CHAPTER 4

RYAN POV

That was when I saw her. I had been watching her like a hawk.

Long black hair cascading down her back like tendrils, soft olive skin and...

"That's enough for one night," I canceled her order. She looked wasted though she tried to act like she was OK.

"What are you doing?" She scolded me when I wouldn't let the bartender serve her another shot of tequila.

"Saving you. You're welcome." I smiled.

"Who do you think you are? Stupid gender that thinks they can tell me how to live my life," she cursed and I knew a man had wronged her.

I pulled a stool closer to hers and sat, my elbow leaned on the counter as I sat facing her.

"Just call me a friend of the night for now." It was shocking that she could ask who I was, proof she was completely drunk.

"Whatever, I'm Elowen and you?" She held out a hand to me, her speech slurred.

"Ryan. Nice to meet you." My eyes danced with humor. De javu. Exactly the same way we met the first time years ago.

"Ryan, I know ‘a Ryan’ but he's a son of a bitch just like that bastard Owen is." Oh. What a way to describe me to my face.

I maintained my composure.

"I see, tell me what Ryan and Owen did to make you speak such vile words against them." I tucked a stray strand of her hair behind her ear letting my fingers brush her cheek gently. She stayed still for a bit and closed her eyes.

"It doesn't matter right now. I think you're a different Ryan. Dance with me." She pulled me by my tie to the dance floor, her movement fluid as she danced to the rhythm of the song that played.

"What happened between you and Owen, why are you here?" I pulled her close to my chest and asked in her ears.

"He's getting married to my sister, on my wedding day in my wedding dress." She laughed hysterically like it didn't bother her but I saw right through her.

The pain in her eyes was evident even as she tried to mask it with laughter and alcohol.

"I'm sorry about that."

"You don't have to be sorry. I was the one who chose to keep living with a snake in the name of family and Owen...tsk...I should have known he always had his eye on Lilith but I guess I was too blinded by love to notice." She was still laughing like a maniac but in a second the sound changed.

Her laughter had turned to tears. "What did I ever do to them to deserve all of this?" Her shoulders shook as she sobbed.

I couldn't bear to see her cry so I pressed her hard on my chest and kissed her hair. I wasn't going to let anyone make her cry again. Ever again.

"I'm here now. No one will be able to hurt you ever again." I cradled her in my embrace.

Suddenly she pulled away, leaned up and kissed me. Her lips were soft on mine, her breasts pressed against me as she looped her arms around my neck.

I broke the kiss, "You're drunk." Although I wanted her more than I've wanted anything in the past five years, I couldn't take advantage of her because she was drunk.

"I'm not, or are you going to reject me as well?" Her words cut deep, before she could say anything else, I claimed her lips with mine, exploring the depths of her mouth with my tongue.

She was the sweetest flavor I had ever had.

My hands moved to the small of her back as I roamed her body with my hands.

"Take me with you somewhere else." Lust burned in her eyes, forbidden passion but in that moment I had no atom of pride, I didn't mind being her rebound.

"Are you sure about this?" I watched her carefully.

"I want this," I picked her up in a bridal style and carried her to my car. I couldn't tell what went through her mind but I did as she said and took her with me to my apartment.

The drive was quiet, she stared out the window and never blinked. I saw her flinch when we drove past certain spots.

I had barely shut the door or dropped her on her feet when we got in before she attacked my lips again and pulled off my tie, followed by her jacket.

My hands roamed the bare skin on her back and my self control faltered. I pushed her on the bed and hovered above her a bit waiting to see if she would change her mind but instead she unfastened the buttons of my shirt and wrapped her legs around my waist.

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When Morning came, I rose early and got the documents ready. When I got back home, Elowen was already awake, she looked good in my tee shirt, her slightly petite figure getting lost in the length of it, her nipples pointing through it. I looked away and focused my attention on her face.

I could still taste her lips from last night.

She didn't respond to my greeting, she went on to accuse me of taking advantage of her, tsk, she had literally been all over me all night.

Worse, she still prided herself with that silly title that irked me. As far as I was concerned, she was a free woman.

"I thought he's marrying your sister, why keep the title?" I asked the question without thinking.

Her expression fell, she was no longer very confident. She sat back on the bed and stared at the floor.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to hurt you with what I said but..."

"It's fine, the truth hurts. I'm single." She forced a smile but I could see the pain in her eyes.

"No, it's not your fault and in fact I think that's very unfair to you," I moved closer but stopped myself from touching her.

"Also, nothing happened last night. You were all over me and we kissed yes but that was about all that we did." Her head snapped up to me and her eyes seemed to brighten a bit.

"And these?" She pulled at my shirt that she wore.

"I changed your clothes and sent the other for laundry. You had a slight fever so I had to nurse you most of the night, you were only able to sleep at 6am this morning."

"Thank you," her voice was barely above a whisper as she avoided my eyes.

"I'm sorry for accusing you wrongly earlier."

"It's fine," I sat beside her at the edge of the bed and we stayed silent for a while.

"They're legally married aren't they?" I broke the silence.

She nodded simply. Before then we had a cordial relationship, I was someone she could talk to about things and confide in whenever Owen got her upset.

"You know you can talk to me about anything." I had barely finished talking when she broke down in tears and buried her face in my chest. She cried about how much she loved Owen and how hurt she was that he was marrying someone else.

I let her cry, I wrapped my arms around her and gently patted her hair. I had let her go for too long but not anymore, I was never letting her go again.

"He's not worth your tears Gattina." That had always been my nickname for her, lowkey I never liked that her name was just like his.

'I'm here now and no one will ever be able to hurt you again.' I didn't say the words aloud.

I just consoled her till she calmed down and pulled away from my embrace.

"Thank you."

"Marry me Gattina. Give Owen a taste of his medicine." I lifted the file to her, her eyes doubled in size like she couldn't comprehend my communication.

"Just for a year, I'll register these on your actual wedding day in two days and we can have a ceremony later on if you want. No pressure on you."

I waited for a response from her but she just stared at me and the file in my hand like we were from Mars.

"Ryan,"

"I know. The agreement is in this file alongside the registration form, read through, consider my offer and sign it when you're ready." I paused and rose to my feet to leave.

"If you ever get ready." I called out over my shoulder.

"Where's the pen?" I smiled at her response.