Chapter 23: Betrayal and Pain.

GIOVANNI.

I chuckled at her widened and flared expression. Now that she's quiet, I wonder why I said that. But her lips.

Her lips, those luscious full lips were calling me and making every air on my body stand. They were very pink. Not just pink but tempting. I moistened my mouth with my tongue, looking away from her lest I grab her and do what I've been wanting to do.

I took my hands off the wall, where they were pinning and caging her down, preventing her from moving. I took a step back, my eyes flying to her chest. I hadn't noticed the nightdress when I walked in. All I had seen was a beautiful woman who had just woken up with hair all over her face.

But now, what I was seeing with that black nightdress clad on was a very sexy woman with an alluring body. The type of a temptress. The nightdress had a sweetheart neckline, leaving some of her cleavages exposed for sightseeing. The nightwear also clung to her body defining her shape, the tempting shape behind the cloth.

She met my eyes, took a step forward, and smirked right in my face letting me know she caught me.

“Well, I turn heads with all my clothes on, now imagine that." She said. I chuckled and backed away while she sidestepped me and went for the bed.

“You know, I still don't understand,” She started, casually leaning down on one of the pillows and crossing one leg over another. “How did you get into my business? I don't remember putting an advert for one?" She muttered leaving me to shake my head in laughter.

Here I thought she would be grateful.

“No, you didn't. But when I hear a lady screaming for help, I'm always ready to help out.” I deadpanned letting her know how serious I am.

“I'm sorry you are offended this one time you are treated the same way you treat everyone around you.” She said, sarcasm dripping off her tone.

Her words hit me and made the walls I have around me crumble. She didn't even know me.

“Well, how did you get your nose into my business?” She asked, finally calm. I sighed, looking deep into her eyes and feeling this heavy feeling hit me hard.

“I was going home. I closed late from work and was just heading home when the car bore down. The chauffeur alighted from the car to check out what the problem was. He was doing just that when I heard you scream.” I said, my eyes trained on hers.

“Oh really?” She began again.

“That's not all. I traced the voice to this dark alley and found this lady in between two men, trapped, crying, drunk, and screaming for help. I got annoyed and rescued the lady.” I stopped talking to stare at her.

“To avoid misinterpretation of actions, I decided to bring this serene-faced lady to a hotel, have her changed by another lady, and properly put to bed. And before I left, I got addressed as a superhero.” I concluded, meeting her eye again.

She gulped, now tongue tied, and looked away from me. It felt weird seeing her this dumbfounded.

“So, that's the tale of how I rescued you, milady,” I added, bowing a little in sarcasm.

“But seriously Kiki, what in the world were you doing walking alone at that time of the night?” I demanded, my voice a bit stern now.

She met my eyes, probably taken aback by my question. Our gaze locked for a few seconds before she looked away, uncomfortable with my question.

“You know what?” I started walking towards the dressing mirror to pull the chair out. I pulled it out and sat on it facing her. “You don't have to talk about it if you don't want to.” I shrugged when I saw the hesitant look on her face.

And we sat staring at each other in utter silence. The silence was golden, how was I just realized that by looking into her face with only the sounds of our breath in the air?

“I want to." She mumbled when I concluded that she wasn't going to speak.

“H-have you ever trusted someone only for them to betray you?” She asked stuttering with a quivering voice.

“In the most horrible way possible.” She added in a very low voice that if I wasn't in the same space with her, I wouldn't hear her.

I could hear it, the pains. Her expression was a mirror of pain and hurt. It was like a knife was slashed into her heart. Since I didn't know much about her or who she moves with, my heart went out to only one person.

Her friend, Claire.

Since my words may fail me, I shook my head.

“Well, I have. Two most trusted people in my life. People I hold in high esteem betrayed me.” There was a harshness to her tone now.

“I don't know if it was me but I did nothing wrong. All I did was to love, cherish and trust them yet they could still do this to me. You know what they did?” She asked me, raising her brows to know if I was curious. Again, I shook my head.

"They cheated me. They, my boyfriend of a few years and my long-time best friend, Claire went behind my back to fuck each other. Isn't that sweet?" She snapped, her voice rising.

Stunned, I didn't say anything for a few minutes but watched her. She was hurt and it showed all over her.

“But you know what, I'm fine. They've done what they wanted and here I am. I'm okay. I didn't die. I just had a few drinks, got drunk, almost got raped, and had a superhero bring me to this hotel. Oh, and then, I found out that the superhero is my former big boss.” She took a breath. “I'm fine.”

I sighed, staring at her. The newfound aura she had embraced all of a sudden. The sudden demeanor and facade. Had she always been like that? Hiding behind the pain?

“You know, it's okay not to be fine right?” I asked her. She stopped tapping her little finger on her thighs to look at me.

“I'm fine, sir.” She rolled her eyes. I fought to keep the smile in me from surfacing.

“You know, I tried to warn you. That friend of yours is no friend.” I started.

“Tell me something I don't know." She sounded sarcastic like she didn't care but I know she did.

“That she had always been like that from time. You just failed to see it. I saw this coming even though I know little about you. I saw this coming, Kiki.” I revealed.

She stopped, now sensing that I was serious. She looked up at me with confused eyes.

”What do you mean?”