Rabbit Hole (Romantic-Suspense)

Chapter 36: Dinner

Chapter 36: Dinner

Alice's POV

"My goal isn't just your body, Alice", Lennox whispered, warm peppermint breath tickling my neck, my senses became dazed. Exuding a desire, which completely sends contradiction to what he just said as his eyes locked on mine like magnets, I began to feel restless and torn.

I am torn between staying like this and moving away from him.

Why? I don't know. It's as if something deep inside is holding me tight on the spot.

I wanted to move to avoid his touch, but something. I know something in me isn't cooperating well that it's pulling every sense I have to indulge in anticipation.

What am I anticipating? I don't know. I'm not even sure why I'm letting this measly feeling control my decision making. Let alone identify what's holding me up.

Looking at each other's eyes, I become instantly stiff when he leans his face and body closer yet slowly, making me lean back on my hand. But, seeing he has not any intention to stop moving closer, as his hand touches mine—the next thing I know is I'm already being lifted up, up to his lap.

Holding in the air in my lungs, eyes wide open, shocked as it seems, I look at his drowsy eyes fixated on my lips, and just as how slow our lips get closer to each other, the faster my mind wanted to stop thinking.

And unlike last night, an unknown rush runs in me. Seating on him, frozen in a slow movement, panting softly, as I feel my emotions baffling and running wild, I think my heart began to get suffocated with its loud pounding. That even though I don't feel him down there, the sensation already is burning me up. But within just a second, a train of thoughts started shaking my core to wake the f*ck up.

What am I doing? Am I letting him do what he wanted to me here? In his office?

Thoughts are running wild, not until my Mae and auntie appear in my mind—reminding me of the plan I drilled on my mind.

Alice, wake the f*ck up, or else nothing will change! You'll just repeat the cycle and get the end of the rope!

I gulped, and put my hand on his chest, pushed him to his back. Surprised, he looked at me— damn, that was close.

"Seems like you have to reconstruct your words," I said, getting up before taking another bite from the food, then wiping my lips with the napkins on the Russian table setting he set in between our plates.

This is right, right? I should take advantage of this situation and seduce him more.

Asking myself, unsure of what I'm doing. As the only reference I have been the movies and Mae's experience, she told me that getting guys to like him, I continued until I had enough.

And before anything becomes awkward, and having not the mood to play with him anymore, I stood up and started walking away.

F*ck, that was close. I really should get the hang of it. I thought, thinking of the unfathomable heart-pounding moment I always get whenever he touches me.

Is this really what it feels like getting intimate with someone? Damn, this sucks.

And before I could twist the doorknob open, his maniac laughs reached me. Laughing at the scenario that just happened right after the shock shook him, he called me.

"Alice?" I glanced back, seeing him glancing over his shoulder, from the couch, he flashes a mischievous grin.

"What you said just contradicts with what you were doing," I said, before he could have utter more words. "My goal isn't just your body, Alice."—my ass. That attempted kiss wasn't connecting with what he just said.

Realizing what I meant, his grin and laugh became awkward.

"Oh?" He said, brushing his head, turning his body around to face me from the couch.

Feeling the tingling sensation again inside that eventually sends realization as my heart skips loudly. The anxiety began to sneak in; I have to draw a line before I fall for this psycho.

I thought, finally having the gist of what I might be feeling.

Before I crossed that damned line.

"Do you want me?" I said, straightforwardly asking him, "So bad." Then his awkward eyes turn into sharp ones. Smirking, looking at me as if he's undressing me.

"Then, do something better," I said, baiting him into thinking he will only receive consent after I have my fill in conditions I want. Then, seeing his eyes sparkles with excitement—the kind of excitement I last saw and feel when I knocked on his door— I almost take a step back.

The pressure of seeing something that's about to devour your soul—although impossible, his sinister oozing aura gives me that impression.

Smiling, eyes sharpening as if a predator ready to pounce on his prey, he asked.

"Are you telling me, you're the prize I can have any time I do something better?" he said, and despite the alarm it gives me. What he just stated proves that he bite the bait.

Got you.

Twisting the door open, never have I thought that the small gap it makes would bring my heart relief. But it's not enough. I felt as I don't initially plan to step out without something to be smugly smiled of.

"A prize, yes," I said, open the door wide open.

"But anytime? No. that depends on me." I said, turning around before smirking at him, leaving him inside smiling in the thrill.

3rd Person's POV

Exhilarated, Lennox stands there, keeping Alice's face in mind in repeat before she's out of his sight. Imagining her smirk repeatedly, he looks up with a bright smile on his face.

"Ohh, Alice!" He exclaimed and moaned, preserving and burying her fierce, cunning smirk to feed his mind.

"Yes, yes, yes!" He added, seeing how the meek and hiding Alice turns into a daring one, remembering a little girl from his childhood, sneering at him with bloodstains on her face.

"That's right, a little bit more, and I'll get to see you again." He added, snickering at the thought of making Alice like that.

Then, Alice, who was at that time is already waiting for an elevator to come by, received a text from Lennox.

[Alright, then. See you later at 7

The steak will be better this time.]

Scoffing, a chill-out of nowhere came running, rising fine hairs on her nape.

"F*ck that jackass." She said, as just in time, the elevator opens, revealing George out. Seeing the stern, mysterious bodyguard, Alice instinctively bows her head down, greeting him out of respect and intimidation. George did the same and silently passed by her.

Following his back before going in, she immediately understood that George has something to report to Lennox with the folder he has in hand. And it is something that they only know. As far as she knows, there isn't a time, Lennox would call for George in any office related task.

Considering he didn't push me much about those pictures, he must also be working alone with George. I don't know exactly what he always makes George does, but I'm sure of one thing. That he's gathering information behind my back as he pretends to not to do anything, and to pull that off, he needs someone reliable.

And as far as I can see, George has been doing plenty of stuff—he's also the same man who Lennox made gather information about Clyde. Now, thinking about it, he could be just reporting something about my brother. Nonetheless, I need to find Mae first before they gain more information and realize Mae's message.

Tsk, that George. I should watch back from him.

Befriending him now is risky since we didn't really have many conversations. And the last time we talked to each other, it was…ugh?

Alice thought, finding words to describe her current relationship with George, as the first and last time she asked him occurred in mind—

"He may not have killed them, but he's torturing his preys to make them wish they're dead,"

Then, what George told her that time when she was asking about the two female employees, Lennox fired.

—Well, I'd rather say problematic. Alice concluded, sighing.

She is narrowing down the people around Lennox. She ponders how she'd plan to play along with Lennox to extract information, thinking that to catch and corner Lennox, she needs to learn first his weakness and everything on the line.

Then, the elevator stops on the fifth floor. People going in either their eyes are fixated on the floor and phones, the empty space began to fill in with voices, allowing Alice to hear all sorts of conversations each group has.

But, from those conversations, one stands out that took all their attention—including Alice to the one speaking to the right front corner near the elevator's buttons.

"The warehouse project's construction is on hold again." A man said, holding a roll of blueprints and a cup of coffee.

"Ugh, yes, I don't even know why or what happened, and it's kind of ironic because even I, the project manager, am not aware of the reasons why sir Lennox halted the project." A woman said, holding printed documents.

Alice's POV

From the sight of it, they must have not yet noticed that all the ears are on them, listening. Because for a while now, that project had taken a great toll on the architect, engineers, and especially on the construction workers assigned there.

Having no issue to point out, the problem eventually died out of the discussion, and mentioning it again now is quite considered taboo.

"Well, considering the land, financial—"

"I thought all of the possible reasons, but trust me. There's no issue, to begin with." The woman said, whispering frustratedly.

"Everything's fine not until the CEO put the project on standby, and up until now, there's no sign of it continuing." She added and immediately said, "That decision just put the workers on edge."

Well, I can't blame her for feeling this way. The workers that were promised to receive a full payment after getting assigned on that project still hasn't got paid that just like the project, their income's also on hold.

Poor people, ugh damn. I thought, pitying the people that got caught up with Lennox's whim. However—

Wait a damn minute. That guy? Doing something on a whim?

I don't think so. Everything he's doing so far isn't just—wait, no. to begin with, he's calculative. That Lennox won't do anything irrational without any meaning or plan behind it.

But what made him halted the construction?

"Well, I feel bad for them, but I don't want to get on that psycho's nerve so nah—not going to say anything against—"Just as when the woman's about to turn around and see the faces she's with around her when she finally feels like everyone's eyes and ears are on them.

Her gaze stopped on me. Face turned pale the second she saw me, smile falling off her face, the people instinctively look at the direction she's looking at, at me. Making almost everyone froze and gasps in shock to see I was here all along.

And, as much as I want to roll my eyes and b***h around, I decided to stand still and keep my cool.

I don't have any issues with what they said, even if it's not work-related, but the eyes they're giving me piques me.

And if eyes could talk, these eyes looking at me would say, "Oh, sh*t, the psycho's girlfriend just heard her."

I managed to keep a straight face, acting like nothing happened until the elevator finally landed on the ground floor and people started moving out except for the two employees.

Since telling them I'm not Lennox's girlfriend, they have nothing to worry about won't work because everyone in the firm already believed. I just chose to keep it in and brushed off the tension.

But, then... going back to that project…

"I need to look into it," I told myself, feeling the familiar feeling I have had whenever I feel like something's going on. The gut feeling won't settle not unless I get on top of it.

And so, after that short lunch, I had, the usual working hours passed by until I made it home. Since Lennox has meetings he needs to attend, I got home without him.

After taking a shower, I went on to get ready as it is already time. And time passed by, my feet naturally dragged me into the devil's den.

Feet in front of his door, the night I came here to accept his help flashes vividly in my eyes. And now, despite different situations, the feeling of urge to run still lingers on me. But, I know. Running would just prolong and multiply the problem.

To stop and solve this once and for all, I need to bet every chance I have.

Face head-on, I pressed the doorbell. And since then, as if testing the resolution I made. My heart beats faster and louder. Gulping in the anticipation, half of me wishes that he won't open the door—but then, as he always does.

Making a habit of crashing every bit of my hope, he opened the door wide. And said,

"Come on in, Alice." Not failing to keep the seemingly harmless innocent face, he beams an open arms welcome.

Too bad I'm in no mood to hug anyone.

Especially you.