Chapter-11

Layla Alberto's POV

"Would you please watch the movie now?" I ask popping popcorn into my mouth. My eyes are stuck to the screen. He is staring at me intently. We are the only ones in the theater. He bought the whole show.

"I want to watch you." He replies. I sigh and continue watching. This doesn't feel like friends.

"How does it look?" I ask as I pull the curtain aside and pose in front of him.

"What the fuck?! Where's the rest of it?!" He gets up from the chair. We are the only ones in the private room. The saleswoman is supposed to be here, I don't know where she went.

"Oh! Please! If you want to buy me something, buy this! I want this!" I turn around and go in smiling. The peach dress stops right below my butt and is hugging me perfectly. The neck is a bit too deep and I love it. I love it because it is the perfect dress to piss him off.

"Urgh!" He grunts. "You are seriously going to kill me." I hear him say and can't help the grin.

"Oh... My... God! St-Stop it! I ca... I can't!" I wipe the tears from the edge of my eyes. I can't stop laughing. Ben is telling me the story of the time I accidentally pushed him in the pool when he was fourteen.

"You remember that?" He asks and I nod my head. Our food arrives and we start eating.

"Mmmm! This tastes so good!" I moan at the taste of the pasta. "Your hotel is going to be a hit!" I put another forkful of pasta in my mouth. We are at his hotel again that is set to open in two weeks. We were here just yesterday. I look at Ben and he lifts his hand in a way of dismissing the staff. We are the only ones in the dining room now. It is a private chamber. He told me this is his chamber.

"I missed you." He speaks like he is scared of saying out loud. I freeze. My eyes meet his. The deep longing is completely on display. I feel like someone is breaking the ice around my heart. I feel like he is breaking the wall that I built around my heart so that he cannot crack it again. How is it so easy for him to intrude my heart?

"Ben!" I whisper. I am sitting right beside him. He lifts his hand and pushes the hair out of my face and tucks it behind my ear. He is looking at me with such... love. Hold yourself, Layla! I remind myself. He takes my hand and kisses it.

"Eat." He whispers as he brings the fork to my mouth.

"Thank you for the wonderful time." I look at him. He is staring at my chest. I frown and look down. Then it clicks. The scarf! I have been wearing it to give it to him as promised if she helped the little girl. But everything was a fraud. I take off the scarf and give it to him. He looks at me in surprise. "Take your scarf." What the fuck am I sputtering?! Get yourself under control, Layla! He takes it.

"I will give you everything you want, my Little Star." He leans down and puts his forehead on mine. I want t hug him. I don't say it out loud, but he takes me in his arms. I feel such warmth. His arms got so big that the last time I remember. He got so... big. His muscles... His abs... Stop! Stop! Stop, Layla! I breathe in his cologne and immediately pull away.

"See you tomorrow." I mumble.

"You can keep my tie if you want." He says and I frown. He is smiling cheekily before looking down. My gaze follows his and I see that I am holding his tie. What?! I let it go as if it has burned me. He lets out a chuckle and I blush. My eyes fall on his lips. Suddenly the memories of our secret kisses from ten years ago flash in my head. He used to give me kisses when no one was looking.

"What do you want from me, Ben?" I can't play his game. This is too much. All the memories are rushing in. The feeling of Ben... Just him and how much I loved him... Still love him... It's all there! But I can't forget how much it hurt when he left me. It still hurts to this day. Right here! In my Heart! With you standing here, it still pinches my heart painfully, Ben! Don't do this to me! "Am I part of some game?"

"What?" He looks at me surprised. Pain shoots through his eyes. "No! If ever I play a game, it would only be to get closer to you." His hand glides through my head, pampering me like I am the most precious thing in the world to him. He used to look at me like that. That look haunts me to this day. Oh, how I missed the way he is looking at me right now?! "I will never hurt you." The conviction in his voice...

He takes my hand that's holding his tie and brings it to his lips before placing a lingering kiss on it. My heart is jumping with happiness. His moves so close to me that his lips are inches away from mine. His forehead is gently resting against mine and take in a deep breath closing for eyes for a brief minute, feeling him close. My hand is still holding his tie.

"I will make sure you win that case! I will have those responsible get punished!" His face is serious. But I see something else. It was there for a minute second. Guilt?

"But Papa already has someone else fighting the case. We have other lawyers assigned-"

"I don't care. I am the best lawyer in the city. You know that!" He speaks with such conviction. I nod my head. He is! "My only mission in life is to protect you, My Little Star. Nothing can stop me from that." I open my eyes at his words and meet his.

"Me joining as an intern at your company is your plan right? I know it's not a coincidence." I had my suspicions. There is no point playing behind the curtains now. He moves away, just a bit away. He has a guilty grin on his face. I knew it!

"Yes." He agrees and I shake my head. I should have known! "I couldn't stay away from you any longer." He murmurs. "It was time."

"So you get to decide when to be closer to me and when to keep me away?" I let go of his tie and fold my hands near my chest. It was cute and all, but now I am pissed.

"You are a Princess, Lyls. A literal and actual princess to your father and the country." I frown at his words. I know where he is going with this. "I was a nobody-"

"You are not a nobody and I never treated you less."

"You did'nt-" I cut him off again.

"If you had these thoughts then why did you make me fall for you when you are feeling insecure?" He just stares at me. "Then you just leave me? How is that fair?"

"It's not." His eyes speak how sorry he is. "I was a fool."

"You are!"

"An asshole."

"You are!" I hit his chest. But he is so buff it doesn't even hurt him. He just stares at me. "You got so fat!" I know it's muscle, but I am just being petty. He chuckles. He bends down and kisses my forehead.

"Come to my penthouse tomorrow by 8:00 AM. I have some paper work I want your help with." He commands.

"Are you commanding me?" I fold my hands near my chest as I rise my eyes brow. He shakes his head with that damn charming smile adoring his tempting lips.

"I wish I could, My Little Star. I wish I could." He murmurs the last part as his thumb grazes my lower lip. I feel my body moving closer to his. Stop! Stop! STOP, LAYLA!

"Thank you for the day. Bye!" I push him off and close the door on his face all in less than a few seconds. I press my back against the door. He must be in shock.

"Seriously?" I can hear the humor in his voice.

"I will be there by 8." I say and turn to the door that's still closed. My hand presses against the wood. I want to touch his chest and lay my head on it. Instead I lean against the door. My heart keeps melting when he is near me. It's like it has a mind of it's own. My body doesn't listen to me and is always waiting for his command.

"I will be waiting." He says so low that I almost don't hear him and hear his footsteps as he leaves.

I sigh and slump down. I pull my knees to my chest as I lay my head on them.

What am I doing?!

"I told you he is a fraud! But do you ever listen?!" Jenna yells and I sigh. "Wanna go smash his car windows tomorrow?" She asks like she just asked me to go eat ice cream. I am sure she is already checking which baseball bat to use. The offer sounds tempting.

"No. As much as I want to." I hear her sigh now.

"Okay. Let's talk about something else. Did you buy a dress for the hotel opening you are going with Ben?" I bite my lip.

"Yes. Ben bought me one today." I confess. I didn't show him what I bought, but he paid for it.

"Excuse me?!" I smile at her response.

"What? We are just friends! He took me out to cheer me up and bought some clothes." I shrug. I am not fooling myself and certainly not her.

"I wish I had such friends that bought me stuff whenever I am sad." I giggle. "Also friends?! Who the fuck are you fooling?!" I bite my lip. "He is crazy about you even after all these years. You love him and I am a fool who keeps telling you the same thing over and over and over. JUST GO KISS AND FUCK ALREADY!" I laugh.

"Jenna!"

"Like you both are virgins! You know what? I am so done with you both." She nearly yells.

"He asked me to come to his house for work tomorrow." I just want to push her.

"Yeah. Work? At his home?" Sarcasm is clear in her words. "Take some condoms with ya!" I blush.

"No! I won't be doing anything like that!"

"You won't be, but you might let him."

"Jenna! Good night!"

"Tell me what happens tomorrow-" I cut the call. She is so not done with us. I shake my head.

My mind replays all the happy images of us together. I turn around and put my head in the pillow. Blush takes over my face and I can't help the huge smile. I wiggle my legs hitting the bed like a sixteen year old. He still makes me feel that way. Suddenly my mind jumps to the memory of how he used to sneak into my room in the late night and kiss me.

Am I hoping for it to happen?!

God, no!

I mean... It wouldn't hurt, right?

Layla! Just how many times do you have to get hurt to stop this train of thought?!

I have to sleep now since I have to go to his house so early tomorrow morning. The blush still adores my face and smile too. Turning around, I look at the ceiling before closing my eyes.

PING!!

I instantly open my eyes and grab my phone that's beside my desk. It's from Ben. My teeth are digging into my lower lip from to stop myself from smiling, but clearly failing.

I can't stop thinking about you. I want you here. The message reads. Isn't it the same for me? Maybe not as much!

Good night, Mr. Henderson! I need to sleep early today. I reply back coldly. My heart is all giddy. I am about to put my phone down, when it pings again.

Ms. Alberto... It starts and I rise my eyes brow. Ms. Alberto? Ms. Alberto, can you please come here and hold me? I chuckle.

There is so much wrong with this message.

Can you...? Please...? Go there at this time? Hold him?

Your demands seem to become more irrational every day. Good night, Mr. Henderson! I will be there at 8 tomorrow morning.

Good night, My Little Star. Dream of me.

I shake my head and put the phone beside me. Ah! Ben! Stop choke holding my heart!

PING!!

I frown. Who is it now? Picking up the phone, I check who it is and it seems from an unknown number. As I open the message and read it, my heart drops.

Do you really think you know everything that happened the night you were drugged? There is more than drugs, Sweet Princess.

What?! Who is this?!

A/N:

Hey my dumplings!

Just when they think everything is falling into place! More to come and more enemies to conquer!

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