Destroyed For All Others

Chapter 10 - Christmas Eve Dinner

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Niklaus

"Sorry." One word that takes me back to that fairy-light-lit garden four years ago. She said the same thing to me then. For many months I searched for her. The host of that event had given me a list of all the guests invited that evening. After crossing off the ones I didn't think matched the physical description, the rest of the women were married and acquaintances. The woman in the garden was definitely not someone I knew before that night. I even went through all the women employed for the event as servers and helpers, just in case, but none fit her appearance. Thus I was forced to give up my search. Regardless, that evening was forever seared in my mind, and for months afterward, I would wake up from dreams of that woman. Haunting me.

It seemed almost surreal that I had actually found her, that I was holding her in my arms. I knew without a doubt Allegra was the woman from the garden. Since realizing this, it become more and more obvious as I picked through every piece of that evening. Her height, hair color, eye color, scent, and taste of her were all the same.

The kiss we shared in the elevator has tormented me the entire week. It occupied every free thought and even managed to override moments of concentration at work. A feat in itself, as I never allowed distractions when it came to business. Knowing this and knowing the distraction Allegra was to me, I couldn't resist being around her.

"I'm surprised to see so many people here. I thought more people would spend time with their families this time of year," Allegra says, pulling me back to the present as she looks at me briefly.

"You're here," I say, looking down at her as her eyes once again meet mine. "Don't you have any family?"

"Touche. Aashiv is my only family now," she answers, looking over at the woman she is speaking about as she dances with Ade. Her answer is unusual and not very informative.

"Your parents?" I prompt, fully aware that her lack of elaboration is an indication of her reluctance to divulge anything further, but I ignore it. There was no need for me to even ask as I already knew the answer after having investigated her fully after our meeting at my charity event. However, I wanted her to tell me herself. There was a reason her eyes held sadness—one I wanted to be privy to.

"They died when I was fourteen. Private plane 'freak' accident as it was called in the tabloids." She says this plainly, no doubt used to telling this story, making me wonder at her reluctance in the first place to elaborate.

Her parents were well known in the socialite circles we moved in, their various business endeavors, especially in the beauty industry, were still spoken about now. The beauty brand 'Edevane' was one of the most widely used amongst the rich and famous, the business successfully run by a committee of competent executives picked out, no doubt, by her parents in the event that they perish. Funny, considering the woman in my arms barely wore makeup. I could tell by the shadows under her eyes that seemed darker than the previous time we met.

"No siblings?" My question has her head shaking from left to right, the long brown hair of her ponytail swinging from side to side, making me want to wrap it around my hand while I ravish her mouth.

"Back at you. Family, siblings?" She questions, her brown eyes looking up at me expectantly.

"Mom and Dad are celebrating Christmas at their villa in Spain with some friends. My sister Mia is spending Christmas with her latest fling in Morocco. No extended family, luckily," I say, happy that I don't have the complexities that a large family has.

"I sometimes wish I had a brother or sister, but I also know of many who have siblings and barely speak to them. Are you and your sister close?" She asks as I maneuver her past Alistar, who is looking at her with lust-filled eyes as he dances with a woman I don't recognize, his hands roaming her body while his eyes do the same to Allegra. He is such a scumbag. I glare at him, his smile unwavering as he lazily looks back at the woman in front of him.

"Niklaus?' Allegra says, pulling my attention back.

"Sorry. Yes, Mia and I are close. I am ten years older than her, so I have always been there looking out for her while my parents galavanted the globe." The song comes to a finish as the small chime of a bell indicates that dinner will be served.

I reluctantly release Allegra, my lower hand on the base of her back, as we follow the rest of the guests through large doors leading into a grand dining hall.

The room is dripping with elegance and luxury, the crystal glassware glinting under the soft light provided by candles on the table and a large fire taking up one side of the room. Soft music from an orchestra positioned in the corner of the room blankets the atmosphere, making this get-together of acquaintances feel more intimate than it is.

Ade and Aashiv have seated us close to where they are at the head of the table, with me on his right side next to Allegra and opposite Aashiv on his left.

Looking around, I see Alistair has been seated close to the end of the opposite side of the table, his eyes meeting mine with clear distaste before looking at the woman from the dance floor seated beside him.

Allegra is seated next to an elderly couple who looks to be in their sixties. I met them once before. Clarissa and Tony, Ade's aunt from his mother's side, and uncle. It appeared to be the only family of either Ade or Aashiv at this table. Internally I laugh at the mismatch of people here, none with close enough family ties to keep them from such an event. All looking to escape the loneliness that has been created from living in a world where money rules above all else. Many people only wanted to be around the rich for their own gain making most of us at this table skeptical of relationships and friendships.

After everyone is seated, Ade gives a short speech thanking everyone for being here. With a nod of his head, the starter is served. Looking over at Allegra, I notice her meal is different from the rest, swopped out with a vegetarian version that looks as good, if not better, than the plate in front of me.

Of course. I should have pegged her as a vegetarian when I saw the lush vegetable and herb garden on the one side of her house when I collected her earlier.

She looks at me briefly, blushing, when she realizes she has stuffed a larger-than-anticipated piece of latka in her mouth. She swallows, followed by a hiccup as she washes it down with a sip of wine.

"Don't tell me it's dry. The chef will be getting an earful from me," Aashiv says from across the table before looking at me. "This happens whenever she eats something that is too dry. You should see her eat bread."

"Aashiv, you're giving away all my secrets," Allegra says, looking at me and then at Aashiv as she pulls her lips in, pursing and half smiling as she glares at her in warning.

"It's fine. I want to know everything, all your secrets," I say, looking at Allegra as her eyes lock with mine. She is nervous. I can tell by the way she is crumpling the cotton napkin in her lap.

We stare at each other, her sizing up what I have said, confusion behind her eyes mingled with another emotion I cannot decipher.

The moment is broken by the arrogant asshole Alistair as he addresses Allegra from across the table, silencing conversation around us.

"Allegra, you're quite an affluential person in the art world. We were just talking about that painter...what's her name again?" He asks the companion next to him, clicking his fingers at her in an annoying fashion.

Remembering, he doesn't wait for her to answer as he shouts out loudly, " Ahh, I remember. Divoká Rostlina!"

What do you think of Alistair lol, I had fun creating him in my mind :) Please comment and vote!

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