I twine a lock of my hair around and around my finger as my eyes skip over the sink and roam over the counter and the floor of the bathroom. I've been looking for my "engagement" ring to Nico for over twenty minutes now and I'm about ready to give up. I'm very sure I took it off and placed it beside the sink here last night.

I huff in indignant and frustration. This is new to me. My memory isn't flawed. In fact, it is excellent and I don't normally misplace things.

I took it off last night on a whim because I saw how Sacha scowled and how his jaw tightened when he saw it. He would clam up every time he caught the sight of it on my finger.

I used to secretly enjoy seeing how the sight of the harmless ring on my finger could irritate the mighty Nephilim leader but these last couple of days have been nice. Better than nice, actually.

We have established a habit of spending time together. In the morning, we both get up early to work out in the gym. Sometimes he's shirtless and I enjoy looking at his flexing muscles way too much. His sculptured body is a work of art and he's too good looking for his own good...or for mine.

Then we have breakfast together before he goes off to work and I spend my morning annoying the crap out of Jenny and Alicia.

At noon, he comes home and we have lunch. Last night, we watch a movie after having dinner together.

It feels strange...in a good way, to have someone to spend time with, morning, noon, and evening. I never had that before and I think I like it. Very much.

I don't love it when he has to go out for work but I know he's coming back and it gives me something to look forward to. I feel giddy and euphoric when he's around.

My heart was always cold and hollow but there's warmth spreading in my chest now. I know it's dangerous to let myself get used to these feelings but I can't help myself. It's like finding something that I never knew I need. My soul is craving more and more of it every day.

I sometimes enjoy being cruel or hurtful to people around me. Making them feel bad. But I don't find enjoyment in doing that to Sacha anymore and wearing that ring is upsetting him. It's strange, but I want to make him happy and that's what prompted me to take it off last night.

Besides, the ring is meaningless. I don't feel engaged to Nico. I never had and I never will. I suspect that even if I went ahead and marry Nico sometime in the future, I'd never feel married or committed to him. I know he wouldn't.

I sigh and give the bathroom another inspection before I give up. I even peek into the empty wastebasket. The ring might be meaningless and not to my taste but it's very expensive. I wonder how much money I have to fork out to Nico as payment for the lost ring.

"Well, did you find what you're looking for?" asks Molly when I go to the kitchen. She's frying something in a pan. The smell of sauteed onion and some herbs makes my mouth water.

"No," I reply with a defeated sigh.

"It'll show up somewhere soon," the motherly woman says soothingly. "The cleaning crew will show up tomorrow. They'll probably find it."

"Yeah, maybe," I say.

"I'm going to make some good old banana bread. Mr. Sacha likes banana bread," announces Molly. "Now, would you like to crack some eggs into the bowl, Miss Danica? I know how much you enjoyed doing that the last time."

"Yes, I'd like that!" I smile as I move eagerly to her side and open a carton of eggs. Cracking the eggs is so much fun! "How many do we need? Are two dozens enough?"

Molly laughs. "Oh no, we don't need that many eggs, dear."

I would normally try to distance myself from a motherly figure like Molly. I'm not that little girl who was starving for motherly affection anymore. I vowed to never get attached to someone like her a long time ago. But she is teaching me how to cook and I found out that I like cooking.

This won't last though. I know it won't. I'll push her away with my cruel words soon enough, intentionally or unintentionally. It's just in my nature. But for now, I'm going to learn how to cook.

Molly leaves around noon and I'm excited to show Sacha what I've been working hard on making all morning.

Unfortunately, Sacha can't make it back for lunch and I feel a deep pang of disappointment. I catch the two guards exchanging subtle smug glances right after one of them relayed the message to me.

*****

Sacha Gauthier

The meeting with the superiors of the Order of the Circle ran longer than I wanted or anticipated.

The Order of The Circle or the Circle as we often call it is an ancient secret organization that investigates strange happenings. We remove demons that are disturbing the balance of the world or are harmful to humans from this realm. Most members are Nephilims though we have several witches and a few other creatures as advisors and warriors.

I am the leader of the Order with thirteen superiors, seven advisors, and one hundred and fifty-five warriors behind me. Seven of the superiors are based in Seattle- one of them is my father who became a superior after I took over the reign from him a year ago. Another six are scattered across the globe, including these two who came to see me all the way from South Africa and Japan.

"I thank you for your hospitality and for your time to meet with us, sir," says Mr. Morita with a bow, taking his leave.

Alain Absil, the superior from South Africa however, is still hovering by my elbow. He is one of my father's best friends and also Olivier's uncle. He watched me grow up with his nephew since birth before he moved back to South Africa five years ago.

"I heard that you're harboring one of the demon Astaroth's daughters in one of your bachelor's pad," he says, smiling. His tone is light but I know it's a serious question.

I look at my friend Olivier and he stares steadily back at me. Whoever spilled to news to him, it wasn't Olivier.

I know Alain sees me as one of his nephews and his concerns are genuine but I don't appreciate my business being discussed by anyone, especially those under me.

"I'm sure he's keeping her for a reason, uncle," says Olivier when it's apparent that I wasn't going to reply. I don't answer to anyone.

"I'm sure," Alain says quietly with a nod. "I heard that Astaroth's offsprings are heartbreakingly beautiful. One cannot be too careful with a beautiful woman. Even us Nephilims aren't immune to their charm."

"It's always an advantage to gain the trust of one of Astaroth's princess, don't you think so, uncle?" says Olivier. "If we could make them fall in love with us, then we could use them to gain access to Astaroth's secrets."

"Yes, yes...but do these creatures ever fall in love?" asks Alain. "You know they don't have a heart like ours. And I think it's a good idea for our leader to marry and start a family soon. There are many eligible Naphilim women around. I have several nieces I could introduce you to."

"When are you going back to Cape Town, Alain?" I ask him. It's a dismissal and a reprimand and he recognizes it as such by the subdued look on his face. I've held my tongue this long because I have some respect for the elderly gentleman. But I have no intention of listening to his inane chatter for much longer. I know he will be sending his nieces over to visit my parents' estate very soon, regardless.

"My plane leaves tomorrow morning."

"Then I wish you safe travel," I tell him. "Olivier, see that your uncle has everything that he needs while he's here."

I walk back to my office to e-mail my PA some instructions before I call it a day.

I meet Olivier's gaze when I walk back out a few minutes later.

I know he disagrees with me on keeping Danica Saint close. The child-woman is a menace. The youtube video of Naomi Walsh assaulting Nancy Barringer, one of the business associates I was having a dinner meeting with a few nights ago is still trending.

In it, Naomi was seen pulling the poor woman's hair while yelling that she is stealing her man. It was a complete disaster.

I know Danica had something to do with it. I don't know how but I just know that she did.

Danica Saint. She's nothing like I originally thought. The woman is heartbreakingly beautiful, just as Alain said. But I find her mind to be as equally fascinating. She's tragically broken but she's also cunning, utterly brilliant, and entirely untrustworthy. She's mysterious and mercurial. I don't know what she's going to do next. She's dangerous yet I find myself wanting to protect her and claim her. I'm sinking deeper each day even though I know the wisest thing to do is to let her go.

*****

Danica Saint

He comes home after five and I'm in the middle of heating up the food the way Molly had taught me.

I feel his presence in the air the moment he enters the room. Every fiber of my body feels it.

His footsteps stop behind me and when I turn around, I see him standing still near the fireplace in the great room. He's unsmiling and he's staring at me with a strange expression on his handsome face.

"Hi!" I smile up at him almost shyly. Shy? What is wrong with me? I'd smacked my forehead with the palm of my hand so hard if he wasn't standing in front of me.

He blinks. His thick long eyelashes that make women everywhere green with envy flutter up and down. "Hello, something smells good," he says, peeling off his jacket before joining me in the kitchen.

"Are you hungry?" I ask him, turning back to fluff the quinoa.

"Starving," he says in my ear from behind. Chills run up my spine. The warmth of his body heats up my back and the air feels electrified between us. "What are we having?"

"Beef Stroganoff over a bed of quinoa and some salad. I helped Molly cooked," I announce proudly.

"Oh, did you?" His hands fall on my waist and I feel the electricity travels all over my body from his touch. I gasp in a breath. The man smells better than the food. "Give me fifteen minutes to get cleaned up and we'll have dinner on the balcony."

Fifteen minutes later, we are having dinner on the balcony and he's very generous with his compliment on the food. The Stroganoff is very good.

After dinner, I ask him if he wants to watch a movie again like last night.

"Sure, you pick up what you want to watch," he says.

I pick Spider-Man: Far From Home. What can I say, before I met Sacha, I had a huge crush on Tom Holland.

Last night, Sacha and I both sat on the same sofa. But he chose to sit at the very end as though he didn't trust himself to sit close to me even though he'd been touching me all through dinner.

Tonight, we're sitting next to each other. He's sitting back on the sofa and I can feel his eyes on me instead of on the movie. We're not touching but we're close enough that I can feel the heat of his body next to mine.

I don't think I can pay attention to the movie.

"You know, I was planning to marry Tom Holland and have a few cute spidey babies with him," I tell Sacha.

"Oh, did you now?" he asks, sounding amused. "Was he aware of this plan of yours?"

"Not yet. I was planning to send him letters but I think I'll get a restraining order if he ever read them."

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

Hello, my lovely readers!

My next update is going to be on Tuesday evening (est). If you want to read three chapters ahead, go to: 

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Have a wonderful weekend and stay safe!

Much love,

Nicole♥