TEN
T he universe definitely had a twisted sense of humour. After the little interaction at the club between Nicolas and I, my best friend informed me that he worked as a federal agent.
Now the event planner, Helena, and I sat across Asher Braun, the special agent in charge of the Criminal Investigation Unit—the same unit Nicolas worked for. Apparently, Asher was extremely busy, so the only place we could meet up with him was at his office.
Nicolas wasn't anywhere in sight, because according to Kehlani, he was on a sabbatical. My curiosity got the better of me and I wanted to know why. Did it have something to do with the scars on his chest and shoulder?
"I look forward to working with you," Asher said, getting up from his seat as we followed suit. "This charity event is extremely important and a lot of important people are going to be present."
"We won't disappoint you, Mr. Braun," Helena spoke up, shaking his hand firmly and then he moved to me next. He hummed in satisfaction.
"I know you won't. I've heard only good things about your company and it was highly recommended amongst my friends and family."
We bid our goodbyes and then we headed towards the exit. Someone called out to me, and when I turned around, Amala approached me with a bright smile. Her grey tendrils shimmered underneath the fluorescent lighting.
"Hey, Gabriella." She came closer, opening her arms for a hug. "It's so good to see you again, what brings you to the headquarters?"
"Hey, Amala." I reciprocated her actions, hugging her. "This is Helena, my colleague. Helena, this is Amala." I introduced them, but Helena politely excused herself and said she'd wait in the car. "We had a meeting with Asher Braun, it's regarding a charity event hosted by his family every year."
She nodded. "I'm familiar. He's also my superior." She came closer and whispered, "He doesn't really like hosting it because everyone's pretentious, but he doesn't have a choice."
I burst out laughing and shook my head. "I'm not surprised."
"Don't tell him I told you that, though."
"Your secret is safe with me." I chuckled. "Are you on a lunch break?"
"Unfortunately, no. I'm waiting on Kayden. We're working on a cybersecurity case and that's his area of expertise."
"That sounds interesting. It’s surely more exciting than event planning." Amala laughed, her pearly whites on full display.
"It's not that interesting, it's more stressful than anything else. I'm glad I ran into you, though, I'm having a housewarming at my new apartment this Saturday, you should come. "
"I'd love to. Which reminds me, you should give me your number." I took my cell phone out of my handbag and handed it to her.
"Kehlani, Kayden, and Nicolas will be there, too, so you don't have to worry about being surrounded by unfamiliar faces."
The mention of Nicolas' name almost had me choking on my own saliva. "Oh," I responded quickly. "Nicolas and I aren't really acquaintances."
She handed my phone back to me with a knowing smirk on her face. "I think the term acquaintances is too formal."
"No, seriously." I laughed. "I can't even stand him, if I'm being entirely honest."
"I could practically feel the tension between you two at the club. He hasn't been seen in public with women at all, so the fact that he dragged you away from us for a walk says a lot."
"Seriously?" It was almost hard to believe. The man was extremely handsome. With his sharp, sculpted jawline, dark grey eyes, full lips, and a body toned to perfection. How could women not have been throwing themselves at him?
"Yes." She laughed. "At one point, I thought he was into men, but the look he gave me when I questioned him about his sexuality almost scared me to death.” Amala's phone buzzed and she glanced at the caller ID. "It's Kayden. I'll see you Saturday, yes? Text me so I can send you the details."
"I'll do that, see you Saturday." We waved at each other and then I made my way towards Helena's car. There was a strange feeling that someone was watching me, but when I observed the area, the street was practically empty.
I frowned, but brushed the feeling off and quickly got into the passenger's seat. I looked around once more, but didn't see anything out of the ordinary.
"Is everything okay?" Helena asked while starting the vehicle .
"Yes, everything's fine. It's just I could've sworn it felt like someone was watching me." She looked at me with a concerned expression, reversing out of the parking spot before stepping on the gas and driving off.
"I got the exact same feeling when I exited the building," she admitted. I glanced in her direction and released a soft breath.
"I'm sure we're just paranoid." I’m sure we are.
Amala's apartment was the epitome of elegance and modernism. Stainless steel appliances, neutral tones of furniture with pops of red here and there. Everything looked aesthetically pleasing.
If someone asked me to describe minimalism, it would be this magnificent space. It was a two bedroom apartment that overlooked the New York skyline.
Sheer curtains draped the windows, warm lights illuminated the space, and the scent of fresh linen surrounded us. "This place looks absolutely stunning," Kehlani said and I nodded in agreement.
"Thank you so much," Amala gushed, handing each of us a flute of champagne. "Mandatory girls’ night next month. I think we've got more than enough space to host our drunken escapades."
A laugh bubbled in my throat. "Agreed, but are you sure you want us roaming around this place drunk? There's a lot of valuable décor."
"I'll take my chances." There was a knock on the door so Amala excused herself to check who it was. I focused on Kehlani, who was explaining to me the tough situation she found herself in today at work.
She worked as a paralegal, so she dealt with difficult clients every single day. It felt like a gust of ice cold wind hit my skin and I shivered. I turned my head sideways and found Nicolas gazing at me.
Next to him was Kayden and another man that I didn't recognise. Judging by the look on Amala's face, she wasn't happy to see him and he looked like he'd rather be anywhere else.
She forced a smile on her face and gestured for the three men to enter. Out of the three of them, Nicolas was the one who seemed like the most intimidating. He was also the tallest.
With both arms covered in dark ink and his all black attire, he seemed like an enigma. He looked unapproachable with his dark gaze and stoic facial expression.
I forced myself to look away and continued my conversation with my best friend, which was short lived when her husband joined us, along with the third man.
"Gabriella, I'd like to introduce you to one of my other close friends and colleague, Ares Valiente." I smiled at him, shaking his hand.
"Nice to meet you, beautiful." He placed a soft kiss on my knuckles and I could feel the heat spreading directly to my cheeks.
Then I felt the intensity of someone's eyes on me and I already knew who the culprit was. "Likewise, Ares." We engaged in casual conversation, but Nicolas didn't come any closer. He remained seated on one of the single couches.
His gaze never faltered, though, and it made me shift from one foot to the other. "Excuse me," I said to the group of people I was standing with. I asked Amala where the bathroom was and she pointed me in the direction thereof.
After freshening up, I checked my make up in the mirror one last time and then unlocked the door, opening it swiftly before stepping outside. I stopped dead in my tracks when Nicolas stood against the wall, hands in his pockets.
My breath hitched as I locked eyes with him. My limbs felt like they'd been frozen. I couldn't move. "Are you avoiding me?" He pushed himself off the wall, taking slow, predatory steps toward me.
The chatter and sound of soft music was drowned out and it felt like the only people that existed right now was the two of us. I swiped my tongue across my lower lip and shook my head. His eyes flicked to my lips for a split second. The movement ever so quick.
"I have no reason to avoid you," I said.
"Is that so?" He cocked an eyebrow. The sound of his voice travelled all the way from the top of my body to the tips of my toes. "You're a bad liar."
Another step.
"Why would I lie to you?" My nipples pebbled against the fabric of my dress, a mixture of heat and coldness travelled through me.
Another step.
"I don't know, you tell me."
"I have to get back to the party." I dismissed him and took a step forward, but he blocked my path. His bicep brushed against my nipple and I gasped softly.
"I'm still talking to you," he said coolly. "It would be impolite to walk away while we're in in the middle of a conversation."
I glanced downward, watching his hand twitch. "You're right." I forced a smile. "Where are my manners?" I finally looked up at him. We were so close to each other, but it still felt like there was a barrier between us.
Neither of us wanted to touch the other. "Why don't we have this conversation on the balcony?" he suggested.
I shouldn't have agreed to it, but something deep inside of me couldn't resist. I nodded slowly, dragging my eyes to his lips. My gaze lingered on them for a few seconds before I cleared my throat. " Lead the way."
The underlying tension clouded my vision, blinding me in the process. We definitely had unfinished business, but I didn't want to face the inevitable. When we reached the door that led to the balcony, he unlocked it and slid it open for me.
My back faced him when I heard the soft click of the door closing and the sound of the lock being put in place. The sheer curtains prevented anyone from seeing us, but we could see them.
"Sit," he ordered, but I remained standing.
"Are you always so demanding?"
"No," he responded nonchalantly. "Are you always so stubborn and inquisitive?"
"Maybe if you ask nicely, I'll consider your requests." His jaw ticked and he interlinked his fingers, his elbows resting on his thighs.
"I'm not the type of man who asks nicely, I take what I want." My heart nearly exploded at the double entendres. "So you can sit willingly or I'll make you."
Since the moment I first laid my eyes on him, the attraction was instant with every interaction thereafter had intensified that feeling. His threat sent shockwaves directly between my thighs and I clenched them together before taking a seat in the chair opposite him.
Every sense in my body was heightened, becoming sensitive to his presence. "Between the two of us, I'd say you're the one that requires manners." I referred to what he told me at the club.
I'll teach you some manners, though.
He scoffed, narrowing his eyes at me. "I see you've become quite familiar with Ares."
"I don't understand how that concerns you. Besides, I was just being polite," I scoffed .
"Oh, now you know how to be polite?" he questioned sarcastically. "Understand this: everything you do concerns me."
"Why?" I asked bitterly. "We're not in a relationship."
"Yet." His voice was low, venomous, and dangerous. My lungs suddenly felt as if there was no oxygen being pumped to it.
"You don't even know me," I spat. "You're behaving like a damn maniac. This isn't normal."
" Mikrí petaloúda ." His accent was more prominent when he spoke in the foreign language. "Nothing about me is normal."
"Clearly," I scoffed. "You're crazy."
"Semantics." His casual tone of voice and laid back demeanour irked me.
"What do you want from me, Nicolas?"
"What I want is you ." His stare pierced my soul. "I think you very well remember me telling you that I wanted you in every way possible. Did you think I was joking?"
Silence engulfed us. I could hear the shallow breaths Nicolas released, the quick gush of wind, and an owl hooting in the distance. "I didn't know what to think at the time."
"Then look me dead in the eye and tell me all you ever wanted was a one night stand. That from the very beginning, there was no chemistry between us, only sexual tension."
My mouth opened and closed like a fish out of water. There were a few feet between us, but the intensity of his stare made it seem like he infiltrated every inch of my skin, flowing through my bloodstream.
The last thing I ever wanted was a one night stand. Hell, I'd never participated in that before because to me, sex was much more than just physical pleasure. It was intimate. A moment of vulnerability.
"Answer me." His voice snapped me out of my daze and I swallowed hard, crossing one leg over the other.
"I can't do this right now." I stood up from my seat, prepared to leave this housewarming.
"You really have a knack for running away, don't you?" He stood up, mirroring my movements. "Perhaps I should tie you up. Maybe then we can have a proper conversation."
I blinked a few times, the thought of being tied up by this man created a pathway of illicit fantasies. "There'll be no need for that."
He came closer, stopping right in front of me. Nicolas brushed a stray curl out of my face, tucking it behind my ear. I released a heavy breath, trying to keep my eyes open.
His touch was gentle, warm, and comforting. Quite the contrast to his intense, cold demeanour. "Then answer my question. Give me an unfiltered answer and stop running. There's no escape, Gabriella. I'll hunt you down if I have to."
Aqcua Di Gio invaded my senses, making it difficult for me to think straight. "It was much more than just sexual tension, Nicolas, you know that."
"Do I?" A rhetorical question. I frowned at him, my burrows knitting together. "What are you so afraid of?" he asked, genuinely this time.
I swallowed softly, looking at the view of the city. I couldn't speak, I couldn't bring myself to admit my biggest fear.
"I need to go." Nicolas' hand was on the back my head before I could even step away from him. He tugged on the strands of my hair, making me whimper, and pulled my head backward—forcing me to make eye contact with him.
"You're not going anywhere." He leaned in. "And when I'm talking to you, I expect you to look at me, Gabriella." Our lips were inches apart and the cool breeze did absolutely nothing to lower my body temperature .
"You're so persistent." I gasped when he tugged my hair a little harder.
"Persistent?" He chuckled softly. "I've missed those little sounds you make for me." He moved his face next to mine, our cheeks touching as he whispered in my ear. "You haven't been with anyone else, have you?"
"What?" I asked breathlessly. Overstimulation. That's what I experienced right now.
"Tell me you haven't been with anyone else since our night together," he murmured. "I hope you know that if I can't have you, nobody else can." My eyes fluttered closed and I breathed heavily.
His last statement sounded deadly, as if daring me to say I've been with another. "I haven't," I said softly. "It's only been you."
He released me from his grip and stepped back. The action made my eyes pop open and I glanced at him with a frown. In that moment, I heard the lock to the balcony door click and I realised the reason why he created distance between us.
Ares stepped outside with Kayden beside him. I didn't wait a second longer and immediately rushed inside. I didn't even look back, but I could feel his eyes lingering on me. Déjà vu. Just like the day we met.