Should he have stopped her? Did I have the right to care? I hated how I constantly thought about these questions and hated the fact even more that I didn't know the answers to them.
Allan, a guy from Production, actually wolf-whistled when I walked past him. "Looking good, Yanna," he said, leering.
I stuck out my tongue, wishing I hadn't been reared in a conservative ladies' academy so I could flash him the finger – especially when his exceptionally loud voice had everyone turning toward me.
Drake was there, too, and I slowed down when he turned to me with a smile. "You look beautiful, Yanna." Again, his eyes made no secret of his admiration.
Again, it had me blushing. "Umm, thanks."
"Hot date tonight?"
I quickly shook my head. "Oh, no. Just a night out with friends." I tried to think of something else to say but the way Drake kept staring made me want to hide under a rock. "Umm, I have to go."
Eyes twinkling as if he knew – and enjoyed seeing – how uneasy I felt, Drake stepped aside with a polite smile. "Have fun later."
"Uhh, yes, thanks." God, I was so socially awkward. I wish I could think of something wittier – nicer – to say to Drake.
Head down, still mulling over my social ineptitude, a pair of expensive handmade men's shoes suddenly blocked my path. My heart galloped, my nerves prickling in awareness because I knew who it was even before I lifted my gaze and met Constantijin's blazing golden eyes.
He was furious – and jealous.
My heart sang, but I quickly nipped that in the bud, telling myself it didn't mean anything. "Good morning, sir."
"Do you have a date tonight?"
This time, I totally lied. "Yes."
Before he could answer, I walked past him, heart beating even faster. When I got to my office, George took one look at my outfit and grinned. "Va-va-voom, baby!"
Arian just stuck up her nose.
Yeah, well, what-e-ver.
I grinned back at George as I went to my cubicle. "Alyx and I have a bridal shower to attend tonight." Then I giggled. "Or bachelorette party rather. Since I have a feeling it's not going to be a wholesome affair."
"Ooooh. You'll have strippers?"
"Yeah, probably."
Voice lowering, George whispered, "Won't Mr. Kastein have something to say about that?"
I slowly shook my head. "It's not his business."
Lunch time, I actually managed to remember to leave at exactly noon. George and I walked inside the cafeteria arm in arm, which was a good thing since I almost lost my balance when I saw Constantijin with Arian – again. My chest squeezed painfully when she actually took the seat next to him.
WTF?
"Gold-digger," George muttered.
"No." I had to say it. Even if I believed the same. I just had to say no. I had never liked talking about other people behind their backs. "She's just - I guess - she just likes him a lot."
George rolled his eyes. "I hope he's not stupid enough to fall for her."
I shook my head. Even I didn't think that. But still – what if he had sex with her? Would I be able to bear that?
An urge to cry hit me unexpectedly, and I had to look down, blinking rapidly to keep the tears from falling. It seemed so incredibly long ago since the last time I was in Constantijin's arms. Did he not like me anymore? I had heard about men blowing hot and cold. I understood it in theory, but the reality was so much harder than I expected.
"I'll bet you a hundred dollars he's into you, though."
I smiled humorlessly at George's attempt to comfort me. "You're on."
George's phone suddenly rang and he excused himself, leaving me all alone in my booth. I felt like a loser with a capital L and wondered if Arian and Constantijin were glancing my way. What if they were laughing at me?
The thought hurt, but I was the type to confront my fears head on so I forced myself to look up.
Constantijin was staring at me.
He shouldn't have been – not with Arian talking so animatedly next to him – but he was, and I couldn't understand the dark emotions in his eyes. His lips were compressed in a tight line, as if he was holding his anger in check. Was he actually mad at me?
Arian abruptly stopped speaking as her eyes bore through mine. I forced myself to look away. I felt the burning sensation of being glared at from my right, where Arian and Constantijin were.
I gulped. Oh, man! Arian as a frenemy was bad enough, but as an all out enemy? That was going to be hell.
"Thank God you're back," I exclaimed when George returned to our table. I stood up and dragged him with me before he could take a seat. "We have to go, it's an emergency."
"But I didn't finish my lunch yet---" he protested.
"Emergency," I gritted out.
With a sigh, he let me drag him out of the cafeteria. We passed by Arian's table as we did, and she was all alone, Constantijin nowhere to be found.
She smiled. It was a scary sight, and I had to force myself not to run from it. "Hurry," I hissed at George. Honestly, I felt like that black-haired ghost from Ringu was after me.
But just like that ghost, Arian was impossible to escape.
When we got to our office, Arian was at our heels. I jumped at the sound of the door slamming shut, feeling like I was suddenly trapped in a cage with a killer shark named Arian.
"Hi Yanna, George," Arian cooed with another smile.
I smiled weakly. George didn't. He was the blunt but polite type and had never bothered to pretend interest in befriending Arian.
"Could I talk to Arian privately?" she asked George sweetly.
George didn't even hesitate. "No."
Arian was obviously taken back but she rebounded quickly with a sharp retort. "You're not her keeper, you know?"
"Actually, I consider myself that," George returned coolly.
I was looking at them back and forth. Was I about to have a bitch fight in my hands? Clearing my throat, I said, "Arian, really, there's no need for secrets. Whatever it is you want to say---"
"Fine," she said cuttingly. "Let's not beat around the bush then. I know you've got the hots for Constantijin."
"No!" George and I immediately rejected.
"Stop lying, Yanna."
Oh. So she was talking to me. Drat.
Her eyes hardened. "I want to let you know that I only applied to this company because I wanted to be close to him. I've got first dibs on Constantijin and I don't like it if someone else has an eye on my man."
"Beg to differ," George interrupted, "but he's not your man yet."
"He will be." Arian smiled at me again.
I did my best not to shiver. It was a really scary sight, like a shark in Prada getting ready to make a meal out of me.
"You and I won't have any trouble as long as you don't mess with my plans." She looked at me, clearly waiting for an answer.
I knew I should have said ;no' because George was right. Whatever she felt about the situation, Constantijin wasn't hers yet. But see, I also had this weird conscience – one that never let me lie outright. Right now, I couldn't make myself say yes or no to Arian so when I answered, all I could say was, "I'll try my best."
George and I gazed at Arian as she sashayed back to her cubicle, hips swaying as if there were still men for her to dazzle.
George turned to me with a frown, asking, "Why did you give in?"
I shrugged.
"You should have fought for him," he grumbled.
I didn't answer, mostly because I couldn't bear admitting to him I didn't have a right to fight for Constantijin.
Constantijin didn't try to call or waylay me during or after work, which I told myself was a good thing. The bridal shower was fun and debauched – exactly as I had expected. When the strippers actually started, well, stripping, I knew I had to excuse myself. If I had to see a naked cock for the first time, I'd rather it be Constantijin's.
This was the uppermost thought in my mind when I left the hotel suite, so imagine my surprise when I came out and saw Constantijin across the hall, walking towards my way with a thunderous scowl on his gorgeous face.
He was mad as hell.
He was hot as hell, too.
"Who the fuck are you with in that room?" he snarled, his long-legged strides eating the distance between us in his seconds, his fingers wrapping around my left wrist in a punishing grip.
"Wh-how-I … " I looked at him in consternation.
"Answer me," he roared at the same time one of the strippers inside yelled, "I'm getting naked, baby!"
Okay, that sounded very bad.
Constantijin paled.
I was white-faced, too. All half-baked thoughts of making him jealous, of getting even with him for letting Arian flirt with him – all of those left me at the look of betrayal on Constantijin's face.
"I lied. I don't have a date. I'm attending a bridal shower," I confessed shakily, saying the words in a rush because I had a feeling if I didn't get them out in time he would leave me forever.