Chapter 41: CHAPTER FORTY-ONE
That settled it then. The asshole was once again using her for his benefit. That was all good and fine.
She hid the hurt from her face and smiled up at him.
"Intrigue about what?"
"Not what," he replied with a grin that looked closer to genuine than anything. "It's about who?"
"Oh," she nodded, stepping closer to him and taking up their dance step again.
He created a distance this time.
"Why are you asking?" He said suspiciously, and she smiled what she hoped was a sweet, slightly mischievous smile.
"Nothing really. It's just that you were right."
Now, he looked downright wary.
"I was? What part?"
She shrugged, "I don't really like the fact that you took what belongs to me, but I've gotten over it. You might have noticed, but I've been a bit distant recently. It's not about everything that's going on though." She said the last statement as a whisper.
"Then what's the problem?"
She shrugged again and moved closer, burying her face back in his shirt. "Nothing," she said, pleased when her voice came out muffled and embarrassed.
He shifted her away again, this time much more gently than the other times. "Tell me, what's going on?"
She made herself remember one of the most embarrassing moments of her life. The image that came to her was the moment she'd realized that she'd been played. Her cheeks heated.
"Wait, are you blushing?" He asked.
"It's embarrassing." She muttered back and he smiled, albeit a little uneasily. She could imagine. So he could feel what a 100% turn around looked like to the other person.
"Now you have to tell me."
"Fine," she growled. "I missed you."
His smile gradually fell off his lips and she stepped backwards, her eyes shining with hurt.
"Never mind," she said, turning away. "I knew it was a long shot."
He caught up with her outside the dancing area.
"Wait up," he said eagerly and she reluctantly came to a stop.
"I don't believe you, Rose." He said, and she could hear the anger he was trying to reduce.
"Fine," she replied.
He growled, "Tell me you're joking about this."
"And how am I going to do that? You might not have been the first guy I've been involved with, but it was different with you and you know it." She dashed away the tears on her cheeks, her words sounding so close to the truth that she had to close her heart higher. "I know you've thought about it before."
"Thought what?"
"That I'm innocent, that I don't have any experience. That's why you wouldn't let me pleasure you, right?"
He looked around, noting how close they were with people who could overhear.
"We probably shouldn't do this now." He said, turning away. "Your father will soon give his speech."
She wasn't going to let him get away that easily.
"And why not?" She shouted, taking the attention of everyone seated close to her.
"You came into my life, turned my life and heart around, and now you're accusing me of lying because I said I missed you?"
People chatted in low voices, but her attention was on the man at her front.
"Let's go outside," he growled, grabbing her arms and leading them outside.
She followed willingly. When they were almost at the door, she had the unmistakable sound of her father's laughter. Some others picked up the sound, and they both came to a halt.
"Kids," her father eventually said, "Always acting like their feelings are do or die."
That annoyed her, but at least she had gotten what she wanted. Now unless her father had a death wish, there was no way he could go up there and announce that Laurent was his son. That would mean his biological children were committing incest.
Laurent dragged her through the door, and she tettered out in her heels.
He paced and rubbed his forehead, "Do you have any idea of what you just did in there?" He kicked a stone into the air and a few swear words dropped from his lips.
She approached him carefully. "I'm sorry, I was just overwhelmed and it just came out."
He opened his eyes and looked at her, "Are you sure? Or is this about trying to make my plans fail? Because if it is then, I'm sorry but you just shot yourself in the foot."
She frowned, "What are you talking about? I know practically next to nothing about whatever you're planning. And even if I did, what makes you think I have any interest in it?"
"Rose," he groaned helplessly, and she leaned even closer. Time to sell the act, she knew they hadn't escaped the view of the reporters.
"I'm sorry, Laurent. I really am. It's just, I really missed you." She sniffed. "I wanted to be mad at you, I really did but then I'd remember the times you made me laugh, times you made me feel seen." She peered into his eyes, "No one has ever made me feel like a woman, do you know? People just see me as this figure because of my father."
He groaned again, and she kissed him. He stood stock still for a few moments before he jerked away from her, and she looked down, her face filling with hurt and embarrassment.
"I'm sorry," she whispered. "I'll just go. Enjoy the rest of today."
He grabbed her before she'd gone two steps, hugging her to him and kissed her like his life depended on it.
She smiled, and kissed him back. No matter how terrible he was, or that only half the words that had come out from her mouth had been lies, Laurent was still the best kisser she'd ever known, and she'd gladly lose herself in the intensity. One last time.
Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone