What's His 1
"I'll be in touch. It was good to see you, Jasper." Zaki shook hands with the distinguished-looking gentleman to his left. "Laura—as always."
The woman nods politely at him, and Freya noticed that she was around her mother's age, maybe a tad older, but was downright regal. Everything from her dress to her posture to her perfectly timed interjections in her husband's conversation with Zaki was admirable. Freya couldn't help but imagine her mother being in one of these fancy gatherings one day. She'll be making conversations with these rich folks along with her daughter and her son-in-law. It was going to happen soon. She'll finally be able to give her mother the good life. She could feel it.
"It was a pleasure to meet you, Freya," Laura said, smiling warmly. "Thank you for joining us this evening."
"The pleasure is truly mine, Mrs. Hopkins," she replied.
Laura took her husband's elbow and gave it a pat. "Let's see if we can find Levant, darling."
Zaki turned to Freya. His eyes were a mix of liveliness and ease.
"What?" he asked, wrapping an arm around her waist. "Are you enjoying yourself?"
The last-minute charity ball that Zaki's secretary had called to inform him of, was now in its second hour, in full-blown revelry. It had interfered with their clubbing plans. Servers mingled with the guests holding trays of fancy hors d'oeuvres. A band, complete with a saxophone, played upbeat music that filled the air with festivity. Laughter from various groups of sophisticated men and women filled in any gaps.
"What's not to love?" she asked, declining a fresh glass of champagne from a server. The two drinks she already had plus the one in her hand, were just enough since she still planned to hit the club after this. "When are we leaving, though? We should head out early. I don't want to be tired out."
Zaki's fingers pressed against the exposed skin on her back, caressingly. "Soon, sweet girl. Soon."
She sighed. "I find it hard to believe that the host decided on this event at the very last minute, yet they turn out is insane. We even had to cancel our clubbing plans for this."
He smiled. Clubbing wasn't something he fancied so he wasn't sorry about that but there was a need to explain it to his beautiful date. "That one is one me. There's a property of theirs that I'm quite interested in. Judging from my busy schedule, there would be no time to personally meet with them to discuss the sale. Mr. Hopkins prefers to discuss personally with potential buyers or investors. I believe this event was planned for that sole purpose." He took a sip of his champagne and glanced around the room. "This room is filled with some of the most powerful men and women in the country. See the man smoking a cigar near the ice sculpture?"
Freya sighted the man and nodded.
"He owns a large boat building company. Worth a few hundred million, I'd guess," he said
"Oh, wow."
"Liam Bukwood, the man next to him, owns several oil rigs. And the woman next to him runs an umbrella company that controls more assets than the two men combined."
"Wow. I should feel intimidated by her net worth but, no. You my, love," she turned to face him, wrapping her arms around his waist. "You're the most powerful of them all. The best of them all. I can't deny that it's one of the things I love about you."
He smiled.
She sniffed his neck. She could smell his soap, that special blend he had made in Iran. Her eyes skimmed over his face. His suit was custom made, of course. Pale grey. The powder blue shirt beneath his jacket was unbuttoned just enough to show the hollow of his throat. She loved what that spot tasted like, how it felt beneath her tongue.
"You're just perfect, Zaki," she whispered. "And I think I'm obsessed with you."
He smirked. "I wouldn't have you any other way."
He dipped his head. But before their lips could touch, a friendly voice interrupted the moment.
"I'm sorry to interrupt but it's not every time we're graced with your presence, Zaki. It is good to see you." The voice owner, a man who was a few years older than Zaki said, extending a large hand.
Zaki shook it with gusto. "Good to see you, Abel."
"Do you remember my wife, Aurora?"
"Yes, of course," Zaki extended a hand to her too. "Looking lovely as always. "
"Thank you," Came her shy reply.
"And who is this beautiful woman at your side?" Abel turned slowly toward Freya. His eyes were a brilliant green that lacked a certain warmth about them.
"Abel, Aurora, this is Freya Otega." Zaki faced her. He seemed to want to say something, but the seconds passed with silence.
His associate looked at them expectantly, also assuming more will be said. And with all of their eyes shifting to her as the subject of the conversation, her stomach began to twist. What he wanted to say was fiancee. So why wasn't he saying it? She wondered.
"I'm his fiancee," She said, flashing the diamond ring that adorned her left hand.
Zaki's lips form a hard, thin line as he turned away. "Yes, Freya is my fiancee."
"Oh," Abel and his date eyed her. "That's great. Congrats."
"Thank you," Zaki replied.
"If you don't mind, I have a proposal you might be interested in. Can we go somewhere quiet to discuss while the women get acquainted?"
"Sure." He glanced at Freya again. "I promise to not be long. Aurora would keep you company till I return." His face was free from emotion, but his eyes told another story. It's just not one she couldn't read. at the moment.
"Okay. I'll be fine. I'll be … here."
Her heart pounded as he walked with Abel toward a table with three gorgeous women. Their heads all snap to Zaki, their faces awash in delight at the opportunity to score his attention. He stopped to greet them briefly before continuing to somewhere where they could talk.