Don't try to Escape

Chapter 4 - Part III

He is hunting.

"I mean, you were comparing yourself to a primitive man just to make them have sexual fantasies about you."

I fix my eyes on his. Green on black already sounds so familiar. He looks me back for long seconds, but now his face does not show that nasty smile. I think Thomas is trying to figure out if I'm going of laugh about it or throw my drink on his face.

"Relax, you're too tense," I retribute the needle. "I mean, I'm not going to punch you or anything."

No matter how I try to make a poker face, a sarcastic smile comes out. Thomas' eyebrows raise, and a surprised and honest smile softens his face. His perfect teeth match his dangerous black eyes what holds me from looking away. It's almost hypnotic. He had already smiled at me before, I don't know why I feel surprised. Thomas Mai is a sight for sore eyes, the bad news is that he is a moron.

"I've never heard a complaint about it, but I'm inclined to know your opinion. Does my teasing affect you?"

A malicious tone invades his polite voice.

"The brunette from the club seemed a lot inspired," I answer right away.

Wait, where does it come from? He wasn't expecting that. Neither did I. He keeps looking at me.

"But I'd like to know your opinion," Thomas insists.

I get breathless. I freeze before his insistent glance.

"Well, this is not the kind of topic we're supposed to have in a business meeting," I try to deflect the question.

He reflects on my words, and I guess he accepts the answer because he doesn't talk about it anymore. It seems that he also wants it to work out, but I wonder if he is doing that for Lobo Negro or Dr. Alden.

"What's the story behind Lobo Negro?" I ask, trying to deflect those thoughts.

"Do you want to know why I opened the restaurant?"

"Yes. It's your first restaurant, isn't it?"

"You have done your homework, then," he says as if I was caught in the act.

I try to don't let my cheeks blush.

"I designed this project a long time ago," he continues. "Actually, this was my first business project," he stops for a moment to think about he is going to say and starts looking unquiet. "But I've just got it off the drawing board now."

Thomas takes his glass and sips it, brooding. Is that all?

"Why haven't had you finished the project before? I assume you had the money to invest."

He glanced back at me as if he was totally lost in his own thoughts, and just have noticed that I was there.

"I had some obstacles back then," he sounds vague.

"Were the paintings in the scoped in the project?"

I know I'm forcing some answers, but when I remember those walls I have my heart in my mouth, and I need to know more, I need to absorb everything I can.

I look at him with expectation, and he decodes my expressions for some time.

"You really liked those, didn't you?" his voice sounds incredibly lovely.

He feels so right speaking like this. I smile, feeling a bit shy. I was still hoping that my passion for the illustrations would remain a secret.

"They were part of the original project," he looks at me warmly. "The paintings came out before the restaurant itself."