Bloom shivered, hiding behind the ravenette man and looking so afraid to be there. She wanted to opt out but he coaxed her to stay. If she had known he was bringing her here, she would have rather gone back home and finished the tubs of ice-cream she planned to buy.
“B-but J-Juliano…w-why a b-bar?”She mumbled from behind him, a trembling hand over his shoulder and gripping tight as her meek eyes surveyed the place back and forth. She gulped down saliva and shivered again. Juliano was starting to feel a ping bad at what he placed her into.“It’s just a drink to celebrate your accomplishment and we’ll stop by an eatery and grab something nice okay?” He tried to sound convincing enough as he sent her a solicitous smile. Bloom reluctantly nodded and crept out of her hiding.Juliano smiled and watched her lace her arm in his, gluing to his side like if she distanced from him even in the slightest, she’d be snatched away. Her meek actions made him smile lovingly down at her and he held her tightly. “Let’s go”.Bloom sat on a tall cushioned stool, sipping at her cocktail glass while her observant eyes kept prying about. She was uncomfortable and it irked her very skin to be here at a bar. She always stayed away from alcohol but Juliano just had to be so nice and chiding her with words that guilt-tripped her into complying.Taking another sweeping glance around, she suddenly froze up like a statue. She couldn’t even blink, she was that frozen. Her lips stopped right at the rim of the glass as her eyes expanded in the rawest shock known to her.Those dark familiar orbs were drilling down, corrosively into the very depth of her soul. It was hypnotizing, perfectly in control of her mind and commanding her not to resist his bindings on her. Those dark orbs were like the calm after the storm but also like every storm, there was the known aftermath of destruction which shook her whole.A second of distraction from a woman who approached him with a cocktail glass in her long fingers, was able to temporarily undo the spell he casted on her. And in that splitting moment, she became paranoid, reaching around to stable herself. She needed to leave at once. That was her boss! What was he going to think of her when they met tomorrow?“J-Juliano” She called weakly, fingers pressed to her temple as she winced. She was sure she hadn’t drank that much yet she was this affected.“Juliano…I need to go home…now”.There was unbridled urgency in her voice, a panic even as she stood up, grabbed her purse and left. She still staggered but was able to hold her balance till she got out. A yawn escaped her lips, reminding her it was almost her bedtime and she sighed.Her brother must be so worried by now. While waiting out for signs of the man who brought her there, she failed to pick up the closing stealthy steps gaining up behind her.“Hey beautiful, all alone tonight?”His voice was rugged and his breath was acrid. Bloom scrunched up her face in disgust and squeezed her shut lips to the side. It only sped up the migraine that was erupting in a side of her head. She ignored the drunk stranger, flailing her hand lazily to flag down a cab but failed as another wince rocked her balance.“Juliano…” She called out once more, stepping away from the stranger.There were only a few number of people loitering about and she was scared. Her heart drummed wildly in her chest as she tried to buy time for when Juliano would come out by ignoring the drunk threading behind her and trying her best to get a cab.A hand suddenly gripped around her wrist and she was tugged back with a yelp. The man had taken into actions and she knew there was nothing she could do anymore.“Don’t be so stubborn now…lady…your partner won’t come save you….”His acrid breath expelled over her face, making her gag and stagger. Her eyes were quick to tear up and she screamed when his rough hand coursed down the side of her paling face.“Let me go! Julian-“A figure suddenly darted into the scene from nowhere and the drunk was instantly yanked away from her and thrown into the wall with such inhuman speed that left her vision dizzy and mind rolling.‘What is that?’ She staggered back and landed on her butt with an “Ouch”. She was so tired all of a sudden and the migraine plaguing her mind only intensified as she winced again.“Hey, get up”.She could recognize that hostile but calm voice anywhere. It was him! He was the one who came to her rescue!. She shuddered from his tone and lifted her head only to see a hand before her face. “Grab on, you must have been shocked witless”.He stressed on and she shook her head to clear the dizziness away, slipping her small trembling hand into his. To her utmost shock, his large masculine and rigid hand felt so cold. It was almost as if he was dead. And when she looked into his dark orbs, she was sure of it. Her boss was most likely some zombie or something.‘No, a vampire suits better’ She corrected her thoughts and straightened, feeling his cold hand wrap hers in as he pulled her up.His eyes glided down her frame, the corner of his lips turning downward in disapproval. Bloom bit the inside of her mouth as she lowered her eyes to her body. Well, she had to admit she wasn’t really appealing at the moment. She just sunk into a old grey dress of hers with longs arms that stopped beneath her knees.She was probably two levels higher than a street beggar in what she wore. That hurtful realization made her grow insecure and feel more than embarrassed beneath his scrutinizing gaze. But he made no move and just let her go. “Where’s the man you came with?”“Um…he’s still back inside. I-I c-can wait for him” She stuttered, rubbing her arm at the spot where that stranger had grabbed her roughly. The CEO’s eyes narrowed to watch her action and he looked up at her face to see the obvious exhaustion all over it. She looked so fragile that it had him pinching the skin between his brows. He turned and began walking over to a black car. “Come with me”.She was speechless, did he just tell her to follow after him? She still stood transfixed to her spot and Hayes sighed when he noticed she wasn’t moving. He turned to her, “Do you need some special invitation, Miss Santiago?”His hard voice made her move with a shudder and she shook her head like a kid. She walked quickly to him and he turned to resume his walk. He stepped into the car and opened the front passenger’s door from the inside for her to get in.Bloom couldn’t believe it! She was going to ride in such an expensive car she didn’t even know its name and what’s more mind-blowing? With the one and only Hayes Warren?! She tensely glanced around for any signs of Juliano but once she didn’t see him, she crossed her heart and stepped into the car. Hayes sped off while Bloom couldn’t calm her racing heart. She was fascinated at the interior of the car but was also paranoid.Bloom turned to observe the night scenery. It was dead silent and she didn’t want to feel even more awkward than she was feeling being so close to the ice king. Not to mention how frosty the air had suddenly become despite it being warm in the car. Her fingers were misbehaving, rubbing over each other like she was trying to wash off a sticky stain off them.Bloom temporarily forgot about the migraine messing up with her mind earlier but now, it seemed to have returned with a formidable force that made her vomit a voiceless gasp. She winced, and reclined backward into the soothing comfort of the seat.It might as well just be a dream she might soon wake up from. So, pushing the aching migraine away, she wanted to enjoy this once in a lifetime chance and savor this moment.Hayes had brought her to her home but to his bewilder, Bloom was fast asleep. He never once glanced at her throughout the long drive and now that he did at last, she was asleep? The nerve of this woman.He sighed, gripping the steering wheel as he looked around for signs of anyone. Then he honked. Bloom only adjusted properly in the seat while he scoffed.‘She’s something else’ He shook his head, looking up again to see a figure coming out of the building in front.The man approached the car while Hayes helped to take off her seatbelt. But he halted, halfway hovering over her slumbering form when his eyes bore into her face. Her lush, plump pink lips were moving without making a sound. He furrowed his brows, finding this rather intriguing but recalling someone was standing outside the car, he pulled back.Benjamin picked her up and into his arms and all she did was yawn in her sleep and muttered something. “That silly Juliano…leaving me…just like…that….”His face hardened the moment sh
Bloom tried to sink herself into her work instead. It wasn’t the first time she worked as a cleaner like this. She had done three jobs of the same nature in the past so she knew how to get around just fine. She was even busy humming to a song she had memorized as she cleaned over the boss’s desk.She became oblivious to her surrounding and didn’t even notice the intimidating presence watching her. When she picked up the mopping bucket, she absentmindedly moved forward but bumped into something hard.“Ow” She rubbed the side of her face and looked up.She looked like she had just seen a ghost as she froze. Her face dimmed and she swallowed in fear. The boss was here, right in front of her and staring her down. She was trapped, lost in the swirling abyss of his dark hypnotizing orbs.“You can leave now since you’re done. Sharon get me my coffee”.He walked past her to his desk and Bloom watched him, still in her trance. He looked so perfect in his black Armani suit, his midnight-black ha
Bloom shut her eyes tight the moment his fingers felt through the loose tassels of her hair. She thought he was going to palm her face or something so she was shocked when her eyes came open to see him playing with her hair. His gaze trailed off her hair and hooked hers.“That’s a nice name…for such a pretty woman”.He breathed and she shivered. He was in too close that his hot breath ran across the side of her face, heating her cheeks up along its wake. Bloom could only shut her eyes and tightened her lips. This man was acting weird and she didn’t like it.“Um..s-sir-Something swooshed over her from behind like a gust of wind and her eyes flew open to see an arm darted over her shoulder in a shoving manner. Her eyes trailed the length of the arm and she gaped at the end of its stretch. The beautiful man was being held by the neck of his sweater by….“What do you think you’re doing with my employee, Adrian?”His booming voice had an undercurrent to it that frightened her wholly. She w
The befuddled and still surprised CEO watched the van accelerate away. What was this woman? All he knew about her and all he now knew about her were contradicting each other. She was a strange one and never had he found himself incapable of understanding the people he came across. So why? Why was she so different and yet so air headed? The lines on his forehead only deepened the more.Hayes shrugged his shoulders and walked back into the building. The file in his hand crumpled in his grip. ‘Now she’s in my mind as well’ He was pissed and very irritated. What was this condemnation brewing inside of him? He actually wanted to give her this…he stared down at the file in his hand.‘What is wrong with you Hayes warren?’ His behavior baffled him. This was unlike the ice king to bother about a mere employee to this extent. No, he wasn’t bothered about her. She was the one drawing his attention to her disarmingly. This thought vexed him and he stomped off. He needed a drink to flush her out of
‘Why am I still bothered over her?’ This was beginning to tip Hayes off. She wasn’t here, he didn’t even care to know what she was up to or who she hung out with. She was nothing to him…he knew all this and yet.“Curse this” He cursed outward, startling the woman occupying the front passenger seat of his cool ride.She shuddered, “S-sir is anything wrong?” She inquired carefully and he shook his head subtly, still hugging the frown on his face. “No…never mind”.The car came to a halt and he stepped out first. Sharon bit her lip to tame her anger back, he didn’t even bother to come open the door for her. Wasn’t she supposed to be his date for the night? She hissed inward and sashayed towards him.Noticing his hard gaze on her, she grew more confident in her stride and donned a smile that had the people around staring her way in awe and envy.‘Yes, that’s it. Look at me more’ She was confident he was struck as well but to burst her bubble, he wasn’t staring at her at all.There was somet
“Oh dear…I nearly forgot you were still here. Tell me, who are you?” Sharon could only bite down on her lip. She was fuming and she felt insulted by the woman’s utterance.Looking over to the man she came with, she found him with a bored expression as he sipped on his tall glass of red wine. He seemed not to care and was waiting for the opportunity to leave.“Uh…um y-yes. I…I…” She couldn’t go on. Who was she? Just his secretary at work. They never spoke outside of work. What was she going to reply her? All the confidence and resolve oozed out of her and she felt deflated. She was cornered now and couldn’t even mumble her name to the waiting woman.Just then did the man next to her rise to a stand, holding his phone close to the ear and he stared down at her. “Get up, we’re leaving. Now”.She didn’t mind his cold tone, she was just happy she could finally leave the oppressing woman’s presence. So she stood up eagerly with a smile that had the CEO lifting a brow.“Dad I gotta go, give m
Bloom thought she must have heard wrong. The ice king was offering to drop her at home? Her lips fumbled for words and she stuttered out.“Y-you d-don’t h-have to…” It felt like pushing out a huge lump of rock out of her throat. He was only studying her again, wondering why he was so drawn to her.“Don’t bother about it. Hop in” And he spun to quickly walk over to the driver’s side of the car. Bloom pouted, ‘He’s taking advantage of being my employer. Cruel ice king’.Bloom strapped on the seatbelt and focused her attention on the scenery outside the window. It was the second time she was riding in his car and like the first time, she couldn’t deny the comfort that was enticing her to lay her back properly.Hayes glanced over at her to see her with a relaxed ambience as she continued to stare out the window. Something in him…something so distant was beginning to light a bonfire within him. He didn’t know what was transpiring within that far distance in his chest. What was this strange
Bloom kissed the little boy goodbye and waved at him as she watched him go. A smile hugged her face as she turned to leave.Bloom arrived at the Company early that day. She changed into her work clothes and headed straight to boss’s office. She said her greetings to the snobbish secretary and went further in.Something peculiar caught her attention. It was a photo frame and it was the first time she was seeing it.There was a woman who looked to be in her late thirties and had the same eyes as a certain man she knew well. The woman was sitting in the middle of two little boys. They all appeared to be sitting on a picnic mat and all smiling so happily together.Bloom smiled softly with warm eyes as she caressed the photo with her fingers. She could easily tell the older boy to the woman’s right was him. He looked so happy, ‘It's almost unreal that he’s currently nothing like this’.Just as she moved away from admiring the picture, she sang out. “We’ll take the highway to heaven, and I c