idea.

Oh, but it turned out to be. Because now she had the cursed mountain man before her, grinning at her boobs as if they were gifts from Santa.

"You!" She hissed, clutching her dress to her chest.

"I guess that means you remember now." He hummed. His hair which had been long last week was now chopped into chocolate brown curls that sat atop his head. Dark eyes stared piercingly at her and she shuddered.

Oh, she remembered alright. She recalled how she had kept doing shots until she couldn't stand straight and bumped into everything.

"I hope no one got that on video." She murmured to herself as she dragged on her dress. Damn! How could she screw up so bad? She had done a lot of crazy things, but getting drunk in a public club and having sex with the man whom she had spent every day of the week loathing had to top the list.

"Breathe." The mountain man murmured, sitting up and stretching. "You look like you're about to pass out. I know I'm an awesome lay, but you don't have to look like I took your breath away literally."

Her heart pulsed harder with each stretch he made. She could recall those hands spanning her length, large palms enclosing her breasts, kneading them until she became putty in his hands. She didn't even know the idiot's name and she had ridden his thighs like a depraved wanton.

If the world found out about it, she was finished.

"Don't say a word." She ordered as she adjusted her black dress, trying to smoothen out the wrinkles.

Looking around for her purse, she found it peeking at her underneath the bed and fished it out while the man before her watched in amusement.

Tyler was entranced. When he had stepped into the club the night before and had seen her staggering her way toward him, looking very seductive with her hooded grey eyes and rich red lips, he had been bewitched. And when she came on to him, he hadn't found it in him to resist her.

Damn, he hadn't expected to see her again. She had plagued his dreams ever since their encounter a week ago, and now, as his dark eyes roamed her lovely figure, his dreams were nothing compared to the real thing.

She was beautiful. Her hair had felt silky in his hands. Her breasts were heavy and well proportioned, he hadn't gotten enough of them and sadly it seemed that would be the last he would see of them. Especially with the way she fished a book out of her purse and scribbled hard on it.

"If you're journalling about my di-"

"Here!" She said, trying all her possible best to remain calm, ripping a piece of paper out and placing it on the bed gingerly.

"No one must know about this." She hissed, grey eyes losing the passion he had seen in them last night.

"Why? Because they'll discover you're not made of stone after all?" Tyler grinned. Who was she and why was she so concerned about what people said?

He reached for the paper she had dropped on the bed. "A cheque?"

"For your silence." She stated stoically, walking towards the door. "I believe twenty grand should be enough to keep your lips shut."

Tyler could not help it, he burst into laughter. She glared at him and harrumphed before walking out the door.

What sort of woman just dashed out 20,000 dollars to men she shagged? Oh, he was intrigued. Terribly intrigued. He held up the cheque, arching a brow as he read the name at the top right corner.

"Kimberly Lockwood." He drawled and glanced at the door. She was interesting. And Tyler Tien loved interesting women, they were fun to pick apart and conquer. But, he frowned puzzled, after their intimacy that night, she had whimpered in her sleep several times.

He wondered what could make a defiant woman like her, cry in fear.

Tossing the cheque aside along with his thoughts of her, he got out of bed, cracking his neck to relieve the slight ache in them. It was time he began what he had come to do in Austin. He had fooled around for a week, but he knew it wouldn't be long before the police caught up with him. He had to find a safe place fast and as soon as possible.

Picking his clothes that were strewn across the cheap hotel room, he grinned when he found a ruby ring on the floor glaring at him.

"Twenty grand and a ruby in one day." He said, tossing the ring in the air and catching it. "Looks like today's going to be a good day."

On cue, his burner phone lying on the bed vibrated.

"Finally." He muttered, swiping it off the bed.

"Boss," A voice said on the other line but Tyler remained quiet.

There was no way he was speaking unless he confirmed that the caller was one of his own. He had already been betrayed once and he was determined to make sure that it would stay that way.

"If I die, I forgive you. If I live, I kill you." The person said and Tyler grunted in response.

It was a legendary omerta that he had made his men swear before him. They had to know that if anyone betrayed Don Tien, they had just betrayed themselves.

"Good, Victor. I told you not t call unless you have news." Tyler stated, his voice rough. "You have news then?"

"Yes boss," Victor replied. "We found Benito."

Tyler hummed. "Seen or found?"

"Found boss. He just walked into Maggie's. She called us and had us surround the area."

Tyler nodded satisfactorily. "Good. If I'm not there in twenty minutes, You know what to do."

"Yes, boss."

Ending the call, Tyler switched off the burner phone, cracked it open and popped the sim in his mouth, spreading it into an evil smile.

"If I live, I kill you." He said into the air. Benito had betrayed him. And like famous love stories, he was going to let Benito go.

Don't hate the player, hate the game.

Tyler whistled as he stepped out of the hotel. His driver Steven sat behind the wheels of a sleek Mercedes-Benz, grinning like an idiot at him. He couldn't help it, he grinned back and jumped into the backseat.

"Here are your clothes Boss," Steven told him passing a bag to the back.

Tyler rummaged through and nodded. "And my new hotel room?"

If he was going to avoid being caught, he had to move at light speed.

"Booked. Got you the dandiest room in the bloody hotel." Steven replied with a smirk and he nodded, ripping his old shirt off.

"Move. I'll change as we go. They better be keeping that fucker in one place." He ordered and Steven kick-started the car. They soon hit the highway and Tyler stared through the window. It was time to meet the snitch.

When he had drafted his gang out of his father's, he had made it explicitly clear to those who followed that all he wanted was their loyalty, nothing more, nothing less. Tyler thought that was damn reasonable and not too much to ask. But apparently , Benito thought it was a huge burden. The bastard had got himself caught in a pickle with the cops and exposed the identity of Don Tien.

"Bastard." He hissed, balling his hands into a fist.

The car swerved off the highway and took a sharp bend into the woods. Pulling up into the driveway of a homey-looking cottage.

Tyler stepped out of the car and brushed off his stiff black coat with both hands. "Get me the toolbox."

Steven immediately swung into action. He went to the car trunk, pulled out a square metal box and handed it to Tyler. He knew the severe look on his boss' face and knew shit was about to get down.

"Benito is gonito." He whispered jokingly and Tyler cackled evilly.

"Stay back. This shouldn't take too long."

Surveying the area with dark vicious eyes, he noticed two men dressed in back plain trousers over black tee shirts, standing by the entrance. To anyone else, they may have looked like they were lounging by the door, tossing seeds at each other, but in reality, they were guarding the doors.

"Welcome boss!" They chorused when he reached them, standing at attention. They both had a Glock dangling at their hips.

Tyler acknowledged with a nod. "The son of a bitch?"

"Inside the garage. Maggie asked us to wash the place up this time." The man standing on the right replied and turned on his heels leading Tyler to the rusty old garage. He was blonde and slim compared to Tyler and his fellow guard.

Pushing the door open, he stepped in. A man was sitting on a stool in the centre of the empty room, his head lowed, his hands tied behind him with thick ropes and when the lights came on, the blonde haired lifted his head. A dirty rag was tied around his mouth, there were bruises on his forehead and his eyes had lumps underneath them. He looked sore.

"Mahn, you all really did a number on him." Tyler hummed in satisfaction, walking towards Benito and holding his head up, dropping his toolbox at the man's feet. The man gazed at Tyler's hardened face and began trembling like a victim of severe electrocution.

"Bb...BBB"

"Aww, he's all speechless. He's no fun now." He murmured grabbing a sharp blade from the box. Behind him, the door closed and the man looked up to Tyler with pleading eyes, struggling to catch his breath. The dagger was already plunging its edge into the man's flesh causing fresh blood to drop on the blade. Tyler smiled and bent his head toward the man as if he was about to lock lips with him.

His malicious stare alone was enough to send the man to his tomb. If there wasn't a rag sealing his mouth, the blonde haired would have dropped to his knees and pleaded for mercy. Even though Tyler wasn't going to forgive him, he would at least beg.

"If I die?" He asked, dark merciless eyes staring deep into his betrayer's.

Tears kept rolling down the poor man's cheeks. He struggled to speak but Tyler's tight fingers slid into his hair almost pulling it off his scalp.

"You broke my heart, Benito." He whispered into Benito's ears. "This... isn't working for me anymore. I'm afraid, I'll have to let you go."

And in a few frozen seconds, Benito's body drooped to the floor in a thump and Tyler rose to his feet, wiping the dagger with a piece of cloth.

The coldness accompanied by death hovered around the room.

"Get rid of the body," He instructed the men and walked out of the garage. His revenge was done. Now he had to find survival.

*********

Tyler cleared the smoke taking charge of his vision with one hand and dipped the edge of the cigarette in the little ceramic bowl beside the bottle of vodka on the table. He was sprawled on his bed, facing the glass window.

Steven hadn't lied. This was a prissy dandy room although he had to admit it was a wonderful alternative compared to the shitty ones he had been staying in the past week. It gave him the liberty to look out to the street whether he was standing or settled on his bed.

"Imagine sharing this with a pretty lady." He hummed rubbing his bare chest and smiled. He could think of one woman he would like to share it with.

"Kimberly Lockwood." He breathed. Damn, she had been fiery. The bulge in his trousers grew as his mind drifted to the night he had with Kim. The way she rode him like a typical texas cowgirl, her heat enveloped and drove him mad with desire. She had felt so supple, so sweet, his tongue watered as he recalled the taste of her nipples, of her wet warm flesh.

Thirsty he went for the bottle of vodka. She wanted to take charge of the intercourse so badly. She was fucking domineering and he loved it. She might be a brute but there was no denying that her energy in bed deserves some encomium.

Tyler grabbed the phone resting on the bed beside him and placed a phone call.

"I need you and Sniper in my room right away."

A few minutes later, two men walked in dressed casually.

"Boss?"

"That woman...." he had a half smile on his face and continued. "The one I was with the other night. You know her?" Tyler demanded and emptied the whole content of the bottle into his mouth.

The men lifted their heads in unionism. They both were there when Kimberly had bumped into him that night at the club.

"I need more information about her. I want to know every damn thing about her in two hours" he directed and motioned with his head for them to get out.

****

He was facing the glass window, his legs apart, both hands glued to the glass. He was staring at nothing in particular, lost in deep reflections. There were a few times like this when felt almost human. Almost. The sound of the doorbell crashed into his thoughts and he turned around, wearing just boxers and hulking dominantly in the room.

"Come in."

The men he had sent out about two hours ago returned. Tyler walked and settled by the edge of his bouncy bed and looked up at them with expectant eyes. He was as excited as a schoolboy getting his first blowjob.

"Speak."

The tallest of the two men spoke. "She's Kimberly Lockwood."

"No shit. You know what I need Sniper." He muttered.

The shorter one grinned. "She's a big fish, boss."

Tyler smirked. "Big fish huh? I knew it the moment I made her give me a ride that day."

Sniper held out his phone. "We asked Talco to scope on her. He sent these pictures of her when she was stepping out of the Lockwood Industries a while ago. Owns the fucking place. Stinky rich." the man reported gruffly. Tyler suspected his sensibilities were offended that he had to tail a woman.

"And hot too. She's freaking hot." his colleague added with a mischievous smile.

"Anything else?" Tyler asked.

"If we get more time, there could be more," Sniper grunted. So far, she has no link to her family. She's loaded and living alone."

"This gladdens my heart." Tyler declared and licked his lips. The thought of her alone, primed and ripe for him made his boxers feel tighter.

"Boss if I may ask, why do you need details about the chic?"

He turned away with a warm smile. "So I can give a lollipop. Stay sharp. We need to collect more information on her." He dismissed them with a wave and they dashed out.

Reclining on his back, he stretched his legs forward, resting against the wall. His hands wrapped around his head and a ploy began to form.

Sweet Kimberly would be his bait. Her money, fame and power were exactly the distraction he needed to stay off the police radar.

To say Kimberly was pissed was an understatement. She was crazy furious. But as usual she maintain a calm look. Her dark hair bounced as she strutted out of her company, grey eyes sizzling with anger.

Lockwood Industries loomed tall in Austin. It was the number one dealer in fashion and had ruled the fashion world for years even before Kimberly had been old enough to take possession of it. Her parents had built it from scratch. With her mother's talent for illustration and her father's knack for business, they were indeed a force to be reckoned with. They had dictated the fashion in Texas and the entire United States, rising through the ranks faster than anyone could say catapult.

Kim had always been proud of her parents. Of the legacy, they laid down for her. Even after their deaths, she had not suffered. Her parents had ensured that should anything bad befall them, she would be well taken care of. Her grand-aunt helped run the company until she was eighteen and old enough to do so. Ever since, for six years, she had ruled her company with an iron fist, determined to protect and salvage her parent's legacy.

And she would be darned if she allowed a simpleton to try to ruin all those many years of hard work.

Ignoring the bowing heads of her Security guards and the fixed gazes of her workers, she stormed into the back seat of a silver Ford, her lips pressed together in displeasure.

"Please drive." She said

"Home Miss Lockwood?" Andrew asked and gulped when he met her eyes in the rearview mirror. She was an intimidating woman. Andrew had worked for her for a full year and he was the only chauffeur who had lasted that long. People often asked how he was able to survive that long but Andrew had learnt early. As long as he talked less and listened to her more, he got paid and didn't get screwed. That was it.

Shutting his mouth, he switched on the engine and slowly pulled out of the company's compound.

Kimberly fished out her phone and tapped the screen, Her clean sharp nails clicked against the screen severally.

"Mateo, send me the address of that man." She said as soon as the head of security picked up her call.

"Yes ma'am." He answered promptly.

Fixing her eyes on the window, she stared at the streets as Andrews drove past them. They were filled with humans who lingered and loitering. Some seem happy and others, she couldn't tell.

Wishing she was one of them for a moment, she thought as refocused her thoughts on her phone. Mateo's heavy breathing filtered through as he worked and she found that it irked her to no end.

"Please hurry up? She was trying her best to remain patient and calm, but seems like she'd be crossing her limit soon." She sniped and from the corner of her vision, she saw Andrew wince. "Please watch." She said, seeing a child was trying to cross the road inappropriately.

"Yes ma'am." He muttered.

Her phone tinged and Mateo's voice echoed through. "I've sent it ma-"

"Thanks."

She cut the call before he could reply, swiping open the text message that had just entered her phone.

"Jeremy Williams." She seethed as she read his address.

He would regret the day he had played her for a fool. The day he crossed paths with the lioness and hoped to go scot-free. Oh, she would make him suffer. Her eyes hardening into icicles, she spouted the address to Andrews who promptly followed her command.

And then she made one last call.

"Send the boys. We're going on a visit."

****

Thirty minutes later, a hefty man slammed down the door to a suburban house, paving the way for a determined Kimberly to enter.

"What the hell is this?!" A middle-aged man, with partly balding hair, jumped to his feet from the sofa he had been reclining on. His watery blue eyes watched as three severe-looking men tripped into his home and amidst them was none other than the deadly Kimberly Lockwood.

He gasped then swallowed his saliva, holding his head up high. Kimberly laughed at the wimp's pathetic attempt to look unaffected, dark eyes glaring as she walked to sit opposite him on his sofa.

"Well hello, Mr Williams." She greeted drily, crossing her leg over the other. The grey pencil dress she wore, framed her features elegantly making her look severe. "Fancy seeing you here."

"M...Miss Lockwood." He stuttered. "How...what do you want?"

"Let's cut the crap, shall we? I don't have time to waste and I would rather we get straight to the point."

Jeremy Williams glanced at the three me that came to stand at her side and gulped visibly. "I don't know what you're talking about."

Kimberly sighed. She should've known he would be this way. The man had carted millions away from the company right under her nose and she hadn't seen it coming. It pissed her off to no end.

"So we're going to play it this way aren't we?" She hummed and inclined her head towards him.

Two of the men left her side and stalked toward Jeremy. Terrified, he scrambled and tried to dash out the door. But one of the men caught him by his shirt's collar and threw him back onto the sofa. He landed with a yelp, gasping for air as the two men closed on him.

"What are you doing? Let go of me!" He yelled as one of the men hoisted him up and smacked him across the face.

His screams of pain bounced off Kimberly's ears and she cleared her throat.

"Ready to talk Mr Williams? Or shall I give you a little more incentive?"

"I..." He wheezed. "I'm.sorry... Mis Lockwood-"

"Spare me the bull." She stated coldly, watching as he writhed under the crushing hand of her security. "Where the hell is my money?"

"Please... Please. I never meant to, I just-"

"Ah!" She scoffed, pinching the bridge of her nose as she rose to her feet. In slow menacing steps, she stalked toward the quivering man. He was pushed to the ground and she watched him, her nose up in the air in disgust. Raising her heels she pressed the flat sole onto the man's head. "The thing about scum is this. They lie and cheat like the filth they are, but when caught, they always beg."

Leaning down until she could look him in the eye. "I'll ask one last time Mr Jeremy Williams. Where is my money?"

He blubbered and coughed then whispered. "A...A fixed deposit. To... be unlocked in two years. Please...I needed it for my daughter-"

For a moment she felt pity, or some sort of sympathy. But he didn't go through it the right way, yes she might be horrible, but not that horrible to turn down his request when it has to do with his daughter. She was going to leave the money for him. But first, she need thought him a lesson.

Giving the security men a pointed look she turned on her heels and walked out.

****

A loud crash resounded in Kimberly Lockwood's residence and screams of expletives exploded in air.

Kimberly stood in the dining room, wrapped in a bathing robe, her hair dripping water to the floor. Four maids hunched against the walls of the dining in fear, staring at their furious mistress.

"What is this?!" She asked and as usual they cowered in fear. "What is this... This thing in my shampoo?!"

One of the maids, brave enough to speak, peered at the mess on the floor and whimpered. "It's a lock of hair ma'am."

Kimberly nodded, laughing, a wild look in her eyes. Her head pounded mercilessly and she felt her brain turn to mush slowly. Everything spun too fast and sounded too loud and she ignored the urge to cover her ears. She knew she was being irrational. A part of her which was still sane warned and begged for her to come to her senses.

But Kimberly was done. She had the most hectic day at work, found out some useless worker of hers had stolen her money and put it in a freaking fixed deposit, which couldn't be unlocked until two years! Two fucking years!

And then she tried to sleep when she came back from work. Nightmares had plagued her and forced her to stay awake. Thinking a bath would help, she had gone to her bathroom only for her to see a lock of hair in her bathroom.

"What colour is this?" She bit out nastily, holding the cluster up for the maids to see. She was a long way away from them but they still shivered from her angry gaze.

"Blonde ma'am." The brave maid murmured.

"Good. You have eyes." She grinned maniacally. "Now make sure this doesn't repeat itself. "

A few minutes and all those drama later, Kimberly stumbled into her bedroom and flopped on her bed, feeling extremely exhausted. Her face hit the soft duvet and she felt the corner of her eyes burn. At least now that she was exhausted, she would have no choice but to sleep.

As the tendrils of sleep enveloped her, her mind floated and drifted towards certain deep black eyes and strong arms that had plagued her thoughts all day.