[ Chapter 15 ]
Julian's eyes darkened with daunting gloom. The alluring veins around his neck popped and his muscles tensed, his silver teeth grounded.
His adonis face contorted, his lips twisted and his jaw clenched hardening into a smile which Cassandra found both arresting and alarming.
Notwithstanding the spine chilling drop in temperature. Cassandra stood in her spot nonchalantly looking at his daunting beauty.
"Take it as my gratitude for your marvelous performance last night."
Cassandra stated coyly whilst maintaining her wicked smile, as if she wasn't aware of the alarming danger that's clouding around her, she announced, "We're even now."
She then gorgeously brushed the strands of her disheveled blond hair off her enchanting face and teared her eyes off him. A devious smirk lifted the corner of her lip.
Sure it's wicked of her to play a flame in such a daring game, as it's challenging his patience, but still he had to blame himself for this.
Had it not been her getting enough of his advance of which he continuously invaded her space and showed her not enough of respect, she wouldn't have been this wicked.
She admitted that she's losing a bit of her restraint for doing such striping and teasing around him. Honestly, that sexy side of her was her true self, as back in the days she's a very passionate woman.
Having been such a dignified and graceful single woman for years, it wasn't easy for her as she had been holding herself back. Hence the sudden exposure of intimacy had left her breathless yet sexually excited, it's like gasping for air, she craved it.
Therefore, Cassandra was a bit lost when she's doing such a show as it reminded her that young passionate self of hers. Most of the blame was still on him though. She had said it over and over that she's over with him yet he kept advancing on her, not showing her enough respect.
They're nothing but one time fling. She had her own pride as a woman, in fact she's a very prideful one. So don't he dare to think that he could have her just because he wanted her.
She wasn't such a woman who would lose herself easily just because of carnal desire and definitely, she wasn't a woman he could mess with either.
He had to know what kind of woman he's dealing with. Don't be ridiculous. She's Cassandra Qin.
Known as a strong-willed and hard-hearted woman in the business society. She's a well-respected and admired woman with prestige and prominent status. In short, she's a fine woman with class.
Moreover, Cassandra had experienced a lot in life, long gone was her young naive self. Thus she knew well how to control her urges and behave herself.
Furthermore, she wasn't a woman who would let someone have their way with her. He's the first to do that to her, he had only himself to blame. He started the bitch game and just won the bitch prize. Don't get her wrong, she's capable of being bitch sometimes.
Sometimes being too beautiful was a sin. Given that she careered in a male dominated business environment, she's used to face a lot of male chauvinism.
It wasn't easy to reach the top where she stood right now. She went through a lot of hardship and being this gorgeous made it harder for her since she always attracted many unwanted attention wherever she went withal.
Thanks to her hard-hearted personality, she succeeded in becoming the woman she's now, a woman everyone could only respect. She wouldn't let anyone especially men disrespect her in any way and she knew well how to keep those lowly men at bay.
Same goes for this Julian, the only ever man who had disrespected her to such an extent.
What happened last night was because she wanted him, not the other way around. What happened just now was also because she wanted it, not because she wanted to entertain him or what.
At first she wanted to simply push him down in a hard way. But after some devious thought, she decided to push him down in his own game.
Compared to what happened last night, what happened just now was kind of harmless. Moreover, he's too tempting not to take advantage of. Who said only men could take advantage of women? Women could also do the same. Period.
It's true she's a very passionate woman back in the days. Hence having such a chance of being somewhat her passionate self once again she just couldn't help it. It's filling two needs with one deed.
Thus instead of vexed, he should feel honoured for getting such a show from her. Given that he's the only man she had ever been with other than her late husband, he should be proud of himself. After all, she's Cassandra Qin, a woman men could only dream in their most beautiful dreams.
Cassandra hoped he could respect her from now on or else, she had no other choice other than stopping being 'Cassandra' and becoming 'Cassandra Qin' who's bitch to anyone who crosses her line.
Honestly, deep inside Cassandra wasn't against the idea of being with him, but there's a huge price he had to pay if he truly wanted her, the price she's sure he couldn't afford. Thus she didn't want to bother herself to let him know about it since he couldn't afford her.
She knew a woman like her was kind of nemesis for a womanizer like him because what she demanded was exclusivity.
Therefore, granted that they're nothing but strangers who had just shared a passionate night together, by virtue of one time fling, it would be best for them to part their ways from here on since there's no any string attached between them.
Swiveling around, Cassandra walked over and reached her hand on the table to take her white robe before slipping into it.
Contrasting to the mature lady who's nonchalant this whole time, the gorgeous man on the other side was smiling a menacing gloom as the alarming cold in temperature surrounded him.
Julian thought he's going insane or that his sanity needed to be checked when he found himself getting played by a woman.
Yes. He just got played. By a woman.
She had just left him hanging. It's so painful after those very arousing lap dance withal. It's like she rose him high only to smash him down into pieces before he got to the top.
Unbelievable. Having left hanging was one thing, what concerned him most was, his dignity had just been challenged. He still found it hard to believe.
The thought of women rejecting him in such a way was unbelievable, the fact that he's played by to such an extent was logically even more not possible. After all, he's Julian Long, even without his wealth and status, women would flock themselves upon him for his irresistible beauty.
Call him narcissistic because he's damn narcissistic. Yes he's full of himself. All he needed to do was flash his astounding smile and women would sway themselves beneath his feet.
Julian kept smiling in silence whilst locking his eyes on her captivating beauty, seemingly studying her like she's some sort of exquisite flower he wanted to understand.
Time clocked in silence. Julian smiled gloomily and a soft, menacing laughter echoed throughout the silent room.
As sick as it sounded, he surprisingly enjoyed this sensation. The blood inside his veins began to boil in confusion and annoyance. It reminded him women weren't just something he could have bent to his will.
Logically, in any rational sense, he's a man women impossible to resist.
He would. Even loves to date himself. If he could.
So with him being played in such a fashion. She had just ignited something within him. It's a desire. Desire to possess. It's the nature of the heart to desire after something that's hard to get.
With that thought in mind, his eyes began to glimmer with a new devious light.
"You're truly a fascinating woman Ms. Qin."
Julian finally spoke, his low yet somewhat dangerous voice startled her, it's kind of low that sent a daunting wave of vibration under her skin which she couldn't help but shiver.
Cassandra pursed her lips and frowned at the 'Ms. Qin' coming from his lips. So he knew her this whole time. Not that it's surprising though since who wouldn't know her? It's just, she's used to him calling her intimately so with him addressing her by her last name was a bit strange.
Nevertheless, Cassandra kept the faint smile on her face whilst minding her own business, upon wrapping herself with her white robe, she reached the bottle of wine and poured herself a glass of it. She needed it to calm her heated nerves.
Setting the glass in its place, Cassandra sat down on her seat with such a refined grace that he found it exquisitely beautiful. She lifted a leg over her thigh elegantly, then she brought the wine into her mouth, relishing its sweetness for it was relaxing.
"Am I?" She finally responded to his earlier words, eyes closed enjoying her wine, she curved a wicked smile. "You're also an amusing man yourself Julian."
'Amusing' in her soft voice carried a teasing tone as she's referring to him being her entertainer this whole time. Sure enough her teasing instantly earned her a dry, somewhat appalling chuckle from him.
Julian couldn't believe she was daring enough to make fun of him any further. He chuckled, laughing at something unbelievably entertaining yet not funny at all.
Cassandra grinned wickedly and kept sipping her wine with elegance, ignoring the aura of doom and destruction that seemed to grow by the minute.
"You're truly unbelievable sweetheart." She just became his sweetheart again.
"You're such a wicked and daring one."
Cassandra ignored his words at first until she finally opened her eyes and realized he's now towering over her with an equally wicked smile on his face.
Julian then bent down and placed an arm on each side of her, caging her against her seat. He closed the distance as his face neared hers.
Looking at her in the eye, Julian smiled deviously as he breathed out sensuous whispers, "I like wicked and daring women."
"I find them." He smacked his lips, "Sexy."
"And you're such an unbelievably alluring one."
Cassandra swallowed the remaining wine on her mouth and put her empty glass to the side.
"However." Suddenly a dark daunting light glowering in his eyes as a sardonic smile glaciated his face.
The temperature dropped low to the point it was suffocating and unpleasant chilling crept into her skin
Her rational senses instinctively screamed at her to run, away from him, yet she ignored them as she returned his devil smile with a taunting smile. She's like a villainess who smiled at the danger and laughed at the death herself.
"You're too daring, wickedly arousing." He stretched a malicious smile as he pushed himself onto her until she found her back being pressed against the soft chaise.
Cassandra simply pressed her lips into a thin line and shrugged her shoulders lightly, challenging him.
"You should've not played with me." A dangerous glint flashed on his face and he clicked his tongue as his intimidating aura further even more alarming.
Cassandra found it hard to breathe since he's too close and his menacing presence was overpressuring yet she managed to return his chilling gaze impassively.
"You should've stayed away from me." His eyes narrowed into an evil gaze, "As you have just ignited the flame within me." His cold breath brushed upon her lips.
"Why should I?" She taunted with an equally evil smile, unflinching. Her hands settled on his hard chest preventing him from advancing any further.
Mirth blazing in the corner of his magnetic eyes. "Because I'm really not a gentleman as you think."
"Believe me." He breathed, "No one could stop me when I've set my eyes on something."
"And you know it yourself." He gave her a wicked lecherous smile as he licked his lips sensuously, "How desirable you're to me."
"Although I'm not a man who forces myself on women."
"But having a woman, as bewitching as you." His searing heat melted her as he breathed upon her ear, "Within my embrace."
"I'm afraid I'm not a gentleman enough to tame the devil within me."
"Sometimes, I'm even afraid of myself." He downed his head to her neck, "For I could become dangerous and unbelievably insatiable sometimes."
By now, the warmth in her eyes had completely vanished and been replaced by a cold frightening glint. Yet the wicked smile on her face remained.
"Is that so," Cassandra voiced what sounded like a temptation.
Cassandra tugged a wicked, seductive yet frightening smile. "Then why don't you try me."
Her hands snaked themselves up his neck and wrapped around it. Cassandra then pressed herself against him and tilted her head to the left side of his neck. Her touch was hot and sensuous.
Blowing a warm breath upon his neck, she blew a raspy whisper, "If the unwilling me aroused so you so bad. Then go ahead. Have your way on me."
A devious smirk shone upon her wicked face as she roamed one of her hands up his head and clutched his hair, "Show me how dangerous you could be."
It was a low, deviously seductive whisper that sent waves of heat down his core as his maleness rose to its full length instantly. It's like a devil seduction, dangerous yet impossible to resist.
The storm of mirth on his eyes further heightened, as well as his arousal. She had no idea the effect she had on him was simply overpowering as he felt the last string of his sanity was being stretched hard impossibly.
Instead of backing down or simply putting on her self defence, she actually bit him back. Being embraced by her like this, Julian felt like he's being held by a venomous snake. It's like one wrong move would be enough to earn him a deadly bite of poison upon his neck.
He's truly smitten by her daring charm.
After all, though he wasn't revealing his true evil side, his overbearing presence alone was enough to intimidate anyone, yet she's playing with fire with him biting him back.
Intensely sexy. There's no other words to describe such a wicked and strong woman.
For a sick split of second, the desire to actually force himself on her hard and rough overwhelmed him. But it lasted for a fraction of seconds as he regained his sanity. That would only bring her further away from him.
Julian then pulled himself back to look at her straight in the eye. His long dark lashes fluttered, nearly sweeping over his cheeks.
"Are you that unwilling?" He asked sensuously.
Cassandra shrugged, "Who knows? Why don't you seek the answer yourself by pushing me down." She stretched her lips into an enchanting smile, but who knows what's behind her wickedly alluring smile.
Julian simply gazed at her in silence before darting his gaze down her mouth. His mouth neared hers. Breath escaped their slightly parted lips, mingling softly. "It's a shame." He said low, held with passion.
Julian then backed away, freeing himself from her embrace. Cassandra's body grew cold from the space he filled earlier.
Yet suddenly to her surprise, her right hand was being pulled gently by his hand. His head tilted up, eyes looking up at her, he whispered, "The time we spent together." Gone was that devious side of his replaced by his usual charming and enchanting self.
"Although it's short, It's sweet, fleeting, worth of yearning." He kissed her knuckles. "Thank you for such a sweet memory."
"It's truly my pleasure knowing you Cassandra Qin." Julian curved a charming smile before kissing the back of her hand whilst maintaining his magnetic eyes on her.
Cassandra simply dazed on spot as she pursed her lips. Where was that devious man who wanted to have his way on her hmm? She's somewhat pleased with all that had just happened nonetheless.
"It's also my pleasure Julian," Cassandra coyly responded whilst maintaining her wicked smile.
Julian just gave a boyish grin in response and then released her hand. Turning around he made his way toward the corner of the room where his set of Tom Ford black suit that's neatly prepared.
Cassandra exhaled a soft breath. Leaning forward, she reached her hand to take the bottle of wine and filled herself a glass of it.
By the time Cassandra emptied her glass, Julian was already dressed in his black suit, looking prepossessing and dapper as ever.
"Until next time, Cassandra Qin." He cast her a mysterious glance and flashed his signature smile.
Then, like a fevered dream, he's gone.
Cassandra simply sat in her seat with a soft smile on her pretty face. Her eyes kept looking at his disappearing back until he's gone.
A dry sigh escaped her lips as she closed her eyes, regretting the fact she knew little to nothing about the man she shared a stormy night with. At least she should have asked his full name.