C11 Desire

Adrian's POV

Loosing the knot of my tie, I paced around my office. My jaw clenched and unclenched, fists shook to destroy something; my vision turned red.

How dare that leech come into my office building and abuse one of my employees! And then he dared try to hit Sofia! My Sofia!

Fucking criminal bastard!

My entire frame shook with rage. My hands itched to curl around his throat and…

The thoughts disturbed me. My lips thinned at my own lack of self control.

No! I've handed him over to the police, and made sure he rots behind the cells for the rest of his life. I didn't need to stoop to his standard. I didn't need to behave like a mindless criminal, some dirt of a local gang.

I was not him.

Even the word: criminal, brought a bitter taste in my mouth. But it didn't matter how much I loathed them and didn't want to be one, if he got that unfortunate to touch even a strand of the hair of my Sofia, he would've cursed the day he was born.

Running my hand through my hair at the back of my head, I strode to the small bar situated beside the floor to ceiling window. Adding three cubes of ice in the glass, I poured my regular: Chateau Lafite in it.

Standing before the window, my gaze went outside. The colorful lights of the busy street and the bittersweet taste of the wine helped me soothe the fire of my rage.

I was busy in a meeting when Sasha, my secretary, informed me about the chaos on the first floor. Despite the high security, he somehow managed in through the exit. An acquaintance of his in the security helped him. And that guard got immediate termination after I handled that drunk criminal.

When I reached at the scene, I saw her pushing him away from Emma, the girl that man claimed to be his girlfriend. I saw how no one else had moved from their place to help that girl, but she did, without a second thought.

Though I admired her bravery, it was a complete rash behavior. That man was a murderer and carried a gun with him. He could've hurt her for God's sake! What was she thinking? Even her brother and his secretary stood behind like cowards!

And where were her worthless bodyguards when she decided to go for the rescuing mission endangering herself in the process?

My fingers tightened around the glass as I cursed under my breath. That girl was a trouble. The moment her enticing green eyes met mine at the club, I knew she was gonna be a trouble for me.

A beautiful trouble to say.

Despite my frustration, a warm strange sensation spread across my chest. In my entire life, I hadn't met anyone who could arrest my mind like she had. The moment I set my eyes on her, I knew she was going to give me sleepless nights. And she did.

I didn't know why, but I couldn't stop thinking of her. Even every time when my eyes closed, I saw her beautiful face, her intoxicating green eyes.

Every time I saw her, my hands itched to touch her porcelain skin, skim my nose on her long neck and breathe her in as if she was my oxygen. My mind craved to pull her closer and run my fingers through her wavy chestnut locks. My mouth desired to taste the sweetness of her pink lips, and all the other places she hides under those clothes of hers.

She didn't even need to touch me to make me an addict of her. The defiance and mischievousness in her eyes, her clumsiness, her turning all red whenever she was angry or embarrassed; everything about her pulled me in. I wondered what would happen when I finally would get a taste of her.

After she disappeared that night at the club, I asked Liam about her. But he didn't have any idea about her, he barely knew her friend, Laura, who he met only two times before at that club. So without second thoughts, I contacted David, my ex-personal lawyer.

He thought he was more good at spying than being a lawyer, which I agreed, so he opened a small agency of his own. I wanted to know more about her. One night, one meeting wasn't enough for me. So I hired him to get me her information.

And the strangest thing was, he couldn't find much of her background. For family, she had a mother, a brother and some friends and cousins. That's the most he could dig out of her background. Her father, her education, her full family background, everything was blank. He found nothing.

"It's like someone has wiped out her whole past records from history. Same goes with her family," David had said on the phone last week when he got back with reports.

My brows knitted in thought. She also had bodyguards around her all the time. As if she was in some kind of danger. But what?

While she enticed me like no other, she confused me more than that. It seemed she was hiding something, something that the world shouldn't know. Though her family business had a clean chit didn't mean her past also had to. But whatever it was, I will find out soon.

She was a puzzle I needed to solve.

The buzzing of my phone pulled my attention. Gulping the last sip, I put the glass on my desk and picked up the phone. It was David.

"Tell me."

"What, no hi or hello? You seriously need to learn some manners, Larsen," he said.

"Come to the point, David. You found something new in this case?"

He sighed. "Nothing much. But as you literally ordered me to tell you every little thing, so I called you. She is studying business at a local college. This is her last year."

"I thought you said she barely goes out of her home?"

"She takes online classes. I tried to get some information from her registration by hacking the college computer, but I didn't find anything we didn't already know. Just her father's name, even that's not in full. And it said he was dead."

"Dead?" My brows creased. "Then what's there to be so furtive about it? What's his name?"

"Some L McCommer. He didn't even have a photo on there. I'm telling you, this girl is fishy. Better stay away from her. Why're you so interested in her past anyway?" he queried.

"That's none of your business!" I snapped. "Just do what I gave you money for. You don't have to tell me whose life I should be interested in or not!"

"Alright, alright. Don't put your ass on fire now. I will let you know when I find something more. Have patience till then."

"You better." I cut the call and pinched the bridge of my nose.

When I saw her at Golden Palace, it was easier for David to find out that she was Alex McCommer's sister. The same man whose company's involvement I was about to reject in the NY five-star twin hotel project along Blake Corporation.

Andrew had requested me to give this project to Blake's company to save them from their final downfall. Though I wasn't interested in him or his drowning company, I couldn't deny Andrew. He has been a father figure to me my whole life.

But when that greedy old Blake proposed to involve another company as a debt payment of his, I denied. That day in the meeting, I would've rejected Blake's proposal, but when I got a call from David about her being related to Alex McCommer, I didn't let go of my chance.

Though trusting two drowning companies at a time could bring me loss, I didn't care. If I had to do that again, I would do it.

And her joining her brother's office helped my plans for her. Fate had brought her to me on its own. I still remember the shock she had on her face when she saw me there. And how she had turned all crimson under my gaze. I knew it made her uncomfortable, but I couldn't help it. She sat there like a beautiful angel dressed in a simple dress, which seduced me nonetheless, how could I not stare?

But the more she teased my sanity, the more impatient I grew to know more of her. The secrets she held inside her pestered me. It's like, I didn't have any control on this. And I hated it when I didn't have any control on something.

"What're you hiding, Love?" I murmured, gazing down at the buzzing street.

A knock landed on the door.

"Come in."

"Mr. Larsen, everyone is awaiting you at the conference room," Sasha said, sauntering in.

Her voice filled with sultry huskiness. It amused me before how someone could be so eager to attain someone's attention, even if the person wasn't interested. But it irked me now. If she wasn't efficient in what she did, she would've found herself outside of this office building by now.

Nodding my head, I waved dismissively at her without even turning around. She purred an 'alright sir' before leaving.

A smirk stretched across my lips. This meeting would be a one-sixty degree turn around for everyone.

Be prepared for the surprise, Love.

Outside the conference room, I found my bodyguard and best friend, John, standing with his big structure. With a grim line on his face, arms crossed over his chest, he nodded his head at me. "Hello, boss."

My lips twitched in amusement. "Hello, John. I thought you were going to take the day off for some rest after your flight. By the way, how was your vacation?" I shoved my hands into my pockets.

His lips thinned. "I'm not that fond of my step-mother, you know that."

I shrugged. "At least it's better than roaming around in the Sahara Desert."

He grimaced at his torturous last year's vacation at Sahara. Forced vacation to say.

My uncle hired him as my bodyguard when I was seventeen. And he was twenty-three at that time. Though I didn't like to tag him along with me everywhere, we became good friends after some time.

But with his over protectiveness over me, he sometimes forgot how to behave around me, trying to be a dictator of my every activity. So to remind him who was the boss here, I sent him to forced vacations at the other corners of the world to put him back to his senses. And he was bound to follow my orders. This time, I sent him to Cuba, to his step-mother.

It was for his own good. Being busy in keeping an eye on me all the time, he didn't give enough time to his family. But it seemed like he didn't appreciate my kindness.

"I'm not going on another vacation this year," he said in a determined tone, raising his chin.

Tilting my head, I quirked my brow at him. And his chin went down slowly.

"I got my lesson clearly." He huffed.

Nodding in satisfaction, I slapped onto his shoulder. "Then it's all good between us."

Sending him a wink, I entered the meeting room.

"But this was nowhere in the deal!" Alex McCommer objected.

Beside him, Sofia sat stunned. Same went with the rest of the people who attended today's meeting. Just Alexander Blake was missing. His manager showed up instead. Apparently, at seventy, that bastard was busy in his honeymoon with his fifth wife.

I checked my watch and looked up at everyone. "It is there now. I make the rules, Mr. McCommer. Don't forget that." My tone bore warning. "And this is for the well-being of both of us and Blake Corporation. As everyone already knows, those past years weren't good for your and Mr. Blake's company. No one knows if it was the fault of the owners or the workers. At my uncle's request, I agreed to work with Blake Corporation, and then MR Industries. But I don't want to take any risks. I want to monitor everyone's work closely. So from now on, the groups who're working in this project in both Blake Corporation and MR Industries, will work from here. Under my observation. At least for a time being."

Her being so far away in their office, and seeing her for only a few minutes of my visit there from time to time, wasn't enough for me. I needed her here. Close to me.

"It's a big responsibility, Mr. McCommer. I hope you understand. I don't want to take any risks with it. It's just a matter of some time until I believe that your employees are working on this project as hard and as efficiently as I want. And my team will also help them. So I don't think there should be an issue?" I watched him, daring him to say no.

He glanced at Blake's manager, and he nodded at him. Seeing no way of objection, he agreed with visible hesitation. "When should they start?"

"From today." I could feel her glare in my way, but I held myself back from looking at her. "Good things shouldn't be belated." Standing up, I buttoned up my suit jacket.

At motioning Sasha, she handed me the list I made her prepare.

"Here is the list of the people I want to work with on this project. I know you chose your bests, but I want more than just best on it. I didn't change everything about your plan though, don't worry. Just removed some people and added some new, more experienced ones."

Alex McCommer's lips pressed tight. Definitely wasn't appreciating my meddling. But he didn't have any choice but to agree with my demands. The work on this project hadn't started yet, so I could pull my hands from the deal anytime I wanted if I wasn't pleased enough. And both of their companies definitely didn't want that.

Alex took the list and his facial expression turned more twisted. Casting a glance at his confused sister, he slowly passed it to others.

I checked my watch again. Five minutes till the meeting with Arabs.

"I want each of the people listed in this list within two hours in this building and start working ASAP! Now if you all will excuse me, everyone! I've another meeting to catch. Have a good day!" With that I walked out, leaving everyone in bafflement.

Though I was tempted to see her expression after she found her name at the top of that list, I wanted to keep the fun for later.

I could already imagine her flaming red cheeks and burning green eyes.

A silent chuckle left my mouth.

The game just started, Love. Sit tight and be ready. There is a lot more to come.