He messed up again

Dave's POV

I lost myself in a moment, being too close to her. I clenched the hand bracing against the back of the chair.

Her eyes searched my face, waiting.

My eyes moved over her slowly, taking in the rise and fall of her chest, the way her lips parted when my gaze dropped on them. I stared at them a beat too long.

I can't believe I was actually thinking of pinning her down and kissing her.

My thumb moved, just slightly, tracing the curve of her hip through the fabric of her dress. I tried to stop myself, reminding myself who was in front of me.

I swallowed hard.

She didn't pull away, rather she leaned a fraction closer, her fingers curling loosely into the front of my shirt.

"Dave?" she started, breathless.

Heat coiled through me, I dragged my gaze back up to her eyes, my jaw tightened, fighting the urge to hold onto her. Slowly, I let my forehead drop to rest against hers, taking a sharp breath in to stop myself from doing something I couldn't take back.

"Go to your room, lock the door," I instructed as I pulled away from her.

She stayed still, looking conflicted. I hated myself for daring to think of her in such a lustful way, but I couldn't help it. If I let her stay a minute longer, I might lose myself.

I gazed at her, but she was still there with no intention of leaving. My breaths came out heavily as I clenched my jaw, trying to ease myself.

"Didn't you hear…" I wanted to scold, but she cut me short.

"Why are you here?" she asked suddenly.

The question caught me off-guard, I parted my lips to answer but couldn't find a word. What should I tell her? That I missed her so much I was losing my mind, that I regretted ever hurting her and sending her away.

That would ruin everything.

I swallowed hard. "I'm on business," I lied.

Her face shifted instantly, she looked angry. Immediately, she got up, her brows squeezed together.

"What?!" she half-yelled. "You're not here for me?"

There was hurt in her voice when she said that. I realized my answer might be too harsh, so I decided to tell the truth, but before I could speak, she did.

"I should have known. You abandoned me, why would you want me back?"

"That's not true," I reached out, but she slapped my hand away.

She tried to walk past me and I grabbed her wrist, knowing where she was going. "You're not allowed to leave," I said, my voice firm.

Her eyes turned to me with a glare, cussing. She clenched for a second before wrenching out of my grip and turned toward the room. The door slammed shut with a loud bang.

I gave a low exhale, rubbing my temple a little. I had just made things worse.

The plan was to make her forgive me, but I kept upsetting her even more. There's no way she would hear me out now or forgive me.

My phone rang and I took it out of my pocket, my expression returned to its usual coldness.

"Boss, I found out something about Miss Celine's boyfriend"

The word boyfriend made my jaw tighten. I placed a hand in my pocket. "What is it?" I asked

"He's not who he claimed to be. And it seemed he's working for someone"

My face squeezed up at that.

Atlantic City was supposed to be safe for her, no one should know she was there. But maybe I underestimated my enemies.

If Celine was being watched that closely, then I cannot keep her here any longer.

"Find out everything about him and his family. I need the information in front of me in two hours," I said and ended the call.

I fell back into the chair and let out a hard exhale, rubbing my temple hard now. If I tell Celine about her little boyfriend, she would not believe me and would think I was lying to make her break up with him.

My gaze moved to the room where she was and I heard a loud angry scream, then the sound of punching the pillows. Looks like after two years, she hasn't changed a bit.

—

**Celine's POV**

That bastard! I cussed him again.

I thought he was here for me. I thought he regretted sending me away and was here to take me back, but he wasn't.

How cruel could he be?

And now he's trying to control my life, to take away my freedom. No, I will not allow that.

I picked up a pillow and screamed angrily into it, then I punched it hard, venting my anger on the poor thing. Then, I thought of the best way to get back at him.

My eyes dashed around the room, looking for a way to escape. But I paused, realizing something. The room seemed surprisingly familiar.

Everything was exactly the same as my room back in Besley. It felt like my old room had been brought back to me.

I got up and moved to check the closet. It was the same, except for the different clothes there. A beautiful painting that I had pestered Dave to buy for me in my first auction date with him was hanging on the wall.

Back then, I had told him I wanted it only for my eyes. He had dismissed my request, saying art should be seen and appreciated, but I was talking about him.

I walked into the bathroom also and it was decorated just the same way, almost like he had planned for me to move here. I didn't know whether to be happy he knew every little detail about me or be sad that he might have planned the idea of chasing me away from his side a long time ago.

As I stared at the bathtub, my body lowered and I touched the edge. A memory cut through my mind, the way Dave had stared at me.

I recalled the feel of his hand on my waist as he pushed me down against the chair, the sound of his hard breaths while he leaned closer. For a second there, I thought he was going to kiss me.

I wanted to pull him closer and grab his lips, never let go. But then, he let go. He restrained himself again.

It was so obvious he was trying not to. But despite his attempt to deny it, I could feel he wanted me, just as I wanted him.