Emilio

I wasn't supposed to be here tonight. I was supposed to be conducting a business deal from the comfort of my house, as usual. Where I knew every nook and cranny, where my men surrounded me, and where I could get leverage in seconds if needed. I had long passages and corridors that would cause a mind fuck for someone who wasn't used to it. I thrived in having layers and knowing where my hidden passages were. I was determined to hide from the world when needed, and I loved to be the only one who knew a way out, damning the rest.

Maybe it was my lack of trust issues for the men I made deals with or maybe it was my trust issues in general. There was no one who I kept in my inner circle who knew me or would ever truly know me. Antonio, my right-hand man, might eventually know all the secret rooms but I would never voluntarily divulge the skeletons in the closet I kept under lock and key.

She would be the only one who would ever get the key when she was ready. I wouldn't force them on her, wouldn't indulge them until she asked. Until I knew she wanted to know because that meant she wanted to know me like I had been yearning to know her. There were unpleasant things that no one knew about me. That I wouldn't allow anyone to know. Because they weren't her. Simple as that.

They weren't the girl who enamored me eight years ago. The one I vowed that someday would be mine. I would see her walking down the aisle and promising me forever because from the moment I laid eyes on those blazing cobalt blue ones filled with so much fire it would burn me alive, I belonged to her. There was no way around it. Our love would be boundless. I knew that, she just needed to see it as well and I was nothing but a patient man. I would wait, as long as I needed, as long as it meant that one day she would truly be mine.

Now, she was so close to my grasp, that I could taste it, feel it. So close and yet- so fucking far away.

I heave a heavy sigh at the mere thought, running a hand over my face in exhaustion.

I could still feel her hands on mine as she grasped it and pushed me into a room, all those years ago. I thought it was just a dark and empty closet, but when she turned on the light, it was as if fireworks exploded all around us. She was a whole new world to me. Her eyes were a contrast; the darkest yet lightest shade of blue I had ever had the pleasure of witnessing. It was as if the ocean and twilight danced on the rim of the sky. I knew instantly, that cobalt blue would be my favorite color in the world and the only color that would hold any meaning to me.

Her lips were pressed tightly in a stubborn and defiant pout, but I noticed the soft pink hues on them in contrast to her tan skin and dark curly hair. The shape of tiny ringlets made my fingers itch at the sight, wanting to do nothing more but pull a strand, just to watch it bounce back into place. Something told me, she would be the type to bounce back from anything.

Damn, she was gorgeous then, and she was gorgeous now. So much so, that my resolve of patiently waiting came crashing down like a fucking avalanche, caving in on itself. The club might have been packed, but I have been searching for her for far longer than to let insignificant people waste my time on locating her. There she was. In a skin-tight red dress with blonde hair cascading down her shoulders and bangs that covered the eyes, I so desperately wanted to see, even if they weren't her natural eye color at the moment. The ambient and strobe light glistened her tan skin as her hair swayed with every step she took across the floor and I watched from the second floor as she avoided people until she reached a booth and sunk into it, a smirk plastered on my face. She might not be the Zara I remembered but I would recognize her under any disguise and even worse lighting.

She was why I wasn't supposed to be here tonight. Because she would get the upper hand of my willpower and make me want to fall on my knees in front of her at this moment and I couldn't give her that satisfaction. It was not who I was nor someone she would take seriously. She would have no respect for me if she even had an ounce of it now.

I laugh at the mere thought. I doubt she even remembered me like I remembered her. Doubt she even cared.

I take a gulp and finish the amber liquid I have been nursing since we got here, needing the courage to go and play what would become our game.

Putting the cup down, I take a step forward only to have a hand halt in front of me.

My gaze narrowed on Antonio who stood in front of me, wearing a navy blue suit, while I wore a black button-up with the top buttons opened, tucked into my black slim-fit pants with a belt around it. I roll up the sleeves to my forearm, revealing my gold watch, and quirk up an eyebrow.

He was ridiculous if he thought he could stop me from saying hello. I was more head-strong than he will ever be and yet I couldn't contain myself now that she was mere feet away from me. And I wanted her closer. Pressed against me, kissing me feverishly like she couldn't get enough because God knows I couldn't, touching me and murmuring my name like a prayer she didn't need because I would be there regardless.

"Don't," he warns.

A scoff leaves my mouth as I cross my arms. He really wanted to mess with me. Now? "Step away before I make you," I growl in a low voice. I was in no mood to play unless it was with her and he knew my threats should be taken seriously, especially when my voice was a low murmur. They were always filled with promises of endless pain.

"Mariano-" he removes his hand but stays planted firmly before me, "you know you can't do this. It will mess everything up. All of your plans." He sighs, his eyes pleading at me to rethink as if his words would have any effect on me. "You worked too hard to watch it all go down the drain just because you want to have a moment with her," he pauses and gauges my reaction. When I don't give him anything but a blank stare, he heaves out a longer sigh and says, "Jesus. What if you end up wanting to change the plans? Then what?"

"We adjust," I give him a simple answer for his simple problem. So with a shrug, I push past him and make my way down the stairs. I know he's watching me, shaking his head, but knowing him, he was also trying to hide a smile. He knew how important this moment must feel for me. Years of yearning, watching, and waiting from afar. I was finally getting an opportunity to have one moment with her and I wasn't going to squander it because of plans I made. Fuck that.

"That dress looks beautiful on you," I tell her. She's turned away from me, chin on her hand, as she blows air into her face- making her bangs ruffle out. She turns to me with a bored look, clearly ready to tell me to fuck off but I quickly add. "I just don't think red is your best color."

That's when her eyes narrow at me and I know I have her attention. "Oh yeah?" She muses. Her voice is as if Terpsichore and Polyhymnia conspired together to create her voice alone. A melody that needs no other accompaniments. A beautiful voice fit for a goddess.

"Enlighten me then. Since I assume you must be-" She looks me up and down and I can't help but grin as she goes slow, clearly impressed but when her eyes meet mine again they are blank canvases filled with nothingness, "a fashion designer to approach a random woman at a club and tell her you know best."

I can't help the small smile on me before I shrug, "I don't actually. I just see it in your eyes."

She sits up a bit straighter and looks at me apprehensive. "See what exactly?"

"That you seem to dread that color- or the dress itself. But then-" I let my voice falter slightly as she patiently waits for my observation, "why wear it at all?"

She lets out a small smile before shrugging. "Maybe it was a gift from my boyfriend and I don't want to disappoint or maybe- I stole it from my roommate because she pissed me off." Now my chuckle is stronger at her remark. My eyes land over to Cornelia who is gaping at us, surrounded by a group of friends. I give her a sly smile before turning my attention back to Zara.

"You don't have a boyfriend-" I tell her casually.

I watch her face fall slightly as she murmurs as if in a trance, "I could have a boyfriend." Then the look is instantly gone as she turns her attention back at me with a stern expression. "I don't want one though."

"Noted," I tell her with a warm smile and quirks up an eyebrow as I question, "How about all I offer you right now is a drink and maybe- a dance?"

She considers this a moment, swallowing the lump in her throat. "Just the drink, but I'll go with you to get it." She stands up and drifts her eyes to Cornelia as she straightens the dress. Then turns her back to her and begins walking to the bar and lazily throwing over her shoulders, "My daddy taught me better than to accept open drinks."

Good girl, I couldn't help but praise her in my head. Whether her father taught her that or not, it was good she kept that knowledge. "If you always listen to what your daddy says, why are you out here tonight? I don't think he'd approve of this scene so much."

She pauses for a split second, biting her bottom lip before responding. "My daddy doesn't always know best."

With that, she starts walking toward the bar like a woman on a mission, swerving through the crowded room. I follow until I watch a couple dancing towards us that she hasn't spotted, too enamored with each other to notice anyone else. I quickly pick up my pace and place my hand on the small of her back, instantly feeling her tense up, and usher her out of their way. I lean into her ear and murmur, "Don't want anyone bumping into you and ruining this beautiful dress." Then I add, "How would it look to your roommate if someone other than you ruined it?" She stops walking and I look down with a smirk and a twinkle in my eyes as she acknowledges my words, ringing true.

Keeping my hand on her back, I guide her to the bar and quickly nod at the bartender for two bourbons. "Pour them in front of the lady," I told him. She smiled at me as she watched the bartender pour two glasses of bourbon. Once done, he slides them towards us and I scoot closer to her as she puts a straw on hers. "What do you think? He slipped something in my drink?" I pretend to look around as I lean closer to her. She places a hand on my chest, keeping my chest from touching hers and I can't help but bite the smile in my face. She was keeping me at bay, which I liked. "I think he's into me."

She lets out a small chuckle before leaning closer, her hand still keeping the distance between us. "Hate to break it to you, but I think he's more into me." She releases her hold and I can feel the warmth leave my skin, wanting to pout like a child at the loss. Yet, I don't. Soon, I remind myself. This was bigger than a hand to my chest to keep her personal space.

"What gave you that impression?" I ask her instead. Of course, I fucking knew he looked interested in her. Anyone would be if they just laid eyes on her. She was beyond gorgeous, the universe couldn't compete. "He won't stop staring at me," she confirms my suspicion.

I quickly turn to him and level him with a stare, "Can we help you?" I asks, my voice filled with malice.

"Sss- sorry," he stammers before going to serve someone else on the other side of the bar. My eyes follow him, swearing I saw him wipe a bit of drool as Zara sucked on her straw. My gaze slid behind her to Antonio who stared at me with his drink in his hand as I pointed at the bartender. Antonio wouldn't hurt him badly but enough for him to learn, it's not polite to stare at someone who is enjoying their night.

"I can take care of myself," she tells me, claiming my attention once again. She sips on her drink before saying, "And I told you I could have a boyfriend."

I smiled at her, "I never doubted either but as for the boyfriend part- you don't want one, correct?"

"Correct," she tells me and my smile widens. She narrows her eyes slightly before brushing it off but saying, "Nor a one-night stand."

I can't help but chuckle. "Trust me, I'm not looking to be either of those things for you." And it was true. I wasn't planning to hook up with her once, let alone be a boyfriend she could easily dump. No, I had bigger things in mind. But right now, we are starting small. "Tonight I just want to hear the story of why I deserve the glare your roommate is giving me and maybe a dance."

"You're not getting a dance," she tells me and narrows her eyes at Cornelia who is seething with her arms crossed before she looks at me and they soften slightly.

Zara laughs beside me as she muses, "Interesting." I can't help but bite back the grin that wants to spread through me. The look Cornelia was giving me seemed to have piqued her interest as she placed the drink down.

"Maybe I will take a dance," she tells me and stretches out a hand toward me. I laugh to myself, knowing she was doing it to make Cornelia jealous. She guides us to the center, her hand feeling small and warm under mine, but as if it was always meant to belong there.

She wraps her arms around my neck as she begins swaying, my hands on her hips. "She pissed me off by forcing me to come to this party, so I decided to borrow a dress that meant the world to her."

"Little devilish of you," I tell her. She laughs.

"I could be so much worse," she tells me.

I flip her over and hear her squeal before pushing her back to my chest, my hands sliding down her arms before entwining her fingers with mine. "Like what?" I ask her.

She wraps our arms around her stomach and sways against me, her head coming down to my shoulder. I look into her eyes, making out the clue under the colored contacts before my eyes drift to her plum lips. She smiles at me and whispers in a hauntingly small voice. "Like carrying a knife under this dress and slitting someone's throat with no remorse if they get too handsy." Then she twirls out of my hold before dancing by herself for a moment as I just stare at her in complete awe.

I knew my mouth was wide open as she glided her hands over her sides and threw them in the air, staring at me. She just threatened to kill me and I have never found her hotter. She begins walking away but I quickly shake away my awe and strut towards her. I grab her hand and bring her closer to me again.

"Can I guess where you're hiding it?"

She laughs and gives me a smirk, clearly up for the challenge. "I'll give you three tries, but if you don't guess correctly- I want your car."

My smile twists up, "what makes you think I have a car?"

"A guy dressed like you screams- fancy sports car- somewhere." I can't help but wonder why she would want a car when she lived with Cornelia in a penthouse apartment and never went hungry for anything. Yet, I don't question it further. She was letting me hold her close, she could have all my sports car for all I care, as long as she kept letting me hold her. Fuck, I was screwed when it came to her.

I look into her awaiting eyes and nod my head. "I only need one guess."

I can hear the humor in her voice as she responds, "Do you? Alright then, go ahead. Tell me where it's hidden."

I turn her so her back is pressed against my chest again as we sway. I know exactly where the knife was, but I wanted to have some fun, and she wasn't pushing me away. I run the tips of my fingers through her cleavage as I whisper in a sultry tone, "Not hiding here." My palms flattened on the top of her stomach with my thumb still between her breasts but not touching either, just allowing myself to rub small circles in the center, I was a gentleman after all.

My other hand slides from her lower back to her waist. I couldn't deny I was taking my time, wanting to savor this moment. I knew it wouldn't last and she would hate me soon enough. But just for tonight, I would allow myself to indulge a bit.

Giving her waist a small squeeze, my voice softer as it took on a darker, huskier tone, I murmured, "Not here."

If she was turned on or not, she didn't give anything away. Unable to see her face, I could only venture a guess. And my guess was she didn't care all that much. She was using me at the moment, and that thought alone made me angry. So I do what I can to get under her skin.

"Why are you letting a total stranger press against you, touch you like he owns you," I tsk at her and grab her chin to tilt her to look up at me. "What would your daddy say?"

She stills at my words slightly before letting out a laugh. "My daddy is long gone, I made sure of that." She has a faraway look before guiding my hands to her lower bully. My thumbs on top of her belly button while my fingers skin right above the rim of where her panties should be, but- Fuck me. She isn't wearing any. A few more inches and I would be touching her pussy. I could feel my cock harden at the thought. "And to answer your question-" she says, bringing me back from the graphic images threatening to fill my brain, "I like the attention." I watch her gaze shift to Cornelia again as she smiles at her and waves.

I want to find it in me to laugh but all I can feel is pain at how much I wanted her. My whole body ached in pain as if someone slit my chest open with a blunt object slowly, but for her, it would be worth every minute.

She twists in my arms and says, "You took too long to guess- time ran out- you lost." She pushes her hand out, waiting for my keys. I can't help but smile as I fish them out and encircle them in her grasp.

Leaning down, I place a chaste kiss on her knuckles and whisper up to her, "Until we meet again Deity."

She snorts and shakes her head as she examines the key chain to a Mercedes. "I didn't take you for a practical car driver."

"I'm everything but practical," I tell her with a wink and watch her saunter off of the place to look for the car. She doesn't turn to look at Cornelia who is looking at me like a hurt puppy, but I ignore her. She worked for me and I didn't have time to placate feelings.

I feel an arm on my shoulder and a drink in my hands as Antonio stands next to me. "How are we going to get home?"

"Cornelia will drop us off," I huff out. "Besides, getting home is the least of my worries," I tell him and hear his heavy breathing. I turn to him and wrap an arm around his shoulder. "Antonio- change the plans. I want her now."

He holds up his phone and shakes it, "I figured as much. Things are already in motion." He laughs and clicks his glass with mine as he repeats my words. "We adjust."  

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Ughh, Editing annoys me. I apologize if it's not the best written but I miss words sometimes when writing. Then I have Grammarly and it's great but gives me suggestions where I'm left... was that how I intended it to sound?

Also, my computer or the app takes so long to load the suggestions. Like bruh. I wrote what I could, let me post and rest.

So I'm sorry for the errors, but I hope they aren't a lot and take you out. If it is, let me know. I'll do better.

Also, what did we think of Emilio? First chap he came out in.

Okay, I'm done. Comment, like, and share, please. Nobody copy the story. It's taken me forever to do this much please and thank you.