Chapter 10

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Stephano’s POV

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I took another glance her way. Again.

My eyes slowly trailed over to her face, her cute nose and her spiky eyelashes before facing the road once more. Her face was really an interesting place to keep my gaze on but we couldn’t afford to get into an accident now could we?

There was a time when she was a baby, about two years old then and she tripped with her chubby legs and fell down from the bottom of the staircase which she tried climbing. I carried her in my arms and not even her mama or father could pry her out of them till I wanted to go to bed at night.

She had even grown more beautiful from how she looked then and her eyes were twinkling as she took glances from the road as we drove towards our destination.

She kept fiddling with her fingers and her face was towards the window. Then she would bring it back to the road ahead of us but not once did she take even a glance my way.

It was as if she was afraid to look at me. I desperately needed to strike a conversation because I very much wanted to hear her speak but she wasn’t saying anything. How was I supposed to know what she was thinking? One could never really guess what a woman was thinking, most of them were over-thinkers.

When I saw her talking about her loud mouthed friend in the kitchen the other time, she had taken my breath away. I didn’t know the dress would fit this well, especially defining those curves. She looked really dashing in it and when she started posing to take the pictures, I simply couldn’t keep the small smile off my face.

I coughed to clear my slightly husky voice and I felt her tense a bit, then she relaxed. Irritation curled up my loins. Why was she so uptight around me?

I could no longer take the silence. “Kara?”

“Sir?” She asked in a small voice. No one would believe she was the same one talking to her madré minutes ago.

“How are you?” I gritted my molars together.

Cool bro, real cool. Start by asking her how she was, and then move to what she ate for lunch before ending it with what she would love to have for dinner. I probably sounded like a damn pollo right now. A chicken.

“I…uh, I’m fine. Thank you sir.” She replied curtly. I didn’t want her to be curt.

I wanted her to be the bat-shit crazy girl who used to slap her friend and yell at her whenever they were in the garden behind my window. That Kara was the real Kara, not this one beside me right now.

“Hope you’re cool, with everything around you?” I asked again and mentally slapped myself at the back of my head.

“Er...yeah, sure Sir.” She also replied with the damn honorific again. I'd never hated a word like I did with her 'sir' at this moment.

She was twenty, I was twenty five yet she would use that term to address me all the time just as she’d been doing since she was a little girl.

Did she know it was infuriating?

No. She probably had no idea how well I would appreciate it if she didn’t refer to me by that anymore.

I inhaled her perfume and heaved another sigh, this time a calm one. Judging by the rate at which I kept heaving sighs, I knew grey hair wasn’t far from growing on my head.

“By cool and all, I meant about your school and life in general. How are the courses going?”

“Great sir.”

I was tempted to tell her to stop addressing me as sir but, should I?

I liked her…no. I was obsessed with her in a way I couldn’t explain. The last thing I needed was definitely someone I loved addressing me as sir when I was still wanking to the thought of her!

Shit. This wasn’t healthy.

As I approached the New-City gate events center where the conference would be taking place, a smile crept unto my lips when I saw the look on her face. New-City gate was one of the biggest event centers in Italy. There were small blue chandeliers hanging around the patio and sides of the hall with illumination all over to display the beauty of the garden and its surroundings.

I wondered if she would look this awed if I got her a present, maybe a gold chain or cute earrings. Girls usually liked such, right?

The gate was opened as we approached it. The two gatemen observed my tires and booth as per protocol and I drove in, finding a good parking space. She sat still, obviously knowing what would happen next and when she saw me open my side of the door, she tried to do the same. I stretched myself to her side and stiffened when my elbow slowly grazed over her chest and I retreated quickly. Damn, my bad.

This would be harder than I thought. “Wait here, I’ll come around to open your side of the door.”

Her eyes widened as I placed my hand on hers which was on the door to stop her. It wasn’t necessary but at least I got to feel how soft her hand was.

Stop being an unnecessary jerk! My subconscious screamed at me as I watched her discomfort. I didn’t even do anything other than place my hand on hers and she was already like this.

“Okay.” She mumbled and I shook my head. I got out and opened her side of the door, stretching out my hand to her which she took after some hesitation. And that also slightly irked me. My hands weren’t ugly. They also wouldn’t bite her.

“Thank you.” She mumbled and finally took the outstretched hand, her hand soothing and smooth.

I felt myself relax at that. I had never been rejected by a girl and they found pleasure in me talking to them.

It would be an embarrassment if Kara did the opposite of what I wanted from her but I would still suck it up anyway. I was drunken by her whole being. I gave my key to the valet and resisted the urge to pull her closer to me when the young man's eyes lingered on her for more than two seconds. I didn’t like how he was staring at her with this dumb smile on his face.

“What are you looking at?” I asked in a dangerously calm tone.

The smile on his face was completely wiped off. “Nothing Sir.”

“Take a walk!” I commanded. He nodded and scurried off and Kara looked up at me but I was a bit irritated and couldn’t meet her eyes— the same eyes I would do everything it took me to get drown in.

Grabbing her hand for the comfort I currently needed, I began walking towards the door.

Her palm was soft and smooth, almost wet in a strange way. She probably ate a lot of salty things. One of the things Kara’s mom used to scold me for as a teenager was licking salt in the kitchen just because. I used to take a lot of it and even add some to whatever I ate.

Each time my lower arm would graze Kara’s as we walked, she would move farther from me. The thought of someone holding her hand in the next one or two years— probably her boyfriend or fiancé— suddenly made me feel somewhat nervous. I felt my hands go clammy and cleared my throat, my hand not releasing hers.

She was mine and mine alone. And she was so...beautiful.

“Erm....sir?”

“What?” I looked down at her and caught the frown on her delicate face.

“Your grip is too harsh. Please release your hold a bit.”

“Shit!” I muttered in a low voice, my face already scrunching up as I noticed the frown on her beautiful face. “Are you okay?” I asked quickly as I released her and saw her relax but instead of leaving her be, I placed my hands across her shoulders and stood in front of her.

Her eyes widened as she looked up at me, surprise evident in her expression. Why did she look so surprised by my question?

She nodded hastily. “Yes sir, let’s go in.”

“Sure.”

I led us in and a soft music was currently being played. The decoration was amazing, with blue curtains tacked around the hall all over the ceiling in a zigzag motion and also the lights were as bright as they were outside, with the curtains already dropped. I didn’t usually notice all these things because there was no point in it but because of how Kara was still looking around with parted lips and a small smile, I was forced to also appreciate the setting around us.

“Let’s go sit over there.” I spoke casually and she nodded while following me. Her hand was still in mine as I led her to a seat at the middle of the hall. People were wining and dining already, getting acquainted. I might have lied to Kara when I said we were asked to bring an extra someone because this was actually an event for young businessmen and those new in the business world. And almost everyone knew everyone here.

We still had thirty minutes before the event was to commence. I wanted to keep holding Kara’s hand and basking in her lovely smell till then. I didn’t want people coming to say hi or introduce me to anyone at this point exactly so I could spend some alone time with my angel and I was sure if I sat at at a corner far back, those that knew me would only nod from afar.

“Kara, this place is for mostly businessmen and women. Please don’t leave my side for any reason. I’m here for you if you need anything, okay?” I reassured her calmly even though what I wanted to say was that I was here for her till the very end. Not just tonight but even in sickness and health and till death did us apart. Cazzo. She had me bad.

She adjusted herself on her seat and gave me a small smile. “I understand clearly sir. I won’t leave you for anything, it’s not like I know anyone around here to have a chat with anyway.”

“Alright, that’s my girl.” I muttered under my breath and took another sip from my champagne. The way her eyes were drinking in the view around us was amazing.

The night went on as we were served our drinks and then the introduction started. I was a sponsor for this event and the host was also the same man managing two out of ten of my orphanage houses.

Fayed Muhammad was a Nigerian businessman who studied Business Management here in Italy and graduated two years ago but he'd already started business here when he was still studying and was now quite influential in the business world.

“Please help me welcome to the stage, Stephano Alfonsi! We’ve been expecting your arrival, boss.” Fayed called with a face splitting smile, sending a nod my way. I got up, aware that the spotlight was now on I and Kara and I left for the stage.

Someone brushed body with mine as I made my way past the table beside ours and to the red carpet leading to the stage.

“Stephano, Long time no see dear friend.”

The unfriendly friend greeted in a light tone. A frown morphed into my face. Che pallel? It had to be him, the son of a crab!

I knew Sucre Ambrosia from business school which and he was from an influential background so we moved with the same clique. But he was equally a pain in the ass and I didn’t want to associate with him right now so, I didn’t look his way as I posed for the flashing cameras.

“Who is that beauty?” He nudged his chin towards Kara and my jaw immediately ticked as possessiveness surged through me.

“No one you should car-”

“Oh, he’s speaking through clenched teeth. What’s that? The girl must be a special one then.” Even his smirk and smug face ticked me off.

“What do you want Ambrosia?”

“Have you forgotten how we shared our time with our girls?”

I narrowed my eyes at him. “I never shared a girl with you Sucre.”

“Well, I will do that, even if you keep saying you never did with mine. If you could help to ruin my relationship with my Moni, then I see no reas-” he was saying when my gaze hardened. I didn’t destroy Moni’s life because I didn’t even know who she was and he was acting like a jerk, still holding a grudge.

“You stop it right there. I didn’t destroy your relationship with Moni and in the first place, who is she?”

I didn’t even ask him who this so-called Moni was all these years but seeing the anger that showed on his face when I asked who she was, I realized I should have put an end to this madness long time ago.

“We are waiting sir.” Fayed Muhammad spoke again and I straightened my posture quickly because anyone that looked closely would easily figure out that I was close to punching Sucre.

I didn’t want the media in my personal space.

“Run along, lover boy.” He whispered closely. I couldn’t do anything because the spotlight was on me and people had now begun to applaud once again. With one more glance in Kara’s direction, I made my way up there but knew that things were getting out of hand.

I liked Kara. No, I loved her and didn’t like how other men saw it as a normal thing to just get on with someone else’s girl.

My girl!

I knew I had to make it snappy, so I introduced my company and spoke briefly on our purpose for the event but my eyes didn’t leave Kara who seemed to be having a good time with my archenemy as he kept leaning closer to her in order to speak to her. Who knew the devil had such a good smile?

Immediately I completed my speech and alighted the stairs, I was back at my table within seconds but there was no sign of Sucre and that made me a bit relieved.

“How was it?” I asked quickly, taking my seat.

“I enjoyed your little talk, sir. You kept talking about the strength of the youth and that really touched me.”

My heart warmed. She was listening to me despite being with that jerk.

“It was that good, then.” I mumbled bashfully, suddenly looking down at my hands as I felt heat creep up my cheeks a bit for the first time in so many years. This was the first compliment coming from a girl I was madly in love with. Thank goodness she didn’t notice the slight blush.

The rest of the event went smoothly and then it came to the moment where we had to dance and relax for a bit before the best economics students in high schools were called forward to receive their scholarship awards.

“Care for a dance, sweet Lady?” A young man asked.

“No.” I stated.

He was already the fourth person to ask Kara for a dance while we were busy making small talks and from my line of vision; I could see Kara frowning but smiling it away each time I gave a firm ‘no’. She tried to mask it, but it was still obvious that my actions didn’t quite sit well with her. If she would dance with anyone, then it should be me.

I got up, took her hand in mine and smiled. Her eyes widened. So surprised to see me act all charming and sweet, aren’t you?

“Dance with me, Kara mia?” I used my tone which no woman had ever refused, watching her eyes slightly widen. My flirting skills easily kicked in. With parted lips she nodded and I led her to the floor.

She kept looking straight at my chest as we moved to the rhythm of the slow music, so I tilted her head by the chin to face me. My angel was so short but if anything, that made me desire her even more.

“Are you having a good time, Kara?” I asked for the fifth time this night, making sure to caress her name at the tip of my tongue.

She nodded and slowly bit her lower lip. I held back a groan. Women shouldn’t be this beautiful and tempting when biting their lips. All of a sudden, Kara nodded as if she remembered something.

“What is it?” I asked softly, not wanting to break this bubble we were in.

“Sir, I want to ask you a question. Pl-please answer sincerely.” She didn’t meet my eyes as she spoke.

I focused on her pretty lashes. “I will.”

“You seem so carefree now but sometimes, you’re harsh and controlling. And...”

“I won’t bite. Just say what you have in mind, Kara.” I chuckled.

“You glare at me always. May I ask why?” She frowned, finally looking up at me.

I chuckled again at this. Kara really thought I was just glaring all these while? If she knew what I was doing in my mind while glaring at her, she wouldn’t want me to look at her ever again. Merely thinking of her soft body and imagining myself doing things to her made me shamelessly erect.

“That’s my nature and I love it.” I told her with pride in my eyes, because it was the only way I could actually admire her without looking so…foolish and love-struck.

“Really?”

“Yes. Does it bother you?”

“Uh? No,” She shook her head, the frown still on her face. “Well actually it does. I don’t like it one bit-” she was saying when I suddenly saw Sucre from my side view and he was approaching us, again.

My chest constricted. He didn’t stop a year ago where he’d first accused me of taking his Moni from him and I didn’t think he would stop now.

He couldn't ruin what I hadn't even started with my baby. This was our night.

So I did the first thing that came to my mind. I tilted Kara’s chin up slowly, and captured her lips against mine.

*

They kissed!!! Ahhhhhhhh!!!

What do you think will happen now? He's so protective that he didn't even let anyone dance with her. Argh! Well, if only Kara knew, right? Lol. Thanks for reading. Please vote and comment. Also share to your loved ones.

Your girl,

Hephzibah.