5. Santiago #2
“Sorry I disappeared on you. There was an emergency at the restaurant that involved a medium-rare filet mignon and an unsatisfied client,” he said while pushing the key inside the door.
Twisting it, he then opened the door and walked in first. “If you ask me, one shouldn’t order filet if they don’t know how to eat it,” he went on while my sole attention was on his ass and how fine it looked in those slim slacks.
“Couldn’t agree more,” I said, biting my lip. Thankfully, this time, I had enough common sense to look away before being caught.
“So, you’re done with the luggage?”
“Yeah.” I walked inside the office. “I mean, almost. There’s one left behind.”
“Oh?” Not looking at me, he was busy fishing out some files from his desk drawer.
“Yeah, but I think there was a mistake.”
“How come?”
I checked out the suitcase again. “The note says fourteenth floor, which is obviously a mistake.”
“A mistake indeed.”
I looked up to see him smiling at me. “You can leave it there. I’ll attend to it later.”
“You sure?” I frowned, then pointed my thumb over my shoulder. “I can go to the clerks myself—”
“No need.”
He sounded impatient.
“Okay.”
A bit weirded out by his reaction, and worried I’d overstepped, I placed the suitcase near his desk. Ariyan’s eyes followed me the whole time until his lips curled up into a soft smile.
“Thank you so much for helping me today, Mr. Rivas. I don’t know what I would have done without you.”
“It was nothing.” I rubbed the back of my neck, feeling my skin getting warmer.
“Not at all. You were a true lifesaver.”
I heard him stepping closer, and by the time I glanced up, he was right before me. So close, all I wanted was to leap in and kiss him. Yet, before I could make that mistake, he lifted his arm up to check his watch. While he did, my eyes darted to his wrist and those damn scratches.
“Looks like it’s past the time of your shift. I’d hate to keep you here—”
“What happened to your arm?” The words were out of my mouth before I could stop them.
His brows pulled close, but then he glanced at his wrist. “Oh, this little thing?” He held it up. “I got injured while working out.”
Getting a better look at it, it sure as fuck didn’t look like something you’d get from exercise, unless it involved cats.
“Speaking of working out, I’ve been meaning to ask what you do?” He placed his hand on my arm, softly caressing my skin. “Not to be too blunt, but your biceps are huge. I wish I knew how to gain such muscles.”
In seconds, my body felt like it was set on fire, and I quickly coughed to clear my throat.
“I box.” That was the only thing I managed to spit out.
He gave my biceps a small squeeze. “All that just from boxing?”
Heat rushed to my cheeks. “I mean, I also jog and lift some weights? I can teach you how, if you ever want?”
He let out that rolling chuckle again. “I doubt I’d be able to keep up with you.”
Oh, fuck me.
“But I’ll keep that invitation in mind.”
He’d let go and was about to move when I reached for his arm and grabbed it.
“Mr. Rivas?” he asked, a bit out of breath as I pulled him close.
I parted my lips to say something, anything, when nothing came out. Frankly, my body moved before my dumb brain even calculated what I was doing, and now, it was blank. Thankfully, my phone buzzed again, giving me the perfect excuse to let him go.
“S-sorry, I have to take this,” I muttered, unable to meet his eyes.
“Please, feel free.” He smoothed a hand over his blazer.
Nodding, I quickly stepped out of his office and answered the call.
“What?” I hissed, fucking pissed at my brother but mostly at myself.
“Is that the way to greet an old friend?”
My heart immediately paused at the sound of someone else speaking from my little brother’s phone, and I tensed on the spot.
“Who the fuck is this? Where’s Nacio?”
“Seriously? It’s only been three years, and you already forgot my voice, Rivas? But then again, you were always a tough nut to crack.”
My blood boiled in seconds, and I swore at this motherfucker. “The fuck you want, Ace?”
He laughed. “So you do remember me, after all.”
I clenched the phone harder, my jaw going tight.
“Where’s my brother?”
“He’s right here. Say hey, Nacio.”
I heard some people laughing before my brother spoke in the background. He sounded fine, like he was having a good time, which only made it worse.
“We’re having a drink, talking about money and stuff. You should come and join us, yeah?”
Breathing slowly, I closed my eyes and rubbed the bridge of my nose. This was bad, and I was about to kill Nacio for meeting with that crew. But in order for me to do that, I’d first have to go over there and grab him.
“Send me the fucking address,” I hissed, hanging up before this piece of shit could spit another word.
“Fuck!” I hissed, clenching my fists together. “Fuck. Fuck. Fuck—”
“Is everything okay?”
I snapped my eyes to the sound of Ariyan’s voice. So angry, I’d forgotten where I was. Shit. Slowly, I turned to look at him.
“Sorry about that… Some friends of mine are just—” I sighed. “Never mind. I’ll just get out of your way.”
But before I could move, Ariyan stepped closer and reached for my arm. “You seem distressed. Is there any way I can help?”
Just then, I got a text message with the address, and fuck. It was the other side of town.
“Not unless you have a chopper hiding somewhere,” I grunted, eyes locked on the screen.
“I might not have a helicopter, but I do have a bike.”
Shocked, I stared at him, at a loss for words.
He smiled.
“Need a ride?”