by Zaydee Rain
But Faustine quickly regained her composure and smiled a little. 'Bart, dear, I don't think Lorraine mind that much, eh?' She looked at me for a response.
I wanted to shout "Yes, I do mind very much, you old hag!" but I'm not exactly financially secured and I really need a job. So instead, I shook my head.
'See? It's just a simple...misunderstanding, Bart. It's not that big a deal.'
I saw Bart's eyes smolder at that but before he could speak again, Faustine angled her head so she could peek behind me.
'And who do we have here? Did you make new friends already, Bart?' She asked as she surveyed Luc De la Vega-I completely forgot about him-with hungry eyes.
Bart cleared his throat. 'No, actually, he's Lorraine's friend.' No, he's not, I thought to myself. 'Luc De la Vega, if I may introduce to you my sister, Faustine Collins.'
Her mouth formed a big O and her eyes widened. 'Luc De la Vega? Oh, my.' Then a look passed between brother and sister. 'I'm so sorry. If I know Betty-I mean, Lorraine was held up because of you I would've never gone looking for her.' Her tone implied the opposite of what she's saying.
Luc nodded. 'Your name rings a bell, Ms. Collins but I apologize if I can't remember where I've heard it.'
Faustine giggled like a teenager. 'Oh, Mr. De la Vega, call me Faustine. And maybe you've heard name from friends. I'm a fashion designer, you understand.'
'That explains it,' he murmured. 'And Lorraine works for you?'
The older woman touched my arm like we were the closest of friends. 'Oh, yes. She's the best assistant I've ever had.' Bull. That's not what she tells me every freaking day in the office.
Luc cocked his head in a very Luc De la Vega manner. 'I guess you'd be very sad to learn she's resigning from your employ.'
Shock registered on Faustine's face. 'What?' She screeched then looked at me for confirmation. I shook my head wildly.
'I'm not resigning!' I said.
Luc chuckled. 'Oh, she is. But she didn't want to tell you yet. I'm sorry I took the liberty of letting Faustus know now,' he directed his last sentence to me.
'It's Faustine, not Faustus.' My boss said tightly.
But Luc continued as if he hadn't heard her. 'I hired her for a very specific job, you see. And she needs to start soon.'
'You can't do that,' Faustine sputtered.
'I can,' Luc replied simply, leaving no room for protests. 'And I think it's time for Lorraine and I to on our way now. Goodbye, Faustus.' He emphasized his mistake with her name and blindly reached for my elbow. I dropped the glasses I was holding when I felt his heat, causing the cocktail to spill on Faustine's white dress.
And then I was carted off, once again, to the Rich Foreigner's limo.
'You can thank me later,' He said quietly when the car started moving.
Chapter 6
'Thank you?' I scoffed incredulously. 'You caused me my job! Are you insane?' I poked his shoulder with a finger.
He caught my finger in his hand. His dark head turned slightly towards me. 'Don't.' His simple warning was nothing to me.
The man was truly crazy. 'Do you think I'm scared of you? Ha! Just because you have a lot of money doesn't mean you can do whatever you like!'
He laughed richly. Unconsciously, he rubbed the center of my palm with his thumb. 'I think you should be scared, señorita. As you say, I am wealthy. I can pay people if I want to get away by doing whatever I like.'
I seethed. It was a wonder smoke didn't come out of my ears. 'Well, here's a wake up call: Not everyone is as rich as you. I'm don't have Swiss bank accounts, okay? I really need that job with Faustine especially if you want to be paid for that blasted jar!'
'Vase,' he corrected smoothly. 'And didn't I tell you, you can pay without working? You can just go to bed with me.'
The cracking sound of my free hand meeting the side of his face brought a sudden silence. I inhaled sharply and stared at Luc's now red cheek.
'I-' I couldn't bring to say I'm sorry for slapping him. Instead I said, 'You deserved it.'
He immediately dropped my hand back to my lap. Luc stayed silent but his jaw clenched visibly. He fumbled for a button on his side. The glass divider went down and he muttered in Spanish to the chauffeur.
I sat back quietly, looking out the window but now really seeing anything.
I was out of line.First, I poked him. Then, I slapped him. I invaded his personal space. Added to that, he can't see so he couldn't have really defended himself.
I cringed inside. What is happening to me? I've never been a violent woman. I mean, I don't usually lose my temper easily. But with Luc...
I sighed. It was pure disaster ever since we've first met. I've turned into a klutz who manages to ruin cakes, break vases and spill cocktails on somebody else's dress.
I started when the limo halted. I looked up and realized we were in front of my apartment building in Brooklyn.
The door to my side opened. Luc's ever loyal bodyguard stood there, waiting for me to alight. I turned back to look at his boss. However, when I opened my mouth, no words came out.
Reluctantly, I cleared my throat. 'Uh, t-thanks for the ride, I guess.' I said. 'And I'm so-'
'Say no more. Just get your things.' He tersely replied.
I frowned at him. 'W-what? Why would I do that?'
'Because you're moving in with me.'
'WHAT?!' I shouted. 'No! Never!'
Luc brushed off my comments and directed his orders to the man waiting outside the open door of the car. 'Tripp, assist Ms. O'Callaghan while she's in her apartment. Just get whatever you need for the night and somebody would come back for the rest tomorrow.' He aimed his last sentence for me.
'Would what I need for the night include a chastity belt?' I snapped.
One side of his mouth twitched up. 'Just as long as you don't forget to give me the key.'
I gasped and hurriedly went out of the car. I ran into the building. I pressed the button for the elevator while Tripp followed me in a sedate pace.
'I'm not going back down.' I told him mutinously once we reached my 4th floor apartment. 'So you can just tell your boss to go back to hell, where he belong.' To my surprise, Tripp laughed out loud. I spun back to glare at him. Does Luc even know his employees have so little respect for him? Instead of jumping to his defense, they laugh at him.
The man wiped tears of laughter from his eyes. 'Man, you're a feisty little thing, aren't you?' He laughed again but this time eyeing me up and down, tapping his forefinger on his chin, as if some idea was already was forming in his mind. 'Oh, yeah, you're gonna do fine.'
I wanted to stomp my feet and pull my hair in anger. 'Don't tell me you're hitting on me too!'
He pushed his hands on his pockets and shook his head. 'No, your aunt is more my type.'
I was taken aback. 'My aunt?' I asked stupidly.
Tripp nodded. 'Yeah, I saw her when you we brought you home to Connecticut.'
I started walking back towards my apartment door. 'You want to date my aunt?'
'I even asked her out that day.' He said in an as-a-matter-of-fact tone.
I spun back to him. 'You what?' I looked at him with widened eyes. 'What did she say?'
'Naturally, no.'
'Then why are you still so smug?'
He looked on the wall while I opened the door with my keys. 'Because you'll help me. Right?' I bet that the smile he used on me was worth a million dollars in other women's eyes. However, Luc's slight smirk before I left the car was more unnerving.
I noticed that he doesn't smile often enough but when he does, it changes...everything.
'Lorraine?' I realized I was standing there, with my hand on the knob, just staring at the door. If Tripp hadn't called me, I might've continued do so until forever.
I smiled sheepishly at him. 'Sorry, I got lost in my thoughts.'
He waved a hand away, as if we were already best friends. 'That's cool. But I think we should hurry up. Luc could be-actually, is a very impatient man.'<
br />
I pushed opened the door. 'Does everyone in Luc's employ always call him by his first name?' I asked as I proceeded to go in.
When I got no answer, I glanced over my shoulder to see Tripp framed in the doorway. He look like he was about to have a heart attack.
'Tripp?' I rushed towards him. 'Are you alright?'
He took a careful breath and asked, 'This is where you live?'
I nodded. I glanced back and smiled. My apartment is that big but I'm proud of it. It's not like the Upper East Side flat we left half an hour ago. There were no expensive things in every room-actually mine just have one room. It's a studio type apartment filled with stuff I bought with my own money. It's a little messy, I know, and that's what must have alarmed Tripp but it's a place I can call mine.
He inhaled and exhaled once more before clapping his hand. 'Okay, Raine, let's get going.' He was putting on a fake cheer on his face. 'It's okay if I can you Raine, right?'
I nodded and reluctantly walked to my dresser. 'Do I really need to go? Can't you talk to him about his... craziness?'
Tripp chuckled but didn't say anything. I knew who had the upper hand here. Even if Tripp wanted to help me he could not because his first loyal still goes to his boss. I can't really do anything. I owe Luc De la Vega money-a big amount of money.
Now, if only I could shake the sense of doom I'm feeling...
'You ready?' Tripp carried my overnight bags and went out of the door. I looked around the room once more. My eyes fell on the picture I had framed on my bedside table. It was of me and my parents and the twins. It was taken a few months before they left for the skiing vacation. I quickly grabbed it, stuffed it inside my oversize shoulder bag and went out of my haven.
Luc was tapping his foot when I got back into the limousine. 'What took you so long?' The exasperation in his voice was evident.
I thought about ignoring him but that seemed petty and childish. So I settled for sarcasm. 'Oh, wait, let me think. Hmm, besides the fact that I don't want to go with you? I don't think there was anything else that kept me from going down sooner.'
'If you didn't want to go, why are you here now?' I knew he was pretty much amused.
'Because you're a crazy person!' I said carelessly. 'First, you offer me to pay you back with sex. Then, you tell my boss I'm leaving my job with her. What would be next if I had refused to go with you tonight? Will you have someone murder me in my apartment?'
Strong hands gripped my forearms. Luc dragged me over the gap that separated us in his lavish car seat. 'You have a very sharp tongue, querida. I suggest you learn how to curb it.' He hissed.
I tried to shake off his hands but he wouldn't let me go. Instead, one hand slid up to my shoulder, as if he was looking for something. Then it continued its journey down to my side-down my breast-where it finally rested on my hip.
I looked at his tanned hand over my sapphire blue dress. I was more than a little bit confused. What the hell does is he doing? But before I could brush aside him aside, his other hand followed suit. A few more seconds after that and I was being lifted off the seat.
He pulled me on to his lap and imprisoned me with his arms.
'What are you doing?' I yelled at him. I pushed at his shoulders but his grip was too tight for me to be able to escape. 'Oh my gosh. You're a total lunatic! Let go of me, you bastard! I wish I had never met you!'
I was astounded when instead of (maybe actually) killing me, he dropped his head down my chest. I looked at his bent dark head and went rigid.
'What-'
'Can you shut up even just for a second?' He snapped. I obeyed only because I couldn't contain a shudder at the feel of his hot breath against my skin.
I don't know how it happened but the next thing I knew was that my hand was stroking his luxurious hair and wide shoulders while he take calming breaths against my upper body.
'Luc...?' I prompted him when I felt it was safe to talk again.
He pulled back so that I could see his face again. 'Look, Lorraine-I don't think of you as Ms. O'Callaghan anymore; not after everything I've said to you-I'm sorry for just about... everything.' He laughed a little. It was different from his slight smirk but when he laughs, it also changes him. 'Can we start anew?'
My mind is telling me to be wary of Luc's sudden change of behavior but my heart went out to the lost man in him. I noticed the bleakness in his eyes on our first two meetings but I never paid much attention to it. Now that it's looking to me in the eyes, I could not ignore it any longer. I want to help him with whatever it is that is making him unhappy.
I impulsively touched a hand to his cheek, roughened by his 5 o'clock shadow. 'Yes.'
He turned his head a little and pressed his lips to my palm causing me to jump on his lap.
'I didn't mean to...' I pressed a finger to his lips. I don't know why I felt like this man needs my soothing. He was rich, powerful and enigmatic. Why would a man like him need me for comfort? Then before I could ask for answers, he dropped back his head to my chest. 'I need you.' His voice was so soft I didn't almost hear him.
My heartbeat accelerated at those three words. And then I felt his lips working on the base of my throat. I tangled my hands on his hair again, this time pulling him closer. Luc gently bit on my collarbone and groaned something in Spanish.
We got lost in time as he ravished the skin behind my ears. He was about to bring his lips to mine when the door suddenly opened. The flashes of camera lights blinded me but Luc reacted instinctively. He pulled the car door shut again and told the driver to drive around the building.
I woke up in the guess room Tripp showed me after sneaking into the penthouse last night. We had to use the back exits because the front entrance of the building was blocked by swarming paparazzi.
The room was...okay. Actually, the apartment was okay with the mix of modern and contemporary design. It's just that it doesn't feel so inviting and welcoming. Instead of offering warm comfort, it offers chilly aloofness.
I wandered outside the hallway in my white cotton nightgown. I could smell the brewing scent of coffee. I arrived in what I assumed as Luc's kitchen. It was probably the homiest part of his flat. The equipments were new and shiny. Everything you'll ever need for cooking was there.
I grabbed a mug and poured coffee into it from the coffeemaker. No signs of Luc. Where could he be? Is he still sleeping? Honestly, I don't know where his room is. After we managed to avoid the paparazzi, he left me with Tripp. He didn't say anything just an "I'll see you later. Tripp would show you to your room."
And I haven't seen him since then. I sighed and sat down on one of the bar stools. That was the time I noticed the morning paper. I gulped at the sight of myself draped around Luc, sitting on his lap in the limo. However, it wasn't the picture that arrested me the most.
It was the bold letters of the headline that turned my blood to ice.
"SPANISH BILLIONAIRE'S NEW WOMAN? WHERE'S HIS FIANCÉE?"
Chapter 7
The bastard.
I couldn't control the violent shiver that swept over me. The bastard manipulated me into going with him here so he could seduce me. Thank God for the intervention of the paparazzi!
How could I possibly think he meant those words last night? God, I feel like a fool! I bet this is how Luc really wanted me to feel.
