Destroyed For All Others

Chapter 18 - Dinner

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Niklaus

The movement behind me surprises me. Forty minutes have gone by since I left Allegra in her room. I hadn't expected her to be ready so soon. Most women I knew needed a lot more time. But then again, Allegra wasn't like most women.

I only sat down moments before, the glass of bourbon in my hands barely touched. Getting up, I discard my glass on the table. As I turn around, a breeze flowing through the house catches Allegra's perfume, the jasmine, and vanilla lightly engulfing me before it is carried away to the ocean behind.

She stands in front of me, eyeing me nervously, none of us saying a word.

Absolutely effortlessly gorgeous. She must have showered, the tips of her long hair slightly wet. She is wearing it in a stylishly messy bun, a colorful scarf tied around the base of the bun. Her eyes are accentuated by mascara and eyeliner, the only makeup on her face. She is wearing a flowing floral skirt, the slit ending mid-thigh, with a white cotton blouse tucked into the top. She has chosen flat slip-on shoes, perfectly suiting this stylishly laid-back outfit. She looks like she has stepped out of a magazine. People pay stylists to put together a look this woman had managed to throw together in under an hour.

"Is this appropriate for the venue?" She asks me, uncertainty in her voice as she looks down at what she is wearing.

"It's appropriate. You look gorgeous, Allegra," I say to her as a blush tinges her cheeks. "And even if it wasn't, you shouldn't care so much about what others will say. Just be yourself."

"That's easy for you to say. You're a natural," she says, breaking eye contact with me.

"A natural?" I ask, not sure exactly what she means.

"Charming, likable, confident, alpha male...you know." Her hand is indicating to all of me as she talks.

"So, I'm likable and charming?" I ask her, smirking as she glares at me in return, though a small smile is playing on her perfect pink lips.

"That's what the internet says about you," she huffs, looking out towards the ocean behind me.

"Don't believe everything the internet says, Allegra. You should know that." I take a step toward her, the movement causing her eyes to snap up and meet mine. "I googled you too, if it makes you feel any better. You've managed to keep a lower profile than I have. I could barely find anything on you. Are you hiding something?" I ask her, taking another step towards her.

"W-what – what would I need to hide? I'm an open book." Her tone is defensive, and her eyes will not meet mine.

She is definitely hiding something, and whatever it is, from what Aashiv had also said, was something painful. In time I would find out. But from her. From anyone else, it would be a watered-down version. I wanted Allegra to tell me. To confide in me. When I think back to the woman in the garden four years ago and the one now standing in front of me, the spark she had then has somewhat diminished. Not entirely, luckily enough. There was still hope.

"Mmm, you're not an open book, but that's okay. Neither am I. Shall we go?" I ask, holding my hand out to her.

She is clearly relieved that we have moved on from the previous conversation. Reluctantly, she takes my hand as I gently pull on it, leading her to the front door. Once outside, I head towards the Porsche that Sian arranged to be dropped off here earlier, opening her door for her to get in.