Trapped by the Snake

Chapter 0.5

A catastrophe. The end. This is a complete nightmare. Standing 6'4 tall, the man in front of my seemingly slow growing figure looks down upon me as if I was a mere pebble on the sidewalk, like I was an insect about to be stepped upon. How much I hate that expression, how much it fills me with adrenaline. So I land a punch - right into his nose, barely enough to faze him. There he stands, taking a step back to stabilize himself. And still smirking only now he is baring his teeth. Like he has power over me, like he is about to use the authority he holds in this very moment.

Without any hesitation, the men behind him move their hands towards their belt, indicating that they're armed. Nothing new. Though I expect to be aimed at, the tall black haired man in front of me lazily raises his arm, silently ordering them to stay put. And obviously they do as their boss wishes.
"You got a good punch." Slowly, he returns his gaze onto my half naked body - analyzing me from head to toe while pretending to stabilize his pained jaw back in place. Dick.
"For a little rabbit." This piece of shit.
"Wh-" Before I even get to finish my first word, the man steps into my bathroom brushing past me.

I shut the door right into his men's face and fiercely stride over to him while he has already grabbed something to look like he is busy. Annoying asshole. Aggressively grabbing him by his collar, I pull him down closer towards my face. He might be 6'4 tall but I won't back down when it comes to this man. Nothing can make me let my guard down once he is near me.
"Listen here, you psychotic piece of shit, I don't know what games you're pulling again but if you come into my home ever again, if you invade my privacy ever again, I swear to god, I will fucking kill you. Understand?"

There it is again. Those bored and uninterested eyes. His grin doesn't even reach those annoying and infuriating black eyes.
"What's so funny?" I pull at his collar.
"It's just that you think I'm interested in seeing you naked. Don't worry, you know I don't swing that way. Also, even if I did." He takes a step forward, our breaths intertwining. "I wouldn't lay a hand on you."

But you did - I almost say out loud. Instead I just refuse to back down and take a step back or even let my cheeks redden. When I'm with this man, I can't let anything get under my skin. I stand high and mighty and take a small step forward causing our noses to almost touch. A small movement is all that it takes to close this proximity once and for all.
"Don't play dumb with me, you know what I meant by saying that." I keep holding my head high. That's right. What do you think about that, asswipe? "Why else would you be here besides pissing me the fuck off?"

The tall and lean frame moves so close to my face, towards my lips and it takes everything within me not to plunge forward. Those devious lips of his. Just when I think that smirk will finally fade and collide with my mouth, he takes a step past me towards the closed door. I can finally breathe again.
"I'm here because this is my home."
Sure, he is here because this is his home. Wait.
"What?" I turn towards him in disbelief. "What are you talking about? Are you on drugs?"

"My home." He turns his back to the door. "Don't tell me they haven't informed you yet?"
"Nobody has told me anything. I'm not falling for your shit. Get out."
"No can do. This place is under my name now. I bought this place."
Look at him putting his hands into his pockets without a care in the world. I could strangle him right now.

"I really don't understand what the fuck it is you want with me and I couldn't care less. So drop the bullshit and leave."
"Or else what? You're going to punch me again, rabbit?"
"I might even do more than that. And stop calling me that."
"Can't wait, baby."
"Jedidiah." I say in a serious tone. "Just say what you want." I'll just pretend like I'm interested in whatever new plan he created, tell him no, and make him leave. Simple - or so I thought.

He leans against the door while crossing his arms over his defined chest, flexing his forearms. That damned compression shirt. Did he immediately come here after hitting the gym?
"You'll make sure that Aria will resign as current CEO of Ryves Enterprises."
My brows draw together.
"What kind of ridiculous thing are you planning again?"
"Listen, Aiden." My name on his lips weigh heavier than when my late father said it.
"Now that Jedidah and I are the current heads of my family's company, I'm holding about 50% power of the actual CEO position. And I plan on increasing that number. Knowing that my twin sister isn't interested in being the CEO but also is skeptical of my influence inside the company, she'll try to get Jocea to take our place."
"So?"
"So you'll make sure Aria will resign which ultimately leads to the disbandment of your family's company. In that way we'll put the merging of Ryves Enterprises and Lockwood Corp to a halt. After that you'll let me handle the rest."
"Why won't you let your oldest sister take her place again? That way she'll finally have less time for Aria. Your family is like a damned parasite and my older sister deserves far more than letting a Lockwood interfere into her life."

Removing himself from the door, Jedidiah stalks towards me, calmly and focused on every movement of mine. Like I'm about to be eaten. Until our noses almost touch - again.
"For a Lockwood I sure make you nervous." He gently strokes my arms down and up, down and up, down and-
Slapping his hands away, I clench my fists by my sides.
"And what makes you think I'll help you?"
"Look around you." Jedidiah scoffs. "This place is mine."
"Even so, I will just buy myself a new villa. You've got nothing on me."
"About that." Jedidiah starts to rummage around his pockets until he reveals something from the left side of his grey sweatpants' pocket. A piece of paper. After he unfolds it, he clears his throat to read its content out loud.
"'The results show that Aria Ryves is not related by blood to-'"

Without letting him continue any further, I snatch the paper away from his strong and veiny hands.
"I'll do it."
"That's what I wanted to hear, love." Look at him. Standing there all proud and powerful. How much I hate him. God.
"Will you stop it with the names? It's annoying."
"No."
"Then piss off now. You got what you wanted."
Without sharing another glance with me, Jedidiah moves to open the door.
"You could have used that information against my sister, why go to such lengths, why use me?" He stops moving the handle and slightly turns his head towards me.
"Can't afford getting Janiyah mad at me." He analyzes my half naked body. "Besides messing with you is a productive way to kill some time."

I throw an empty shampoo bottle after him but he already escaped. Fucking psycho. Grunting, I grab my towel to dry my soaked hair. With his unexpected arrival, I didn't even get to dry myself properly. To get to the back of my head, I lower my head just enough and start rubbing. When I look down towards my boxers, I see it. That's why I felt so strained. I was hard. The entire time. It's most likely because I haven't slept with anyone in the past few months. That's it. I fucking hate Jedidiah Lockwood. This has nothing to do with him.