Chapter 34

Lillian

"You are not supposed to be in the kitchen, Miss," Noah complained for the hundredth time.

I glanced at him and continued making dinner. "I find more joy in eating the food I made."

He mumbled something but remained silent.

When I was done, I set the table and sat to eat. It was almost nine and Zayden hadn't come out of his room.

I didn't even know he had left the office I only asked that he leave my space, not the damn building.

Noah cleared his throat and I glanced at him." what?"

He had been standing there and giving me the strangest look ever.

He hesitated but eventually spoke." I don't know what's going on between you two but I think you should let it slide, that's if he had properly apologized."

I sighed, reaching for my wrist that didn't hurt anymore. I knew I was dragging this out too long. How long has it been, four days? Five?

I was angry that he thought so low of me, a part of me bitter that he only wanted my body, as for my wrist. It didn't hurt that much, I only overreacted.

"I already let it slide, I just don't want us to get too close." I pushed a piece of beef into my mouth.

" The master is a good person, you'll find out soon enough."

I raised a brow." He has serious anger issues, I won't be surprised when he throws a table at me one day."

I knew from the start that Zayden was temperamental and I also knew I had only seen the surface.

"He is complicated, but trust me, there's a good side in him." He continued.

"It doesn't matter, I'm keeping our relationship strictly business."

That evening when I slapped him, I had another episode and was forced to meet Claire the next day. She refused at first but eventually gave me Xanax.

I paid for it, though; I had some money on me and would rather not owe her anything.

My nightmares and suppressed memories were coming back, I hadn't slept properly for the last few days.

As far as Zayden, I'll forgive him but have nothing to do with him apart from the fact that he was my boss. I don't want to get hurt a second time.

"Your choice, miss. But permit me to say something."

I nodded.

"You're the first woman he's bringing here; no one knows where he lives, not even his father. Aiden only found this place because he stalked him. Apart from you, no one."

I snorted." Am I supposed to feel special?"

He nodded." It appears so. The master has been living here since he was seventeen."

I raised a brow."Seventeen? he wasn't living with his parents?"

He hesitated before speaking." It's complicated, but if he lets you stay, it means he trusts you and is comfortable around you."

I gulped down my apple juice, one of the advantages of living with your rich boss. Excess apple juice to get drunk on.

" I still don't get where this conversation is heading?"

" Well, long story short. He's bad at expressing his feelings and handling relationships."

Putting down the cup, I filled my mouth with more meat." We're not in a relationship, Noah."

" Forgive me, mistress, I meant relationships with people in general. I suppose you might have noticed he finds it hard to use the magic words."

I nodded." I have, seems like apologizing takes a toll on him. What are you trying to tell me, Noah?"

He paused, his voice turning soft." Give him a chance."

I stopped eating. I'll give him a chance but not just the one he wants. I have my life to focus on.

" I will."

Noah finally left, leaving me in the silence of the kitchen.

I don't plan on staying here for long, I was already looking for a place. I had some money left from the one Zayden wired me, it should be enough to rent a nice place.

I don't want to appear helpless, I've heard whispers in the office. I did not like that my name was being dragged in the mud.

I finished cleaning up and was about to retire to my bedroom when Zayden appeared in the doorway.

He was wearing a grey sweatshirt and black sweatpants. His hair was tossed to all corners, giving him a boyish look.

Handsome bastard!

My first instinct was to ignore him but then I thought about it.

Do I feel bad about treating him this way? Yes.

Does he deserve it? Yes, because he's a jerk.

Was I going to stop? Probably not.

Mostly because I love the downcast look on his face, like a child who was trying to apologize to his mama.

Our eyes met, and for a second, I didn't look away. We both stood about 5 steps away from each other staring like it was a contest, until I burst out laughing.

He raised a brow, perplexed as to why I was laughing like an idiot.

"I'm sorry, you just look....you look like a child," I said still giggling.

"Are you going to let this child speak now?" He pulled his brows together.

"I'm not holding your tongue." I shrugged.

He cleared his throat." I want to apologize."

"For what ?"

He paused, removing his gaze from mine." For indirectly calling you a whore and ... um....your wrist."

I smacked my lips." I'll accept your apology on one condition." A smug smile appeared on my face.

"What is it? I'll do anything."

I smirked internally." You'll answer any question I ask."

He furrowed his brows." Well, that's good enough."

I nodded, extending my hand for a handshake." Then we have a truce."

He stared at my hand for a moment before taking it ." A truce? Does that mean you're no longer mad at me? "

I saw the expectant look on his face." well, yes. But try not to flare up so easily next time."

He remained silent.

"So, are you ready to answer my questions?" I raised a bro, making myself comfortable on the island.

He nodded.

I cleared my throat before speaking. There were some things I need to be clear about.

" That day, you said that half the reason I was here was to give you....umm....sex What's the other reason?"

I waited and watched his facial expressions. Trying to read any emotion but he was a pro. His face remained blank.

"Because I didn't want Aiden to be the one offering help. If he did he would take advantage of it." He explained.

I scoffed." And you, haven't you been taking advantage of it."

He came to sit beside me." Not to my satisfaction yet."

I raised a brow." Yet?"

" I've told you before, I don't like seeing you both together, he's not a good person."

Our eyes met again, I was the first to break contact because the butterflies in my stomach nearly came out through my nose.

" You haven't given me a straight answer," I mumbled.

Gosh. I need to stop staring at his lips and that chiselled jaw.

He sighed." I don't know either. I just want you here. You can be annoying sometimes but ...."

I snorted." So am I the annoying one?"

The first facial expression appeared on his face. A tiny little smile that made my heart do a backflip

" Yeah, and you do dumb things."

My jaw dropped.

"You twerk in front of the mirror, talk to yourself sometimes, and make faces for no reason." He continued.

My cheeks burned in embarrassment." how ....how did you ?" I only did those things in the premises of my bedroom, and I made sure I was the only one around.

" There are cameras in the house, Lilly." He chuckled.

Lilly, he called me Lilly.

The nerves in my body spiked up.

" There's a camera in my room?" I didn't realise I just raised my voice. Isn't it normal to do things like that once in a while? I wasn't crazy, right? I wasn't the only human who did weird things, right?

" Except for the bathroom,....... there is in the bathroom." He gestures.

" So you've been watching me all this while?" I whimpered.

I noticed he held back another smile." Only when I first saw you crawling on your back to the kitchen."

I finally lost it. Covering my face with my hands, I screamed." No, no, no, no,no, no."

At least he doesn't watch me bathe. Wait, he doesn't, right?

I turned to look at him, my face as red as a tomato.

" Wait, you said there were cameras in the bathroom. Do you...you don't watch, do you?"

The way he swallowed and avoided eye contact gave him away.

A strained laugh escaped my throat." Zayden, you don't watch me bathe naked, do you?"

His ears suddenly turned red, and his cheeks slowly followed suit.

His eyes found mine again and they slid down to my boobs.

I already knew the answer." Zayden, you promised to answer any question I asked."

His hands flew to his nape. My almighty boss was embarrassed.

" I've already seen you naked before so it's not a big deal." He shrugged.

I reached for the neckline of his sweatshirt, clutching it so hard since I couldn't possibly strangle him with my bare hands.

He scooted back but I grabbed him, holding him in place."Woah, calm down. It was just once.....or twice."

His eyes fell on my boobs again. I had to pinch his cheeks hard.

He flinched." That hurts."

I snarled." Stop looking at my boobs."

" It's hard not to look at them, they're big and round and soft." He phrased, glancing over at them while licking his lips.

My inner thighs pulsed but I ignored it." How long have you been watching me naked."

He shrugged." Since you moved in."

I grasped." The fuck! zay."

He chuckled." You just cursed."

" Shut up." I should be angry; no lady would want a guy to watch her bath naked, but instead, I could feel the wetness pooling between my legs. The thought of him having his eyes roam my body was igniting.

Still not letting go of his shirt, I said "I don't need a soothsayer to tell me what you were doing while you watched me."

His eyes darkened." I don't jack off, not until you move in. It's becoming an unsatisfying habit."

My cheeks reddened.

Don't think about his dick!

Don't think about his dick!

But I failed, the thought rushed into my mind like sin. What happened to keeping our relationship strictly business?

" How often do you watch." I swallowed, ignoring the ache in my pussy.

His eyes burned into mine. I then realized that his hands were now around my waist, dangerously close to my ass.

His voice came hoarse." Every single time you bathe."

Shameless perv!

I hissed, attempting to strangle his neck with my hands but he grabbed them." You pervert!"

He chuckled low and deep." Pervert is not the word. A perv won't be as patient as I am."

Clasping my hands together, he brought them down so they were resting on his lap." A perv would sneak into your room while you bathe and fuck you while you're still soaked."

My cunt ached in need, Wanting to fill his finger play with my folds.

His hands had moved, they were now resting on my lower back." You look like you could sneak into my room while I bathe."

He smirked."do you want me to?"

My breath hitched. On realizing where our conversation was heading, I released myself from his grip immediately. I'm not going to let myself get tempted again.

I cleared my throat awkwardly." I have another question."

" Hit me."

" What's your end of the deal, what exactly do you want in return for your excessive kindness towards me."

He remained silent, his grey eyes boring into my soul." Are you sure you want to know right now?"

I nodded.

" Alright then." He got up and left the kitchen, and a minute later, he was back with a brown envelope.

I squinted my brows as he placed it on the island.

" What's this?" I asked, reaching for the envelope, my heart beating erratically.

"You wanted to know my end of the bargain."

" Well, yeah. Just tell me what's in it ." I fiddled with the envelope trying to make out what was in it.

There was silence.

I paused, looking over at him. He now wore his serious expression.

He took the envelope and unsealed it, bringing out a white sheet of paper and then placing it on my lap.

The first word I read made my blood thrum.

I looked over at him, sweat breaking out on my forehead.

" What's this?" I breathed, my hand slightly trembling.

He didn't blink." Marry me, Lilian."