Page 121 of Dex

“I just wanted to be around in case you needed anything.Like, for me to heat you your lunch, or get you a coffee.”

“I appreciate that.You really are a sweet and thoughtful man, even though you try to show the world that you’re a heartless beast, but I don’t need to be fussed over.”

“Fine.Have it your way.”

He backs away from the door, and I finally get an inkling of the thickness of his steel walls, the ones that guard his heart and emotions.He thinks I’m going to start talking about his past, somehow weave it into our conversation if he stays here.

He’s like a changed man.Soft and caring, and he wants so much to be here for me.To take care of me.Snippets from our earlier conversations keep coming back.I like him being like this.He’s got a good heart.But he’s also the man who doesn’t commit.Who likes sex.Who has hookups instead of relationships.

What if he’s so caring and devoted to me, because his last girlfriend is out of the country?What if he has an eye to getting back with her once our year is up?

Forget what if.He probably will.And where will that leave me?

This man has many dimensions, many faces.The last thing I want is to get used to the good Dexter.

Thankfully, he goes to work the next day.

I haven’t told my parents about what happened.Luckily, the news hasn’t broken in the press over there.

But here?It’s a different story.

Photos were taken at the scene.People recorded the assault on their phones, then leaked them to the press..Someone snapped a shot of me mid-kick, taking down the guy and from that they were able to get the guy and arrest him.

***

Before we know it, the day of the charity gala sneaks up on us.

“We don’t have to go,” Dexter says.“If you’re not up for it.”He’s standing in the doorway, watching me hanging up the dress I plan to wear tonight.

“Your father expects us to.”

“Daniela, you got into a fight with a guy—”

“That was a week ago, and I took care of it!I hope you’re not planning on doing anything stupid now that they’ve found him.”

He exhales sharply.“The old man told me to stay away.He said it’d be bad for our reputation if I kicked the shit out of him.”

“He talks sense.”

“Sometimes.We don’t have to go to this,” he says again.

I trace a finger over my lip.The cut has scabbed over, and with enough concealer, I can attempt to cover it a little.“I can go.”

“Fine.We should get dressed.”It sounds to me like he doesn’t want to go.“That’s a nice dress.”He eyes my outfit that I’ve laid out on the bed for longer than seems normal.“Huge slit on the side.”

“You disapprove?”

“No.No, you wear what you want.I just meant that you’ll look gorgeous, and sexy.”

My chest flutters.I shouldn’t let it mean anything.We’re not supposed to flirt or say anything that might hint at how we really feel, not after everything that’s happened, but the way he says it, like the words escaped his pride to reach me, makes it impossible not to smile.I file his compliment away in a quiet corner of my mind to dissect and replay later, when I lie in bed wishing things were different.

He’s become possessive since this incident happened, but looking at him, I think I detect a hint of jealousy.I don’t understand it.He’s got no one to be jealous of.

“I thought this slit might distract from my war wound.”

He grins, his gaze so soft, reminding me how much I love basking in his full attention.“You wear that dress, sweetheart.The old man said we needed to make a splash.You in that … you’re making a splash.”

“Okay.”I try not to look as despondent as I suddenly feel.His ‘sweetheart’ takes away from his compliment and reminds me that this is just an act.Instead, I smooth my hand over my deep emerald-green color, cut from slinky silk which clings to my body.It has a plunging neckline which hints more than it reveals, and I especially like the spaghetti straps that cross over my back.It’s revealing in a way that the black sequined dress I wore that first night wasn’t.The night Paul Knight summoned me to a soiree at his penthouse.The night I met the Knight family.The night my fate with Dexter was sealed.

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