With trembling fingers, I opened big, brown wood doors stepping inside of my dad office. His secretary said he's at the meeting and I could wait at his office which I was glad about. I don't think I can face my dad for another hour after what happened in the elevator.
Maverick.
My person bodyguard.
Sexy, hot, beautiful, devil with the blue eyes who sucks my soul of me just be looking. She fucking kissed me and run away. Why did she run? I really that horrible kisser... or what. Well, of course, I didn't kiss her back until last few seconds, before she gets all senses back what she's doing and ran out of the silver steel box, leaving me breathless, still pressed against the cold wall.
I can't wrap my head still, my bodyguard, the person who has to keep me safe, out of trouble kisses me senseless in the elevator just couple minutes before I have to meet my dad.
Fucking crazy, I know.
I sink deeper in the black leather sofa and let out deep breathe I don't know I was holding. With fingertips I gaze on my lips, still feeling tingles on them along with my heart beating faster than normal heartbeat should be. The skin she touched still feel hot like her hands burned that's the spot.
My whole body is still on fire.
I need a drink.
I lifted eyes, spotting whiskey bottle near where I was sitting. Smirking I walked and poured more than half of the glass and chugged everything at all. Burning liqueur hit my throat making me flinch and shudder from nasty drink. The pit in my stomach start forming and I felt like throwing up.
I shook the head, grimacing and poured another glass of whiskey. I don't if I get drunk in my dad's office, but alcohol seems like the only potion of forgetting Maverick lips. Taking another large gulp I grimace I hate this shit, why dad always drink just this? Putting the empty glass on the table I felt shot of wave travel straight in my head.
I'm lightweight.
Sucking breathes I slowly walk toward the chair in front of my dad huge desk, trying hard not to trip over my own feet. Two full glasses of whiskey in five minutes and here I'm more than tipsy. I can guarantee in another five minutes my head would start hurting and I drunk more than I intended.
Who cares, anyway?
Your dad?!
Oh, shit, I have to meet my dad.
Well, he has to meet his slightly drunk daughter who tries to erase her mind of the kiss from her bodyguard who he hires thinking she would perfect for her. I scrunch nose when I noticed a picture on my dad desk.
I never saw this picture here.
Stumbling a little I reached for it and gasp escaped my mouth as my eyes fell on the woman standing with love in her eyes probably gazing at the person who took a picture. Her green, light eyes catching sunlight in them had so much love, her long light brown hair was wild as the wind blows them everywhere. She looks familiar.
I can't put a finger where I saw this woman.
Something inside of me says I know here better than I think.
Like she's close to me.
She didn't look old, maybe my dad age or maybe younger by couple years and this photo look like it was taken not a long time before.
"Oh, you're already here," the deep voice said making me look at my dad standing between doors looking with sky blue eyes at me. His hair neatly brushed like every single time, his expensive black suit was perfect as ever.
His eyes color reminded me of Maverick. A human being who just kissed me, leaving me confused and lost. My heart made a flip as I felt ghosted taste of a coffee in my lips... the flavor Maverick tasted. I shook head. I can't think of her right now... I need to erase the kiss from my mind somehow. It shouldn't have happened and never would again.
I didn't break gaze from my dad as his intense look made shrink deeper in the chair. Is it strange to fear your own father? I know, he wouldn't lay his finger on me, he's not that cruel, but his gaze holds so much hatred making me tremble in fear.
I blinked when I thought I saw fear appear in his eyes as he notices me holding the picture, but soon his face hardened leaving all emotions he has outside and stricken toward me to take a picture, but I was faster I hide pictures behind my back. I think alcohol is taking a toll on me already because of my need for answers.
Who is this woman?
"Andrea, give the picture back to me." He said slowly, with every word his tone gone deeper making me crumble in fear, but the power of the curiosity won as I shook the head, showing at the picture.
"Who is she?"
My voice was calm, collected. But inside I wasn't calm, I was burning of desire to know why he has unknown woman picture in his desk and so desperately trying to take it from me. My heart was beating faster with each passing second as I notice my dad hard, almost furious face, but his eyes holding fear in them.
"I don't know her, she just a random woman. Now give me back." He tried to reach for a photo but I jump from the seat walking to the other side of his spacious office.
"You have a random picture of a girl on your desk?" I laughed sarcastically throwing a look at my dad side who looked pissed, but at the same time lost. "Please, dad... I'm your daughter, I can tell when you lie."
"Drop it, or,-"
"Or what? Or what dad? I'm so sick of how you're treating me... like I'm not even your daughter" I whispered trying not to show shakiness in my voice.
I don't know what happens to me. It is alcohol affecting me or something else, but I don't want to let my dad walk all over me. It's a time for me own it and prove myself I can stand for myself... I need to continue my promised about standing for myself.
My dad let out long, deep breath sinking in the sofa who was near him, lowering his head he runs roughly through his blond hair. He didn't look like my father who just stood tall and proud, with a confident smile on his face... he looked small. I never saw him like this, not even once.
"You can have it then, I don't care." He muttered after a couple of seconds of tense silence. His tall posture rose up from the seat as his blue, angered eyes looked toward me. "I asked you to come because I have a proposition for you." He furrowed eyebrows slightly at the word proposition.
Here the father I know.
I tilted head. Right, straight to the business. Putting the picture inside of my blue skinny jeans pocket with a mind to ask Martha if she knows something... she should, she knows my dad better than he knows himself.
"What proposition?" I asked slowly, already not liking the idea of this meeting.
"Remember when you asked for an apartment near campus?" He asked walking toward his whiskey bottle and poured two glasses of it.
I hummed in response. A year ago asked for an apartment near campus because the house I call home right now is far away from it and I want to get as far as possible from my dad. Of course, he didn't agree. It's not safe, you wouldn't have the security you have in this enormous house, plus you'll be near twins.
"I got a penthouse style apartment in the city." My dad said throwing keys on the table.
"What's the catch?" I asked instantly. Knowing my dad, I already know he never does anything without something in his mind.
Large smile form in his face throwing me into confusion again. He's smiling for the second time in five days. What the fuck? It really weird when he does that. The smile on his face looks creepy and gives me bad kind of chills. I don't like it already.
"You know me so well." He laughed dryly before putting the second glass of the whiskey on the table and pointed at the chair for me to sit. I slowly walk toward the chair, looking intently at my dad who was doing the same to me. "I want you to be a date at the gala of one of the client child."
Oh... how right I was.
A date.
What I should expect from my dad who thinks about himself and his business.
I gritted teeth before downing another glass of the dark liquor. wincing at the burning feeling I start shaking head in disagreement. I can't stand going on the date with some rich, spoiled child who thinks only about his parent's money. They don't understand what means no, thinking they could do whatever they want because their parents are rich.
"No." I disagree verbally.
"If you want an apartment, you're going." He leans forward into the desk. His brown lifted slightly, in a threatening manner.
"Then I don't want an apartment." I shrugged standing up. I don't see the point to stay any longer in this office who gives me nightmares. "You can sell it or do whatever you want I don't care, I'm not going to the gala with some rich guy who can't keep his hands for himself."
"It's not a guy... It's a girl." He corrected me.
"That's new," I lifted eyebrows licking dry lips with a tip of the tongue. "But still no." I shook head. I don't care if it's a girl or a boy, I still not going on the date my dad set up me. I have made up my mind go with Sophie and there's no way in hell I'm going on the date with someone my dad works child.
"I would tell who's that girl in the picture, just if you take the apartment and go on the date."
I stop dead in the track. I should have expected that I should have expected this from my dad, he always had plan B for everything, if needed he has and C, D... and a lot more, I jealous of that, he always knew how to think ahead of him. Right now he suggests to clear my curiosity, the one thing I could never go against for.
No, Andrea, don't do that. You have to keep your own word by not letting your father play with you. Yes, his suggestion is tempting, but you can't accept this. Don't let him push you around to please his business partners.
But.
But... those green eyes filled with love popped in front of my eyes, making my curiosity grew even bigger, I shouldn't... I really Shouldn't. But since when did I start listening to my mind when my heart speaks louder?
"Who is she?" I asked not wasting another second.
A proud smile crossed my dad's face as he walked and put keys inside of my palm, squeezing with the large hand of it tightly. "I'll tell you when you do your part of work... and no, I'm not telling you right now." He said let go of my hand and before I could protest he squeezed my shoulder. "Be patience."