Belinda Gibson is knee deep in debt and on the run from a loan shark who would do anything to get his hands on his money, even if it mean threatening her with the safety of her younger sister.
Just when Belinda loses all hopes of ever repaying this...
Belinda couldn't move, even if she wanted to. She was caught like a deer in a headlight as she watched him watch her.
At first, his gaze landed on the clothes on her body with confusion, before his brown eyes narrowed. Bringing his dark brows closer together and his wide sensual lips moving slightly to the left.
Belinda clutched her tray until her knuckles were almost white, lowering her gaze. Her face flush with embarrassment at what she saw there.
The flicker of surprise that had appeared briefly in his eyes before it was gone. Consumed into nothingness.
Hanging her head, Belinda took huge giant steps to get away from him, fast. She was practically hugging her tray. Well aware of him standing there immobile, less than a hundred centimeters from the table his friends occupied.
Of his tall frame as she walked past him with a tension filled heart.
"We need to talk." He caught her arm, stalling her. His face was harsh as he looked at her. And the grin which had made his eyes look earnest before was now replaced by a ferocious scowl. His eyes dark.
He looked far different from the young man he once used to be. Then, his face had always been warm and inviting, but now he looked more like a necromancer who's been charged to take her to hell. The thought made her shiver.
They were standing so close to each other. So close, their bodies were almost touching. And she began to notice the fuzzy feeling that circled her heart at the touch of his hand on her arm. And the tiny butterflies that danced in the pit of her belly. Her face colored like she was harboring a flame in her mouth. His intent dark eyes, not missing a thing.
Belinda bit her lips. What was wrong with her? Why was she behaving like this? Does it mean she was still attracted to him?
Without warning Stavros' hand tightened slightly on her arm as though to remind her, he was still expecting an answer, and her gaze skittered to his face and then fell around them as she noticed they were attracting a lot of attention.
Stavros' friends had dropped whatever they were doing and were now watching them with apparent curiosity. Especially Hugo, who was leaning forward in his chair, his eyes narrowed. While a few of her fellow servers gave her the eyes. Especially the women. Obviously, thinking she had scored a big deal. Only if they knew.
Her gaze returned to Stavros, who was patiently waiting for an answer, and she said, "I'm not sure, I have anything to say to you, Stavros."
"Are you sure about that?" he replied very calmly. And then without batting an eye said, "I'm sure we have a lot to say to each other, Bee." His voice was rough. "For example, why you are dressed like this?"
The way he said it, and the look he leveled on her dress as though he detested it, made Belinda feel humiliated. Because Stavros was the one person who she would rather not want for him to see her like this. She had boasted to him before, with her family's wealth and had insulted him with the money they had and now... and now...
Belinda bit her lips. What was he trying to do? Was he trying to point out just how different their situations were now?
Lifting her chin, she gazed into those dark eyes which were still pinned on her, and bit out, "Screw you." Snatching her hand away, she left without waiting to see what his reaction would be.
Belinda wasn't as composed as she would have liked to be. Her hands were almost trembling under the tray as she walked down the path, aware of the open stares, of the curiosity.
Gritting her teeth, she forged ahead. Belinda hadn't taken more than twenty-five steps when Stavros appeared from the shadows. Grabbing her wrist, he pulled her several feet to the side. Her tray toppled over and fell.
Next thing she knew, her back was flat on a wall, Stavros caging her.
"What are you doing?" Belinda managed between breath.
Stavros was still holding one of her hands, and he was standing very close, too close for comfort. She could smell his cologne. "What are you doing here?" He rasped out.
"What do you mean by what am I doing here? Isn't this place a public place?" Then her eyes landed on the broken glasses on the grass,, and she gasped and tried to extricate her hand from his grip. He tightened his hold.
"Don't play games with me, Belinda. You know what I mean? Why are you dressed like this? Are you working here?" He genuinely looked confused.
For a fleeting second, Belinda felt that he cared. But what sort of game was he playing with her? What did he mean by why was she working here? Was there anyone who lived in Chicago who didn't know of what had befallen the Gibson family?
Still searching his face for any sign of what he might be feeling.
The answer suddenly struck. Stavros had left their employ right before her family's disaster. Could it be he didn't know?
His hold had loosened on her wrist, and for a moment Belinda caught a glimpse of the Stavros he used to be. The one who was always willing to take her pain away. The one who was always willing to listen.
He wouldn't be like that when he learns of what had happened to her family. Especially since she had made fun of him with their wealth. She knew that from experience. So with that, she turned her head away and said bitterly,
"It's none of your business."
His expression tightened, and he leaned away from her. Turning his back to her.
"Wait," Belinda called as he was about to go. Stavros paused and turned his handsome dark head, his gaze flickering to the shattered glasses briefly before it returned to her. "I will reimburse you for your glasses."
"That's not why I stopped you."
His brow rose an inch, but he remained silent.
Belinda swallowed a lump. Preparing to ask him the question, which had been hovering round her mind since she saw him. No matter how hard she tried, she couldn't wrap her head around it. "Are you really friends with the Gonzalez family? Are you — suddenly rich?"
"Why," he murmured darkly. "Were you hoping I would remain poor forever so you and your family would trample on me?" His mood has changed now. It was bitter.
He took one step towards her, and Belinda took one back. "Are you suddenly afraid that I have amassed so much wealth? Well, you should be," he spat.
And for the first time, Belinda saw behind the walls of the emotion he had been trying so hard to hide, and got a hint that he might be harboring some resentment towards her.
Was he hurt she had said all those things to him back then? Well, she was hurt. He had played with her feelings too!
Belinda let out a bitter laugh and spat, "You deserve everything you got. You cheater."
In a blink of an eye, he was standing in front of her, his hands caging her on the wall. "Mind what you say to me, Bee," he growled. "You are in no position to state your opinions out loud."
The anger in his face somehow only made her lips to stretch into a smile. And for the briefest of seconds, his gaze rested on her lips and she saw desire there. But then he blinked and frowned, and before Belinda even thought to comprehend what she had seen. He was gone.
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