Racing Devil

Chapter 4 (100%)

Their friendship was blooming. It was going exactly the way Myles had declared: he was a better friend to her than he was a client that she had to take care of. She had almost abandoned all her duties towards her VIP guest, until he had asked her to inform the resort that he would like to have a barbeque party by the pool tonight.

It was almost time. Niksa changed into new clothes and redid her make-up. She picked out an off-shoulder black bodysuit, paired with a high-waisted cream-coloured trousers. Her hair was tied up in a side ponytail.

"Wow, finally," Myles blurted when he turned away from the TV screen to look at the woman who had just slid the door to enter.

She still managed to look every-inch immaculate in her casual attire. Myles also noticed that his problem had nothing to do with her clothes. It didn't matter what she wore, he still couldn't take his mind out of the gutter.

"The resort said that they will be here to set up the food and have everything ready by 5:30." Niksa gave him a formal report, pretending not to notice the sparkle in his eyes.

"I guess you don't have to stay behind for that? I'm just gonna cancel everything if that's the case."

"I haven't said anything."

"Just saying. You will come get Henry with me anyway," he gave her a reason and a wink.

It was hard to get upset with him under his warm gaze, not to mention his charming smiles. Besides the photos online, Niksa had never seen his face before the accident. What was deemed to be an abnormality to others was just a familiarity to her. Even so, Myles was still hiding completely behind his mask, sunglasses, and ball cap whenever he had to step outside. She looked at him as he pulled the hoodie over his hat with a pang in her heart. Somehow she began to understand why he had chosen to run away all by himself to his faraway land.

On the way to the airport, Myles was texting on his phone and through the same means, she was exchanging information with the resort manager whom she had become friendly with.

"What would you like to drink tonight?" Niksa's question came out of nowhere and she felt surprised. This wasn't her usual way, but something had changed.

"Beer," he replied, just as casually.

She typed that into her phone and sent the text, although she found his answer unexpected.

"Beer is my to-go drink, not champagne like you thought."

She turned to listen to his answer. His face was hidden behind those sunglasses and a black mask, but she felt the unmistakable smile in his voice.

Niksa smiled in return. She swore to no longer give the media and its interviews all the credits as she had been doing. That didn't mean that they never got anything right. His flirtatious ways that she had seen in the videos were not too far off.

Myles could make a good friend, but nothing more, and she believed the feeling was mutual.

The flight from Bangkok was slightly delayed. Niksa and Myles, who had arrived close to the scheduled time, had no choice but to hang around the arrival zone.

Myles didn't stand out because he had a particularly tall build the way many westerners might have, and his plain black jumper and jeans added nothing to it. It was the disguises he was wearing that made people stop and do a double-take, before shifting their eyes to look at her. Niksa put on her usual poker face, but inside she was praying that no one would recognise her VIP client.