Chapter 18

Clearing his throat to break the awkward silence that has risen from our table, Damian introduces me to Alexander, "Janette, this is Alexander Holt of Haven and Holts Enterprises. Alexander, this is Janette Summers, she's my s-"

"I'm his friend," I cut Damian off before he can say the S-word. "I'm a friend of Damian's."

Damian gives me a fleeting questioning look before I kick him under the table in a silent warning to keep our sibling information off the table. Drawing letters on my exposed thigh, I make out the question 'What's going on?' and I reply to him with a discreet shake of my head to which he writes the word 'later' on my thigh.

"Ah, Alexander here is also currently engaged to someone as well," Mrs Higgens perks up once again as the silence returns to the table, directing the attention of everyone onto Alexander who doesn't seem to even want to give her the time of the day. "How is she, dear?"

His responding smile sends an eerie chill down my back as he openly looks right at me, replying curtly, "She's well, Mrs Higgens. Thank you for the concern."

To avoid anyone from suspecting anything, I decided on my own that the best thing to do was to avoid any other form of conversation or small talk for the rest of the dinner which worked since I was able to silently eat my rich tomato cream soup topped with tobiko, chives and herb croutons, only having to occasionally nod along to whoever is speaking and drifting through my main course of centre cut filet mignon with a dollop of fresh herb butter and a side of silky truffle mashed potatoes by just completely tuning out everyone on the table.

Rude but necessary...

But my plan to be inconspicuous flies out the window shortly after everyone is just done with their main courses.

I am in desperate need of some warm air.

Don't get me wrong. Sitting in a restaurant with melodies of delightful aromas filling my lungs and the smooth laid back chatter of its diners is relaxing but when you're seated right under the air vents dressed in a dress that has only a thin sort of material wrapped around your shoulders and a slit that runs up your thigh it makes everything good about sitting in a fancy restaurant leave the building.

Also, if you have you have an angry fiance sitting opposite you who has had his smouldering grey eyes on you for most of the dinner. Then even you would want to leave the table. Pronto.

Standing to leave the table, I give Damian a reassuring smile that I'll be back, I make my way out into the open patio that overlooks the glistering black waters of the sea. Taking deep calming breaths, the feeling of being compressed slowly fades away, a dark shadow blocks the light from the overhead lights from the restaurant and I think nothing of it until the shadow places its hand on my bare shoulder.

"Miss, are you okay?" A manly voice asks, looking at me through the reflection on the display case of the closed shop.

Not really in the mood to talk to anyone, I respond coldly forgetting myself for a moment, "I suggest you leave me alone before I sock you so hard you'd need a hospital, stranger."

The man chuckles lightheartedly despite my rudeness which I find weird but interesting as a small smile graces my lips.

"Edward West," he introduces himself, gently turning me around to face him. "And you are?"

I give him a doubtful stare before replying, "I'm nobody that you would be concerned about."

In the light from the overhead lights, I see that he is a blond male with striking sky-blue eyes and a lean figure. He's gorgeous but he's not as handsome as Alexander but he could sure give him a run for his money...wait, did I just compare Alexander to this man? Why would I even do that?

For one, Alexander's looks beat Mr whatever-Edward-something-Cullen-or-whatever-his-name-is looks, hands down, my subconscious smirks, glaring at the man in front of us. Get rid of him. Rolling my mental eyes at her, I turn my attention to Mr West as he begins speaking again.

"Well, nobody I should be concerned about, how about you explain to me why a beauty is out here all alone on this fairly warm July night," he suggests, holding me by the small of my back in one of his ginormous hands. "That is if you're up for sharing."

The same could be said for you...a man like you out here in the middle of a company dinner and alone at that? My instincts are telling me that something smells fishy...and it's not the sea I'm talking about.

"No thanks, Mr Cullen," I reject butchering his last name, walking out of his hand and towards the restaurant. "I don't tell random strangers my problems."

"How have you been Alastora?" He asks suddenly, making a chill run down my spine from hearing that name, my feet freeze just meters away from the entrance to the restaurant. "It's been a while hasn't it?"

Turning around slowly, I hiss harshly, glaring at the man, "What did you just call me?"

"That is your name isn't it?" He asks amused as I feel my panic level go up to the thousandth degree as he saunters closer to me with every word he says. "Well, given that it has been ten years since you and I had been in the same room, it is expected that you forgot who I am. Time, however, hasn't changed who you are. Sill naive as ever, am I right sweetheart?"

What? Who the heck is this guy? "I'm sorry, Mr Cullen," I seethe irritatedly though I do try to regain a little bit of my character, my eyes never leaving his face. "I think you have me at a loss here. Have we met before?"

"I'll let you figure things out by yourself," He returns coyly, subsequently walking past me, holding the door to the restaurant open as he speaks his last sentence. "Alexander Holt is a wonderful catch. Send my regards to him and his son for me, won't you, my dear? It was a delight seeing you here tonight even if this was an unplanned meeting."

Blinking a few times to try to get my head around his words, I find myself following after him about five minutes after he's entered the restaurant. In the dim light, I do my best to search every table for the man but with the number of people at this event, my attempt to spot him is futile.

"Janette," A warm hand grasps me by my elbow, the familiar strict voice of Alexander makes my skin crawl as he guides me towards the kitchens. "I do not even know where to begin with you."

Yup, he's still mad.

Dodging our way through the industrialised kitchen much to the amusement of the rushing by waiters and the cooks, Alexander pulls me out into the back alley of the restaurant where there is a single street lamp that provides just enough light for both of us to see the other.

The silence between us is heavy as we glare at each other, neither one of us knowing what to say to the other or rather I have no idea what to say to him. Should I apologise for not telling him about dinner with Damian? Should I speak first? What do I say if I do speak first? Should I just run away?

As my train of thought runs along the tracks of my brain, I end up side-tracking from the current threat to wonder about the previous threat, searching my memory to try to match Edward West's face to everyone I've met or crossed paths with before and like at the open-air section of the restaurant, I come up blank.

"Will you be going back with me to the apartment or will your friend, Damian Higgens send you?" Alexander finally asks, staring deeply into my eyes, spitting out the word 'friend' venomously as if the word itself is poison in his mouth.

Oh, I forgot I am in danger here too.

"As the organiser of the event...I think Damian's going to stay late," I mumble, breaking the intense eye contact with him to look at the slightly damp gravel between us. "I'll go back with you if you don't mind."

"And your friend, won't mind?" He hisses, towering over me. "What kind of friend is he?"

"Damian would understand if I explain it to him, "I reply, looking at my toes.

"Answer my question," He snaps, still emphasising the word 'friend ' as though it were a curse word. "What kind of friend is he to you?"

"That is none of your business," I laugh uncomfortably, scratching the back of my neck. "We're just friends, that's all."

The next part happened so fast that it took me a while to register it. One second, I'm staring at the ground and the next, he has my face in between his hands and we are kissing like crazy.

Like our lives depend on it.

His tongue slips inside my mouth, gentle but demanding, and it's nothing like I've ever experienced with him before, I suddenly understand why people describe kissing as melting because every square inch of my body dissolves into his. My fingers grip his hair, pulling him closer. My veins throb and my heart explodes.

He pushes me back into the wall. The weight of his body on top of mine is extraordinary and I feel him—all of him—pressed against me, and I inhale his smell of male essence and manly cologne.

And then I realise something really bad as we continue to kiss.

I really really like his kisses.

And this is against our agreement.

No attachments.