Page 21 of Forbidden Deception

He stands, and I rise as well, my iPad in hand. I make eye contact with everyone until my eyes land on Danyi, who gives me a small smile. I gasp.

I turn to tell Rafael, but he is making his way out of the room. Everyone else is still seated and waiting for him to leave. I run after him, and as soon as we are in the elevator, I turn to Rafael, a wide grin on my face.

“Danyi smiled at me.”

Rafael slides both hands in his trouser pockets and raises a brow.

“Can you believe it? That’s the first time she’d smiled—forget smiling—first time she’s even looked at me with anything near a smile.” I turn around, facing the doors, my heart feeling light.

As soon as the elevator doors open to the lobby, I exit, sliding my iPad into my bag. I glance out the windows and grimace at the downpour of rain outside. It’s going to be hell to walk in.

A sigh falls from my lips when I walk outside. I wish I brought an umbrella, but then Rafael won’t feel bad, and he will most definitely not care then. Or maybe he would just think I am an idiot for not bringing one.

Drowning in the rain it is.

Pulling my bag to my chest, I wrap my arms around it and descend the steps to the pavement. I take a couple of steps forward, rain completely soaking my clothes, making my black dress stick to me like a second skin. This dress going to need to be dried carefully due to its material. What a shame.

I lift my head to look around for Rafael’s car when a firm grip on my elbow spins me around and smashes me against a hard chest.

My wet hair slaps into my face, getting stuck to my lips and in my eyes when I try to look up at the person who has grabbed me. I brush it away from my face to find Rafael standing before me, his expensive suit getting drenched by the rain. With each breath he takes, his chest heaves against me, against my breasts, which are pressed to him. Heat suffuses my cheeks, and his dark eyes narrow.

Did I just get what I wanted?

Rafael is standing under the rain with me while his driver holds an umbrella farther down the road with his car door open.

Here he is, looking down at me like it’s my fault it’s raining, and yet, his expression of annoyance doesn’t bother me at all. In fact, it makes me feel triumphant. I won.

“Do you have any brain cells in there?”

I gasp.

His hold tightens, pulling me impossibly closer, stealing my breath away. “Do you think it’s a good idea to walk in rain like this?” he snaps. His eyes flick all over my face. “And this hair…” He lifts his other hand and carefully removes each lock of the hair stuck to my face, tucking it behind my ear.

Then he’s pulling me towards his car.

And I can’t help my tiny smile and the skip in my heart.

What a stubborn man. Took him long enough.

Shaking my head, I jog to keep up with him. I shoot a covert glance at him, then smother a giggle. His eyebrows are pinched, his jaw is tight, and his lips are pressed in a firm line.

“Are you worried about me?” I tease, then shut up when his sharp eyes snap to me.

I quietly climb into his car and watch him take out his phone, acting like he didn’t just drag me into his car to save me from the rain.

He doesn’t know I have a car waiting for me, or that I don’t mind getting wet in the rain. I will be gone before he realises it has all been a ploy. His handsome face won’t save him from the menace he has become to society with how many careers he has ruined.

But, the small towel he throws on my lap doesn’t let me hate him as much. I shake that thought away.

“Thank you.” I add a sniffle for dramatic effect while wiping my face lightly so I won’t rub my makeup off.

I am about to open my mouth when my thoughts come to a sudden stop.

“I live on 23 Billsly Lane,” I blurt before I fuck this up. It’s the apartment on my CV and all my documents, the one Remo purchased for the sole purpose of this mission.

“I know,” Rafael mutters.

Finally, the car slows down near the fifteen-storey apartment building, and I notice a familiar car and perk up. Leo is sitting in the car parked across the road, waiting for me already. How he reached here before we did, I have no idea. Maybe he knows some kind of shortcut but I am so thankful I could hug him this second.

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