Zachary North

All throughout my day, I couldn't focus on my work because I was so bothered about Erin and Alex's date.

What could have possibly made Erin agreed to date him? I mean, how did Alex successfully wooed her? Through flowers and chocolates? How?

This thought was making my head hurts and get irritated for I couldn't comprehend how did he manage to have a date with the most difficult-to-be-swayed-woman I know.

I heard a soft knock on my door and Jane's head popped in. I nodded for her to enter and she stood in front of me.

"Mr. North, i-is there anything you want me to do?" She asked me carefully, I frowned, why was she asking me? Is it already closing of business? I looked at my wristwatch and saw that it's 9pm.

Oh. Time surely flies when you're preoccupied.

I took a deep breath and shook my head at her then went to focus on the monitor that's in front of me.

"Noted, sir. I will be taking my leave now." Then she went out of my office quickly.

I leaned back on to my chair and closed my eyes.

What a very tiring day for me and it wasn't even about my work but the news brought forth by my sister.

All day long, all I was thinking about was Erin, Erin, and Erin.

I think there's only one way to rest my mind, and that is to go and warn her. That's right. I will tell her that her heart will be broken by a guy like Alexander Vice.

Yeah. That's what I was going to do to get this whole thing out of my mind. I will drive down to her apartment tonight.

I was in front of her apartment door when I froze into my place. Suddenly, my mind went blank as to what will I say to her or how will I warn her without giving off a jealous exterior.

Which by the way, I was far from being jealous. I was just mad the thought that she will gets played by a Alex. I was only concerned towards her.

My fingers were about to press the doorbell when I heard Erin called me.

"Zac?" I looked at my left and saw her holding two bouquets of flowers. On her left were pink peonies while the other was pink roses arrangement.

Flowers. Again?! I though I'd have enough of it at Livy's office. Oh the anger was starting to come back and now it's doubled because I know where those annoying blooms came from. I glared at it hoping that it would vamish from my sight.

"What are you doing here?" She asked slowly as she typed in her passcode.

"Come in." She added after she successfully and struggled to open her door due to the annoying bouquets she holding.

I entered her apartment and followed her to the living room.

"Do you want coffee, tea, juice? Or have you had dinner already?" She asked awkwardly but I just continued to glare at the flowers.

"Uhm. Zac, are you oka---"

"You went out with Alex Vice." I cut her off by voicing out my reason for being here and still glared at the annoying pink peonies.

She gasped quietly. "H-how did you know?"

I looked at her and she was utterly and obviously confused about what's going on.

"Doesn't matter. What matters is that you should stop seeing him. Didn't I warn you before about him? That he will just play with your feelings. So, stop seeing him!" It came out a bit agitated but I didn't care, I was deepshit mad about her agreeing to have a date with Alex.

She was going to say something but I beat her to it.

"Look what happened, he kissed you without your permission!" I said angrily when I remembered it.

Her eyes widened when I mentioned it and her confusion turned into anger, she frowned and crossed her arms on her chest.

"How did you know? Were you following me? I shou---"

"Just stop seeing him, Erin!!!" I raised my voiced a little and I guess it made her angry even more. It came out wrong again, I didn't intend to raise my voice to her but those flowers... I blamed those annoying flowers for spoiling my mood.

"No! Whatever I do, it's none of your business. So whatever your doing, stop it. I am a matured woman who knows what's right and wrong. I don't need someone like you warning me about what to do and what not to do! Now, if there's nothing sensible words you're going to say, I suggest for you to go home!"

She bursted angrily and turned around, but before she could walk away from me, I held her arm and pulled her to me.

Her eyes widened, she tried to get away from my hold by pushing me gently but to steady her, I snaked my other arm around her waist and pulled her to me. I closed our remaining distance by holding her nape to steady her head.

"Zac, what are you doing?! Get off me!!" She said while struggling to get out of my hold.

"No, Erin. If you try to break away then I will close the remaining distance we have." She widened her eyes and pursed her lips. I smiled at her for grasping what I was pertaining to.

"Good. Now where were we? Yeah, Alex. Stop seeing him, he's not good for you." I roamed my eyes all over her beautiful face and stayed on to her lips. Oh God, I remember how soft and in synced it was when I kissed her in the hallway five years ago. Because of that, I never got satisfied from the kisses I share with other girls. It became my standard even though she was inexperienced that time. It what's made it perfect actually.

"It's. None. Of. Your. Business. So get off me now and get out of my apartment." She was now furious at me and it amazes me because this is the first time she's gotten furious at me sober, alcohol-free.

That thought made me chuckled and leaned my forehead on to her shoulder. Her attractive bergamot scent is what makes me stay calm, it stayed on my mind since the first time I hugged her in the manor when I mistook her as my sister.

"Zac, get off me!" She gritted her teeth and I could feel her irritation which made me laughed even more.

She removed my hand that's currently holding her nape and I let her.

"Zac, are you drunk? Stop whatever you're doing and get off me, for God's sake. What you're doing is inappropriate!" She pushed me but I didn't falter and I looked at her seriously.

"I am not drunk, Erin. I am here to warn you again about Alexander Vice. I told you before and I will tell it to you again, stay away from him." I looked into her eyes and made sure that she understood it but what I saw in her eyes was otherwise.

She's challenging me.

"Erin. Stay. Away. From. Alexander Vice." I said slowly but it made her angry again.

"Get out, Zac. Get the fuck out! Whatever I do is none of your business. So stop meddling because I will never ever listen to you---"

She gave me no choice.

I cut her ramblings by placing my lips onto her. She stilled when she felt my lips and I didn't want that kind of reaction so I worked my magic and bit her lower lip. Which I earned a moan from her.

I smiled and tightened my hold on to her waist then pulled her closer to me. At first she was hesitant but she succumbed when I licked her lower lip for an entrance.

I poured every frustrations and longing I had with her these past years into that kiss. I told her how much I am attracted to her and that I couldn't lose her to anyone.

Then after a while, she pushed me away from her and slapped me in the face.

"You! How dare you kissed me?!" She said angrily and pointed her finger at me, but her eyes held an emotion that's far from anger.

I took a step forward but she took a step back.

"I-I'm sorry, Erin. I didn't---"

"Stop it, Zachary. Get out of my pad now, please." She pleaded, but her eyes, it displays an intense emotion that I couldn't comprehend.

I took a deep breath and sighed.

"I'm so sorry, Erin. Just please stay away from Alex." I said and went out of her apartment.

What the fuck did I do? I lost my control again tonight and the worst part is, she's fucking sober. There's no way I can dodge any explanations to her about what I did tonight.

You fucking moron, Zachary. Dumbass, why did you come here when you're not in the right mind.

I took my phone out and called my two best friends. Neil was the first one to answer.

"Zachary, my friend." He greeted but I wasn't in the mood to return his mood.

"I fucked up." I said briefly.

"Come to the club." He said and I hung up.

When I arrived at the club, I went immediately to our private room. As I entered, I saw both of my friends sitting on the leather couch drinking whiskey.

I plopped beside Sky and poured me a whole glass of whiskey.

"Zac, what the fuck, stop it." Sky prevented me in filling in the whole glass by snatching the bottle from me.

"What happened, dude?" Neil asked in seriousness.

I groaned and put my head on both of my hands.

"I fucked up. I kissed Erin." I told them.

"Again?!" They both said in unison.

"And she's sober now, I assume." Sky added.

I nodded while clutching my head to erase the dumbness in my head.

"Why?" Neil asked.

"Because I lost my mind. She and Alex dated. I went to her house to warn her and one thing led to another, I kissed her, hard." I summarized what happened and took a drink of my half full glass of whiskey.

"Alex who?" Sky asked.

"Vice." I answered.

"Woah what the fuck! Don't tell me she likes him? Dude, I thought she doesn't fall for playboys." Neil spoke and it made my blood boil.

"I don't know shit!" I said in exasperation. But it's true though, I don't understand how he had a date with her. Does she liked him?

"Why did you kiss her? What made you think to go to her apartment and warn her? It's not your business to meddle in to her affairs, Zac." Sky said.

"I know!!! But I am just warning her about the likes of Alex. I don't want her to get hurt if---"

"You don't want to get hurt, Zac. You don't want to see her having a relationship with other man. You were like this when you knew that she's dating someone before. You have to man up and ask her out. It's been years already, dude." Neil voiced his opinion out.

"No. I can't. You know she's off-limits to me. She's my sister's..."

"Best friend." Sky continued my sentence and added, "Take a risk, Zachary."

"But I will be hurting anyone if I take that fucking risk. And I don't want to hurt her and my sister." I countered.

"So you're hurting yourself instead? That's the most fucked up for me. Zac, I don't think it's an attraction anymore, I think that you're in lo---"

"No! I am not. Shut the fuck up, Neil. I called you here to have a drink with me!" I snapped at him and took a huge sip of my whiskey.

He raised both of his arms surrendering while shaking his head.

"Okay, fine. If you're not ready to talk about this then fine. Just know that Sky and I are here to listen to you, man." He said and I sighed.

"I'm sorry. It's just that, my mind's in havoc right now. I couldn't think straight, I don't know what to do anymore." I said honestly.

It's true though, I really didn't know what to do with my feelings towards Erin anymore. One minute, I'll be staying away from her, but the next one, I couldn't control myself and my mind to act normal around her. It's as if my feelings were intensifying whenever I stayed away from her and it's fucking scaring me.

What will I do if I lose my control entirely and blurt out my feelings for her? I don't think I can runaway from it once I tell her how I feel about her.

Oh dear God. Please tell me what to do. Please give me lots of restraint and control when it comes to Erin.

***
A couple weeks had gone by since that night and I successfully evaded it by burying myself to work.

However, I called up Alex to meet and it didn't end quite well but we didn't get into any physicality.

I warned him about staying away from Erin and that she's not like any other ordinary girls to be played around with. Of course he asked me why was I meddling but I just gave him the safest answer I saw fit. That is I was concerned about her because she's like a sister to me.

I know he's not convinced but I didn't care. I just want him to leave Erin alone but the bastard didn't agree. He just told me "may the best man win" and left.

That fucking asshole, I don't intend to compete with him. Erin deserves a man who isn't a guy like us. She deserves to be loved and protect by someone unconditionally and it's not either of us.

"Zac, give this to Olivia." Dad handed me two red envelopes and I took it. "Ardhan Sherate invited NGC to attend his charity gala. The other one is a personal invitation for your sister. She won that old man's heart." Dad chuckled and I smiled.

"Sure, Dad. By the way, I think I will transfer the oil division completely to Livy's leadership. She's surprisingly excelling in that field." I commended my sister's work because in just a matter of months, she have increased the revenue of that division.

"It's up to you, my son. I'm proud of her, you know. She's showing to the shareholders what a true North she is." Dad chuckled and I nodded.

"Yup. Anyway, I have to go now. I'll pass by Livy's apartment tonight to give her this invitation. Bye dad, see you later." I stood up and exited his study.

"Zac, you're not dining here?" I heard Lorna asked, our head housekeeper, when I was half way through the manor's big oakwood doors.

"Nope. I have to give this invitation to Livy so I'll just have dinner with her tonight. Thanks, Lorna." I went to her and gave her a side hug then kissed the crown of her head.

She's like a mother to us. Before mom died, she promised to mom that she will take care of us and I was glad that she's taking care of us just like how she treated her own family.

"Ok dear. Please come here often to visit your dad and drive safe." She reminded me and I bid my goodbyes to her.

On my way to my sister's apartment, I didn't know why I was feeling excited. It's like there's something surprising I am going to see. I didn't know what it is but I am elated.

As I arrived at Livy's apartment, I rang the doorbell and smiled widely at the camera so that she can see my smiling face at her video intercom.

"What are you doing here?" I heard her say in the speaker.

"Open the door, Livy. Father wanted me to give you this." I showed her the red envelope.

The door opened and I immediately headlocked her and ruffled her hair. I know how she hated me when I did it but I don't care, as long as I annoyed her.

She retaliated by stepping on to my foot and elbowing my rib cage. I grunted and spoke, "you're so violent."

She gave me the finger and let me in.

"Come in." I followed her to her living room but I stopped in my tracks when I saw Erin topless with just her bra on and her back facing us.

"Jowee give me back my shirt." Jowee was wriggling Erin's shirt in the air and stopped when she saw me.

"Zachary, what are you doing here? She asked me and Erin quickly faced us. Now I can see her totally.

"Ah... Uhm.. I-I was..." I stuttered.

Oh God. I don't know what to say. She looks so hot in just her bra and tight skinny jeans. I just wanted to roam my hands on every part of her exposed skin and feel how soft she is.

Livy then took a coat from her rack and threw it at Erin to cover herself. Geez, was I staring like a pervert? I looked at her and she was so red from embarrassment, I guess.

Then the memory of us kissing in her apartment came to me. The feel of hee lips danced against mine is what I've been longing these past few weeks.

I looked at her again and she was staring at me. I guess it flooded her brain the memory of us kissing.

I was so engrossed in staring at her eyes until my sister called me.

"Zac, you'll have dinner here, yes?"

I nodded and sat on her couch before she and Jowee hurriedly went out of her apartment leaving me and Erin alone.

"So, long time no see." I spoke to break the ice between us.

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