VEGAS

Chapter 6: Like What You See? - Juno’s POV

Oliver’s lips are tender on mine, and even though I’m still very much angry at him, my body eases into him. My fingers rake through his hair softly as his hands settle on my waist. His tongue curls expertly in mine and a moan escapes my throat.

“Ahem.”

We pull away from each other and turn to the intruder. Dean is standing awkwardly by the side, his face is red and his tablet is tucked under his arms. “Mr Kane?”

“Yes, Dean?”

“Your father needs you in the conference room. He said it’s something about the California trade.”

Oliver nods, then he places a kiss on my forehead. “I’m sorry my love, duty calls.”

I almost hiss, but I hold myself together for the sake of Tillie who has been watching us for the past few minutes from the pool side below. “It’s okay.” I manage a smile.

He nods and walks away, leaving me with Dean. I also begin to walk away, but then Dean snorts. “You’re getting too comfortable.”

“You’re getting too jealous.”

He leans on the wall, his blonde hair blowing softly in the breeze. No one says anything for a while, and the only thing that keeps me here with him is the fact Tillie might call me over if she notices that I’m not engaged with anyone, and being the same age, she’ll try to get cozy with me which is forbidden.

Lord Oliver’s orders.

“How do you cope with him, though?” I find myself asking. Dean shrugs, running his free hand through his hair.

“Like every employee?” He moves away from the wall. “Don’t take anything he says to heart. He’s brutally honest, and says exactly what he thinks, but most of the time, there’s no negativity behind it. If he thinks you’re a slut, then you are. He’s not insulting you, he’s telling you the truth.”

“But I’m not a slut.” I say between gritted teeth.

“Oh yeah? Who got paid to f**k and be f****d?”

“He paid 10k, Dean. What would you do if it were you?”

“Oh? So an expensive slut?”

“What the f**k is even your problem?” I shove him as I walk past him, my finger nails digging into my palms.

I’m so angry as I move through the house, that I don’t see the person ahead walking towards me. When I do see him, it’s too late and we collide. Strong hands hold on to me before I fall to the ground in an ungraceful heap. When I look up, I almost think it’s Oliver but then I see the smile on his lips. Oliver never smiles more than half an inch.

I’m in Christopher’s arms.

“Something wrong? You were practically running down the halls.” He sounds concerned, but his eyes are anything but.

I push myself away from him with a polite smile. “I’m sorry, I was in a hurry.”

“Hmm.” His eyes trace my lips, before moving back to my eyes.

“I thought you were in a meeting with Oliver?”

“I was, but he got a call and had to leave,” he chuckles. “He’s busier than me these days.”

I nod. “Um…I have to go now. I’m sorry once again for running into you, Mr Kane”

“Please, Chris is fine.” He takes my hand when I try to leave. “Walk with me?”

I've got his attention already? Interesting. Though, I pretend that it’s not just precisely what I want.

“Mr Kane I-”

“Chris.”

“I’m sorry, Chris. Right. I have somewhere to be, maybe some other time?” I try to pull my hand away from his, but he tightens his hold.

“Come on, Juno. Am I too old for you?”

That question has an underlying meaning, and I know just what he’s asking, especially when his eyes dart down to my lips again. But I play innocent.

“Okay then,” I smile. “I wouldn’t want to be a rude host.”

He smiles and I let him lead me back out where I came from. Dean is still standing where I left him, and his eyes narrows when they settle on our linked hands.

“Juno Verde, right?” Chris tests the name on his tongue.

“Yes.”

“That’s such a beautiful name, and it suits you just perfectly.”

We walk down the short flight of stairs that leads us down to the garden at the back of the house, where Tillie is laying by the pool. We keep walking and I wave to her when we walk past her. She returns it with a bright smile. Chris and I don’t stop walking until we’re almost in the middle of the maze, and I can see the arrow from the cupid statue. Then he turns to me with smirk. He is handsome, and maybe given different circumstances, I would have loved his attention on me. But no. I hate him with all my soul and being this close to him makes my skin crawl. He is an entitled piece of s**t, and he looks every bit like it.

“You know, you really remind me of someone. I just can’t place the face.” He raises a hand to touch my cheek, but I step away. “Come on, I don’t bite.”

“I’m sorry, but-”

“You should be sorry,” he cuts me off, touching my face anyway. “You should be sorry for being so beautiful.”

His fingers delicately trace my jaw, his eyes completely enchanted by me. He’s a womanizer, my mom had once told me. He doesn’t know how to ignore beautiful women.

Isn’t it karma now that his enstranged daughter falls under that category?

I step away from him before he can touch me further and he seems to be brought back to his senses. He turns away and begins walking towards the middle of the maze.

“I got too forward with myself,” he says. “Forgive me.”

He turns back halfway to me when I don’t reply. “I trust that whatever happens in the maze stays in the maze?”

“Sure…Chris.”

We continue walking in awkward silence, and my mind begins to toy with an idea. Oliver thinks he’s so much better than me because I’m a stripper. How would he feel, knowing that his father, his idol, is nothing but the pervert that slept with his son’s fiancee?

A wicked grin snakes up my face as I close the distance between Chris and I. My boobs press into his back, and I innocently pretend like it was nothing more than an accident. He takes it as that, but the little swell in his slacks says otherwise.

“Shall we head back?” He asks, taking a step back when I take a step towards him. I bet he’s trying to keep his erection under control by avoiding contact with me.

Bastard.

I nod and innocently extend my hand out to him, knowing fully well that he’s going to have no choice but to take it. He smiles and just like I thought, he takes my hand in his.

This is going to be interesting, I can tell.