A LOVE PAID IN LIES

CHAPTER FOUR

NIKOLAI DIMITRIOUS

I stepped out of the bathroom and started getting ready for the event.

I stood in the very spacious walk-in closet, and began my routine.

I put on a black tuxedo suit and complimented the look with a Patek wristwatch and a well-polished shoe. I sprayed my scents for the night, gave myself one last look before heading out to the event that was taking place in the ballroom.

As I passed through the hallways, my eye caught a small frame of a young lady admiring the portraits in the hallway.

She is dressed in a black uniform that made her look smart, but did she get lost ??

The ballroom is the other way. How is she here?

She strolled to the next portrait, which was a portrait of me. She stood in front of it and even moved closer to it to get a better look at the details.

I saw the way she stared at it, like she was longing for the person in the portrait, like she was longing for me.

This time I was watching her every move. It felt like she was my prey as I studied her closely.

Something about her is captivating.

She stretched her hand to touch the frame on the wall, but her elbow hit a vase, and before I could say a word she bent and caught it,

The view!!!!

Her bending like that should be illegal!!! “That was a smart reflex,” I said.

She froze on the spot. I could see it.

I could tell her body was tensed at the sound of my voice. I started walking towards her. This time her head was down, and her hands were shaking.

“I am so sorry sir,” she said. Her voice was soft, but I could hear the fear in it as I stood inches away from her.

I now had a closer look at her beauty, and it was a sight to behold. Her skin was pale, but her red hair was tied up in a bun or so.

“Don’t be,” I said.

She looked up and we locked eye contact. Damn!! Her brown eyes were so beautiful, her plum cherry lips were perfect for her face. As I was about to touch her face, she brushed past me and ran off.

As she brushed past me, I felt her softness, and before I could call out to her, she already took off. I could. I could not understand what had just happened and why my body was long for a girl I randomly saw in the hallway.

I recognized this feeling.

I promised myself never to feel like this again.

I will find out who she is soon as long as she is still in my building.

“Hey buddy.” I heard a familiar voice which was none other than my brother Alexandros.I quickly composed myself like nothing had happened, like I did not just have a feeling shut out of my system fourteen years ago.

“When did you get in?” I asked as we gave a brotherly hug. “About two hours ago” he replied as we started walking to the ballroom when the event was being held. “How is Italy? I said,” Alex has his gallery in Italy and is based there. “It’s calm,” He said, giving me a side eye,“ and let me guess New York is busyyyy.” He joked and we laughed. We entered the hall.

Alexandros has always been the soft one. I was not surprised when he became a full-time artist and went to Italy.

His paintings are also in the hallway.

Even though we were often miles apart, we always had each other’s backs. We didn’t attend the same college and only saw each other a few times a year, usually when my business took me to Italy or Greece, but our bond remained strong.

We continued catching up with each other as we walked towards the charity event.

I searched around with my eyes and saw a uniform similar to the one the lady in the hallway was putting on.

I signaled one of my men, “find out who these people are,” I said.

“They are the chefs catering for the event, sir,” he replied.

Ohhh really, so she is a chef, I said in my mind.

“Nikos mou.” I heard my mom call.

“I would like you to meet Natasha Spencer, Kimberly’s mother,” she introduced.

“It’s so lovely to finally meet you. "I have heard so much about you, Nikos.” She greeted me.

Of course, she would have. Her daughter would have fed her with imaginations that could never happen because she was just a fling and I have made it clear to any woman I want to sleep with for a certain period of time.

The moment I sense them developing feelings or start feeling clingy, I let them go because I can only give them material things but never my heart because I don’t have one.

This was the fate that met with Kimberly some months ago.

“Nikos boo.” I heard someone call out my name.

Speak of the devil, Since her mother was here, it only made sense that she would be here too.

She made her way toward where we were standing.

“I did not think I would see you here,” she said as she pulled me into a hug.

I saw the happy reactions on the older women’s faces, especially my mother. I broke away from the hug, pulling her away from me.

“Know your place.” I whispered in her ears as she stylishly stepped back in shame.

“It’s so lovely to meet you Ma’am,” Kim said, greeting my mother, who was already very interested in her. I am not surprised all my mother wants is for me to get married and have her grandchildren, which I know is the one thing I can’t do.

As we walked, Kim kept boring me with her talks, and how she wanted us to go back to the arrangement. But I don’t take second chances for flings.

She was just a fling and that’s all it was to me.

As we walked to our seats, my eyes captured that young lady who was setting the table this time. She was indeed a beautiful redhead, and those curves' gosh!!! The way they swayed as she paced about. Her face is too innocent for the banging-hot body she had,

“Nikos, are you listening?” Kimberly broke my trance.

“Will you excuse me for a moment?” I said as I stood up from my seat and left before she could reply. By the time I looked up, the red head was out of sight. Damn!!!!!, I signaled my men

“Sir,” Gomez said.

“Find the red head wearing a chef's uniform, and do not let her leave your site.” I instructed

“Yes sir,” he replied.

A few minutes later Gomez walked up to me. “We have seen her sir, she is in the kitchen,” he said.

Gomez is the head of security. He is always a few meters around me at public events or places.

He was leading me to her when I suddenly heard my mother calling me onto the stage. Damn!! Terrible timing.

“Keep your eyes on her,” I told Gomez before going to join my mother on stage.