Chapter 50

" Can I leave?" She silently asked,it was more of a hushed whisper. Her nervousness turned me on. 

Or perhaps it was the thrill of almost getting caught, I couldn't be sure. Walking towards her, I crossed my arms and studied her beneath my lashes. The height advantage something I secretly enjoyed, it made her seem more delicate to me. And the more delicate she was the better.

" And go where?" I asked and she looked at me like I was crazy. Then she rolled her eyes and started to look around the room. I think she was searching for her clothes because after a while she groaned and placed her palm on her forehead. 

" You could have at least kept him company in his room till I left!" she scolded and I almost laughed. Her aggravation was a foreign thing. And it's like each day she was opening up another part of herself that I hadn't even known was there, there was literally no way I could compare the current Layla to the one who had entered my office all those days ago to pick her paycheck. The difference is miles apart. 

" Why would I have done that?"

" What if he walks out while I'm still in the hallway and then he sees me?!"

" You worry too much. "

I was serious when I said that, she had to learn how to live on the edge,how to take risks every so often. 

" And you don't worry enough," she countered and I arched both my brows, keeping a tight hold on her upper arm when she tried to walk away. The entire situation must have gotten her worked up, she asked me to let her go while struggling to hold onto the sheet wrapped around her,and when I didn't, she attempted to pull her arm free from my hold. I didn't let her. I couldn't. 

" Relax sweetheart,"

" Don't tell me to relax! "

" You're acting as if he saw you, "

" He could have. "

" But he didn't now, did he?"

She gritted her teeth in anger, fuming. Probably because of how I was addressing the matter. But I had never been one to succumb to either stress or pressure. I took things lightly because that's just how I was.And that was sadly an aspect of myself that I couldn't change, neither did I want to.

" Let go, " she commanded once more. I pulled her closer to me instead. This need to get her to calm down building up inside me,I didn't like those worry lines that were creasing her lovely face. I wanted her to go back to how she had been just a few minutes ago. Happy and at ease. Sighing, she placed both her palms on my chest and bowed her head. I knew it was all beginning to take a toll on her. She wasn't used to anything that we were doing, and she was also super worried about what Arden would think of her. 

To be honest, I was a little concerned as well. If Arden found out that I had basically seduced Layla into becoming my lover then he'd probably be angry. But I couldn't be sure, he was used to me and my patterns but this time it was different, so there was no way to guess what his reaction would be. 

Not that he was ever going to find out. 

" Breathe, " I calmly told Layla. Placing my chin on the top of her head and gently massaging her nape. And as I did so I realized that I had never been that caring towards any other member of the female species. None at all. This was the first time I actually cared for one. And that's what this was, just care and nothing more. 

She both ignited a fire within me and calmed it in equal measure. Her fragility was something I wanted to preserve most of the times,but other times all I wanted was to completely exterminate it. 

I felt her as she took in a deep breath and let it out. Her hands on my skin the only thing I could feel. This wasn't sexual,I realized. In that moment I harboured no thoughts about pinning her down and devouring her because all I could think of was her own well being.

I don't know where those thoughts were coming from but they were not Gabriel Germaine's. I refused to claim ownership of them.

" Better? " I asked and she nodded. Then she slowly looked up at me with this new courage that seemed to grow everyday. Her brown eyes digging into mine, I couldn't look away if I wanted to. And once again, for what just have been the thousandth time, I thought of her in that taxi in the highway. Of that first instance when I had looked at her and gotten immediately obsessed. That image kept recurring in my head, over and over it just popped up. And when I breathed in her strawberry scent I thought of her shy smile and her sweet voice. I thought of things that I had no desire of thinking about. I held her gaze, wondering what was going through her mind. 

I was seeing changes and it wasn't only in her courage, she glanced at me more often and she touched me more freely. Something I was sure I always wanted. So why was it making me nervous? I feared that she was letting her feelings get the better of her, and I realized that I had to clear out those facts as soon as I could because as I had previously mentioned, I care for her. And the last thing I want is to hurt her in the end.

All those thoughts were crushed to dust when she reached up in her tiptoes and placed a tender kiss on my lips, so soft it rendered me speechless. There was emotion to that kiss, I knew there was.

Smiling, I moved her hair out of her face and then I gently stepped back. I needed space to think clearly. I realized that I hadn't thought things through from the beginning.

I mean, I still wanted her more than anything else, but I feared that there was a price to pay. And for the first time, the price wasn't in terms of money. But I knew nothing about any other kind of transactions so everything was unclear and confusing in my head. 

Reaching up, I scratched my neck for lack of anything to say. Then I cleared my throat and moved out of the way to let here pass.

" It's safe, you may go now. " 

I tried to sound as normal as possible, but something betrayed me and the words come out a little shaky and unsure. Layla dropped her eyes to the floor and I saw a look of confusion mask her beautiful features before she made her way to the door and exited without saying a word. 

I walked over to my bed and sat down in the edge, then I looked at the paintings she had been busy observing. Walking over to the first one, that of the young boys shadow.I had painted it when I was about fourteen, and back then I had been quite impressed with my own work. But now when I stared at it I saw it as a reflection of the weakness I wanted nothing to do with. A young child's hopeless dreams. And suddenly I couldn't bare to even look at it and I ended up taking it off the wall and throwing it into one of the drawers in my closet. 

I was not weak, and I didn't need anyone to survive. I never had and I never would. Everything I had accomplished so far was all by myself. 

Alone. 

I had no use for other people's reassurance because one thing I had come to learn about the human race is that everyone eventually disappoints and when it came down to it, they'd always choose themselves over you. 

💮🌼💮🌼💮🌼

I had been seated at the dining area holding a conference call on my laptop when I saw her emerge from the corner of my eye. She had already changed and gotten dressed. I had passed by the kitchen for some coffee earlier and everything had been cleaned up and returned to its rightful place. She had also picked up all her clothes, and my shirt as well.  

I heard her as she walked over to the room she seemed to love most in that house and she began to take out some ingredients once more. I didn't want to look at her, I had urgent work to tend to and my work was my life. But after every other second I found myself glancing towards her. She never once looked back. And I know it was intentional.

" Don't carry out any more advertising. What's been done is enough, any more would simply be a waste of resources. Matthews, I asked you to follow up on the distributors, I trust you have something to report back, " 

I said to the group of thirteen people who looked up to me for guidance on how to carry out their tasks. Then I listened as the gentleman began to give me the report. 

But I could hardly concentrate. 

And after a while I wanted to just end the call and walk over to that kitchen and find out what the issue with her was, but then Arden suddenly emerged and I stayed still. 

" There she is!" He said as he walked towards the kitchen. The biggest smile I had ever seen on his face. Layla returned it with a genuine one of her own. I watched him as he got to where she was and wrapped his arms around her. Literally lifting her off the floor. 

I wanted to END him!