by Layla Arts
“Having a couple of drinks with the dancer I see,” William pointed out with an attitude.
“You knew I work for Hadrian?” I questioned him confusingly.
“I saw you dance last Friday.” William leaned back in his chair. “You did an amazing job, didn't want to miss it,” he complimented me nicely, and winked at me.
“Thank you,” I told William, not knowing how to react properly.
William shifted from his position in the chair and came closer to my side.
“So how is it to do a dance with all these women?” There was a hint of curiosity in his voice.
“A lot of fun.”
“Can I ask you a question?” William asked me in a whisper. I was partly confused he wanted to communicate so silently.
“Sure, you can.”
It was evident that he repeated the words in his mind before asking for an answer aloud. Somehow, I saw Hadrian focusing on the people who walked by, instead of showing he was paying attention to the conversation. He seemingly tried to focus on his own thought, but I knew better.
“Is there any sexual tension when you are with them?” William inquired.
I pulled my eyebrows downwards and shook my head no. “Why would there be any?”
“Because you're a lesbian,” he proclaimed randomly. “And seeing women seductively dance around you should be exceedingly hard, right?”
I chuckled at his explanation, but noticed how William wasn’t laughing. Apparently, this wasn’t a joke – he was absolutely serious about thinking I was a lesbian.
“I beg your pardon?”
“What's wrong?” William questioned.
“Should we go, Vicky? We need to go to the car.” Hadrian suddenly interrupted our conversation.
“Wait a minute, Hadrian,” I demanded him bitterly.
It was rather ironic how Hadrian thought I’d go with him.
My attention was focused on William.
“Why are you suddenly saying that I am a lesbian?”
“Because you are,” William said with heaps of confidence. “Hadrian said that you are a lesbian last Friday.”
I locked gazes with Hadrian immediately.
“What did you say?” I spat out through gritted teeth.
“I didn't say that,” Hadrian claimed forthwith, and he held his hands up in defense.
“You did,” William spoke.
“I didn't.”
“You really did mate,” William argued back with a chuckle at the end.
“I did? Well, I must have made a mistake then.” Hadrian shrugged smoothly, trying to get it over with.
Now I immediately saw that Hadrian was playing along with this. He had told William that I was a lesbian. But why would he do such thing?
William didn't say anything – he just accepted the fact that I wasn't a lesbian all of a sudden.
“Oh, that is great news then,” William proclaimed bubbly and had a smirk on his face which made me shiver. I promptly thought back at the words Hadrian said earlier.
“Sorry William, but we need to go. We are going to walk through the park,” I said excitedly. But my intentions weren't about going to a park.
“Sad news.” William pouted shortly. “Have a blast, guys. I am going to be busy with that waitress after all,” he told us shamelessly.
“Yeah, you too.” I patted him on his shoulder when I stood up.
“By the way, Vicky.” I stopped when William started to talk to me, again. “It was wonderful to meet you.”
“Likewise,” I replied.
I walked away from the café, and I heard Hadrian coming after me. I had left him immediately, and he still needed to pay before he could go. Even so, he caught up with me, and I didn't want to go to the park with him, after what I heard from William.
“Vicky, let me explain this to you,” Hadrian begged.
I dragged Hadrian into a small alleyway and pushed him against the wall.
“You said I was a lesbian? How original, Hadrian,” I spoke angrily.
“I am sorry. Okay? I wanted to protect you.”
“From him? I can easily protect myself.” I instantly defended myself.
“William Purdy is a dick,” Hadrian spat out furiously.
“So are you! And look where we are now. You haven't gotten into my pants, so this is the evidence I don't need to be protected by anyone.”
I was inches away from Hadrian's face, and anger was boiling through my body. It wasn't the fact that he labeled me as a lesbian, because there was nothing wrong with loving someone from the same gender. But the fact that he lied about me towards someone else made me pissed. And then he proclaimed it was for the better.
“I think we should skip the part of walking through the park, and instantly go to the point where you drop me off and don't kiss me goodbye,” I declared and started walking hurriedly back to the Bentley.
***
The club was being cleaned entirely. Still, the stage was free for any use. Everyone was happy at home enjoying their day off, but I needed to dance. I felt shitty because of yesterday’s happenings. I didn't understand why he needed to lie about me? He could just have told William Purdy the complete truth. William wasn’t a serial killer, so I could effortlessly defend myself if it was necessary.
Hadrian was acting like he was a saint all of a sudden. However, he was not any better than William. The way Hadrian had behaved towards me was horrendous. He was the one who tried to get into my pants several times. And then he claims William is the bad guy.
I claimed the stage for today and had my phone connected to the stereo. I didn’t want to sweat too much today, so I kept the routine simple.
“Vicky, what are you doing here?” I heard a voice shouting from a distance – trying to be louder than the music.
I ran to the stereo and turned the music off. Judy moved over to me, and this time she wore casual attire instead of her dancing clothes. I got to the edge of the stage.
“I am just dancing. I don't need to work today, so I thought I could come by for a few hours.”
“For how long have you been here already?”
Judy took a chair away from a table so she could sit in front of me. I stared down at her. Judy crossed her legs when she sat down and folded her arms against her chest.
“Less than an hour,” I informed her.
“Do you want to do me a favor?” she asked me nicely.
“If you tell me what it is, maybe I can.”
Judy shifted from her position in the chair.
“Help me with preparing the show for this Friday,” Judy declared.
My jaw dropped down, and I didn't know what to say back. Judy, the woman who makes all the dancing routines for the Empire, just asked me to help her with preparing the routine for Friday! I was entirely speechless whilst I kept my focus on her.
“Oh my God.” I breathed out. “Yes, please.”
“It’s settled then,” Judy spoke. “I am going to start with making the routine in an hour, and I will see you in my office later on.”
Judy stood up and left.
“Judy, wait!” I yelled.
She turned around and nodded her head, urging me to continue.
“I don't know where your office is,” I said.
“In the basement,” she informed me nicely.
“I promise that I will be there in an hour.”
“Marvelous. I cannot wait,” she responded and left.
I couldn't believe she just asked me to help her. Everything came so unexpectedly, and I was feeling fortunate it happened to me. I was going to make the girls dance the way I wanted them to this upcoming Friday. I could choose the music, make the positions, and also decide who was going to dance the most. Did Judy like me?
“What is the reason behind that bright smile on your face?”
“Hadrian.” I breathed out when I met his eyes from a distance.
His hands were in his pockets, and he strolled over to me. I hadn't seen him since yest
erday when everything went a bit different than we both expected.
Yesterday afternoon:
“You're unbelievable!” I exclaimed in anger.
“I told you, Vicky. I wanted to protect you,” he said, frustration bleeding through his voice.
“I still don't understand that part.”
Hadrian parked his Bentley in front of my house. He shut the engine down. Silence took over, since the two of us didn’t say a word – I didn't know what to do.
He ruined a perfect afternoon just by lying towards someone else about me. If it were for the better, I’d have accepted it. I unbuckled my seatbelt and wanted to open the door from the passenger side. But Hadrian had other intentions, so he grabbed my wrist powerfully.
“Let me explain it to you,” he begged desperately.
“Not now, sorry.”
I stepped out of his car and rushed to my apartment. If things hadn't turned out like this, I might have kissed him – what he surely wanted for such a long time. I wanted to kiss his pink puckered lips after that thought had entered my mind, from the moment I was at his residence.
But things went the opposite way - we didn't even hug each other goodbye. In fact, I was walking back to my apartment angrily.
I threw my purse in the corner of the living room and sat down on the couch. With my head in my hands, I groaned loudly. I thought – I really thought – that maybe this time things weren't going to end terribly. That we could finally talk like two adults while getting to know each other more.
But I was wrong. Apparently, Hadrian had to ruin everything, again.
Present:
“I stood outside your apartment for twenty minutes this morning, but you weren't there,” Hadrian explained to me. “I wanted to talk.” He added seriously – no hint of playfulness in his voice.
My eyes followed every movement he made, so I kept my gaze locked with his. The nearer he came, the more I understood we were going to talk about this mistake he made.
“Why did you lie?” I asked Hadrian eagerly.
“I am going to tell you everything if you won't interrupt me constantly,” Hadrian pleaded.
“That is going to be hard, but I will try.”
“Follow me, will you?”
I nodded my head and gathered my belongings. I followed Hadrian to his office. “Please, take a seat on the couch,” Hadrian instructed me politely.
I did as he told and sat down. I crossed my legs and leaned back. He brought me a glass of fresh orange juice, and it was a surprise he had this too, besides his familiar scotch. While I drank from the glass, Hadrian sat on his wooden desk – on the same spot I saw him sitting a few day ago.
“Okay,” I muttered. “Tell me.”
“I know that I can hardly say that he is a bad guy – you're right, I am not any better. But William Purdy is way worse than I am. He is a businessman whom I have known for such a long time. He helps me with investing in other companies, and he always recommends me the things I should go for. He then gets whatever he wants from me.” Hadrian cleared his throat for a second, before going further. “William is a man with power, and he truly loves women. Last Friday, when we were sitting in the private booth, William told me he loved to see you dance. I saw something in his eyes that told me he was out on more. And with more, I don't mean getting to know your personality, but hooking up with you afterward.”
Hadrian decided to take a seat next to me.
“Therefore, I told him you were a lesbian so he would understand he couldn't force himself upon you. He then questioned me if you could pretend to be straight for an evening, and I told him you couldn't.” Hadrian turned his body towards me, and I stared him in the eyes intensely.
“I know that those were my intentions at first, too. Then I got to know you. You basically showed me you weren't this girl who would give herself easily to me, since ‘I am the boss’. You wanted to get to know me. You didn't ask me about how many dollars I own, you asked me what my life is like.”
“Money doesn't define you, Hadrian,” I assured him.
A smile appeared on his face. “I love how we challenge each other,” Hadrian confessed bluntly. “You had the right to wave me off back at my house, since I needed a big reality check. I approached everyone in the world in a way that was disrespectful. But you showed me how the real world works. I thought I could get everything with a smirk, money, or a simple compliment. That’s why I needed to make sure you wouldn't be hurt by him. You don't deserve that, Vicks.” Hadrian said, and my heart skipped a beat when he used my nickname.
The way Hadrian was putting his thoughts on the table was mindblowing. I hadn’t asked him to be incredibly open, but he had the urge to do this.
I felt Hadrian placing his hand on my knee, and I stared for a good second at it. The spot he was holding was basically on fire. I met his eyes again, and Hadrian looked at me with much fondness.
“I want to put effort in you, Vicks,” Hadrian spoke. “And I don't know how it works, and what I need to do. But I will find a way to show it to you.”
I was overwhelmed by his choice of words.
Firstly, I needed to let everything sink in about what he told me of William Purdy. Then he came with an explanation about how much he liked the fact I didn't go after his money, but wanted to know him – the real Hadrian.
He ended telling me he wants to put effort in me.
“What do you think?” Hadrian questioned faintly.
I swallowed the lump in my throat.
“Kiss me.”
Hadrian's eyes lit up before he leaned in. My heart was beating fast, and I felt euphoria in a way I had never experienced it. I wanted to kiss his lips desperately. He had me mesmerized from the moment he spoke to me. I saw them moving the entire time we were sitting here, and now I was finally able to press my lips to his.
I felt Hadrian's warm breath against my lips, and I stared at them. I felt Hadrian's hand – which was resting on my knee – holding the right side of my cheek from his point of view. He stroked with his thumb softly over my cheek, and a shiver ran down my spine. Goosebumps were everywhere.
I saw a smile appearing on Hadrian's face, and he looked adorable – he was cute after all.
How his chocolate brown hair was often messy, and how his dimples appeared on his face at times he was being cheeky. How he could hold his bottom lip between his index finger and thumb would seduce you.
I desired to kiss him more and more.
So I leaned in further, and our lips brushed past each other.
Hadrian and I stared at each other with wide eyes when we heard someone enter the office loudly.
“Here you are, Vicky! I was looking for you, we need to work on the routine,” Judy beamed excitedly.
Thanks Judy for the excellent timing.
09
Hadrian Smith
I was so close.
I could have kissed her.
Kissed her.
It had been exactly 30 minutes since Vicky left, and I hadn’t moved from the leather couch. I knew we weren't going to do anything else than kissing, but I could have received a kiss from her lips. And that would’ve been enough.
But of course, my employee had to burst into my office, and didn’t even knock politely.
Which was the golden rule.
It was a good thing that I opened up to Vicky and explained her about William. She needed to know his intentions, and she also needed to know how I viewed everything that currently happened. She had me wrapped around her finger since the day I woke up in the morning by her knocking on my car window.
I bet if someone else had seen me, they let me sleep or crawl back to me for payment. Even though most people really wanted my money, Vicky asked for my favorite café and a walk in a park.
Then William came around, and he fucked everything up.
After all, I needed to thank William for his behavior from yesterday, because otherwise Vicky and I wouldn't be almost kissing each other a few minutes ago
.
Yet, we hadn’t kissed.
I walked down the stairs and heard music blasting through the building. It came from the basement, where Judy's office was.
Little did Vicky know, I had asked Judy to invite Vicky to help her.
I grabbed a bottle of Martini from the bar and walked downstairs with two glasses. I stood in front of the door, where there was a small window that made it easier to look inside.
Vicky was dancing beautifully, and I couldn't keep my eyes off her. She had something I wanted, and I knew she was aware of that too.
I knocked a few times on the door and entered the room. Judy looked up, and she swiftly spotted the bottle of alcohol.
"Got something for the hard workers,” I announced nicely and placed the bottle and glasses on her desk. I filled them with the liquor, and Judy drank from it instantly.
"Thanks, Mr. Smith. The routine for Friday looks promising already. Vicky is a really great help, and maybe she should be doing the solo performance?" Judy asked me softly so that Vicky couldn't hear this.
“If she gives a great show, she is allowed to do that.”
“Thanks, Mr. Smith. She will love this!” Judy exclaimed happily. And I guess she liked Vicky as much as I did.
I wanted to walk over to Vicky, but Judy stopped me by asking a question.
“Were you telling Vicky that it was your idea to let her help me, back in the office?” she questioned.
I didn't know whether I was blushing – but no, I absolutely didn't inform Vicky about her helping Judy because of me.
“Yes,” I lied. “But we shouldn't be talking about it. We must focus on the routine and solo show.”
“Wouldn't want it any other way,” Judy replied.
“I will have a talk with Vicky for a short moment, excuse us.”
I made my way to Vicky, and she saw me coming closer when she looked at my reflection in the mirror. I rested my hand on her bare shoulder and leaned my head closer to her ear.
“We need to talk in the hallway. Privately.”
Vicky nodded, and I escorted her out of the room. My hand was resting on her lower back, and we carefully entered the hallway. I pulled Vicky further into the darkness so that Judy wouldn’t be able to see us. When I turned my head towards Vicky, a smirk was placed on her face.