Joy burst inside her the moment Nicholas took her into his arms. But at the same time, her guilt and remorse returned when she realized that she had gotten her way, making him yield. 

"I'm sorry for being intrusive," ashamed, she dropped her head and hid on the crook of his neck. 

Nicholas held her tighter and murmured over her head. "You have nothing to apologize for. What you wanted to know was only natural and I should be grateful about that, instead, I overreacted a lot." 

He didn't have the right to pursue her nor touch a strand of her hair while he offhandedly assumes no responsibility. She was not the kind who would lightly take relationships for the sake of experimenting. 

"Nikki, you don't have to force yourself for my sake." 

"It's not that I didn't have the intention to tell you, it's just that I judged that the time we spent together was too brief to offer me some sort of comfort that you will not run away the moment you realize who I am." He said lightly. 

Sena made a muffled reply, "You make it sound as if knowing you is such a bad decision."

She felt him tense up before sliding his hand soothingly up and down on her back. "I'm hoping it won't be for you after this." The next moment when he spoke, there was hesitation between sentences as though he was struggling to articulate what he was trying to tell her. "Actually I was hesitant to bet whether the person you liked was only Nicholas Aiguille on the surface. I'm not as clean and polished as you saw in magazines." He paused purposefully, waiting for her to look at him. When she did, he spoke firmly. "Sena, I have killed people more than I can count and it's not for any patriotic or glorious reasons."

Her still wet eyes did not waver, suddenly her hand moved and went to his waist bringing him a surprise he never expected. At this moment he knew that he had chosen the right thing when he made up his mind to chase after her lonely back. 

"Those people," she said in a low voice. "They're not anyone who doesn't deserve it either, are they?" 

He smiled faintly, his heart elated by her logic to cover up for him. "Yes, they're not. I wouldn't have done to them what they haven't done to me."

Nicholas tipped her chin up and wiped the remaining wetness on her cheeks. "You know, my grandfather would be delighted to meet you, I'm almost certain he would force his aching knees to cooperate once he finds out you like fishing. And my parents? They would probably make every excuse to make you stay the moment I bring you home."

She makes him so happy he wished he could put her on his palms and show her off to the people dear to him. 

Sena embarrassedly looked away. As for why he did not mention his grandmother and his uncle who never missed the media's attention, Sena did not want to pry further. Instead, she urged him to the nearest bench to enjoy the nighttime view of the city below. 

A while later he spoke again. "My uncle Luca, dad's little brother, was the one with the adventurous bones in him. It was he who taught me how to play a lot from skiing to skydiving. He would always put away his work to find time for us to go out. Grandmother had always been a gentle and well-mannered woman, she used to bake me cookies whenever I returned from boarding school." 

He must have liked them a lot but she had sensed warning flags the moment he used past tense when describing them. He was silently telling her that the relationship was no longer as warm as he enumerated. 

"I always thought that our family was different from the rest," he said bitterly. "In the big leagues, whether you are a relative or a friend your worth will always be measured by profit. I naively assumed that we had the best of relationships, even if all else fails family has your back. The ancestor's teachings had always been to watch out for each other. It wasn't until I caught my little uncle secretly ordering people to cut my bungee rope that I was slapped by reality. When the odds were stacked against him he attempted suicide to force the family to forgive him but he failed and ended up what he is today. Funny thing was, grandmother thought I was the reason for all of it."  

It was the casual tone that made Sena's throat ache with tears she couldn't shed. His own uncle and grandmother… two people closest to him have given him love and heartache at the same time. 

"The cookies stopped. My grandmother, she never looked at me since," Nicholas added with a shrug. 

As if the issue never bothered him anymore nor was his grandmother's indifference. She felt sad for him.  

The conversation was too heavy and Sena was dying to find a chance to extricate them both from this painful topic. She asked for this and yet she couldn't bear to let him go on for fear of peeling more of his scars. After a moment's thought, she remembered a playful way to change the mood. "Uhm, Roger was saying something earlier… about me."

Nicholas noticed her effort and felt the bitter corners in his heart ease a lot.

She continued. "He seemed to know me a long time ago and it appears that you— if you don't mind, would you like to clarify?"

Nicholas lifted a brow looking at her half tensed and half wary that it made her laugh. 

"Are you sure about this?"

She remained firm. "For my peace of mind."

He gave a long, suffering sigh before giving her another look quietly saying: You asked for it.

"Roger was talking about three years ago." He started and she could hint a smile from his tone. "The business we were working on went from sugar to shit that we had no choice but to lay low." 

She guessed that it might not be the usual boardroom kind of business but the one deep in the trenches. When he told her he wasn't a good person, she accepted what might come next. His admittance about his other occupation revealed just enough to satisfy her curiosity. It was a matter of safety.

"In order not to be detected, we had to hide in a cramped room infested with roaches in one of those unsavoury areas. You know those places offering cheap entertainment and an even fairer deal of crime. Anyway, you get the drift, the environment was so bleak the only thing that gave light to that dreary place was a single billboard." 

"Well, that wasn't so bad. Do go on." She coaxed softly expecting some great story behind it. 

Nicholas was helpless when it came to that smile. He groaned. "You make me feel even more guilty about this."

"Why?"

"It's because the first time I saw you, I was shooting a man's head." 

The angel on the billboard with hypnotic hazel eyes gazed at him and seemed to see right through his black soul. 

He glanced at the girl he likes and read her emotions in her widened eyes, open mouth and overall silly appearance. He wanted to kick himself for talking like an ass but come to think of it, he wasn't really some sort of an expert when it comes to revelations. He was so easily coaxed especially when she was sweetly asking for it. Curse Roger for his big mouth. He could have kept that secret to his grave along with the other truths like groggily swearing to hunt and marry the girl if he made it out there alive.  

"Scared?" He chuckled, brought her hand up and bit her finger playfully. Nicholas then shifted his hold facing her towards him. 

"N-No. Not really." She choked a little. 

His hand moved to her spine drawing her closer, his gaze fixed on her mouth and he bent his head. "Are you sure?"

Sena nodded her head looking into his eyes.

He was a little nervous that he might be scaring her but seeing her response he knew he would never regret this decision. Nicholas slanted his head, his mouth gently touched hers. A light touch at first then it began moving lazily from corner to corner. Tracing the shape, exploring every contour and texture of her lips with inexplicable warmth and moistness that made both of them drown. 

"If you have anything more to ask," he said huskily. A hungry offensive followed. Nicholas deepened the kiss persistently stroking his mouth over hers. His hand tightened possessively as his tongue made a foray on her mouth, gently probing. "Just ask me, I'll answer anything."  

Sena's face heated up as her pulse soared. Nicholas gently touched the curve of her back and languorously held her nape, the soft curls of her hair teasing his fingers. When her lips parted for a breath, he slid in his tongue to fully enjoy the sensation of the kiss. Sena shivered and opened her mouth to return his ardour.

She heard him hiss. Surprisingly, her enthusiastic response made him stop abruptly. Instead, he pressed a kiss on her forehead and whispered, "I appreciate the gesture but we're outside right now." Touching his lips to her cheek he added, "You know the effect you have on me, right hon?"

She just stared at him, still dazed from the kiss. 

The innocent look made him almost lose it. Nicholas had to press down the evil in him. Sometimes she acts too mature for her age but sometimes, there is this moment when she resembles a clueless lamb who happily follows when she's about to be eaten. It made him yearn to tease her more. Fortunately, he managed to dig up the topic about his blasted favourite color before things could get out of hand. 

"Green?" She asked doubtfully. 

He nodded, holding her cheek and looking into her eyes. "Hazel to be exact." 

"I think you're making that up," Sena said with a snort. 

"Trust me, I'm not." His thumb slowly rubbed her soft bottom lip. Realizing his subconscious action, he struggled once again to keep himself at bay. It felt so comfortable and natural that he was inwardly amazed. Sena had such a mysterious effect on him be it her presence, her smile or kiss. All of it can bring his mind either comfort or disarray. He should have been wary but for her, he stopped searching for answers. 

He likes this girl too much; he just wants to enjoy every moment with her. 

When his thumb got caught in between her teeth. His restraint snapped. He pulled her again and his tongue plunged into her mouth with intense heat. The kiss went wild. Sena pressed her body closer to him, kissing him back and wrapping her arms around his neck. 

After Nicholas pulled his mouth away from her, lust was raging all over his body slowly eating away his reason. Thankfully, they were out in the open and an hour away from home. He had to swallow several times and hoped for the night breeze to do its part by cooling his body. But the tiny devil in his head whispered: Roger's cabin is only a few steps away. 

A very dangerous idea. He gave himself a mental shake. 

"Miss?" The call from uncle Jess behind woke them. 

The two broke away in a startle like two problem children about to set fire in the backyard but got caught by the principal. 

 

Sena had no idea how she made it home with her face flushed like a cooked lobster and the embarrassment of being caught. Uncle Jess and the others did not mention the affair but she rather hoped they would than just silently look at her with smiles on their faces. 

When April opened the door, she saw her shoulders slumped. She fussed over her so much she thought her boss suffered outside and was about to take out the kitchen knives. Her genuinely concerned face stabbed Sena with guilt. 

"I'm alright, just…" her words hang. 

Dumpling, who sensed his mama returning, came to the rescue. He rushed straight up mewling like an angry child throwing a fit after being left alone in the house. The kitten pawed her jeans and circled her legs a few times she almost tripped. 

"Naughty baby!" Sena picked him up by the scruff and poked his wet nose. "Fatty." 

April scratched her head then suddenly remembered something. "I picked mail from the concierge earlier." 

She fished one envelope from the table and handed it to her boss. Sena raised an eyebrow, it was an invitation for the Chartreuse Gala, an annual charity event in Asia organized by the Darlian Institute for Children. The affair was launched several decades ago for the affluent housewives and ladies to raise money for the scholarship of the talented but less fortunate children.  

Today it has grown into a dazzling event where the attendees of any family would receive high recognition in the society from receiving an invitation. Sena flipped the light green envelope impassively and recalled Mr Luz's call earlier. Sure enough, they would come to her again when they needed her help. Brushing through social media, a certain dedicated blogger posted another brain dead article speculating about Maya Luz’s attendance. 

Balls, she might have to deal with this again. 

But tomorrow came and the expectation did not happen. As soon as she came down the stairs, April rushed to her side holding her phone.

"Boss, look! You're on the hot search." 

Sena who was still half-dreaming and half awake walked towards the sofa like a level 1 zombie. She barely slept last night thinking about what happened. On this new day, she officially graduated from her No Boyfriend Since Birth degree and the one who handed the diploma is just in another unit probably eating breakfast.

April went to the dining table to fetch her mug of coffee. The scent wafted drilling on her nose and slowly did its job by awakening her sluggish cells. 

"Hot search…" How on earth did she end up there?

April plopped beside her and showed the screen. She took her first sip and glanced at it, the rankings on the hot search are as follows.

1. #SenaLaBella 
2. #Chartreuse Gala Invitation List
3. #Sena In 4th Street
4. #senaerdeplatinumhair

"I don't think I'm liking this…" she groaned, taking another sip.

Someone else is also not liking the trending topics more than she does.