Chapter 21 Elliot
ELLIOT
Daniel Williams was probably the most handsome man I’d ever met. That was my first impression of him, which, apparently, hadn’t changed. Because more than a year later, my heart still raced faster at the sight of him in a suit.
With his thick brown hair pushed back, chiseled jaw, and beautiful nose that perhaps was a bit big yet suited him perfectly, he truly was handsome.
I hated that my first thought after seeing him was how good-looking the bastard was.
After what he did to me, I shouldn’t compliment him, not even in my mind.
“Elliot,” he said in that deep, authoritative voice of his that made him sound both serious and sinfully sexy. “You look good,” he added, like he had any right to.
Taking another drag from my cigarette to calm down, I blew the smoke out.
“And you look old.”
His lips curled into a small smirk as he chuckled.
Merde. I loved that sound.
“Do not laugh.” I frowned. Feeling my cheeks heating up, I looked away from him. “I mean it.”
“I’m only thirty-four.”
“That is old.”
Once again, he chuckled.
“We can speak in French,” he said when I tsked.
“Not need. I now speak English.”
“I can hear that. You’ve definitely improved.”
I rolled my eyes because had he come here to talk about my English?
Bringing the smoke to my lips, I took another deep inhale, then another one.
“You’re still smoking?”
I blew the smoke out. “Obviously.”
He laughed, and annoyed, I stubbed out the cigarette on the marble rail before tossing the butt down to the street.
“Maybe you shouldn’t sit up there? It’s a bit dangerous.”
Annoyed with his fake concern, I shrugged. “I do what I want.”
“I see you haven’t changed.”
Not sure what he meant, I half turned to frown at him.
He pulled one hand out of his trousers pocket. “I was complimenting you,” he clarified, and I narrowed my eyes at him.
“What you do here?” I deepened my stare. “Is it not too late for you?”
“Are you insinuating I’m old again?”
My brows pulled close. “In… insi—”
“Insinuating.” He smiled. “I asked if you’re implying that I’m old, yet again.”
Oh, that’s what this word meant.
“I don’t enstuttinging anything.”
“Insinuating.”
“I do not care.” I jumped off the railing so I’d fully face him. “My point is, you are old. End of talking.”
“Or perhaps, you’re simply too young.”
My eyes widened with anger because I hated the fact that he was answering me back with that teasing smile.
“I am not too anything. I am perfect.”
He went silent, gray eyes locked with mine.
“You are.”
My chest tightened at his words. Not because they made me happy, but the opposite.
“And you are annoying,” I snarled when his lips curved up.
“I was only teasing—”
“I do not care,” I cut in, and we fell into a deep silence as he continued to stare at me with those damn gray eyes.
I never had the ability to just stay quiet while he… he did. And I loved that about him. I loved how much confidence he radiated, even without uttering a word. Mostly, I loved how safe I felt in his silence.
“You looked really good today, in the show,” he said, eyes soft, his lips barely forming a smile.
“I know.” I huffed and turned my head aside so I wouldn’t need to see his face.
“I was so impressed.”
Don’t look at him.
“I mean it.” He took a step closer. “You were truly stunning.”
Don’t fall for his words.
“The most beautiful man I’ve ever seen.”
Being the idiot that I was, I looked at him. Oh, did I look at him, because how could I not when he called me beautiful in such a soft voice that it nearly brought tears to my eyes?
“And today—”
“Stop it,” I said, eyes locked with his, once I reminded myself that I couldn’t be swayed. “I do not want to hear.”
His brows drew inward as he pressed his lips together and nodded in defeat. “That’s understandable.”
No. Don’t agree with me so easily.
“I guess I just wanted to apologize. What I said to you back then—” He took a deep breath. “It was horrible, Elliot. Appalling, really. And I regret it deeply.”
I believed him.
I believed that he was sorry, as his eyes always told the truth, and now was no different.
I could so clearly see he was sincere. Yet it didn’t make me feel any better.
If anything, it only spiked my anger because why now?
Why did he wait so long to come and apologize?
More importantly, why apologize at all? Would it change anything?
Did he change? Had he finally decided to be less of a coward?
Did he come here tonight to try and get me back, or was he here just to clear his conscience?
I didn’t have the time or the patience for empty words.
A summer ago, I would have waited all the time in the world just for him to kiss me.
But that time had passed, and both my empathy and patience were running low.
“I do not want to talk now,” I snarled, chin raised. Disappointment crossed his face, yet before he could completely retreat, I decided to provoke him one last time. “I am staying at the Roys, room 421. You can come. We talk then.”
His eyes snapped to mine, and I took joy in the clear fear they held. So I guessed he hadn’t changed at all, if the mere thought of being alone with me filled him with dread.
“I see you are still scared, like a cat.”
With that, I took my leave and went back to the party to get a drink.
Or two. Maybe giving him my room number was too much, but hopefully, it did the trick and would keep him as far away from me as possible.
Why? Because I wasn’t sure I had the strength to resist him if he were to look at me that way again.
Like I was the solution to all of his problems in the world. The same as he was to mine.