Chapter 16 - Gela
I wake up in the morning with a smile on my face, and my heart beats in that slow, steady manner where everything feels calm in the world. But then, my head starts spinning in confusion, and I feel a strong, warm body covering me from behind.
Where the hell am I?
I’m still groggy, and it takes a few seconds for my panicked thoughts to settle when I remember what happened last night.
I had helped Valentin to bed.
I’d spent the night.
And somehow, in the course of that night, I got all tangled up with him. My body instantly freezes under his arm, but my heart hammers like it’s chiseling away at all my walls.
There’s no space between us. He has my head tucked beneath his chin, one arm swung across my waist, and the other resting below my neck.
He has one leg flung over both of mine. I can feel every ridge and muscle of his chest against my back in a way I haven’t ever before, despite having slept with him.
My palms go sweaty, and I scream at myself to move, but despite all the big declarations I made to him, how it was just sex and that sharing a bed last night meant nothing, my body recoils at the thought of moving away from him.
My nervous system declares that this feels right… that this, right here, is peace.
It’s starting to feel so real that I must be imagining it or have gone crazy. I took a clear stand on this being temporary, but day by day, it’s starting to feel anything but. Maybe waking up in his bed isn’t the best way to keep a clear head.
I take slow, steady breaths so as not to wake him and move just a little. And that's when I feel his hardness pressing against my ass.
My body reacts before my brain can catch up, and a rush of heat floods between my legs. I bite my lip to hold back a whimper. My body remembers his hands on me, his lips on my skin, how perfectly he fucked me just yesterday.
It was a mistake, and I’m already starting to want him again. I need to get out of this bed before I do something stupid like wake him up and climb on top of him.
As quietly as I can, I begin to untangle myself from him. Every time his breathing changes, I stop, then move again. I slide his leg off, move his arm, and slither to the edge of the bed on the other side without making a rustle, before finally turning around to see if he’s still deep in sleep.
The sight of him makes me stop.
In his sleep, Valentin looks like a gentle giant.
His face is utterly relaxed, lost to some dreamless sleep, and his long, thick lashes curl up right beneath his eyes.
My gaze sweeps across to the lock of black hair that’s fallen over his forehead, and before I can stop myself, I find myself leaning over the bed, wanting nothing more than to brush it back.
I freeze and pull back, just in time, my heart now twisting into itself in my chest. One feeling seeps into the next, until I find myself lost to how I feel and what I want.
Suddenly, being in his room feels too damn overwhelming. The need to flee is so strong that I leave my wet clothes from last night on his floor, and slip out of his room without even daring to look back.
***
Within an hour, I’m fully dressed and marching down to catch Valentin at breakfast. He’s still in yesterday’s clothes and barely looks awake as he sips his coffee.
“I was wondering where you went.” He breaks into a lazy grin, eyeing me from head to toe in a way that makes me feel wobbly.
“I…I need a bodyguard,” I start, jumping straight to the point. Seeing him, for some reason, gives me these jitters I don’t want to find the source of. Being around Valentin is growing increasingly confusing by the minute, and I’m not yet ready to examine just why. “I have a meeting with Jason.”
The truth is, Jason wrote to me last night, and I read the email this morning. He offered a few options for when we can meet, and I chose the earliest.
All I know is that I need to get out of this house, away from Valentin.
“I can spare Dmitri if you’ll let him tail you,” Valentin shrugs. “Just let me know when you’re in and out?”
The fact that he doesn’t fight me on this knocks something loose in my chest. I truly wasn’t expecting it to be this easy.
“Fine. Dmitri can tail me,” I give him a small smile.
“I’m glad that worked out,” Valentin nods.
***
Over the next several days, I throw myself into work. The meetings with Jason from TriCore go even better than expected.
“This new concept is exactly what we need,” Jason says during our second meeting, and slides the final and signed contract across the table. “The team is already excited about implementing your strategy.”
I try not to bounce in my seat like a kid at Christmas. “I'm thrilled to hear that. I think the user engagement metrics are going to blow past your expectations.”
Dmitri’s always out there, at the entrance. He never comes into TriCore’s office because I’ve made it clear that it won’t fly down too well with me, but whenever we meet at a café, he chooses to find himself a table nearby. I don’t mind that, because to Jason, he could be anyone.
Besides, Dmitri and I’ve become friends…of some sort. I like to see that hulk of a man eat a cookie with his coffee. It’s kind of sweet.
By the fourth meeting, Jason and I have slipped into an easy rhythm. He’s sharp, picks up on my ideas right away, and pushes back when something doesn’t fit their brand. It feels good working with someone who actually gets what I bring, and in a way, he makes me better.
“You know,” Jason says as we wrap up the meeting, “my friend Alex over at SkyMark has been looking for someone with your talents. Would you mind if I passed along your information?”
I make sure not to let my mouth drop open. “Uh, sure,” I say, gathering my things, but stopping when I notice my hands are starting to shake from the excitement. “I’d really appreciate that, Jason.”
SkyMark is one of the fastest-growing tech startups in the aviation space, and I’m amazed at how my life is suddenly turning around. When a company like TriCore gives a recommendation, a company like SkyMark doesn’t think twice.
I can’t stop shaking from excitement, not even when I get home.
Without thinking, I rush straight to Valentin’s office.
I haven’t seen him in a couple of days, as work has taken up the major chunk of my time, but happiness like this deserves to be shared, and I realize I want him to be the one I celebrate with.
After all, he’s the one who convinced me to give it my all, even if I couldn’t go back to my old set-up.
In my excitement, I don’t knock and just enter the room.
“How was your meeting?” he asks, motioning me to a chair.
“Oh my god, Valentin! It was amazing,” I squeal as I sit. ”The TriCore deal is officially signed. And get this—Jason's referring me to SkyMark.”
Valentin leans back in his chair and puts his arms behind his neck, letting out a low whistle.
“Look at you, Gela Jones. Hope you remember the little people when you get all famous,” he grins, staring right at me with pride.
“Oh, I’m not all that.” I blush, and my heart does this stupid little flip at how he calls me Gela Jones.
I've been avoiding being alone with him since that morning I woke up in his bed, making excuses to eat dinner in my room or work late. But now, back in his office, I'm reminded of that day when we first kissed, right here at this desk.
“Anyways.” I clear my throat. “I wanted to thank you for giving me space to work. The bodyguard arrangement is... surprisingly workable.”
He now leans forward and crosses his palms together, his eyes peering into me like he has sight for no other but me. “I'm glad it's working out.”
My pulse skyrockets at how dangerous it feels to be with him alone, at how good he looks, at how intense his gaze is, like he can read every thought crossing my mind.
I push back my chair.
“Well, I should get some rest. Big day tomorrow.”
“Goodnight, Gela,” he says softly.
I head to my room, confused by the disappointing end to our celebration. I was the one who walked away, but why do I feel sick in my stomach? What did I want him to say? To do? I don't even know anymore.
All I know is that he’s not doing anything wrong, and I can’t seem to stop pushing him away.
***
Two days later, I'm sitting across from Alex Winters, the CMO of SkyMark. Just then, my phone pings.
Knock them dead. Proud of you.—V. I stare at the proud longer than I should, before I turn my phone facing downwards/
“Jason wasn't exaggerating about your work,” Alex says, flipping through my portfolio.
By the end of our two-hour meeting, I've secured another major client. SkyMark plans to launch an aggressive campaign next quarter and has asked me to lead it.
As I gather my things, feeling like I'm floating on air, I scan the café for Dmitri. The usual corner where he sits is empty, which is unusual because he rarely leaves his post.
I begin to feel the softest embers of panic rise in my chest, thinking back to the time when Valentin had accompanied me for that first meeting with Jason, when the Zakharov men found us.
I quickly look at all the people, looking for suits and dangerous tattoos, when I see none other than Valentin sitting at a table near the door.
His eyes find mine immediately, like he's been watching the whole time. I grab my things and rush over, wondering what the hell is going on.
Why is he even here? It’s just like him not to trust me to make my own decisions.
I assume he’s here to yell at me, to tell me off because I forgot to inform him I was meeting the SkyMark guy today.
He probably didn’t have the precious time he needed to conduct a thorough background check on the company.
When I reach his table, I cross my arms defensively. “Where's Dmitri?”
“I gave him the day off,” Valentin says and stands to face me.
“So you decided to spy on my meeting instead?” I can feel my hackles rising. “I thought we agreed I could come with a bodyguard! What the hell is wrong with you?”
“I wasn't spying.” He looks at me incredulously. “I was simply waiting!”
“Waiting for what? To tell me I can't work with SkyMark?” My voice rises slightly, and I force myself to lower it.
He shakes his head, looking almost amused. “Not at all. I assumed you'd land the client. You usually get what you want.”
The compliment throws me off balance.
“Then why are you here?”
“How about I show you?”
“What?” I frown.
“Come with me,” he says simply, extending his hand.
I stare at it suspiciously. “Where are we going?”
“It's a surprise,” he grins, and takes my hand anyway.
“Fine,” I relent, feeling oddly giddy now. “But this better be good.”