8

After meeting so many of Vasko's associates, Yuliya knew they were all more or less the same features as Vasko himself, but this one . . . he was different. Once her eyes had caught him, Yuliya was struck. Afuru was a very large man, not in the showy way that a bodybuilder would have done, but solidly like he was used to working hard. The limb that reached across from Vasko to gently envelope her hand in his was the same not soft at all like Vasko. As she looked up at him, she could see that his shoulder were much wider and his chest complimenting his shoulder with an expanse that matched the width. In the light radiating from the stage, his shock of jet black hair was tinged with blues. The planes of his face were angular and made him look strangely alien like he didn't belong with them. To an extent that was true, as the faraway look in his eyes did tell, but the eyes themselves were the most extraordinary bit. Initially she assumed that his eyes would be a match for his hair, however, as Vasko made them all sit down at a table while he poured wine, Yuliya was surprised to see that the same amber color of the liquid was that of a person's eyes. They were like a cat's constantly swirling and seeing around with flecks of greens like there were green fishes swimming in a bowl of gold.

"You know I always give you my less desirable possessions, but this one . . . I'll have to keep as this is mine. This is going to be the new Mrs. Vasko." Vasko said with a ginormous smile on his face. "Now tell me your thoughts. Do you think she comes up to her reputation? Isn't she just breathtaking like a picture from the Smithsonian gallery of an heiress in the prime of her life? She's history itself that's been thrust into my loins."

Afuru then put his hand away from hers and his eyes looked up to down. Yuliya had a calming feeling as she realized he wasn't really looking at her, just making the gesture so that she would be comfortable. He was kind of looking more so at the chair that she was sitting on than the body that was right there for his perusal. She didn't mind as she knew that all men were like this. But offly, there was still an unknown man's hand on top of her own, rubbing soothing circles into the back of her hand.

Why? Yuliya wanted to ask. She was so used to Vasko's friends either having the same views as him or going along with him. Why was this one completely silent? She knew that she was nothing much of a looker and that the frenzy surrounding her was mostly due to the amount of money that she had now, she at least wanted some type of confirmation from him. Some acknowledgement that she wasn't just a doll. Anything more than his stunned quiet as he looked through her. Strange that a stranger could get such a rush from her as he was only touching her hand, the circles of soothing were starting to feel strangely hot so she moved her hand away and clutched it to her chest. His eye followed her movement and his eyes did finally rest on her chest as she had previously assumed she would do. But still she did not find his gaze lewd in the least.