Rebirth: Flirting with a Dangerous Billionaire

My First Kiss

I gave him my leathers for safekeeping before I left, the opportunity to take my bike having disappeared with the crowds of students. It seemed like we were the only two on earth for a while. We stayed in our own private world. I think I even caught him blushing when my shirt got caught on the leather jacket and rode up, exposing my abdomen. Speaking of my stomach, once I had recovered, I realised the butterflies had returned. We made vague plans to try and track down the hard drive, but once we became aware of each other, focusing and creating a solid plan seemed impossible. As we parted, I felt all warm and fuzzy, despite the nightmare my day had become. I may have stayed in this state of fantasy had Cain not yanked me forcibly into the car.

"Why were you talking with Sloane?" he spat. I rubbed my shoulder, amazed that my arm was still in its socket.

"A woman went crazy, and Zack got involved. He helped me. You were nowhere to be found."

"Tch...we agreed to meet here. What's the hold-up?" the last part was directed at the driver, who had yet to pull away. Then, apologising, he pulled out. Cain sat back in his chair and pushed the red wavy hair out of his eyes. "Today has been a nightmare. I have been busy cleaning up your mess. We will keep this between us. You are free to go about your business, providing no more major incidents. Zack, well, he understands he brought it on himself."

"Well...thank you" There was a sharp intake of breath from the front seat, and Cain's eyes became wide with shock. "You, you're welcome...I guess." He looked away, but his ears were red, he was blushing, it was cute.

My mind turned to the story Sloane had told me, and I realised how hard it must have been for Cain to see the woman he loved at risk again. I imagined the pain he must have felt on discovering Mara, injured with no memory of him. Yes, Cain was controlling, and his behaviour was often virulent, but I felt I understood him more now. He meant good, even if he did bad. I had no business judging him because I was just as broken and driven by greed.

With a swell of emotion, I grabbed his hand. It was warm. He jumped slightly at the contact. "Thank you for finding me, too" I looked down at the seat, too flustered to meet his eyes. "I mean, back then. I never thanked you for finding me. It must have been hard."

"How did you...did Sloane...what did he say before I arrived?" I shook off his hand

"It doesn't matter."

"If all you do is talk to men, your situation will get worse. Everyone already considers you a whore."

"I don't have much to lose then, right?" I knew this would provoke him, but I was too exhausted to care. I didn't have the energy to argue, and my chest was beginning to ache. "Mara, you have plenty to lose." It was a threat. I looked across at him, he seemed to be calmly gazing out the window, but his knuckles were white.

He was like two different people, to think I felt sorry for the guy just moments before. I was getting soft. I rubbed my temples. Maras long nails grazed against my skin which was a sensation I was unaccustomed to. "Were we close enough for you to care?" He glanced over at me. He almost seemed happy.

"The closest" the statement hung in the air; the driver twitched slightly, but it didn't take him long to recover his former stoicism. Cain was probably smiling, and he looked handsome when he smiled. No matter, the person he loved wasn't me. I still felt shame that I had stolen Mara's identity, that I was tricking everyone. It was funny really that even now, I am still bitter. I was living the life of my dreams, but I was still the same old, useless, uneducated Lena. Even in death, I envied Mara.

Fortunately, envy can sometimes be of use. The feeling shook something loose that I have been too preoccupied to think about until now. I would have to open up more to win Cain's trust and ask about it. However, knowing I was dead, I felt secure enough in my new state of being to change the status quo. Mara had likely died or moved on. If she ever cropped up again, could she even prove I was a dead girl? There was no time to mourn, no time for anxiety. This time I looked at him directly. "Cain, in spite our past and everything that's happened, I want you to look at me for who I am now. I'm no longer the Mara you once knew. "His brow furrowed, but I pressed on. "But is the change really that bad? I know we weren't close, but what if we could be?" It seemed to come as a shock to Cain, who was thrown into a tailspin without warning. "If that is to happen, we would need to start again. No more fussing over what I eat or where I go, no more controlling my every move. You have to be honest, no more secrets." We pulled up to the manor, and the driver jumped out to open the door.

Cain looked tortured. The decision to have what he wanted but at a cost seemed to be tearing him in half. As the driver opened the door, Cain reached across me. "Just...we need a minute," he uttered before pulling it shut. His body pressed against mine should feel like an invasion instead. It made me tingle. His breathing became heavy, and for a moment, the world seemed to stop, our faces mere inches from each other. He was still across me when he leaned further toward me; his eyes were dreamy as if spellbound. Excitement bubbled up in me. Is this my first kiss? Something about him was, had always been compelling. This went beyond the thrill of danger. I wanted him, not because he was attractive popular or because I had been starved of male attention my whole life. It was because he was damaged. We were the same. In the distance, there was a crunch of gravel underfoot as the driver shifted. He was a respectable distance away, but his presence brought me to my senses. His lips were already brushing against my own when mine parted. "Let's talk about Sam."