Invisible ties that bind us - Book 1

Chapter 8

Andrew POV

I look at her as she finishes writing her address and I realise that I might have been too harsh. I need her to understand we need to take this slow. She seems embarrassed or something like that but I cannot risk too much of a public display of affection, not until I get things a bit sorted out.

- Diana, we need to take this slow. So please, finish your beer and go about your night like this didn't happen. I am in an unpleasant position at this moment so even though I would love to ruin every piece of clothing you have on you and taste each inch of you, I can't do that now. She blushes instantaneously and I swear to myself I will make her blush as often as I can.

- Are you married? She says out of the blue a minute after, measuring my features intently. I swear to god, she is so cute and innocent and hasn't the slightest clue what she is getting into and I burst out laughing.

- Kitten, no! There is no other woman in my life but the situation I am in is a bit precarious. I promise I will explain it, or at least give you a bird's eye view tomorrow at lunch.

I can see how her shoulders are gradually relaxing and I know I did well. At least for her because after that kiss I will have the worst case of blue balls in history. She looks so gorgeous with that innocent look of hers and you can see that innocence even with the trashy clothes that Rob is making her wear. And that Rob, Ryan is right, is a shady one and he should be taken care of. We will talk tomorrow at breakfast about this. As the train of thoughts goes on and I start planning in my head what I need to do in the next few days, Diana sits quietly taking little sips of her beer. I swear, she does look like those feisty little feral kittens that you see in clips online. And this kitten is mine to play with, or she will be soon enough. I grin at my mischievous thoughts of what to do to her but say no word to her when she looks at me questioning my smile.

As she finishes her drink, she gets up, nods to me and becomes instantaneously the professional hostess I saw first in the lobby.

- Can I get you something else to drink, Andrew?

-A cranberry vodka and please tell Ryan to move his ass up here. I say winking at her. She looks at me in awe, realising only then that Ryan left only to leave the two of us alone and she then blushes again. God, I love to shock her in this way!

Ryan appears in about a minute, with a self-satisfied grin on his face.

- Did you seal the deal?

- I've just kissed her, nothing more.

- Man, are you for real? With that girl? I left you like an hour and, between the lighting here and the small entrance to the booth, you could have had your way without anyone seeing you two. He says in shock. Yes, I know, my kind aren't famous for being neither patient nor gentle in their relationships and I am surely one of the worst, at least that is what women say about me.

- She seems so innocent and sweet and she is my bound one. So I need to take it slow and don't scare her out of her wits.

- Come on, seriously? I could smell her arousal myself, including now when she came downstairs. What a moron you are sometimes! And?

- We're having lunch tomorrow and I will talk to her about us. Or at least about the part of the media empire that dad left on my shoulders.

- Do you think she will buy that, the secrecy due to the way of earning your money?

- I hope. At least for another one week? I doubt it myself but I can at least try it. I need to be sure she's truly in love with me before I tell her the truth.

- The sooner, the better. You know that needs to be taken care of before any of your suitresses find out about her or else...

- I will rip their heads off if they even get close to her! I say escaping a groan and flashing a bit of my fangs.

- And you will start a war. Don't be an idiot! Tell her the truth and bed her if you really want to save her life. Ryan adds in a gloomy tone. Do you want to leave?

- No, I will stay here with her until the morning or whenever her shift ends, I don't like to leave her alone. Not now that I've finally found her.

Ryan makes a small gesture of disgust but doesn't add anything to our conversation so I shift it towards what is bothering him.

- What did you come up with while you were sniffing around?

- Sniffing around? That's an odd choice of words, he laughs at my line. Well, something is quite strange, all the booths are arranged in such a manner that you can see the stage but you are hidden also from the sight of others. And I am sure I smelled drugs passing by some of them. But that is more or less my business if it's not with our help that those are distributed. Also, I saw on that note more of the girls going back to the hallway were the office and the relaxation rooms that we've built for employees but also some people I think were their boyfriends. So I am not sure why that bothers me. I mean it's their break, they can do whatever they like, right?

- I'll ask Diana tomorrow about that, maybe she knows something.

- Thanks, that probably will put my mind at ease. So, until when do we need to stay here?

- Come on, I told you I need to stay here with her, I replied, grinding my teeth.

Ryan leans over not to be heard, although I doubt anyone could hear us in that noise and adds:

- Andrew, you either take it slow or fast, make up your mind. Staying with her up until she finishes her shift doesn't sound like taking it slow. Please, gather your mind and make it happen, no matter what path you take, it's ok, but you need to be sure what you want to do.

I sigh at his remarks knowing very well that he is right. I need to make a decision and make it fast. In one week maximum I should be leaving the States, maybe I can add a day or two to that but not more. Diana has returned with my cranberry vodka and a Cuba libre for Ryan who apparently left it at the bar earlier so we can't continue our conversation.

Ryan is making small talk with Diana and I lean on the soft pillows of the couch and relax, popping in the conversation from time to time. She seems also a bit more relaxed, maybe thanks to the beer or Ryan's smooth talk but things are going smoothly with my kitten. We go on and forth for another two hours or so until Ryan gestures to me that we should leave. As I take a look at my wrist watch, I realise it's already almost 5 in the morning. According to him, Diana ends her shift at 6 so we stayed as much as we could without raising any suspicions so I have to give in and take my leave.

- Diana, we will be leaving. Thank you for the lovely evening! Ryan says as soon as he texts for the limo and I hope it will take them as much time as possible to get here but I am in no luck. His phone vibrates within minutes so we need to get outside. As I leave the booth, I whisper into Diana's ear that I will be at her place at noon.

The next period will be very difficult for all of us so I should keep my eyes on the prize so I truly need to get to that hotel and get that sleep more than ever.