THE GREEKS OBSESSION

A DEAL WITH THE DEVIL

I woke up feeling like I just came out of one dream into another - where last night's party collides with today's reality of working together with Chris. My childhood crush and soon to be colleague at the ballet academy.

It's the kind of plot twist that would have teenage me squealing, but adult me? Well..

Sophie bustles in, her usual morning pep in full swing. "Rise and shine, Leah! Big day with Chris!"

I rolled over, highly unimpressed. "Big day? More like a trip down memory lane to Awkward Town. Can't wait."

"Come on, it's not every day you get to work with your old crush!" she teases.

I grunt, throwing a pillow in her direction. "That crush sailed and sunk. I've got stuff more important to worry about, like not tripping over my own feet."

After taking a quick bath, I got my coffee and then headed to the studio. Chris might have been the dreamboat during my childhood. But now? He's just another dancer. Well, a damn good one, but still.

He was there when I arrived, looking a lot better than I had expected. He smiled when our eyes met, the same easy charm that used to make my teenage heart flutter.

"Hey, Leah. Long time," he says with that familiar grin. I responded with a casual nod. "Yeah, feels like a different lifetime."

Chris's smile broadens at my casual nod. "Different lifetime? Feels like just yesterday to me. Time flies when you're not constantly tripping over ballet shoes, right?"

I chuckled and the moment of tension between us was broken. "Well, I can't say the same about my gracefulness. Still a work in progress."

As we begin warming up, our conversation moves along to picking up on lost time. "So Chris, conquered any new dance worlds since high school?" I asked while stretching. He chuckles, doing the perfect pirouette.

"Just the usual – breaking hearts on and off the dance floor. You know how it is." I roll my eyes at that. "As modest as ever I see."

Moving on to training our students, the academy was alive with young, energetic dancers who have been waiting—eager—for the competition.

Chris teaches differently than I do. He is all flair and risk taking, where I am more precision and control. And somehow that works.

"Alright, team," he said clasping his hands together. "Let's run that sequence back again, but this time, let's go with less Swan Lake and more Black Swan. Leah, wanna give them a demo?"

I smirked and then stepped forward. "Watch and learn, kids. This is how you add a little drama to your dance."

Throughout the day, the studio becomes alive with the music and motion. Chris and I occasionally lock eyes - sharing a quiet understanding; a common respect for others. I felt grateful having someone by my side, I was used to doing things alone.

I caught him watching me with pensive eyes. "What's up, Chris? Astonished by my unmatched teaching driver?"

He laughs and shakes his head. "Just thinking how some things never change. You're still as passionate and fierce as ever." I couldn’t help but feel a hint of pride. "Someone's got to keep these young ones on their toes."

Midway through one of mine and Chris' heated debates about the ballet MVP – pirouette or plié my phone rings. I checked the caller ID and saw that it was an unknown number.

I excused myself from the room and headed outside. "Leah Reines, how may I assist you today?"

"Ms. Reines, this is Damien Dimitris," he said, his tone professional but tinged with a very slight undertone of curiosity.

My heart skipped a beat at the mention of his name. Damn it! I was hoping he would forget about everything if I didn’t call.

"Oh, Mr. Dimitris! What a pleasure to hear from you. I was just thinking of giving you a call, I said, feigning concern into my tone.

There was a long pause on the other end before he answered, "Indeed. I believe we have unfinished business. Shall we meet in my office tomorrow?"

His suggestion catches me unaware but I regained my composure pretty quickly. "Your office? I was hoping we could resolve this over the phone perhaps? I am terribly sorry about the accident and I am more than willing to cover up the cost.”

"I appreciate your willingness to rectify the situation, Ms. Reines. However, I think it best we discuss this in person. There are a few things I'd like to go over with you."

"Alright, Mr. Dimitris. I will see you at your office then."

***********

NEXT DAY

I could feel my heart pounding as I entered the gilded lobby of CORE.

The receptionist appraised me with a polished, cool gaze. "Do you have an appointment?"she asked.

"Yes, the name is Leah Reines, I'm here to see Damien Dimitris," I replied.

She nods then punches a number on her phone. "Please take a seat. Mr. Dimitris's assistant will be with you shortly."

I took a moment to admire the grand interior of CORE's headquarter, then man approaches me – impeccably dressed, his posture rigid though graceful.

"Ms. Reines? I'm Alex, Mr. Dimitris's personal assistant. Please do follow me." He said as he led me through the winding halls of CORE's main office. We passed a row of doors that lead into rooms which seemed to house several different teams, before finally reaching a set of elevator doors.

Alex scanned his access card and the doors opened. His fingers flew swiftly across the panel, tapping buttons for the highest floors. The elevator rose quickly, but smoothly, the silence between us making me a bit uncomfortable.

After a few moments the doors opened and we were on the executive floor. My breath was shallow and I could feel the adrenaline coursing through my body. My heels clicked against the gleaming marble floor as I followed Alex towards the back of the floor, where a series of individual offices were.

A woman with a short black bob and a headset sat at a desk in front of the frosted glass doors of the largest office. She looked up as we approached, and nodded towards Alex.

He tapped a button on his phone, and there was a pause, then Alex said, "She's here."

"Thank you, Alex. I'll buzz you in.” a deep voice replied, smooth and velvety.

Alex motioned towards the door with a subtle nod, prompting me to head inside. I gulped hard suddenly regretting my decision. I shouldn’t have agreed to this.

As I gently pressed down on the door handle and stepped into the room, I was immediately struck by the presence of the Devil himself, Damien Dimitris.

He was seated behind an expansive mahogany desk, his piercing eyes locked onto mine and I couldn't help but admire the way his tailored suit hugged his broad shoulders and accentuated his muscular frame perfectly.

"Ms. Reines, thank you for coming," he said in a deep and smooth voice, gesturing to one of the chairs in front of his desk.

I couldn't help but feel a flutter in my stomach as I sat down, trying to maintain composure despite my nerves.

"About the car incident, Mr. Dimitris," I started, ensuring my tone carried firmness in my voice to match his.

He smiled, a small curve of his mouth that didn't quite reach his eyes. "Straight to the point. I like that. But I want to propose a different kind of deal," he said, leaning back in his chair and crossing one leg over the other.

My interest was piqued as I raised an eyebrow inquisitively. "Oh? And what kind of deal would that be?" He leaned forward again, resting his forearms on the desk and locking eyes with me once more.

"I'll agree to your terms regarding the car accident settlement. if you agree to go out with me."

I couldn't believe what I was hearing. Is he being serious right now? "That was by far the most ridiculous thing I have ever heard," I thought to myself. We barely even knew each other. Why would I even consider that?

He must have sensed my hesitation because he chuckled and said, "I'm not asking you out on a date or anything. Just to go to an event with me. I need someone that can hold their own in a room full of stuffy business people."

I raised an eyebrow at him, considering his proposal for a moment before responding coyly, "Well, Mr. Dimitris, if it's just for business purposes then why don't you hire a professional escort?"

He leaned back in his chair again and smiled wistfully at me. "Because I want someone real."

I rolled my eyes and crossed my arms in front of me, trying to hide the small smile that tugged at the corners of my lips. "Real? And what makes you think I'm real?" I teased, playing along with his game.

He chuckled softly, his eyes sparkling mischievously. "Well, for starters, you're not wearing a fake smile like most people do when they're around me." I raised an eyebrow skeptically, but couldn't help feeling a flush creep up my neck at his compliment.

"And how do you know that?"

"Because I'm a good judge of character," he said simply.

I couldn't help but feel a twinge of longing in my chest at his words. Maybe it was the way he said them or maybe it was the fact that I had been single for far too long, but suddenly the idea of spending an evening with this enigmatic man didn't seem so bad after all.

"Do we have a deal?" He asked, interrupting my thoughts.

I took a deep breath before responding, trying to sound nonchalant even though my heart was pounding in my chest. "Fine, but just one event and we are even."

"Of course," he replied smoothly, his eyes twinkling mischievously. "I'll have Alex forward you all the necessary information. And also, it’s Damien to you not Mr Dimitris.”

"Well then, Damien," I said with a smirk, "I guess I'll see you next week." He grinned back at me, his eyes sparkling with amusement. "Looking forward to it."

As we shook hands to seal our deal, I couldn't help but notice the way his hand lingered on mine for just a moment longer than necessary. It sent shivers down my spine and made me wonder if there was more to this than just a simple business arrangement.