“What would you like to drink?”
“Nothing. We must immediately begin. From what I’ve heard, we barely have any time to get ready!”
Marcus seemed to be genuinely alarmed. He grabbed her hand, his eyes pleading for her cooperation. Sighing, Aline smiled and nodded, looking at the girls before returning her gaze to the man clutching at her arm.
“Fine, then shall we go to my room?”
For the next two hours, Aline had been through complete and utter torture. Her face had been scraped, massaged and pampered by Sara, while Marcus hastily pulled and curled her stubborn hair. Rose on the other hand, had been less noticed; she had quietly worked on her nails. Aline pitied her the most - she knew she nibbled on them far too much.
As he worked, Marcus went on and on about how she should add a bit more color to her hair, that she had far too beautiful hair to deprive it of highlights and professional cuts. Of course, he had also noticed how she barely owned any makeup, promising to take her out that following week to buy some.
Of course, Aline had been too shy to tell him she had no money. So, she politely agreed, already wondering what excuse she should come up with once he called.
As they worked, Aline kept her gaze on the hanger they had brought in. Marcus had been quite when it came to the clothes hiding behind the cover. Aline might not have been passionate about hair and makeup, but when it came to clothes, she was just as interested as any other girl.
“You know, you should try a peach cut crease on your next event. It will work wonders with your dark complexion.” Marcus said, pointing with the brush, as he took a step back. With pursed lips, he admired his work, his eyes searching for any details that sought his attention.
“Sara, come here!” Marcus was serious this time, his brown eyes glaring at the woman standing on his right. Hesitantly, came closer to him. “Did you forget to highlight again?!”
As confused as Aline had been, she had managed to notice the terror that rushed through Sara’s face as realization crept in. Closing her eyes, she bowed her head slightly and apologized.
Marcus pinched the bridge of his nose with squinted eyes, his other hand doing weird gestures that seemed to calm him down.
“How many times do I have to tell you? Highlighting is crucial. It's like forgetting your bikini when you go to the beach. Do you ever forget your bikini?”
The girl shook her head.
“Handle me the palette and a pencil brush.” Marcus sighed in defeat.
While he applied the glittery powder, Aline barely managed not to chuckle. The entire scene had been like something cut out of a reality show. Aline wondered how she looked, Marcus had forbidden her from facing the mirror. She hoped he had considered her own preferences; Aline wouldn't be able to rock anything as extravagant as Marcus.
A sudden knock on the door caught all their attention, and the soft touch of the brush abandoned Aline's cheekbone. She was about to turn and look at the door when a hand stopped her, pushing her into the chair by the shoulder.
“Get out! She's not ready!” Marcus' sudden dramatic outburst startled her. He moved around the chair, shielding her from Sebastian's gaze.
“How much time do you still need?” She heard him say. Although she couldn’t see him Aline could imagine the impatient look on his face.
She may not have known all that there is to know about the man, but she sure was aware of the fact that Sebastian was way too meticulous to be late. In all honesty, she was the same. She liked being punctual, if everyone showed up whenever they liked the world would be in chaos.
“Ten minutes.” It took Marcus a while to answer, and even when he did, it was obvious that he wasn't pleased with the amount of time they had.
She heard Sebastian sigh before the sound of the door closing filled the silence around them. Marcus muttered something under his breath, and although she hadn't made out the exact words, it wasn't too hard to realize what they were about.
“I guess we won’t have time to do the braids we talked about. These curls will have to do.”
Marcus was talking more to himself than to anyone else. Now that he was really under the pressure of time, he moved around Aline in circles, one hand beneath his chin, as he tried to find out what was left to do.
“Oh right, the dress and shoes.” He clapped his hands dramatically, his gesture a signal to the two girls that walked around her chair and to the stand behind.
From all the chaos that had happened that morning, from all the pampering that she had been exposed to, the dressing up was certainly the only part she looked forward to. She clasped her hands together and placed them beside her mouth. She would have bit on her nail, but she wouldn’t have wanted Marcus to cut her hand off. Just for a day, she needed to try and look like a lady, like someone worthy of standing by Sebastian’s side. For the job, if not for anything else.
“So, the matter had been a bit short noticed, so we only managed to bring three dresses. I hope one of them will suit your taste.”
Aline shook her head, her gaze firmly set on the exposed hanger. Sara and Rose were standing to the right of the hanger, one holding a tray with three pair of shoes while the other held a box of jewelry. There was no point in mentioning how perfect the girls looked, like two statues that were part of the extravagant world Marcus had created inside her room. The dresses, on the other hand, were worth a thousand stories.
They were all different in their own way; one was loose, probably long enough to reach her mid-thigh, with a collar made out of pearls. The other was red, embedded in glistening rocks. It was tight, a perfect fit for the red sandals Rose held in hand.
However, none of the dresses suited her as much as the green cocktail dress at the very end. It was made of satin, long, but with a slit on the right that would boil anyone’s blood.
“That one.”
Meanwhile, downstairs, Sebastian was looking at his phone, impatiently tapping his foot against the floor. He bit his lip as he forwarded the message his cousin’s man had sent. Along with the message, Sebastian was sure to add careful instruction as to what to tell those men once his men paid the money. He would have gone to those gangsters himself, but he feared he would cause an accident if he went and saw their filthy faces.
He was about to thank Jonathan, but the sound of footsteps descending the stairs caught his attention. Sighing, he stood up from the couch, and went to stand by the door, leaning his body against the wooden frame. With his hands crossed over his chest, he checked his watch, happy that at least they had been punctual.
Slowly, his eyes lifted from his wrist, just as a pair of shoes came into view. Lifting his gaze, he trailed up the bare leg, gulping as the picture became whole. He knew his lips had parted, words choking him, making it hard to breathe. He took his time, taking Aline in. The dress she was wearing was covering most of her body, aside from the leg that set itself free through the high slit on the side. The green satin hugged her body in all the right places, flowing in a pool of material as soon as it past her hips.
Her cleavage was low, accentuated by the thin necklace that hung from her neck, the emerald resting just above her breasts. There was no other jewelry in sight, but neither did she need anything else, she was glowing on her own. Her chocolate complexion was brightened by the color of the dress, the locks that cascaded down her back framing her neck and face.
Wow. The word echoed in his head. It described Aline in every way. He meant to say it, had it not been for the confusion that had remained in his consciousness since the early hours of morning. However, instead, he walked past her and said:
“Come on, we’ll be late.”
Chapter 7
With a glass in hand, Aline looked after Sebastian, searching for a familiar face in the crowd. It had been a good few minutes since he had left her by the bar, after some man asked to talk to him in private. Although Aline was usually independent enough to handle being alone, when it came to being around so many elite people, the cards ch
ange.
She felt small among them, a bug they could step on whenever they wished. She might have been wearing expensive jewelry and a beautiful dress, but beyond that, she was still plain Aline, a useless pawn in the rich’s games.
“I guess this is your first party.” It wasn’t until then that Aline had noticed someone was standing beside her. Slowly, she turned, a bit taken aback that someone had actually noticed her.
The guy was young, probably a bit older than her. He was blonde, with clear blue eyes and long lashes. He was lean, unlike Sebastian. The blue suit he was wearing matched the color of his eyes, making him look angelic. Despite the innocence in his look, there was something about his smile that made her understand that he wasn’t as harmless as he seemed.
However, aware as she was about the trouble behind his charm, she still answered:
“Is it that obvious?” She chuckled nervously.
“A bit.” He shrugged, the corner of his lips lifting into a smirk. “Who are you here with?”
“Sebastian - Sebastian Hunter.” Aline made sure he understood who it was. After all, the whole purpose of her being there was to spread the news of Sebastian having a serious girlfriend.
“I see.” The man nodded in realization. Aline didn’t need him to say it, but she knew what he was thinking. There was no doubt that in the eyes of everyone around her she was nothing more than Sebastian’s new prey.
“I’m Aline, by the way.” She changed the subject, extending her hand.
“Nathan.”
“You know, I’m sorry that your first party had to be this one. Tina isn’t exactly the best party planner; she invited way too many people, and forgot about the entertainment.” He pointed out, before he took a sip from the cocktail in his hand. “You should see Marie’s parties, however. That girl is a workaholic, but she throws the best birthday parties. She only allows close people in, and you only get a plus one if you are in a real relationship. Crazy right?”
Aline laughed, but she wasn’t amused at all. She already knew all of that. The whole purpose of her being there was that she would get inside the party.
“You are beautiful, by the way. The dress suits your eyes.” Aline thanked the man, but she felt no tingle in her stomach at the compliment. The minute she got ready and saw herself, she thought only of one person. She hated herself for even considering impressing him, but she still did. There was no denying that she expected Sebastian to be dazzled, to be moved by her even once. She had expected it even more if she were to remember the events of the night before. However, she seemed to have been wrong. Even as glowed up as she was, she still seemed to be too little to impress the almighty Sebastian Hunter.
Just as she was about to say something, she saw Sebastian approach them. From what she could tell, he didn’t look too pleased. He looked angry, with a determination in his steps that she did not like.
“Hey, mate. Haven’t seen you in a while.” Nathan said, as he extended his hand. His hand lingered there for a while, but Sebastian’s hand never came to join it in a shake.
“Me too. I would love to sit around and chat, but I’m afraid we should leave.”
Sebastian didn’t wait for her reply, nor did he wish his friend a goodbye. Instead, he grabbed her hand, and pulled her behind him. Aline would have struggled to escape his grasp, had it not been for the pairs of eyes watching them. For the sake of them all, she had to smile and try to act as if she was walking beside him, when in reality, she was being dragged along.
“What’s wrong with you?” She eventually snapped once they were inside the car.
She threw her purse in the back seat of the car, her body turning so she was now facing him completely.
“It’s nothing.” He drily answered.
“Then why did you act like such a jerk in front of that guy?”
“Oh, I’m sorry I ruined your little flirting session with that guy. But need I remind you, we were here with a purpose.”
“Wait,” Aline had been previously shouting, but now, her voice had lowered into a sudden tone of realization. “Is this what we are talking about? Are you jealous?” A part of her knew there was no way Sebastian would be jealous, yet, another part of her was more than sure that that was exactly what they were talking about.
For some reason, she had been brave enough to not just consider the second option, but also throw it in his face.
“Of course not. I am just saying that we were here to prove them we are a couple. How are they to believe that if you keep talking and flirting with every guy you see?”
Aline curled her hands into tight fists as she tried to maintain her calm. If there was one thing she hated most, it was to be accused of something she didn’t do.
“I wasn’t flirting. But you were jealous.” She might have not been sure about it, but since he was throwing things in her face, she might as well throw things in his.
“If we slept one time together, that doesn’t mean you are any special. I was never jealous, and never will be.”
His words were harsh, but they were the truth. He had indeed been with far too many women to consider one night with her as being anything special. Rough as his statement had been, it still didn’t anger her as much as her own feelings did. She hated herself for feeling sad because of what he had said. She was supposed to not care, to be as cold towards him as he was towards her.
“I never expected that from someone like you.” She said with a sigh, as she straightened herself in the chair. “Come on, you seemed in a hurry earlier. We should probably get going."
*****
Sebastian sat at his home office his hands resting on the smooth surface of his desk. Papers spilled from the grey folder in the right corner, scattering above the desk. The blue fountain pen, with which he had been signing documents, was still between his fingers, its tip resting above a page, creating an enlarging dot where it pressed. Sebastian was unaware of it; he was too absentminded to notice anything.
He had locked himself inside that office since sunrise, making sure to avoid Aline as much as possible. They had barely talked since they had returned home the night before, only speaking whenever necessary. Being Sunday didn’t help much either. He always worked from home on that day.
Unfortunately, it was still early, not even lunchtime yet, so he still had a handful of hours to endure. In all honesty, he didn’t understand why he was so angry. They hadn’t insulted one another; they hadn’t said things they wished they hadn’t. He was aware of that, yet, whenever he thought of the party, his blood boiled. In fact, if he were to be completely honest, it wasn’t the party itself that bothered him, but rather the scene where he saw Aline laughing at something Nathan had said.
Sebastian hadn’t felt anything like that before. The fire that seemed to burn his heart had been unfamiliar, its strength made him sick to the stomach. Part of him told him it was jealousy. That part of him fought with his mind, it tried to conquer over the stubbornness and pride his mind tried to keep up.
Eventually, he noticed the mark the tip of his pen left behind, and silently cursed at the ruined document. Groaning, he threw the pen across the table and knitted his fingers inside his hair, tugging gently at the strands.
“I need to talk to her.” He muttered under his breath.
The confusion killed him. He wasn’t used to not knowing what he wanted. Sebastian wasn’t like those guys out there who loved the adrenaline of feelings and chases. He liked certain things, things he knew and could explain.
Just as he stepped out of his office the sound of his doorbell made him jump. Frowning, he made his way to the door, wondering who it could be. It was the weekend, so it surely wasn’t any package he had ordered, and when it came to friends, Jonathan had been the only one who would come unannounced.
From the corner of his eyes, he saw Aline’s shadow just around the corner. She had probably been ready to open the door, but she stopped midway the moment she saw him. She retreated back into the living room and he pret
ended not to notice.
The ringing persisted and even intensified by the second. Cursing under his breath he half ran to the door. Sebastian didn’t even get to open the door fully; the person behind it pushed it. A pair of arms wrapped around his torso.
“Uncle!” Sebastian’s muscles tensed as he realized who it was, his arms lowering to pick up the little girl that hung to him.
Smiling, he picked her up, his lips pressing against the blond locks on top of her head. His sister was behind her daughter, her eyes tenderly watching the scene unfolding in front of her.
“Hey! What are you guys doing here?” Sebastian asked, as he moved aside, making space for his sister to pass.
“Hey! No, I can’t stay. I have this urgent meeting to attend. A client called me just now, saying he has an urgent matter to attend to abroad, so he wants to meet immediately to sign the contract.”
“So you need someone to look after Naomi?”
Lola nodded, smiling guiltily. Sebastian sighed, but nodded at his sister, she was lucky he loved his little niece like his own daughter. Noisy as she was, she was his little nugget. Too bad she had had the fortune of having a jerk for a father.
“Go ahead. You’ll be late.” Lola giggled and kissed her brother’s cheek.
“Thank you, I owe you one!” She shouted over her shoulder, already rushing down the stairs and towards the car parked by the gate.
“Do you have visitors, Uncle?” For a second, Sebastian had forgotten about Aline. Slowly, he turned to where Naomi was looking.
Aline was leaning against the staircase, her arms folded over her chest. She looked between Sebastian and the little girl, questions lingering in her eyes. Sebastian sighed; he hated the way his heart skipped a beat the second he glanced at her, how his eyes trailed down her body, taking her in. She seemed beautiful even in those black sweatpants and loose shirt, the baggy clothes showing off no trace of the curves he knew she had.
The Alpha One Page 6