Mr. Badass ✔

14 Test Drive

Gemma's POV.

I'm the top salesperson again this month.

Lying on Luke's couch, hugging a pillow, I'm grinning at my bank account balance on my phone when it suddenly hits me—the person who made the biggest contribution to my sales this month.

And then, my smile freezes.

The first time I met Dmitri, I was still in college.

I was out for a night run on the track, and when I got tired, I stopped and sat down at the edge.

Leaning against a wall, behind me were stairs leading up to the second-floor bleachers, and on the first floor was the equipment room.

Because of the stairs blocking my view, I didn't see Dmitri walk out of the equipment room.

Suddenly, in my line of sight appeared a tall man with broad shoulders and a narrow waist.

He was standing not too far away, talking on his phone.

The dim lighting on the track at night only allowed me to make out his sharp features and defined jawline.

He clamped the phone between his shoulder and cheek, pulled out a cigarette pack, tapped out a cigarette, and then took out a small box. He used a needle-like tool to poke the cigarette and inserted something like incense into it.

I couldn't help but admire how even his smoking looked so elegant.

Apparently unaware of my presence, he briefly paused as he shielded his lighter and lit the cigarette.

Much later, after we'd known each other for a while, he brought up our first meeting, saying I scared him half to death—he thought he'd seen a ghost.

But I told him, if I were a ghost, I'd be a pretty one.

He raised both hands in agreement.

"What are you thinking about?" Luke's voice interrupts my thoughts.

"I'm thinking about how many days you'll be away on this trip," I reply.

A suitcase is spread open on the living room floor, and Luke walks out of the bedroom carrying a pile of clothes.

He bends down to put the clothes in the suitcase, then stands up and turns to look at me, his tone calm but dangerous, "If you go looking for that coffee shop guy again, you'll face the consequences."

I giggle, stretching out a leg, trying to nudge his pants with my toes. "I won't see him. How about I find someone else?"

Luke grabs my ankle.

I gasp, "—Ouch—Okay, I was wrong—"

He places my leg back on the couch.

I tug on the hem of his shirt with my hand.

"What did this shirt ever do to you? It seems like you're ready to ruin it," Luke raises an eyebrow.

"Come here," I pull on him again.

Luke sits down on the couch.

I sit up, wrapping my arms around his neck. "You'll be gone for days. Leave me something before you go."

"What?"

I pout, making a kissing gesture.

"I thought you'd ask for something else," Luke's gaze briefly flickers over my chest.

"Pervert!"

Luke stands up. "The pervert needs to leave now."

I grab his shirt hem again, and in the quiet room, the faint sound of a seam tearing fills the air.