Chapter 92

Those tiny flecks of doubt I saw in her eyes were not in the least bit amusing, but I supposed it was understandable. Had I been in her place I probably would not have believed me either. 

" If you say that I'm lying then you'll be punching my feelings. " 

She wasn't looking at me, her face was still flushed and she still seemed a bit uncomfortable. I imagined she was still trying to wrap her head around the fact that she had openly admitted to liking me.Finally, she breathed in,her eyes seemed brighter than they had been when I got there. 

" I'm glad that you came, " she told me and I openly smiled, of course she was glad. 

" It doesn't matter how many times you run, I'll still find you. "

" I'm sorry I left without saying a thing, that was wrong, "

" It was. You had me worried. "

She cleared her throat and looked around then she cradled my face in her hands and leaned in for a kiss. And I was sure that the situation was suddenly under control once more, but then she spoke and I wondered what it would take to get her to stop resisting.

" I'm not leaving with you though Gabriel. Nothing changes, it's better if we continue with our lives separately. "

After that, she told me that she had seen the money I had transferred to her and she would appreciate it if I took it back, that she didn't need it and there was no way she was willing to take it just like that. 

" You truly do want me to go mad, don't you?" I asked her. She attempted to stand and this time I let her do so. Then I watched as she crossed her arms and looked at me with all the seriousness she could master. 

" Come on, there's no way we could even work out. "

" What drives you to that conclusion?" 

She waved her hand at me and then shrugged, not finding words fit enough to explain her thoughts. And I wanted her to just tell me, I hated it whenever people beat around the fucking bush. If she wanted to say something then she ought to just go ahead and do so.

" Be blunt with me. I know this is hard for you but I assure you I won't judge. You can speak your mind, whatever it is. "

The depth of my feelings for her were yet to be explored, but I knew for certain that they were not shallow. They ran so deep I couldn't see their end. And I knew that the conversation would lead to a place I hadn't been prepared for but I chose to focus on other matters. I didn't care what happened as long as I got her to drop her guard and return home with me. To once again be a unique part of my life. 

" I won't be your mistress, I'm not comfortable with that. " 

She sounded serious, unwavering in her decision. I watched her keenly. 

" You can't give me what I want so it's better if we just--"

" end things. I think I've gotten that part quite clearly. " I finished off for her, she was stressing the point too much in an attempt to get me to understand it but I didn't care whether she said it a thousand times. I wanted her and so I'd get her. 

" And what exactly is it that you want Layla?" I asked her, standing and stepping closer, looking down at her with a knowing glance.

She refused to answer that and I didn't push. I supposed it was way beyond her comfort zone to say so. 

" You want stability, don't you? "

It was an easier way to phrase it and she understood. What she wanted was to have a nice and normal relationship with the person that she liked. Not to have to sneak around and hide like we had been doing up until that point. 

" Fine then, Layla Kendrick, will you do me the honor--"

" Whoa! " she cut me short, putting her hand up and taking a step back. I furrowed my brows in confusion and asked her what was wrong. 

" I didn't mean it like that, I don't want to marry you!" she said and I was unable to help it. I burst out laughing.

" Don't be absurd sweetheart, I'm not proposing marriage. "

She sighed in relief and I wondered why her reaction had had to be so intense, not that I wanted to tie the knot with her or anything, but she acted as if the mere thought of it was haunting. I was a catch. 

" You want stability, I'm willing to offer that to you. " 

She seemed shocked. Then she asked me whether I understood what I was saying and I assured her that I did. I might have sounded quite casual and normal while I said it my heart was thumping and my mind was asking me what exactly I thought I was doing. It was scolding me because I was doing something I had never done before and it didn't know how things would go. 

" No more hiding. "

" You realize that that's impossible right?" 

" Lady! What exactly is your problem?!" I had just handed her what she was asking for yet she still insisted on taking steps backwards and making things a lot tougher for me. She asked for stability and I has just given her that. There was no satisfying her. 

" Arden?" she asked and I went ahead to assure her she didn't have to worry about him. 

" You told him?"

" No, I didn't have to. The lunatic already knew."

It took her a while to process the information after I explained everything to her. It was difficult for her to believe that Arden had just been messing with us the entire time. I had also been shocked on finding out but I had gotten over it pretty quick because it was Arden and I had known him for long enough to expect such a thing from him. Layla however thought the two of us were mentally insufficient. 

" Why would he do that?"

" I don't know, personal amusement? "

By the time she let the issue be, I was certain that she would finally agree, but she went ahead and found yet another reason to refuse my golden offer. And what she said caught me off guard. I hadn't anticipated such a reason and I didn't even know how to defend that. Not because I couldn't but because it was completely illogical.

" You're too rich for me. It won't work. " Firm words which suggested she had been thinking of the matter and had come to a final conclusion. Layla must have been created differently from all the other women that had ever been in my life. She must have been specifically handcrafted in a unique way and given her own special qualities designed to slowly drain me of my sanity. I gaped at her with the most puzzled expression.

" That is by far the most absurd thing I have ever heard, " I told her. Was she even aware of how the world worked? That was definitely a first for me, she was leaving me fkr the same reason that other women found appealing. Her reason to leave me was the reason other women were attracted to me. And I was indeed impressed and attracted to that. I was glad that she liked me for who I was, but I was also a bit bitter. How did she expect me to 

defend that?

" I'm sorry, were just too different."

" But I like the differences Layla! They appeal to me. And you claiming that I'm too wealthy for your taste surpasses all borders of reason!"

" It's just how I feel. "

" Then you'd better change your bloody feelings because we're going back home right this instance!"

I went and grabbed her suitcase before I began making my way to the door. She shouted my name, asking me to listen to her and to stop being so freaking impulsive. But I didn't want to hear another word of what she had to say, all she would do was come up with more and more excuses, I want the type to play around. If I wanted something then I went ahead and I got it, I didn't see the need for useless roleplay. Her concerns were all very plain in my eyes, they were all things we could look past and ignore. And until she gave me a good enough reason why we couldn't continue with what we had then I was simply going to turn a deaf ear to her strange pleas. 

The second I stepped into the hallway she grabbed her suitcase and made me stop, feeling agitated, I turned on my heel and arched a brow at her. 

" What?" I demanded.

" You're doing it again. You're completely ignoring everything I say. "

" That's because all you're doing is wasting both our time. " I wasn't harsh when I told her that but she gave me the most coldest of looks. 

" See! This is another--"

" Shhhh! " I pressed a finger to her lips, then I turned around and continued to make my way to the exit. 

" Hurry along sweetheart, I'm starving!" I shouted over my shoulder on realizing she wasn't following me. It felt nice to know we had come to a mutual agreement after a nice and mature conversation.