Rabbit Hole (Romantic-Suspense)

Chapter 34:

Chapter 34:

Alice's POV

Closed gasps, intense heart-pounding, the kiss might not be right for him, but I'd like to say otherwise. The close contact that we had made my body sensitive from every touch and move he made. That must have been why I flinched and got scared immediately when his hand slipped in my shirt—

"Alice? Are you alright?" Suddenly a voice came right from the back of my head. Bringing me back from daydreaming, my heart jolted, as if I just got caught doing something hideous, I sit properly. Before looking up to the voice that asked, I looked at my screen to catch up and check my progress in plan.

What the heck—it's been hours since that kiss happened. Why can't I forget it already?! At the same time, I thought, remembering how the kiss has bothered me in sleep—Ugh, I feel gross—am I a pervert for having a dream on it? Wait—did I just think the kiss was good?! Damn it.

Turning around from my desk to the person who called me seems to be standing just behind me. There I saw Architect Santos. A man with visuals at par with Lennox, ugh, if only I have much time not to stress over my life, I'm probably one of the many admirers this man has.

"Huh—yes, Ar. Santos, is something wrong?" I asked, looking up at his frowning face.

Wait, what is he holding?

I asked inwardly, seeing he's come up to me with papers in hand, and perhaps he's here to request a revision— wait, I just finished the revision he had asked just a while ago—

"Yes, you seem out, the output you just submitted now was the unrevised plan and schematics—" realizing I've mistakenly passed the unrevised plan instead of the revised one to his email, I immediately understood and apologized for my mistake.

"Ah! I'm so sorry, let me send the revised plan." I said, turning back to my desk, searching the right file. Then, I heard him sigh and take a step away but, seeing his reflection in the small mirror I have beside the screen, I saw him step back to where he was.

"Are you sure you're alright?" He said, just right after I have sent the file, glancing back at him, I saw his eyes looking at the right part of my desk.

"Yes, sir?" I asked. Tracing where he's looking, the embarrassment flashes through my face.

"What—"I uttered, seeing I have also mistakenly put my mechanical pencil in my cut of coffee instead of putting it in my organizer. I hurriedly took it out a pulled out tissues to wipe the coffee on it, then his chuckles echoed throughout the room, catching everyone's attention and curious gazes.

Being aware of the attention he draws, he waves his hands softly, telling them to get back to what they're doing, then with just that, they get their eyes back to what's in front of them naturally.

The workplace has been much busy ever since we worked on bidding documents. Now we're on track to finish and polished the rest to continue on the groundbreaking.

"Don't worry. It'll be break time in five minutes." Architect Santos said, walking getting back to his office,

"Yes, sir," I said, and before he could walk far from me, I called him.

"Uhm, sir?" Sounding like I have something to ask, he glances back.

"Yes?" He said, curious about what I have to say. Alright, ask away, Alice. I thought.

"How was the announcement go?" Being the architect that was assigned to attend on behalf of Lennox and me when we're in the hospital to treat Lennox's wound—which I'm not still aware of how he got it, I'm assuming Ar. Santos has seen Clyde, my jackass brother.

Eyes looking up, he said, "Hmm, well it went smoothly for us, but for the rest of the candidate, hmm…how do I say this?" pondering of the words he could use to describe it, he continued,

"Well, if I'm going to look at a third person's point of view, I'd say the panels were biased on us." He said, index finger folded on the chin. He added,

"Although it's true that a company will be automatically get disqualified even if they're just a minute late, the CG Inc. were too—it'd like to say harsh on them because at that time we share the same time flow with them. The only difference our company made was we registered early." He said, analytically looking into what he can remember.

What about Clyde?

"Oh…Uhm, have you seen the CEO?" I asked.

"Ah, the vice-chairman of the Gomez—hey, aren't you too a Gomez?" He said, and with the last-minute realization, his eyes beam an intriguing question. As much as I don't want to answer him, I giggled awkwardly and pushed the question.

"Uh, haha, so have you seen him?"

"Yes, I saw him. Well, he arrived in the middle of the announcement. Hmm, wait, now I get it. He was there, looking at every one since he arrived—was he looking for you? Are you related? Then, what are you doing here—"

Seeing where will his question go, I faked a cramp and curl in, groaning and hands-on person, I said—

"Ah, sorry sir, I think I have cramps, thanks! See you later." Seeing it'll be just a minute before the break time, I stood up, acting like I have cramps just to cut him off.

Running up to the comfort room's door, I glanced back to see if anyone's behind me. Seeing no one around in the hall, I composed myself.

Damn, it's not that I don't want anyone to know I'm a Gomez, but… damn, people's expectations are heavy. I thought of seeing everyone's reaction in mind before and after they realize I'm one of the Gomez.

Up until I became aware of how wealthy our family is, I began to get disappointed seeing faces turn into dull ones into interested ones—with 'She's a Gomez' in mind.

"Ugh, now I regret having a little crush on him," I mumbled, disappointed. Head's looking down, crossing him out of my list then, a voice echoed.

"A crush?" It said, and it won't take a genius to know whose voice it is. Before looking up, I release a heavy sigh, lifting my gaze there I saw him, standing on the way. Seeing me looking at him, he puts his hands in his pockets.

"You have a crush on whom?" he asked, brow arching up in grim. Sighing, as the mere hearing his voice gives me a headache, I look at him irritated.

"What are you doing here, Lennox?" I asked, despite being used to him popping out everywhere, out of all the places he frequently pops out. This is the first time I'm having a hard time dealing with my heart.

It beats irregularly—I'm not nervous or what, but seeing him now, after what happened, makes me feel weird.

Eyes but still have the hint of irritation, he walks closer and leans his back on the wall beside me, and casually said,

"Well, I was just on my way to fetch up for lunch. Where do you want?" He asked, smiling.

Uninterested in lunch, I glared at him.

Does he forget something? I thought.

"I thought you're going to tell me everything in your office?" I said, pertaining to the pictures he took inside aunt's house.

"Oh? Do you want to eat in my office? Sound good to me." Lennox said as if disregarding what I really meant on what I've said.

"I'm pretty sure lunch isn't one of the words I said," I said, full of sarcasm. Giggling, he then moves his face closer.

"Heh! Then, what do you want to order? Are you craving for something?" He asked.

Damn it. We look like highschoolers flirting around the hallway. Thinking this what would have looked to anyone who'll see us like this, I rolled my eyes and walked forward to the elevator.

I care about what other people say anymore, but I just hate being seen like that.

"Hmm?" Lennox said, catching up to my pace. As he walks beside me, his eyes anticipate a response for lunch. And knowing he won't stop until he got what he wants, I decided to give him my usual answer.

"Anything will do—"

"Oh? Really? Then leave the lunch to me." He said, smiling cheerfully as if I said something to get hype for. Looking at him, I unintentionally realize that he has always been this way. Although it has been waving behind my back longer than I can remember, I am beginning to see this side of him on the right side.

Anyone who would see him like this would easily assume he's perfect—ugh, yes, if only he's a normal one.

I thought seeing people started getting out of their offices, as the break time already clocks in.

We were waiting for the elevator to come up at our floor, what Ar. Santos said came to mind.

"Yes, I saw him. Well, he arrived in the middle of the announcement. Hmm, wait, now I get it. He was there, looking at every one since he arrived—was he looking for you? Are you related? Then, what are you doing here—"

"So, who's the crush you were—"Not interested in telling him, I cut him off.

"Hey, Ar. Santos said Clyde arrived and was looking for anyone. It seems to him that Clyde was looking for me. What do you think?" I asked, curious of what a psycho has anything to say to another psycho, after all, it takes one to know one. And this very reason is why I'm keeping myself near him.

Ugh, I can imagine the stress if Clyde and this mother*cker teamed up—

"Well, it's either he's missing you or has other things in mind", Lennox said, grinning. Containing the excitement in mind, looking at me with those sharp eyes, then he asked.

"Either way, what do you think will happen if he saw you?"

Visualizing what could have happened if we met each other that day in the conference room. Despite my urge to see him right away after what just happened, thinking about it now makes me thank Vince for appearing before I searched for Clyde. Knowing the brother I grew up with, us meeting that day would just—

"Piss the hell out of me", I said, imagining he'll look down at me. Knowing he has the upper hand in the company's selection, and even though he plans to give us the project, he would have probably played with my ego for a little while and eventually humiliate me before granting the project.

"HAHAHAHA", Lennox burst out of laughter before the elevator opens. Since it is already time, everyone wants to avoid an elevator going up, so among the people waiting, we are the only ones who go in.

Going in as Lennox laughs to his satisfaction, my eyes saw how people avoid looking at us as if we weren't there until the door closes.

Hmm, the development I like. I thought, for since Lennox keeps on showing up beside me, the sharp gazes that welcomed me before eventually got dull and intimidated by his presence.

"So, how's your cut?" I asked, blankly starring at the door, waiting for his guffaws to calm down.

Jeez, I wonder how humor works on him. He laughs whenever I'm pissed and angry. Damn it.

From the peripheral view, I see how he naturally fumble his wounded arm. Moving it, he then looks at me, making me glance.

Should I ask now how he got it?

"Oh? Don't worry, it's not that much deep—"Then he stopped, looking like he has just realized something. He lifted his smiling eyes and looked at me.

"Are you finally interested in me?" He asked, excited.

"Forget it." I said, flat out rejecting the idea, sighing looking back to the door in front. Giggling his way out of being dump, the decision I made last night occurred in my mind.

'If I just pull the strings correctly, I can…manipulate him. I need to take the lead now—for real this time.'

"Hey, Lennox. How about we have dinner in your place tonight?" Then, with what I said, his giggles stopped abruptly. Glancing at him to look at his bewildered expression, he looks at me with shock across his face. Nonetheless, I understand why.

Sure, I said something out of the blue, but this is enough for me to throw off his guard and let me in his suite again. I have to see something—I have to see how much of a freak he is.

If my guess is right about Dove's Mirror poem, then…maybe that's my only way to know the whole truth about him—about this madness obsession.

"Sure—wait, what do you want to eat? Oh? How about the steak we ate last time? Do you want me to make it again?" He said, excitedly beaming.

Ugh, it's crazy enough to think he has already known the things—foods I like. At first, I thought everything's just a coincidence, but assuming he has been stalking me for years. I began to wonder. How much of me does he know? From the little things to what? Damn it.

In order to get ahold of him, I need to hold something. An assurance that I know him better than he does. Having spoon feed with the information he's been getting through any means isn't enough. I have to know and learn everything about him, especially his weakness.

I have to hold the whole rope, not just the end of it.

"Anything will work for me", I said, seeing him smile. Lips' lids are moving upwards to his cheeks— At that moment, I began to feel…something strange I couldn't put into words at once. The void, the pressure, the foreboding tension—all in one just suddenly flows in the air inside the elevator shaft. That seemingly prolongs the ride we're having.

"Anything?" He asked, sounding teasingly. Then, I get what he means.

Damn, is this really the only way I have to catch him off guard? I asked myself inwardly. Although with firm resolve, the hesitation still lingers and dances around my core.

Get a grip, Alice. Mae and auntie are missing and waiting. You're having a comfortable life here while they may be somewhere, hiding, living their lives worrying with every second passing—all thanks to you. Get a grip and fix this s**t.

Catching myself up with the fact that the closest people around me are suffering because of the mess I keep leaving behind my back, the doubt that has bothered me faded away.

"I'm so excited! Oh? Do you like roses in bed too—"Eyes widening in excitement, he happily blurted out almost unnecessary things to ask, feeling a bit uncomfortable just after I gathered myself up the courage not to doubt as everything I'm about to do is my first time, I stopped him.

"Lennox, you don't have to say and ask anything you know?" Catching my head in a palm, I feel more embarrassed than him even if there's no one inside. Then he beams an innocent smile, saying—

"Oh, yeah. I should surprise you too." In a seductive deep husky tone, making the fine hairs along and back rise in a thrill. The thrill I never realized existed right before. I remember how his lips and mines pressed together.

Blood rushing cheeks heating up, heart skipping fast, I know something's also wrong with me.