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Chapter 10. What I should have done the first time I met you.

It has been more than 4 months since the hack and we seem to be no close to getting the hacker. And every time we think we might have found a clue, we end up rendering it useless.

Most of the nights most of us don't even have time to get home and sleep, new couches are sanctioned in the next room for us to sleep if needed. All of us are working hard and while one was fired, two of them left the job tired of the relentless hours. I couldn't blame them either. I couldn't remember the last time I had slept properly and had a whole day to myself.

It was around 11 in the night when I finally got home. I had asked for a leave the next day on account of Zivah's birthday.

With our job timings clashing, we barely had time to talk and we had promised each other to give ourselves this one day. The plan was simple, sleep till 12 in the noon and then bake a cake and then go our favorite club with a couple of friends and dance the night and all our worries away.

Only if I knew that was far from happening.

At exactly 12 o'clock I was outside Zivah's room, with a bright smile in my minion night suit and three cupcakes on a plate that I got from the bakery Alex had first taken me to. I knew Zivah would love those cupcakes.

"Zivah?" I shouted knocking loudly, wondering if she had slept. But she wasn't the type to sleep on her own birthday. She loved to make a big fuss out of it.

I strained to hear anything but no sound came. You better be dressed, I muttered to myself as I turned the door handle.

"You have got to be kidding me." I said aloud as I saw the empty bed, the blanket thrown to the side and the window open.

I shook my head, wondering where on earth this girl could be without informing her best friend. Death on her birthday, sounds fun!

I stuffed the cupcakes back in the box as I dialed her number.

Voicemail.

She did not just send me to voicemail.

I tried again for three times until a cloud of worry actually started to wrap around me, she couldn't disappear without telling me about it. And not receiving my calls rarely happened. It was her day off so I knew she wasn't in the hotel.

Taking a deep breath, I dialed the hotel number. "Hey hi, is Zivah working tonight?"

"No, it's her day off."

"Could you tell me when she left today?"

"Who are you?" the voice now sounded snobby.

"Her sister, Myra."

"Oh. Um, wait a second." After a few seconds she continued. "Her log out time is at 5.45pm."

I sighed. "Thanks!"

As I cut the call, I once again muttered to myself. "Where the hell are you Zivah?"

Seeing no other option, I called the one person I had successfully avoided for four months.

"Hey Alex."

"Myra?" he seemed so taken aback by my call. I couldn't even blame him, every time he had tried to talk to me, I had managed to somehow escape and ignore him.

"Uh yes, hi. How are you?"

"Fine, did you need something?" I guess he wasn't interested in small talk.

"Yes, are you busy?"

"No, just checking mails and then getting ready to sleep. Is everything okay Myra?" his worried tone sent a sense of longing in my heart.

"Actually it's Zivah's birthday today."

"Oh wow, I'll wish her. Is she there?"

"That's the thing, I can't find her."

There was brief moment of silence. "What do you mean you can't find her?"

"Her room is empty she isn't in the apartment and I tried calling her so many times, it goes straight to the voicemail. I even tried the hotel, she left at 6 itself. I am not even sure if she came back here but she must have because her bed is used. I am worried and-"

"Hey hey Myra." He said in a soothing tone which instantly calmed down a few of my nerves. "Give me 10 minutes and I'll come to pick you up, we'll look for Zivah together, okay?"

I breathed out a sigh of relief, "That sounds good, thanks Alex."

"Always hacker girl. See you soon." And with that he cut the call.

Despite the situation, a small smile formed on face. And despite my denial, it felt real good to hear that name again.

I changed into a comfortable T-shirt dress and white sneakers, and against my brain I followed my heart and applied a little blush and a mauve lip shade.

I looked at myself in the mirror, no matter how bad I didn't want it, my eyes glimmered with hope at the idea of seeing Alex and my heart filled with happiness at the idea of talking and being near him again.

Stupid Zivah!

I grabbed the phone and my eyes as I left the house, the sudden sight of the cupcake box made me change my mind. No idea where Zivah was and these cupcakes could get spoiled. I grabbed the cupcake box before locking the door, I noticed Zivah's keys were missing which means she took when she went out. Where on earth was she?

I only had to wait for two minutes as I saw Alex's familiar car pull up. I couldn't help but smile as he stepped out of the car. But seeing his furious expression my smile instantly dropped.

"What's wrong?"

"Why are you outside?" he questioned.

I shrugged. "It's not a big deal, it's only been like a minute."

"That's not the point. It is past midnight, it is not safe. I could have come up." His tone was a little harsh which did not set well with me.

"I know these words come from a good place but you can't tell what to do and what not to do. If I didn't trust you enough to be here as soon as I reached down I wouldn't have come down." I assured him, hoping my glare convinced that there was no room for argument here.

Alex stared into my eyes, his stare hardening too. But I didn't back down. He sighed, finally backing down. "This will not happen again."

I nodded. "Agreed. Now let's get to the matter at hand, Zivah." I opened the car door and blinked, a flare of anger speeding up my spine. "You got to be fucking kidding me." I turned back to see Alex standing there, blinking innocently.

"What's the matter?" he knew exactly what the matter was.

There on the seat was a lack black bra, placedright in the center of the seat.

He looked over me, histone rising a notch. "Oh my, how did that get here? I didn't see it at all." He leaned down and picked up the bra throwing it in the backseat, feigning embarrassment.

I swallowed hard, trying my best to not slap him. "You didn't see it? It was in the center, like it was planted."

Alex blinked. "Planted? What do you mean? One of the women I am with must have forgotten it, it's not a big deal really." With that he went the other side and got in the car.

My eyes followed him and didn't miss the smirk that danced on his face. Oh no, Mr. Bianchi, don't play this cheap game with me.

I took a deep breath, a failed attempt to calm myself down. I sat in the car, and banged the door shut, hard. "Oops, my bad." I smiled, blinking innocently as if it was a mistake.

He didn't even budge, obviously expecting it. "So where can she be?"

I drew up blank. Her parents were away in India so she clearly wasn't there. Her closest friend is me and I knew she wouldn't go to our other friends without me. "Let's try the hotel again, it's seems the only option."

"Okay." Alex started the car.

I stared at the beautiful interior of the car. "So how much did this cost?"

He shrugged. "Not much but enough."

I nodded, my brain forming a wicked plan. I opened the cupcake box. "I got them for Zivah but I don't know when we'll see her now so, want one?"

His eyes brightened up at the blueberry cupcake in my hand. "Yes, are those from-"

"Yes." I nodded, I took a small bit of the cupcake, and making sure the blueberry sauce could seep out.

Pretending to offer it to him, just as his hand reached to grab the cupcake, I threw it in the backseat. The cupcake coincidentally landing right next to the lacy bra.

I smirked looking as the blueberry spreaddripped on the backseat,it would sure leave a stain. "Oops!"

Alex raised an eyebrow at me. "Really?"

"I don't know how that happened. Must have slipped." I said, shrugging and grabbing another cupcake.

Alex shook his head, a small smile of his face. Looking at that I couldn't help but smile too.

"Are you really not going to give me any cupcake?"

I was already half way through one cupcake. "No, yours slipped in the backseat right next to the bra. Not my fault."

"Are you jealous?" he looked over at me and I avoided his gaze.

Snorting I replied. "Of what? A bra?"

"No, of whose it might be."

I part of me was jealous but I wasn't going to let him know that. "I don't care. If you must know, I have been on dates as well."

The sudden brake made the remaining cupcake fly out of hand at the dashboard. "What the hell?"

"We are at the hotel." Alex said, but locked the doors.

I frowned. "What?"

He raised his eyebrows. "Dates? As in plural?"

I smiled forcefully. "Yes dates, as in plural."

"Wow how many?"

"What do you care? You clearly have been on dates too." I shot back haughtily.

"Answer my question Myra."

"Get lost Alex."

We stared at each other. Maybe it was the decrease of oxygen in the car or the dark night outside but somehow we found our faces close to each other. So close that I could hear his breathing and feel his breath on me.

I couldn't blink afraid that this might just be a dream. Being so close to Alex after four months, felt good, felt like I had finally found something I had missed terribly.

His eyes dropped down to my lips and I wasn't going to stop him this time, even if this kiss led to my bra joining the one in the backseat.

But of course fate had other plans for us. The sudden knock on the window startled us both. I jumped back, the last left cupcake falling from the box as well. Alex opened the door, glaring at the hotel security guard for disrupting what clearly was a romantic moment.

"Valet?" He questioned, not even waiting for a reply as he handed the car keys to the guard and stomped off inside.

I got out of the car, too embarrassed to even face the guard. How is it that every time we are close to kissing, a stupid guard interrupts us?

I followed him inside the hotel, shaking my head, hope that would shake away this memory too. But I knew, in the dark lonely night, these memories would come back to me, haunt me and make my nights sleepless.

Alex was already talking to the receptionist. The poor girl seemed to be awe of the hot guy in front of her but also terrified of the hard tone he was using on her.

"I am telling you Zivah isn't here." She said, pointing her red painted long nail at the screen in front of her. "See that's her log out time."

"Who was she last seen with?" Alex demanded, barley glancing at the screen.

"Um I don't know. My shift starts at 9pm." She said, trying to hide the terror in her voice.

"Get me Sebastian."

"You know him?" I questioned, surprised and shocked.

"Yes, we are familiar. I own a floor in this hotel." He shrugged as if it was no big deal.

The poor girl's eyes widened. "Yes um he is in the Suite room 1104 on floor 11."

"Is he there now?"

She nodded, picking up the phone. "I saw him go upstairs a while back but let me check."

Alex grabbed back the phone handle placing it back down. "That is fine. I will talk to him myself." With that he turned around, walking towards the elevator.

I smiled sympathetically at the girl, whose hand was shaking as she kept her eyes on Alex's retreating figure. "Um your name Sir?"

"Alex Bianchi." I answered her, just missing her eyes widen with realization. I ran towards the closing elevator.

"What was that about?"

Alex shrugged. "What about?" removing a key from his pocket and placing it at the card identifier. The machine beeped once green and he pressed 11.

"Back there." I pointed behind. "Being so rude to that poor girl."

"Doesn't matter."

I let it go, knowing I wouldn't get a proper answer. "So Sebastian huh?" A part of me was anxious to meet Zivah's boss whom I had heard so much about. But a part was wondering why we were even meeting him, for the camera footage approval?

Deep in my thoughts I didn't realize when Alex had come so close to me. I looked up just as him, my eyes widening as his face lowered. "What are you doing?"

"What I should have done the first time I met you." And with that his lips landed on mine.

His arms circling around my waist, pulling me closer. It took be a few seconds to register that Alex Bianchi was actually kissing me, in the god damn lift of all places. My arms automatically encircled his neck and my eyes closed as I felt the press of his soft lips on mine. 

His grip around my waist tightened as I pressed my lips against his, responding to the kiss with equal fervor. I had dreamt of this for so long, literally dreamt. But this, this was way better.

The way his lips slanted against mine, his arms were a perfect fit for my waist and his shoulders were broad enough for my fingers to play with the back of his neck. He pushed me behind, my back pushing against the mirror in the lift. He slowly bit my lower lip and I pulled him down closer, wanting more, needing more.

Instead he backed away, staring at me those beautiful blue eyes. I swallowed hard, my heart beating a million times per minute. All I wanted to do was kiss him again. As if reading my mind, Alex bent a placed a small kiss on my lips. "We reached the 11th floor."

I blinked, tilting my head to look behind Alex. The lift door was just about to close again.

I sighed as Alex took a step away from me, placing a foot to block the lift from closing. Somehow I couldn't look at him, I was blushing. Myra Collins blushing! Disgusting.

I stepped out not waiting for him to follow. I immediately found Room 1104 and knocked on the door.

There was some thudding sound and some whispers before a male voice came. "Don't want room service."

"It's Alex, you pig. Open the damn door." Alex ordered. Knocking a single hard knock.

"Shit! Fuck!" I heard from inside, my eyes opening wide. What was with these two?

After some more falling and rustling noises, the door finally opened.

There stood a man of about 6'4'' height, in a bathrobe that was tied so loose, I could see his sweaty but well defined chest. He smiled at Alex, barely opening the door. "Yo man!" his eyes widened as he noticed me, as if he recognized me. "Hi." He said in a squeaky voice.

I blinked in surprise. "Hi?"

"Oh get away Seb." Alex grunted, pushing Sebastian inside, the opening the door wide.

I quietly followed Alex as he opened the door to what I assume was the bedroom. I could hear Seb protesting but Alex didn't care.

And there standing with the shocked face in the center of the room in a bathrobe was the birthday girl, my best friend and apparently Sebastian's girlfriend – Zivah Chopra.

I blinked five times in shock, my jaw literally dropping down.

I couldn't figure out what was more scandalous, Alex finally kissing me inside the lift. Or Zivah sneaking away to sleep with Sebastian.

~~~

Well well well!

They kisssssseddddddddd!!! AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!

Who wants more kisses? Then vote and comment. :P