Him or his Best Friend

𝐂𝐡. 𝟖 | 𝐌𝐚𝐬𝐪𝐮𝐞𝐫𝐚𝐝𝐞

"I guess you can finally save a fortune for your upcoming generations," he mocked again.

"Shut up Luka," I scowled over the phone.

I let him know that I have a masquerade to attend tonight and that Liya is throwing a little tantrum to which he says he'll handle it. Good. All he has to do is give your highness a call and she'll be a good little girl for one night. The nap did not end up happening so instead I decided to get ready for the masquerade.

There was a black suit hanged in my wardrobe with a classic white shirt. I hated this black and white combination. It made me look like a waiter which was terrible. But something in me just couldn't wait to see Liya in that gorgeous dress. Buttoning my blazer and brushing my hair properly with a hairbrush, I headed out of the room.

I had only reached two steps out when the sight of her walking down the stairs from her room in that dress caught my heart. Her hair still straight from the shoot. Straight her looks gorgeous on her. It made her look like she actually had power because there was a sense of neatness with her.

Sparkling diamond earrings dropped for her ears but weren't brighter than the sparkle her eyes carried. Her gaze met mine and she slowly walked towards me and as she did, my heart raced. My eyes couldn't help but crawl on her body. The dress hugged her perfectly and held her girls in place perfectly too. But her red lips were the ones about to drive me crazy.

"What?" she softly gritted, looking into my eyes with pure madness.

"You're beautiful," I breathed out, running my fingers towards her hairline to tuck some hair behind her ear.

"Is this your way of charming women?" she raised her eyebrow, hitching my senses back to life.

"Would you say you're charmed?" I smirked taking a step closer to her.

God, the warmth of her body was wrapping around my soul like chains. The closer I got the more bound I was becoming to her. Plan A was to never have her touch me. Plan B was that if she ever did there was no cure to Plan A because it was practically fucking up my own life.

My hand reaches for the box of cigarettes in my pocket. Both our gazes view me taking a cigarette out and popping it between my lips. Following the lighter in my hand that rises up between us to the edge of my cigarette to light it.

"More like disgusted," she furiously winced.

"Move away Liya. There's a sin in my mouth and something as pure as you shouldn't be near it," I warned taking a step back because she had refused to.

Her throat stumbles across a breath, carefully watching me take the cigarette between my fingers after puffing out the scent of wood. Unnecessary. Well at least she'll be staying at a distance from me tonight because I know I can't. Turning away from her, I walk towards the entrance.

The sound of her heels hitting the floor reach my ears, informing me that she's following. I hold the door of the car open for her with one hand whilst the other holds my cig.

She refuses to enter in through the side I was holding and walks around to the other. Opening the door herself and taking a seat. Instead of giving a reaction, I take a seat and we both keep a distance of one seat as the driver takes us to our destination.

"Don't go wandering off," I commented, desperate to just hear her voice.

"I'm not a child," she stubbornly answered keeping her gaze to her phone.

Her fingers were typing furiously. Who was she texting? My eyes reached the corner for a glance. My ego refused to shift my body and snatch the phone out of her hand because I didn't give a fuck.

Well the logical part of my brain, unknown of the weird obsession patch she has left for herself, didn't give a fuck. And that was the part of my brain that represented me. Once we got to the venue, we walked in together. At the entrance, they had given us masks to put on.

Liya's face lightened up as she walked down the huge table, feeling the masks. I hypnotisingly followed behind her. Her soul pulled mine and all I did was stare at her smile in absolute awe. She had picked up a silver glittery mask, that matched with her earrings. I took it out of her hands which made her look at me.

Going around her, behind her, I tied the strings in a knot against her hair. My hand couldn't resist running down from her shoulder along her arm to her hand lightly with the edge of my fingertips. Goosebumps had covered her soft warm surface which made me feel goosebumps along my own arm under my shirt.

"Silver compliments your eyes, Strawberry," I smiled at which she gritted her teeth.

"Stop it with that childish stupid nickname. We're in public," she scolded, walking away from me.

I grabbed a similar silver mask to hers and tied it around to the back of my head before walking it. To be honest it was hard recognising everyone but Liya. It was easy to find her because of what she was wearing.

"Mr Ruel," I introduced myself to the person who had reached me in his formal attire with a handshake.

"You must be the new CEO. What a pleasant surprise," they spoke.

I couldn't recognise who they were and my eyes only scanned the room for Liya, unable to find her.

"Greetings young lady," the man spoke to the side of me, stopping Liya from walking ahead.

"Greetings?" she awkwardly greeted, making me chuckle.

I pulled Liya close to me by her arm to introduce her.

"This is Liya Dalton," I introduced pleasantly.

"Liya Dalton? The Liya Dalton that has made quite a scream on media?" he asked.

"Haha, yes. She's very capable of causing such earthquaking screams," I laughed to which she gives me the shut the fuck up look.

Oh...

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