DOUBLE UPDATE!! HAPPY SUNDAY!

Please note my extra-ness in this chapter. 5am wake ups give me chances to do these things. Enjoy!

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The first thing on my mind this morning was to make Zak text me and tell me that he can't make dinner tonight.

I had spent all night with my nerves on edge at the idea of four of us sat around a table making out we are happy in our lives when I'm undersexed, kissed my boss and he has a partner as well. My issue was that if Jack had done it to me, I would feel like utter trash. So with cowardliness I had the plan to make him cancel so I wouldn't have to sit opposite his partner knowing how she would feel, if she knew..

Only that sadistic bastard wasn't playing ball and insisted that he was going to come to dinner.. No matter what.

"That fucking bastard." I growl throwing my phone down. Pacing the bedroom, I pull at my hair trying to work out how to play this.

Sure I could tell Jack myself, but it would look uber convincing if Zak just sent the message and stayed at his own place. But no, luck wasn't on my side, it never was.

I still launched myself at my phone when I heard the message tone.

"I'll give you cutie pie you snivelling piece of shit." I mutter.

I am shoving my phone into my pocket when the front door opens and closes.

"Babe?" Jack calls making me move out the bedroom.

"Hey."

He pauses "You been asleep?"

I shake my head "No, I was looking at my clothes. I was going to throw some out but couldn't decide which, so I'll leave it for another day."

My eyes move to the bags in his hands "What's all that?"

"Things, for dinner." He replies carrying them away and into the kitchen.

I go to tell him Zak won't be here, but decide I can one, stop Zak come arriving and two, stop any invites being issued in the future, if I keep my mouth closed.

Jack will find it rude if Zak doesn't show up without an explanation and I'll pretend to be appalled by his rudeness.

My plan would work.

+++

"Delilah, honey, I know you're nervous but you've drank two glasses already." Jack speaks as I pour my third glass of wine.

"They were small glasses."

"They were large." He corrects as he places the cutlery on the table.

It's 6.40pm and I had to keep up appearances, if I appeared to relaxed, Jack would sniff a rat and have me interrogated until I spilled everything. Plus, I couldn't guarantee Zak wouldn't show, he had this horrible trait of being an asshole.

"Okay, I'm just nervous. Do you want me to do anything?" I ask him pushing the glass aside and twisting my fingers.

"The cutlery?" He suggests making me nod and take over so he can finish up making sure we had everything ready for when Zak didn't show up.

Setting up the four places, I returned to the glass of wine and drank some back quickly before moving to the lounge to check my phone.

I hadn't heard from him, which could only mean he had taken my warning... Or not.

The sweat was beading along my skin with anxiety. I just needed a text message to set me at ease, I needed something other than reassurance from a glass of wine!

Pushing my hair back, I sigh and fix my black dress. Whilst I wanted to wear my pjs, Jack insisted on us both making an effort and here I was in a black figure hugging dress with heels and my dads chain.

He wouldn't show. He was making me sweat...

Returning to the kitchen, I'm tempted to say Zak had text letting me know that he couldn't make dinner, but the idea of Jack thinking he was a jerk off was too appealing and yes although it was harsh to let Jack cook for us all, we both still had to eat and what we didn't eat, we could either freeze or throw. I didn't mind being out of pocket if it meant I could relax in my own home and not have Zak here.

But as the wine begins to make me relax and a little warm, I forget about the nerves. Maybe if I had a clearer head, I would have sensed the impending doom.

As at 7.08pm, the doorbell rings.

"Oh, I got it." Jack speaks tutting as he passes me refilling my glass.

Just as I'm about to remove the heels that have given me the mother of all blisters, I hear his voice..

My eyes widen as my heart hits into my stomach. I instantly begin searching for an escape, as well as contemplating on if I could fit into a cupboard and stay there all evening without being found. I know it's stupid, daft and everything else in between to want to disappear, but after yesterday my head was fuzzy and I just needed to clear whatever was going on. Rather than have the two shoved in my face!!

I'm about to go towards the largest cupboard in the kitchen with the bottle of wine and my phone when I freeze as Zak steps into the kitchen.

His smile falters as he sees me, his lips part and eyebrows raise slightly as if he is going to speak. But he decides against it when Jack walks in with a beautiful woman stood to his side.

"Delilah, this is Krystal," Jack introduces us. "Krystal Famoaks." He emphasises the word Famoaks and I'm just about to ask him why he's staring at me so hard when it clicks.

Famoaks. The contract he managed to land...

"Lovely to meet you, in Delilah." I beam whilst shaking the redheads, perfectly manicured hands, her blue eyes sparkling as she does. Her champagne coloured dress works perfectly against her tan skin and I can see why she's with Zak... She's gorgeous. She then looks up to Zak who's yet to say a word since we had congregated in the kitchen.

"Delilah will get you drinks. If you would like to take a seat.. Dinner is ready." Jack smiles to them.

But Zak doesn't move, he just looks at me before his hand is thrust into my face making me jump slightly.

"Uh... I got you this."  Inside his giant like hand, is a small pot..

I push the wine and phone onto the side instantly as I take a breath and take the pot gently from his hand.

"You bought me a–"

"Cactus. The lady said it had p-purple flowers when it bloomed." He stutters before wiping his hands on his jeans.

He's nervous? About what?

"It's beautiful." I whisper back, biting onto my lip. Looking up, I see him staring at me. "Thank you."

He doesn't register it at first but eventually nods and Krystal, who had watched the exchange frowns, before pulling him to sit beside her.

I turn around and take the cactus to the window, where Colin once sat.

Rest in peace Colin...

"Oh you got another." Jack notices, looking at it with a frown.

"Don't you throw it away. Ever." I reply before standing back to admire the small plant in my kitchen window.

I shall call it, Collette. Collette the cactus.

[22]

Zak had smiled to himself all day at the idea of being able to wind Delilah up. He loved the fact he was able to get under her skin so easily. As she showed through her text messages.

He had planned to come to dinner all along, not letting her aggressive tendencies sway his decision.

But when he arrived and entered the kitchen, he was taken back at the woman stood before him.

In a black dress which fitted her body perfectly, her hair was curled slightly  and down, rather than the usual up do she pushed it in whilst at work. Only ever taking it down before she went to bed. Now tonight, her hair fell around her face and shoulders, a few pieces reaching down to the top of her breast.

He noticed her cheeks were slightly flushed, no doubt from the alcohol she had consumed before he arrived. But he also noticed her eyes...

They made his heart beat a little quicker every time she looked up at him. Rather than the clumped tangled fly-like legs he saw on most women. She had long lashes, top and bottom, all perfectly framing her eyes capturing his attention, demanding his attention...

Whilst sat down, Delilah took the drinks order and made small conversation with Krystal. Although he had invited her, Zak wished that he came alone as he noticed Delilah looking down beaten and self conscious whenever she thought nobody was watching.

But Zak was. As if she was some movie and he had his own viewing....

+++

Throughout the course of the meal, Zak had noticed one thing. Jack was a self obsessed prat.

Whilst Zak tried to remain polite, he has began to struggle when he realised every time Jack the Jerk Off,  opened his mouth, he would make a subtle dig towards Delilah, and now, Zak's patience were running thin.

"I hope to become a managing director of the company. The pay would be substantial and we could move out this apartment and buy a family home. For our future family." He grinned placing his hand onto Delilah's stomach, causing her to shift uncomfortable and push it away. Her eyes flicked to Zak's who was watching the exchange.

"What about you Zak? Are you a family man?" Jack questions sipping his drink.

"I am. I do believe family is important. However I also believe that not everyone is destined to be a mother or a father. I for one do not want to have any children. There are far too many in the system now, they all deserve loving homes. With my line of work, it would be impractical." Zak answered honestly, and whilst Krystal scoffed and Jack frowned, Delilah had smiled gently in understanding.

"You mentions a museum, is that your true career path? Or a–"

"I was born to be a paranormal investigator. The museum was simply a dream."

"Right."

"My dream was to model in New York, I got the gig a few months ago. Beats joining the family business." Krystal responds.

"Now the family business isn't a bad one." Jack points out.

"What about you Delilah? What do you do in your spare time?" Krystal asks taking a generous sip of her wine.

"I'm an urban explorer." She replies.

Zak feels his anger twist when Jack looks at her in distaste. "Waste of time, in my opinion. I don't see the fascination with old buildings unless it's to renovate and improve them."

"And are you happy investigating with the crew?" Krystal pushes on.

Delilah looks at Zak quickly before looking over at Krystal, "Yes."

"It's merely a stop gap, isn't it my love? We are looking into something more practical, especially for when we begin our family, it won't work Delilah being pregnant and working through the night like that, putting herself in danger. We are looking at proper careers." Jack adds in.

"Investigating is a career." Zak responds slightly offended at Jack's words.

"Oh, of course but I just want better for Delilah. She's got potential, when she uses that brain of hers."

"What?" Zak asks in shock at how he clearly insulted her. But rather than Jack met with pure fire from Delilah, she simply took it.

"People say modelling isn't a career, but it is hard work. To remain a certain weight constantly, restrictions on what I can and can't do with my body." Krystal rolls her eyes. "You could do it, model, I mean. They have airbrushing tools and all that. The most you'd need to lose is like 8lbs. Some make up and a salon hair cut, will leave you brand new."

Zak sits there, his mouth agape at Delilah's approach to the insults being thrown her way. He wants to say something but hadn't because he believed she would have spoke up by now.

Instead she said nothing.

"Would anyone like another drink?" Delilah suddenly speaks grabbing the bottle of wine, but before she can pour it, Zak places his hand over the top of her glass.

Her eyes flash up to his and he silently tells her to stop the drinking, she submits and pushes the bottle back into the table.

"Feel free to move into the lounge whilst I clear the table and make room for dessert." She then mutters rising up and taking the plates in front of her and Jack.

"I'll help." Zak insists and takes his and Krystal's plate to the sink and begins to fill it to wash it up by his hands.

"I-I'll do that."

"I'm doing it now." He replies looking at the small cactus he had bought her. Small and quirky, like her.

Jack and Krystal leave the pair alone to clean the kitchen. It's only when the door closes that Zak drops the act.

"What the fuck is wrong with you?" He whispers making Delilah pause.

"I don't understand–"

"He talks to you like you're nothing. Stand up for yourself dammit. You do with me. What makes him so different?"

Delilah looks away at the cactus, a smile pulls on her lips gently at the sight of it.

"I bought it because you're prickly too." Zak speaks making her smile spread across her face.

"I love it."

"Good." He answers giving a nod. Zak finishes the washing up and checks the door before making his move.

He had wanted to do it all night and to sit opposite her and not be allowed to do it, had been torture in itself.

Delilah is lost in her thoughts when hands grab her face and demand that she stares up into a pair of eyes. She's about to ask what he's doing when Zak tries to kiss her, making Delilah pull away.

"W-what are you doing?" She splutters.

"Don't play coy-"

"What are you talking about?"

Zak tries again, making Delilah push him away.

"Sweetie." He speaks taking her face in his hands. The softness of his voice makes her look up. "I want a kiss."

"I want a unicorn, it doesn't mean I'm going to get one. No. You have your girlfriend and I have a partner in there." She hisses.

"Partner? He's a jerk off and Krystal and me are casual. Come on, I swear I can make you feel better."

"Or nauseating."

"Delilah don't—"

"Just stop Zak!" She snaps. "I told you once and I'll tell you again. I'm not playing those games."

He didn't know her heart was conflicted, her head was a mess and just by him doing that, had made it all a hundred times worse.

"Kiss me or I'll tell him."

Her eyes narrow.

"You kissed me first and I returned it. I don't know about you, but something between you two isn't working if you're like a cat in heat after one kiss." He smirks.

"You wouldn't dare." She snarls.

"Try me."

And just like that, Delilah wants to punch him in the throat and knee him in the gonads. Whilst Zak grins like a fool to see the fire back in her eyes, relief courses through his body to know that with a push, he can turn off complicit Delilah.  He believes in getting into trouble because where would the fun be if we were well-behaved all the time?

He lived for mystery and craved Chaos. And the little Hell cat he knows as Delilah shouldn't be submissive or complicit.

She was different than the rest and maybe it was her mystery that drew Zak to her? It was a question he would ask himself at a later date, but he knew one thing... Her chaos drove him insane and he thrived off every single damn second of it!

Going extra as f*ck with those messages.