2: NAIVE
1227 Words
Sunlight stabbed Kayla's eyes as she turned around not wanting to deal with another morning in this place.
But, something wasn't right.
Her head was pounding, her mouth tasted like regret and her body?
Her body had places on fire that had no business burning.
Shit, s**t, s**t!
What have I done?
She sat up abruptly in surprise taking in the room she had spent the night in.
The other side of the bed was cold.
She let out a sigh of relief.
Good. He was gone.
She quickly searched for her clothes and put them on, not in any way trying to be quiet.
But she was celebrating too early.
She was halfway through dressing when the bathroom door opened.
There he was.
Shirtless, sober.
Nothing like the man who whispered “I don't want you to go” last night
His wet hair clung to his scalp, his broad shoulders, his abs that looked like bread ready to be eaten and his beautiful grey eyes.
They looked like they could see right through her.
He Adam apple bobbed when he noticed he was being checked out.
He didn't want to admit it but her eyes? The way she looked at him. Was doing something to him all over again.
“You're leaving?” he asked, his voice low, dangerous, stating the obvious rather than asking a question.
She was stunned for a while but continued dressing up.
She didn't respond immediately.
Nothing could shake her now
“Yeah”
“And this? This was a mistake” she said coldly, not even looking him in the eye.
He laughed, no humor, just sarcasm
“ A mistake that lasted six hours sweetheart”
The way he said it, the way he called her sweetheart made Kayla flush.
He walked past her to the table, picked his wallet, then returned to her and pulled out a black card.
American Express. No limit.
“Name your price”
What?!!!
The air left her lungs
“Excuse me–”
“Hourly rate or flat fee? You tell me.”
He tilted his head slightly.
“Though I should warn you. I don't do repeats. You're adequate…” he looked over her slowly “...but not memorable”.
Adequate?
The word echoed in her head, like she was and she meant nothing.
Something hot burst in her chest.
Twenty two years of being called worthless by her parents, her stepsister and now? From a stranger she didn't even know.
She slapped the card off his hand and it clattered to the floor
“I'm not a p********e”
“Hah, says the girl who was in MY room, in MY bed screaming MY name.
She trembled in anger, tears hung in her eye “I don't even know your name!”
He stepped past her, pulled another card from his wallet and dropped it on the dresser where they can both see it
“Now you do.”
Kayla didn't want to look but her eyes betrayed her.
ANDRAIN VANCE
CEO, Vance Industries.
Her blood went cold
No
No, no, no!
Andrain Vance, THE Andrain Vance.
The one her father discussed with Lucas at dinner.
The one Lucas was trying so hard to impress.
She was just in his bed!!
He saw her face, saw the recognition, saw the fear.
And he smirked.
“I didn't know.” Kayla's voice shook “I swear, I didn't–”
“Save it” he cut in coldly.
Taking new clothes out of the dresser wanting to dress up and Kayla turned around abruptly not wanting to offend him any further.
“I've heard every lie. ‘I was drugged.’, ‘I didn't mean to.’, ‘I just love you so much–”
Kayla turned around in anger “I really was drugged!”
This made him pause, his grey eyes narrowing. “By who?”
“How am I supposed to know that, Me Vance. Even if I did, what evidence do I have?” she retorted
He stepped closer, holding her chin lightly
“you’re a feisty one I must say” he murmured
“And look at that.of all the women who tried to get to me, you are the first one to succeed.”
She swallowed hard.
The room felt colder.
He saw the evasion and chuckled.
As expected.
“You're dismissed,” he said, grabbing his jacket.
“The driver is outside. Use the back door and leave. I don't do scandals, Understood?.”
He didn't wait for her reply to know if she understood or not.
He walked away.
Kayla clenched her fists so hard that it hurt
“Right, He was dismissing her. Like trash.”
And that broke a nerve.
“I'm not going anywhere until you listen”
He chuckled and slowly turned
“Okay then.”
He leaned down slightly, eyes cold, “you have 10 seconds.”
Kayla gulped, hard.
“I didn't come here for you, I don't even know how I ended up here. My drink was spiked and I was moved here last night. Obviously I’d have no idea as to who would want to do this to me.The hell I offer myself up like that? I already have a fiancè who I love so much”
Something snapped in him
“Fiancé?”
His pupils shrank and for a moment, Kayla felt a strange surge of confidence return.
She lifted her chin slightly.
“Yes. Lucas and I are getting married in a month or two. So Mr Vance doesn't have to worry about me creating a scandal. I and Lucas are in love”
His eyes darkened
“Does your fiancee know how you were in my bed last night? How you behaved? How you get more sensitive anytime someone touches you behind your ears?”
Her face was drained of colour.
“What?”
He stepped forward.
Before she could move, he backed her into the wall, his arm just beside her forehead trapping her there.
Her breath hitched.
“The nerve of you” he said slowly “to profess your love to another man after spending the night with me.”
His gaze sharpened
“If your fiance is Lucas then you must be Kayla.”
He paused
“The Kayla Carter everyone talks about, the one they're all waiting to fall apart”
He continued, colder.
“And Lucas Grey? He works for me. Junior analyst, begging for a promotion.”
His face leaned closer to hers, just enough to invade her space
“And now you're telling me. I'm supposed to believe it's just a coincidence?”
Kayla's face went pale, her lips parted no words came out.
No.
That couldn't be true.
Lucas wouldn't do that. He couldn't. He was the man her mother chose. The man she grew up with. The man she was supposed to trust.
Her hands trembled lightly at her sides.
Andrain took in her reaction coldly.
Then he let out a low, amused laugh as if he could hear every thought in her head.
“You're so naive Kayla”
He straightened but didn't move away completely
“And that's the dangerous part”
He paused then continud softly
“Because someone like you doesn't survive long in games like this.”
- Writer
