On His Terms

○×9:silly rules & contracts○×

<Rip out his ego with your fresh nails>

|Jadesola|

"SIR, SHE'S here now. Miss Jade, meet Mr. Kian---"

And Alice's voice faded away as I stared fixedly at the person on whom all my infernal thoughts of pure hatred were focused solely on. I didn't even know when Alice left, the door a muted click. Perhaps, she had realized that she was talking to a deaf statue.

Apart from the afternoon sunlight streaming into the room, courtesy of the huge glass window behind Kian, and highlighting the awards on the shelf and high tech gadgets by the left corner of the room and the lush sofas by the right, the office was austere. A hostile surrounding muted in grey and ash tones, the place gave off unfriendly vibes, same as its owner who was located in the middle of it all.

He looked up, pen halted midway and then he stood, the harsh bulbs above setting dark forbidding shadows beneath his roguish brow.

The air became rife with a tension so thick I could cut a slab out.

I regarded him through wary eyes. Back in the casino, I hadn't had enough time to scrutinize him--coupled with the casino's dim lighting and the fact that I was angry. But now, I had the chance to.

Tall and broad shouldered, his white shirt clung to the muscles of his defined chest, a glimpse of golden skin peeking behind his unbuttoned, rumpled collar and even though it pained me to admit, the man was drop dead gorgeous, a lady killer.

Impossibly handsome, those stunning deep blue eyes gazed at me, dark lashes fanning his high cheekbones. His striking face seemed to be molded from granite, his sensuous lips, a rosy hue, and his jaw, a perfect chiseled line. His hair was ruffled, as though he'd repeatedly ran his fingers through the blonde strands, adding to the charm he already possessed.

Kian's upper lip curled in amusement, right eyebrow slanted, probably waiting for who would speak up first. His rigid stance reminded me of a jungle cat I'd seen while on a zoo excursion. The confined cat had been prowling in its cage, muscles bunched stiff as it growled at us, amber eyes shining with an unholy light. And like that cat, Kian appeared the same, except that he was free to roam the earth. But he was just as ruthless, wicked, arrogant power coiled tightly within him and in one misstep, just one misstep, he would spring up, intent on mauling the poor soul who dared to cross him, flaying him to death with his razor-sharp claws.

I had a vague feeling that I was that poor soul.

As I stared at him, he stared back at me, cold, azure, penetrating eyes glittering with a hard unidentified emotion.

He slid his eyes slowly across my slim form, choosing to linger at some certain areas. I could feel the intensity of his gaze, like the feverish, passionate caress of an experienced lover. For a moment, I struggled within me, a shudder threatening to take hold of my body.

"Sorry, I seem to have forgotten my manners. Pardon me." His voice was like silk, satiny velvet dipped in warm, melted honey. A tiny tug of awareness unfurled in the depth of my belly.

I didn't respond, instead I hiked my chin a notch up. Despite the fact we were in his office, he wasn't the boss here, I was.

He noticed my aversion and smiled, dimples deepening a slash in his cheeks.

You're not affected, Jadesola. You can never be affected and even as I repeated that mantra non-stop in my head, I had to hold in my breath at that single captivating action.

"Afternoon, Miss Jade-so-la Any-ale-we---"

I cut him off, the bastard didn't even know how to pronounce my name, "Don't bite your tongue trying to pronounce my name. It's Jah-de-sho-la Ah-nyiah-lay-way-chi. Ch as in church." I articulated the syllables, talking ever so slowly, like I would do if I was talking to a kid or a dumb person, then shrugged, "but if it's too hard for you, you can just call me Jah-de."