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Chapter 9-The Failed Scheme

Raphael Doukas' POV

I glared at the door in front of me indignantly. For the love of god, never had I been treated this way! By a female no less! I pounded on the door irritatedly. "Katerina Kolosov, if you do not open the door right now, you would pay dearly!"

All I received was silence and I narrowed my eyes at the firmly shut door before turning away to spot the younger Kolosov daughter, Charlotte looking at me in amusement from the doorway of her bedroom. "Hello Charlotte." I greeted and offered her a small smile.

She looked at me slyly with her arms crossed as she leaned against the doorframe. "So you're the one who gave her that hickey. I've been wondering about it."

If it was possible, I could feel my cheeks heating up that a fourteen year old noticed it. I didn't say a thing but forced a smile on my face. "Knew it." She snickered before turning away and walking down the hallway leaving me standing outside Katerina's door with a stunned expression on my face.

She was like a mini Katerina, just more tamed. She also had similar facial features to her but was more pale than Katerina's tanned appearance. I shook my head before growling out annoyed. "Katerina! Open the door! We are not done talking!"

Silence ensued and suddenly, loud rock music blasted in her room and I scowled. I knew she was trying to ignore me and I was really grateful that she had the decency to pass my shirt back.

Oh my lovely Katerina was going to pay tomorrow. I could feel all the possible scenarios skim through my mind when I was going to see her tomorrow at her office.

Today had been torture. My hands had itched to peel off her tight black skirt as she flaunted her legs in front of me. Not only were her legs on display, the skirt also highlighted the sweet curve of her ass.

I was a little annoyed that her beautiful curls were up in a ponytail but I got over it when that meant that it would be easier for me to leave love bites on the curve of her neck.

I had known Katerina Kolosov for almost all of my life. She was Lexi's best friend and her parents were my godparents. But I guessed something about her must have attracted me to her since I was young.

I do recall teasing her and picking on her when we were children. And Christ, she was violent. But I admired her spunk. Growing up, she became more beautiful and I noticed. God, did I notice it. But I knew nothing could happen between us.

It wasn't until that day-her sixteenth birthday party at her home that my perception of things changed. I was there to make sure that Lexi wouldn't get in too much trouble, especially when I was sure that alcohol and boys would be around my baby sister.

But deep down, I myself knew that I wasn't only there to look out for Lexi, but the birthday girl as well. Her kissing me had definitely changed things.

The feel of her pressed against me had made me feel lost and I was glad that she had pulled away. Not because I didn't want to kiss her, but because she was only sixteen and only in high school while I was nineteen years old.

But I had started to make my move when she had turned eighteen and I twenty-one. And I had to say as she grew up and matured, Katerina Kolosov had definitely become more stunning, but along with that, she was more quick witted and I admired that.

The girls who I had went out with previously were nice but they didn't have the quick wit, sharp tongue, or any form of mischief like Katerina had. And I guess I was a sucker for punishment because I liked sparring with her verbally.

To be honest, before kissing Katerina at that college party, I had wondered to myself if that kiss we shared two years ago was as good as what I had remembered or was it just a figment of my imagination.

But kissing her that night, I was proved wrong.The kiss was as good, if not even better. Lust had curled a needy fist around me and I knew that I wanted her badly.

However, I was glad that I stopped us from going too far. Katerina meant something to me. She was not one of the meaningless one night stands I had with other women. Thus, I wasn't going to screw it up.

I thought dinner with her would lower her defences a little and it did. It worked for just a few minutes before those defences were higher than ever. I didn't know what went wrong. I frowned and turned away to see Charlotte walking back to her room.

An amused smirk crossed her face as she caught sight of me. "You're still here? Wow, Kat must really be angry with you."

"Why would she be angry at me? I don't even know what I did wrong!" I exclaimed annoyed and Charlotte studied me carefully. "Do you want some advice on my sister?"

This was coming from a fourteen year old? But why the hell not? She was Katerina's younger sister and Charlotte would definitely know what was going on in Katerina's mind.

"Alright." I agreed and Charlotte gestured for me to enter her room with her. "Close the door, I don't want Kat to know I'm helping you."

I stepped in a little uncomfortably, expecting to see rainbows or unicorn pictures on the wall but I what I saw was a simple bedroom full of pastel colours that complimented Charlotte's personality.

"Okay, when did she get mad at you?" Charlotte questioned as she studied me. I frowned and shoved my hands in my pockets. "Why do you assume that she's mad at me?"

Charlotte scoffed and shot me a knowing expression, and for a moment, I could really see the resemblance between her and her mother. "Well, you've been kicked out of her room and she hasn't gone mental on you. That means she's mad at you but not that mad until she wants to kill you. There's a difference."

I blinked and Charlotte prompted. "So? What did you do that made her mad?"

I frowned. "I don't even know." Charlotte sighed at my response and gave me a flat look. "Well when did you realise she was mad at you?" She urged.

"When we were having dinner." I stated and Charlotte frowned and urged me to continue. "What part of the dinner?"

Katerina had arrived back from the washroom in a cold mood. "When she came back from the washroom."

"So she was fine before she left?" I nodded my head and Charlotte continued. "Well, what were you doing while she was away?"

"Some women came to our table and handed me their phone numbers and I accepted them before Katerina came back." I said and Charlotte groaned and got to her feet.

"You're such an idiot, that's why she's mad!" Charlotte exclaimed and I frowned, "Why? I was just being polite by accepting them."

Charlotte scoffs and shakes her head disapprovingly. "You men are all the same. She was you jealous you dumbass." I narrowed my eyes at her. "What? Why? I didn't want to be rude to them."

Charlotte sighed and crossed her arms. "Have you ever had a serious girlfriend before?" I shook my head, "No." Charlotte continued. "Alright, picture this, Kat is your girlfriend and another guy hands her his phone number and she accepts it."

I narrowed my eyes even further as the thought of that made jealousy swirl in the pit of my stomach. I did not like that picture at all. Not one bit. "She wouldn't dare." I snarled out and Charlotte nodded her head disapprovingly.

"Exactly, now can you understand why she's mad at you? You want her but you're accepting phone numbers from other women? I often wonder how humanity is still existing with all the mistakes that you men make."

I bristled at that comment and straightened but I was deep in thought. What Charlotte had said did make sense. Why didn't I see that? I got to my feet and gave a grateful grin towards Charlotte, "Thank you for your help Charlotte."

Charlotte shrugged, "It's fine but do me a favour and don't let Kat know that I helped. She wouldn't forgive me if I did."

I nodded my head unsurely at that before exiting the room and left the Kolosov house. A plan was already formulating in my head and I let out a low chuckle at the reaction that I was going to get tomorrow at the office.

***

I adjusted my navy suit and waited for Katerina to enter her office. I had everything planned out. I searched through the files that she had given me the day before and studied them casually while waiting for her to appear.

The moment the door opened, awareness fizzled in the air and I knew she was studying me as she walked in. Looking up, her appearance made me choke up, but luckily, I managed to retain an emotionless expression on my face.

As she walked passed me, my eyes raked over her appearance hungrily. She was wearing a black pantsuit and as usual, her blouse hinted at a small amount of her cleavage. Her pants hugged her ass before flaring out at the knee, giving a not needed illusion of her hourglass figure.

Raising my head slowly and discreetly, I was pleased to notice that her beautiful mass of curls were free and hanging down her shoulders. I swallowed as my throat became dry before clearing it and spoke up, "I looked through your reports, I think that the direction you're aiming for is on the right track. I just think that we should focus on the pricing and your comment here about the budget. Could you elaborate on it?"

I spoke casually, watching Katerina eye me warily. "Alright, would you want me to go through it?" She asked and I could see a hint of suspicion and cautiousness enter those brown eyes of hers.

"It's fine, I just think that we should go over the pricing." I stated causally and feigned disinterest as I fiddled around with my phone.

Her gaze was so intense on me that it felt like she could burn a hole through me with just that stare. "Fine." She spoke up and I detected a little anger and confusion in her tone.

I smirked inwardly to myself. My scheme was already working. I had decided to act all platonic-like towards her during work today. And as a result, I would be able to gage from her reaction how she would react and feel about it. Or maybe, she would even wonder why.

Despite Katerina's denial about anything going on between us, I knew she felt it. It referring to the connection and the attraction that sizzled whenever she and I were around together.

Therefore, this scheme or plan of mine was to see if she would act all nonchalant about it or not. After all, actions did speak louder than words. And I knew that a trait that Katerina possessed was impulsiveness. She was also easily angered and wore her emotions on her sleeve.

I could still feel her piercing gaze on me but I ignored her. Sooner or later, she was going to question me on the fact that I was pretending not to be interested in her any longer. Which was a total lie considering that I wanted her years ago.

"You're being awfully quiet today." I looked up to see Katerina flipping through her report as she spoke. I shrugged and feigned nonchalance. "I'm just really exhausted. It's been a long night."

It was true, I did have a long night due to planning and mapping out any scenario that could happen with Katerina today. But of course, like I planned, she took it the other way round and narrowed her eyes at me.

"Oh, good for you then, if you must excuse me, I have to finish up on the report before five. I have something on tonight." Katerina said and turned her attention to the computer on her desk.

However, I did notice her hand clutching onto the folder tightly. Satisfaction bloomed through me and I smirked to myself smugly until her words echoed in my brain.

I have something on tonight.

I narrowed my eyes at her. What the hell did she mean by that? Did she have a date with a guy while she was kissing me? Fury filled my veins and I forced myself to calm down.

Now, the thought of abandoning my plan seemed even better than following it. "A date?" I questioned coolly and Katerina shrugged. "Something like that."

I could feel my grip on my phone tightening until my knuckles turned white. Quickly forcing myself to calm the hell down, I released the hold on my phone and clenched my jaw. A date? A fucking date?

Over my dead body. I snarled to myself inwardly. Abruptly, I stood up and glared at her. All thoughts of following my plan flew out of my head.

"You have a date?" I demanded harshly and Katerina looked up at me and blinked.

"Yes. I suppose." She answered calmly and stared at me with a look of disdain on her face as she crossed her arms over her chest. I could feel my blood pressure increase at her admission and I narrowed my eyes at her.

"You can't have a date with someone else!" I all but shouted and Katerina raised an eyebrow at me as a defiant expression took over on her face while her eyes flashed with annoyance.

"You're with me!" I thundered at her before leaning towards her, my body bent towards her as she sat in her chair while my arms held onto the armrests which was beside her.

At the distance between us, wariness and annoyance flashed in her eyes but I could see a glimpse of smugness in those pretty hazel eyes of hers.

"No, I'm not. We just fooled around a few times. That doesn't mean you have some kind of claim on me. And besides, don't you have your other girls to call?" She said sweetly and dismissed me by turning away in her chair.

If it was possible, I would be the volcano that destroyed the Roman city, Pompeii. But for now, I guessed that jealousy and anger was taking over my actions. I willed myself to calm down and took a few deep breaths before I did something irrational.

"Katerina, I don't have other girls." I stated firmly and as much calm I could muster up in this situation. She turned back to me and cocked an eyebrow once again. "Really? Someone's pants must be on fire."

I glared at her, never had I met as anyone as infuriating as her in my life! "I mean it. I don't have anyone else I want. I only want you."

At my words, Katerina scoffed and turned to face me in her chair. "Right, tell that to someone who cares." I could feel teeth grinding from annoyance and I glared at her, my blood pressure was dangerously spiking and I resisted the urge to grab her and kiss her furiously.

"I mean it. I only accepted the numbers from those women to be polite. The only number from a girl I want is you. Which I already have." I said, waiting for her relieved reaction or for her to kiss me already.

But of course, Katerina never did anything like I expected, she simply stared at me and wrinkled her nose. "So? What's that got to do with me?"

For the first time, I was at a loss for words. Instead, I cornered her as she sat in her chair and leaned my face towards her. I swept my thumb against her plump lower lip. Katerina titled her chin defiantly and a smile curled onto my face as she met my gaze.

"You really can't feel it?" I murmured seductively as the air around is crackled with sparks. Katerina gave a quick glance at my lips before her gaze flew back to my eyes. Her lips parted and I took it as an invitation to kiss her. As my lips lowered to hers, the door opened and Katerina shrieked.

"Mikael! Hi! Let's go!" She pushed me back away from her abruptly and grabbed her purse. I glared at her and turned to the person who entered the room. "Raphael." The man nodded and I acknowledged him in return. "Mikael." 

Mikael Carson.

I gritted my teeth and tried not to let the inquisitive glances from him unnerve me. How I would love to punch that fac- "Kat, don't you want to stay for awhile? I could come back lat-" Mikael started as his eyes glanced at me.

"No! Let's go now!" Katerina cut him off and pushed him out of her office before following after him, not even giving me one last glance. With that, she was gone.

What the fuck just happened? Katerina was going out with Mikael Carson? Mikael's father was the co-owner of Slade Kolosov's company. And they were going out together? My frown deepened and I could feel jealousy swirling in me like a tidal wave. I could feel my fists clench and a sinking feeling filled my stomach.

Damn it to hell, had my plan backfired on me after all? 

***

A/N: Hey my lovelies, so sorry for the long wait, I'll keep this short! Not entirely happy with this chapter but sigh, anyway, please vote and comment! I wanna hear your thoughts upon reading this in Raphael's mind. So please comment! Thank you so much for reading and being patient while I try to (still) sort out this story's plot. So thank you and I love all of you! 

P.S. Yes, that man up there is Heath Hutchins who is playing Raphael, my mouth is watering. Lmao.