Special mention to jerrymartynn and directionersuyasha for the amazing support and feedback!
And ofcourse! Love to all of you! ❤
Enjoy!
Chapter Seventeen - The Party (Part 1)
"Mrs. Sinclair," The voice greeted me the moment I stepped into the dimly lit hall on the highest hotel floor.
"You look phenomenal," He reached forward to shake my hand with a smile.
"Thank you, Mr. Roberts. You look amazing yourself and I'm glad to be invited to such a beautiful party," I spoke politely and eyed the decorations in the ballroom. A few couples were already on the dance floor, dancing elegantly to the rich music while some people were sitting on the round tables across the room.
"Oh and, here," He turned to the table behind him and fetched a silver black masquerade mask from the tray. "This will go perfectly with your clothes."
"Thank you," I muttered while taking the mask from him and slipping it on my face.
He nodded in approval and giving him a smile, I stepped away from the double doors and entered the large hall.
I searched around for Alec but the room was dark enough to hide the faces under the masquerade masks.
My eyes averted to the dance floor and I couldn't help but admire the couples. They all looked so in love with their eyes fixed on their partners as they slowly danced to the music.
A smile formed on my lips.
Just then, I felt a pair of eyes on me out of my peripheral vision and turned to my right.
My breath got caught in my throat when my eyes locked with a pair of blue ones.
He started walking in my direction in all his glory with the immaculate black tuxedo accentuating his muscular form. His posture was lean as I found my breath hitch when he stopped an inch away from me.
The mask was concealing his expression and I couldn't quite fathom what he was thinking.
His eyes raked across my body while I shifted uncomfortably and realized that I was doing the same thing to him a moment ago.
The events of past day came back to me and I remembered how moody he had been when I was just being nice to him.
A frown took over my lips. "You didn't have to do this."
He blinked for a moment like I had snapped him out of something and then he seemed bewildered. "What?"
"We didn't have to attend the party," I motioned my finger around the room and realization seemed to dawn on him as his mouth opened slightly like he wanted to say something, revealing his perfectly aligned white teeth.
"About yesterday..." He started.
I waited for him to speak further but he just stayed quiet as he seemed to be forming words in his mind.
"Scarlet," He sighed and a shiver ran down my spine with the way he said it.
"Yeah?" I licked my lips but remembered that I had lipstick on and cursed myself.
He opened his mouth to say something but shut it. Why is it so difficult for him to apologize?
When he didn't speak anything, I took in a deep breath and nodded. "I'll see you around."
I turned away from him, not really knowing where I would go since I did not know anyone around here, but his hand grabbed my wrist.
His warm grip caused butterflies to explode in the pit of my stomach but I quickly composed myself and turned around, ready to snap at him but he did something unexpected--
He lifted my hand up to his lips.
I stopped breathing, thinking that he was about to kiss it but he brought it infront of his face and just looked at it.
I followed his gaze in confusion and found the red mark from yesterday still slightly visible if looked closely.
"Does it still hurt?" He asked.
I bit my lip as I found his eyes lingering across my wrist with an unexpected emotion--guilt?
I shook my head. "No, I'm fine."
He lifted his gaze up and a frown took over his handsome face but he nodded and released his grip.
I was bothered by the loss of contact but I quickly brought my hand to my side and looked down at the floor.
Hmm. Nice flooring.
"Scarlet?"
"Hm?"
"Look at me."
I looked up at him. "What?"
"I know I was a jerk to you yesterday," He started and my jaw dropped. Did he just admit his mistake?
"And I know it was wrong to....you know," He shrugged. "Control you, as you put it," He rolled his eyes while I narrowed mine for a moment.
"But can you not see it? You always end up doing something stupid out of impulse."
I raised a brow at him.
"That's right. See for yourself. I don't mean to point this out right now but-" He paused and took a step in my direction so my body was in contact with his torso and his breath was fanning my cheek.
"Your dress is damn distracting," He whispered in a husky voice.
My heart skipped a beat and my eyes grew wide as I looked up into his eyes, which were holding an intensity that made me weak in the knees.
My mouth went dry when his eyes fell down to my lips and I parted them slightly.
"W-what?" I stuttered.
His blue orbs flashed with anger as he lifted them to meet my gaze.
"All the fucking horny dogs in this hall had their eyes on you the moment you stepped in through those double doors," He gritted his teeth.
A tingle ran down my spine at his words and before I could stop them, the words slipped out of my mouth.
"What about you?"
He seemed to be captured in a daze for a moment before he blinked away and the corners of his lips tugged up into a smirk. "Wouldn't you like to know, Mrs. Sinclair?"
Chills ran down my spine when he called me that. Am I always going to react this way?
I crossed my arms over my chest and pressed my lips into a thin line. "Enlighten me, Mr. Sinclair."
I immediately regretted my words as his eyes darkened and turned to that of a predator as he reached for me--
"Mr. Sinclair," We both turned to the source of voice.
A few men were walking up in our direction. They weren't wearing their masks and I recognized them from the meeting.
Uh! Perfect timing, amigos.
Rolling my eyes, I stepped a little away from Alec hoping they hadn't recognized me yet so I wouldn't have to indulge myself in their cheerful business conversation.
Thankfully, they hadn't seen me yet and I took the opportunity to slip into the crowd.
I felt like a complete idiot for stepping into the dance area all alone when everyone around me was having such a good time with their partners.
I was about to go back to the tables when someone called me.
"Mrs. Sinclair?"
I turned around, expecting to find someone familiar but stared at the unfamiliar blond guy in confusion.
"Yes?"
His lips broke into a smile which caused his emerald green eyes to shine in the dark. He didn't look too old. He could be in his mid or late twenties but it was difficult to judge with the mask hiding most of his features. "I'm Walter Reed, a client of Mr. Sinclair."
He held his hand for a handshake and I shook it with a smile. "A pleasure to meet you, Mr. Reed."
"Likewise, Mrs. Sinclair."
The song changed and I opened my mouth to excuse myself but he held his hand up.
"Would you care for a dance?" His eyes twinkled in the dark and I frowned at him for a moment but not wanting to seem rude, I put my hand in his.
There was something! Something about him that was so familiar!
Maybe I knew him from somewhere or he probably looked like someone.
His eyes seemed so familiar.
"Um Mr. Reed-"
"Please call me Walter," He spoke in a soft yet deep voice as we started swaying with the music.
"Oh-okay. Anyway, I just wanted to ask if we have met before."
"I believe we haven't. Only, I saw you in the newspaper when the news of you and Mr. Sinclair broke out."
"Oh."
He gently lifted my hand over my head and gave me a spin. "Why? Do I seem familiar, Mrs. Sinclair?"
"Please call me Scarlet," It was only fair since he had told me to use his first name.
"And yes. You do seem a bit familiar," I spoke.
His lips pulled up into a smile.
"But then, I meet a lot of people and I might be mistaking you for someone else," I shrugged.
"Ofcourse," He chuckled.
We grew silent once again and continued dancing to the music, while I was eagerly waiting for the song to end.
His eyes were boring into mine and I couldn't help but be even more sure that I had seen him before.
His pointed nose and other features were just so damn familiar!
"Are you liking Barbados?" He asked.
"Yes. It's a lovely place," I smiled. "Do you live here?"
"No. I'm here for business."
"Okay. I assume you're involved with Alec and Mr. Robert's company."
"There are more companies on this project but yes, those two are leading it."
I nodded.
The song was slowly coming to an end and I sighed in relief.
"So? How are your vacations?" He asked.
I resisted the urge to roll my eyes and offered him a forced smile with a lie. "Really good."
He chuckled. "He's boring the crap out of you, isn't he?"
I was left speechless for a moment. "Excuse me?"
"I apologize for my language but I just assumed that," He spoke and added after a while with a chuckle. "Typical Alec."
I frowned at his words.
Typical Alec?
Does that mean he knows Alec personally?
How is that possible?
Alec said he had no one.
Well, thinking of it, it's not really possible for someone to have absolutely no one. He has got to have friends!
But he said clearly that he had no friends either.
Why wouldn't he tell me?
But why would he? My conscience spoke, sending a pang of pain to my chest.
Right, why would he? I'm nothing to him.
"Are you okay?" His voice snapped me out of my thoughts.
I took in a deep breath and nodded. "Ofcourse."
Debating in my head if I should ask him about Alec or not, I did not see any harm in it. He's been asking me stuff too.
Could Walter be a friend of Alec?
"How long have you known Alec?" He suddenly asked me. Shouldn't I be the one asking him that?
"Months," I said.
He nodded and before he could ask me another question, I beat him to it.
"And you?"
He seemed to be thinking for a while before blurting out.
"Years."
My eyes grew wide for a moment. Years!?
I cleared my throat before speaking. "Then you must know him really well."
He nodded with a smile.
"You must be friends," I spoke discreetly.
"No," He watched me carefully with a glint in his eyes, almost like he was gauging my reaction.
"We're brothers."
Hey guys!
I know it was short but this one was kinda a filler chapter!
But I still hope you enjoyed it! ❤