Red Rhythm: His Sweet Obsession

8

● AUTHOR'S POV

"What are you thinking?" Xanthos tenderly questioned, whispering close to Ava's ear as he was now back beside her.

Xanthos had noticed how suddenly Ava's shoulders dropped, and her eyes lost their usual sparkle, he excused himself to come stand beside her, as his mind was a little distort over what might have happened, that made Ava brood over it with such transparency.

Ava unconsciously flinched a little, as she; troubled by her little realisation, didn't even notice when Xanthos excused himself and walked over to her.

She raised her eyes to meet the green ones gazing intently at her. She wanted to question why he would risk her life brining her to a gathering guesting the ones he had initially warned her about, but she still wasn't sure if her assumption was correct, though she knew she wasn't entirely mistaken about it.

Before the conversation could go on further, a hand came slowly sliding down Xanthos' arm. The nails were long and painted white, the fingers adorned with white-gold rings.

Xanthos looked beside him and Ava's eyes followed his gaze. A woman appeared from beside him, dressed in a dark green spaghetti-straps velvet dress with a side slit. She had her dark blonde hair in a stylish updo with a few strands sticking out on purpose, and a delicate diamond necklace gracing her neck, paired with matching earrings.

Her dark grey eyes stared at Xanthos as she gave him a lopsided smirk.

"Forgetting something?" the woman dressed in dark green said, as she raised a brow and focused her attention on Xanthos.

"An old habit of his, won't you agree?" another voice came and the owner of it followed, clicking her heels as she appeared before Xanthos and Ava, from behind the woman dressed in the green velvet dress.

The woman who had just appeared was dressed in an all red V-neck floor length gown, with her cleavage peeking through and her hair reaching way below her shoulders. She was the same woman who had been bad-mouthing Ava a minute ago, and Ava had recognised her almost immediately.

She had brown hair, and brown eyes; that she didn't even spare Ava a single glance from.

"I always wonder, why I'm constantly at fault in both you ladies' eyes." Xanthos commented with a sinister smirk gracing his devilish face.

Taking Ava by her waist, he shifted her attention to the woman in the green velvet dress. "Ava, meet my soon to be business associate. She will be directing the first clothing launch in our fashion line, once it's all set and ready to enter the fashion world." Xanthos said, as a polite smile now replaced his earlier diabolical smirk. "You can call her Frida, Miss Frida Kahlo." Xanthos introduced, only to get slapped on the arm by the lady in green.

"Here I thought for once I was getting a decent introduction." the woman dressed in green complained, and Xanthos responded with a naughty smile.

"I am Frida Gillano, it is a pleasure meeting you Ava." the lady in the velvet dress introduced herself as she leaned in to give Ava a quick side-hug, which Ava returned.

Ava felt as if the last name sounded a bit familiar to her ears, and her brows rose slightly as she remembered where she had heard it before.

"I see you've already met Hullio." Frida said noticing Ava's expressions. "He is my cousin brother and a close friend of Xanthos'. I had anticipated you both must have been introduced to each other by now." Frida explained and Ava gave a small nod in response.

"I am Ava Reed, Miss Gillano. A waitress at one of the clubs Mr. Aldine owns." Ava replied smiling, but her introduction made an indistinct awkwardness seep into the air.