Fuck, this woman is beautiful. Timid, but gorgeous that it made his heart squeeze. He couldn’t believe this was the woman he was supposed to fib to. The girl in front of him was barely over five feet tall, with long brunette hair that reminded him of some mountains and doe-like innocent eyes that made him feel the tug in his chest, the impossible urge to keep her safe and unharmed by anyone. Especially him.Which was a fucked up thought cause he never thought like this about a stranger before. Shit, he barely had any friends so how can he even think of wanting to hold someone he’d just met?“Ms Grace,” she looked up, her doe eyes blinking with uneasiness and Arden wondered what made her so cautious of her surroundings. The file Orion gave him a few nights ago had detailed reports of her, but some parts of her past were missing. Arden pondered if those missing details had anything to do with that. Arden tried hard to avert his eyes from her beautiful face.“Can I know the reason why
“I'm sorry for troubling you,” Grace said timidly. Her voice barely reached his ear and Orion glanced her way. She seemed worried. And a little apprehensive as she fidgeted with her fingers and looked continuously at her phone. A frown battered her forehead and Orion’s fingers twitched to wipe it off her face. He wanted to run his thumb over her forehead and relieve her that there was nothing to be concerned about.“What was the name of the club?” He asked taking a right turn, averting his gaze from her face. Grace peeked his way.“Start light something.” Orion frowned. Starlight? Starlight!“Starlight Night Club?” He asked, hands clenching around the steering wheel. And eyes narrowed with a deep frown.Grace nodded.Orion sighed, grunting in frustration. Stepping upon the accelerator, he sped up. Fuck!“Do you know where it is?” Grace asked innocently, Orion eyed her. Why wouldn’t he know the city’s most crowded and luxurious club? He used to spend all his time drinking there, before
“Orion,”The silence was vociferous.Grace clenched her eyes shut and sighed deeply before opening her mouth again when his deep voice startled her.“I’m already at verge of losing my calm, Grace. Just shut up and let me drive.” What was his problem? She wanted to apologise but now his behaviour was getting through her. If he didn’t wanted to listen to her, she’d also not talk to him. Huffing to herself, she crossed her arms across her chest and looked outside.“Mean jerk.” Her mumbled words fell upon Orion’s ears and he took a deep breath. He made her angry.“Listen, Grace. I don’t know what you were thinking before following me into the club, but places like that are not for girls like you. There were…bad people inside. I am just trying to do my job and keep you safe, but how can I when you’re trying to get yourself in trouble again and again.” He tried to make her understand. She heard his words carefully, worry behind his tensed tone. She was wrong she knew, but her self-esteem ca
Orion opened the door for her. Her nervous eyes glanced at him with uncertainty, the atmosphere around them seized her in a past memory. She still recalled the dates she had been on with him. His possessiveness, his intimidation, his eyes the way he looked at her in public, the obsession he had of her.She closed her eyes and took a deep breath.But this was not her past and nor even Orion was him, at least that’s what she believed. This was just a friendly dinner that Orion insisted they should try this new restaurant down the street. Grace was reluctant at first but eventually gave in. A normal dinner wouldn’t hurt. And also, they’d get to know each other better.Right?“I heard they serve the best pasta in the whole city.” Grace glanced at him, raising her brow at his statement.“Well, that’s quiet a bold statement.” Orion chuckled, as they both entered the restaurant. The inner environment was a lot warmer than outside. Grace felt contempt upon hearing chittering of people around
She opened her mouth-to say what? Was he joking? He had to be. But Grace knew better. The look in his eyes screamed otherwise. Raw determination and crazed madness that once shined in Azrael’s eyes.“So, what now? You’re giving me a choice?” She said, forgetting the butterflies in her stomach and letting her emotions flare all over. To hide the tremble of her fingers, she clutched her dress over her thighs.Orion noticed the change.“There’re so many things I still haven’t told you, but trust me, I mean no harm. All I want to do is protect you, you just need to trust me.” Grace glowered. Her eyes shut as she processed. She needed to leave. Right now. There were so many things going on inside her head but one was evident. Escape.“Trust is earned, not taken by force.” Her words lingered in the air as she picked up her purse. Her heart palpitated and skipped several beats as she pushed the chair back before Orion’s words halted her steps.“You take one step out that door, and I will be
The coldness seeped through her surroundings running to her head as all rushed memories flooded. She remembered every nook and cranny. Orion. Dinner date. Food. Confession. Masked men. Syringe.Vision blocked by darkness as her lashes fluttered and she tried to yank her hands when she felt something holding them. She was tied. Panic flooded through her and she let out a blood-curdling scream.“Help!” Her pleadings resonating in the empty basement when she heard footsteps. Heart stilled, palms trembled. She felt his presence even before his arrival.“Orion…” his name tasted like poison on her tongue. He felt the coldness in his heart. Fists clenched and dark eyes narrowing over her face. Tears soaked her soft skin, delicates wrists bound by sharp roughness of ropes, the yellow dress he thought looked angelic on her, looked tattered and dirty. Hairs a disheveled mess. His vision blocked as Arden stepped to her. Orion watched in anticipation as he ripped the blindfold off her.His heart
Orion had expected her screams, blunt refusal, angry curses and sharp words. What Maverick said was something no same woman would do, ironic how she was running from her fiancée. Orion nearly scoffed at the word. Fiancée. But what left him astonished was her apathetic face and harsh words.“Do I look like someone who’s bitten by a mad dog?” She asked, calmly. Her emotions refusing to stay quiet and all she wanted to do was let them lose. But she couldn’t. Rushed decisions were often bad.Maverick raised his brows at her question.“Cause if you think just because you maniacs kidnapped me, I will not marry any of you,” She seethed in pure rage and anger. Orion had expected it. Maverick, however, unfazed, motioned Arden to bring the papers as Grace looked doubtfully at his actions. Her eyes narrowed and she twisted her wrists.“Read them,” he threw the papers at her as they landed on her lap. Hesitant, she glanced down at them. Blood drained from her face leaving behind strange paleness
Cold breeze caressed her bare legs as she trembled. Her hold tightening over the shawl as she took a deep breath to calm her nerves. She needed fresh air to think, to process everything. From being kidnapped in the middle of dinner, to know her sister was alive. It should not be this stressful, but it was not acceptable either. After Arden practically forcefully shoved the rules to her, she was anything but calm. The rules he made were outrageous. “What is this?” Arden inquired. His head aching the way Grace stood in front of him with a slip of paper between her fingers. A smile, which he’d definitely point as witty plastered over face yet he could not stop ogling at her. Leaning against the chair, he pressed his thumb over his temples and sighed.“Conditions, what else?” She sassed, letting the piece of paper dangle from her fingers. Arden took his time searching her face, and then grabbed it. Eyes soothed over every word written delicately with black ink. Line to line, word to wor