My eyes are narrowing on the starlet in front of me. My patience is running low and my smile can't be more forced.

This woman can't hold her liquor. She had two glasses of whiskey and she's already drunk...or maybe she's not drunk. Maybe she's just plain crazy. I don't know. But drunk or not, she has become a Chatty Natty. If you think that's cute, it's not.

Fifteen minutes ago, I found a bottle of Sacha's fine whiskey and poured myself and this woman a couple of fingers each, even after she declined.

I was contemplating putting ice in my drink when she suddenly shrieks, "Oh, my God...you and Sacha are engaged?" She had fallen onto a chair as if her legs couldn't support her any longer while her eyes were locked on the huge diamond ring on my finger that Nico had given me.

I thought she was having a seizure when she flailed around and made an awful wheezing sound in her throat. Then she downed the whiskey that I had set in front of her in a few big gulps. She sputtered, coughed, and hacked before she grabbed another glass that was still in my hand and proceeded to slug it back as well.

And now, she is a blubbering mess.

So, what have I learned after listening to her non-stop jabbering so far? I learned that Naomi Walsh is 21 and she still lives with her mother who travels with her wherever she goes.

She is also "irrevocably in love" with the "incredibly rich" and "insanely hot and mysterious" Sacha Gauthier.

"When he told me that he won't be seeing me anymore, I didn't think that he's seriously seeing someone or that he's engaged!" she wails. Tears and black mascara are running down her face and the snot that she had swiped with the back of her hand is now smeared across her cheek.

"I know...men are such pigs," I try to sound sympathetic as I slowly push a box of kleenex toward her.

"Right? He should have given me more chance before he asked you to marry him," she cries, ignoring the kleenex.

My mind is trying to figure out what's going on now but it's hard to think with her incessant wailing and whining. This woman is such a hot mess.

So, Sacha was trying to get rid of her? Maybe I shouldn't be trying to make her hate him like I originally planned. Maybe I should try to make her cling to him more...

"I mean, I'm super famous and you're...what? How could he pick a nobody over me?" she continues ranting.

"Riiight..." Time to raise the crazy meter up. I pour a generous amount of whiskey into the glass and hand it to her. "You're right. I think he might be into you," I announce. "He talked about you. A lot."

"Really?" The drink that almost made it to her mouth is now forgotten as she stares at me with wide hopeful eyes.

"Yeah, but with a man like Sacha, you have to be forceful," I advise her. "Have you ever told him that you're in love with him?"

"No..."

"Ah, now I know what the problem is. You have to tell him exactly how you feel and what you want. It might not seem like it, but he's shy. So very shy. So if you really want him, it's up to you to make the first move." I lean toward her as though I'm about to tell her a big secret and she eagerly leans forward as well. "And when he plays hard to get, don't give up!"

"Really?"

"Yup, you see, he's shy but he's a strong man. He wants an equally strong woman who is persistent and forceful. A woman who's brave enough to fight other women for him. Someone who's not afraid to demand to see him at work or wherever he goes to stake a claim on him. Someone who tells him straight up that she wants to marry him and have lots and lots of babies with him. Make sure you have all the babies' names lined up."

"Oh..."

"Yes," I say. "Now repeat after me, I will not give up. Sacha Gauthier will not get away from me."

"I will not give up. Sacha Gauthier will not get away from me," she repeats with a serious frown on her face and a determined jut of her jaw.

Before I could advise her further, the door swings open and Sacha marches in. His hair is windblown and his tie is askew. His jaw is clenched tight while his lips are thinned as he approaches us. His blazing eyes are fixed on Naomi Walsh.

He looks intimidating and for a second, she cowers, almost like she's trying to sink into the chair she's sitting in.

"How did you know where to find me?" The question is aimed at the woman in front of me. "Does your mother know that you're here?"

His question is met with silence until she loudly declares, "Sacha, I'm in love with you!" She then jumps up to wrap her arms around him and buries her face in his chest.

His whole body becomes stiff and the cold look on his face becomes icier.

I lean back in my seat and cross my legs, feeling very smug and accomplished. His piercing hazel eyes land on me and narrow on the smirk that I've been trying to hide.

His eyes then travel down my body and darken as they linger on my bare legs. Something that looks like possessiveness glints in his gaze as he takes in the shirt that I'm wearing.

My pulse jumps and my body heats up just from that look alone. When our eyes locked, my stomach clenched at the hunger that I see on his face.

"I want to marry you and have lots of kids with you," Naomi mumbles against his shirt and that brings us both back to the situation we're in. He glances down at her as if he just realized that she's still plastered to him.

Then he slowly disentangles himself from her. One of his men moves quickly to take a hold of her arms, holding her back.

"Sacha, please..."

"How did you know where I'm staying?" Sasha asks patiently. His gaze is now on the stain of black mascara and the snot that smeared across his formerly spotless, white, and no doubt very expensive shirt.

I try to hold back my snicker but I must have made a sound because his gaze finds me again.

"I asked your friend, Olivier," she answers.

I see his eyes harden even as they stay locked on mine. Anger radiates off his body in waves. At least that's how it feels to me.

"Olivier gave you my address?" The question comes out through gritted teeth.

"Y..yes," she stutters, losing the confidence that she had seconds ago.

I have to admit, an angry Sacha Gauthier is intimidating. But I'm not afraid of him. A demon should be scared of a Nephilim but somehow I know that Sacha would never hurt me. At least not physically. I don't know how, but I feel it with a conviction.

Sacha nods at his men and they nod back and immediately start moving.

"Wait! Sacha, you can't marry her!" she wails as they lead her out of the apartment. "Wait! I have the names of our babies! Sacha!"

The door slams shut and an incredulous look briefly passes over his face.

I bite my lip to hold in my laughter. I've trained her well. He has no idea that this is just the beginning of his trouble with her.

"What have you done, Danica Saint?" he murmurs as his gaze wanders around the living area as if searching for clues. It pauses on my picture on the end table before it lands on a floor lamp in the corner.

"What's with her?" I ask, trying to sound nonchalant. "She seems...crazy."

"She's unstable," he replies. His gaze never wavers from the lamp. "I'm afraid, meeting you might have tripped her over the edge," he announces, sounding unconcerned.

He moves to the corner and extends his hand toward the stainless steel shade. When he pulls his hand back, he has lacy red underwear wrapped around his fingers.

He slides his gaze back to me, his eyebrow is raised. "Yours?" he asks.

I lift my chin up and extend my hand out for it.

Something flares in his eyes. "Why don't you come and get it, princess?" he taunts me as he brings my underwear to his nose.

An amused smile is tugging the corners of his sexy mouth as he watches me watching him burying his nose in the tiny lacy piece of fabric while taking in a deep exaggerated breath.

I grind my molars together when he murmurs, "Mmm...you smell very delightful, very...eatable."

"Give it back!" I demand haughtily.

"As I said before, come and get it." His smile is wolfish "What's stopping you, princess?" He then slowly and very deliberately pocketed my underwear.

I scowl at him while I remain seated. My hands are clenched into tight fists by my side.

In a swift movement, he's on top of me. His warm hard body is pressing mine into the sofa, one muscular arm is braced on the side of my head while his face is buried in my neck.

I swear I feel his tongue gliding lightly over my skin, tasting me, causing the heat to flare all over my body. "Is it because of this?" he whispers, pulling back, just a little bit. An iPhone in a glittery gold case is clutched in his hand.

I try to grab the phone but he lifts it up over our heads and since I'm still pinned underneath him and he's taller than I am, I can't reach it.

Darn it! I swiped that phone out of Naomi's purse and hid it in between the cushions since the home phone is not connected to anywhere beyond this building. I know, I've checked. What a useless thing that is.

My eyes move from the phone back to him when I realize that our faces are just inches from each other. His eyelashes are thick and long. His eyes are a mix of emerald green and golden brown.

"What are you willing to trade for it, Danica?" His voice is deep and husky. I can feel the hard length of him pressing against my stomach and his warm breath on my skin. His eyes are dark with hunger.

We are both breathing fast. Electricity is running down my body toward my core and my heart is threatening to burst out of my ribcage.

"What do you want?" I whisper.

"You," he says. "I want you."

*************************************************

Hello dear readers,

My next update is going to be on Friday evening (est). To my Inkitt readers, I won't be able to update today. I'm hoping to be able to post chapter 23 by tomorrow.

Have a great evening!

Much love,

Nicole♥