Billie Bossa Nova

29.

Waltzing up to Kai and telling him to put a hickey on her neck to prove her worth to a group of girls she just met was not the ideal way to go about this. Billie was certain that he would say no just to teach her a lesson for ignoring him the whole time and then suddenly deciding to use him for her own personal gain.

As she walked up to Kai, Billie realized just how unfair she was being. It was as if the mission mattered until she could finally gain something off of him and then after that, she would go back to treating him like he was invisible. A part of her was starting to reconsider. She glanced over her shoulder at the girls. Karla had her arms crossed while the others beckoned her to keep going. Her eye contact fixed to Karla.

That knowing smirk, the underestimation and disregard behind those syrup orbs burning Billie's entire being with immense disdain. She often enjoyed a challenge, especially when it came the right way. When it had good sported intentions behind them. Many times, when a it was brought to her with insideous agendas, Billie would develop some sort of hatred towards the challenger, one that would serve as a motivation to prove them wrong. Such as now. Such as Karla.

"Fuck it," she muttered. There was no way in hell she was not capable of getting a hickey from Kai Rivera. "Good evening, gentlemen." She brushed her arm against Kai's as she greeted him and his friend.

Both men turned to her direction, Kai's face turned down with a frown. He was about to say something, probably an attempt to do to her what he did to Karla, but she wouldn't let him. "Care for a dance?"

Kai was mad at her, she knew this by the way he showed annoyance towards her presence. He didn't even look at her, as if she wasn't worth his energy. How disheartening, she thought. But he showed far less than he felt. "No," he then replied.

She glanced over at him. Widened her grin. "Oh, I wasn't asking you." Kai's posture tightened quite evidently. Satisfaction made her relax her weight onto her right hip and rest her hand to it. The stranger next to him raised an eyebrow, lips stretching upwards to a grin. With this, Billie continued, "It's an open offer. I'm bored and my partner left me to pursue other endeavors."

"Who would leave such a beautiful young lady such as yourself all alone," said the stranger. Billie's glance towards Kai was subtle, although long enough to see him divert his gaze with his jaw locked tight. The stranger stretched out his hand. "Nathan Singh. Owner of NatBank, South Africa's leading bank. You are?"

"Billie Eilish. Owner of myself." Her joke was accompanied by a laugh from the middle-aged man. Billie knew it wasn't that funny, but people would often laugh at the jokes of those they found attractive.

Kai cut in, "Actually Ms. Eilish, Mr. Singh and I were in the middle of a conversation. You're interrupting."

Billie glanced towards him, crossing her eyebrows in a manner that conveyed confusion. "Oh, and who are you?"

Nathan Singh cleared his throat. Kai's glare at him was deadly. The man, while diverting his gaze, lifted his drink to tip it into his mouth. Kai's glare redirected to Billie.

"As your boss, I do expect you to know."

She took in his locked jaw and rigid posture, the white knuckles on the hand that gripped his half full glass of whiskey. Her eyes swept up and down his body twice, her tongue pulling out of her mouth to wet her bottom lip. Kai followed the action with his eyes, but quickly lifted back to her ocean blues as if aware that he'd fallen for her trap. He was too easy for his own good. Billie was about to say something when Nathan spoke before she could start. "I'm sure a little dance would do no harm. Mr. Rivera here seems quite opposed to female attention, but I'm not the same." This was said with a bashful tone.