Though aside from that, a more intense gaze radiating beside him is given to me.

My last night's monster.

It is time for the welcoming of the guests. He looked untroubled from anything. I bet he had a good sleep last night. It wasn't the time to raise a glass yet but I raise it, making Luther glance graver.

And yes, I am annoying him. Just a little to get back at him about last night.

"He hasn't called for a toast yet" German, aware of my actions, whispered. I just shrugged my shoulders and consumed the wine in one shot.

My throat got dry. I am thirsty.

Then here with me is a glass of wine.

I shifted my eyes in hope of something that's worth my time. Yet saw the same bizarre.

Mrs. Hontevioss consistent watch is quite offending for someone who loathes admiration, so I snatched German's wine and raised it to her instead.

"Cheers, madame?"

She gaily chortled as she realize she's been caught. "Forgive me for I am just in awe."

"I'm an awful person, madame. Your awe should be for someone that is not flouting," I dissented with still curt respect.

She was very ready to pitch a dispute but the leaning of his husband on her ears made her part her lips. She smiled back at me but there was hidden gloom with the way it stretched.

I just curtly nodded and tore my eyes to again ridicule the darkly shining stars above. But this time, it wasn't Luther's eyes that were fixed on me, it was the other man's vulgar staring that's jarring onto me.

Though I am sure his orbs held more prowess than mine, I repaid his casual staring with my usual gaze. The vigor and hostility in his eyes were too rough to be long stared at and the longer you stay, the higher chance you'll feel undeserving of it. My nails found a hobby, they are now tickling my glass. How can a man be built with so much favor...

Valorous. One adjective to suit him.

My insides almost shuddered when he gave his gaze a bolt of unidentified intensity I have never ever witnessed before.

Wondering what the man is looking at, his woman got too intuitive to look for me. I maintained my usual poker face as I read some emotions in her eyes.

What a lovesick girl.

I played a scene in my head. A scenario of him breaking her hard on some sort of office table due to her delicate plea. And I am just sure why I had thought of that in the middle of my sudden and drastic disdain of him.

He appears like a walking predator.

I have also heard he is a bachelor and indeed his aura seemed to destroy things... people. In every way possible. And right now, with the rigidity of his body and the callous of his stare, I felt like I have offended hell for getting his attention.

It is very easy to abhor him. In fact, he has already checkmated all the red flags in my mind.

"It is a dark evening... but a warm night. How is everyone's night?" Luther paused to wander his eyes at our table, acknowledging Mr. Victor's presence.

I didn't even blink the moment his eyes meet mine again. He's caused me a lot last night, this night will not be the same for him. It is unfortunate for him because I am a lot more barbaric than him.

"It has been a very long time since Victor has been our business paragon, but tonight is extra special because this man right here, will finally be declaring his position to lead his father's business together with our dear organization! Cheers to that..."

He smiled like a proud man declaring that. While the man on his side is effortlessly preying everything that's below him, with a dominating aura I couldn't stand. It was like he is a high wall I can't see beyond. Like someone who'll snap out all of my bulls. Someone, I do not want to admit, but is an immediate threat to my eyes.

Claps filled the air and I am growing sick at the very moment of it. With all the blabberings I am not interested in, I rose from my seat and proceeded to walk outside the mansion, but before it, it was nice to snatch a bottle of wine. Leaving the celebrating people inside.

I am not slightly interested in the formality and reason of the event. All these events are just for the showoff.

I walked a trail. The small familiar gate welcomed me. With fresh air enveloping my system, I walked past my motorcycle and proceeded to the bench standing in the middle of the garden, which is surrounded by those healthy evergreen grasses. And of course, the ever-lively and ever-beautiful flowers.

A single light was near the bench so it wasn't absolutely dark here. But also not too bright, so stargazing is definitely beautifully done here.

At least... this part of my childhood remained the same...

Series of flashbacks maimed me.

I fiercely shook them away.

I sat, removed my heels, and placed them down. The cold wind rushed freely on the open place and my body felt it but I refuse to hug myself. The coldness of the night and the tranquility it gives my soul is vagabond.

As they say, I envelop things differently.

What should we call people that loves the cold and barren things?

Looking up, I met those famous glittering stellars, robbed from Elysium and left on outerspace for the earth to see— stars.

The celestial bodies that's been consistent of keeping all the lost souls feel 'home'. Shining even with the darkness surrounding them.

Will I ever shine like those stars above or continue to be the darkness that's surrounding them, I wonder?

I opened the wine and drank directly from the bottle continuously.

If only life would allow me to stargaze all the nights of my life with nothing to worry about, but the rain pouring, that'll stop me from witnessing the brightness of each star...

But it didn't allow me.

I spent silent minutes drinking, sitting, and feeding my eyes with the view before I decided to proceed to the restroom before going back to the mansion.

Someone is there though. It is the woman from earlier, whose body is clasped with that man. I ignored her blunt moment of judging me by her eyes and faced the mirror to fix my hair a little. She continued retouching her makeup and I left her there alone.

Nothing interesting. She should have grabbed my hair.

Then I would gladly bang her eyeballs on the mirror.

Cool.

As I walk back to the table, heads turning and gossiping welcomed themselves at me. And usual, they were too unimportant for me to be bothered.

"I've never seen such a beautiful woman, Luther. You sure have given the world an eyeful blessing. " it is Mrs. Venecca to Luther,  who is now here joining the table together with the other man.

"How hard was it to stray her away from interested men... bachelors and not, for the past years? I bet that's a lot of hard work,"

My father reply something in return but I couldn't hear it from the distance. Mrs. Venecca's voice is just a bit too loud for me to hear it.

And it's not like I want to hear what he just said. For sure, he is again up to stain my name, right?

And I thought I felt a deep gaze fixed on me, but I got it all wrong this time, because suddenly, a woman walked past me and seated just beside the man, holding him in his thigh leisurely.

I noticed how her once nude brown lipstick was changed to a bolder red compared to mine.

These kinds were really indeed easy to foretell.

"Renesmee? You looked so great every time I see you," Luther praised her with a knowing smile he couldn't even give me.

I acted unaffacted.

Renesmee, deeply flattered, smiled and took a sneaky glimpse of me as I sit beside German who is enjoying his own glass of rum.

"You are always so kind to me Mr. Luther. I can sometimes feel that you are treating me as a daughter," she said, giggling in her seat.

It is my first time hearing her voice but I immediately wanted to pull all her tongue out all of a sudden. Why is that?

A familiar scent attacked my nose when someone leaned closer... the only one allowed... just to spew another obvious diversion. "Heard they catered all the expensive cuisines to the party. How about the wine you snatched? Is it good?"

Last time didn't I tell him to take it easy with his obvious diversions?

"Heard expensive foods are tasteless." I played along, a little audible for someone. Hitting another bird wickedly.

Renesmee's upper lips dropped down. I casually sipped on my glass.

"Hmmm, but not the wines." I continued.

"Should we take home? Five bottles for each of us..." and here is German busy whispering.

I grimaced, thinking again how lame his diversion is heading. Aside from his noble principles, German has all the money, we both knew he won't do it. As if he would even steal a penny.

"You're a bandit now?" I probed, sitting myself on the boat he is passionately paddling.

He widely smiled when he scanned my face.

"But those are free-"

Then I flipped his boat. "You are, apparently, not fond of wines."

He gave up with a chortle. "You ended me too fast,"

Their conversation, as well as German's other dirty little urges which we both know he didn't mean, continued until the last tick of wine on my throat.

"On the other hand, we have Vanroe here. Clarisse has always been decided to not marry. I remembered her rejecting all the good and exemplary guys his father had known. You shouldn't really force an already-decided woman, it won't turn out great. " Mrs. Hontevioss turned to me, suddenly involving me in the table's chats. "How about Aesha?"

"What's her view of starting a family or getting married? I glimpsed what happened earlier. Trovez and the young Castiden wanted to hit on her good. And oh, my dear Gestove..." Mrs. Hontevioss narrated at the table. "Luther... don't overpraise my Clarisse as if you don't have your very own gem. My eldest is not the only one enchanting the whole male population. "

Everyone turned to me. All of them are curious, there is only one who seemed to not.

His intense eyes were glued to whatever was in front of him. He is busy with his glass of alcohol. And probably with the circling of his girl's finger on his lap. Unlike us who fancies the wine, the brand of a hardcore whiskey is in his palm.

"The young Flinn has no plans of dating or marrying at the moment." German represented me.

The whole crowd understood. Though Luther has this defiance in his eyes before he traversed them to wholesome darkness.

"I suggest you won't enter her to fix marriage..." Mrs. Venecca vocally suggested. "By the way... about Vanroe, we give our children their freedom to decide."

Just like that, the spotlight is out of me.

"But won't it be enigmatic to marry him to the Vieda's heiress?" he turned to the girl, who smiled proudly at the crowd.

"At the moment, I think my son is still enjoying his bachelor," it is Mr. Hontevioss.

On a skip, the man removed his eyes from his glass. He met his father's eyes.  I saw a slick of slight bewilderment as he acknowledge what he said.

"Are you still not done living a bachelor's life and getting continuously... " Luther asserted playfully. "You should settle a marriage and start a family. I am positive your accounts could cater a dozen or more... spoiled, luxurious, and high-maintenance daughters or sons for a lifetime!"

The heaviest gaze in the room drifted to me but I am already occupied of minding how many shots I have downed. Our eyes locked when I was about to reread the label of wine that is suddenly in front of him.

And once again I felt a critical warning. It was as if he was very near to see beyond my barren orbs. He raised his brow at me, as if a little offended for the long wait of glance back.

Resting bitch face, that's all I could ever give anyone.

Even him.

German grunted painfully on his seat.

That motioned all to turn to him. He only said he feels like having diarrhea. Mrs. Hontevioss then looked a little uncomfortable on the table as she goggled the food.

The celebrant chuckled his evident disinterest and pride. "Mad things such as one mad woman might give me a futile fit. "

Luther's smile faded, now giving the table a sardonic smile and reprimanding eyes. I have memorized him for some things, and this behavior reflected a sudden foul mood.

"Madwoman you say..." he critically butt in.

"How about my daughter?"

German was in the middle of drinking his rum but I didn't expect him to choke and cough so hard.

I pulled my right hand out of the table in case I had to punch his back.

"Didn't know it was this easy to choke you. Should have tipped your nemesis, huh..." I gritted my teeth, just enough for the two of us to hear.

I grabbed out table tissues and wiped out some in his suit because he was still all out coughing.

His coughing slowly stopped after some minute.

"What? Should I batter you now?" I menacingly offered.

"Your speech alternatives... you always had it. " he smiled at me. When he gazed back in front he let out a heartfelt chuckle I couldn't understand what for.

And of course, he'll noticed my puzzlement. "Just shocked by someone's dirty menace. I am fine, Miss,"

"I don't have much interest in rebel daughters. The feud might be thrilling and worthwhile but it outweighs their reasons. Your daughter is that kind, Sir."

I fought the passionate urge to turn the table and strangle the young Hontevioss to death.

How dare he dictate the shallowness of one's reasons...

"I guess I'd decline a Flinn this time,"

And just like that, Luther loosened up. As if a joke, the table chuckled together. Except for Mrs. Hontevioss, me, and German.

Mr. Hontevioss chuckled together with them but I could touch the laced taunting in it.

Mrs. Hontevioss's started throwing me apologetic glances. She snappily breathed and looked away when I caught her.

Is she pitying me?

Cause I don't need it.

"But no one dislikes a Flinn!" Luther, now in a good mood, laughed.

"It is then an honor to be the first one?" The man passionately searched me in the crowd to smirk. "I hope you won't bring me an army for it,"

"Vanroe, darling" her mom softly called.

I remained cold in my seat. Absorbing the meaning of their conversation. Somehow engaged and wanting to utter an opinion of something too.

And for the first time, I unsolicitedly butt in on a conversation.

"As well as it is not arousing to have an asshole who's obviously incapable of mad things." I took off savagely. "I've never seen, even until this night, a man who is actually worthy... of appraisal,"

Vanroe Ahxar Hontèvioss high-priced attention is now fully on me at that. But he is back on a serious facade so I couldn't read him.  Not like he is readable in any way.

"...or even a taste of my madness. " I licked my lips as I cut my speech short, grinning widely at him.

Once again, Mrs. Venecca lightly gasped in her seat at the revived tension.

Again, all eyes were on me. I covered my lips with the wine glass again to notify them that my mouth is currently too busy... and lazy to further elaborate.

And my dear man... followed his eyes on me as I cooly rest my chin on my palm.

"The last project is a bit shady, Luther" Mr. Hontèvioss renewed a conversation as soon as his wife touched his arm.

"The one with cargos of firearms and bombs? Is this about the transaction on the seaport?" Luther seconded.

Then they continued their thing.

I lasted on my seat with their boring topic through drinking wine when German suddenly excused himself. And I, having no genuine companion left,  decided to follow him— not excusing myself from the crowd. He brought his machine gun with him so he is definitely going home now.

"You should get home by now, Miss," he suggested like a traditional oldie when we reached his monster car.

It is still 11:48 in the evening, what's with the rush? I noticed his silent inspection, trying to read me so I shut myself down.

"Are you doing fine? " he swiftly added which made me a little off-guard.

The silent night took part for a few more minutes. I could almost taste its hazard.

I forgot he became a witness of my pitiful self again last night. I do not want to dwell on that anymore. Especially not tonight. I squeezed his muscled shoulder lightly. His guarded eyes darted to it.

"I am always fine. You are talking to Aesha Roxinne, German" I arrogantly announced. A little ridiculed and silly about my bragging but it doesn't show on my face.

I lightly waved my hand and turned back to follow his order, not waiting for his reply anymore. A foolish smile crept my lips.

I've been okay, okay?

Damn, this.

I do not have high tolerance on drinking so even with just drinking wine I can definitely get drunk. But I am not drunk now, just tipsy. My tolerance is not too low to be beaten immediately, but it isn't too high either to not have an effect on my body.

Their guns cannot beat me— but alcohol can.

Isn't that funny?

I am stumbling a little on my feet when I caught Vanroe, going out alone on our left side door. He is tilting his head a bit, darkly immense over something as he fixes his cuffs. With an effortless move of his arm, his watch was set back to place properly. And as if it is me who he is really looking for, he immediately found me.

Hostile... sober eyes straight on my uncomposed and wobbly legs after my flushed face, he is about to get involved with me for something.

I am taking my time bracing myself to watch him walk towards the path I am taking for a war when Renesmee magically appeared to pull him back by the arms. My lips curved on the cliche romance in front of me.

He caught it. And he doesn't look entertained about it. I felt like it made him loathe me more.

Then the feeling is mutual.

Since tonight, you have absolutely been crowned of all my scorn, baby.

"Your mom is looking for you," Renesmee irritatedly tugged more on his arm when she realized our gazes.

"Tell them I am busy with his something,"

Renesmee almost cried hearing his answer.

If I was her, I would have smacked him in the face.

"It's about that transaction you hosted!"

When he gazed at her, as expected, his orbs didn't dart at me anymore.

A dark whistle is suggesting to escape my lips as soon as they are out of my sight. I discouraged it for it would be an effort put to waste.

"What about it?"

Renesmee rolled her eyes up to the heaven when she took a final head turn at me before they left. How foolish.

I reached for the small gate again and drove my motorcycle fast out of the mansion. I forgot my helmet with my last encounter with those shits and I haven't had time looking for one. I haven't even noticed whether German has left the mansion or not.

I am in the middle of the dark road when a speeding and extravagant black jaguar is steadfastly advancing behind me. Alerted that it might be one of those shits again, I overdid my speed limit again to play with them or him or her for a while.

Fool. You cannot beat me even with the wine traveling in my system!

Or that's what I thought.

The fucktard is a better driver than me. The car has skillfully advanced that I had to immediately step on my break when it suddenly made a drastic turn in the middle of the road, almost making me crash into it.

"Damn... " I hissed.

The wine seemed to take a toll on me that all I could do is blink when a straight-from-wild-imagination kind of man suddenly got off the car and walked fast to grope me by the hair.

And smelled my neck.

What. The. Damn. Hell?

His sensual fingers briefly brushed my ears in a way that made me even drunker. I caught how his arms corded powerfully when it tried to take full cover of my nape. The familiar watch I've been staring at earlier descended wrong on a place. And it irked me more realizing how the bold move is suddenly... unfathomably inviting, especially with the whisky on his breath and an expensive musk as his scent.

I gasped at the impulsive movement and in my horror, our silhouette blended with the night as he devoured my lips like it was his!

He suddenly sucked my tongue and maneuver his lips on me like it is a freaking drug. With each expert flick of his searching tongue, I felt heaven and hell combined. Very sinful but too heavenly to resist.

Making me sooner to realize that he has woken up a dark fantasy I didn't thought I had.

His kisses were even more sinful than the whole of my soul!

"Bullshit-" my voice croaked badly when he shifted his talented lips down to my neck.

He groaned in my throat at that.

He breathed a bit, our eyes sealed. His alluring orbs casted me a spell and I got... condemned though with my half-hearted disapproval.

I was out of breath but he... crouched down more to return and meet my damp lips again, sucking on them like a thirsty man, before moving to my ears.

He said no to rebel daughters and mad woman! How can he explain this, huh?

My eyes closed more when he lightly bit my lower lip. I inhaled sharply when his nose fibbed back on the softest part of my neck.

What's that dark ecstasy in his eyes...

And how I can explain mine?

"I just want a taste" his coarse voice lingered in my head and I was too shocked to even respond when suddenly, he removed his hands off me, immediately walked to his car, and disappeared like a lightning—leaving me speechless and at trance.

I felt very exposed.

And what the heck Flinn?