Chapter six

Nataly

It's been a while since I last  rode  a motorcycle. 

I possessed one when I was still a law student. I would use it when I was going for my part time martial art classes.

 Mr. Ivan-well at least  we had a moment of introduction, and now  he is added to the list of people who  know me as Maria Banes. 

That was before he offered me a ride back home. I feel the cold breeze that usually comes when one is on a bike, as he maneuvers through the busy highway, a little fast but careful. 

He seems to have some experience in this. 

I don't want him to know that I still question him. But at least he agreed to lead me to safety. 

Safe is where I call the Banes mansion. I figured that I'd go to them first, to help me cover up for my sudden disappearance. 

I wasn't just about to go to the Delavega mansion and claim to have been kidnapped, on my way to negotiate for a hard drive that would mean an end to their entire being. Death sentence that one. 

Which is why I chose to go "home" where everyone knows, east or west… 

With the protection from Lilith and Alex Banes, I might be able to pretend long enough. 

It's safer if the Delavegas haven't reached out to them first and I have to get there fast enough to beat them to it. 

I might probably say I was mugged, maybe hospitalized. 

I'm thinking of a very viable explanation. One that's believable enough. 

Something else, I have to look for my gun. Right now I don't have anywhere to start. Just from scratch.. 

I'll have to renew my phone first. I hate it. It makes me have to answer to them. For now I have to hide my claws and flip them out slowly when the time's right… 

I have a lot on my bucket list. 

To add on that, I need to get myself checked up, for whatever drug they must have injected me with. 

By this time I never thought I would ever consider having the Banes or calling them as family if I had an emergency.

The 'never say never' tale must  be smiling at me from a distance. 

… 

Finally we're here, the place where I belong, for now. 

"Would you like to come in," I offer. Deep down I don't know if that's a good idea. But I hold back some thought, hoping he'll deny.

"That won't be necessary, " he says. 

Thank heavens. 

"I'll just head back. 

Lest someone intrude again." 

I couldn't agree more. 

"I'll visit some time later," I wave as he takes off and I know  my mind has already captured the route to his home. 

I heave a long sigh  as I walk into the house. I feel tired and wasted. My body is calling for a long rest. I haven't had a decent sleep for a while. 

Maybe I need to slow down a little and think about my health first. 

" There you are," Lilith welcomes as soon as I'm in. She's from the living room. To my surprise, they're not alone. 

Cole is also present.!

Every eye is on me as soon as I make another step. I can feel the frustration leave and a relief come in. 

I have to be humble  here. 

"We've been worried sick about you," Alex walks towards me and puts his hands on my shoulders,then embraces me. 

I hug him back. I guess that's  what one's supposed to do when they finally see their ' family' after going  missing for hours and thought they wouldn't make it. 

"I'm so glad you're back,honey," he says, holding me tighter. 

"What happened?" 

That's the question I've been expecting from everyone. 

With just a few words, I answer, "I'm fine now." 

"You don't look fine, we need to clean you up," says Lilith. 

Cole hasn't said a word since I got here. 

He's been staring silently. 

I know there's a lot waiting for me. I can see from his look that things are really bad. 

"I'm so glad you're back in one piece," he says. 

"Will you wait as I clean myself up first?" 

He wants to say something but I beat him to it by giving him my back.. I need to get rid of the exhaustion that I feel.. 

… 

As I walk,slowly, to my room, for now, every muscle in my body complains of tiredness. I twist the door handle and to my surprise it's not locked. 

Usually, I prefer to lock things  up here. 

Lilith and Alex  prefer it that way too. There are so many secrets in this  room that no one would  want any word getting out. Considering my captor didn't give me time to prepare or put things in order here, this is bad! 

Finding  it open definitely comes as a surprise to me. Something feels odd. And I'm yet to find out. 

I slowly push it, and Alas! 

I certainly can't believe what meets my gaze. A tall masculine figure. That's the first feature I notice. 

I widen my eyes in shock. 

"Who the hell…" I stop when my mind suddenly reminds me of who he is. 

Of course I couldn't have done so much research about the Delavega syndicate and missed info about this one. 

I've seen him in some pictures and on the large portrait in the living room of the Delavega mansion. 

David Delavega! The one and only..

Usually, I never paid attention to any of his features. I would vaguely see his handsomeness but that's all. I guess it's due to hatred and spite. I've never looked that deeper. 

But today  he is here. In the flesh. I wonder how photographs don't display how cute some men really are. 

At this moment I'm lost in his gaze. My eyes are staring right into his dark brown eyes. He has short, dark, curled hair, shaped so well close to  the forehead to give shape to his face that looks charmingly soft. 

Handsome is an understatement. 

Usually, I have no time to study men's features(since Mason), but this one, I find it hard to ignore. 

Let credit be given where it's due. 

He's in a white shirt and a leather jacket but I can  see his muscles penetrate through the jacket and partially through the shirt . It's not hard to conclude that's he's been working out

 "Oh  my!" 

His soft voice suddenly flips me back to the real situation. What was I thinking? I'm back to my normal self with spite, as usual, I cannot lose focus at all. He's a Delavega. I have to remind myself of that. And this one is the legitimate heir. 

What the hell is he doing here? I ask myself again. 

Also the reason why I'm not holding the magical hard drive right now. My plan had failed simply because of his failure to show up at the airport last night. Everything would be different now. Well, here we are.. 

Why is he here? What's he doing in 'my home', worst of all in my so-called  room! 

He doesn't look tense and I'm sure he's up to something fishy. 

"You must be Maria, the great. You are more breathtaking in  person," he gives me a seductive look that makes me draw a million conclusions. This one is a jerk. At least that's my perception of men and he certainly can't be an exception. 

"What are you doing in my room?" I inquire angrily, hands on my waist. 

These guys usually think they have everyone at their fingertips. 

"" That's not one way to talk to your client.. Wait, should I say, your employer?" He raises his brows, " Or new boss?" 

Oh crap!. 

If there's any truth to his statement, it only means one thing, he's been offered the spot in the company that his father has always preserved for him. Would that mean that I'd be working under him now? 

This couldn't get more crappier. 

He's moving towards me and he doesn't seem bothered that I've found him in the wrong place. Snooping around. 

Gosh! All this education and he still knows nothing about manners. 

He's hot, yes, I can't deny it, as everything is becoming more vivid as he's closely approaching, but I don't just throw myself on men, and definitely not the son of.. 

Oh God! He's invaded my personal space. 

He's tall enough that when he towers over me, I feel like an ant. 

For the first time in a long time, a man has managed to make my insides juggle and I feel like my blood is running cold. 

He looks down on me and I can capture his tiny lips that would look so soft,... 

Oh no! Here we go again.. Why is he raising the thoughts and  some awkward feelings  that I've had buried  for years?

I move a step back, to avoid further complications, Lest he starts getting ideas in his head. He also moves a step forward, making my efforts prove futile. 

"Well, Well, Well," the bass from his mouth makes a cold chill run down body. 

Reminds me a million times how I haven't felt this way in a long time. 

"They didn't tell me our attorney is this gorgeous," he speaks up again. 

"Seems you aren't going to answer my question," I pull myself away from his breath, awesome scent and entire body. 

"The word privacy doesn't exist in your dictionary, right?" 

He's still studying me in a way that makes me want to scream in discomfort. As if that's not enough, he moves closer again. 

We're back in the same  position, him still towering on  me like a giraffe, me looking like an ant again. Our gazes close to close. 

His lips are about to mutter something when someone opens the door. 

Shit!