2. ARROGANT

Anita had seen for herself a percentage of good looking men, in the magazines, movies and even models on billboards. But even they paled at least a hundred times more as compared to the man in front of her.

He was tall. Perfect for a basketball player. His curly black and shiny hair flew over his broad shoulders. His strong masculine jawline that looked like it was sculpted by the best artist from out of the World was a perfection in her eyes.

He looked too good to be true that Anita almost thought that she was dreaming thus all that fear that had built up in her heart faded. It was no wonder such a beautiful female goddess like Bilha Wairimu could want his love!

He was a man to be kept for oneself and not allowed to be seen out! How could a real man in the real world look this stunning? She thought that this was one of the wonders of the world that only happens once in a thousand years.

As Anita looked at the stunning creature in front of her in all acceptance, the stunning man was glaring down at her. His eyes were sharp and hostile but his scrunched brows seemed like he was meeting something unexpected that made Anita doubt once again if this was real.

He seemed surprised as if he was looking at a certain strange creature that he never knew he would one day meet. It was like he did not expect to meet it ever in his life!

“What are you?”

Anita furrowed her brows from the mocking resentment in his voice. When Anita looked straight into his eyes again, his gaze was harsh and piercing. His eyes that looked like it carried the entire universe in it, glimmered with a dangerous light. And undoubtedly, they were scrutinizing her like she was a prey.

From Anita’s view, he totally and perfectly fitted the demon lord character and would bring it out to perfection if cast by those film industries.

“Huff! What am I?” Anita scoffed as she asked in a disdained tone as well.

Yes, he was otherworldly handsome, so dangerous like the devil himself, and she couldn’t even fall on the top twenty beauties after Miss Wairimu if ranked. He was also perfect to be arrogant. But still, that did not mean, he could disregard her to the point of asking, what she was?

She was a human, flesh and blood for heaven’s sake!

Then, she saw a green vein pop on his forehead, a show of anger. Anita swallowed and her heart sank and it felt like it was being squashed.

“I asked, who are you?” The man growled in a deep intimidating voice, “A paparazzi?” He added.

Anita felt the temperature between them fall once again. She couldn’t help but think that this man was definitely the perfect example of the inhumanly beautiful king of hell she had read in the many fantasy martial arts fictional books.

But her heart did not plant any fear as she looked straight into his starry eyes and answered.

“No, I am not!” She shook her head still standing her ground.

The man’s eyes needled and then he moved his feet, walking closer to her. With every step, he seemed to furrow his brows more and more and the temperature surrounding him fell to zero. Anita pictured the air around them turning into ice just like the fictional books say.

But she was able to hold her ground despite her shaking left hand that she closed into a fist. She was utterly surprised by her actions!

Maybe it was the need to justify herself or the overly arrogance of this stunning man that made her numb to his changing air. She just wanted to go against him!

When the man stopped centimeters before her, she couldn’t help but break a sweat. The man was scrutinizing her up and down and she felt a little anger burn in her heart.

Did he not believe her?

“Little one…you heard everything, didn’t you?” He asked, his gaze increased hostility than an enraged lioness. He was definitely glaring at her like a prey ready to be killed. It was the first time she was seeing beautiful and icy and deadlier eyes as his.

He had killer eyes that easily corresponded to the definition of the phrase, if looks could kill. And that was a wish not to come true because they seemed they could cut and shred anyone’s soul.

“I…I did but I didn’t mean to-” Anita managed to withdraw herself from looking into his eyes as she answered letting her voice fade, her head hanging low in guilt. She just realized, she did commit an action that befits a paparazzi’s and here she was, brave to stand her ground. It was right for him to be arrogant and have resentment towards her.

The man raised his left hand towards her neck revealing his long slender fingers. This time, due to guilt, she shut her eyes, and breathed out, thinking that the man was going to strangle her. She did not flinch or neither did she move nor yell as she accepted her fate, biting her bottom lip.

But that didn’t happen after some time. Slowly, Anita opened her eyes.

He did not speak and his hand was frozen near her chin. When she opened her eyes, he lifted her chin and she could see his beautiful sculpted face up close once again.

For some unknown reason, the swords and the ancient glaciers in his eyes seemed to have been washed away and were suddenly replaced by an odd mischievous smirk on his lips. He licked his sexy lips evilly. He looked like a hunter who had found she was a better prey than the other that had escaped from him earlier.

It was a little tender, but she found it jarring. Anita simply froze again, her heartbeat beating so erratically as if a hummer was inside her chest.

“Interesting…” he mumbled to himself scrutinizing her face as he dropped his hand with a furrowed brow.

His expression turned serious as he removed the smirk from his face, “You have eventually attracted my attention. You are hired!” He said and just like that, he turned to leave, his retreating silhouette, perfect and graceful.

Anita was dumbstruck as she watched him moving away. His last words did not make sense and she still stood rooted at the spot, confused with his actions.

Then it hit her.

Hired!

Hired to do what? She didn’t want a job!

She suddenly called out.

“Wait, please wait!”

The chauffeur, which Anita deduced to be the second man, Collins who had earlier read the section of contract to Miss Wairimu, had his hands to the passenger’s door ready to open the door for him to enter.

Her voice echoed in the parking space successfully stopping him as he turned to look at her. His hands slipped into his pants pocket.

“What is it, little one?” He asked, his voice low without moving to her.

Anita gritted her teeth, pressing her lips tight at his exceeded form of reference but let it go as his way of calling her was not the point of focus at that time.

“What does mister mean by…I am hired?” Fearlessly, Anita questioned and too, she mimicked his actions of not walking to him. Somehow, the guilt in her eyes was gone and replaced with confusion and mockery.

“Oh…you don’t believe it?” He asked not replying to her question.

Anita felt the urge to slap him and the earlier rage burned in her heart once again. She knew that he clearly knew what she meant by her question and was just messing with her. Her expression dejected like she was defeated.

“Humph!” Anita bravely harrumphed softly and said, “I am not interested. If you don’t want to explain your actions, then I will leave you with ``I am sorry,” she turned to leave.

Too bad he spoke just as she turned.

“I said you are hired and did not ask for your apology or for you to leave.” he said closing the distance between them in a few steps.

“And I said too, I am not interested in the job-”

“The job is to be my next contract girlfriend,”

“What?”

“You heard me right-” the man said nonchalantly like he was talking about the weather.

Anita couldn’t stop herself from raging as she turned to look at him. It was now her turn to shoot glares at him. Unfortunately, hers was like a kitten to an elephant. The man was not affected at all as his ocean blue eyes assessed her with interest.

‘He can’t be real, right?’ Anita thought to herself.

Her burning furry was once again easily extinguished and she looked at him as if she was looking at a mad man.

‘Does he think I can fall for the girlfriend prank?’ Anita thought about trying to scrutinize the man too. But no matter how hard she tried, he did not seem to be joking!

‘He is definitely a madman. Men this too good looking can never exist in the mortal world. They deserve more than royalty, and that is only found in the celestial palaces.’ Anita concluded.

She did see his beauty too good to be true!

“Mr. Whoever, I am not interested in becoming your girlfriend. And also…I have a boyfriend,” Anita said slowly as if she was trying to reason with a child.

Silence reigned between them and the man narrowed his eyes. Not in anger, but in astonishment. This was the first time Anita witnessed an expression different from anger on his expressionless face. His lips curled in an amused smile. But Anita could tell that he wasn’t smiling to congratulate her on having a boyfriend.

“Would Mister care to explain your smile?’ Anita asked.

“Are you sure you don’t want to take on the job? It pays well,” the man said, ignoring her question. His lips now curved up in a wicked, amused smile but his tone screamed disbelief. Like he was strongly opposing the fact that Anita refused him.

“I really have a boyfriend, so no thank you!” Anita stood her ground. She was unbelievably calm.

When she thought he was going to retort, she only got a low chuckle as a response. His chuckle was scary and Anita realized that she had successfully angered him and he was trying as hard to not go crazy.

The man looked like a devil when he laughed and his laughter didn’t reach his eyes. But for some reason, he seemed so amused. It was strange and Anita wasn’t sure if she could figure him out. His expressions were just too tricky to read!

“Little one…go home. Maybe after sleep you will have thought it through. No one has ever tried going against me,” His long graceful finger lifted her chin, his lips still curved up to a dangerous and mischievous smile. His voice was smoldering, despite the smile on his face. A warning was burning in his tone and Anita could feel the intensity.

But Anita was unfazed, “I am not going against you because you are not in the position to decide something for me. And to tell you the truth, if no one has ever tried going against you, it might be because of your intimidating, dangerous arrogant tone, but that doesn't mean you will never find someone who can. Who knows what they plot behind your back? Too bad, I am not one to talk behind people’s back. So the person you haven’t met, is none other than me,”

“Little one, are you saying that you want to try going against me?”

“Not trying, but I am because you have pushed me!”

Her eyes were decisive.

He dropped his hands and raised his head to the sky and laughed. He seemed more amused than before. His laughter echoed.