Ugly Ronney: mafia romance [English]

Chapter 12-4

The shower was huge. I could have put my whole family in it, and God knew there were a lot of us. Yeraz had left me alone in my room. He must have been under a waterfall of hot water at that moment, just like me. The paint wasn't sticking to the skin, fortunately. A stream of yellow water flowed down my body and continued its way until it disappeared into the drain.

Was he thinking about me? I imagined things that immediately made me blush. Furious with the desire I felt rising in me, I drove my burning thoughts from my mind. Get your act together. I turned off the water and hurried out of there.

I never imagined myself walking through the room with only a towel around me. My tiny suitcase in front of the huge dressing room was ridiculous. Go away, my conscience screamed at me.

"I can't," I whispered. "I can't just drop everything. Too many people are counting on me."

I lay down on the bed. The mattress seemed to envelop my whole body. I closed my eyes without being able to open them again. The darkness caught me without warning.

I woke up with a start. Shit, my meeting with Camilia! I couldn't see her stern, closed face waiting for me behind her desk, but I could imagine it. I jumped out of bed, tying up my still-wet hair, then threw on my clothes before rushing down the hallway to tumble down the stairs. Ashley appeared in the hall. I stopped dead in my tracks and almost tripped on the last step. Surprised to see me here, she stared at me with beautiful blue eyes that didn't blink.

"Weren't you supposed to be on vacation?"

"Yes, I still am. There was just a problem with Yeraz, and that's it..."

I left my sentence unfinished, but Ashley understood. She turned around and walked towards the kitchen. I decided to follow her, sensing that she wanted to talk to me.

A glance at the big clock, above the door, indicated to me that it was four o'clock in the afternoon. I had still one hour before my meeting with Camilia. Relieved, I let out a small sigh. I put my hands on the island and could finally concentrate on Ashley. Her pale and defeated face pinched my heart.

"Next week is an important week," she said in an emotionless voice. "Many investors from all over the world will be coming to Sheryl Valley to close deals for the next year. Mr. Khan will be meeting with them here, but also at Mr. Saleh's house."

Ashley wanted to talk to me about the many interviews I would be having in the next few days. We talked for about half an hour and then, lowering her voice, she finally brought up the other subject.

"I know it's none of my business, but is there something going on between you and Mr. Khan?"

Even though I was expecting this question, hearing it out loud gave me a strange feeling. Yeraz's words came back to me like an electric shock. I ran my tongue over my braces before answering.

"There's nothing going on, Ashley!"

"But I feel like there's a game going on between you. I... Well, Mr. Khan isn't a man who likes to play games. Yet, with you, he seems different."

"He just likes to push my buttons and I react to every one of his provocations. There's nothing more. You know how he is. He can't have a relationship with a woman. I'm talking about a couple relationship, about feelings."

My assistant shook her head, not convinced by my words.

"He has changed lately."

Her voice was now a whisper. She continued, her eyes staring at her hands.