CHAPTER 3

Kapittel 3

"Who do we have here?" a velvety voice said as a large man sat on a stool beside her. She turned her head automatically to gaze at the man. Even though the neon lights weren't sufficient to illuminate the darkness of the whole counter, she knew who it was. The man's silhouette and huge frame were more than enough for her to figure out who it was.

What is he doing here? She mentally asked herself.

"Mr. de Vries..." she breathed out his name and she felt him smile as he leaned close to her, causing her breathing to become hitched when she finally had a full view of his Greek god-like face. He was wearing a white dress shirt under a black vest that was freshly spritzed with expensive cologne and was matched with black slacks. He looked neat and attractive with his clean-shaven face and pitch-black hair was combed neatly to the back, not to mention that he looked immensely hot with his relaxed sitting position with his legs in de-quatro while holding a glass of whiskey. Sexy, she thought, unconsciously while biting her lower lip.

The loud music dissolved in her ears, the painful, burning sensation in her eyes caused by the lights dispelled and the people's disgusting, sensual movements vanished in her mind when his shadow cast upon her. She suddenly got oblivious to everything that was around when she got a glimpse of his stormy grey eyes. Dawson, Rebecca, John, Johnsy, even the empty glass she was holding was completely forgotten.

Hades' smile grew wider at her expression, "We meet...again."

"Y–Yeah." Allison felt the uneasiness invade the atmosphere. She can't imagine that a man like him would be in a place like this, she thought he would be in his office, having stacks of papers tucked in folders and paperclips on his desk while he's signing proposals, making demands and urgent telephone calls. That's what business moguls like him do, right?

"What brings a pretty little lady to a chaotic place like this?" he asked, his grey eyes dropped from her adorned face down to her luscious body that was embraced by a skimpy, tight outfit. When his eyes went back at hers, she could see the raging flames burning his dilating pupils, like she's doing it wrong for wearing a very daring outfit. She unconsciously shuddered; he was looking at her like she has done the greatest sin in the world.

She cleared her throat, trying to sweep the awkwardness away. "Just chilling around, taking a little break from college and all the stress," she answered his question while trying to keep her cool, staring into his marvelous eyes. Allison's not really comfortable with men around like Hades; men who are overwhelmingly powerful, dominating, and wealthy. She did come from a wealthy family but what she wanted was just a simple life. She dreams to be a fashion designer, build her own atelier, marry Dane and have children, but that was before. With the man of her dreams now gone, her dream of living married in a comfortable house with a huge garden and front yard popped like a bubble. She suddenly became afraid of getting into relationships.

"Well, I could see that. But you look troubled, Miss Allison." Hades shifts his face and took a sip of his whiskey then turns his face back to her, "You can open up to me... if you want," he then offered with a soothing voice, like he was speaking to a child.

The ear-splitting, loud music suddenly stopped and changed into smooth, slow music. Everyone on the dance floor stopped dancing. The women wrapped their arms around their partner's nape, while the men wrapped theirs around their partner's waist. When the singer's voice in the audio infiltrated everyone's ears, they started dancing slowly, sensually but at the same time, romantically.

"I don't think I ha—" her words were cut off when she turned her head and saw a couple slow dancing. Staring into each other's eyes lovingly and lost in each other's thoughts, oblivious of the people around them that are also dancing. Like they're the only people in the world. She felt a lump in her throat as she watched them.

A tear slipped from her eye as nostalgia kicks in. That's what she and Dane used to do when they go on bar hopping. That was how they look at each other's eyes whenever their bodies touch and move.

"Are you all right, Allison?"

She heard the low, velvety voice of the man beside her. She felt like a little child that her father is forcing to give back his money but she couldn't since she already bought the money with candies that she ate along with her friends.

"Y–yeah." Allison wiped her glistening tear that cascaded down her cheek. "I'm fine," she said firmly in a thick voice. I have to be strong.

"Want to talk about it?" he asked with a friendly smile. Why do you care anyway? she wants to retort but subdued herself and expressed the irritation boiling in her gut by biting her lower lip violently. He is too nosy for a guy, she observed. But according to study, men don't usually gossip and aren't as nosy as women.

"No, I'm afraid that the wound will just get fresh when I open up," she answered him, her eyes never leaving the dancing couple looking helplessly in love. She envies them. How could the world be so unfair? Why is it that some people are meant to be happy and together while others are meant to be sad and alone?

"But at least it will somehow subside a little," the man's reply made her face him, causing her green orbs to meet his. She was captivated at the sight of those His grey eyes showed warmth, concern, and... love? Allison shook her head, thinking that her eyes must be deceiving her.

"No."

"C'mon," he insisted, taking another drink of his whiskey.

"Seriously?" she raised a brow at him.

"Please?"

"But I barely know you," Allison firmly said as she swerved her body to move the stool to face him, "How could I know that you won't gossip my matter to other people, or even to the media? I might have my name on the headlines tomorrow," she tried to excuse.

Hades winked at her knowingly, his lips curving into a charming smirk. "Oh love, I'm a man. I don't gossip. "

"Really huh? So what makes you persistent in knowing what's troubling me?" She raised a brow once again and placed her elbow on the dimly lit counter. She cannot trust his words, but studying his facial expression, he looked pretty honest.

He grinned sheepishly, his eyes sparkling in delight, "Because keeping it all inside will do nothing but only to hurt yourself more, Allison." He took a huge gulp of the final contents of his drink.

She let out a sigh from her lips in defeat, shaking her head in disbelief because of the surprising fact that she's never met a person this persistent in her whole life. She cannot believe that she will open up to a person barely knows, she's very meticulous when it comes to personal matters, but she wouldn't be if she's drunk though, she'd open up to anyone, stranger or not but she isn't right now. She never opens up to any person, whether that person is an acquaintance, a friend, or a relative, only to the people she trusts the most who are only: Brent, Rebecca, and Johnsy.

"Fine," she said and swiveled herself to face the counter once again. In deep counts, she drew another sigh and bit her lower lip. It's going to be alright, Ally, she told herself continuously, trying to prevent fear from crawling to the pit of her stomach. She was already sick of being afraid and now is the perfect time to face it. She felt a lump in her throat and she gulped before making another sigh for the nth time and telling her broken tale.

"I could remember that day well, it was autumn, a good afternoon bringing a blessing in disguise. I was at the park at that time with my dog, Jojo. There was a bystander sitting on a wooden bench alone, reading a book silently wearing an old school outfit. Jojo and I were about to cross a street when a car suddenly showed up and then hit Jojo. The bystander witnessed what happened and immediately left his things to carry Jojo and bring him to the vet. He was even the one who pressed charges at the driver of the car. I asked him how to repay him and he told me that a date would be enough... and so, the night after my dog was discharged, we had a date and we got to know each other. It wasn't hard to talk to him because he was a smart conversationalist. Whenever silence tries to intrude, he opens topics that always agitate my interest.

One date became two then became three and became countless. He took me to places that make my bones shrill; he was very fun to be with that's why I love keeping him in company. We studied in the same university so you could really tell that we have a close vicinity. Seconds, minutes, hours, days, weeks, months, and seasons passed... I realized that I fell in love with him. I kept my feelings for him for months but I ended up confessing to him. I felt embarrassed and regretful at that time but those feelings went gone when he confessed that he loves me too, we started dating after that unexpected confession. We were happy for with our relationship that was about to become a year old until..."

Allison hadn't noticed that as she tells her tale and the deeper the libretto goes, her heart was painfully torn apart, her voice was getting thick and tears were uncontrollably streaming down from her eyes. Millennia of memories were flashing back, hurting her like shards of glass, digging into the inches of her heart. She remembered their cherished memories, their laugh and smiles together, their first dance at a bar, how his soft hands make her feel whenever they entwine with hers, his sweet gestures that she could feel them that day. They were so happy back then... but then he cheated on her. He made her broken beyond repair. She wiped her tears and glanced at the man she was talking to. Her heart jumped from her chest at the sight of him.

Hades looked like he was going to kill someone, his face was dark and his eyes were burning with much hatred. She cringed on her seat, she's never felt this tension before. She looked at the glass of whiskey he was holding and noticed that his enormous hand was shaking while gripping the glass tightly that he's close to breaking it into shards as if he was putting all his anger on the fragile thing. But why would he be angry?

"M–Mr. de Vries?" she tried to grab his attention and touched his shaking hand. He looked at her with bewildered eyes, she brushed her eyes down to his throat and saw his Adam's apple go down then back up again.

"Yes?" he asked her sternly, surprising her. She jolted and looked at him back in the eyes.

"Are you all right?" she asked with full concern.

"Yeah. I am." Hades looked away. She looked down and saw that she was covering his large hand, she tried to pull her hand away but before she could do that, he wrapped his strong fingers around her small hand, caging it. She looked at him to protest but she realized that he leaning to her closely. She sat frozen on her spot, afraid of their incalculable proximity.

"Don't worry, Allison. I won't do the same thing he did to you," he stated soothingly and leaned his face closer that she could feel his breath fanning over her ear.

"Wha—" she swerved to face him—wrong move. Her eyes widened in bewilderment, realizing the distance between them was only inches away that their lips are already almost touching.

"Mist—"

"I won't do the same thing he did to you, love. I'll keep you with me, forever..." he said with conviction and he leaned closer until their lips touched.

Allison immediately acted of pulling away but Hades was quick, he wrapped his arms around her waist and began coaxing her to kiss back with his tongue. His kisses were soft and sensual that Allison cannot help but to give in and kiss him back. It felt like a dream but she hopes it wasn't, she wants it to be real. He bit her lower lip and she felt a burning sensation deep within, making her want for more. She wrapped her arms his nape and pulled him closer to deepen the kiss. She wants him, and she can't control herself!

That was all she could remember. The next morning, she woke up dazed on an enormous bed, completely naked.

Last night was the night of his life. Hades recalled what they had done that night, the night when they made love. He mused how Allison's kisses set his body on fire, her perfect body and smooth skin that he held gently, her luscious red lips that released moans that served as music to his ears, her French-tipped fingernails that dug into his skin and gave him energy as he pumped inside her. He never thought she was that tight.

He felt himself getting aroused once again, he looked down at his pajamas and noticed a large bump, representing how aroused he is. He shook his head and closed off the thought, that night was the best night. He'll take her once again once she ties the knot with him. Yeah, tie the knot, Hades thought with a leer etched on his lips. He'll do anything for that to happen.

Turning the range off and placing the cooked food on a plate, he poured milk into a glass and placed it on a breakfast tray along with the plate filled with the scrumptious breakfast. I hope she'll like it, he sighed at the thought before carrying the tray and ambled to his room where he kept his little kitten who was fast asleep.

Allison was completely perturbed as she stared the whole room with bewilderment, millions of questions swirling inside her head. Why is she here? How did she come here? Who brought her here? She stared at her conspicuously naked body, she moved a little and she yelped. It hurts between her legs; she was sore down there. She wrapped the huge white comforter around her vulnerable small body as she fumbled out of bed meticulously so she won't feel the pain get harsh. She turned around and saw her own reflection upon a full body mirror. She gasped upon seeing her very own self and realized what's new, why her legs are sore.

She's not a virgin anymore.

A tear fell from her cheek. First, Dane cheated on her. Second, she got miserable and almost lost her friends. And now, she slept with a man that she barely knew. She looked back at the bed to see proof and there was. A small amount of blood that's as small as a penny was on the white cover. It was clearly hers.

"Well done, Allison. You're a huge disappointment," she told herself in dismay with her hoarse voice as she wiped her tear-stained cheek. She can't believe that she'd come into this. Did the man she slept with even used protection? What if he didn't? What if the man has STD? What if she gets pregnant? What will happen? What will her parents say?

She bit her lower lip, she doesn't want to cry anymore. She's already sick of crying. She wasn't a cry baby when she was young but why is she crying like a 2-year-old now that she's grown up? She was a strong girl, but why does she feel so weak? How can she get through this? Only God knows.

She almost jumped in surprise when the door opened and threw up the last man she wants to see in her whole life. Hades Ezekiel Friso de Vries. He was wearing his pajama pants along with a tank top and was holding a tray of... breakfast?

"Oh, you're awake. I thought I was going to wake you up," Hades stated, placing the breakfast tray down on the bed before striding to her. She nodded at him through the mirror as she pulled the comforter closer to her naked body, his ominous presence is making her shrink in fear. He was a ferocious beast and she was a vulnerable little kitten, she'll never stand a chance against him. He wrapped his buff arms around her tiny figure and kissed her right temple, though, he stayed his smooth lips upon her fair white skin. Allison's eyes widened upon his gesture. Hades was holding her, touching her, kissing her like he owns her. Like she's his.

"M–Mr. de Vries..." Allison tried to get his attention when she felt his kisses getting lower to her cheek and to her neck. His kisses were hot and passionate that Allison never knew where it came from. From her shoulders, his hands moved down to her arms, caressing her smooth skin gently. He was touching her gently, nipping every inch of her skin passionately that he could almost bite her. Hades is kissing her like he's telling that he yearns for her. How can he do this? How can he touch and kiss her as he loves her?

Every touch and every kiss lingered. She never felt this way before, even when Dane happened in her life. The sensations were sending sparks in her skin that made her shudder and her body set on fire, making it intolerable that a moan escaped from her luscious red lips. She looked at their reflections in the mirror and she felt wet down there. There she was, standing with her messy auburn hair and her head against his chest. The comforter around her body was getting loose and was getting lower, revealing her cleavage. Hades, however, looked hot. His pitch-black hair has shown brightly, his tan skin reflected against the sun that it shined. His hands were holding her arms and face was nuzzling on her neck. They looked good together.

"Sshh... Hades..." she gulped at his response. She knew what he exactly meant. He wants her to call him by his name.

She gulped again before opening her lips. "Hades..." she never knew calling him by his first name would be so sexy. She felt him stiffen when she called his name. She felt his kisses stop as his hands stayed and stopped caressing her skin. He bobbed his head and placed his chin on her shoulder blade, he was looking at her lovingly. His grey eyes were very dreamy like he has found what he was finding for in his entire life. An immediate realization struck her mind: a vulnerable little kitten can tame a ferocious beast after all.