Whirling around, I came face to face with the red witch. With arms crossed over her chest, she sized me up and down with her cat eyes. Her nose crinkled with disgust.
“I don’t know what he saw in you. But I have to say, you trapped him pretty well in your web.”
Biting my inner cheek, I cast the tissue into the bin and turned to her. “And guess what? I didn’t even have to throw myself on him like a shameless woman to trap him. Seems like that trick got quite old now.”
Her face turned red, matching her dress, eyes flashing. “So, you used the bed then? Otherwise, a man like him wouldn’t even look at you if not you pleased him well. Am I right? Where did you take your classes to please a man like that, anyway? He seemed so lost in you.”
My hands fisted into balls. “From the same place you took your PhD. I’m sure you got your answers. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I need to go back inside. He must be looking for me.”
Leaving her flushed with rage, I walked out of the bathroom.
Bitch! How dare she? Oh, how I wanted to pull her hair out of her scalp!
Fuming in anger, I passed a couple wrapped around each other, pulling at their partner’s clothes out of desperation. Noticing me, they jumped away from the other like even the mere proximity burned them. Their faces flamed crimson as they shuffled into their places.
Saving them from the embarrassment, I got out of the corridor as fast as I could. Even my own cheeks grew hot at someone’s personal spectacle.
As I passed a floor-to-ceiling window, something caught my eye. Halting, I neared the window and peeked outside. Two figures stood there under the shadow, down in the hotel garden.
I squinted. I… knew them.
Was that—Arthur?
When he ran his hand through his hair, the numerous rings on his fingers lustered under the moon. It was indeed him. Along with him was a figure of a woman, but I couldn’t make out her face properly from this far.
Who was he talking to?
The woman’s shoulders shook as she placed her hand over her mouth. I didn’t know Arthur could crack a joke. All I saw him do was stay emotionless and cold.
Deciding it was none of my business, I was about to go back inside when the woman stepped behind and walked away from him with her arms wrapped around her. When the hotel’s walkway’s light fell on her face, a gasp slipped through my lips.
Sierra?
When she wiped her cheeks, I understood she wasn’t laughing, she was crying.
What was she doing here with Arthur? As far as I knew, her presence wasn’t required here at all. Nor was she invited.
Even the other day I saw her with him. After that day, when I went to talk to her about it, I found out she took a week’s leave due to sickness. And now she was here. She didn’t look sick to me at all. She looked exhausted, though.
Strange. What was going on between them?
I needed to talk to her. Something was wrong, I could feel it.
I watched her as she rushed into the parking lot and then got into her car before driving away. When I looked back at Arthur, who still stood there, his gaze was already set on me.
My breath caught in my throat.
His dark, blank eyes sent an ominous shiver down my spine. But I didn’t let it show on my face as I held his gaze with my chin high.
A small smirk tugged at the edge of his lips. As if… mocking me. Shoving his hands into his pockets, he turned around and left.
What was it about this man that always unnerved me? He sounded like a really kind and helpful person from Tess, Caleb, and Ace’s mouth. But he didn’t feel like that to me.
Still processing the meaning of his smirk, I pulled away from the window and walked back inside.
Once I was back in the hall, the dance was over. But Ace was nowhere in sight. He was warning me not to go anywhere, and here he was, the one who disappeared.
The small crowd around the place now enjoyed drinks and light conversations under the slow music. I found Mr. Hakimi with two Arabs in a corner.
Approaching them, I cleared my throat, and their attention fell on me. “I apologize for the interruption, Mr. Hakimi. But did you see Ace—I mean, Mr. Valencian?”
A kind smile appeared on his face. “He had an urgent call to attend to. Don’t worry, your man is still here.” He winked.
My eyes widened at his words as a blush crept up my neck. My man? I wrung my knuckles, glancing around. “Uh, can you please tell me which way he’d gone?”
He nodded, chuckling at my bashfulness.
Following his pointed way, I left to find him after I thanked the old man.
Everyone was here, but I couldn’t find a glimpse of him.
Getting out of the hall again, I continued my search. The almost empty hallways gave royal vibes with high ceilings, golden and white walls where huge antique paintings were hung. The dark red curtains of the floor-to-ceiling windows kissed the marble floor. I was momentarily lost in the beauty of the paintings until I bumped into someone.
“I’m so sorry—” My words caught in my throat, realizing who the person was.
The red freaking witch. And…her eyes were filled with tears?
Her eyes widened as soon as she saw me. And the crestfallen face disappeared, replaced by a smug smile as she wiped the slight red smudge from the corner of her lips.
I frowned.
Flashing me a smirk, she glanced over her shoulder and then walked away.
My eyes fell on the person standing far at the end of the corridor. His gaze was fixed on me, expression unreadable. With my heart palpitating in my chest, I walked to him. My legs hesitated. An ill feeling rose in the pit of my stomach.
As I neared him, my gaze fell onto his ruffled dark locks, and then… the red marks on his neck.
My heart stopped.
I didn’t even flinch when my nails pierced into my palms, as my eyes didn’t move from the marks of lipstick. Lipstick of that bitch!
“Wherever the gears of your brain are turning to, stop right there. It’s not what you’re thinking it is,” he said, not even an emotion flashing over his stoic face.
The clench of my heart made my eyes burn. My blood boiled in my veins.
“These marks of her lipstick prove that I’m thinking just fine! You don’t need to hide anything, Mr. Valencian. After all, you’re a single man free to do anything with anyone!” I spat out the words.
A muscle of his jaw ticked. “I said it’s not what you’re thinking it is. Nothing happened between us. She threw herself at me and I pushed her away. That’s it.”
“Oh, really?” I snapped, stepping closer. My voice rose. The raging fire inside me didn’t let me process his statement. I was too mad for any kind of understanding. “She threw herself at you and you pushed her away? Your disheveled hair and these marks came just like that? Do you think I believe that?”
“Rosebud,” he warned, expression hardening. “I’m telling you for the last time. Nothing happened between us. She tried to kiss me, but I pushed her away. Nothing more.”
The word ‘kiss’ had me see red.
“S-she tried to kiss you?”
A whole different emotion ran through me. Insecurity. Though whatever I called her, she was a stunning woman. More beautiful than me, more poised than me. She was everything a man would ever want in a woman.
He must’ve felt something.
My heart squeezed at the thought.
I gulped the thickness of my throat as I pushed down my anger. I had no right to feel that way.
“W-whatever. I don’t care what you do or not.” I averted my eyes. “It’s your personal life. I don’t have any say in this. Forget I reacted this way. Let’s go inside. Everyone is waiting for us.”
His eyes flashed as I turned around and began to stride away.
A gasp slipped through my mouth when I was pulled back and pinned against the wall, his body pressed against mine. My breath caught in my throat with our faces just an inch away.
“Didn’t you hear what I told you? Nothing happened between us,” he growled, lips curling into a snarl. “And don’t you dare show me your back after you just indirectly accused me of cheating on you! Fuck! I can’t even think of another girl, let alone letting one come close to me!”
He had my hands pinned on the wall on both sides of my head, his hot breath falling on my lips.
Pressing our foreheads together, he closed his eyes. Taking a deep breath, he opened those gray oceans again. “How can I be single when I have my Rosebud in my life?”
My lower lip trembled as a lone tear escaped my eye. Jealousy and insecurity burned my heart. “Y-you didn’t feel anything when she touched you?”
He kissed the tear away. “Her hands were only on me for a second before I put her in her place. And to give your answer, no. The only feeling I felt was disgust.” Cupping my cheeks, he peered into my soul. “This heart only beats for you, my rose. It only knows to react to your touch, no one else’s. I belong to you, just like you belong to me.”
With waves of emotions crashing into my chest, another tear rolled down my cheek as I slammed my lips against his. His arms wrapped around me while my hands snaked around his neck, getting lost in his thick hair as our mouths molded into an intense passion for each other.
Fingers digging into flesh and hands tugging the hair, we were lost into a bubble of desire and possession. I pulled him as much closer as I could. There wasn’t even an inch of space between us. I showed with my actions what my words couldn’t say. Waves of pleasure ran down my body when our tongues joined. My moans were desperate while his groans just intensified the tug in my lower stomach.
Seeming to be losing his control, his hand moved to my back and cupped my behind, pulling me closer, if possible.
“My rose,” he groaned as his hand roamed over my curves. “You’re driving me crazy!”
Even if I didn’t want to pull away, my lungs gave up. Detaching my lips from his, I rested my forehead against his. With closed eyes, I took erratic breaths. My heart drummed in my chest.
He kissed the corner of my lips and then on my neck. Giving him more access to my neck, I leaned against him. After placing a last kiss on my shoulder, he wrapped his arms around me with my face in his chest. The fast rhythm of his heart almost lulled me to sleep.
When sense kicked into my head, though I was shocked how I initiated the kiss this time, I didn’t pull away. Instead, hugging him tight, I snuggled my face more into his warmth.
We stayed that way until I broke the silence.
“Why did you do that seven years ago?”
His shoulders tensed at the mention of that night.
“What do you mean, exactly?” His voice was tight.
I slightly pulled away, enough to look up at him. Gathering some courage, I finally asked, “D-did you know of my… feelings for you?”
With a clenched jaw, he nodded. “Yes. I knew everything.”
My heart skipped. Even if I knew of his acknowledgement, his admission up front was a whole different thing.
Now I detached myself completely from him. Balling my fists, with a tightness around my throat, I asked him, “Then why did you break my heart?”
Silence.
He watched me with unrecognizable emotions in his eyes.
“I-I saw you with Tess that night. I know, just because I had feelings for you didn’t mean you’d also feel the same. But… your words, your actions said you did feel something. Then why? Why did you do that?” I was scared. Uncertain. Maybe everything I presumed was wrong. Maybe I got the wrong meanings out of his actions. I was afraid he’d start laughing at my face at any moment and call my illusions off. But he didn’t.
The only thing he did was stare at me with the utmost silence.
“I know I can be wrong. Maybe I just assumed everything and—”
“You’re not wrong.” He cut me off.
My breath hitched.
“I always wanted you.” His eyes darkened as he said, “I’ve always wanted you for myself.”
I opened my mouth and then closed, too shocked to say anything. Finally, I breathed out, “Then why?”
Again, silence.
“Why Ace?”
He titled his head. “You want to know?”
I nodded.
“Come on a date with me. And you’ll get all your answers.”
