#AskEmma

Chapter 14

Pairing the call, by mapping it to its physical location, the 9-1-1 rescue team had been on standby, waiting for the go-ahead from Haley.  She explained to the girl that experts were very nearby and would help her down and Haley had promised to meet the girl.  Luckily, she was just a few blocks away.  A police escort had expedited Haley's short trip.  The girl's step-father had been arrested and would be spending a very long time behind bars.  Haley was going to make sure of that. The girl had thrown her arms around Haley and sobbed hysterically.  It had taken some time to calm her down.  The mother had been called and Haley had arranged follow-up appointments to help the young girl.

Only late in the afternoon had the heaviness began to subside.  Thankfully the final gruelling two hour session with her editor and publisher had helped shift her mind away from the morning's near trauma situation.  Haley had worked through the final edits of her book, had put her completed manuscript into an envelope, when she realized she was running late for her drinks date with Xanthus.  She felt an exciting thrill that it was finally completed.  She was fully persuaded it was her best work yet and her editor had said so as well.  Perhaps before the book was on the shelves, she could have her talk with Xanthus.

Xanthus called Haley when she hadn't pitched up at the hotel.  Haley had missed the call, then texted Xanthus and told him she was on her way.  She didn't want to get there too early.  She'd rather his clients start their drinks, get comfortable, so when she got there, they would already be a few drinks ahead of her and the atmosphere would have a nice buzz.  Not that she had any intention of playing catch up.  She wanted them jovial, enjoying Xanthus' entertainment efforts and didn't want to be the focus of their attention, or under scrutiny like a prime piece of horse flesh at an auction.

As she entered the high end hotel, heads turned as she walked in confidently. She hadn't had to search too long.  She quickly found Xanthus.  He was standing tall at the one corner of the bar with about four men, whilst two ladies were seated close to where he stood.   She made her way to where Xanthus stood.  

'Hi,' she smiled, lightly placing her palm on his arm.  'Sorry I'm late,' she whispered in his ear.

'Agápi mou,' his smile broadened as he curved his arm around her waist and kissed her full on the lips. 

He introduced Haley to everybody, with his arm still tightly around her waist.  She vaguely remembered who was who.  She tried to ignore the ladies ogling her with undisguised disdain.  Xanthus ordered her a glass of white wine.

'Thank you,' she smiled at him again.

'So how did you two meet?'  One of the men whose name she could not remember enquired.

'Um---' Haley stalled.

'She propositioned me in a bar,' Xanthus answered simply.

'I did not---' she lied, dropping her eyes into her wine glass.

'Yes, I think you did,' another commented, with a wide grin.

Haley laughed.  Her inflamed face was a dead giveaway.  She shrugged her shoulders.  'I guess I did,' her eyes locked with Xanthus' through her wine glass as she sipped from it.

Haley tried with all sincerity to engage the ladies in conversation.  She was not having much luck.  They answered mostly in monosyllables.  She made eye contact when she spoke or responded to the men's questions or comments, but the ladies, didn't put any effort into welcoming her into their clique.  She was grateful for Xanthus' arm still around her waist.  She pressed closer, leaning into him for support.  Her feet hurt from her high heels, but she refused to sit, when Xanthus had drawn out a bar stool for her.  She was secretly glad this was only drinks and not a long drawn out meal.  She was exhausted from her gruelling demands of the day and the mentally exhausting two hours she had endured with her editor.   Now she just craved  her bath-tub and to soak her feet in warm therapeutic bath salts and then climb into her bed...preferably with Xanthus in it, waiting for her.

       Two nerve-wrecking weeks later ... they were at the launch of her latest book.  It was a world-wide launch and no expenses had been spared by the publishers.  The courtyard of the plush hotel was full of cars.  There were print media, TV and celebrity guests.  Haley recognised a famous supermodel, a top athlete and a few learned intellectuals from the psychiatry and psychology fraternity.  Haley was thrilled that Xanthus had made the time to fly in early from Greece to be with her.  She was more delighted for what the night would hold after the launch.  She hadn't seen him for four whole days and nights. 

Haley was working the room, doing the meet, greet and the necessary networking that went with the territory of a book launch.  She so wanted to be with Xanthus.  Painstakingly, she endured the interruption from a TV network presenter.  When she had a minute to herself, she looked across the room now, to where he stood comfortably chatting to her friends.  He looked so adorable, as he threw his head back and laughed at something Tricia was saying or possibly flirting with her man.    She wanted him by her side but sadly, he was being hogged by Tricia and Stacy.  Haley decided to rescue her man.  She managed to make her way across the room, after being stopped by this or that guest, who wanted to shake her hand and offer complimentary words to her.  Finally she got to him and tugged her arm through his.

'Are these two monopolizing your time,' Haley smiled.

'I thought I shouldn't crowd the star attraction tonight, agápi mou,' his eyes seared into hers with a hint of later promise, and she knew he would deliver. 

He had been elaborately complimentary and supportive about her book and pleasantly surprised that it was not her first book. 

He thought she looked entrancingly sexy tonight in the shimmering fabric of her nude chiffon cocktail dress that accentuated all her luscious curves.  Her dainty feet were in sky high pencil heels.  She wore minimal makeup that heightened her beautiful skin and sharp features.  He couldn't wait for tonight, to immerse himself inside her.  The four days apart felt like a year-long drought.  Her passion called to him. He wanted to burn in the fire that inevitably flared between them.  Her exquisitely expressive eyes failed to hide her craving for him. She lowered those long lashes trying to hide her desire without success.  Her hungry sigh was indefinably audible, he caught it.

'Haley should thank us for getting you to contribute to Chapter Five,' Tricia voiced supremely.

'No!' 
Both Haley and Lizzie spoke forebodingly.

Where did Lizzie suddenly appear from? 

But Haley had more serious problems when she dared to look in Xanthus' direction.

Every inch of his face tightened.  It seemed his control would burst at any second, but he didn't move...didn't lose control, even by a flicker of a muscle. His eyes were murderous as they descended on Haley. The chilling look in his eyes drained her of all warmth, even though it was a warm evening

'"Chapter Five?"'  His voice was a soft dangerous snarl. 

She shut her eyes for a second.  'Xanthus --- I can explain.'

'You've been playing me!' his eyes were two slates of fiery laser beams.

She wished they were alone, so she could try to explain.  Her hand tentatively reached out to his arm. 

'No! --- only in the beginning ---.'

'This was just a game to you?'  His thumb pointed to her and back towards his chest.  'I was just material for your book?'

He spat out.  He snapped his hand away from her as if she had a dreaded disease.
'I call the shots in this game Haley and we are over!'
He brushed past her and strode out at lightning speed.

Haley covered her face with her hands. 
Oh God...oh God ... oh God!

'Haley --- I'm so sorry,' Tricia apologized awkwardly.  'I though he knew.'

'It's okay,' she stammered.  'I have to go.'

Haley ran out after Xanthus hoping for the opportunity to reason with him.  He was opening the door of his limo.

'Xanthus please--- let me explain.'

'We're finished.'  His eyes were glacial, his face savagely ferocious.

'I made a mistake.'

'A mistake you must live with then.  Good bye Haley,' he slammed the limo door shut.

-          -end chapter 14-