Soon Alyssa was joined by Eva who too had to start packing up to leave. They both grumbled having missed the delicious cake that they had been eyeing since the beginning of the party. “Why did he flare up suddenly?” asked Eva, looking clueless. She had been busy with granny and hardly noticed Nicholas’s antics.
“Nicholas forced me to dance with him.” Alyssa rolled her eyes but Eva grinned knowingly.
“He challenges Alex all the time. I must say he really likes you!” she observed but Alyssa shook her head vehemently.
“No, this has nothing to do with liking. Everything is a challenge for him,” shrugged Alyssa but her cheeks colored a little and it didn’t skip Eva’s attention.
“And you love challenges!” she winked at her friend whose mouth hung open hearing her.
“Yes, I do but not Nicholas, for God’s sake! He’s the enemy.” Alyssa quickly dumped her stuff into her suitcase, her ears flushed hot with the topic of discussion but Eva wasn’t letting this go so easily.
“Not yours. Then what’s stopping you two?” Alyssa glanced towards the door as if afraid her brother might overhear them.
“Yes, mine as well. You won’t understand, Eva. He’s horrid and he brings out the worst in me which only an enemy can. I can’t breathe in his presence, he’s that suffocating. I always have to be on my guard around him. So it’s best that I stay away from him.” Eva listened intently as she packed.
“You both have awesome chemistry, that’s for sure. The tension you’re talking about is something else, maybe it’s se*ual frustration. Have you thought about that?” she asked her making Alyssa frown at her.
“You’re imagining things, Eva. Anyway, we’ll soon be out of here and I will never see him again.” She walked over to the washroom to change out of her bridesmaid’s dress. Later she was packed up and ready and waited for Eva to emerge from the washroom. Alexander walked into her room, pulling his suitcase along.
“Ready? Let’s go.”
“Just a minute. Eva’s in the washroom.” Alexander glanced towards the washroom just as Eva emerged, ready to leave. She blushed seeing him staring at her, and hurriedly picked up her luggage and walked out of the room with them following her. Ashton and Hayley joined them in the capsule elevator and they all went downstairs. The party was in full swing and Alyssa looked longingly at the banquet hall. She hadn’t been able to see Sienna before leaving.
“Alex, I’ll just meet Sienna before leaving, please,” she pleaded with her brother.
“Okay, you have two minutes,” he conceded grimly. Eva and Hayley had already said their goodbyes and handled her luggage as she dashed inside to meet Sienna before she left. Her eyes unconsciously looked around the banquet hall for not only Sienna but Nicholas as well. She found Sienna and Lucas at a table chatting with Skylar and Christian and went towards her. The two friends hugged each other close.
“I’m sorry that I couldn’t stay longer but you know how Alex is. He allowed me only two minutes to see you.” Sienna laughed and hugged her back.
“I’ll drop by afterward. Are you leaving for California or staying here?” she asked her friend.
“I’m staying this time,” said Alyssa unaware that Nicholas was just behind her, listening to everything she said.
“Great. We’ll catch up.” Alyssa turned around to leave but came face to face with Nicholas instead. His piercing blue eyes held her gaze, walking with her as she proceeded towards the door.
“I wanted to see you before you left,” he whispered as if it were a secret. Alyssa couldn’t look away from the hypnotic spell his eyes cast upon her.
“Why?” she whispered back wondering if he would demand his kiss in front of everyone.
“I need a goodbye hug, Alyssa,” he asked softly. Alyssa was stunned by the gentleness in his tone. There wasn’t any teasing, any understatement present but she did detect a sense of pleading, a tinge of longing as he spoke. Was she mistaken? Did he really need a hug from her before she left? Would it be wrong to hug him just once? Despite everything he did, he had saved her four times after all! She had no idea what came over her. She saw the young Nicholas in him, the one who had taken a mountain load of beatings upon himself that fateful day just to save her. She hadn’t even thanked him properly.
“Alyssa?” he breathed bringing her out of her thoughts. She knew time was running out and Alexander would storm in any minute to create a scene. If she had to act, she had to do it fast. She leaned forward and wrapped her arms around his torso to give him a hug, taking him by surprise.
“Thank you, Nicholas, for saving me all the time,” she whispered into his neck. Nicholas stood like a statue unable to move, unable to breathe. He was transported ten years back, to the day he had saved her for the first time. He had always been fascinated by her beauty, her aura but mostly by those lips that had teased him briefly, making him crave a taste of them. Could he taste them now?
His hand went up around her body, clasping her to his warm chest. His heart fluttered feeling her soft body pressed to his but before he could feel her more, she released him and dashed off towards the main door of the house. Nicholas stood there, too dazed to take a step forward to stop her. Was it a dream or did she really hug him?
He had never felt this way for any girl in his entire life. Being a little reserved in nature, he was completely opposite to his brothers, Marcus and Lucas who were always surrounded by women. They were celebrities while he was just a normal businessman, managing his father, Jonathan Donnelly’s business after his death last year due to a cardiac arrest. Always nicknamed a nerd, he was too busy with Donnelly Financial Services to think of women and relationships. Therefore it was a mystery that he reacted so much to Alyssa Van Every by going against his nature, his normal self.
The sound of cars driving away brought him out of his daze and he realized that Alyssa had left. He walked back to the party which didn’t hold any interest to him now. Sitting in one corner with a drink, watching everyone enjoy themselves, he felt lifeless and dead. Why was it so? Why couldn’t he get her out of his mind? Her words flitted across his mind.
I’m staying this time!
A smile flashed across his face and he knew what he had to do. Soon Marcus joined him and poured a drink for himself.
“So? Could you make a lasting impression on Alyssa?” Nicholas shrugged not having any idea whether he had or not.
“I don’t know but she remembered me nevertheless.” Marcus watched him with a brooding expression on his face but it was nothing new. Nicholas knew that he had many battles of his own and hardly ever smiled.
“Good but stay away from Alexander if you can. His temper isn’t normal and we won’t always be around you save you.” Nicholas knew what that warning was all about. Marcus was indirectly warning him off Alyssa.
“I can save myself, bro.” Marcus gulped down his drink and placed his glass down.
“Does that mean that you’ll pursue the girl?” Nicholas hadn’t expected such a blunt question and stared at his drink broodingly.
“I haven’t thought that far but one thing is for sure. I won’t be able to forget her.”
“In that case, you’re in deep trouble. Don’t take any hasty step without talking to us.” Nicholas knew that his older brother was only looking out for him like he always had but this time it frustrated him.
“I’m not a little boy anymore, bro. I know what’s right for me. Please don’t worry so much about me.” It was enough to quieten Marcus who walked away after finishing his drink. The cake-cutting ceremony was over and everyone started leaving. He helped his mom and granny into their helicopter and finally headed home.
After dropping his mom and granny at their house, he headed towards his own when he received a call from his close friend, Maxwell Clyborne who was his childhood buddy since Kindergarten.
“I’m coming over with dinner. Wait up.” Nicholas smiled with relief since he had no wish to prepare himself dinner. In fact, he was feeling too lazy to even order something!
“Great! How did you guess that I’m feeling too lazy to order dinner?” Maxwell chuckled at his state.
“I know you, dude! Your enemy’s sister might have left you drained!” Nicholas was surprised that Maxwell remembered. He had just called him once and told him a little about Alexander and Alyssa.
“Nothing of the sort. It’s just that I hate parties.”
“Yeah, yeah, I get it. So see you in a while.” He disconnected the call and Nicholas freshened up in the meantime. Later when Maxwell arrived, they dug into the food he had brought, watched a movie, and fought over football teams. It was the type of fun he always loved but strangely this time his heart craved a different type of fun, something that gave him an adrenaline rush! He craved the temptress, Alyssa Van Every!