Revenge Before Love

4/ Christmas Kismet

December/2017

Ebony’s P.O.V:

“Rise and shine BonBon, it’s Monday” It was almost 8 AM and Summer just barged in my room to get me out of my bed, the place where I had been since Friday evening.

Groaning, continuously groaning I hauled my legs out of my bed, and into the bathroom. I didn’t want to go to work, I was still depressed, I needed time to heal, and it was past mid-December and there would be a Christmas party in a couple of days followed by a new year’s party, and I just didn’t want to socialize with decent men!

“you're going to see people today” Lucas notified me as he searched my wardrobe for something, I'm assuming isn’t sweatpants and a loose t-shirt.

Groaning again.

“Come on Bony, you’ve been locked up here all weekend with all kinds of alcohol! I think self-mourning stage is over, now we’ll have to move on to the next one” Lucas and his stupid, stupid moving on stages.

“The socializing stage” Summer completed.

“I don’t want to be socializing in a company full of overly handsome men” I replied throwing my hands in the air as a sign of frustration.

“shower not! You smell like a bar” I rolled my eyes at Lucas’ comment but obeyed nonetheless cause he was right.

After my very refreshing shower that made me feel human again, I got into the clothes Lucas and Summer laid out for me, did my make-up, my hair, and dressed my lips in a very hot red color that matched the soles of my black heels.

“OOH hot red” Summer’s comment rang in my ear as I approached the pancake filled kitchen island.

“Yes, I need to feel hot and what better does that than a hot lipstick” I reached over and grabbed a stack of pancakes and bombarded them with maple syrup.

“you know he didn’t cheat cause you lacked anything, right?” Lucas stretched his arm and patted my hand across the table.

“I know, but sometimes you just have to add a booster to help you realize how worthy you are of the YOU that you nourished, cared for and loved for so long, and how unworthy the other person was, my booster today is this lipstick” I didn’t comprehend what I said until after I said it, I knew I was a bit wise when I wasn’t under the influence of alcohol, but I surprised even me.

“wow”

“well, that only indicated that you're even ready to mingle” Lucas cheered, sometimes I actually believed that he could’ve been a wise prostitute in his past life, he just loved to solve everything with s*x.

“no mingling for now and certainly no relationships” I shot back, “I'm taking the path of virtue like Summer”

“There’s no virtue in her path, there’s meaningless flings though”, Summer just nodded her head agreeing with what Lucas said.

My friends are whores.  

A sigh was delivered from my lungs, “My. Very. Own. Path. Of. Virtue”

“what about the hot rich guy you were telling me about the other day” Summer suggested, in return I fiercely shook my head, I almost choked on the sweet lump of goodness I just swallowed.       

 “Why not? What hot guy? What other day?” Lucas was as inquisitive as ever, of course.

“He's my boss’ brother! I can’t do that, I’ll be fired for sure”

“only if you get caught” the minx winked me, and Lucas agreed.

“No I wouldn’t, it’s too complicated”  

“Excuses” was Lucas’ point of view, and “live a little dangerously” was Summer’s suggestion.

To be completely frank, that was what I kept thinking about all the way to firm, which I categorized as bad, because soon enough I was going to become obsessed with doing it, and they knew that, so the only way to avoid a crises is to avoid drinking.

Mr. Blake -not the one my friends wanted in my bed- gave me a warm welcome as we both arrived together, he said “we’ll be working closely together and I'm looking forward to seeing your potentials in demonstration”.

As if working in R&D wasn’t stressful enough, now he wanted full potentials, and I was pretty sure that didn’t include seducing his brother.

I have to get that out of my head, I mentally scolded myself as I walked around the department, acquainting myself with the staff and the space.    

As that day came to an end, I was very grateful I didn’t run into either one of The Blakes, and that was often occurrence -except for minor encounters that were very thick with tension- as the working days sped by, bringing upon me the Christmas Curse which summer likes to call it  ‘the Christmas Kismet’  

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Theodor’s P.O.V:

I didn’t really have a meaningful talk with Ebony, it was like she was doing her best to avoid me out of all people, she would be talkative and funny, but once I step into the room she's quiet and tense, she also smelled of sweltering lust one second and appalled and indignant. I was unexplainable, it was as if she wanted me but didn’t or was also repulled by the idea.

I so desperately wanted an explanation, but she would speak somberly, drawing so many lines that I couldn’t keep up, her answers would be one-worded or simply a nod or a shrug, “you chance is at the Christmas part?” Anthony said from his position on the couch with Lia burrowed to his side.

“What do you suggest I do? Kiss her under a mistletoe” to be completely honest, I was being extremely sarcastic, but my sarcasm seemed to inspire Lia.

“We could arrange that, you said that you felt and smelled her lust, but something maybe is  holding her back, like she's working with your brother, maybe she doesn’t want to be fired? Or maybe she's still hung up on her ex and doesn’t want to jump into anything new. What I'm trying to say is that she needs a little nudge, a kiss might do just fine” her pink slender lips stretched into a smile as she hopped off the couch making her blond curls bounce.

“You're hyped up on romantic chick-flick” that was the politest reply I could master, even though I wanted to yell out RIDICULOUS!

Anthony just guffawed and I growled in return -Amel growled-, “woah wolfman, I'm only amused by the conversation, but what I meant by Christmas party, is socializing with her, not the mistletoe”

My hope was tumbling down at that point, if only I could get inside her head and know what she was thinking, but we didn’t have a connection, not one between mates at least, and the only option I had was to corner her at the Christmas party, that is if she shows up.           

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The day finally came, the preparations and the decorations were ostentatious, Lia’s plans for sure, as I walked through the tinged floor smiling at people, shaking hands, and handing out Merry Christmas joys. That was when the same addicting fruity scent wrapped around me in a tight embrace, as if by instinct I turned to follow the scent.

She was wearing an elegant silver dress covering her figure fully with a long slit of the right side, her hair was up in an daintily way, her make up as soft as usual with the bright lipstick that she adopted as a habit lately,  her friend Summer was besides her gawking at everything, the red dress she was wearing matching all the decoration, she was like a chameleon, blending in.

Ebony was smiling brightly, and her smiled reminded on her lips even after she saw me, for the few seconds that followed at least, then she diverted her gaze from mine and cliched to Summer as if her life depended on it, luckily Summer is a little more chill as she handed her over a Champaign glass and sent me a wink.

I don’t know if it was flirtatious or -I'm on your side- kind of wink. Nonetheless I had to works with what I have, Ebony was smart and cautious, she was trying her best to avoid me all evening, it almost worked.

She was talking to Anthony and Lia, and that was my entrance. “Enjoying the evening?”

“I will probably end up drinking your Champaign tower” a soft chuckle left her lips, and I was mesmerized.

“you're like a star her Ebony, all silver and shining” Lia took the words out of my mouth.

“If it was Halloween you would’ve guessed my costume” I think that’s the alcohol in her system talking.

“How do you like working here?”

“well it’s indulging, it’s like a brain practice to me, I like R&D. although I find the name really weird! Why did you go with the Blood Moon firm? I get that it is a great lunar event but why? Is there like a backstory or an inside joke” her hand flew to her mouth and she let out a gasp, “s**t, I'm sorry I didn’t mean to say that your company is a joke, I love your company”

I laughed, she was so adorable all talkative and fumbly.

I noticed that Anthony and Lia had retreated from the conversation, I placed my hand of her arm, I could feel the goosebumps that my touch caused, smiling down at her “Well you can say it’s an inside joke”.

She laughed at that, a little too much.

“oh, look they’re standing under the mistletoe” Lia’s voice, was high enough for everyone to hear it.

Suddenly the hall was quiet, and they were watching us like a show.

I was annoyed to say the least, and thought I could dismantle that bomb, but I was wrong.

“You guys should kiss” Summer added right after Lia.

With Lia’s cheering, Anthony’s clapping, and the giddiness overwhelming Summer, everybody started cheering and the word ‘Kiss’ started bouncing off everyone’s lips.

I think at that moment, Amel was half in control, I wrapped my arm around her waist pulling her close, “let’s give the crowed what they want!” A smirk formed on my lips as she rested the palms of her hands on my chest. What encouraged me was that she didn’t push me away.

That was our first kiss, a jolt of electricity shot down my spine as our lips touched, her lust and mine surrounded us, her hand nestled in my hair closing the gap between us, it was whimsical until she pulled away.

“I'm sorry” she bumbled and practically ran out of the hall.

All sense of motion left my body, it was like experiencing the side effects of a sweet drug, she just left and also apologized, as if she did something wrong, something she was ashamed of.      

“I would call that progress” Anthony smiled at me reassuringly.

“It feels like she’s slipping between my fingers man”

I knew my tone was laced with despair, but that was the dominant feeling at the time, like I couldn’t have her.

-we will keep trying, she’s our mate

 I was startled by Amel’s voice in my head, but he was right, until I couldn’t try anymore, I was planning on not stopping.

Ebony’s P.O.V:

I felt like all the air had left my lungs, my vision was blurred and my legs were wobbly.

“Honey, what's wrong?” Summer caught up to me just in time to soften my crash against the stairs.

In the state I was in I couldn’t form any words, all I could do was take in deep meaningless breaths, I was having a panic attack, something I hadn’t experienced in a long while.

“Bony, breath, hey look at me” Summer pulled my attention to her, “think of your happy place”

I didn’t know where my happy place was, was it kissing Mr. Blake or far far far way from him? After what felt like an eternity of struggling to gain control of my lungs, air started flowing again through my pipes, a trail of tears dried over my cheeks.

Summer then engulfed me in a hug, which I appreciated but I wanted room, I wasn’t sure that the air around me was enough to sustain life.

“What the hell Bony? You scared the s**t out of me!”

“I'm sorry, I …” my voice was dry, and tears where bricking at the edge of my eyes.

“it was just a kiss!”

She just didn’t know that it didn’t feel that way, it felt different, like his lips were made to kiss me, like he was sucking me into a world I didn’t know, somewhere unfamiliar yet peaceful. I felt something I couldn’t explain, I couldn’t comprehend, and the worst part was that this little voice in my head wanted me to sink in deeper, and I almost did, if I didn’t pull away at that moment, we would probably be up against the wall or something.

“everybody saw the kiss, Summer. Now it will be awkward, and his fangirls would hate me, and I would have to deal with a lot more than just uneasiness and s****l fantasies when he's around”

A strong headache attacked my skull, and I just wanted to be in my bed, in a dreamless sleep, which didn’t happen, all my mind could conjure that night was that kiss on repeat, and every possibility in which I didn’t pull away.

He was going to consume me. That I was sure of.