But then again, she doesn’t need much since she’s so naturally beautiful.

“The Moores have a good background and have been in the construction industry for decades. They were quite acquainted with old Mr. Quinn. Mason Moore has proven his capability and become one of the current backbones of Quinn Industries.”

William’s words carry on as my eyes land on the man before her. The way he looks at Natalie is different from how you would normally look at a colleague.

My fists clench.

“Mmm.”

I turn away quietly. Seeing her doing well at work is enough. Watching her grow into a capable professional leader is my responsibility, so that when she’s ready to live an independent life, I won’t have to worry about her anymore.

And the sooner the better.

Chapter 5

NATALIE

S taring at the old grandfather clock, I place my book down on the coffee

table. It’s almost midnight, but Derik hasn’t gotten back to the villa yet.

I’ve been waiting for him after learning he’s back from San Francisco. He isn’t the kind to spend the night at the office, regardless of how hectic his schedule is.

I tap my finger restlessly on my phone.

Should I check on him?

After deliberating, I hit the speed dial for his number. Panic builds within me with each ring. He’s not picking up! I set the phone down and lace my fingers together on my lap, my mind racing with treacherous possibilities, then immediately feel relieved when I hear a car pull up the driveway.

He’s back!

In silence, I sit on the sofa waiting for him to come inside. I swore to myself I wouldn’t let this night pass without asking him about the possibility of me moving out. After giving it a lot of thought, I’m pretty certain he will agree with it now that I’ve started working.

“You’re back!” I greet him as he enters the front door. He stops in his tracks when he hears my voice, his icy stare landing on me.

I shiver and then frown when I realize his tie is not in place. His hair is disheveled and faint dark circles frame the underside of his eyes. I’ve never seen him like this before.

He looks distraught.

“What are you doing here?” he questions. His tone is so low that I swear the room temperature drops a few degrees.

I inhale sharply, mustering the courage to look him straight in the eyes.

“I was waiting for you to come home.”

He shoots me a mocking grin. For a moment, he exudes a menacing playfulness. He looks exceptionally gorgeous when his dimples appear at the corners of his mouth. But the dangerous gleam in his eyes isn’t that difficult to read.

He is clearly in a bad mood. And there’s a faint scent of liquor about him.

“Have you been drinking?” I ask instead.

Obviously, this isn’t a good time to discuss my plans, so I head to the kitchen to make him honey water. Regardless of his coldness towards me, he’s still the man who is considered my guardian, a big brother of sorts. My conscience won’t allow me to just ignore him when he shows up looking like a helpless puppy.

Without answering, he follows me into the dining room in silence and takes a seat at the table. When I place the glass in front of him, he shoots me an inquisitive look.

“I read it helps with hangover.”

He grasps the glass and chugs the water as if he’s scared I’ll take it back or something.

As I walk the empty glass back to the kitchen when he’s done, I can hear him following unusually close behind me.

I don’t think too much of it.

After all, drunk people tend to act strangely and cross social boundaries. I never imagined I’d ever lay eyes on a wasted Derik Lewis, though. He must be having a tough time at work and is just blowing off some steam.

“What do you want?” his voice questions over my shoulder in a low, melodious tone.

I turn and tilt my head upward to see his face, swallowing hard. He looks sinfully gorgeous as an amused grin plays across his lips. His eyes are weirdly bright, and the permanent frown on his face is replaced with a relaxed expression.

Every cell in my body reacts, completely disobeying my will.

A tipsy Derik Lewis is not something I ever thought I’d see and is unquestionably an endangerment to us both.

“N-Nothing!” I snap in surprise. “I tried to call but it didn’t go through. So…”

His brows knit ever so faintly for a moment, then his expression relaxes again.

“Alright.”

He shrugs and turns abruptly with his hands in the pockets of his pants. As he saunters away, he whistles a cheerful tune. Seeing this new side of him makes me feel uneasy inside. Why is he suddenly in a good mood? I didn’t know he had good moods. Did he hit his head or something?

In a state of confusion, I brush past him, deciding to just go back to my bedroom for the night. It’s draining to deal with someone who’s not in their right mind. But before I can take a step on the grand staircase, a strong grip twists me around and pulls me in, my face bumping into something firm and warm.

“Ouch!” I whimper, inhaling a familiar musky scent mixed with liquor.

“Were you worried about me?”

My eyes widen. I’m in Derik’s arms. There’s a hint of hopefulness in his voice. I can’t keep a clear head when I feel his hands running up and down my back. I’m instantly melting under his touch.

No! No! No!

My mind is telling me to pull away from his grasp, but I’m helplessly lured into his strong, wide chest. A rush of warmth floods my core when I feel him planting tender kisses on my hair.

“I-I…it’s the first time you didn’t pick up. I guess I panicked a little,” I confess softly as he cradles my chin with his hand, our gazes meeting.

A glint of surprise crosses his eyes, and he bends down and scoops me up in his arms. Alarmed, my hands instinctively find their place around his neck for fear of falling to the floor. With our eyes locked, my heart throbs hard and loud against my chest when I see burning desire in the same eyes that usually look at me so coldly. He begins to carry me up the stairs.

“W-What are you doing?”