Chapter 21

Jace:

My foot was tapping, body rigid and soul on fire. I was waiting for her to show up. It was almost five minutes to nine and something was confirmed in me that she would show up. She had to. I wasnt done hurting her.

Selene hadn't seen much of me. That kiss was just a starter. I wanted her. Her body, her soul, I wanted to own all of it. She'd hurt me for ten years and I didnt care for reason. I was going to rip her apart from the inside.

Despite my uncompromising anger towards her, I couldnt ignore what she was. Beauty was a small word for this girl. She only grew to become more of the unearthly dream that she'd been. Her short raven hair, creamy white skin and sparkly blue eyes were the cherry on top. Her red lips were the whipped cream and that desirable, ravishing body was the cake all in all. I could just eat her up. Holding back the urge of ripping her apart in the most sensual manner wasnt easy. Sean's presence in the apartment helped controlling my senses. That's why I took him with me. I couldnt afford losing my ground to her. She thought she could control my feelings? Well, she hadn't met the real Jace Anderson yet.

8 57 am.

I groaned. What the hell was wrong with my clock. I felt like throwing my phone at it which struck the same numbers. I checked my silver Rolex and bit my lip. Same time everywhere. I got desperate to a point that I searched New York time on Google only to find it striking two minutes to nine. Feeling agitation growing harder in me, I stood up and unbuttoned my dark polyester gray suit's blazer. I pulled it off and threw it away on my chair. Loosening my black tie, I unbuttoned the top button of my white button up shirt and took a deep breather. I needed shower.

And sex.

Maybe both.

Shit! I wanted to scream. I was irritated.

A knock interrupted my fingers pulling my hair. I invited the person in and Sean revealed himself. His head was bobbing like a bobblehead toy as he hid behind the door and checked me out.

"What?" I spat, waving my arms.

"Nothing. Except that uh... she's here." He walked in with a teethy smile. He released the door fully open revealing Selene taking notes from Candice by her desk. God she looked sexy as hell in that one piece pantsuit. What the hell.

"Of course she is. No one goes against my decision." I replied cockily, keeping the joy of my victory hidden.  Her eyes lifted from Candice's sitting posture and met mine for a second. Even through the big distance between us, her blue eyes penetrated my soul.

"Uh-huh. Sure." Sean interrupted, rubbing his jaw.

"Dont you have a company to run?" I shrugged.

"Might uh... Jace you might want to attend yourself." He looked away, raising a hand to block his eyes' view towards me. The direction his blocking arm was elongated to, told me the situation. I needed attending. I turned around and felt my cheeks heat up.

What the hell? I wasnt a man who felt ashamed of his power. I flared my nostrils and held my anger at bay.

"I'll see you when you are... calm." Sean spoke in a pause and I heard the laughter in his voice. I turned to find him gone but th door still opened.

Inhaling a deep breath, I knew I needed some work done before I could continue the day.

"Candice!" I called out and she stood up in a flash. Selene held her temple with a wide jaw and i realized that Candice must've hit the pen on her way to her feet. I felt joy as Selene eyed me with a twisted mouth.

"Come on in." I waved for Candice to come in and she didnt care to fix her hot pink body hugging dress. It reached her thighs and matched perfectly with her blond hair and full sleeves. I held my eyes on Candice's body, enjoying the peripheral view of Selene eyeing me carefully.

"Close the door, will you?" I held the buckle of my pants and looked at Selene. Her face went numb and she looked away as the door closed.

My heart dropped at this and I couldnt do it.

"File these for me, and tell me which ones do I need a redo of. You can use the couch." I gave her four files and her smile faded. Suddenly, her extra coloured rosy lips, and curvy body didnt appeal to me anymore. But I couldnt have Selene thinking that she had this effect on me, so I made sure to keep Candice in my room fill her thinking was assured.

"Did you give the new girl some work?" I clenched my jaw, taking my seat.

"I told her to sort out my files. Ones that need a check up and one that are done." Candice opened the first file. I nodded, leaning back in my chair with my forefingers crossing on my lips.

***

Candice was in my room for almost thirty minutes. When she opened the door, my face dropped when there was no Selene to frown on the other side. Yeah, I was hell bent on torturing her every moment I got.

I had a meeting around eleven and I knew I needed assistance to keep notes of the meeting. I decided to take Selene in. When I tucked myself in my blazer and set myself right  I headed out with my laptop and found Slene sitting on a single stool in the corner near the elavator corner, typing things in the laptop on her lap. The files she was working through were on the floor, opened. I felt a jolt of something pinching my heart, but instantly, I let it go.

"Candice, you can go for break." I ordered and she tilted her head in confusion. She knew we had a meeting and she had only come in like two and half hours ago. I didnt care. I needed Selene.

"Break, already?" She stood with her black handbag.

"Get used to it, now you have someone else to cover your tracks." I smirked at Selene and she froze in her work. Her head lifted and she let her eyes meet mine. Her face was so well dressed and so calm. The pen in between her teeth was itching at me and plump pink wet lips she had... jesus.

"Alright." I heard Candice breathe before she headed for the elevator, leaving us alone on the floor. I cokced my brows at her when she kept staring at me. Instead of dropping her head, she gave me the same gesture and I felt turned on. She was a game.

"Meeting. Now. Follow me, and bring your laptop." She nodded and I pressed the elavator button. I realized that Candice had taken it so the wait would be a bit. Soon I felt her presence behind me and some shuffling tickled my ears. I turned my head slightly to find her holding her laptop in between her elbow and waist, while she fixed her clothes and hair. She looking down at her body it was safe to say that she wasnt the only one eyeing that body upside down.

I gulped quietly, turning around and moving into a now available elevator. She walked in after me, keeping her gaze to her laptop and stood behind me. She smelled of fresh lavenders and cream. I wanted to rub her all over me and take her right in the elevator. Damned close spaces.

"Mr. Anderson?" She suddenly called me and my heart pounded in my ears. Did she just call me Mr. Anderson? And why did that sting?

"What?" I fixed my tie but really, I was finding any way to inhale some air.

"Um, so I just have to take notes in the meeting?" She questioned.

"Amateur." I sighed and heard her release a wavered breath, "Yes. I dont want anything missing."

"O-okay." I heard some more shuffling and in irritation, I turned to her. She was trying to fix her shoe. I cursed under my breath and raised my hand to her. She stiffened and her eyes traced my hand to my face. When I tightened my jaw at her. She placed her free hand in mine and used the other to tuck her foot in her shoe.

"Ow." She muttered, stumbling to her feet.

Why wear heels if she couldnt afford to walk in it. She could get hurt or wor-

What the hell was I thinking?

"T-Thank you." She invaded my thoughts, releasing her hold on my hand.

"Where is the damn floor?" I grunted.

"Um, sir, the button." Selene whispered and I looked at her briefly to find her holding her laughter. I hadn't pressed the floor number. I felt stupid as shit before I did it carefully.

"We are discussing our propositions on homing societies for the poor and I need you to try and keep his words in the document as well. I shouldnt find one mistake." I stated properly. Though we had a recorder in the room but she didnt have to know that.

"That's a very generous thought, sir." She spoke after a while and the melody in that sentence was so sweet that it took me back to that night in the cabin when I actually told her my plan of building homes for the first time. She gave me her awe just the way she did now. I shrugged off the thoughts when the elavator opened on the fiftieth floor. The elevator opened into one gigantic hallway and on our sides were meeting rooms. I was scheduled in the right across the hall, by the end. It was mine basically. Where I held my one on one meets.

I could hear the muffled thuds of Selene's heels on the grey carpeted floor. I felt my body sweating and eagerness to look at her gawking at the establishment but I couldnt risk it. She had no right to know that she was still the woman I loved.

When we entered the meeting room, there was one man sitting around the large, glass rectangular table and he was staring at his laptop's desktop on the projector screen. Good, he was already set up. I didnt wait to keep the door open for her, so she grunted when the heavy metal door smacked her back. She pushed herself in, I could see by the corner of my eye and if she could curse loudly. She would've.

"Hello." Selene's complaining voices got his attention and he stood up in all black suit and white shirt under. His black hair were gelled back to spikes, but the slightly long length of them pushed them down. His face was bright and ready for the day.

"Aaron?" We heard a call and both our head turned to stunned Selene. She was staring at the guy in front of me with wide eyes and hands resting on the table. I watched his confused face turning to a huge smile.

"Selene Arly!" He called out with a laugh before walking around his seat to her and lifting her up in a right hug. I held my hands to my side, finding some restrain on my urge to rip his body apart from hers. She had her arms around his shoulders and it seemed that she enjoyed the reunion as well. So the bitterest man in the room... was me.

"You havent called in years!" He moved back, holding her shoulders.

"Ugh, I know. I'm sorry. I guess I just..."

"Wanted to run away?" He finished and she nodded. I felt a horrible claw clutching at my heart.

She wanted to run away? I gave her everything and still she wanted to run away. That... damn it!

"What are you doing here?" He laughed after a long pause between them. It seemed something palpable and I was glad that both refused to acknowledge it.

Her face dropped and eyes moved to me. I gave out a bitter smile to show them that I was still present in the room.

"Uh, work." She shook her head and he nodded.

"Well that's great." He chuckled, walking from my side to me and taking my hand in a greeting.

"Aaron Blane. I'm representing my partner, Jacob Brooks." He shook my hand and I held the same smile on my face while releasing myself from him.

"Pleasure to meet you. Have a seat?" I tried mustering the lost professional tone in me.

***

The meeting lasted for an hour and everytime I caught a glimpse of him while I was talking, his eyes would be on Selene. She, however, was oblivious to this.

Great.

Selene found herself another rich boy.

I ended up making a deal of a shelter home, sixty to forty with the Jacob Blane's Corportaion. Yeah, they'd mixed their names to build one company. I shouldve known. Jacob Blane's was a very high built company but it had it's good works showing all over America. Their shelter homes at acing qualities and their small hotels seemed to have good customer outcome and reviews. I was going to invest as much as possible in the particular project because eith their quality and my high budget, we could create one of the largest shelter homes and have a good turnout for the people of New York city. It was a good stone turning over in a big dream.

When Aaron left, he stopped by Selene's seat behind the end of the table and I saw him dropping a small note in her fingers. I felt agitation at that but let my gaze fall away from them. I was mad but Aaron wasnt the right person to show it in front of.

Selene was still smiling, looking at her screen and typing. I took my seat back and disconnected my laptop from the projector. I couldn't help but find her indulged in whatever she was doing on her little laptop. She seemed so happy.

Focus, Anderson! No more giving in to her tricks and innocent looks.

Sometimes I hated how much the voice inside my head, was right.

"We're done here." I stood up and she nodded with her bottom lip fully sucked between her teeth. Suddenly, I wanted to bite it.

"Oh, um, sure, sir." She closed the lid of her laptop and stood up. She walked to the door and opened it for me. I was impressed at the niceness, but still scared that she might smack it on my face when I got to it.

I'd like to see her try. The voice inside my head, challenged and I made my way to the door. She kept it open for me and then followed me out.

"Did you get everything?" I questioned as we headed back for the elavator.

"Yes." She responded firmly.

"His and my conversation, both?" I pressed the elavator button.

"Yes, sir." Her voice grew softer. I wanted her to speak more. I didn't want to be the person who talked first. I wanted her begging for my voice.

When I moved into the elavator, I found her following me in with a smiling gaze and bitten lip. She was checking me out. I felt pride in that and decided to just enjoy my recognition.

"This deal seems splendid sir. The ideas were creative, the numbers seem reliable and this could be a great project." Selene started and I gave out a hidden smile at her interest in this. She was always the only intrigued person in my idea of creating homes for the homeless.

"I know." Was all I could say, despite the fact that I wanted to tell her the whole idea.

"I would say the same about your notes when I get them in the next thirty minutes. Proof read and organized." I finished before exiting the elavator and heading to my office. Her groan rang all the way to me but I wasnt going to help her.

No way! Good luck, Miss Arly.