The Players Secrets

Chapter 10 - Invitation

"Nope. I am serious. Dead serious. It hurt my feeling when you say that I am joking when I am not. What if you accept it? I will be very happy then." She keep staring into my eyes. However, I can not find a sign that he is lying. He is serious like he said. Is he crazy?

"Niel, stop this. This is not funny anymore."I pushed him away and turn my face to turn to other way. "I am not joking Lica. Why can't you trust me?" He sound hurt. Why do you sound hurt?. He let out a sigh. "I know we met each other only few days back. I know there is no reason to believe me. Especially with the story about me and my nickname right?" He give me a sad smile. My heart break a little when I see that.

"Niel it is not about that." I look into his eyes. He just keep the sad smile plastered on his face. "Don't lie, Lica. I am a bad person that you want to stay away from for good, right?" His word break my heart a little bit more. I reach out for his hand and his facial expression change. "Niel, I just don't get why you want me to move in with you. It's shocking and illogical and irrational. Like you said, we just met few days back, right? Don't you feel scare that I am a scammer or somewhat?"

    Hearing my last word, he give out a small laugh. I feel relieve. I try to pull away my hand but he pulled it back. It make me flustered. "You ain't one. I'm sure of that. I just want to keep you safe from him. The only way I can do that is by you stay by my side  Plus, it will be good for you too since you can stop feeling like a third wheel or by your word, a lampost." I laughed hearing the lampost word. "Do you think you can accept this offer? to move into my house instead follow Amber to move in to Ab house?"

    I wondered. Is he really mean that? Is this a trick? Can I trust him. I look into his eyes to see if there is any deception but all I can see is his genuine concern and expectation. Can I really trust him to move in with him? i just can not decide. I sighed.

    "I don't think it is a good idea. I don't think I am in danger anyway. Auggie wouldn't do that to me." I can see his face changed. Darker. I feel scared. i try to pull away my hand but he hold it and grip it tighter and tighter. It's painful. "Niel, you hurt me. Please let me go." He just ignored me and continue to look at me intensely. "Auggie? His Auggie now? You seem still dote on him. Is all the stories that you told me earlier is all lies? Huh?" His gripping my hand harder and it is more painful now. He is furious. Why? He misunderstand me? Dote on August Day? I loath him. "Niel, it's hurt. Please. Let me go. You had misunderstand me. I loath him not dote on him. It just that he had apologize to me and he has no spine to act dangerously towards me, Please.. you hurting me. Let me go. Please." I can feel tear build up in my eyes. f**k. It is painful.

    Hearing my word and probably he see the tears, he let go of my hand. He take it back and brushes lightly on it. It seem like he try to lessen the pain. I chuckled. He think I am a kid? He look at me, surprise. He clear his throat."You are too innocent Lica. He just pretending to make his way back into your life. He is not sorry at all." I gasp when I hear Niel words. "A tiger never lose its straps. That guy hasn't change at all. Think about it. If he really feel what he did is wrong, he will stay away from you not stalking you. I'll bet the restaurant incident is not accident but he is following us there. I saw a car following us but I just shrugged it off because I thought it is because of me. Turn out it's him following you." 

    I am shocked. I don't even realize it. Is he telling me the truth? Is August stalking me? I shudder at the thought of that. "You see. A logical thinking guy will stay away from the girl he tried to r**e but he is always around you. He even move into a house near your current house. That's stalking babe. I think he plan to make his move again when you trust him enough, Lica. Don't fall for his act. You have to be more alert and careful." I starting to feel shiver run into my body. It really scary. Maybe Neil is right, I should be more careful.

    I nodded my head. "When you put it that way, it worry me. But what's that have to do with moving into your house?" He shrugged. "Well, if you move into my house, it is safer. My house is up on the hill and it is on private land. My land. So, if he really go as far trying to stalk you at my house, I can get cops to put him in jail for trespassing. Plus, it is a big house but safe which mean you can do whatever you want to do compared if you staying in Ab house. Amber and Ab can have the house for themselves and you know that they want it right? " I give him a raised eyebrows. It is true. Am initial plan is to move with Ab and live together. But she so worry about me that she changed the plan. I looked at him curiously. "Well, it seem beneficial for me, Am and Ab. But what it is in for you?"

    He look confused and he seem thinking for a while. "Well, it is beneficial for me too. You see. I have a house that I rarely go back to due to my busy schedule. If you staying there, it won't be too lonely and empty I think. You can also help me to monitor the workers there. I am to busy to even manage them so if you agree on this, your presence will make them alert and work better." So, if I stay there, I will be a house manager? This is funny. I laugh and he stared at me. "Why you laugh?" confusedly, he said. I just keep laughing."Well, I just imagine myself giving orders and do house spot checks. Hahahaha". When he heard that he laughed  too.

    He stop the laugh and become serious again. "I won't harm you, Lica. I just want to keep you safe by my side. I am very worry of you and you staying in my house make me feel less worry. Please accept this offer." He seem like he pleading me to say yes. I look into his eyes and I can feel he is genuine about this. However, I need to express my concerns too.

    "Niel, the offer is so good for me. However, I have few concern on this plan." He pull my face to look into him. "What concerns, Lica? Tell me and I will try to resolve it for you." I sighed. "First of all, I can't drive and I don't have a car. How I supposed to go anywhere? Wait for you to come back?" He keep silent and think. Suddenly, he give me a smile. "Well, it is easy to solve this. I will hire a driver for you. He or she will bring you anywhere you want. Problem solved." I gasped. Is he really crazy? I shake my head. "That is crazy, Niel. No. Just a big no." He frowned. "Why?" I continuosly shake my head. "Niel, it will cost you a fortune. Trust me. It's okay. I will just go and get a room nearby here." He growled and grab my hand. It make me surprised, "Listen. I won't take no as an answer. It will solve me more problem so no you getting a driver whether you like it or not." I look at him, confused. He grinned at me."My previous driver had been calling me non stop to check if I going to hire him back. He left before because he get an offer near to his dying wife. Since he wife passed away and his new boss terminate him, he is asking for job around. Before this, I don't know how to help him because I already have new driver. Now, it is solved if I take him back as your driver. He is a nice guy. This is like killing two birds with one stone." I'm shocked. He willing to do that to help me and another guy just like that? He is full of surprises.

    I clear my throat. "Fine. I know you hate peoples decline your offer anyway so okay." He grinned. "Okay, good. Glad you know what's the best for us, Lica. What is the next concern of yours, my princessa?" I blushed. "Second concern is I don't plan to make it hard for your private life. I mean it will be super akward if you bring back your girlfriend and if you have friends come over. I don't know how to explain my presence there. It would be ugly and it bother me. At the same time, it is your house so I can't say you can't bring back your girlfriend or friends." His grinned again but wider. "Well, that is not a concern at all. I don't have a girlfriend. I have friends with benefit but I never bring them back to my house. I also have no friends that I would invite to my house except Ab which he know you and I don't think you need to explain stuffs to him. Issue solved." I gasped. Really? No girls of his step into his house? But he want me to move in with him? Why? Is it because I am not woman enough? Thinking of that, I feel sad. Why i feel sad?

    I cleared my throat and pull my hand from him. "Then. why you want me to move in to that house? Because I am not a woman in front of your eyes?" He look shock at my sharp tone. He try to pull my hand again but i avoid it. It make him growl and he suddenly grab me by arm. I look at him shockingly. His tone seem like he feel guilty.  "Lica, I don't mean it that way. Don't misunderstand it. I let you in because I care about you so much and I don't care about them at all. You got to understand something. My house is a sacred place for me. My sanctuary. I don't allow anyone that I could care less step inside my house in which the reason why I keep my house from them. You are different Lica. Don't ever think that you are not a woman in my view. You are and you are more than just a woman in front of me. Get that?" I gasp when I heard him said those words. More than just a woman? What's that mean? I don't want to pursue on it for now so I just nod. He give out a relief sigh and let go of my arms.

    "Now, any more concern that you want to highlight?" he asked calmly. How the hell he did that? One minute he is calm and collected then seconds later, he flip to this possessive intimidating beast. Bipolar much? I stifle a laugh and he look at me. "Why?". I shake my head. "Nothing. So far that is all the concerns that I want to highlight." He look at me and smile. "So that mean you agree to my plan?"

    I nod and he give me a huge smile. "Hey don't get so excited okay. I am good with the moving into your house idea but I won't do it until you get someone permission." He gasped and then growl at me. "Who I need to get permission from? That bastard August Day?". I am shocked. Why him? This guy is weird. "No dummy. The person I am talking about is Amber. Get her permission and I will move to your house. If not, I am stuck with her."I said coyly and he shrugged. "That woman is gonna give me hard time huh?" I looked at him and nod. He go silent for awhile and then out of blue, he smile."I know what to do to get that approval. If i get her permission, you will move to my house?" I nod again. What this mischievous intimidating guy has in his mind?