C5 5

(Next morning)

"Yup. I will be down in a minute." She said while she checked her stuff.

She tied her hair in a ponytail after hanging up. She was lucky she had a good sleep in spite of what happened. She turned off the lights and went out. Her brows furrowed when she saw petals of flowers on the floor. She followed the line of petals. She had to turn right going to the elevator. She raised her face and her eyes widened. There near the elevator door Jett was standing. He had a lazy smile and he was holding a bouquet of flowers.

"Good morning, Love." He drawled with that mind-blowing sexy stare of his.

She couldn’t move. She was stunned. Who wouldn’t have such a reaction? Jett looked so hot and believe it or not, he appeared to be decent and respectable. There was no trace of the pervert she knew. He was in a maroon shirt and dark brown pants. He had leather shoes on. Even his smile didn't make her uncomfortable. She didn’t think it was possible for a pervert like him to look and behave this way.

Oops Ashley! Don't be gullible! Remember that a leopard can't change its spots! She advised herself. She has to remember that Jett Alejandre couldn’t change overnight.

(Jett's POV)

He was in heaven. He had never felt anything like this. By just looking at Ashley’s beautiful face this morning was really wonderful. She was the prettiest angel on earth. She was very lovely but she seemed lovelier each time he saw her though most of the times she lashed out at him. He didn't like her attitude towards him but strangely he sort of understood it now. She was not playing hard to get. She simply disliked his ways .

Was he challenged? Yes! He had never made any effort to woo or pursue a woman before.

Did he like that she didn’t want him like he wanted her? No. But he could live with it because he knew sooner that would all change. He badly wanted to bed her but he didn’'t want a one night stand or a short-term relationship. He desired more than that.

Ashley was the woman who would and could change him for the better. Finally, he found that someone who would give his life a direction just like what his parents wanted. He was not denying that he just wanted to bed her when he first saw her but seeing her in the cafe had also aroused a lot of feelings inside him which were hard to define. He got really jealous of Dale and the man she came with yesterday. He didn’t ike men looking at her. He never cared about rivals before. He bedded beautiful women then left them once his s*xual appetite was satisfied. That was his game before but that had changed. He made a 180 degree turn when he saw her. He even smacked Dale in the parking lot near the café where he met Ashely. He thought he had something going on with her.

(FLASHBACK)

"Sh*t dude! What's that for?!" his friend asked with his eyes wide while his hand was on his tummy.

He grabbed him by his collar while Seth and Andy were just quiet while looking on. They didn’t want to interfere. He had a black belt on martial arts . He had beaten the three of them in the past when he discovered that they were hooked on illegal drugs. He may be a bad*ss, a womanizer and occasionally smoked or drank alcohol but one thing he didn’t do was drugs . He warned them that if they won’t stop their vice, he would tell their parents or worse bring them in to the police. He used to be involved in brawls when he lived in the United States. Before things got worse, his father decided to send him back to the Philippines after high school. He finished a degree in business and was finally able to go back to LA once in a while to do some modelling.

"Why the f*ck were you holding her hand?! Are you wooing her? Do you like her? Answer me!" He demanded. He was about to hit him again but Dale raised his hands in surrender.

"No dude! None of the above! We were schoolmates in high school! That’s just it!" He quickly ran behind his car.

He on the other hand, kicked the tire rim of the car.” Don’t mess with me Dale! You know what I will do to you if you f*ck with me! I don't want to see you near her!" he said in a bone-chilling voice.

Yesterday, he almost strangled the man she was with . He saw him got out of the cafe and followed him. When he had the chance, he did choke hold on him. He put enough pressure to stop him from moving. If he pressed harder, the *sshole could lose consciousness.

"W-What do you want?!” the man asked fearfully.

"Why the f*ck are you with Ashley? Are you into a relationship with her?!" He asked through clenched teeth.

“N-No! She is my ex’s friend. I just drove her here because she hates driving long distance. “

He put more pressure on his neck." Are you telling the truth?!" he asked.

"Y-Yes! I can prove it! Go check my phone. I have a lot of photos with my ex.

After seeing the pictures and realized that he was not lying, he let him go.

"Leave! I will bring her home by myself! Don’t tell a soul about what happened today or I swear, I will hurt you badly! Google me! I am Jett Miranda Alejandre in case you don’t know me! Don't dare mess with me!" he said before hitting him on the face. "This will be the last time you will be near her!"

(At the moment)

Ashley raised one brow. "What's this Mr.Alejandre? Do you have a pictorial here? Where is your crew?" she asked.

Jett’s smile widened and he started to move forward to her. He handed her the flowers then shook his head from left to right.

"I have no pictorial, Love. Actually I am thinking of ending my contract with IRM. I am planning to not renew my contract in the US because I will stop modelling." he said which left her speechless.

(Last night)

(Jett)

He met Luis and Rina at the hotel’s bar after seeing Ashley in her room.

“ Err.. Jettie, according to Ashley she doesn’t like male models since they can’t be loyal to any female. I think you have a problem, my dear!” Rina said with a shake of her head.

He narrowed his eyes before sipping his booze.

"I don't think your charms will work this time cuzz. She is unlike the usual women you date." Luis commented.

He leaned on his seat as he swirled his drink in the glass. "There is no way I will let that happen. I will strangle her first before she becomes like them." he said seriously.

"Jettie! Don't say such a morbid thing!" came Rina’s shocked voice.

He finished his drink with one gulp before putting the glass down on the table with a thud.

"You know me. I am not just saying it. I will do it! And if she doesn't like male models then I guess it’s high time I accept my father’s offer. I will help him with the family business in the US. I am getting bored with modelling anyway." He said before rising from the chair.

Luis and Rina exchanged glances. What he said was probably hard for them to believe.

"Good night guys. Remember that Ashley is mine tomorrow. Enjoy the honeymoon cruise." He added.

He gifted then with the cruise in exchange for what they did to make Ashley stay in the resort longer. He wanted her for himself for a few days.

(End of flashback)

"And don't call me Mr.Alejandre because I am officially wooing you now ." he said while still grinning from ear to ear.

Ashley blinked a few times because what he just said was a bit difficult to absorb. She found that hard to believe. She was betting her professional fee for today that Jett had never wooed any female in his life .She knew he would say and do anything to get inside her panty. She almost snorted with that thought.

She didn’t get the flowers but instead say, “ Excuse me Mr. Alejandre, I am in a hurry! I have no time for your games!” She made a move to go past him but he blocked her way.

"Please Love get these. I had them picked especially for you." he coaxed while handing her the flowers again.

She shook her head then sighed before glaring at him. She had a feeling that he would insist so she might as well take them.

“Now move! I need to go downstairs!" She rasped after taking the flowers.

" How about breakfast first? You turned down my dinner invitation last night. That was the second time, Love."

"N-O!" she retorted before turning to the other direction. She would just use the stairs. She heard him calling her but she ignored him.

She went to the gazebo where they would have the pictorial. She was positioning her tripod with her camera . Anytime now Luis and Rina would come. She was checking her laptop when she got a call from Rina.

"Hello I am in the gazebo waiting for you.” She said, a smile evident in her voice.

"Ash I don't know how to say this but I got an urgent call from home. Can we set the shoot next time? We can do it in the city near your studio. Luis’s company’s driver will pick you up later in the afternoon to bring you home. I am so sorry! “ her voice sounded strained.

She bit her bottom lip. It was not the woman’s fault but she still felt disappointed of course. "No it's okay. I will just take the bus. No need for your driver to come all the way here."

"Are you sure? I am really sorry." the other woman sounded really apologetic.

"It’s okay. I will be fine. Don't send the driver anymore. Just give me a call when you are ready for the pictorial. “ She ended the phone and sighed.

She started putting back her stuff in the bag. "Good luck to me." She murmured to herself.

She saw some rickshaws yesterday near the hotel. She could hire one to bring her to the bus station. She must look for one on foot . It was a good thing that her bag was not that heavy. When she turned around, she let out a sound of surprise.

"Oh God! Are you going to give me a heart attack?" she hissed.

Jett just let out his sexy grin. She walked past him with a heavy frown .

"Where are you going? " he asked.

As expected, ike a flash, he was beside her. She ignored him and just continued walking.

"Love can we have that breakfast now?"

She made a sound of frustration before halting and glare at him. "Can you just please stop this? I am not interested okay? And FYI, I already have a boyfriend! He won't like you or any man pursuing me! You don’t want him getting furious with you!" she said out of exasperation.

She would say any kind of lie just to shoo him. She hoped that she won’t have to produce an instant boyfriend for him to leave her alone. She almost smiled when his grin disappeared and his brows knitted. She wanted to congratulate herself because her lie seemed to have worked. She swallowed a giggle then started to walk again.

What the f*ck?! Rina said she is single! Jett thought angrily.

He almost cussed aloud and grabbed her arm when the clear side of his brain said that she was just probably bluffing. He had to shake his head and sighed heavily to suppress his anger. If he wouldn’t control himself he would kiss her savagely to punish her. Though he felt she was just bluffing, what she said pissed him. He won't allow her to say something like that ever again! But he couldn’t let his true colors surface yet. He didn't want to ruin what he started but he had to make one thing clear with her.

Cursing quietly, he walked after her. "Love wait up. Where are you going?" He pretended not to know where she was heading to.

"Home!" she retorted.

"I can take you home. You can find any kind of public transportation this early." he told her.

Jett talked to senior drivers of the rickshaws early this morning. He gave the drivers $200 each. All they had to do was to not pass by the hotel or anywhere near it from 7 AM to 2 PM. He told them that his girlfriend was angry with him and might want to leave the hotel without him so he asked them to do him a favour by doing what he requested. They were more than willing to do it for free but he insisted they take the money. They even wished him luck.

What he said made Ashley halt. ett was talking nonsense. She knew what she saw yesterday . There were more than 10 rickshaws waiting for passengers. She was about to say her thought when he spoke again.

"I think they have their annual event in the town today. Well if you are willing to wait for one for God knows how long then suit yourself Love . But it is best you just let me give you a ride. I promise that you will get home safe and sound in no time.”

She was looking at him with her eyes narrowed. Can she trust him? She was worried that he might do something to her. A pervert like Jett was hard to trust.

"I am actually harmless Love. I won't do anything you don't want me to do. And one more thing, I am your suitor right? I won’t do anything to break your trust” he said with a knowing smile.

She shook her head in disbelief. She didn’t remember giving him a go signal to start courting her.

"I don't want anything bad happening to you and you are safer with me. I heard that the other day one woman was mugged a few meters from the hotel…"